the-howard-platt

[the-howard-platt]

He h-hasn't? I'm not surprised... I was in the hospital for a long time and I suspect he doesn't really know what to do around m-me anymore. But... other than that, I'm fine. You?

I guess. How’ve you been man? I haven’t heard Aidan talking much about you recently.

[the-howard-platt]

H-How much longer do you think you'll have to stay? I missed you t-too. 'S why I'm here.

Oh god do I understand that feeling. I fucking hate it here.  I can’t wait until I get out.  I’m fine I guess *she shrugs and tries to give him a convincing smile*  I miss you though.

[the-howard-platt]

I... I don't know. I'm trying to f-figure that out.

Is it a good different or a bad different?

[the-howard-platt]

I... always pictured it to be hotter.

The same seventh layer of hell as always.

[the-howard-platt]

It's not bad... It just looks different.

Does it? It looks pretty fucking awesome.

[the-howard-platt]

"D-Do you really think so? Have you... found someone else? I kn-know you can love someone but... not want to be with them. A-And... If you'd rather just be f-friends..."

“It’s okay,” he repeated, although his voice sounded somewhat uncertain so he quickly adds, “I believe you Howard. You aren’t stupid for not remembering, you have a good excuse.” Aidan attempts to crack a weak smile as he wipes at his face with his free hand. “I love you too, I still love you Howard. And now things will…” Get better? Go back to normal? As if, “work themselves out.”

[the-howard-platt]

Well, it was bound to happen. I was s-sort of just sitting there at one point. H-How are you feeling?

*shrugs* as nice as a hospital room can be. I’m not offended though.

How are you doing though? I see you got out.

[the-howard-platt]

It looks nice. Don't let me offend you.

Tried to make it look more cozier, makes it less dull

[the-howard-platt]

T-This place looks a bit different than before...

[the-howard-platt]

Howard reached out to grab Aidan's hand, and though his hands shook, his resolve was solid. He was so glad that fate had brought them together again. Otherwise, he would have had to wait until he was discharged. "I should have r-remembered your number. I c-can't believe I was so stupid. I kept tr-trying. I swear. I love you so much."

Aidan allowed the silence between them to linger, he didn’t want to push Howard, he would never pushed Howard. He would speak when he was ready. His gaze went up and down his lover, and before he even realized it, his cheeks became stained with tears. It didn’t even matter. All that he cared about was Howard being there, alive, and— hopefully —still in love with him. Aidan decided now wasn’t the time to think of something like that. “It’s okay, it’s okay Howard. I don’t care. I’m just— I thought you left me.” His pools of blue turn down, shamefully. “I was so scared, I love you so much I didn’t know what to do.” He thinks of the drugs Irene had been giving him, but knew better than to admit to something like that. “I s-should have known better. I should be apologizing. I’m so sorry Howard.”

[the-howard-platt]

[the-howard-platt]

[the-howard-platt]

He croaked out another sentence. "A month? Wh-What about Aidan?" His eyes went wide with alarm and squeezed her hand.

She smiled at him slightly and sat on the edge of the bed holding his hand.  She took the sight of him in and it scared her.  “About a month. I guess?”

[the-howard-platt]

Howard grimaced, tears welling in his eyes as he struggled to find the words to say to Aidan. He squeezed Aidan's hand as best as he could and bit his tongue. Talk, you idiot! Say something. This isn't the time to shrink back and not speak. This is Aidan. This is the person you've been waiting for. His grip tightened and he found he couldn't look Aidan in the eyes. "I--" his voice caught in his throat, so he tried again. "I was in a coma... and I c-couldn't remember your number or anyone else's... I'm s-sorry..."

He noticed the piece of jewelry falling onto the floor, his eyes fell upon it and then back to Howard. The memory of Irene telling him Howard was going to propose before he left was still clear in his mind. The heartbreak of his lover leaving without a word was still a prominent feeling in his chest, before a strange feeling of guilt came over him. Aidan was never mad for his absence, he wasn’t able to bring himself to be angry. He thought Howard had left for good, that he’d never come back… How much of a fool he had been to think he would ever so something like that. 

Tentatively, Aidan grabs Howard’s hand and kisses it. And again. And again. And again and before he knows it he’s shaking. “Howard…” His head moves from side to side. “I-I thought you… I thought I’d never… You’re alive. You’re alive and you’re here and that’s all that matters.”

[the-howard-platt]

Howard hadn't even seen him standing at the doorway. So many people peered into his room that he had grown accustomed to the pitying looks they threw in his direction. Half the time he wished that he was stuck within four walls just so he didn't have to deal with the people who walked by. He kept playing with the ring between his fingers until he heard the unmistakable tone of Aidan's voice. His head snapped up to look towards the doorway and he lost grip of the ring. It cluttered to the ground despite his attempt to grab at it and he watched it roll away.

He moved to sit up straighter, ashamed to look Aidan in the eye. How disgusting he must've looked. Howard rasped, "Aidan," and then tried again. "Aidan..." He reached out for him, tears pooling in his eyes. "Am I dead, now?"

In a moment Aidan had forgotten why he was even at the hospital, whether it was to see Irene or Hannah or Aina or any other of his friends, (Lord knows why so many of them found themselves in there, with the exception of Aina and Hannah.) none of that mattered now. 

Time stood still and so did Aidan. He stood in the doorway for several minutes, avoiding eye contact with him. He wanted to cry, but he didn’t think he had any tears left for Howard, he wanted to scream himself raw, but rather lips pressed into a thin line. Taking in a sharp breath, he slowly walks over to the side of the bed and stares down. Why hadn’t somebody called him? Why didn’t anyone tell him? Why did he always seem to be left in the dark?

"H-Howard?"

[the-howard-platt]

Howard's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his name. He expected to see his regular nurse. Some Hannnigan or another. He was shocked to see Miss Hannah standing just a few steps away. He peered up at her weakly through his lashes and forced himself to talk, no matter how much he didn't want to.

"Hit and run..." he mumbled. Did he look that bad?

Maybe it was a stroke of luck that she got scheduled to intensive care rather than her usual spot in the oncology ward… the movie about the two cancer patients in love that Holly had taken to had really bummed Hannah out and even though she would never say it aloud, she could use some time out of there. Maybe it was a stroke of luck… that’s what she thought until she saw him lying there.

Howard.

"Howie?" Hannah dropped the chart she’d been holding, frozen in place. "Oh my god… what happened to you, Howie?"

[the-howard-platt]

Howard gestured for Irene to come back towards him, holding out his hand while he drew in ragged breaths. With his free hand, he tugged away the oxygen mask to speak. "How long?"

Irene could feel him hesitate to hug her back, so she pulled away.  Concern was written all over her face.  She saw him point to the charts so she picked them up and quickly read over them.  She looked back up at him and shook her head.  “No. No this couldn’t have happened.  This…this is where you were? No!”