Incurable

Zero (2.0)

(A/N)

Ain't even mad, y'all. And off we gooo

**

After the meeting, Alex decided he wanted to go check on Kirstie before she left for her own meeting.

Kevin was there already, sitting on the bed beside Kirstie. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Kirst.. But you must know that it won't control your life forever."

Alex knocked once on the door and peeked his head in. "Hey... Everything okay in here?"

Kirstie nodded, and reached a hand out toward him. "Hang out with us?"

He didn't hesitate in walking over, sitting on the bed and taking her hand for a moment before letting go. "Did you have an episode today..? I kinda heard about it, and I was worried. I know I'm the new kid on the block right now, so you don't have to tell me, but..."

"Yeah... Scott tried to help me, but..."

"He's still new too, I'm sure he'll figure it out." Alex looked down at his hands, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. "So.. How bad was it?"

"Not that bad... Just, some of the Yellows were talking about how excited they were to see their parents at visitation. And like.. My grandparents come down sometimes, and I can call them Mom and Dad all I want, but it's not.. Y'know?"

Alex put an arm over her shoulders in a hug. "I know... I'm sorry... I can't possibly understand how hard that must be."

"It's hard enough to not have parents, but... To feel like there was something I could've done to stop them from leaving? That's where it really aches."

Kevin spoke up again. "You gotta stop blaming yourself, Kirstie."

"Maybe someday.. I mean, that's why I'm here, right?"

*

Scott quietly walked down the hall with a box of belongings in his hands. 

The nurses were happy to room them together, hoping that more exposure to people as talkative as Mitch would give Scott a safe space to share some words as well. 

When Scott walked into Mitch's room, Mitch was busy putting the sheets on the extra bed in the room.

Mitch looked over quickly. "Well, hello handsome! I'm making your bed for you."

Scott looked down at the box in his hands, wanting to avoid Mitch's eyes after Mitch complimented him.

Mitch stepped over to his own bed to grab a small, pink, stuffed kitten that he set on Scott's bed. "There! Now it's more home-y."

Scott smiled, but his eyes immediately went back down to the box in his hands.

"You can set that anywhere. If you've got more stuff to bring in, I can help you carry it?"

Scott shook his head once. 

"No, you don't want help? Or no, you don't have more stuff?"

Scott held up two fingers, and Mitch was able to figure it out. He felt bad having to ask clarifying questions, and hoped there'd come a day that he was able to understand without having to ask. 

"Oh okay." Mitch paused as Scott started pulling things out of the box in front of him. "Got any allergies or pet peeves I should know about? Room mate business is hard sometimes."

Scott just shrugged, eyes still down. 

"I feel like I'm overwhelming you, let me try again. Got any allergies?"

Scott looked up, only to point at the stuffed animal Mitch had set on the bed.

Mitch followed with his eyes, and then gasped. "Oh no! You're allergic to cats?"

Scott nodded once, his eyes apologetic.

"That's super sucky... What about pet peeves? I know I talk a lot, and sometimes people find me annoying, so just tell me to stop and I will."

Scott looked up at him, realizing how much he hated Mitch talking down to himself like that.

Mitch was quiet for a second, before he shook his head quickly. "I mean--! You don't have to tell me, y'know? I know you don't talk, just... Let me know, somehow. I don't wanna annoy you, I... I don't have lots of friends and--"

Scott was waving a hand at him, trying to tell him that he didn't have to continue. 

Mitch bit his lip, trying to force himself to stop throwing all these words at Scott. "Sorry..."

Scott left the box on his bed for a moment, walking over to Mitch and opening his arms slightly to offer a hug.

Mitch immediately stepped into it, wrapping his arms around Scott's midsection. "Sorry, I'm trying to get better, I swear... I hope you still want to be my friend."

Scott grinned, even though he knew Mitch couldn't see him. He stepped back a little, just to hold a pinkie up in front of Mitch's face. 

Mitch suddenly grinned widely, his brain relating to how child-like the action was. He reached up to lock his pinkie with Scott's. "Is this a promise that you wanna be my friend? Like, forever and ever?"

Scott didn't hesitate, nodding a few times as he found himself less afraid to meet Mitch's eyes. 

Which unfortunately is why he was able to see the life drain from them, as Mitch suddenly collapsed to the ground. 

Scott's eyes were wide as ever, as he stared down at the boy in the midst of a seizure. Scott glanced at the door, as if he were going to call for help; but the words couldn't escape his lips. 

Scott shook his head quickly, feeling entirely disappointed in himself, and tried to help in any other way. He dropped to the ground with Mitch, cradling Mitch's head in his hands to keep Mitch from hitting his head on anything.

Scott couldn't help but lean over and rest his forehead on Mitch's chest, as he squeezed his eyes shut and cried for the entire next minute, until Mitch's body finally allowed him some peace. 

Mitch blinked a few times, eyes fixated on Scott's chest as he realized that his head was in Scott's lap as Scott bent over him slightly.

Mitch was breathing heavily, but he tried to gather himself enough to reach up and place his hand on the side of Scott's body. "Hey..?"

Scott flinched back, to get his forehead off of Mitch's chest only to meet Mitch's eyes. 

Mitch quickly noticed that Scott was crying, and his hand moved from Scott's side. He sat up slowly and turned to face Scott with a frown. "Honey... Why are you crying?"

Scott grabbed Mitch's face with both hands, turning Mitch's face to different angles to check for injury. He only did this for a few seconds, before he pulled Mitch in for a hug, both of them still sitting on the ground. 

Mitch hugged him back gently. "Careful... I usually need to lay down for a little while after that... And you should go tell a nurse." He shook his head sharply. "You should go get a nurse. Sorry."

Scott moved back a little, tears still falling from his eyes. He locked eyes with Mitch, and held up his pinkie.

This world was much too awful to Mitch, and Scott needed him to know that Scott wasn't going anywhere. Scott wanted this beautiful boy to find happiness, and more than that he wanted to be the one standing beside Mitch as he searched for it.

Mitch stared at him for a moment, before smiling. "Still wanna be my friend, huh?"

Scott squeezed his eyes shut again, more tears falling, as he managed to whisper one word. "Best."

**