❝ papá? ❞ little elijah sounds like he's been crying, sounds like he still wants to, sounds like something is stopping him. there are voices in the background, clamoring over each other for "blood pressure" and "heart rate" and "oxygen levels". maybe there's even the sound of a siren. little elijah is in an ambulance. ❝ dad — dad s-stopped breathing, s-so i — i called 911, like you said. ❞ he's silent for a long moment, and then: ❝ i'm scared. ❞
THIS ISN’T SOMETHING ANY CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO FACE, and charles and kaidan knew that this could happen ( and kaidan has long since feared that it would happen sooner than they’d like ). and kaidan’s heart sinks immediately as soon as he steps outside and answers the phone, as soon as he hears elijah on the other end trying to be brave, and kaidan doesn’t need to hear the background noise to know exactly what’s happened.
“ oh, god, ” he breathes, goes back inside only for his things ( he doesn’t have time to change, to wipe away this paint and makeup from head to toe, barely has time to catch the stage manager’s eye and mouth my husband while knowing that they will know precisely what he means ) before he’s back outside, dashing to his car.
“ i - it’s going to be okay, mijo, ” he says in the meantime, tries to say it as calmly as he can manage, already feeling tears pricking at his eyes ( it was inevitable ).
“ you did so well, e - exactly as i told you, ” he continues, key in the ignition, cell phone balanced upon his shoulder as he peels out of the parking lot.
i’m scared.
he is, too. this time, he’s terrified.
“ i - i know, mijo. i can tell that you’re being so brave. dad is going to be so proud of you. i am so proud of you. ” he swallows thickly, sniffs quietly, still tries to be as positive as possible, doesn’t want to make elijah feel worse.
“ i’m on my way to the hospital now, okay ? i will be right behind you, i promise. everything will be alright. ” another pause. he takes a slow, shaking breath. “ would you like to stay on the phone with me until then ? ”
