E r o s

The smell of smoke was strong and I barely had the strength to move, something holding me down as I laid there. The embrace was warm despite how cold it was outside and something in me was screaming at me to wake up.

And then it dawned on me.

We'd been hit.

My eyes slowly cracked open and I noticed the shirt in front of me, it was the one Kaya had put on before we left.

"K-Kaya...?" I croaked out, a little disoriented as I pulled away but when my eyes fell upon my sister, it was as if the world stopped in front of me.

Kaya's eyes were shut as she laid against the window of our car, her arms falling from my body to her sides lifelessly. Blood trickled down her face and her chest was still, no movement to be seen.

"Kaya...?" I called out again but she remained unresponsive to my voice.

"We have to go, Kaya. Wake up"

"Kaya...please..."

Before I had knew it, the cries of me calling for my dead sister was slowly fading out and the loud blaring of a horn was heard.

My eyes flew open and all of my senses were being thrown off with everything crowding them. My ears ringing along with the car horn, the smell of smoke crowding my nose, and everything was a little blurry at first as I blinked a few times to make them clear.

Moving slowly, I noticed the familiar feeling of arms around me and I turned my head up only to have my blood run cold with the sight in front of me.

It was the same like all those years ago and I could swear that every part of my being was frozen.

He protected me...just like Kaya.

At first, I was at a loss for what to do, how to react. But then remembering that I had to get Cole out of here as soon as possible, I began to move.

I tried to open the door but it was sort of stuck, the other car in front of us being the reason but I knew that if I hit it enough, I could force enough space for us to get out.

"Cole, listen to me" I said and although he was unresponsive, I kept talking as I tried to kick open the door. It seemed like we weren't upside down so it wasn't to hard to maneuver myself into a good position.

"I'm going to...get us out of here. I'm going to handle everything...so all you gotta do...is stay with me!" My last word was strained as I gave one final kick and the door was finally open enough for me to get us out.

Pushing myself, I held on to Cole as I slowly backed out of the seat, making sure not to slip on any of the glass that coated the pavement beneath us. The smell of gas was prominent in the air and I tried my best not to inhale too much.

"It's them!"

"Holy shit, is he okay?"

"He's unconscious and bleeding, does he look okay to you?!"

The sound of my friends voice was distant but grew louder as they drew near but I waved at them to stop. I didn't want them to get too close lest this car go up in flames so once we were all a safe distance from the accident, I placed Cole gently on the ground.

"What the fuck happened?" Mikhail asked.

"Those bastards hit our car and he protected me" I said.

Sure, it could have been a driver that wasn't paying attention but everything in my body was telling me that this was no accident.

I'd worry about it later though, there was a far more important priority at hand.

"The next hospital isn't far from here but we need to hurry. Jamie, bring him to the car" I said and Jamie nodded before lifting Cole up as best as he could, not wanting to touch any other injuries he may have already sustained.

"We need a faster vehicle than Mikhail's tiny car. We're not gonna make it in time in that Mario kart" Harvey said and Mikhail glared as he helped me up.

"For once, just shut up and drive" Mikhail said as he pushed the older male away.

"Let's just go before the cops arrive" I said and we headed quickly to the car.

"It's not stopping" Jamie said as I got in the car and I knew he was referring to the blood from Cole, Jamie's lower half and my own clothes being covered in it.

I didn't say anything and just tried to keep myself in check. There was so much happening all at once and all I could do was focus on Cole who remained unconscious through the entire ride. Harvey did his best to get us to the hospital and we were there in record time.

"We need a doctor!" Mikhail demanded to the receptionist upon us walking into the hospital.

The woman took one look at the bloody Cole in my arms and she called for the other nurses that lingered around who quickly brought us a gurney.

As I lied Cole on the gurney, I grabbed the shirt of the nurse who was in charge of him and looked down at her.

"You get him the best doctor in this fucking hospital because if he dies in there, I'll personally see to it that you and everyone in the entire facility never work again in this lifetime or the next" I said as I looked into her frightened eyes and she nodded shakily before taking off after Cole's gurney that was now headed into the ICU.

I didn't know what to do with myself as I watched them take my lover from me. I hated that I once again had to leave his life in their hands, my body finally giving out as I sat down in the chair.

"Eros, it's gonna be okay. Cole's a fighter, we've got nothing to worry about" Jamie said. He was trying to be the voice of reason since even Harvey, who never stops talking, was uncharacteristically quiet as he stared at the doors.

Mikhail seemed to also be deep in his own thoughts as he sat next to me on his phone, his presence being a comfort enough for now.

I was grateful for the words but I wasn't in the right mind to accept them right now so I just nodded at Jamie.

It was only a little while before someone else arrived in the waiting room, Noel rushing up to us with a frenzied face, Silver not too far behind in tow.

I guess that's who Mikhail was texting.

"I-Is that Cole's blood...? What happened?!" Noel asked as he walked up to me but I could only look to him, far too exhausted to even begin explaining what happened.

Because honestly, I don't even know how this all started.

"Say something...please" Noel begged, his voice cracking as he looked at me and Silver pulled him away from me.

"Just stay with me for right now. They look like they've been through enough" Silver whispered to Noel and Noel clearly didn't want to listen but he kept his mouth closed.

For a while, we were the only ones occupying this waiting room, anyone else who wanted to got scared off from all the blood.

It was probably two hours before someone came to talk to us and we were all up and alert when the doctor stopped in front of us.

"He's alright, he just needed some stitches. All the blood might have been scary but I assure you it's nothing serious. He will be disoriented when he wakes up though so when that happens don't be too loud" the doctor instructed.

Only a slight amount of relief flooded in me, I wouldn't truly be relieved until Cole was awake and telling me himself that he was alright.

The doctor gestured for one of us to follow so naturally, I went after him towards the room they were holding Cole in.

"Please be careful not to move him too much" the doctor reminded before leaving me in the room with a sleeping Cole.

There was a bandage wrapped across his head and some bandages on his shoulder, his shirt laid off to the side since they needed access to the wound. Other than that, he didn't seem to have any other wounds aside from the occasional bruise that would catch my eye.

Taking a seat next to him, I only stared at him. The silence was uncomfortable but I tried to ignore that part as I reached out to grab my lover's hand, caressing the skin gently.

"All these times...ever since the very beginning, you've protected me. It makes me wonder how I can do the same for you when you don't even really need me" I muttered as I let go of his hand.

I honestly didn't feel like I had the right to touch him right now.

"You're completely capable of taking care of yourself but me on the other hand...I feel like there'd be no point to this life if I don't have you in it. You'd be just fine on your own and it's making me realize that you don't know just how much I depend on you"

I don't know why I kept talking as if Cole would respond, but it felt good to say these things. Having these feelings I've held in for so long finally come out for air was quite lifting.

If only I could actually admit these things to the very person I want to say them to the most.

But that's the part of me that's too cowardly.

I didn't want Cole to see the weaker parts of me but I always seem to show them without even trying. Him protecting me constantly, being one of the many examples. He's gotten hurt one too many times because of me and I hated that there seemed to be nothing I could do about it.

"I'm sorry that I keep hurting you" I said as I put my head in my hands.

"I hope you're not practicing my obituary...?" Cole's raspy voice startled me from my self wallowing and I lifted my head to look at him.

I was met with a confused look on his face as Cole's hand reached up to touch my cheek, his thumb wiping at something.

"Why are you crying?" He asked.

I'm...crying?

Backing away from his touch, I wiped at my eyes, embarrassment suddenly flowing through me at the unexpected thing I just did.

"Sorry, I wasn't aware that I—"

"Don't apologize for that. It's normal to cry" Cole was quick to stop my apology and I just couldn't bring myself to look at him any longer.

"Yeah..." I trailed off.

Cole was quiet as he stared at me, his eyes looking at me as if asking me 'what's wrong?' but I ignored the question for now.

"Thank you" I said.

"Hm?"

"For always protecting me. You're always being thrown into some kind of dangerous crossroad because of me" I said and I guess Cole finally caught on to my feelings as he noticed my self deprecating words.

Lifting himself up a bit, I was about to tell him to lie back down but Cole grabbed my cheeks and brought our heads together in an affectionate gesture that left me staring in surprise.

"It's only natural that I'd want to protect the person I love so no matter how many times it happens, I'll always do my best to make sure you're safe" he said and my face felt hot all of a sudden.

"I'll do better to protect you too...I swear" I said and Cole's only response was a chaste kiss to my lips before letting me go.

Somehow, I felt that it was okay now for me to rest my head in Cole's lap, letting out a tired sigh upon doing so.

"Can I still call you my husband?" I asked and I knew it was random, but right now I just needed reassurance.

It was selfish of me to ask him to stay with me even with all the perils I face in my daily life but more than anything, I just wanted his love. I needed it, craved it like a spoiled child who always wanted more of the things they love.

And for whatever reason he may have that I would never question, Cole always indulged me.

"Yes, yes" Cole said, a small chuckle falling from his lips as he answered.

"Thank you" was all I could say, because I didn't know how else to express my gratitude. Especially not with him being injured like this.

I guess this is okay for now.