The hospital smelled faintly of antiseptic, softened by the morning sunlight spilling through the tall windows. Maya sat beside her mother's bed, adjusting the pillows and smoothing the blanket over her shoulders. Her mother's breathing was steady, calm, and for the first time in days, Maya allowed herself a moment to relax, though her hands still moved with careful attentiveness. Ethan lounged in the chair nearby, pretending to scroll through his phone but chiming in occasionally with teasing remarks, his smirk betraying his amusement at his sister's careful fussing.
"I still can't believe how well you're recovering," Maya said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her mother's face. "You really shouldn't push yourself."
Her mother smiled, a little tired but warm. "I'm fine, Maya. Really. And it's good to see you here. Helps me more than you know."
Ethan snorted from his chair. "She's always fussing over you, Mom. Can't let you breathe for a second."
Maya shot him a glare but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "Someone has to make sure you don't steal all the blankets," she teased lightly.
Her mother chuckled, her eyes warm. "So… what about you and Logan? What's going on?"
Maya's fingers twisted nervously in her lap. "We aren't together....anymore, Mom. That's all you need to know," she said firmly, keeping the messy details tucked away.
Ethan snorted again, shaking his head. "Typical Maya. Always dodging the story. Can't even tell Mom what happened."
"I said that's all you need to know," she murmured, letting the conversation drop. Her mother's smile remained soft, understanding, and they shifted to lighter topics -- the surprisingly edible hospital food and the tea Maya had brought, which her mother sipped gratefully.
The door clicked softly, and Logan stepped in, polite and distant. Maya's chest tightened slightly -- not with attraction, but with irritation.
"Morning," he said quietly.
"Morning," Maya replied flatly, keeping her gaze calm.
After a brief exchange with her mother, he glanced at Maya. "I should get going," he said softly.
"Already?" her mother asked.
"I've got errands," Logan replied, nodding respectfully before leaving.
Her mother sighed lightly. "He's such a hardworking young man. Always diligent, always responsible."
Maya murmured under her breath, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Damien's the one always into real estate… yet he's here."
Ethan's grin widened, leaning back in his chair. "Oh? And how do you know so much about Damien, huh?"
Her mother laughed softly, giving Maya a pointed look. "You know a lot, Maya. Perhaps too much."
Before Maya could respond, the door opened again, and Damien stepped in, calm and composed, carrying the tray of hospital food. He set the plates carefully in front of her mother, Ethan, and herself. The movement was precise, deliberate, as though each placement mattered, each gesture meant to ensure no one was overlooked.
"Morning," he said quietly, offering a small, polite nod. "I thought this might make breakfast easier for everyone."
Maya gave him a soft smile. "Thanks, Damien. I really appreciate it… and you being here."
His eyes met hers, steady and warm, carrying a weight that made her pulse quicken even in the mundane act of thanking him. "I'm staying," he said simply. "I want to be here. With you."
Maya shook her head slightly, trying to keep her composure. "You… you don't have to. You should rest or attend to anything you need first. I can manage here, really."
"I don't care about other things," Damien said quietly, stepping just a fraction closer. "I'm here because I want to be. I'll stay with you, Maya. As long as you'll let me. I'm not leaving...not while you're here, not while you need me."
Her chest tightened, and her lips parted slightly. "I… I don't know what to say," she whispered, breath catching in her throat.
"You don't have to say anything," he murmured, his gaze locked on hers, unwavering and patient. "Just let me be here."
Maya's mother, noticing the quiet exchange, gave a soft, teasing smile. "Maya… be careful. That little spark between you two… don't let it fool you. He's Logan's older brother, remember?"
Maya flushed, glancing away. "There's no spark, Mom," she said quickly, embarrassed.
Damien's subtle attention lingered even as he stepped aside, allowing Maya to help her mother settle with the breakfast. The room buzzed with quiet domesticity, small chatter from Ethan, and the soft clinking of utensils, but the charged energy between Maya and Damien didn't fade.
After a while, Maya and Ethan excused themselves to give their parents some privacy. As soon as they stepped into the corridor, Damien followed, keeping a careful distance but allowing the intimacy of the hallway to become their own.
"Thank you… again," Maya said softly, glancing at him. "For being here, for staying. I just… I hope you take care of yourself too. Rest a little, or attend to any pending business, or eat something. Please."
Damien's eyes softened, and he gave a small, almost shy smile. "Do you want me to leave?" he asked, the question low and intimate, his voice carrying more than words -- carrying feeling, intent.
Maya's pulse quickened. "No… I don't want you to leave," she admitted, breath catching. "I just… I don't want you overexerting yourself. You should… do your own things first."
"I'd rather be here," he said, stepping closer, voice calm but intense. "Right here. With you. I want to stay. I want to be with you, while you're here, while this is happening. I'm not going anywhere unless you ask me to leave. I'm… staying, Maya."
Her chest tightened, her heart fluttering uncontrollably. She could barely speak. "I… I… don't know what to say," she whispered, each word fragmented by the sudden rush of emotion his presence brought.
"You don't need to say anything," he murmured softly, the intensity in his eyes steadying her, even as her knees felt weak. "Just let me stay."
The air between them felt small, charged with something neither had named, suspended in quiet intimacy, until a loud, abrupt voice echoed down the corridor.
"Hey! You guys won't believe what just happened in the lobby!" Ethan blurted, completely oblivious to the tension they'd built, bounding toward them with random observations that had nothing to do with anything.
Maya and Damien froze, the moment broken, though not erased. Their eyes met for a heartbeat, the warmth, the fluttering, the unspoken promise still lingering, heavy and unbroken, leaving the air thick with tension and the sense that something had just begun.