~Chapter Twenty-Nine: It's Been a Long Time Coming~
The sun beats down on the back of my neck, soothing me in ways that artificial light never could. It is such a great feeling to be back out under the sun. Almost two weeks have passed since I last saw the sun outside a television screen and lights inside the medical wing never offered the warmth I craved, which is why I hesitate to enter the hospital with Nero, no matter how much I want to see the person we are visiting, and instead bask in the sunlight for a few seconds more.
That is, until an ambulance siren whoops, startling me out of my wistfulness. Directing my attention away from the sun, I have to blink spots out of my eyes for a few seconds before I can see Nero waiting inside the automatic doors. Sighing, I enter the hospital, returning to the artificial lights once again.
However, I do not get a chance to be really miss the sun because the second I step inside, three demons whip their heads up to look at me, clearly recognizing me even if I do not recognize them and they offer me subtle, informal salutes. While they are not familiar faces, I am still hit by the nostalgia of being a renowned soldier opposed to just a prince's fiancé. It is not that I dislike being seen as Nero's fiancé – I actually love it – but there is something different about having others respect the rank I worked so hard to gain rather than the position given to me by my mate.
I acknowledge their salutes with a nod and straighten up my posture a little more. Nero watches the change with a mixture of curiosity and something else I cannot read. He does not seem concerned about their attention, though, which surprises me. He was pretty calm on the swim here, but he did not seem eager to let me enter a place full of demons who might try to take me back to Yabrogath or the battlefield.
While I am not exactly sure how Nero knows where to go, he walks through the halls with the confidence of someone who does not need directions and until he says that we are lost, I am going to follow him. It becomes apparent very quickly, though, that we are heading in the right direction because the security someone posted gets thicker. Not to an extent that would concern humans, who would not understand why a bunch of strange people are lingering around, but enough that there is no chance of an enemy sneaking by, which is very reassuring.
I am a little surprised that there are no guards stationed outside her door, though. Nevertheless, with all the security, I suppose it would not be necessary to keep someone posted at the door. And since she is no longer in the coma, it is probably safe to assume that she can always just call for help should she need it.
Despite Nero being the first to arrive at the door, I am the first to knock, not hesitating like he is. "Come in," a familiar voice calls from inside the room, and I quickly comply, swinging the door open.
Once inside the room, I take in the large windows looking out over the parking lot and, beyond that, city buildings. It is not a very great view, but Heather is staring out of them anyway. Her skin is paler than when I last saw her, but she does not look as malnourished as I expected after her two months in a coma. I felt horrible after only a week, so I am not sure how she looks so good.
There is not much in the room besides simple medical equipment that is likely only around for emergencies. Multiple chairs have been set up around the bed, which Heather is currently lying in. A tray hovers over the bed with an empty plate and a half-eaten cup of red gelatin.
The moment she turns and sees me, recognition and delight appear on her face before her gaze lands on Nero and the smile that was forming turns into a sly smirk. "Sidr told me that you met a guy, but I didn't expect him to be so cute," she teases, to which I snort.
He is, in no way, cute. 'Hot' and 'sexy' are better words for him.
However, there is no way I am going to say something embarrassing like that and instead sit in one of the chairs around her bed. "He is," I reply flippantly, but still take his hand when he sits down in the chair next to me, not caring about this specific embarrassing display of affection.
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How to Catch a Fish (ManxMan)
Romance- There is a saying: "If you can't change it, don't worry about it." - However, when you are a prisoner of war, there is not a whole lot you can do except worry. At first, you worry about your fellow soldiers. How many died? Who survived? Then yo...
