#and if im correct... ace steel at the left | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nalgenewhore · 5 years

Text

come bother me

this is the longest thing i’ve written but im really excited about it!!

TW: Car crash, hospital, surgery

Word Count: 4554

“Hi, I have a reservation for two.”

“Ok, and the name?”

“Salvaterre.”

“Of course, follow me this way, please.”

The waitress grabbed two menus and led Elide through the restaurant to a window table overlooking the Florine.

Elide sat and only half listened to the waitress rattling off the special, her eyes fixated on the door, waiting for her husband to arrive. “- name’s Eileen and I’ll be serving you tonight. Can I start you off with a drink?”

She snapped out of her trance-like state, “Um, I think I’ll be needing a couple of minutes.”

“Of course, I’ll be back shortly.” Eileen smiled and left, leaving her to peruse her drink options.

She twisted in her seat and fished out her phone from her purse, no new messages lighting the screen.

Elide unlocked it and tapped on Messages, typing one to Lorcan.

>>> are you on your way?

She waited until it said delivered and sighed, turning it off and resting her chin in her hand.

—————

“Was that the last patient, Eva?”

Evangeline’s copper head popped out from around the corner and she grinned at him, her twin scars stretching, “Yup. Ride carefully, it started raining like crazy out there.”

Lorcan smiled back at his niece of sorts, “Don’t worry about me, Ev. Tell your mother I’m sorry for keeping her precious angel baby late.” He strolled out to the waiting area and Evangeline stuck her tongue out at him and hugged him.

She pulled away after a few moments, “See you tomorrow?”

He shook his head and walked with her to the door, “See you Sunday at dinner, you have the rest of the week off to study.”

The feisty ginger shot him a wink before pulling the door open and making her way to the elevator.

He shook his head softly and walked to back to his office when the door opened again, “Miss me already, Ev?”

“Dr. Salvaterre,” he whirled and took in the woman standing with a swaddled baby in her arms, “I know you’re closed but she’s burning up. I’ve tried everything, please.” Her voice broke and he strode to her quickly, lifting the child from her arms, “Of course, come back this way.”

—————

Eileen appeared at Elide’s table, a sympathetic frown on her face, “Can I get you another glass of wine?”

Elide smiled and glanced at the door one last time before turning back to Eileen, “Could I get the check, actually?”

“I’ll be right back with that.”

She opened her phone up again and texted Lorcan.

>>> where are you???

Eileen approached and Elide paid, making her way out of the restaurant and sprinting through the rain to her car, slamming the door shut. She shook her head and turned the key in the ignition, pulling smoothly out of her spot.

—————

“Thank you so much, Dr. Salvaterre.”

“You’re very welcome. I’ll see you at the checkup on Tuesday, all right?” He handed her a card with his number on it, “Call this number if anything changes. Drive safe, it’s pouring out there.”

The woman smiled and left the office. Lorcan hurried back to his office, grabbing his keys, helmet and shrugging on his leather jacket. He grabbed his phone and dialed Elide’s number, the call going to voicemail, “Hey, it’s me, I had an emergency patient. I’m leaving right now and I’ll see you in a sec, ok? I’m so so sorry, baby, I love you so much.”

He hurried out of the office, turning off the lights and locking the door behind him. He passed the elevator and ran to the stairwell, sprinting down the stairs to the garage.

His motorcycle sat in his spot and he hopped on it. putting his helmet on before he roared out to the streets of Orynth, the rain quickly soaking his jeans and jacket.

He gunned his way through the city, weaving in and around cars, praying to every god that he would be able to placate the wrath of his wife.

—————

Elide’s phone rang in the center console and she glanced at it, Lorcan’s name appearing on the screen. She rolled her eyes and reached over to turn the ringer off. Her hair was wet and hung limply around her face and her makeup was running from the rain she had run through.

She flicked her blinker on and got ready to switch lanes. A horn blared at her and she turned her head, headlights blinding her as a truck crashed into her car. Her body was thrown only for her seatbelt to catch her, her head snapping back.

The shattered glass pelted into her, slicing her skin.

Her car flipped and was pushed across the road, the roof scraping on the wet asphalt.

The car stopped moving and she hung there, strapped to the seat. Her phone rang, Lorcan’s smiling face taking over the cracked screen.

The tears came now as darkness claimed her.

—————

Lorcan walked to the awning of the restaurant and peered inside, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He called Elide and was sent to voicemail again. “Hey baby. It’s me again. I’m here but I don’t see you or your car. You probably went home. I’m so sorry I stood you up again. I’ll be home in a sec, I love you so much. I promise I’ll make it up to you, I love you.” He shoved his phone back in his pocket and stalked towards his bike.

His phone rang and he hastily grabbed it, picking up before seeing who called.

“El, baby, I—” The voice on the other side was not Elide though and the tears that shook it made him on edge.

“Lor, it’s me.” Aelin’s voice trembled and he was put even more on edge when she used his nickname, something she only did when she was being gentle.

“Ace, what’s wrong? Are you ok? Is it Rowan? Did something happen to Evalin?” He demanded the questions and picked up his pace, straddling his bike, his pulse beating faster and faster.

“It’s El, Lor. She was going home and,” she sobbed, her cries loud in his ear. His heart stopped in his chest. “What happened, Ace?”

“Her car, someone crashed into it. The hospital couldn’t reach you so they called me, it’s bad, Lor. Really bad.”

“No. It didn’t happen, tell me it didn’t happen and that she’s with you cause she’s pissed at me and tell me she went to your house and tell me that this is some awful joke cause she’s so mad at me and tell me that she’s sitting next to you on your bed and you guys kicked Ro out and tell me that’s she’s laughing right now and she’s drinking straight from the bottle. Tell me.” Lorcan pleaded with Aelin, his voice threatening to break, the sobs building in his chest, the pressure almost bursting.

“You need to come to the hospital. She’s in surgery.”

“I’m coming right now. Don’t let her leave, Aelin. Promise me you won’t let her leave me. I need you to promise me that.”

Aelin’s voice was small and quiet, “I promise I won’t let her leave.”

They both knew that neither of them had any power over it but they gave this to themselves, to bide as much time as they could. “Thank you, I’ll be there soon.”

He ended the call and put his phone back in his pocket, slipping his helmet on and pulling out of his spot, riding more carefully down the roads to the hospital.

—————

He ran to into the waiting room, his eyes falling on his family.

Manon and Aelin sat together, their fingers interlocked as Aelin leaned on Manon. Evangeline was pacing the room, a sleeping Evalin in her arms. Rowan stood when he saw Lorcan and hugged him tight, threatening to break Lorcan’s steel resolve. Rowan grabbed his face and his pine green eyes met Lorcan’s onyx ones. “It’s gonna be ok. Hey, hey,” Lorcan looked away at a spot on the wall above Lysandra’s head. “Lorcan, look at me.” He did, looking back into his brother’s eyes. “Elide is going to be alright. She’s gonna pull through.”

Lorcan hugged his brother to him and buried his face in his shoulder, Rowan’s scent washing over and calming him. “L, let’s sit, k? Come over here, I’ll get you some coffee.”

Lorcan nodded numbly and let Rowan lead him to the chair. He sat next to Lysandra and leaned his elbows on his legs, his face resting in his large palms. Lysandra dragged a hand down his back and softly rubbed it, her hand warming his cold body.

—————

Lorcan didn’t know how long he stayed like that, head in his hands, Rowan next to him and Lysandra rubbing his back. Shoes stopped in front of him and he looked up, a woman with umber skin and golden curls falling to the waist of her white jacket. Elide’s doctor. Her face was blank but a healing light edged in her eyes, as golden as her hair.

She wore light lavender scrubs and the name on the jacket said, Dr. Yrene Towers, M.D.

“You must be Lorcan Salvaterre. You’re Elide Lochan’s husband, correct?” He stood and his form towered over her.

“Yes that’s me. How is she?”

“The surgery was very successful. She had a lot of trauma to her brain so we had to remove a section of her skull for the swelling. Her right wrist and elbow were fractured as well as a dislocation of her left knee.”

He shuddered a bit, his legs threatening to buckled but Rowan was there, steadying him. “Can I see her?”

“Not at the moment. Dr. Salvater-” Lorcan waved off the formal title. “Just Lorcan’s fine.”

Dr. Towers smiled slightly, “Lorcan, while her surgery was successful, we had to put her in a medically induced coma. We’re not certain when she’ll wake up.”

“But she will wake up, right?” He pressed her for answers, his heart slamming in his chest.

“That is the hope. Right now, there’s nothing we can do but wait. I’ll come back later with an update.” She smiled at them all once more and left. Lorcan started breathing faster and faster, his family around him crowding and suffocating him. Rowan pulled him away, saying to the rest of them, “We’re gonna get some coffee. We’ll be right back.”

He led Lorcan down an empty hallway and let him lean against the wall and slowly slide down to the floor. Rowan sat next to him and Lorcan rested his head on Rowan’s shoulder. “It’s my fault. All of this. It’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, Lor. It just happened. There was nothing anyone could do.”

“I could’ve done something. I could’ve been on time, I could’ve not stood her up the first time, I could’ve ridden faster—”

“And what? Gotten yourself in a wreck instead of her? There was nothing that could’ve stopped this, L. This is not your fault. This stuff happens.”

Lorcan didn’t say anything and the tears dripped down his face, making Rowan’s shirt wet. Sneakers appeared before him and he looked up, Fenrys’ curly golden hair popping above him. In his arms he carried a soft blanket with Evalin. He sat on Lorcan’s other side, “Do you want to hold her?”

Lorcan nodded and was passed the baby, her one green eye and the other one, fiery turquoise with liquid gold insides, stared up at him. Freckles were like constellations across her chubby cheeks, her dimples deep as she smiled up at him. Lorcan grinned tearfully and the three brothers all stared in wonder at the littlest, most precious creation they had ever known.

—————

“Lorcan! Lor!”

He was pulled out of his slumber on Fen’s shoulder and looked down the hall, Evangeline running towards them. “Dr. Towers says she needs to speak with you.”

He stood up fast, Evalin still in his arms and the four of them walked as quickly as they could down the hall, careful to not jostle the sleeping baby.

“Lorcan, could you come over here please?” Dr. Towers’ voice, thick and sweet like honey, called him over and he passed a dozing Evalin to her mother, Aelin hugging him tight quickly before he joined Dr. Towers.

“You can see her now. She is much more stable and we are confident she will wake up. I’ll take you to her now.” He nodded and followed her down to a room, the curtains shut behind the glass walls. She stood by the door and opened it, leaning her head with a supportive smile.

“It’s ok. She’d want you to be here.”

He swallowed past his dry throat and walked in, pausing slightly in his step when he saw her on the bed, her dark hair around her. He could barely see her face around the breathing tube.

Her arms were laid out on top of the blanket, IV’s sticking out. Machines beeped all around her but he dismissed them as he sat next to her. “I’ll be around if you need me.”

He looked up at the doctor “Thank you, Dr. Towers. For everything.”

“Oh please, Yrene is fine, Dr. Lorcan.” They shared a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes and she was gone, closing the door softly behind her.

“Hey, babe. I’m here, finally.” He chuckled dryly, tears pooling in his eyes. He reached a hand out and brushed back the hair from her forehead, hooking it behind an ear. He gently took the hand closest to him and held it. “Now, you come back when you’re ready. I’ll be waiting right here.” Lorcan lifted her hand and turned it, resting his cheek in her palm, the pulse oximeter cold and foreign on his face. “Don’t you worry about me, I’ll- I’ll be fine.” He drew in a shuddering breath and let the tears fall down, trickling on the side of his nose and over his lips. He turned his head and kissed her hand, hoping that she could feel it, feel all his love.

—————

“Do you want me to drop you off or do you wanna stay with us?” Aelin offered him the guest room, her car stalling by the turn off to his street.

“I don’t care.” His voice was flat and numb, Aelin shooting a worried glance to the backseat at Rowan.

“Ok, well, you’re staying with us. We need extras for baby duty.”

Her tone was playful and light, in an attempt to make him smile, even if it was fake. He humoured her, the smile that stretched his face feeling foreign and wrong. “I can’t wait.” He squeezed her hand back and let them rest on the console separating the front seats. Rowan sat in the back with Evalin and Fenrys rode closely behind them on Lorcan’s bike. She pulled into the driveway of her house, only a couple blocks away from his and parked, “Home sweet home. Do you need anything, babe?”

He looked at his best friend and his mind jumped briefly to their first deployment, when they barely tolerated each other but did it for Rowan. “Nah, just a bed and food.”

They all hopped out of the truck, Rowan exiting more slowly as he took out Evalin’s seat and carrier. “What are you in the mood for?”

Lorcan slung an arm around her slim shoulders as they walked to her door. “Ace, I know you. Which means I know you can only cook breakfast.”

She poked his side sharply as she let them in, turning the lights on, “Whatever. You only know how to make nachos, like that’s any better. Remember that time when we were deployed together and you had to cook for like three weeks? I can never eat them again because of you.”

He laughed at her, albeit the sound was flat. “Fine, breakfast sounds good.”

She smiled and they walked through to the kitchen. “You make toast and coffee. Do you want coffee?”

He nodded and opened the cabinet for the beans, “I got you. Hurry up, I’m starving.”

—————

Lorcan walked into the hospital wing that Elide was staying in and walked to the nurse station where Yrene stood.

She noticed the flowers in his hand and smiled, “Those for someone special?”

He glanced down and huffed a laugh, “Someone who deserves the stars and the moon. All I got are these damned flowers.”

She smiled at him, her golden eyes crinkling.

“How’s Chaol and Josephine?”

“They’re good but she’s growing too fast! They’re taking me out to lunch today.” He grinned and nodded his head, “I’m just here to talk to her.”

“Of course. You can go on through, you know where she is.” Yrene walked past him and he turned, “You’re too easy on me, Yrene.”

She looked at him over her shoulder, her curls bouncing, “And you’re too hard on you, Lorcan.”

He turned back and saw Eretia sitting at the desk. She noticed his flowers and the usually mean woman’s face softened, “Mmm, honeysuckle. Smells heavenly.”

“I thought they were daphnes.” Eretia chuckled and nodded her head towards her door, “You can go on, she’s waiting for you.”

He walked to Elide’s room and closed the door behind him. He walked to the far side and opened the blinds, the soft afternoon sun bathing her in it’s warm glow. Lorcan took out the flowers he had brought the last week and put them in the organics bin, placing the new bouquet in the water. “I brought you honeysuckle. I thought they were daphnes but Eretia tells me they’re honeysuckle.”

He did this every day he visited her, chatting to her about nothing and everything. “I got a decision to make, El. I’ve been putting it off and putting it off.”

He sat in the chair next to her bed and held her hand. “Everybody’s got an opinion. It’s, like, so much harder than everybody says. But since your opinion is the only one I give a damn about, I just wanted to run it past you.” He kissed her hand, holding it up. “Do I give in and get the new Harley or do I just rebuild the brakes again?”

She didn’t answer but he didn’t expect her to. “Rebuild. That’s great, it’s what I wanted to do anyway.” He chuckled flatly and his breath hitched, tears pooling in his eyes again. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

He pressed his lips to her fingers again, “Come back to me, baby. We’re running out of time. You’re running out of time.”

A tear fell and dropped onto the bed, “Come bother me.” His chin wobbled and his mouth trembled, the effort of keeping it in too great and the damn fell, his tears dripping out of him.

Lorcan fingered the necklace he wore, Elide’s rings hanging off the chain next to their dog tags. “Come back to me,” he whispered onto her skin.

He surveyed the machines around them and followed all the tubes that were attached to her. He watched her chest move up and down, “I wish I could breathe for you, baby.” He stood and climbed onto the bed beside her, careful of her knee, wrapping her in his arms and whispering in her ear, “Come back to me, baby. Come home. I love you.”

—————

“How’d you do it, Dad?” Emrys glanced at his eldest son from his position by the stove.

“How’d I do what, Lorcan?”

Lorcan wrung his hands and ran a hand through his hair, a motion his father knew was a nervous habit. “How’d you survive when Pops died? Cause I don’t i’ll survive it. She’s not even gone and I can’t do anything. I don’t sleep or eat.”

Emrys moved and leaned on the counter in front of Lorcan. “You don’t.” He said it bluntly, there was no beating around the bush for this sort of thing. “You don’t survive. The person you became, the person they fell in love with dies with them. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, move on. It’s not a linear process either, son. There are days when I don’t get out of bed. But then better days come along to.” A timer went off and he turned, stirring what he was making. He mused as he cooked, “Somedays, I think the good days are the worst ones. Because you start to move on and leave them and you will feel guilty. You will ask yourself why it was them, you’ll beg the gods to take you instead. There is no end to grief, dear. There is no finish line.”

Lorcan started to cry, “I feel like I can’t breathe, Dad. I feel like my heart’s being torn out and ripped into a million pieces. It hurts. Why can’t I make it go away?”

His father walked beside him and hugged him close, “I don’t know. I’m sorry, my son. I’m so sorry.”

Emrys’ heart hurt for his son and he looked to the skies, asking Malakai for guidance.

—————

Lorcan went back to Rowan’s that night and the two of them sat on the back porch, watching the river flow past.

Lorcan’s thumbs picked off the label of his beer and when he spoke, it was the voice of a broken and tired man, “All I have left are memories. I remember everything. I remember her coming home, everyday, and just thinking, ‘I can’t believe that’s my wife. I can’t believe she married my ass.’ I remember all the times I could’ve told her I loved her. Could’ve shown her just how much she means to me.” He glanced up at Rowan and his brother’s green eyes were lined with silver. His voice hitched and Rowan moved his chair closer, his arm circling Lorcan’s shoulders. “I’d do anything, give anything, just to tell her that one more time.”

“You’ll have that time, brother. I believe you’ll have that time.”

—————

“Little Rosie is gonna be fine, Mrs. Essex. Just give her this medication an—”

The door opened and a breathless Evangeline exploded in. She moved her hands and lot and bent over, trying to catch her breath. He stood and approached her, rubbing her back, thinking it was the panic attacks that plagued her. “Love, you know what to do. Breathe with me, that’s it, in and out, in, out.” He hugged her to him and felt her arms grip his shoulders and she leaned back, “It’s not that, I’m ok. I just got a call from Yrene. They need you at the hospital.” His heart seized in his chest and he glanced at the woman and baby sitting on the examination table, utter bewilderment on her face.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Essex. It’s my E- my wife.”

The woman jumped up and took the piece of paper from his hands, “These are the instructions, yes?” Lorcan nodded. “I can read so I can follow instructions, go be with your wife.”

“Thank you so much, I’ll see you in a month, all right? Eva, let’s go, we got to go.”

She nodded and they split up, Lorcan going to his office to grab his keys and helmet while Evangeline informed patients that the office was closing for the day. He heard her light voice, “We are so sorry, I will email you all with makeup dates.”

He ran out to the waiting room and stood at the door, herding people outside with an apologetic smile. When the last patient left, he and Evangeline ran to the stairs, flinging themselves down to the garage.

They sprinted to his bike where he tossed the helmet to her, “Put it on. Lys will never forgive me if I let you ride without it.”

She put it on with no protest and climbed on behind him, “I’m ready. Let’s kick it.”

He nodded and tore out to the streets, roaring through downtown Orynth to the hospital.

—————

Their feet slammed on the tiles of the hospital and the hallway to her room was lined with people. Rowan and Aelin stood with their backs turned, eyes on her room. They both turned at the sound of them and Lorcan couldn’t judge the emotion flooding their eyes. He didn’t let himself hope. Aedion and Lysandra were next to them and Aedion opened his arms, Evangeline flinging herself on her father. Fenrys and Gavriel were sitting on the floor and they both looked up at him at the same time. Connall leaned against the wall beside his twin and nodded his head. Manon and Asterin were next to the boys and they both were surveying the iron claws they called nails. Asterin’s gold head popped up and she winked at him.

At the doorway Yrene stood, looking at him with small, soft smile. He walked to the door and they hugged once before they drew back, “Are you ready?”

He nodded and she opened the door. Lorcan walked in slowly and stopped when he saw Elide sitting up in the bed, her gaze out the window, looking at the mountains. She turned her head the sound of the door clicking shut and smiled, tears forming in her dark eyes. “You’re late.”

He huffed a laugh, “I’m sorry.”

She reached her arms out and he sat next to her on the bed, hugging her tightly. “I missed you.”

Elide hugged him back tight and said into his neck, “I missed you too.” She moved her arm and gripped his chin, forcing his eyes to hers. “Lorcan, I heard you.”

His breath hitched and she continued, “I heard every word you said.” He bowed his head but she gripped his chin harder, her fierce eyes filling his vision. “You were breathing for me, baby. This whole time.” He felt tears slip down his face and they were mirrored on hers. “I love you so much, El.”

“I love you so much, my darling.” He moved her legs, one still in a cast and swung them over his. He cradled her against him and she sighed happily. She said something and he didn’t catch it. Lorcan kissed her head, “What was that?”

“Are you sure you want to rebuild Bonnie?”

He started and peered down at her, her head tilted back, “You heard that too?”

She laughed, “Nope, I’m just playin’. Yrene told me.”

“Elide...” His tone held a note of fake warning.

“I know, you bother me too.” Her voice was sassy and her grin cocky. They smiled wildly at each other and tugged each other close. He whispered to her, “Do you want to see anyone else?”

She kissed his mouth gently, not pulling away as she said, “Not now. Let’s just stay here.” He kissed her back, “Good. I don’t want to share you just yet.”

She slapped his chest lightly and then shifted in his arms to look at the mountains. He rested his chin on her head and felt her fingers trace his arms and hands. “What are you doing?”

“Is this a dream?”

Lorcan interlocked their fingers and dropped his chin to her shoulder. He lifted their hands and kissed hers. “It’s real. You’re home, love.”

im backkkkkk yalll! did ya miss me and all the unnecessary angst i give to you? just tagging peeps who i think would enjoy :)

@myfeyrelady @dayanna-hatter @schmlip-scribble @shyvioletcat @empire-of-wildfire @westofmoon @highqueenofelfhame @tinywolfofeyllwe

#elorcan #elorcan fanfiction #tog angst #elide lochan #lorcan salvaterre #throne of glass fanfiction #sjmaas

123 notes · View notes