What Happens in Vienna {ManxMan}

CHAPTER 9 (Carter)

Leave it to an Austrian to romanticize everything and leave my already pounding head reeling. I was just waiting for him to kiss me, fully prepared for it, but instead he just pressed his head against mine, told me I was sick, and left like a coward. Fucker. If I weren't so weak I'd rip up his book to spite him for leaving me like that.

Waking up and finding myself in bed back with the Syndicate was honestly very surprising to me. I'd been expecting to wake up in heaven or hell or whatever afterlife existed, with my mom and dad waiting for me. Wherever I ended up one of them would be there at least, mom with God and dad with the devil. There was no coming back from it when you abuse your child...

Instead I wake up patched up lying in bed with Tobias of all people waiting beside me. I didn't even get to ask how he'd found me, because Bryn... Bryn just left me there to rot. The memory made me want to throw up, but I settled with just lying in bed cursing him and myself. The worst part about this was he saw me like that, willing to die, waiting patiently for him to put a bullet in my head.

He saw me look so pathetic, no wonder he just left me. He probably figured I'd be fine with dying like that, considering I was fine with being shot. Yet again I was left alone with this feeling of disgust towards myself, and I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering around the infirmary, figuring there had to be something sharp I could slit my throat with before Tobias came back.

I stopped when his face flashed in my mind, staring up at the ceiling as I considered what that would do to him. Every other time I had these dark thoughts there was never any consideration of the consequences, but suddenly I felt that dying would hurt more than just myself, and for some reason I couldn't stand the idea of making him cry.

So, I just laid there and waited patiently for him to come back with his doctor. Whatever he gave me when they got back knocked me out cold, and when I woke up again the lights were on, it must have been daytime, and I was again in different clothes, my leg wrapped in thick gauze.

I saw Tobias sitting in the same chair, a new book in his hands, and tried to call out to him, but I think it came out in the wrong language, because he gave me that look he only had when I spoke in Welsh, that stupid awestruck gape like I'd just spoken in some heavenly language no one else knew.

"Morning," he said with a smile, "Or, well, afternoon."

"Beth ddigwyddodd?" I muttered, pinching my eyes shut to readjust my thoughts, "What happened?"

"Adalwolf had to perform some minor surgery on your leg, but you're alright now."

They operated on me without saying anything or asking me if they could? Wasn't that against my rights?

"Do I still have a leg?" I asked, and he snorted.

"I don't know, check."

I pushed myself onto my elbows and patted where my leg was, sighing in relief and glaring at Tobias when he laughed at me, "Can you blame me? I don't even know your doctor; he could've amputated and used my leg for some weird experiments."

Tobias just chuckled and folded his arms on the edge of the bed, "How are you feeling?"

I laid back with a sigh, "Fine. A little dizzy, and my entire leg is numb, but I guess that's a good thing."

"Hungry at all?"

I considered it for a moment before shrugging, "I guess a little."

"Great," Tobias stood up and squeezed my shoulder before turning towards the door, "I'll have my personal server bring you some food while I check in on Kiefer and Bryn. Think you'll be fine without me?"