Alone Together

8 - Hospital Visit

Gilbert wasn't sure if he regretted telling Alfred or not. Ludwig had come to find him just a few minutes later, Feliciano no longer with him.

"Dad says, we're going home."

"Okay." Gilbert got up and followed his brother to the car where their father was waiting. The ride home was quiet, but Gilbert didn't mind. It just have him more time for the debate in his mind.

At home, he went straight to bed after saying good night to his family. He didn't think he would ever fall asleep. Every couple minutes he would turn around in his bed, anxiety slowly consuming him.

When he woke up the next morning, his phone was ringing. Pulling himself from his bed, he rubbed the blurriness from sleep away before looking down to his phone. 10 30.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Matthias."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Well, my mom's giving me a ride to the hospital and I was wondering if you wanted to come, too."

"Why?" he asked confused.

"To see Alfred."

Gilbert froze for a moment. "He's in the hospital?"

"Yeah, I texted him earlier to ask him about last night."

Of course you did, Gilbert thought.

"And he told me he got beat up pretty bad and was staying in a hospital. You want a ride."

"Yes!" he yelled into the phone.

"Geez," he heard him mutter. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay, see you then."

Gilbert hung up and tossed his phone to his bed before he rushed to get dressed. He put his phone in his pocket before going out to the living room briefly.

"Hey, Dad. I'm going out with Matthias."

"Okay."

It was times like these that he really appreciated his dad not questioning what he did or who he hang out with. As long as he was back home by 11 30 and was intact.

Gilbert went outside and waited on the front lawn. When Matthias' mother drove up, Gilbert jumped into the back seat and spent the trip into the city worrying about Alfred.

Matthias' mother had to do some errands, so she dropped the two of them off at the hospital front. The two made their way to the front desk and asked for Alfred Jones.

"What relation do you have to him?"

"We're friends."

"Room 219. Second floor."

They quickly thanked her and found an elevator that took them to the second floor. Following some signs, they eventually found room 219, the door open and several people already inside.

Gilbert gently knocked on the door and many heads turned their way.

"Hey, Gilbert. Hi, Matthias." Alistor stood at the far side of the bed next to a blond boy who sat in a chair. A man stood at the foot of the bed while another boy sat in a chair on the closer side.

Alfred laid in the bed, his back supported in a somewhat sitting position, his chest hardly moving. "Hey, guys," he said gently, a small grimace coming over his expression.

"What happened?"

"A few fractured ribs, broken nose. Nothing to worry about."

"You act like this happens all the time," Matthias said.

Alfred shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Not the first."

The two walked in and stood by the bed.

"You okay?" Matthias asked. "You know, besides the fractured ribs and all that."

He nodded. "Sorry if I don't talk much. Hurts to breath."

"That's fine. Don't stress yourself."

Alfred smiled and then looked to Gilbert. Gilbert just stared back to him with a gentle smile. Alfred just smiled at him. Last night must have been a heck of an evening for him, and yet he still smiled.

"Well, I told Dad we'd be home for lunch," Alistor said. "Hope you get better soon, Alfred." Alfred just nodded with a smile.

The boy next to him stood and with a small smile spoke. "Take care." And they both left.

"Speaking of lunch," the man said. "You buys hungry?"

There was consent around the small group to get food. Gilbert knew he was hungry, but he didn't want anything though. He just wanted to stay here.

"Matthew, you want to come with me?"

"Sure." The boy stood up and went to the door with him.

"I'll come, too!" Matthias decided suddenly, leaving Alfred and Gilbert alone in the small room.

"You want a seat?" Alfred asked.

Gilbert sat down in the chair beside Alfred's bed and kept his eyes on Alfred.

"I have to tell you something."

"I thought you said it hurt to breath."

Alfred just shook his head a bit. "I need to tell you this," he said, taking shallow breaths.

Gilbert silenced himself and listened.

"I've been thinking about what you said, and I have to tell you about someone else first. There was this girl that I knew. I hadn't known her long at the time, but one day she told me that she loved me. I told her the same." He stopped for a moment before continuing. "After a while, I realized I didn't love her the way she loved me. I loved her as my friend."

"What happened?"

"I broke up with her. Explained everything and she understood. We're still friends and I'm glad for that."

Gilbert waited for him to continue.

Alfred looked to his hands, not meeting Gilbert's gaze. "When I say, I don't know, Gilbert. I honestly don't know. I've never been good at sorting out this love thing and I don't want to make a mistake again and screw up someone else's feelings." Gilbert watched Alfred look back up to him. "I like you. I'm just not sure I know in what way, yet. That probably doesn't make much sense."

"No, it does. For right now, I'm just glad you're all right." Gilbert wasn't sure what he felt at that moment, though. He wasn't rejecting him, but it wasn't a yes.

It's a chance, he decided.