What Happens in Vienna {ManxMan}

CHAPTER 12 (Tobias)

It took quite a while to calm Carter down, and I didn't even know what had happened. One moment he was calmly playing the violin, then I wake up to him screaming saying he had to leave? I didn't want to consider it, but I had a feeling Bryn was the one who worked him up, considering he was the only other person in the room when it happened.

Adalwolf wasn't happy when he came in, putting the IV back into Carter's arm before giving him a shot of something he said would calm his panic attack. He had to fix up Carter's stitches before rewrapping his leg and tucking him back into bed, finally unconscious with tears still wet on his cheeks. After getting yelled at by Adalwolf he gave me something for my hangover and left, muttering about how much trouble we all were and why did he bother with us.

Bryn was still in the room when Adalwolf left, watching me as I wiped the remains of the tears away from Carter's face before turning and staring at where the violin was lying on the ground. It had slipped off the bed while I was trying to calm Carter down, and the neck was broken in half, the wood splintered and unfixable.

"I suppose I won't be able to listen to him play again," I said solemnly as I picked up both pieces of the violin and sat down in my seat, "Well, it was an old piece anyway, no one took care of it and the wood was brittle, it's no wonder it broke so easily."

"I'm sorry," Bryn said, and I gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"Not your fault," I assured, setting the broken instrument into its case and shutting it before sitting back and looking at Carter's restless form, the curve of his eyebrows drawing together in discomfort and the paleness of his skin making it hard to keep from reaching out to comfort him, "What happened?" I asked finally, "He was fine when I fell asleep," my eyes moved to glare steadily at Bryn, "Did you say something?"

"No," he answered, "I just came to see where you were, he was already upset saying he had to go home, back to his people."

My hands clenched into fists and I looked down, swallowing the lump in my throat. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough to convince him to stay. I couldn't really think of anything else I could do besides what I was already doing, though. He couldn't leave me, I needed him, and I was still trying to deal with that realization. Trying to accept that I was falling hard for him was taking me some time.

"Whatever he decides, there's no way he can leave the way he is now," I said, hands folding together, "Adalwolf doesn't want him walking around on his bad leg, especially right after surgery. He needs to rest or he could really mess himself up and ruin all of the good doctor's work."

"You'll have to keep him calm, then," Bryn said, leaning against the wall behind him and folding his arms, "I'm still not perfectly fine with this, just so you know."

"I can kind of tell," I assured, turning my attention back to Carter, watching his chest rise and fall with his breaths, "I don't know why I'm being so insistent about this," I admitted, turning back to look over at Bryn, "I can't understand it myself why he has this big of an effect on me, but I don't think it's a bad thing, and I'm willing to see where it goes. Who knows, maybe he can help us."

Bryn shook his head and pressed a hand to his forehead, sighing, "Tobias, you're a smart man, but sometimes I worry about you. That's why I don't like this, because I'm worried about you. It's the fact he has so big of an effect on you that makes me nervous! It means he could hurt you."

I couldn't help laughing at that, placing my head against the edge of the mattress and staring down at the floor, "Give me time," I suggested, "I'll think of what to do. Till then, I really do need you to trust me," I lifted my head and gave Bryn a smile, "Can you do that?"

He stared silently back at me for a long time before nodding and pushing off the wall, turning to leave the room, "I trust you with my life, Tobias, you know that. I started following you when you were just a bratty kid, I don't intend on stopping now," he raked a hand back through his hair with a heavy exhale, "Alright," he decided, "Do what you have to do," he then turned sharply and pointed at me, "But no more drinking!"