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There was no sound. It was completely silent aside from the steady beeping from the heart monitor. Ethan had just left. It was awkward. All visits had been awkward. It had been..what? A week or so now since...the accident. Yet it still felt like it happened yesterday. They still couldn't think straight, it still hurt, he still felt...gross. Just yesterday he had a meltdown because he noticed the feeling of water getting on his hospital gown and he forgot about it. They hated it.
Streber sat upright on the hospital bed. In a dazed state. They fidgeted with the edge of the blanket. His back hurt, the hospital bed was incredibly uncomfortable in this position. But he didn't have the energy to move.
The door opened with a small creak and light from outside poured into the dark room. Streber, slightly snapping out of his daze. A smile grew on their face, fangs poking out from his upper lip. Kevin stood in the doorway. A nervous smile on his face, he wore a light pink turtleneck and grey sweatpants. There was a plastic bag hanging from his arm.
"Hey Streb...can I turn the lights on?" Kevin hand was about to move hand towards the light switch before he saw Streber shake their head.
"No. They're too loud." Strebers voice comes out hoarse and flat.
Kevin just nodded, he walks into the room, letting the door shut softly behind him. He walks over to sit in one of the chairs next to the hospital bed.
"How are you feeling?" He asks, his tone is gentle.
"...fine." Streber answers. Glancing down at the bag on the floor. "What's in the bag?"
"Oh!" Kevins eyes light up as he leans down to grab the bag. Pulling out a second, smaller bag, a tootsie rolls logo on the bag. "I brought you some of these from the candy store. I thought you might want a little pick me up. Hospital food is lame. I also got you some twizzlers since I know you like those, I didn't know which you were wanting more but I wanted to make it a surprise so I just picked up both."
Streber has little to no reaction. Why can't he bring himself to smile. He wants to. He's touched by this action. But he can't move. He just looks at Kevin. Whose face drops when he sees Streber.
"Is..is it too much? I thought just–I don't know I thought it'd be a—"
"Kevin." Strebers voice cuts off Kevins and reaches his arm out, albeit a bit painfully to rest on Kevins cheek. "I love it."
Kevin manages a small smile. His hand held Strebers. He glances down, frowning now. "Sorry, It's been so long since I last visited. Rick quit and it's mostly just me again and those blasted kids and—"
The word *"kids"* struck an unpleasant memory in Strebers mind and he stopped listening. Kevins words faded off into muffled sounds.
Their vision became blurry, shifting in and out of focus as his gaze dropped. The muffled noises stopped. Or they just sound like they did.
Suddenly they were back there. Back at the *damn house.* Letting in those..those *kids...*then that guy..that...
He partially came back to reality, his breathing erratic. He heard something which he could only assume was Kevin. Something touched his shoulder and he felt another wave of panic wash over him.
*"Don't touch me!"* Streber shouted, he sounded far away in his own ears, a fast, rhythmic beeping drowned out any other sounds. "No, no, *no,* no! Stay away. Please. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna..." he trails off, their own cries getting the better of them. They hunched over on himself, his hand covered his face, their body shook with tearless sobs.
After a minute he felt a hand on his face. Strebers about to push it away again before he heard a gentle shushing noise, he looks up, his blurred vision can make out Kevin looking at him. His expression soft, worried.
*"Can you move over?"* The voice is barely above a whisper, But Streber could understand. He nods and shifts over. Barely, but giving Kevin just enough room to climb onto the bed next to him. Was this allowed? Probably not. But neither of them cared.
"You're okay, baby. He's *gone.* You're safe Streb. I'm here." Kevins voice was soothing, it was almost enough to cancel out the fast beeping...almost.
Streber bit their lip. Trying to hold back tears, unsuccessfully. As the waterworks kicked in, Streber wrapped his arm tightly around Kevin. Pressing his face into his shoulder. Mumbling incoherent, frantic words.
"Shh, shh. I'm here. It's okay.." Kevins hand moves to rest on Strebers back. Rubbing it in a comforting manner.
"I'm so...*I hate this.*" Streber managed to say. His grip around Kevin tightened.
"I know, love...I know."
They sat there for a while. Strebers sobs died down, drowsy now. The beeping slowed. Kevin was rubbing his shoulder now, still sitting on the bed.
"Feeling better?" He asks softly.
"...not really."
"Do you want me to leave?"
Streber shakes their head. "You're gonna get..in trouble yknow."
"Honestly? I don't care. As long as I'm next to you."
Streber leans further into Kevin. His eyes felt heavy. "Thanks, babe." He mumbled.
"Of course."