Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 47. The Nurse

The nurse carefully helped him stretch his legs, and though it hurt like hell, Gabriel didn't wince, nor did he complain. Instead, he endured the pain in silence and distracted his mind with fleeting thoughts.

Not moving for more than two weeks had made his body grow stiff, to the point where Gabriel couldn't walk on his own. His legs weren't steady enough, and he'd often fall to his knees after only a few steps. Even if he knew it'd take some time before his body regained its nimbleness, he couldn't help but feel helpless and bitter every time he kissed the floor.

And with his broken hands, it wasn't easy to get up, making it all the more upsetting. He couldn't even eat by himself, and someone had to spoon-feed him. Misha loved to do that and refused to let the nurse do it in his stead; it had become his job and no one else's. Gabriel didn't know whether to laugh or cry whenever the kid fed him, blowing on the fork or spoon with an overly serious face before bringing it to his mouth. It was as if feeding him had become the most important task in the world.

'At least, he isn't pulling pranks on me in the meantime,' Gabriel inwardly chuckled. 'But not being able to use my hands sure is inconvenient.'

For now, all he could do was follow the rehabilitation program and hope his body would recover sooner rather than later.

"Does it hurt?" the nurse asked in a deadpan tone, slowly pushing his right leg toward his chest.

"No, it doesn't," Gabriel smiled stiffly.

Unlike what he said, however, the movement made his whole body protest with throbbing pain, and he just wanted to end the stretching session right here and then. It felt like his knees were about to snap in half while his lower back ached, giving off the feeling that thousands of needles were pricking his skin. The muscles near his spine tensed whenever his thighs got closer to his chest, not allowing him to bend his upper body more than a few inches.

"Liar," the nurse replied before gently laying back his leg on the bed. "You have to tell me if it's painful, and we will proceed at a slower pace. Don't pretend you're fine when you're not. It won't help you heal."

The teenager opened his mouth, only to shut it soon afterward. Scratching his nose with his more or less uninjured hand, he averted his eyes. "Sorry. I'll tell you next time."

The young woman didn't make things difficult for him and nodded, seeming quite satisfied with his reply. Thus, the stretching session ended, and she pulled the thin blanket over his legs. Her head tilted, and she glanced at the empty chairs beside the bed. A frown then slightly creased her delicate face.

Noticing the small change in her expression, Gabriel explained, "Apparently, they are going to be late today. According to Masha, the little boy needs to catch up on his sleep. When I was in a coma, he didn't rest properly, and he doesn't have good health, so his mother forced him to take a break today."

A smile stretched the teenager's lips. Surprisingly, it was a genuine one. If it had been any other nurse, he wouldn't have bothered to clarify things, pretending he hadn't noticed their troubled gaze, but this nurse was Yuki. In a way, she could be considered a friend. Although he made sure not to act too familiar with her because he wasn't supposed to remember they knew each other, Gabriel still paid a bit more attention to her, unable to completely treat the nurse as a stranger.

Four years ago, when he had woken up from his first coma, Yuki had been the nurse in charge of his rehabilitation. Not only did she help him recover physically, but she also took care of his mental health and emotional state, giving him the support he needed. He didn't know what he'd have become if she hadn't been there.

Surely not anything good.

His mother's death shattered his whole world, and he had lost sight of himself. He could not trust anyone, only seeing lies beneath the gentle smiles. When he met someone, he couldn't help but wonder when they would betray him and how they would do so. There was no "why". They would backstab him one day or another, and that was all.