Chapter Text
It was a typical early morning for Kevin.
He had woken up before sunrise and slipped out of bed as gently as possible to avoid waking his sleeping husband beside him and quietly got ready for the gym. Before leaving the room he left a soft kiss on Aaron’s forehead and whispered a barely audible “ I love you ” into his head of blonde hair.
Kevin was more tired than usual, struggling to keep his eyes open as he shuffled through the dark house like a ghost. Thanks to sheer muscle memory he was able to go through the motions of making a protein shake and collecting his gym bag without issue and before he knew it he was shivering from the cool morning air as he waited for the car to warm up.
A yawn tore through the silence and Kevin contemplated turning on the radio. He usually drove in silence but sleep threatened his bleary eyes and he thought some noise would help. Turning up the volume he was surprised to hear one of Aaron’s CD’s playing instead of the monotonous drone of a pop song. Smiling, he decided this would do and started his trek to the gym.
The gym was an hour drive from the house but Kevin preferred it that way. It was quiet and he didn’t often get recognized there so he was able to workout in peace. Aaron had asked him a few times to change gym’s to somewhere closer, the blonde all too familiar with car crashes caused by falling asleep behind the wheel, and even more familiar with Kevin’s struggle to stay awake in the morning. Surprisingly, the two didn’t fight often, but this was cause for many arguments since they bought their house two years earlier.
Aaron had always been a worrier and working as a surgeon hadn’t helped that in the slightest. It was endearing to know that his husband worried about him but Kevin didn’t see that worry as necessary. He told himself that he knew his own limits and wouldn’t be stupid enough to fall asleep while driving.
Halfway into the drive Kevin realized he didn’t remember driving that far. It felt like just minutes ago he was pulling out of the gated community and now he was almost in the next town over. He didn’t recall the sky changing but long gone were the sparkling stars, a beautiful splattering of pink, orange and red now in their place.
The shrill ringing of his phone pulled him from his daze and answered it without looking at the caller ID.
“Kevin here, what can I do for you?”
The familiar sound of Aaron’s laughter filled Kevin’s ear and he smiled as he realized it was his husband on the other end of the line.
“Well, let’s see. What can you do for me, Mr. Day?” Aaron’s voice was slow and scratchy, like he had just woken up.
This was part of their daily routine. Kevin would get up early without waking Aaron and a little later after the blonde woke up he would call Kevin to say good morning. By the time Kevin got back home from the gym Aaron would be gone to work so this was the closest thing they got to sharing breakfast together each morning.
“I could pick up your favourite takeout for dinner tonight,” Kevin said sleepily. “Or I could give you a massage while you tell me about all the lives you saved while I was busy being a glorified house husband.”
“My Queen, you’re not a house husband.” The smile was clear in Aaron’s voice. “You lack far too many basic life skills to be considered one.” Rolling his eyes Kevin glanced at the time, realizing Aaron was running behind.
“As much as I’d love to discuss my ability to do the laundry to your liking I think you’re going to be late my little Prince.”
The sound of ruffling bedsheets could be heard and Aaron groaned. “I thought we agreed you would stop calling me that.”
“I don’t recall agreeing to anything of the sort,” Kevin said teasingly. “If I remember correctly it was you who said I would stop. We never agreed to anything. Now go get ready mon petit prince, I love you.”
“Saying it in French doesn’t change anything, Kev.” Static filled the silence but before Kevin could hang up he heard a soft “I love you too,” before being met with the dial tone.
Tossing his phone to the passenger seat Kevin sighed and let his mind wander as he picked up speed, still a bit of a ways away from the gym.
—
There was a burning pain in Kevin’s chest and a ringing in his ears as he struggled to open his eyes. Confusion overtook him as he attempted to piece together the situation he was in.
He was still in the car but it was wrong. He was on his left side and his seatbelt was digging deeply into his chest, restricting the amount of air he could get in. The windshield was broken, glass scattered all around him. He tried to unbuckle his seatbelt but his hand burned with pain and he quickly gave up. His phone was nowhere to be found and his eyes were struggling to stay open. Eventually he couldn’t fight the cloud of fatigue and felt his eyes close tightly.
When he woke again he was met with blinding white and beeping machines. He turned his head to look around but there was something on his face that pulled as he attempted to move. Within seconds there was an unfamiliar face above him.
“You need to stay still, please. We’re almost at the hospital.”
Hospital? Where was Aaron? Kevin tried shaking his head, he needed his husband. Where was his husband?
“Aaron.” He said weakly. The paramedic either didn’t hear or didn’t care so he said it again, louder this time. “Aaron. I need Aaron. Where is Aar-“
Kevin’s lungs burned as he struggled to get a breath in. Soon he was choking, gasping for air as the paramedic said something unintelligible to someone behind Kevin’s head.
For the second time that day, Kevin let the darkness overtake him.
—
It was dark when Kevin woke again. He reached his hand out for Aaron, only to be met with starchy sheets and an empty mattress. As his eyes adjusted to the dark he remembered the events from earlier in the day.
Panic coursed through his veins as he thought of his husband at home, alone in their house wondering where Kevin could be. He hadn’t talked to Aaron since this morning, what time was it now?
Grabbing for the call button, Kevin called for a nurse with the little strength he had left. It was a short wait before a young woman with light blonde hair and freckles entered his room. She reminded him of Aaron.
“Mr. Day! How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?”
“My phone.” Kevin croaked, “I need my phone.”
The nurse's eyes were warm and she gave Kevin a pitying glance before making her way to his bedside.
“You were in a terrible accident, you need to rest right now. If you’re in any pain I can help with that but for now you shouldn’t be worried about anything but healing.”
Kevin shook his head, pain shot through his skull with every movement. “You don’t understand. I need my phone. I have to call Aaron, I have to tell him where I am.”
Pursing her lips the nurse looked down at Kevin before holding up one finger and then quickly leaving the room. She returned a minute later with Kevin’s phone in hand.
“One call, that’s it. You’re not supposed to have this. One call and then you listen to me from here on out, okay?” Her voice was soft and kind, once again resembling Aaron.
“Yes, whatever it takes. Please, I just need to call him.”
The nurse handed Kevin his phone and left the room, leaving him to make his call privately.
With shaking hands Kevin clicked on Aaron’s contact. The phone rang twice before Aaron picked up.
“Mon petit prince, something happened.” Kevin’s eyes stung with tears as he struggled to get the words out. “I was in an accident, I’m at the hospital.”
A sob was quickly heard and Kevin’s heart shattered knowing it was his fault.
“What hospital? When did this happen? God, Kevin, are you okay?” Aaron’s voice was thick with tears and the sound of a door slamming could be heard in the background.
“I’m not sure where I am, I’ll ask the nurse. I just needed to tell you, I was so worried about you.”
Kevin pressed the call button again and his nurse was back in the room within a minute.
“What hospital am I at?” He asked, feeling stupid for not knowing.
“Regional Medical Center, unit 6, room 618.”
Kevin smiled weakly at her as he heard a car door slam over the phone.
“I’m on my way, I’ll be there as soon as I can. I love you Kev, fuck, I love you so much.”