Prince Charming [HoennShipping]

t w e l v e

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⠀⠀⠀The first thing Brendan could feel was the tenderness of his back muscles; it was the way they seemed to stiffen with even the slightest movement that appeared to wake him up from the darkness that had once engulfed him whole. It doesn't hurt— no, it doesn't, but it does cause him to panic due to the fact his body is weak, unable to function as a normal, healthy one should. A mumbled groan builds within the core of his throat as he pushes himself up onto his elbows, eyes still tightly shut.

⠀⠀⠀"Holy... shit..." Brendan can hear himself hiss, arms burrowing deep into the comfortable plumpness of what seemed to be a bed. Despite the softness, one he would describe to be cloud-like, his body ached and burned like hell.

⠀⠀⠀At this time, he decides to slowly blink his ajar, eyebrows furrowed and narrowed deeply as his vision opens up to a new sight— blurry and blindingly illuminating. The bland color of white fills his vision, but after a few moments of simply staring at the eggshell-hued wall in front of him, many other colors come to life, and he breathes it all in with relief. Brendan reaches a hand up to settle gently on the base of his forehead, mind still spinning, though getting better.

⠀⠀⠀Once his vision clears like the light of day, Brendan's mind can only trail on to one thought: where was he, and what had happened?

⠀⠀⠀It was obvious enough— he wasn't at home, nor was he at the school's nurse office. But to be at a hospital... that concept was unnerving. After all, what had happened to him couldn't have been that bad that he had to land inside a hospital, right?

⠀⠀⠀Just as Brendan was about to examine more of his surroundings, two distinct voices could be heard approaching his room, getting louder and louder. He squints his eyes as the door to his room slowly opens, the voices now recognizable and concise. Brendan watches as May and Drew stroll into his line of vision, snacks bundled into his best friend's arms as a bouquet of flowers are safely held within the arms of, well, his dream girl. As soon as May saw him, her eyes dilated and her jaw dropped— and the flowers were soon forgotten.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh my... Brendan-Boo, you're okay!" May practically cried out, her body leaping upon and into the hospital bed as she coils her arms around him. It takes all of Brendan not to grunt from the unexpected impact. "We were all so worried! It all happened so quick, and then you were on the ground and it was hard to tell if you were even... breathing! Stupid Brendan! Don't do that again!"

⠀⠀⠀Brendan contorts his face in confusion, but soon it all comes rushing back to him like a bad memory. His lips part into a round shape.

⠀⠀⠀Ah, so that's what happened.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey... if I hadn't done that, you would be in my place, May," Brendan heard himself say softly, a hint of a laugh following shortly. "I wouldn't want that— I would do anything for this to never happen to you."

⠀⠀⠀May's cheeks flood with heat, and she slightly turns away from him, a hand raised to cover his lips as if embarrassed. "It doesn't mean what you did wasn't stupid... I should've been more careful, then none of this would've happened..."

⠀⠀⠀"It wasn't your fault," Brendan says again.

⠀⠀⠀Then, May's face forms bitter.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, you're right, actually," she says, her gaze narrowed and teeth grazing. "If anything, it is Steven's fault."