Chapter Text
“Oh thank god” he mumbles, plopping himself down next to the hospital bed as Miguel stirs slightly. He knows it’s a super standard procedure but he’s been freaking out nonstop for the last couple days since Miguel got sick, especially before he knew what was going on.
“Everything went well?” He checks with the nurse and he nods kindly “He’s alright but it’ll take a bit for him to wake up properly, he’s pretty out of it” he nods in understanding and once he’s situated the man leaves them alone, Miguel still coming to after the anesthesia.
“Hey baby” he says softly as Miguel blinks bleary brown eyes at him, mumbling something under his breath that he doesn’t quite catch. Still he smiles at him, squeezing his hand tightly “How are you feeling?” He’d been so sick for the last couple of days and it had been horrible, when he started throwing up repeatedly he was done messing around and drove him straight here, he hasn’t left since.
“The doctor said everything went well and they were able to finish the operation before your appendix ruptured” he murmurs, stroking Miguel’s hair and waiting for a response. “Eres hermoso” Miguel mumbles, still looking out of it and he stills as Miguel continues absentmindedly rambling in Spanish.
The shock is the first thing to register because Miguel knows he doesn’t speak Spanish except clearly right now he doesn’t- or he just doesn’t know that he’s not speaking English. The second is panic because he just had surgery and what if somethings wrong and he can’t communicate with him or worse he has amnesia or something and doesn’t know who he is. Suddenly the weight of Miguel’s engagement ring feels like it’s burning a hole in his pocket as he glances helplessly at his fiance who is pouting at him- likely due to the lack of response.
“Uh- one second Miggy” he replies a bit frantically, fumbling with his phone as he tries to think if Sam will know enough Spanish to help him, or if anyone he knows will other than Carmen who he really doesn’t want to call. His dad is barely conversational after living with them for years and that pretty much leaves Laura which is a bit risky given he doesn’t have a fucking clue what Miguel is saying and she’s six but really he doesn’t see another choice. He’ll just have to hope that Miguel is lucid enough not to say anything inappropriate and that if for some reason he did Laura won’t understand it anyway.
Sighing he clicks the contact, wondering how the hell she convinced them to get her a phone in the first place. It only rings twice before she accepts the facetime, dirty blonde curls tied back in two half up pigtails with little pink bows as she smiles at him with a missing tooth. “Robby!” she cheers excitedly, practically bouncing in place as she runs across the room and dives through the gauzy curtains surrounding her bed “I have so much to tell you” she cheers.
“It’s only been five days since we last talked Laur” he teases and she beams at him with her gap toothed smile “That’s because I miss you! When are you coming home?” Smiling, he thinks of their plans to surprise her for her birthday next week. “Hopefully soon but I need your help with something real quick, you know how your brother was sick and he had to go to the doctor?” Even as he says it he has to reach over to try and cover Miguel’s mouth since he keeps blabbering about something- at least he doesn’t look to be upset or in any pain, just really really out of it.
“Yes,” she says quieter “Mama said he’d be okay is he- is he not okay? You would be really sad if he wasn’t okay wouldn’t you?” Even the innocent question makes his stomach clench and he reaches for Miguel’s hand as he pouts at him. “Yes I would Laura, he’s very special to me but we’re both totally fine sweetheart, Miguel is fine. His doctor just gave him some medicine to make him feel better but it’s also made him a bit confused and he’s speaking Spanish, I was wondering if you could help me understand what he’s saying?”
Immediately she’s laughing at him, back to her usual sunshiney self- not unlike someone else he knows. “That’s silly you don’t even know Spanish!” she giggles and he smiles “No I don’t, so you think you could help me out?” She nods eagerly and he turns to where Miguel is still pouting at the ceiling, dazed brown eyes blinking at him.
“Hey Miguel, Laura is on facetime, she wanted to check on you” he explains and Miguel immediately perks up despite how out of it he still clearly is, saying something to her in Spanish that makes Laura giggle. “Can you ask him if he needs anything?” He asks, biting his lip as he takes in the scene nervously, he’s been so busy learning Spanish had taken a backseat despite the fact that he always planned to learn more. “He says you’re pretty!” Laura giggles “Says you have shiny eyes and fluffy hair and he wants to marry you” the way she’s laughing is so innocent and he just wants to collapse on the floor in relief.
He’d been so worried about Miguel and this whole time he’s just been pining?
Squeezing his eyes shut he takes a deep breath, torn between frustration and relief at the fact that it was something this superficial the whole time. “You already proposed idiot” he mutters under his breath before snatching the phone back as Miguel starts babbling on about how much he loves both of them and that at least is a sentence he recognizes.
“Alright thank you Laur, I have to take care of Miguel right now because he’s sleepy but we’ll try and come visit soon alright? I love you so much.” She pouts for a second but agrees “Okay, I’ll tell daddy you said hi!” she chirps and then blows him a kiss before hanging up.
Rolling his eyes he turns back to the bed where Miguel seems to have finally passed out and breathes a sigh of relief, both that he’s okay and that he’s asleep, settling in next to him until visiting hours are over.
Fortunately the next time Miguel wakes up a couple hours later he appears much more lucid and other than being a bit embarrassed is able to form full sentences in a language they both speak.
Without any further complications Miguel goes home the next morning but apparently it’s too late to save his dignity seeing as Laura has already spread the story to everyone they know and no one seems willing to let Miguel forget his lovesick babbling. It’s a detail at least three people mention in their wedding toasts half a year later, including Laura in her lavender flower girl dress holding the microphone as Miguel blushes fiercely.
All he can say is that he hopes his own surprise will make up for it .
And if the way Miguel kisses him when he gives his entire speech in Spanish is any indication that moment was worth all their loved ones teasing.