The ice pack slipped out of Blue's grip. People asked them if they were alright, but Blue was unable to hear any of it. They couldn't process anything except the words 'Andrew' and 'hospital'. Lurching forward, they clawed their fingers through their hair and whispered, "What? No, no, no."
"Blue, talk to us," Jared demanded, kneeling in front of them with Rain right by his side.
"What happened? Did she say?" they cried.
"Malnourishment."
"That dick!" they screamed as they jumped up from the couch. "Of course he passed out from malnourishment. Does he even take care of himself?"
"Okay, I know you're panicking, but I think it might be best if you go stay with him-"
"We're on tour-"
"We can handle a couple concerts without you," Rain stated. "I know how to play piano, and we can always use recording if we have to. You need to go home," she demanded. "Take some time off. Make sure he's okay."
Jared placed a hand on Blue's good shoulder. His worrisome eyes stared directing into theirs. "Go to him."
With a nod, Blue stormed into Aiden's dressing room to explain what happened.
^^^
Everything was still a little hazy. Andrew could remember Marcy leaving for a meeting. He was beginning to plan his trip to visit Blue, and he felt dizzy as he was about to book a hotel room. His head hurt the most, and as he reached up to feel it, a hand slapped his away.
"No," Luke stated. "Doctor said not to touch your stiches."
"Stiches?" Andrew grumbled.
"Yeah," Luke chuckled. "You took quite the tumble. Marcy was freaking out. There was a lot of blood all the place."
"Blood?"
"You don't remember?" Luke questioned. "That can't be good."
The doctor walked into the room and smiled. "Hello, Andrew. How's your head feeling?"
"Not good," he slurred.
"What's the last thing you can remember?"
"I was on my computer and began to feel dizzy."
"Well, your manager said you two were talking on the phone and you cut off mid-sentence. She came to your house to see you hit your head on your desk and were passed out. It seems you're very malnourished. Again. Are you not taking care of yourself again?" she asked.
"No," Marcy stated, piping up from the chair in the corner of the room. "He never takes good care of himself when he's all alone. There's no one there to remind him to take care of himself."
"You remind me," Andrew smiled.
"Yeah, but you don't listen me," she cried. "I was so worried when I saw you. I thought we actually lost you this time."
Andrew frowned and held out his hand to Marcy. She took his hand, and he squeezed it tightly. "I'm sorry."
"Good. I'm glad you are," she stated, ripping her hand out of his.
"Marcy-" Luke exclaimed, but Andrew cut him off in laughter.
"Oh, I'm so glad this won't be the last time I hear your cunningness."
Luke sighed. "Why am I stuck with all this? Does Blue know what happened?" Andrew paled. "I figure they'd want to know. I can call them if you'd like. I'm sure they'd like to know you're okay."
"I called them already, but Rain answered. I don't know if Blue's heard yet," Marcy said.
"We're going to run a few tests," the doctor said as she looked up at the doorway where two nurses stood. "We'll take him away for about twenty minutes, and then we'll bring him back. Feel free to wait here in the meantime. You ready, Andrew?"
Andrew nodded, and the nurses pulled up the locks to roll Andrew out the door.
"Well, I must say I feel pretty foolish for not being the one to tell Blue," Luke said. "I'm their brother. I should have told them."
"I'm sure they've been told already. Besides, it was better I called when I was following the ambulance."
"Who did you call first?" he asked.
Marcy wasn't sure whether to lie or not. Would it be better to explain that she called his partner first or his best friend? "Blue," she whispered. "The two live together, and they've become quite close. I thought they should know right away, and I knew you lived nearby, so I thought I should alert his best friend too."
Luke smiled. "Well, thank you. I appreciate it. I should probably call Blue to let them know he's alright." As he called their phone, the two could hear their ringtone floating down the corridor.
Right away Blue booked a flight. Right away they left Burlington and traveled three hours to see Andrew. They hailed a taxi and rushed to the hospital, unable to calm down. Who knew what state he would be in? Was he dead or alive? They didn't want to hear it, rather see it for themselves.
They didn't know what was going to happen with Resting Bitchface. There were no calls from Rory about their leaving, only a text from the rest of the bands sending prayers their way. Blue would see everyone in four days, meeting them in New York to complete the rest of the tour.
The moment they stepped foot into the hospital, it seemed as though a handful of eyes were locked on them. Whispers of their name flowed through the corridors as they approached the front desk. The click of a phone camera alerted them to glance back over their shoulder where it seemed even more people were.
Just how famous had they become? How much of it was even positive? Surely at least someone in the crowd of people stared at them for being different, identifying as neither male nor female. Someone had to be criticizing them, hoping that whoever they were there to see would die. When had fame gone so wrong?
"Yes, Mr. Parker is in room 204 on Level E," the receptionist responded.
Saying a quick thank you, Blue rushed down the hall as they clipped a visitor pass onto their jacket. As they ran down the hall, Luke began to call them. "Hey," they answered, "did you hear- Oh, I guess you know," they said as they entered the hospital room. Finding the bed to be missing, they panicked. "Where's Andrew?"
"It's alright, he's fine," Luke assured as he took their hand. They nodded as they sat down, though they were sure there was something wrong. "He's in for a few tests. He'll be back in...I want to say twenty minutes."
"What- What exactly happened to him?" Blue asked, glancing back and forth between the two.
"He hasn't been keeping a steady sleep schedule or keeping up with his diet, and he passed out and hit his head on his desk. I was on the phone with him, so I was able to call 911 and get over there to check on him right away."
"Of course he didn't keep up with his diet," Blue snickered. "That's just like him. He never really took care of himself when I first moved in."
"I'm pretty sure he only got into that healthier routine because you were there to force him into it," Luke chuckled. He squeezed their hand tighter. "Man, I remember those times when he would come over to the house, we'd cook him food-"
"We? I was the main chef in our house," Blue snickered.
Luke nodded, smiling at Marcy. "It's true. They are the best." He frowned as he rolled his head to stare at his emmer. "I miss those days. I live so close yet I never seem to stop by and see how you're doing. I don't know what's going on in your life right now."
"Well, I'm on tour," Blue smirked. "I think that's good for now."
"Were you able to get time off? Is everything going to be okay?" Luke quickly asked.
"It's fine. The band wanted me to come here, and Resting Bitchface sends their thoughts and prayers to Andrew. They can handle me not being there for two shows. This," they said, squeezing their brother's hand, "was a family emergency. I had to come."
"You think of Andrew as your brother?" Luke asked. "I feel jealous."
"Oh, honey, I can assure you he is not my brother," Blue chuckled. "He's my friend, and he's more your brother than mine. I had to be here for him. I need to be here for him."
"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. Especially since you can take care of him while I head to the doctor's with Sara," he smiled.
"What's happening with you two?"
"She may or may not be pregnant."
Blue gasped. "She is?"
He nodded quickly.
"Congratulations, Luke," Marcy squealed. "Are two going to hurry the wedding along?"
"No, the date is still next spring. She'll just be pregnant in all the pictures," he chuckled. He smirked at Blue. "Now all we need is for you to get married."
"When I do, you'll be the first to know."
The nurses began to wheel Andrew back into the room, his eyes closed and his head slowly rocking back and forth across the pillow.
"Is he okay?" Marcy asked.
"Yes, the tests just seemed to have tired him out a bit. Nothing to worry about," the doctor promised. "I'll have the results in about an hour."
Blue stared at the bed, clasping a hand over their mouth as they cried again. Seeing him in bed with bandages on his head was not a sight they wanted to see. A part of them blamed themself for being gone so long, unable to look after him while away. But they knew deep down that it wasn't their fault. Andrew was supposed to take care of himself whether they were around or not. It was the fear of there being a next time when someone wouldn't be able to take care of him that worried them the most.
Luke placed a hand on Blue's back as they sobbed, alerting Andrew into opening his eyes. The moment he clearly made out Blue, he lifted his head and said, "Blue? What- What are you-"
"I was so worried," they blubbered. "I thought the worst."
Holding out his hand to them, Blue stood up and sat on the bed, hugging his chest. Andrew placed a hand on their back and kissed their cheek. "It's okay," he whispered in their ear. "I lived. That's what matters."
"I know, I know," they hiccupped. "I just finished playing when I got the call. I wasn't even the one who answered. I- I just wish I was there for you. Maybe this wouldn't have happened-"
"It's not your fault, Blue," Marcy stated.
"She's right, it's not," Andrew said. "I wasn't taking care of myself."
"Because I was gone. I always looked after you-"
"Look at me, Blue," Andrew demanded, his voice slightly slurred but still firm. "I made a mistake. It had nothing to do with you, alright? Do not blame yourself. You were on tour. There's no way it could have been your fault."
Blue didn't answer. They dove their head into his chest and continued to cry. Andrew held them close and ran his hand along their spine. He kissed the top of their head.
Andrew glanced up at Luke, who stared at the two with a smile. "Well, you two certainly have grown close." He stood up from his chair and straightened his shirt. "I have to head to the doctor's now. I don't want Sara to be all alone."
"Congratulations," Andrew said, holding his hand out to Luke.
Luke bent down and hugged his friend before he left.
"I should probably head out, too," Marcy said as she stood up. "I'll come back later when I know it's safe."
The moment the door shut, Andrew faced Blue, only for them to kiss him passionately. "Man, have I missed these lips or what," they moaned.
Andrew pulled them in closer to him, kissing them as thought his life depended on it. "It took so much to not kiss you in front of your brother."
Blue pulled away, leaning their forehead against his. "You need to take better care of yourself when I'm not around. I don't need to be getting calls when I'm performing to tell me that my partner is in the hospital."
"I'm sorry, Blue," he sighed. "I was working to avoid how much I missed you. I wanted to pass the time quickly until I could see you again."
"I see you all the time. We call almost every-"
"I meant like this," he said, running his hands along their sides. "Where I could hold you and love you. This isn't the same as seeing you through a screen. I absorbed myself into my work, and I began to fall into old habits. It was all an accident."
"I know, baby," Blue murmured. "Just promise you're going to take better care of yourself. I don't need to lose you for real. I love you. I don't want to give you up."
"I promise, it will never happen again."
"Is that even a promise you can even make?" Blue asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Andrew chuckled and shook his head. "What if I promise," he said as he ran his fingers through their hair, "to try to not let it happen again."
"I think that's far more manageable," Blue said as they leant down to kiss his lips gently.
The doctor knocked on the door and stepped inside. "Well, good news is you'll be able to head home in the next two days. We want to keep you around for forty-eight hours to monitor your head. If everything looks as good as it does now, you'll be able to head home."
"When are you leaving again?" Andrew asked. "I can't let you stay because of me."
"Well, no, duh," Blue snickered. "I'm on tour. I'm not stopping cause of this."
"Wow, I honestly thought you were going to fight me a little more on that," he mumbled.
"You have got to stop writing so much romance and focus on the real deal," Blue stated, kissing him once again. "Oh, and I will be counting down the hours until you're released, because I need some release, too."
"That was horrible," Andrew groaned.
"If you get to say something cheesy and stupid, then so do I," Blue laughed before kissing him again.
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