crash// cole sprouse fan fiction

hours 20-25

"Any plans for this weekend? Hot date?" Cole wondered aloud. Today marked the end of my first week at the hospital so we celebrated by doing exactly what we did yesterday, except this time we had candy. 

I chewed a piece of chocolate as I eyed Cole over suspiciously. He was suddenly very focused on his cards and it seemed as if nothing could break his gaze away from them. 

"Yeah, you know me," I stated flatly, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "I have Trey at 5:30, John at 7:00, and Mason at 8:30. If I'm not tired and the others weren't exciting, maybe I'll text Liam at 10:00 to see what he's doing." 

"Wow," Cole responded, taken aback by my scheduled, albeit fictional, boy toys and playthings. The fact that I was joking was clearly wasted on him. "I guess you do have a hot date night ahead of you." 

"I'm kidding," I smiled at him. He finally looked at me. "I'll probably do what I always do which is eat a burrito and watch a burrito without pants on." He chuckled a bit and nodded to himself. "Alone," I added as an afterthought for clarity's sake. 

"No friends at least?" Cole thought out loud as he laid down a set of cards. 

"Nah, I didn't really keep in touch with anyone from high school after I graduated. All of my friends from college are figuring out the next step of their lives, which wherever--or whatever-- it is, it's not here."

"Ah, well, I will be here watching TV and eating anything that can be prepared in a gelatinous form, trying not to lose my mind," Cole muttered. He brought his hand up to his chest, resting over his heart. He cleared his through and began to speak in a posh voice, mimicking a wealthy family in some period novel, "But if I should be so fortunate as to be in your thoughts, Darling, do visit and save me from my sorrow." 

I picked up a new card from the pile with a smile. Cole unwrapped a lollipop and stuck out his tongue, drawing it in. The lollipop's stick rested lazi.y and effortless on the corner of his mouth. 

"Well, my dear Cole, I shall think of you frequently and fondly. Regretfully, however, it is quite highly unlikely that I shall return bedside to your quarters before Monday," I responded with a grand, showy air of my own. 

A lazy smirk danced on Cole's lips. Clearly, he was impressed with the banter. He had found someone who matched his wits. I was flattered. 

I laid down a winning hand with my final discard, ending our two-day card game series. "I won, compadre. Again? Or are you finally tired of losing?" I was on a four-game streak for the day and was simply crushing it. 

"Eh, whatever, that's not impressive," Cole said dismissively and pouted. The smirk on his face that broke into a small smile told me he was joking. He leaned his head back onto his bed. "So..." he spoke up and his voice trailed off. 

"Yes...?" I cautiously responded, unsure of where this conversation was going. 

"So about us shooting around the garden?"

"Oh!" I started, taken aback that his concern was something fairly easy. I had, in that short amount of time, mentally prepared myself for the worst-case scenario and near impossible. "Yeah, do you want to go now? You have me for th next hour." 

"Yeah, is that okay? Dustin said I should probably try to do things to help me get back to myself. We spoke on the phone for a while earlier today before you came in.

"Dylan," I corrected him gently. "Your brother's name is Dylan." 

"Right," Cole responded quietly. "I knew that." 

"It's okay," I replied. "But, sure, we can go. Let me just run down the hall and grab a wheelchair for you." 

I said as I got up from Cole's bed. 

"Oh wait, actually, no," Cole quickly interjected. "It's okay. I, um, I don't want to do it anymore." 

"Are you sure? It'll take me, like, two seconds to grab the chair." I was standing at the foot of his bed and this point, motioning towards the door. 

"Yeah, no, it's fine," Cole began shaking his head. 

"Ok, I guess," I hesitantly replied. "And you're sure?" I tried one last time. 

"Oh my God!" Cole snapped. "Collins, drop it! I said I didn't want to go anymore!" He ran a hand through his dark hair. 

He brought his hand down from his hair and both went up to cover his face. I just stood there silently, blinking at him. He looked hurt and exasperated. 

I just watched him until he finally looked at me. The tips of his fingers together rested on the bridge of his nose as he peered over them to look at me. 

"Ouch, Cole," I broke the silence. Although after I had said it, I didn't really know how else to follow it except to just leave. 

Cole spoke up as I turned on my heels to go. "Collins, wait!" He called after me. "I'm sorry!" 

I stopped for a brief moment to hear him out. I kept my back towards him though I turned my head to look at him with my peripheral vision. 

"I'm sorry," Cole repeated. "I just don't like being reminded that I'm hurt and I'm not me and I can't do stuff and I'm dependent on other people," Cole confessed. 

I didn't know how to help him at this moment. Then again, I wasn't supposed to help him. I was just supposed to make sure he didn't die. Everything else was just gravy. 

"I'll be at the nurse's station. Hit the call button if it's an emergency," I instructed him before I left his room. 

I had a little under sixty minutes left in my shift before I was free for the weekend. So long as it was smooth sailing, I wouldn't have to deal with Cole for any minute of it. 

And I didn't.