Hidden Fate 2|✓|

CHAPTER 1

Time. Time was continuing. Not stopping for anyone, not even for Xavier, who did everything right in life, to his best efforts. He could confront lost time though, he'll reclaim it once more, but it was the movement that was constant. Or the lack of it. Time created the enemy; suspense, because as every second passed by, an illusion flashed his eyes; a twitch of the finger, maybe the twitch of the lip, or even her eyes reacting to the light. Hopefully, those eyelashes fluttered.

Dante sighed.

The small breath of air caused Xavier's stress to spike.

Xavier wanted to glue his mouth shut so he couldn't do it again. Every small thing irritated him if it wasn't his woman on the hospital bed, waking up and kissing him. So, he gave Dante a glare that meant business. A time as delicate as this wasn't one Dante needed to fuck with him on, but Xavier understood even if he chose to ignore so. They both were the princes awaiting their sleeping beauty to awake soon. Only problem? A kiss from either wouldn't do any good right now. No matter how much their love was true.

Dante finally took an exhausted stand, one emotion and not physical. He walked up to Xavier who refused to give him any acknowledgment but continued to stare optimistically, longingly at his woman. Faith Hart.
A twenty-three-year-old woman who he's known as long as Dante did. His one unrequited best friend, his middle school crush, the woman he fell in love with in high school, the woman he would always be in love with, the woman who wasn't just in a dream of being his, but in reality, now.

"I'm going to step out for a bit. This is depressing" He said lowly, his eyes downcast to the white hospital floor that vexed them both at first glance. A reminder of where they were and what happened.

Xavier couldn't disagree anymore. Awaiting his love to wake and be in his arms... depressing? No, it was a temporary sadness that he could endure as long as those lids rose, and her beautiful irises were staring into his. A passionate gardener waiting for her red roses to finally bloom after planting them, caring for them for days, weeks, and months even through the storms, rains, the bad days.
That anticipation, that joy when they bloomed bright red and gorgeous so she could pluck them and glory in her patience, the result from that patience. Faith may see the sadness in his hazel dim eyes, but she would see the joy, the relief, the love, and the level of luminosity that increased when she did, and he was okay with that.

Dante laid his hand on his shoulder as if he was giving him some sort of solace. The opposite. However, Xavier was too struck by the movement before him. He didn't imagine it, he couldn't have. Dante, who noticed Xavier's sudden eagerness, turned to stare and his breath fled his lungs as he saw her eyelids fluttering.

A groan followed, so small, so low like an infant deciding if they were to wake now or sleep in.

Xavier neared the bed, hovering, eyes rapidly scanning everywhere in search for another movement, another indication she was regaining her consciousness.

"C'mon baby. Open those eyes" He whispered and lowered to squeeze her hand just a tad as if squeezing a newborn's.

Newborn...Haven.

He felt it. Felt the small squeeze back. She may not have noticed, and she may not be fully conscious after being in a coma for nearly an entire month, but she had life in her. That idea alone brought tears to his eyes.

Dante moved at the end of the bed where the two men heard a small whimper. Awaking from a coma, she would feel this way. The discomfort, maybe the pain from surgery, had she not been conscious then either.
"Faith," He whispered.

A small opening of her lips was formed, and a sigh was released from it. Maybe a breath, it didn't matter, she was trying. Xavier rose and kissed her hand and up her arm. Maybe just maybe it was a sleeping beauty's story, and his woman would awaken by the love of his lips. Delusional? Even unrealistic, at this moment, nothing mattered more than Faith awakening and feeling better. Than knowing he was by her side.