Jonah and Elliot walked into the bustling hospital. Today was another round of chemotherapy.
"You okay?" Elliot asked, his voice coated with concern, his hand resting gently on Jonah's back.
Jonah forced a weak smile. "As okay as I can be," he said, his voice strained. "Just trying to keep it together."
They reached the familiar chemotherapy ward, the air thick with the smell of antiseptic and the quiet hum of medical equipment. Dr. Wilson greeted them with his usual calm demeanor, but Jonah could see the weariness in his eyes.
"Ready to get this over with?" Dr. Wilson asked, his voice gentle.
Jonah nodded, his throat tight. He settled into the treatment chair as the nurses prepped him. Elliot was asked to leave the room. He could only watch from the window. Jonah tried to focus on Elliot, on anything but the poison that would soon be flowing through his veins. The treatment was grueling. Jonah felt his body burning from the inside out, each wave of nausea more intense than the last. Elliot stood outside watching intensely through the window, nervously biting his fingers. Hours later, it was finally over. Jonah felt drained, his body aching. He leaned heavily on Elliot as they made their way out of the hospital, his steps slow and shaky. Jonah paused as they were halfway across the hospital parking lot. Elliot looked at him a questioning look on his face.
"I need to check on my parents," Jonah said, his voice barely a whisper.
Despite everything, he still cared and could not act like a stranger towards them. Elliot nodded and helped him as they returned to his dad's ward. Jonah pushed the door open, expecting to see his father hooked up to machines and his mother sitting by his side. Instead he was met with emptiness. The room was empty. The bed was neatly made, the personal belongings gone. A wave of confusion washed over Jonah.
"Dad?" he called out, his voice echoing in the empty room.
"Mom?" Elliot stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern.
He checked with the nurse at the station. "Mr. and Mrs. Hartfield were discharged this morning," the nurse said, her voice matter of fact. "They left early."
Jonah stared at her, his mind reeling. "Discharged?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "But they did not tell me."
The nurse shrugged. "They did not say anything. They just packed their things and left."
"Just like that?" Elliot asked.
"Yes." The nurse answered.
"Although they left with a certain man dressed in a suit." The nurse added.
A coldness settled in Jonah's chest, a chilling sense of abandonment. His parents had left without a word, without a goodbye. The realization hit him like a physical blow. His parents were never going to treat him the same. Their family had changed forever. His hands clenched in anger, he knew who the man in the suit was and he just could not tell for the life of him why Victor would not let his parents be. He turned and walked out of the room, Elliot following close behind, his heart aching for Jonah. They drove back to Elliot's house in a heavy silence, a norm in these recent days. Jonah went straight to their shared bedroom, collapsing onto the bed, his body utterly spent. Elliot followed, sitting beside him, his hand gently stroking Jonah's hair.
"They just left," Jonah whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "Without a word."
Elliot wrapped his arms around Jonah, pulling him close. "I am so sorry, Jonah," he said, his voice soft. "I do not understand why they would do this."
Jonah clung to Elliot, his body trembling. "I do not either," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I thought this was just a phase and once I apologized everything would be back to normal."
Jonah lay on the bed, snuggling into Elliot's chest as his eyes fluttered close, exhausted. Jonah drifted in and out of sleep, his body wracked with the side effects of the chemotherapy. Sometime in the early hours of the morning, Elliot was awakened by the sound of Jonah's soft sobs. He sat up, pulling Jonah close.
"Jonah, what is wrong?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep. Jonah buried his face in Elliot's chest, his body shaking.
"I am scared, Elliot," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I am so scared. What if I do not make it? What if this is all for nothing?"
"Do not say that," Elliot said, his voice firm, his hand stroking Jonah's back. "You are going to get through this. We are going to get through this together."
"But how long?" Jonah asked, his voice laced with desperation. "How long are we going to keep hiding? How long until this cancer kills me? I am dying Elliot, and they act like I am a ghost."
"Not much longer," Elliot promised, his voice low and determined. "I promise you, Jonah. Everything will be settled soon. We will not have to hide anymore."
"But what if it is too late?" Jonah argued, his voice rising. "What if I do not have that much time?" Elliot pulled Jonah closer, his eyes filled with a fierce love.
"You do," he whispered, his lips brushing against Jonah's forehead. "You have all the time in the world. I will not let anything happen to you."
Jonah looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Could you help me forget, even if it is just for a night?" Jonah begged. His eyes travelling down to Elliot's lips.
"But Jonah you are ill. What if I make matters worse?" Elliot objected.
"Please." Jonah begged again his hands reaching down to squeeze Elliot's dick through his pants.
Elliot sighed, "You must really want this right?" He asked.
Jonah answered with a smirk, "Yes."
Jonah captured Elliot's lips with his. He gripped Elliot's shirt tight as the kiss got deeper. Elliot groaned against Jonah's lips. He pulled Jonah up to straddle him as they're lips continued to fight. They pulled apart looking into each other's eyes. Their breath heavy. Jonah pulled off Elliot's shirt and Elliot did likewise for Jonah. Their lips met again, this time their torsos skin to skin. Jonah's lips travelled down from Elliot's lips to his earlobe. Jonah lightly nibbled whispering words in Elliot's ears. Elliot breathed heavily and his dick twitched in response.