𝐃𝐄𝐉𝐀 𝐕𝐔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟎𝟏

Slowly, a faint sound of beeping broke through the hazy ringing in my ears. A soft grumble made it up my throat, but was trapped by my lips. My mouth felt dry - everything was heavy and dry. I began to lift my arm up, letting my hand flop onto my face, rubbing my eyes. "What the fuck is that noise?" I asked, annoyed, my voice sounded hoarse and quiet - how long was I asleep?

I peeled my eyes open to see a dull green wall with a stained wooden border and paneling. From what I could see of the floor, it was the same wood that decorated the walls. I dropped my arm to my side, letting my head roll on the pillow so I could look to my left.

A pair of tired, dark green eyes bored into my own - clearly unamused by my mutterings. His thin, dark-cedar brown eyebrows began to furrow as he sat forward; his hair falling just above his eyes and his elbows resting on his knees - the sleeves of his black and white (baseball shirt styled) hoodie rolled half way up his arms and his. "You wanna know what you were like before all of this? You were just as reckless, but at least you weren't hospitalised." The man spoke, eyes narrowing as his lips thinned into a straight line - the dimples on his tanned cheeks becoming more prominent.

With a small grumble, I began to shuffle onto my side - closing my eyes momentarily. "It's nice to see you too." I mumbled, prying my eyes open once more, only seeing Cody's face contort into one of greater annoyance - his neatly combed, slightly darker hair becoming disorganised as he ran a hand through it. His now free leg beginning to bounce as he let out a small exhale of frustration.

"Eres un maldito idiota." He mumbled, under his breath - obviously withholding a glare.

"Ich spreche kein Spanisch, arschloch, spreche Englisch." I retaliated, attempting to raise my voice as I spoke, but failed to do so as much as I wanted.

In return, Cody stayed silent - I don't think he spoke German, but he knew that screaming nonsense at each other in languages the other didn't understand would ultimately get us nowhere. However, his solution bugged me - silence between us always did. My eyes trailed to the bronze coloured box that occasionally beeped - "What is that?" I asked, quietly.

"An ECG." He answered - only a little louder than myself, though paused upon seeing the slight confusion on my expression - "Just, an old one."

Another small spike of green appeared on the slighlty bulged, musty screen - followed with another beep.

A quiet hum escaped me as I lazily smiled, slowly blinking as a wave of drowsiness washed over me, "Couldn't have guessed it was old." I mumbled, letting out a quiet and faint chuckle. Though, my expression faltered seeing Cody's remain... sad? Disappointed? "What happened, I don't remember?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I waited curiously - watching Cody's expression contort into a softer look, keeping his eyes on the ground instead.

"Well, we split away from Tim and Brian and we got jumped by some of the other side's pawns." The man began to explain - he seemed guilty in a sense, not making eye contact and interlocking his fingers. "You got the worst of it. Caught a knife in your side, near your liver. Also got hit pretty hard on your head." Cody mumbled, hesitantly looking to me - his eyes flickering slightly upwards and gently reaching out to my injury. His somewhat bare hand (he was wearing worn, woolly fingerless gloves) ghosting above where I'd apparently been hit, before delicately brushing my hair out of the way.

He paused, with a more serious and worried look - sighing softly. "It's bruising, and if you can't remember much it's either our boss being a dick again or you're concussed." He mumbled, before sighing - his green hues flickering back at my eyes - "Though it is probably only the concussion."

"That thing isn't our boss, Cody," I grumbled, but did stop to look at my side - quickly realising it was instead the side I was laid on. I carefully rolled onto my back again, tossing the thin, white blanket and dropping it on my waist - earning a confused look from Cody.

"Toby, what are you doing?" He asked softly, yet his tone had changed to an obvious sound of concern. "You've just been operated on, you can't leave." The brunette rambled gently placing a hand against my chest - probably to prevent me from sitting up.

"Just having a look." I explained, fighting off a yawn as I began to ravel up the old, cream-white gown I'd been dressed in, up my torso. As I did this, Cody recoiled his hand, after a moment of lingering. I glanced to my side, seeing a white cloth-like material taped over the injury, dyed a vivid red, in blotches. "Did I need a new one? Where's the scar?"

The man didn't seemed to notice the small smile that grew on his lips, shaking his head - almost as if amused. "No, Toby - I said near your liver. It was just a case of a blood transplant and stitching you up." Cody answered, hesitantly reaching over again and beginning to gently nudge strands of hair out of my face, "You look tired, still. Get some rest?"

Faintly, I nodded closing my eyes to see a famiiar void of black. "You did a good job, with the patching up and stuff." I mumbled, faintly smiling - though it fell at the feeling of Cody pulling away again.

"Toby, I didn't patch you up." Cody corrected, the hint of amusement to his otherwise serious tone, "Jack did."

As soon as 'Jack' had left the man's mouth, my eyes shot open and I gave Cody an offended look. "You let that thing operate on me?"

"Toby, your kidneys are more this way," Cody teased, motioning to his lower back, "Than this way." He finished, motioning to where my wound would be, if he had gotten it.

I grumbled quietly in response, narrowing my eyes at Cody, who was visibly amused. "I don't fucking trust that thing." I mumbled, which had only earned an eye roll in response. "It's cryptic and bullshit. Y'know? It fucking eats human organs. Human, Cody, human- you've studied demons and shit. You've told me you did!"

"You go to him - every week - for a check up. Wouldn't you be more than organ-less if there was something to worry about? You've got nothing to worry about."

At his response, I once again narrowed my eyes, answering in a small grumble, "Well I'm always conscious during those! And the only reason I go to them is because you and smokey make me."

Cody sighed, giving me a slightly disappointed expression, "Look, CIPA is a bitch. And don't call Tim that." He replied, hesitantly replacing the look with a faint smile. "Get better, okay? I've gotta go." He explained, beginning to get up and walk out.

"Great fucking come back, never would've guessed." I snapped, lifting my hands up lazily - using my roughened palms to rub my face in frustration, "And he stinks of nicotine, so I'm allowed to call him that. Brian said it was okay." I continued, in a slightly raised voice, to make sure that he heard me still. Though, I did sink into the worn mattress once Cody had left - sighing softly in annoyance. "I'll try."