Love, care and what feels like unhealthy codependency
The door opens and Barty's head flies up. Having no regard for Pandora's head on his shoulder, or Evan's legs curled on his lap, he gets up off the floor. He rushes to the doctor standing in front of the door, looking shocked at the 4 people sitting in front of the room.
"Mr. Crouch, is that correct?" Barty nods, not trusting himself to speak. "Mr. Black has noted you as his next of kin." Barty shows his shock for only a second, before hiding it again. He thought Regulus would've changed it to Pandora or something after they broke up months ago. He nods again.
"We recommend putting Mr. Black in a medically induced coma. He has substantial damage to his liver, due to alcohol poisoning, which was nearly fatal. This can lead to loss of brain function. You got him here just in time. We did also contact his mother." Barty can't help but be relieved that the hospital was a mere 3 minutes away, although he got there in much less time. Then the pit in his stomach forms. Walburga was called.
"Uh, yeah, let me speak to our friends." the doctor gives a nod as Barty walks back to the group of people that are now standing, looking at them in anticipation.
"They- uh, want to put him into a coma?" Barty states, but it comes out as a question.
Dorcas looks ready to cry, and Pandora already is. Evan looks ready to go back and give Sirius round two. Evan nods, "I think it's best." Dorcas nods along trying to keep her voice and breathing steady, "Yeah..."
Barty turns his head towards the doctor and nods. The doctor calls out to a nurse and people start walking again. Barty gets given a form to fill in, while the doctor goes back into the room, shutting the door behind him.
Barty tries not breaking down, and a single tear runs down his cheek.
Evan wraps an arm around him before Pandora falls into the hug. Dorcas following soon after.
"They called his mother.." his voice trails off, and tension forms in the group as they mentally prepare for the roller-coaster this is about to be.
Over an hour later, they're allowed to see Reg.
Dorcas wraps her arms around him, holding onto his unmoving body, as if to comfort the non-responsive man. Or maybe she's trying to comfort herself. Evan and Pandora squish into the padded chair silently comforting the other.
Barty turns down the hall to go get more chairs, stealing one from the empty room on the left of Regulus's room. He silent creeps into the room on the other side where he saw a woman walk out a few minutes prior. He sees a ugly old man, knocked out on be bed. He silently walks over to the mashine giving the man oxygen, unplugs it, grabs the chair and runs. He pays it no mind to the beeping and alarms as he sneaks back into Reg's room.
He throws himself down on the chair, resting his head, face down, on the bed. He holds Regulus's hand. And waits. Subconsciously he just wants Reg to move, to wake up, to yell at them for the amount of physical contact they're all giving him. But nothing happens. There's no yelling, no movement. Just the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the consistent sounds of the machines, telling them he's still alive.
God knows how much time later a nurse walks into the room. "Excuse me, visiting times are now over."
Barty feels nothing but anger flowing through him, they want him to leave? That's not happening.
As if sensing his anger, Dorcas speaks up.
"Yeah, no. All of us are staying the night, after today we'll make turns staying. He's not going to be left alone at any point whatsoever."
The nurse looks ready to argue but one glare from Barty shut her up. She gives a nod before closing the door.
None of them slept that night.
...
It's been 4 days since Regulus stormed away. It's been 4 days since Barty hit Sirius. It's been 2 hours since Sirius was discharged from the hospital.
Sirius sighs, sitting down on the couch with a groan. Everything hurts. And he's not even thinking of physical pain.
"I'm going to kill them." Marlene is currently pacing up and down the living room of his and James' flat.
"It's fine Marls. Calm down" he says with slight lisp, due to his missing teeth. His attempt to intervene falls on deaf ears, there's no calming an angry Marlene.
"My own girlfriend beat you up, Sirius, I can't just pretend that's okay!" she stopped pacing, now waving her hands wildly as she talks.
"Technically she didn't, Barty did. She and Evan just stood there.." he tries to calm her down again, but honestly has nothing besides that to defend them.
"I don't care! How can she allow that?! I'm breaking up with her." Sirius doesn't say anything, it's her decision to make. But he doesn't get a chance to even say anything, as she spins on her heel, takes her phone out and dials a number.
He turns his head towards where Remus is standing, looking equally as mad. "In no way was this okay, Sirius. We can't just let this go."
All that Sirius feels is never ending dread form in his gut. He gets why they're mad. But it's his fault. He knew Reg was going to be there, and still went. He went and expected things to be fine. It is all his fault, but he doesn't bother trying to explain this to them. They've been angry since the second they figured out what happened.
Sirius lowers his head. Staring at his hands in his lap. His arm is in a cast, and so is his leg. His ribs are bruised and he has a dentist appointment to fix his teeth. His head hurts from where his hair was yanked out, and he feels like he hasn't slept in weeks.
"I'm going to bed" his voice is quiet and he feels ashamed. The whole situation tore their group in half.
Lily chose Barty's side and simply told him he should've expected it. James is choosing his side, but that's probably just because he's his best friend. Mary sided with Lily.
He gets up with another pained groan, before grabbing his cane and waddling over to his bedroom. He shuts the door, before throwing the useless cane to the wall.
He falls down on the bed, attempting to stay quiet as the pain shoots through his entire body.
He stares at the roof. He doesn't know how long he stares before he hears Marlene yelling as she closes the front door, and his bedroom door slowly opens. James comes in and lays down next to him. He snuggles up close, laying under the covers. They don't talk and they don't look at each other, they barely breathe.
Eventually James sighs and turns his head to look at Sirius. "That was fucked up, mate."
Sirius let's out a sigh of his own, rubbing his hands over his face. "I know."
James doesn't pester further, and only leaves him with a disappointed glance that somehow makes him feel worse. He'd much rather prefer James punch him in the face.
God he was awful. But it's not like Regulus didn't deserve it. He was awful to Sirius when they were kids. Sirius shakes his head, before laying his head on James' shoulder, and despite his disappointment, he rests his chin on Sirius' head.
...
Evan is scared awake by none other than Mrs. Black standing at the edge of Regulus' bed, making a scene.
"My baby! My poor baby! Is he going to be okay? My only son is hurt!" she screeches, flailing her arms around.
Evan fights the urge to roll his eyes, seeing as this is quite literally the very first time she's cared for any of her kids.
She puts a hand to Regulus' forehead, beforw moving her hand up, to brush through Reg's hair.
Doctor Hemlock enters the room but stops when he sees the woman standing in front of the bed. "Mrs. Black? Follow me please."
Evan drops his head back on the bed and heaves out a sigh. "Wake up Reg. Please."
***
"Wake up Reg. Please."
Reg can hear voices. He's been able to hear voices for the last fuck knows how long. He's not all that sure if everything he's hearing is actually been said out loud, or if he's imagining some of it.
He heard something some time ago about someone killing his parrot which upset him greatly. He's heard Pandora ask the doctors to tell him when they're doing something, which they said they would do but didn't. He knows Pandora figured that out, because he heard Evan yelling at them when Pandora went to him upset.
Hes heard Barty cussing him out for being dumb, before getting emotional and apologizing for snapping at him. That makes him uncomfortable, Barty doesn't do anything emotional, nor does he apologize. If his actions isn't petty, childish or impulsive, it's meant to hurt or at the very least offend others. He's also felt a lot of touching. Hugs, people holding his hand, and kisses to his forehead, which he assumes is from one of the girls.
Overall he is very motivated to open his eyes, or at least make some form of movement.
That was untill he heard his mothers voice. Suddenly he doesn't want to wake up anymore. A part of him doesn't want to deal with her bullshit, and an even bigger part of him is relishing in the feeling of his mother caring.
He knows his mother only cares, because it would be a bad look to have her son die of liver failure, alcohol poisoning or go brain dead, but he can't bring himself to care about the reasoning.
His mother cares, and that's all that matters.
He can hear the beeping of mashines nearby, and desperately wishes he couldn't.
He doesn't know how long he's been here, but he knows he can't feel any pain. Even the consistent migraine he's had for the past 8 or so years is gone, but the beeping is driving him up a wall.
He's heard all kinds of people talk to him, also as per Pandora's request. Pandora talks often and hes sure she knows he can hear her. He's heard Barty talking, Evan talking, Dorcas scolding him without any real heat, Lily mumbling to him and even some girl named Mary talked once. But none of it compares to hearing Luna cry.
He remembers the slight argument between Pandora and Xeno on whether or not they should allow Luna to see him. Pandora mentioned that Luna thought he left her, and doesn't love her, and was rooting for Pandora to convince Xeno that Luna should see him. Eventually Xeno was backed into a corner, and gave in. Luna came by and he could feel her little hand rubbing up and down is cheek as she cried. He wanted nothing more than to hold onto his little moon and never let go.
But ultimately, he couldn't. He couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't give any of them any hint that he could hear them.
A little piece of him felt loved. More loved than he's ever felt. He realised how much all of them would miss him if he was dead. If they're actions during the last while we're anything to work by, he couldn't imagine what they'd be like if he was dead.
They're all freaking out, and falling apart, and he's still alive for God's sake.
He layed still, listening to Pandora ramble on about Luna starting in a nursery next week.
He isn't sure when exactly next week is, but he knows he can't miss it.
He's tried opening his eyes, but his eyelids feel to heavy to move.
He's tired, and starts drifting off. He's brain busy to try and figure how to see the light of day again.