Live for You [HARDZZELLO]

4

The nurse places the tray of food down in front of Joe, and Ben looks at him expectantly. While the nurse isn't looking, Joe breaks his chocolate muffin in half and sneakily tosses it to Ben, who expertly catches it in his mouth. It's only been a week and a half, yet its almost like Tradition that Joe shares his chocolate muffin with Ben everyday. The pair share a cheeky smile before the nurse turns back and Joe returns to his meal.
An unfamiliar man clad in the white coat comes into the ward. But he isn't Joe's doctor usual doctor, neither is he Ben's. The doctor gives a small nod to Joe as he walks past his bed to Ben, who looks just as clueless. Ben's curtains are drawn, and Joe strains to hear their conversation but fails to obtain any information.

Is he alright?

How's his condition?

What even is his condition?

Joe realises he doesn't know anything about why the blonde is here.
Nevertheless,  he hopes his friend would be alright. Ben is probably the only reason he's even lasted this long in this place.

After what seems like an eternity, the curtains are drawn back. Joe scans Ben's face for any form of emotion.

Ben looks devastated.

Fuck.

"Hey buddy... you alright?" Joe tries to ease into the conversation, both physically and emotionally tense himself. Ben's gaze is still fixed onto the white wall on the opposite side of the room, "Yeah... yeah.. it's just..." He doesn't finish.

It's just what? Joe itches for an answer. What could have possibly gone wrong with the blonde such that his usual cheery self was completely eradicated without a trace? Joe finds the harmful habit of gnawing on the inside of his cheek return. It's just what? His fingers grips the sheets so hard that they turn as white as the sheets themselves.

Ben gulps, "The doctor, he... he said that I could start walking around again!" His trademark smile suddenly erupting on his face. 

Joe's mind tries to process the information.

What a fucking dick. 

Ben starts laughing before he finds a pillow thrown at full force into his face, almost knocking him off the bed. "DON"T FUCKING DO THAT TO ME!" Joe growls, "I was so worried something had happened to you." Ben makes a big show of clutching the Joe's pillow to his heart, "Aww... you were worried for little ol' me?" Joe rolls his eyes and huffs, "Not anymore, dickhead. I swear my heartrate doubled." He gestures to his heartrate monitor. Sure enough, the numbers have increased from a mere 47 to a 81. 

Joe does a double take, so did Ben.

Because of Joe's malnourishment, his heartrate always stayed in the 40 to 50 range, an dangerously low level. Yet, for the first time in years, it had entered into the 80s.

"Well, I s'pose that's a good thing!" Ben raises his eyebrows in amusement. 

"I s'pose," Joe says, hugging his bony knees to his chest, trying to ignore the strange, yet warm feeling spreading 'round his heart. "Okay, okay, what exactly did the Doc say to you?"

Ben sits up in his bed and crosses his legs, "Well, basically my conditions and vitals have made an improvement since the last check up, so now I'm allowed to walk around the hospital grounds for 3 hours per day!"

Joe feels happy for his friend, he truly does, though he does feel a tinge of jealousy. Here he was, still ordered to stay in bed; the only movement he got was wheelchair trips to the toilet that was located 7 metres away from his bed. "That's great." He sighs, eyes looking past Ben to the view outside the window. Ben notices Joe's longing expression. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll take pictures of the outside world for you," He waves his phone in his hand. Joe scoffs at the attempt to cheer him up, but gives Ben a grim smile anyway. Suddenly the blonde's ears perk up. "Or I could..." He trails off.