“Mr. Carrero? Mr. Hunter is asking for you.” A young female voice drew his attention, looking up at a young nurse in blue scrubs beckoning him to follow, so he did without hesitation. She smiled his way warmly.
“He’s okay? He’s going to be okay, I mean?” He tripped over his words, half relief and half exhaustion. Walking behind her and trying to drag his heavy weight with him. He felt about a hundred years older suddenly.
“Yes, he will be kept in for observation of course but he’s fine. His father has been notified and on his way.”
Jake sighed, relief washing over him and a sudden ache to wrap arms around Emma shocked him. He didn’t have his cell with him to call her. He’d gotten here in soaked clothes, a shirt, and chinos, not even wearing shoes.
Jake was ushered into a side room that resembled every hospital he had ever been in, a lot like that time he had gone with Emma to Chicago. A single bed that was tilted into a comfier position, surrounded by white curtains and a bunch of machines and Hunter sitting grinning at him from the middle of it all like a fucking asshole. Dressed in a hospital gown and tucked in like a goddamn child under blue sheets and a blanket.
“Dickhead,” Jake grunted at him but still moved in for a shoulder to shoulder man-hug and patted his best friend on the back with sheer relief.
“You’re my hero, baby, hear you swam your little lungs out like Aqua Man trying to find me.” Daniel winked at him, but he had the urge to just punch him in the face for being so fucking normal.
“Fuck head. At least pretend to be remorseful or at least injured, right now you’re making me want to hurt you and I wouldn’t feel any guilt at all.” Jake flicked Hunter in the forehead in agitation then hauled a seat over and slumped down ungraciously.
“Charming! You look like crap … Tired and definitely not like a guy who got laid.” Hunter eyed him up warily and Jake only stuck the V up at him.
layers of fatigue hitting him all at once. Relief was a funny thing, it let loose
tired and no longer anywhere
get with little miss icy pants?” Hunter grinned but Jake only
drunk asshole like you couldn’t just tumble
maybe started something but didn’t finish it huh?”
“How?” Jake repeated.
sheepish and peaked Jake’s attention. He
… She was saying no, and I just saw red. I flew for him but being drunk as fuck I misaimed and went straight over the rails. I don’t think they were even looking my way so everyone thought I’d just jumped up and Superman dove into the ocean.” Hunter
pent-up emotional trauma. Who knew? But he laughed so much his sides started to ache, and tears poured down his face, when he stopped he realized Hunter was laughing too. Just how ridiculously close he had been to death
fuck’s sake!” Jake hauled his arms around his ribs to stop the ache, but Hunter just raised a knowing eyebrow at him. They knew it
He winked at Jake but was
once again pushed thoughts of Emma away,
a finger and Jake glared back. Telling him was inevitable and a part of him wanted to talk about it. Let it out of
had been everything
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