Hand Me Downs [Rocky Lynch AU]

HAND-ME-DOWNS

After an hour has passed Rocky is a bit concerned, but it doesn't take much longer until his best friend is back in the room and ready to have a nap. She eats lunch first and it makes her less tired, staying awake to watch a movie the boy brought on his portable player considering the first time he brought movies, he learnt quickly the television's didn't have DVD slots.

"Mom and dad told us to clean out any clothes we didn't want or didn't fit, so I found a few shirts in the bunch."

"Any iconic ones?" He could no doubt see the excitement she was trying to hide and smirked, playing dumb.

"Iconic? Well not really, I mean all my band shirts still fit me well-"

"I meant any that I've seen you wear five hundred million times, you idiot," they laughed together before Rocky once again handed over another bag, letting Jesse open it and pull out the white and grey striped shirt, "this is so old, you've had it like ten years."

"I've only had it eight years, thank you very much." He put it back in the bag and on the chair, wrapping his arm around her tightly before continuing to watch the movie. It took barely ten minutes for him to feel Jesse's weight fully on him and he knew that she had fallen asleep. So he stopped the movie, put it away and removed his shoes so he could pull the blanket over the both of them.

She looked a little more pale than yesterday he thought, which isn't all that odd considering she had been losing her melanin for some time, but now that he had the chance to simply look at her, it became more obvious. He didn't like to think about it, or stare too long for the hopes that it might not be true. But no, his eyes were not deceiving him, and he was not imagining things.

Jesse's health was declining as the days went on. It wouldn't be much longer until she experienced a severe cold, as well as losing muscle and strength. She wouldn't have the same glow that he had grown up with.

The thought of it all scared him and he wasn't ready to dive straight into it like he thought. But this is his best friend, and he promised he would be there for her no matter what, and he was going to keep that promise until it wasn't possible to keep anymore.

~~~~~

Jesse had lost count of how long she had been sick, but the numerous outings she had been on made it seem like it wasn't all that long. She would often spend time at home with her family or with Rocky and his, sometimes she would be by herself at the park or beach or she would go to an event. But most of the time, the tall boy was by her side, standing close with a hand in hers or an arm around her shoulder. She felt comfortable and safe knowing he was there, and normal. She felt like things were normal.

She was spending plenty of time in hospital too, being monitored and having all types of tests taken, like usual. It messed up her schedules from sleeping to eating, she felt ill more often, and she began to feel more insecure about herself. Her skin was becoming pale and bruising easy, body thin, leaving a shell behind. She wouldn't ever look in the mirror too long. A week was spent bedridden, constantly throwing up and experiencing nosebleeds, as well as suffering through horrible headaches.

Jesse wanted it all to stop and disappear. She wanted to forget how disgusting she felt. But diseases, cancer, doesn't just disappear overnight. It wasn't that simple.

What did disappear though, was Rocky one morning when she woke up. He had spent the night at her home and slept in the second bed that was added to her room, but he was nowhere to be seen. She stayed in place for a while, watching the light come through the curtains gently and hit the door at the opposite end of the room. It's a peaceful sight, one she's come to appreciate whenever she wakes up early and is too pained to leave her bed.