Death's Middle Name {boyxboy}

Chapter Thirteen

~Thursday 14th December 2017~

"It's not right," Vant grumbled, locking his car, gripping Everest's hand when she slipped it into his, "they shouldn't be fucking leaving him when he's like this."

"I know, daddy," Everest wasn't wearing that permanent sweet smile, nor did she have that adorable glint in her eye, it was unnerving, "at least you can be here for him instead, he'll cherish that," Vant knew his daughter had a point, though his smouldering anger remained unquelled. He found Lyanna and Clark waiting in the hospital reception area, both looking particularly impatient.

"Thank you for doing this, Vant," Lyanna began, that fake smile on her lips, "we don't want to leave but-"

"I know, it's fine," Vant didn't want to waste any time speaking with Alwynn's parents, "you go, I don't mind watching him for a while," Vant ignored Clark's words of appreciation, forcing a smile before walking to Alwynn's room with Everest still clutching onto his hand. Upon opening the door, Vant couldn't deny his shock at see Alwynn sat up in bed, white as a sheet and trembling all over.

"Go get the doctor," Vant murmured to Everest, closing the door behind him when he entered the room, "hey, sweet boy, you're OK," Vant took a few tentative steps closer to the bed, keeping his voice soft and his movements slow, not wanting to startle the boy anymore. Alwynn's frantic, panicked eyes landed on Vant, a soft sob leaving his lips as the tears began to flow down his cheeks. He held out his arms and Vant happily leant down, engulfing the boy in a tight hug, trying his best to avoid the bandage on his neck.

"I'm sorry," Alwynn whispered, burying his face in Vant's shoulder, still trembling awfully.

"Sorry for what, Ali?" Vant unwound himself from the boy, pulling a chair closer to his bed and keeping Alwynn's hand clasped in his own.

"Making a fuss, just all this, I don't like worrying people," Alwynn laid back, never relinquishing his firm grasp on Vant's hand, grimacing every so often. Vant wondered whether he needed more painkillers but didn't want to leave the boy alone and would merely have to wait for the doctor's diagnosis.

"You have nothing to apologise for, Ali, this wasn't your fault. You were attacked."

"I know, but I must have worried you when I didn't turn up where I'd said I'd be," Vant paused for a moment, unsure whether to tell Alwynn he was the one who found him or not. There would be a lot of questions, too many for him to answer in one go without any thought for his lies and fabrications. Lyanna and Clark didn't even know, he had, regretfully, left Alwynn outside the hospital after feeding him a few drops of his venom, ensuring he wouldn't die of the blood loss before he was found.

"Don't worry about me," Vant went against his instincts, keeping his secrets to himself, despite the sickening feeling that came with keeping more things from the boy, "you're OK and that's all that matters," Vant went quiet himself when Everest returned with the doctor, staying aside with his daughter to let the professional check Alwynn over.

"Well, I think you're very lucky, Alwynn, anyone else with so much blood loss and head trauma wouldn't have made it, or would have been left with long-lasting injuries," Vant didn't like the doctor's choice of words, they didn't sound right in the context, "I would like to keep you overnight for observation but you should be able to leave early tomorrow morning if you're feeling up to it," Alwynn only nodded, barely looking the doctor in the eye. The man seemed to get the message, leaving the room swiftly, taking the tense atmosphere with him.

"I don't feel very lucky," Alwynn murmured, his voice sounding so defeated, not holding that humour it usually did.

"He shouldn't have said that, Ali, it wasn't fair of him to word it that way," Vant brushed his lips over Alwynn's knuckles, ignoring the sweet taste of his blood that coated his skin.