Settled in a hospital room, Albel found himself faced with his worst enemy: doctors at the emergency clinics of the hospital. After he had walked in on Roxas in a familiar state, he went through the same routine. Call up an ambulance. Ride alongside in the back as they asked their list of questions and worked on their unconscious patient.

What he hadn’t expected was the heightened rush in the paramedic’s steps. Nor the attitude of the doctor given to his only living breathing beloved of sorts.

“If you aren’t related to the patient or a spouse, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. It is past visiting hours. Go, sit in the waiting room or something and I’ll let you know the details later.” A bespectacled middle aged male doctor spoke gruffly whilst eyeing his patients clipboard notes. He was too used to this older fashioned way of things than the computer. Especially when thrust around between abrupt patients.

“I’m sorry? I didn’t exactly come all this way to ‘sit in the waiting room or something.’” Air quotations were added to further show off Albel’s own irritation. “Besides, I’m pretty much his husband as well as his mom anyway. I see no harm done.”

Sighing, the doctor pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “I don’t care enough to listen to more complaints. I’m going to run a couple of tests, but if my theory holds correct, your...partner here as you put it, is within the last stages of cancer. Meaning, we will keep him here if he would like, or he may go home with you as long as you pay absolute close attention to everything he says and does.”

Albel bit his bottom lip, turning his head to take in the sight of Roxas bundled beneath white blankets. “I’ll leave that decision to him when he wakes up. I’m assuming you’ll kick me out to the waiting room anyway?”

Softening up, the older of the two lay a gentle hand to the others shoulder. “I’ll call for you when he’s done. Get some rest, you must have had one hell of a night so far.”

“I appreciate it. Take care of him.” With one last glance towards the sleeping form, he headed towards the signs labeled conveniently where he was headed.

The first thing Roxas was greeted with was a familiar bare white ceiling. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room, he was met with more similarities. White furniture. Walls. Flat screen television used to keep patients entertained. Even a white divider pulled out meaning he must not have been alone.

Startled by a rustle of sheets behind the divider, Roxas brought himself to sit up in his bed. In a matter of seconds he was met with a bright burst of sunlight as the fabric burst open and out popped his supposed roommate.

“Hello! I hope you don’t mind that I overheard the doctors earlier about you. Roxas...right? I should introduce myself first. My name is Jamie.” The young man appeared to be roughly the same age as Roxas himself. Stature wise, perhaps slightly more thin. Who knew if he’d left this place much. Black hair the color he’d dub near as beautiful as the night sky and blue eyes that seemed to shimmer like stars.

“I uh, yes. Roxas is my name. Did they say...why I’m here?” What a way to start off a meeting if they did. ‘Hi, I have cancer that will probably kill me very soon. How about you?’

Sitting down from where he previously stood, the man nodded sadly. “I apologize for eavesdropping. I shouldn’t have.” His gaze fell to the backs of his hands resting on his legs.

“What about you?” It couldn’t hurt to make a possible friend while here. This Jamie guy seemed rather friendly too.

“Tumor. In my brain somewhere, I forget each time exactly where to be completely honest. They just continue telling me the usual ‘we would like to keep you here for monitoring’ business. Hopefully no sooner than you! No wait! That sounds bad...I mean, I’d like to stick around as long as you, you know? You seem pretty nice and all.” Jamie nervously smiled, scratching the back of his palm in an attempt to distract from his mistake.

Roxas blinked, taking a moment to absorb the words before breaking out into a fit of laughter followed by a fit of coughs. “You remind me a lot of someone dear to me. I think we’ll get along just fine. A pleasure to meet you Jamie.” 


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