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Autumn 2047, the Hollander-Rozanov house
The house was quiet, too quiet. Henric (24) and Jude (21) was spending fall break from both medical school and hockey at home with their little sister and dads. Except this fall was different. Ilya and Shane were visiting the Pike’s house, and the two brothers were alone home with their little sister. But something was darkening the once cozy and warm home, and the brothers were beyond worried. Matilda (14) had spent the entire day in her bed, laying in the dark whilst staring at nothing. Matilda’s start at adolescence had already been rocky - she’d developed anorexia nervosa two years prior - and although she’d gotten better, her mental health did not seem to leave her alone. Her child psychologist had diagnosed her with major depressive disorder two months ago, and the house had since gone into a state of worry. Ilya especially had taken the news badly - he blamed himself for his daughters struggles, due to his genetics.
The two brothers sat on the couch in the living room, not paying attention to the TV. «I’ll go check on her again,» Henric said as he stood up. Jude stopped him; «We went up there three minutes ago though..» He hesitated. The brothers looked helplessly as each other. Their whole lives they had always managed to help their sister with everything. Their age difference to the girl made it natural for them to be as helpful and caring for her as they’d always been. But this was different. Every since she’d gotten anorexia, they suddenly didn’t know how to help her anymore. They couldn’t just put a cute bandage over a scraped knee, this was something deep and out of their own understanding. The two men shared a look - and they both knew they would go check on her again. They knew how their grandmothers life had ended, and it made them extra sure to protect Matilda from it.
(Matilda’s POV)
She could hear the clock ticking. She could hear a few birds fly outside. She could feel her heart beating, and she wanted to tear it out every time. She didn’t like the reminder that she was alive, because she felt anything but alive. Every second that passed felt like she was standing on a diving board, like every second sparked anxiety over her body. The only way to stop the feeling was to jump. The tiredness in her body was so utterly terrifying but also strangely familiar. She had stopped to feel scared, stopped to feel anything really. The girl felt like her heart was poisoned, and the only way to make it stop was to get to the core. Which was why she’d finally gotten the energy to sit up in her bed, the blade in her hand. Each cut felt so disgustingly right, like this was right were she was supposed to be. Just a little bit deeper, and everything will be alright. The feeling of actually feeling something hugged her welcome. She was too mesmerized by the blood soaking her bedding that she didn’t realize she was sobbing. Didn’t realize she was shaking. And definitely didn’t realize the two men standing in the doorway of her room, without color in their faces.
(Brothers POV)
As soon as the brothers reached the hallways to the rooms, they knew something was wrong. They especially knew something was wrong when they heard their baby sister sobbing her heart out. The cries were devastating, and the men felt like they were dying each time they heard her sobs. Sobs that wasn’t meant for a child to make.
Henric reached for the doorhandle, eyes on Jude. They looked at each other and communicated that they were both ready for whatever they were about to faze on the other side of the door.
They were in fact, not ready. Not ready to see their beautiful baby sister’s blood all over herself. Not ready to see the deep sorrow and desperation in her eyes as she looked at them.
«Hey baby, it’s ok, it’s ok, we’re here,» Henric immediately knelt down to her side. He immediately knew that she needed stitches. Jude were already on the phone with Ilya and Shane. «No no no no no,» Matilda kept repeating to herself, whispering silent pleas. Henric embraced his little girl, shushing her and telling her everything would be okay, as he put pressure on her wounds. Jude walked up to them after hanging up on Ilya and Shane. «Papa and daddy are on their way baby,» he held her tightly.
Suddenly, Henric saw the razor that she still held tightly in her hand, and exchanged looks with Jude. Jude immediately took it away from Matilda, as Henric held her in place. She cried and screamed, but could in no way defeat the two men. «I’m sorry,» she whispered into Henric’s sweater. Henric only pulled her closer in his lap, as he had done since she was born. «It’s not your fault baby, ok? Don’t apologize for something that isn’t your fault,» he told her gently. Henric comforted her as he instructed Jude on how to take care of the wounds on her arms and wrists.
(Ilya and Shane’s POV)
Normally Ilya and Shane had a great time at the Pike’s. But today they could not stop staring at their phones, in case a message appeared. They didn’t want to leave their daughter, but both her and the boys had promised it would be fine, so they had agreed to try. Both Hayden and Jackie knew very well about Matilda’s issues, and could tell this was hard for both of the fathers.
An hour later, when Shane’s phone rang, the entire room froze. Shane immediately excused himself and went into the hallway. «Yes?» He replied shakily when he answered the phone. «Dad..» Jude’s heartbroken tone made Shane’s chest tighten. Shane immediately went back into the room where Ilya, Jackie and Hayden were sitting, putting the phone on speaker. «It’s Matilda. She hurt herself, real bad. Henric says that she needs stitches. There’s so much blood and she’s terrified,» his voice broke. Every adult in the room froze. The fathers immediately went to the door, barely saving time to get their jackets from the hallway as Jackie and Hayden helped them along.
The drive was terrifyingly quiet. Shane was speeding - which he never did - and the only sound that could be heard was the heartbeat of the two men. When they arrived at their house, they wasted no time running to their little girl’s room. The sight of their baby full of blood in her brothers arms would never leave them. «Oh my baby,» Ilya immediately knelt down to his daughter, Shane right beside him. That only made the girl sob more. «I’m sorry daddy, I’m sorry papa,» she sobbed uncontrollably.
They all knew that she needed to see a doctor, so Ilya immediately took her in his arms, even when she didn’t want to.
(Neutral POV)
Matilda sobbed as her papa lifter her into his arms. «No I don’t wanna!» She screamed. That only made Ilya hold her tighter, the strong man being able to hold the young girl firmly in his arms, much to her dismay. The drive to urgent care was too long. Henric and Jude sat beside her on both sides, keeping her buckled in and safe whilst the fathers were in front.
At urgent care, they were met with a few pediatric doctors and nurses who specialized in adolescent health. The doctor immediately knew he had to sedate her, and her dads held each hand while the doctor put the needle in her arm. She immediately fell asleep.
An hour later, she’d gotten a bed at the pediatric unit, her dads and brothers sitting in chairs beside her. «Thank you boys, for taking such good care of your sister, that situation couldn’t have been easy,» Shane praised his sons. Ilya continued: «We are sorry we weren’t there to help first,». Both boys just stared at their little sister, and her bandaged arms. «Of course we’ll take care of her, she’s our baby sister,» Jude answered.
Two hours later, the doctor had updated the family. «Her cuts were really deep, it was a good thing you brought her in here. For now, I recommend you try to get some rest while she’s sleeping, and we’ll discuss the next step after she’s awake,».
The hours had gone by, and Matilda woke up with a strange sensation on her arms. She weakly opened her eyes too see her arms covered in pink bandages. «No I don’t wanna be here,» she whispered, as Ilya and Shane went to kiss her head and stroke her cheeks as she woke up. «You’re in the hospital baby, you’re ok,» Shane said as he stroked a tear out of her face. «No I don’t wanna,» she tried to get up but Ilya’s hand held her down. «Matildochka you need to rest ok, we are here,» he coaxed her, as her brothers stood by the end of her bed. She started to sob again, but this time, her family managed to calm her down.
Ilya laid down next to her, pulling her into his embrace, while whispering «papa is here» continuously. Shane wiped her tears as he coaxed her with comforting words, and her brothers eventually almost made her laugh. She clung to her fathers that night, and no one minded, because they all knew that they weren’t ever gonna let her out of sight anytime soon. Depression is a cruel and dangerous disease, but the Hollander-Rozanov family were willing to fight forever for their little girl.