" YUANFEN " genji shimada.

iv | resurfaced past

yuanfen.
act six, chapter four.
"resurfaced past"

_

IT WAS ODD BEING the one receiving treatment rather than giving it. Dahlia shuffled around restlessly on the hospital bed for what seemed like the hundredth time since she'd arrived in Dr. Ziegler's care. The doctor stood beside her, mumbling a light-hearted scolding as she attempted to finish wrapping Dahlia's arm. Despite the pain making it seem as though her arm was about to fall off, the wound wasn't that serious. A simple cleaning and application of a healing serum was all Dr. Ziegler had to do in order to treat it. Thanks to whatever magic the doctor seemed to possess, the wound would be completely healed by the following day.

    Dahlia was overly aware of the ninja who sat in a chair nearby. Genji had refused to leave her side from the moment he assisted her back to the airship, seeming far more concerned about her injury than Dahlia herself. She could feel his glowing gaze on her, though she refused to even steal a glance in his direction. What happened in Santorini only confirmed her suspicions: Genji was the one Viper wanted to kill, and although she tried to keep her distance in order to keep him safe, it didn't work. He almost died because of her.

    "I'd be careful who you grow close to," the snake had said to her when she encountered him at the Talon base, and he was right. Anyone that grew close to Dahlia ended up getting hurt, and she couldn't help but fear that she had sealed these agents' fates by allowing them to take her in.

    "You were very brave, you know." Dahlia was pulled from her thoughts as Dr. Ziegler's warm voice met her ears. She looked up at the doctor, only to meet her soft blue eyes.

    Dahlia shrugged, feeling rather awkward by the praise. She didn't do what she did for recognition- she did it to save Genji's life. The amount of attention she was receiving was unnecessary. "I did what I had to do."

    Dr. Ziegler hummed softly, stepping away. The look the doctor shared with Genji didn't go unnoticed by Dahlia, nor did the smirk that appeared on her lips. "Yes, but it was still brave."

    Dahlia's only response was another shrug. Now that the adrenaline that had pushed her through the confrontation with Viper had worn off, she was absolutely exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to sleep away the aching pain that weighed heavily down on her arm. Dr. Ziegler seemed to notice her exhaustion, telling Dahlia to get some rest before she dismissed herself with a soft goodbye. The doctor then left the room, and Dahlia expected Genji to follow after her. Though the ninja stayed where he was, unmoving from his seat.

    "You don't have to stay, you know," she said to him as she settled down on the bed.

"I wanted to keep you company," Genji responded with a shrug. Then, he seemed to notice the exhaustion pulling downwards on her eyelids, for he sighed and slowly stood from his seat. "You are exhausted. I will let you get some rest."

"You can stay," Dahlia found herself saying before she could stop herself. She didn't miss the look of surprise the ninja shot in her direction. His shoulders shook with a quiet chuckle, and he sat back down. Dahlia couldn't help the ghost of a smile that tugged upwards on her lips, confused by the odd feeling of sudden tightness in her chest. Genji's presence was oddly comforting to her, and although she wasn't exactly in the mood for small talk, him being there was enough for her. She slowly felt herself beginning to doze off, ready to welcome sleep with open arms, but then his voice met her ears.

"Who is Falcon?"

Dahlia's eyes snapped open, her heart plummeting to her feet at the sudden question. She was still unable to hear his name aloud without the past threatening to overtake her in the form of uncontrollable emotions, though there was something about the way Genji said his name that made it even more difficult. "What?"