Observation Period

	Beep… Beep… Beep…

	The sound of some sort of machine echoes its way out to the right - after a moment or two of trying to focus on that continuous “beep-beeping”, an ear perks itself up from the bed right below it.
	“Mnh… Where…?” With that, the form on the bed, a gaunt-looking canine, opens his eyes before tilting his head to the side. “The… hospital.” He mumbles something incoherent for a moment or two before sitting up in his-
	He falls back onto the top of his bed a moment later, the feeling of his warm sheets meeting his senses once again. As soon as he does, though, the sound of someone rapping their knuckles on a door meets his ears before a figure slips its way into the room - almost immediately, the canine’s eyes widen in recognition.
	“Oh, Max, thank God you’re awake…!” Almost immediately, the figure crosses the room before wrapping his arms around the canine’s shoulders - they were reptilian, a crocodile, from the looks of things, but the canine knew who it was - his father. Well, adoptive father, but his father nonetheless. For a moment, the canine sits there stunned, his features being somewhat smothered by the figure on top of him.
	“Uh… um… hey, Dad.” At his words, the reptile quickly pulls himself away for the time being, a small cough escaping him to try and break the awkwardness that had found its way into the air.
	“Right, right, um… Max, I-”
	“No, I should be-”
	“No, no I should have had a clue about-”
	“Dad, just… can I speak…?” With that, the crocodile blinks before quietly clamping his mouth shut. “Just… I… I know that you’re angry and… and everything and all…” The canine quietly looks away for a moment before continuing. “I just… I dunno what I was thinking. I don’t… I don’t think I could have accepted, just… you know… being your son and… you know…”
	“You… I mean… I just wish you would have eaten everything is all… You know? I mean… I kinda… you know… thought something was up when I heard you… you know… gagging in the bathroom late at night.” At his words, the canine tenses up for a moment or two before averting his gaze again - he couldn’t bear to face his father right now. “I mean… look… just… you’re my son, aren’t you?”
	“Uh-huh.”
	“I just… well… you know… I want you to love yourself like I love you, you know?” And with that, the crocodile quietly reaches over toward the nearby wall, grabs a chair from its spot there, and brings it closer toward the side of the bed before placing himself into it. “Look, just… I’m glad you’re alright… The doc’s, they, uh… they said something about you getting out of here kinda soon. We just… I’m just glad you’re okay.”
	With that, though, the canine blinks his eyes before reaching up with one of his hands - he quietly wipes away one of the tears that were starting to dribble their way down to his chin. He didn’t want to lose his composure right now - though, he was sure that it was bound to happen sooner or later.
	“I… I’m sorry, dad… I’m just…” The canine shakes his head for a moment or two at that point, the tears starting to flow freely once more. He suddenly holds his arms out toward the crocodile - of whom quietly fills the distance for another tight hug, tears of his own starting to flow. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
	“It’s alright, it’s alright, Max… You’re here, that’s all that matters right now… I’m just glad you’re gonna be alright…” The crocodile squeezes a bit tighter for but a moment or two before scooting his chair a bit closer for the time being - the last thing he wanted right now was to leave his son alone. No, if he were to do that, then he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for that. The canine, on the other hand, was just happy to have someone there - he had been so self-destructive the past few weeks, that he was afraid that everyone wouldn’t be able to see him the same way.
	In time, though, the two of them sit back in their respective seats, a sort of worry-filled relief quietly filling the air.
	“Dad, I… I’m glad you’re here, you know?”
	“I know… I’m glad you’re here, too… I just want everything to be okay, you know? I’m sorry for not doing things sooner.” And with that, he pulls the canine closer to himself for a moment longer before letting go and sitting back in his seat. “Now… you rest up, I’ll be here if you need me, alright?”
	“Yeah… And, uh… sorry, again, for putting you through this whole mess.”
	“As long as you’re gonna be alright, then that doesn’t matter - you’re my son, and you’ll always be my son, you know?”