In the morning a doctor came before I could wake up. A heads up would have been appreciated. But I had accepted that's how it's gonna be. I was told to not walk for a few days. And not to get the wound wet. And to take some medicine as well. The room felt familiar. Way more familiar than it should have. Home right?
He carried me to the bathroom. And dumped me in the water. Like he was washing a vegetable.
The shampoo dripped off my head in the water. And I couldn't even complaint. I wore a off-white nightgown. The fabric softer as well.
Everything smelled like him. Myself included.
I settled back on the bed. The sunlight was burning my skin to the point of irritation. But he wouldn't close it. I couldn't get down.
He was sitting on a chair near the window. He looked like he was working. Or at least he was supposed to. He didn't even bother to hide it. Even when I catched him staring at me. My heart would jump up whenever our eyes met.
"Can you close the window?" I asked at last. Defeated. Always.
He extended his hands and closed it with a swift click. Without as much as a response.
Soon the service lady emerged through the doors. With the breakfast tray. Her eyes landed on me, warm.
"Good morning Madam. I heard what happened–" Her eyes drifted down to my bandaged feet. Her expression shifted.
"Oh my! How did that happen? Such a young lady, you should be more careful with yourself." she spoke looking at me while pushing the tray with her hands. Her voice sounded disappointed and concerned. She stopped in front of the bed.
"It's… not much. Just a few scrapes. I'm fine now." She helped me up. I could have done it on my own.
"What are you saying? It's not okay at all. You look like you've lost so much weight." She was stubborn with her judgement. I just smiled at her.
She went back soon after that. Azkail was looking into his papers for a change.
"Kail…" I called out before realising. His eyes shot up and landed on me. I looked to the side just to avoid his gaze.
"That… breakfast— is here." My words came disoriented like my heart was at that moment.
I felt him approaching. His weight made the mattress shift.
"Eat." He said as he tapped the sandwich on my mouth.
"Whaf–" He stuffed it in without warning. And—I could only chew.
"I can eat by myself." Why was he so hard to figure out? I should have gotten used his behaviour by then. Really.
"I thought you were waiting to be fed. Since you didn't start." The tone was somewhat between mockery and genuine questioning. Each was worse than the other. He took a bite from the sandwich he was holding. Same place.
Even after eating he stayed seated there. Hands on my thighs.
"Did something happen at the dinner after i left? Didn't my– Didn't they say anything about you leaving so soon?" I didn't even know I had this question before it left my mouth.
His hands grabbed the bunch of fabric in a fist.
"You said you don't like them. Why the sudden curiosity?" His question did slap my consciousness. I didn't know either.
"It's not relevant. I was busy looking for "someone" to pay attention to them." He didn't had to rub it on me like that.
"Okay." I felt my body shrink a little.
"I left without saying anything. I don't know either." his hands patted reassurance on my thighs. It worked. Anyhow.
He suddenly got up and left with the tray. Only to comeback in less than 2 minutes.
He sat on the other side of the bed with his papers. Working occasionally. Staring for most.
I picked a book to read as well.
Leaned against the soft bed frame. I would catch myself reading the words out loud at points. A habit I got from my tutor. "Read it out loud if you can't focus." something like that. It worked during my university days. The days are gone, but the habit stuck with me all this time.
I was around the 4th chapter when I felt something heavy on my lap. His breath warmed my skin through the fabric. I felt like my stomach was jumping. His hand stayed lose on my waist. He was already asleep. I was too focused on his presence to the point of ignorance.
My hand spread over his head. It felt good. I didn't know it was possible.
It was such a new experience. He was still the same. But somehow every action had different meaning. I had never stayed with him for a whole day. I saw him sleeping there glued to me.
"Cute" The words left my mouth in accident. It was right. He did look cute. But I wouldn't call him that. He was anything but that.