Chapter Text
It was a warm spring day when Elijah’s world changed for the worse before it got better.
—
Elijah had his back pinned to the wall struggling to breathe, his dad’s hands wrapped around his throat choking him all because his dad had caught him holding hands with his boyfriend.
Elijah couldn’t hear what his dad was yelling about at this point all he could hear was his blood rushing in his ears and putting all his focus on trying to not pass out until a deafening crash of what could be the front door from down the hall made his dad stop yelling and snap his neck towards the noise but kept his hands around Elijah’s neck but loose enough now for him to be able to take a breath for a few seconds.
A few seconds were all it took for a crowd of first responders to barge into his bedroom. In between the commotion and his dad’s surprise he managed to push him off with the last bit of actual strength he had before collapsing down the wall. Just in time for two firefighters from what he could tell to tackle his dad to the ground with a muffled thump against the carpet.
He couldn’t look away from it seeing his dad finally go down even with the blurred vision of his one good eye at at the moment until he hears a comforting voice that reminded him of Mr Andrew’s—Micah’s dad, “Hey kiddo can you look over here you don’t need to see that please” his vision refocuses and besides him is a another man with copper brown hair and pink birthmark above one of his blue eyes in a firefighter uniform crouched, one hand is hovering over Elijah’s shoulder as if instinctively trying to bring comfort but knowing better, “my good friend Hen is going to take a look at you if that’s alright”, the firefighter said cracking a soft smile despite the situation.
“Hey sweetheart we’ll make this as quick as possible so we can head out of here” a black woman with dark brown skin, nearly shaved black hair and colorful glasses said with a comforting but firm voice as she crouched in front of him.
“—Laceration to the back of his head, deep could need a few stitches” Hen said as she gently moved to inspect the back of his head and took out gauze from her bag; Elijah can’t help but wince, remembering how his dad had knocked him against his nightstand at the start of the struggle.
“Buck keep the patient distracted” Hen added speaking to the copper blond firefighter, As she wrapped the gauze around his head,
“what’s your name kiddo?” Buck asked the gentle simile still on his face and the hand that had been hovering was now against the wall steadying buck, Elijah was about to answer but there was a grunt from where his dad was tackled and Elijah couldn’t help but look over.
As the two firefighters manhandled his dad to stand up and walk pass them, one side of his dad’s face had rug burn on it and bleeding a little but his dad still spat out “you bastard I’m going to kill you, you’re no son of —“ but was cut off when one of the firefighters who had tan skin,dark brown hair and looked to be Buck’s age growled out “keep moving we have a officer waiting to book you”
His dad settled with a sneer as he disappeared with the firefighters into the hallway, he felt a small tap on his hand and he locked eyes with Buck
“Don’t listen to him what’s your name kiddo if you can tell me” Buck repeats gently
Elijah tried to swallow and speak but tears formed as pain flared so he finger spells his name roughly hoping that either buck or Hen knows.
“Elijah, that’s a cool name mine’s Evan Buck is a nickname” Buck acknowledged with another grin, Elijah tries to do the same, happy that communication wasn’t entirely cut off but tears start to spill instead.
“Hey hey, Breath through your nose slowly but as deep as you can it helps when you can’t through your mouth” Buck advises as he demonstrates.
Elijah gives him a questioning look “I couldn’t breath through my mouth for a while a few years ago” Buck added with a sheepish grin like he didn’t really bring that information up often.
“asphyxiation ,trauma to his right eye—can you look into the light with your left for me honey” hen cut in to note gently and shine the light into his eye. Elijah did what he was told.
“And a Concussion don’t know how severe until we get to the hospital” hen added as she placed her pen light back into her shirt pocket.
“We’re set to go, Buck can you carry him out?” she said with finality.
——
When they stepped out of the house with Elijah cradled in Buck’s arms despite being almost as tall as Buck; there’s a police car in front of the house in the back is his dad wearing a bandage on his cheek, kicking and screaming Elijah can’t help but bury his face into Buck’s neck as painful tears start going again even if it’s childish, buck felt safe and he hasn’t been held like this since his mom passed away “we’re almost to the ambulance Elijah you don’t need to hear or see any of that, just keep breathing” Buck whispered as he gently places a hand on the ear that wasn’t against Buck’s shoulder and rubs a hand on Elijah’s back in a effort to comfort him.
A moment later he hears ambulance doors loudly open and wheels, then feels Buck’s grip loosen, he tightens his own grip on Buck’s shirt, Elijah knows he’s should let go but he just can’t. “Elijah buddy I need you to let go Hen and Chimney can take care of you” Buck said as he tries to gently move Elijah’s hands
“Buck can come with us, you just need to lay in the gurney Elijah” He hears Hen softly suggest.
After a moment He nods in response as he slowly lets go of buck, he’s greeted by a blue LA sky and Hen’s comforting smile as he’s laid onto the gurney and as it’s lifted into the ambulance.
After a few seconds he sees Buck sit beside him, “You’re going to be alright kid, hen and chimney are the best paramedics I know” the man says with a smile and gently squeeze his hand, as Hen and who he assumes is chimney start to work around them.