The other boys got into their cars and followed suit. Rowan kept holding onto Damien's hand as he was looked over. One of the medical personnel shined a light in his eyes and asked him to follow it, which he was unable to do. Now, at the very least, they knew he had a concussion.
Damien worried a split on his lip between his teeth, thankfully sober enough that he could judge the magnitude of the situation. “Do you think he’ll be alright?” He looked at the EMTs with worry in his eyes.
They nodded. "He has a concussion, and we think a possible fracture in his left lower leg. Nothing life threatening, but not pleasant either. Concussions and fractures can get pretty bad without treatment. Stay awake, hon." The woman speaking turned to Rowan, who was slipping into unconsciousness again. A different EMT slipped an oxygen mask onto Rowan to help him stay conscious.
Damien nodded, swallowing the growing lump in his throat. “Alright, thanks. It sounded pretty bad when he hit, for sure.” He trailed off, nervously watching the EMT interact with Rowan.
"Do you know how this happened?" The woman asked Damien while Rowan was being monitored. "It might help the doctor if he knows the context of the injury. He'll need X-Rays for sure." Rowan struggled to keep his eyes open, seeming afraid and still in pain.
“Ah.. fuck, we were just bein’ stupid ‘n playin’ truth or dare. One of our other friends- not me- dared him to bring back a piece of a shingle.. from the roof.” Damien continued to fuss with the split in his lower lip. “I guess he fell, I think from the actual roof.”
"I see… thank you." She dipped her head politely and helped the other EMTs roll Rowan inside the hospital when they arrived. Rowan was really struggling to stay awake by now, his fear and pain the only things keeping him conscious.
Damien followed the best he could, nervously fidgeting with his hands the entire time. What was he supposed to do? Say? God, he hated hospitals.
The other guys came in a few minutes later. Once it was time to do Rowan's X-Rays, a nurse came out to fetch Damien. "Would you be able to help your friend stay upright during his X-Rays?" He asked. "He's unable to do so himself and doesn't want us to touch him. He's asking for you."
“I- yeah, I can.” Damien pulled his hands from his pockets, following the nurse into the x-ray room. “Hey, Ro.. You good, buddy?” His voice was soft as he held Rowan upright and tried not to hurt him further.
Rowan nodded weakly, leaning against Damien for support. The X-Rays didn't take long, thankfully, and they got all that they needed. They said they'd review the images with Rowan's parents if they showed, and with Damien if they didn't. Of the group, Rowan clearly trusted Damien the most. Once the X-Rays were finished, Rowan was taken into a room.
“Is it okay if I’m in there with him? I don’t want him to be alone right now.” Damien asked one of the nurses, pointing to Rowan’s door.
(I've decided that Rowan has shit parents. Damien would probably know about it)
"Sure, that's fine." The nurse allowed Damien in with a soft smile. "He contacted his parents. We're going to wait a few minutes, but if they don't arrive, we will have to make other arrangements." Rowan looked up when Damien came in, his heart monitor beeping ever so slightly faster when he did.
(Alright, that works!)
“Thanks.” Damien nodded to the nurse, ducking into the room and taking a seat by the bed. “Hey..” He took a steadying breath, gently taking Rowan’s hand in his own. “You’re doing great. I know it hurts, and I’m so sorry, but you’re doing great, okay?”
"They're not gonna come…" Rowan said weakly, letting Damien hold onto him. He was glad that Damien was here and not one of the other guys, but he wasn't quite sure why. Well, he's my best friend… of course that's why I'm happy. "I think they're just gonna go over the X-Rays with you."
He nodded, trying to figure out why he hurt so much for Rowan. Well- I’d feel bad for any of them, but Rowan and I are just closer. That’s why. “I figured that much. Are you staying here overnight?”
"Probably… it's gonna suck being here all alone…" Rowan sighed shakily and looked out the window. It was common knowledge among their friend group that Rowan hated being alone. He likely wouldn't do well in the cold hospital with no one to keep him company. "I guess I'll manage… maybe I'll be able to sleep."
“I can ask to stay if you want.” Damien responded a little faster than he meant to, even surprising himself at how the words just.. fell out. “If your parents don’t show, I can ask to stay with yoh. It’s not a problem for me.”
"Are you sure? Won't your parents be worried or… or mad, or something?" Rowan asked. "You know… parent things?" He toyed with his hair a bit, sighing softly. The IV fluids he had been given definitely helped him feel more alert.
“Eh. My dad’s outta town and I couldn’t give a damn what my mom thinks.” Damien laughed that familiar laugh he gave when discussing his family. “Besides, I’m almost an adult. What’re they gonna do about it?”
"Well, I… I dunno…" Rowan's parents weren't really present, to be honest. Well, they were there, but it wasn't like they ever interacted with Rowan except to yell at him. Their influence, or lack there of, was likely what caused his fear of being alone. He'd been alone his whole left; neglected and ignored. Of course he hated it.
(i’m probably gonna head to sleep soon- gn!)
“Not a whole lot.” Damien pressed Rowan’s hand to his forehead. “It’ll all be okay, I promise. I won’t leave your side until you ask, alright? I’ll be there, Ro.”
(Night!)
Rowan blushed a bit at that, surprised. What the hell am I doing?! "Thanks, Damien… you're great." He smiled weakly and lay his head down on his pillow.
“It’s nothin’, don’t mention it.” Damien gave him a soft, warm smile return. He didn’t notice the blush, too busy looking around the sterile hospital room for that moment. “Is there anything I can do for you? Like- do I need to get anythin’ for you, or do you want me to stay here?”
(hey! so lately my posts have been getting some weird formatting once i submit them? it doesn’t show up in preview, so i can’t tell what causes it. please ignore it!)
(Alright, no problem ^^)
"Nah, you can just stay here… they put drugs in the drip." He jerked his head towards the IV. He jumped when the doctor came back in the room, startled. "In the absence of your parents, we have decided to review the films with you two." He pulled up the X-Rays on an iPad to show Rowan and Damien. As you can see here, you have a fracture in your tibia. Nothing else is broken, although I suspect you'll be rather sore for a few days."