Narrator: No one (third-person)
When the second car hit, Lovino and Antonio had been thrown by the shock, knocking them unconscious for a minute. When they came to, the first thing they saw was Feliciano, slumped over the steering wheel, the airbag deflating. Next to him, Ludwig's head was on his shoulder. Neither stirred.
"Feli, oh my god, Feli," Lovino exclaimed, shaking his head. He leaned forward and gently shook Feliciano's shoulder. "Feli, are you okay? Shit, come on, answer me . . ."
"Feli?" Antonio whispered. "Ludwig?"
"Oh, god," Lovino murmured, staring into space. "Oh no, oh god, not again, please not again—"
He bowed his head, clutching himself as his breath grew quicker.
"Lovi?"
He flinched at the touch on his shoulder.
"Lovi, it's okay," Antonio murmured. "They're fine, they're gonna be fine, they're just unconscious, someone's gotta call 911—"
Already the cars were being surrounded by pedestrians. Antonio managed to get both Lovino and himself unbuckled, and they were helped out of the car.
"Are you okay?"
"Should we move those two?"
"I called an ambulance, they'll be here soon—"
"I think we're okay," Antonio announced, holding Lovino comfortingly, though his own hands trembled. "I dunno if they should be moved yet . . ." He stole a glance at Feliciano and Ludwig, who remained still.
"You kids need a cell phone? Wanna call your folks?"
Antonio stiffened. "I—no, we should call them later—don't worry about it."
They were able to sit by the car. Lovino put his head on his knees while Antonio rubbed his back.
"Do you need anything?"
He shook his head.
The ambulance arrived soon in a blur of flashing lights and sirens. Antonio and Lovino were escorted to the hospital after being checked over by emergency medics, who said they should be checked over again in the emergency room.
The ER was surprisingly empty. Lovino had recovered from his panic attack and managed to tell the staff the number of the Edelsteins; Ludwig's wallet had proved to hold his home phone as an emergency contact number.
Lovino squirmed and Antonio fidgeted as they were looked over by the nurses and doctors. Once given mild painkillers, they were informed that Feliciano and Ludwig were still being taken care of, and would not be allowed visitors until close to midnight or the next morning.
They went out to the waiting room and sat in the nearest chairs. Antonio took Lovino's hand and squeezed it.
"This isn't fair," Lovino whispered. "If Feli—if he doesn't—I can't lose him, too—"
"He's gonna be fine," Antonio murmured. "He's tough."
"What?"
Roderich looked up from his book to see Elizabeth clutching the phone in a white-knuckled grip.
"Yes . . . yes," she murmured. "We're—we're on our way, we'll be there, thank you—"
She hung up and turned to Roderich, her face pale as a sheet.
"Feli was in a car crash," she whispered, her hands clenched by her sides.
"What?!"
"He's at the hospital with his friends—" She brought a hand up to her mouth. "Oh, my god—"
Roderich cursed under his breath and stood. "Is he okay?"
"I don't know," she whispered. "Roderich, we have to go see him—"
"I know! How are we going to get there without a car?!"
"There's a bus stop nearby, but we should hurry, it's coming in a few minutes—!"
A moment's hesitation and Elizabeth turned and hurried for the door, shoving her shoes on. Roderich shook off his surprise that she hadn't waited for him and hurried along after her.
"What's up, Vati?" Gilbert asked, pushing around his mashed potatoes with his fork.
Rainer turned to face him and Mei once he'd hung up the phone.
"We have to go," he said abruptly. "Ludwig's been in a car crash."
Gilbert's eyes widened and Mei gasped.
"Holy shit, what?" Gilbert whispered.
"He's at the hospital right now with his friends," Rainer continued. "If you two are coming, grab your jackets and shoes now."
He headed for the garage door, and Mei and Gilbert followed him when they heard it open.
Antonio and Lovino looked up at the sound of the doors opening to see Roderich and Elizabeth coming in. Elizabeth hurried to them the moment she spotted them and began looking them over.
"Oh, Lovi, Antonio, it's so good to see you, I just wish it wasn't here—are either of you hurt?" she demanded, hugging them regardless. It was clear she'd cried on the way there.
"We're okay, Mrs. Edelstein," Antonio exclaimed.
"Hi, Eliza," Lovino whispered, blinking away tears.
"I'm so sorry this had to happen—"
They turned around when Roderich cleared his throat.
"Lovino," he said coolly. "What are you doing here?"
"I was in the car crash with Feli, if you didn't know," Lovino snapped, his hands curling into fists on his lap.
"I thought I told you to stay away from my family," Roderich said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, does that mean I can't be in the same fucking hospital as you?" Lovino demanded, rising from his seat. Elizabeth straightened up next to him. "How many feet do I have to stay away from you? Got a yardstick handy so I can measure it out?"
"Do not talk to me that way."
"Do you two have insurance?" Elizabeth asked, turning back to them. "We'll pay for you if you don't—"
"Really?" Antonio blurted out. "Thank you so much, I was worried about that—"
"We most certainly aren't paying for them," Roderich exclaimed. "They have no business being near—"
"Oh, shut the hell up!" Elizabeth yelled.
At this, Roderich was so startled he really did fall silent. Lovino looked at Elizabeth in admiration while Antonio took interest in a potted plant nearby. Elizabeth strode to the counter, apologized to the receptionist, and began having a quiet conversation about giving insurance information, as well as paying for Antonio and Lovino.
As Roderich, his expression stony, sat far from Antonio and Lovino, and Lovino sat again, another noise made them all look up. Rainer, Gilbert, and Mei had entered.
"Hi," Gilbert said, weakly raising a hand in greeting. He glanced at Roderich. "Bad time?"
"No, c'mon and sit," Antonio offered. Gilbert and Mei sat next to Antonio and Lovino respectively.
"You guys were in the car, right?" Gilbert said eventually. "You okay?"
"Got some painkillers, nothing serious," Lovino mumbled.
"How are Ludwig and Feli?" Mei murmured. Rainer stood near the wall, waiting for Eliza to finish.
Lovino clenched his jaw and stared at the floor.
"Dunno," Antonio said bleakly with a shrug. "Doctors said no visits right now. They were—they've been unconscious since—"
He shook his head.
"Gottverdammt," Gilbert whispered. "They'd better be okay . . . damn it . . ."
His hands were clenched at his sides. Antonio gave him an awkward one-armed hug, while Mei placed a hand on Lovino's leg comfortingly.
Eliza finished at the counter and, after stealing a glance at those four, went to sit by Roderich. He glanced to her and murmured something, but she shook her head. He bit his lip and stared at the floor.
Once Rainer had finished giving information, a nurse entered the room and informed everyone Feliciano and Ludwig would be allowed visitors the following day. Both were still unconscious, they said, but it was too early to declare either in a coma.