The hospital lights were too bright.
Too white.
They made everything feel sterile, like the world had been bleached of color and warmth.
Jett hated hospitals. He hated the smell of antiseptic, the quiet hum of machines, the way time seemed to stretch until you could feel it grinding in your bones.
He stood in the corridor, leaning against the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Matt sat nearby, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. Charles was at the vending machine, trying to buy water with shaking hands.
Jamie hadn't moved from the chair across from them. He sat hunched over, still wearing the same blood-stained shirt, his hands clasped together so tightly his knuckles were white.
The paramedics had taken Jace into surgery almost an hour ago, and no one had said anything since.
Every few minutes, Jamie's shoulders trembled, a silent tremor he tried to hide but couldn't.
Jett didn't know why he was still here. He'd told himself he'd leave after the ambulance arrived, but here he was.
The sound of Charles dropping the bottle snapped him out of his thoughts. Matt swore under his breath and went to help, while Jamie barely looked up.
Jett pushed himself off the wall and walked toward him.
'You should drink something." he said, nodding toward the water Charles had brought.
Jamie didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the floor.
"Jamie." Jett said again, quieter this time.
It took a moment, but Jamie finally lifted his head. His face looked worse under the fluorescent light, pale, streaked with dried blood and tears. His eyes were rimmed red.
"Is he-" His voice broke. He swallowed. 'They said he lost a lot of blood. What if-"
"Don't." Jett said firmly. "He's still fighting. Don't talk like he's not."
Jamie blinked, as if the words had caught him off guard. "You sound so sure."
Jett shrugged, shifting his weight. "I've seen worse." He's been through worse but he wasn't about to tell him that.
That got a hollow laugh out of Jamie, though it broke halfway through. "You make that sound normal."
"It's not." But life sometimes had it unmerciful ways. A Jett just happened to have lived through it.
Silence stretched between them. The kind that presses against your ears until you can't breathe.
Jamie rubbed his palms together."I told him not to open the door." He said softly, staring at the dried red stains on his hands. "He said it was fine, said I worry too much. I should've stopped him."
"Hey." Jett said. "This wasn't your fault."
Jamie shook his head, tears spilling over again. "You don't get it. I was right there. I just froze. I didn't even move until- until..." His voice cracked completely this time. "There was so much blood."
Jett didn't think. He just reached out, awkwardly, uncertainly, and rested a hand on Jamie's shoulder.
'You did what you could." he said. "You called for help. You kept him alive until we got there." He didn't even know if he was assuring Jamie or himself.
Jamie stared at him through blurred vision. He wanted to argue, to say something, but nothing came out. Just a quiet sob that slipped through his lips before he pressed a hand over his mouth.
Jett didn't move. He didn't pull him closer, didn't whisper empty comfort, just stayed there, solid, steady. It seemed enough.
Maybe it was that he didn't know how to comfort someone, or it was just that he didn't feel close with Jamie enough to comfort him without rethinking every move.
Minutes passed. The hall clock ticked too loud. Nurses moved up and down the corridor, their shoes squeaking against the linoleum.
"I'm sorry about yesterday." Jett said all of a sudden.
Jamie stilled, as if processing his words. Then he scoffed humorlessly, wet eyes looking ahead.
He sniffed, looking at his clasped hands, the tear streaks on his face shined under the lights. Jett held his breath, awaiting Jamie's answer.
"This is not the right time to apologise." Jamie said, shaking his head slowly.
"I know, but I just-". He caught himself mid sentence as Matt approached, rubbing a hand over his face. "Doctor said they'll update us soon. They're still stabilizing him."
Jamie nodded numbly, not really hearing.
When the doctor finally came out, everyone stood. Jett could feel the tension spike through the air.
"Are you Jace's family?" the doctor asked, eyes landing on Jamie.
"Yes-yes, I'm his brother." Jamie said quickly.
The doctor nodded. "He's stable now. The wound was deep but missed any major arteries. He's very lucky. He lost a lot of blood, but he doesn't need transfusion, he just needs rest, so he'll be monitored for a few days, but he's going to be fine."
Jamie swayed where he stood, a sob catching in his throat. "Thank you." he whispered, voice shaking. "Thank you."
Matt exhaled beside him, running a hand through his hair. Charles sighed in relief, muttering a 'thank God' under his breath.
But Jett, he just stared. Watched as Jamie's whole body seemed to collapse with relief, tears streaking fresh down his face, replacing the old ones, hands trembling like he didn't know what to do with them anymore.
Something sharp and unfamiliar twisted in Jett's chest.
He looked away.
When the doctor left, Matt clapped Jett on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming, man. You didn't have to stay."
"Yeah.' Jett muttered, he watched as Jamie sat back in the chair, hands in his face, taking deep breath Ms. "Guess I didn't."
He turned and began to walk towards the exit, but a voice stopped him halfway down the hall.
"Jett."
He halted in his steps and looked back. Jamie stood few feets before him, pale and exhausted, but steadier now. He looked smaller under the hospital light. "Thank you," he said softly. "For helping."
Jett opened his mouth, closed it again. He wasn't sure what to say.
"Yeah." he said finally. "Don't mention it." He said and finally leftt.
But even as he walked out into the night, the image of Jamie, shaking, covered in blood, eyes full of fear and relief, wouldn't leave his head.
And for the first time in a long while, Jett wasn't sure if the pounding in his chest was from anger.....or something else entirely.
It better not be what he was thinking about.