home town • ashton irwin ((currently on hold))

5. break

"how ready are you feeling for this?" michael asked excitedly from the passenger seat of the car, his phone out taking his last few selfies with the dressing on his face.

ashton let out a heavy sigh that still didn't release the tension in his hands; knuckles white on the steering wheel as they neared the hospital.

"not as ready as i thought i'd be."

it was earlier in the morning than either of them were really used to - michael wanted his patch off before he saw anyone else so he could surprise them.

the early morning sunlight bounced off the rear view mirror, making michael squint as he studied ashton's ambiguous expression.

"how ready did you think you'd be?"

"honestly? not that much. i don't even know what i'm getting ready for, i don't know what she'll say." ashton took a shaky breath in as they rounded the corner and the hospital came into view, tiny tremors crawling up his spine at the sight of it.

it was only a small hospital; truly serious cases were usually sent to what everybody regarded as the 'big' hospital in the next town over. driving into the parking lot made ashton's stomach twist; he could almost see himself walking to meet sofia when she was still doing work placements there.

ashton turned the car off; both boys climbing out and heading towards the large glass doors, michael practically simmering with excitement at the prospect of getting his eyepatch removed and being able to dye his hair again and ashton darting glances around the reception every two seconds to see if he could spot sofia.

every person who walked past him with black hair made him jump, with michael darting concerned glances at him when he wasn't answering the receptionist's questions.

"ash maybe this wasn't such a good idea?" michael said quietly, thanking the receptionist as she let them know which room to wait for the doctor in.

"why do you say that?" ashton asked, feeling his heart borderline stop when a nurse with black hair walked past, heaving out a deep breath when he realised it wasn't sofia.

michael raised his visible eyebrow at ashton's reaction, making the older boy sigh in resignation.

"yeah, maybe a hospital isn't the best place to try and meet her in."

michael snorted.

"but i don't have her number anymore - i remember it but i don't even know if it's still her number. she doesn't live in her old house, i just don't know where else i could see her." ashton rambled as the boys made their way into the small room, michael hopping onto the bed and swinging his legs idly while ashton stumbled into the plastic seat, not realising how badly his hands had been shaking.

"take a deep breath ash." michael said, hoping to provide at least some comfort, although he wasn't entirely sure what to say. "if you see her, then you see her, and you make sure you speak slowly and clearly and-"

"michael clifford?"

at the sound of a familiar voice, both michael and ashton's heads snapped up to face the door.

but it wasn't sofia.

it was dr liu, smiling warmly and somehow not noticing ashton craning to look behind her and see if sofia was there.

"let's have a look under that dressing." she walked into the room and set her clipboard down on the bed, beginning to skilfully unwrap the bandages from around michael's head.

nobody followed her into the room.

a sickly, cold feeling set over ashton as layers of bandage finally revealed michael's eye and he realised he wasn't going to see sofia.