[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 317: The Weight of a Father’s Fear

~Evric’s POV~

With that final affirmation, we held hands tightly and walked together into the brightly lit, sterile corridors of the hospital.

We stopped at the reception desk. I spoke to the nurse, keeping my tone calm. "We are looking for Liam Smith. Can you tell us his room number?"

The nurse quickly checked the system. She gave us the floor and the room number. We moved quickly, following the signs.

The walk felt impossibly long, the hospital air thick with anxiety.

We finally reached the room number we were given. Just as we approached the door, it opened.

Meera was stepping out, looking pale and completely exhausted.

The moment she saw Zayn, her eyes widened with immediate relief. She ran toward him without a word.

"Zayn!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and clutching him tightly.

I instantly let go of Zayn’s hand, giving them space.

Zayn hugged her back slightly, murmuring into her hair. "It’s okay, Meera. It’s okay."

After a moment, Zayn pulled back slightly. His eyes were already searching the room behind her. "Can I see him?"

"The doctor is in there with him right now," Meera explained, gesturing toward the door. "That’s why I stepped out. They’re just finishing up. Once the doctor leaves, we’re allowed to visit him."

"Okay," Zayn murmured, nodding his understanding.

Meera finally took a long, shuddering breath and calmed her own distress. That’s when she saw me properly.

"Evric," she murmured, her voice filled with exhaustion. "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate it."

I gave her a small, supportive nod. "Of course, Meera."

We moved to a small seating area near the room. The three of us sat down, the silence heavy with worry and the quiet beep of machines.

I just listened, knowing this conversation was not for me.

Zayn broke the silence, his eyes fixed on the door. "Meera, tell me. How did it happen?"

Meera sighed deeply, pulling her knees up slightly. "I’ve been so careful. I’ve been actively avoiding giving Liam any complex food."

"I was scared, Zayn. I didn’t know which food he would react to, so I just kept preferring to give him cereal or baby snacks."

"But recently, he wouldn’t eat it. He would cry and reach for the food I was eating. I was terrified to feed him."

She continued, the guilt etched on her face. "So, two days ago, I took the courage. I started feeding him tiny bits of whatever we ate."

"I felt like I had to, because if one day he was given a food alone with his nanny and had a reaction, his nanny might not know how to handle him."

"We tried different foods. He didn’t react to anything, except the peanut. He kept coughing, but he got better after he drank some water, so I immediately stopped the peanut."

"But I never tried any shellfish with him. Until today."

Meera’s voice started shaking uncontrollably, and she dissolved into tears. "At first, everything looked normal, until he suddenly—"

She cried, "Zayn, I was so scared because that’s the first time I’ll see him in that kind of state."

Zayn cut in gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It’s okay, Meera. Good thing you got him to the hospital on time."

He spoke clearly, trying to shift the focus. "Now you know what food you need to avoid for him not to eat. This is a good thing, Meera. You know the danger now."

Just then, the doctor stepped out of the room. He gave us a comforting, professional smile.

"He’s getting better," the doctor announced. "The reaction has subsided, and he is resting comfortably."

"You can go inside to see him now, but please keep the visit brief and let him rest."

Zayn was instantly on his feet. He was the first to step inside the room, and Meera and I followed close behind him. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

When we entered, Liam was sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed, his chest rising and falling softly.

Zayn moved to the bedside and gently touched Liam’s forehead, brushing his damp hair back with an impossibly tender gesture. He then carefully sat on the edge of the hospital bed.

Zayn just sat there, staring at Liam, his expression a mixture of profound relief and lingering fear.

It was already late, and clearly, three of us couldn’t stay the night in the hospital. Meera suggested that Zayn and I stay at her place, while she remained here with Liam.

"No," I quickly interjected. "I have already arranged a hotel nearby. Zayn and I will be lodging there tonight."

Meera nodded in acceptance. "That’s fine."

Zayn waited patiently, refusing to leave until Liam was awake.

When Liam finally opened his eyes and turned his head, his face lit up instantly upon seeing Zayn. "Daddy," he murmured, a faint, sweet sound.

"Yes, son," Zayn answered, his voice thick with emotion. "My strong boy." He started playing small, gentle games with Liam’s fingers.

The nurse came in shortly after to check his vitals, confirming he was fine. She assured us that if they observed him through tomorrow evening, they would discharge him.

Liam continued to play with Zayn, completely focused on his father. I joined in, lightly tickling Liam’s feet and making funny faces.

The visit had to end, however. When it was time to leave the hospital, Liam started crying, and the separation anxiety was instantly high. He didn’t want to depart from his father.

"I glanced at Zayn, searching for a way to ease the moment. ’Stay here with him,’ I said softly. ’I’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning. I can bring you some... "

Zayn cut me off instantly. "No, babe," he refused.

"He wouldn’t let me go back alone. He looked at the crying boy, then at me, his decision final. ’We should wait a little until he falls asleep again. Then we can leave.’"

So we waited an extra hour, sitting quietly in the dimly lit room. Once Liam finally fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, Zayn gently kissed his forehead.

He turned to Meera. "We are going to come back tomorrow morning."

Meera nodded in understanding. "Thank you for being here, Evric," she said to me.

She then looked at Zayn, giving him a meaningful look, a clear silent acknowledgment that she appreciated his presence and support.

With that, we said our goodnights and left the hospital, heading straight to the quiet privacy of the hotel.

As we entered the spacious hotel room, I set down my briefcase, my mind instantly returning to Zayn’s welfare.

"Sweetheart, it’s late, and you haven’t had any proper dinner. I can have the hotel prepare something light for you, maybe some soup or—"

I hadn’t finished my sentence when he suddenly ran to me. He didn’t speak; he just wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed tightly.

"Thank you, Daddy," he murmured into my chest, his gratitude a tangible weight.

I chuckled softly, relief washing over me. "You are welcome, baby."

I gently stroked his hair, waiting for him to pull back.

When he finally did, I asked softly...