Hard To See (Gawsten)

fifteen

Double update!! Those of you who are sticking with this story are absolute angels!! Also skskdjsk I know next to nothing about first-aid procedures, but hopefully I bullshit this chapter well enough that y'all can't tell.

Trigger Warning: Blood.

***

Geoff doesn't know half of what to do, so Kellin carefully explains everything to him before sending him off to the bathroom. Jawn is still inside when he opens the door. The red-haired boy gives him a 'be careful' look before leaving. The door gently closes behind him.

"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to crowd you. We- I wasn't thinking. Are you okay?" Geoff asks softly, setting the medical kit supplies on the counter next to Awsten.

The blond boy nods, not trusting his voice.

"Okay, what do you want me to do first? Your hands?" The brunet asks, and Awsten immediately shakes his head, tears collecting in his eyes again. Jawn helped him calm down once he got back from letting Geoff know he's playing doctor. The blond boy tries to hold onto the tears. His hands are going to hurt so bad.

"No hands, okay, how about your cheek?" Geoff asks, and Awsten nods hesitantly. In all honesty, he just wants to curl up and sleep.

"Alright," Geoff says. He doesn't show it, but he's nervous. He doesn't want to hurt the smaller boy in front of him, but he knows the disinfectant will sting. He carefully cleans up the cut with warm water again, as his tears caused it to bleed, and then sprays the antibacterial spray onto a paper towel. It might get into the blond boy's eyes if he sprays it directly onto his face.

Speaking of his eyes, Geoff pauses for a moment. Awsten shifts uncomfortably. "What?"

"Your eyes are different colors," Geoff observes, looking at the blond boy in astonishment.

Awsten looks down in embarrassment, but Geoff lifts his head back up. "They're lovely."

Both boys blush, and Geoff moves the paper towel toward the cut on Awsten's cheekbone.

The blond boy whines slightly at the stinging, but it's not as bad as he thought it would be. The cut isn't deep. Geoff quickly covers the cut like Kellin instructed, and steps back. There's a small white bandage on his cheek being held in place by medical tape now, and it looks a lot better than the untreated cut.

"Okay, I'll do your lip next. I can't put anything to cover it, so you'll have to leave it alone and not let acidic foods touch it- it'll hurt," Geoff instructs, remembering what Kellin told him. Awsten nods.

His split lip is worse than the cut on his cheekbone. It's deeper and has bled more. It's still slightly bleeding. Geoff uses the rag to clean the blood off, and the movement causes it to bleed more. He presses the rag to the blond boy's lip with one hand, and sprays antibacterial spray on a paper towel using his other. "I'm gonna quickly wipe your lip with the paper towel, and then I'm gonna press the rag against it again to stop the bleeding, okay?" Geoff says, not wanting to scare Awsten again.

The blond boy has been quiet during the clean-up process of his busted lip so far, carefully watching Geoff. He makes a sound of agreement, and Geoff removes the rag and dabs the paper towel against Awsten's split lip. Pain surges through the wound, and Awsten yelps a little. He has to remind himself not to clench his hands into fists.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Geoff breathes, and places a clean part of the warm wet rag over the bleeding area. The pain ebbs away and Awsten relaxes slightly. He takes in a shuddering breath, and Geoff watches him, still holding the rag. It'll be a minute before it stops bleeding.