Guardian ✓

hansel

NOAH STARED BLANKLY AT THE WALL IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.

"The bullet is lodged right next to your corpus callosum, Mr Crawford." The doctor shifted a little so he could point to the x-ray better. "It's truly a miracle. Had it damaged the nerve tract, communication between the left and right hemispheres would have stopped. I am honestly amazed," he cleared his throat, looking at Mathias now since Noah didn't seem like he was listening, "at how you're functioning properly. Brain surgery is still a very high risk. And we don't really know what will happen in the long term if the bullet stays. Of course, if you insist we have the best neurosurgeons at your beck and call, sir."

"Let's put the surgery off for now," Mathias spoke when Noah didn't, "he's doing fine. If complications arise, we'll rethink our decision."

The doctor nodded before taking the x-ray and leaving.

"Don't," Noah spoke for the first time that evening as they sat in the car.

The driver pulled up the partition before leaving the hospital premises. The Crawfords had funded the place quite a bit so there were no other cars in the private sphere as they left for which Noah was grateful. His dad was the one who could do the meet and greet with a smile on his face. His dad had started paying for other people's health expenses because God knew healthcare in this shithole was a joke.

And of course people were grateful when Noah had continued his father's tradition. But he was awful at laughing and smiling and greeting people who came to thank him.

His dad could do everything.

"Sir?" Mathias asked.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't."

Noah suppressed a wince as Mathias slammed the door shut angrily and sat back, face morphing into a look of fury.

"Don't what, sir? What are you going to do? Fire me for the the third time?"

Noah tried to smile, "Third time's a charm."

Mathias snorted before opening a couple of top buttons of his shirt.

"I'll always dislike Crawford. I don't have your fucking hero complex, asshole. If he didn't have so many enemies, you wouldn't be sitting here with a fucking bullet in your brain. Do you even realise how it felt like to watch that on the video? I can't handle two funerals in one year, sir." He spat the last word before more or less punching the intercom button.

"Ask Davey to get me from the next petrol station," Mathias commanded before sitting back with a scowl.

Noah opened a bottle of water before handing it over to him.

"You're going to leave me here then?" Noah asked, trying to lighten the mood.

After all, he only had one best friend. More than that. A brother.

"Fuck you."

"What was that?" Noah smirked, leaning back.

He knew Mathias couldn't stay mad for too long.

"Fuck you, sir."

Noah laughed and it made Mathias look away from the window in surprise. His best friend hadn't laughed in so long.

Not since he had come out of his father's hospital room.

Mathias smiled. Suddenly he wasn't angry anymore.

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Emma was going to chew her fingers off whilst she made her brother's girlfriend a vanilla soy latte. Fortunately, she'd learnt the recipe on the Internet or her brother's girlfriend would hate her even more.