Tidal-Bore

23. Use your Time

San was awake by the time Wooyoung stirred. The spasm of the latter's hand was returned with mild pressure and, in an instant, his eyes batted open.

A blinding smile met him. Deep dimples dug into San's cheeks and, though his eyes were haunted by his pain, their fondness took away all shadows.

"San," Wooyoung breathed in a rush as he sat up. His back throbbed at the movement, but it felt much better than the night prior. Touches to his bruises hurt, but otherwise, he could straighten as he was used to.

"I'm glad you're safe," San whispered. His thumb skimmed the back of Wooyoung's hand. Wooyoung could only shake his head at him.

"You almost died out there. They said the moray brought you back, and you were badly injured. I thought you might lose the leg," he babbled. The shock lingered in his bones, but San's presence made everything better. It was the ointment Wooyoung needed against any pain.

"I knew what I was doing. What happened to you?" Worried eyes raked down Wooyoung's strained figure. Playing it down, the scientist shrugged.

"Got picked up by the current and slammed into a building. Nothing as drastic as riding a moray and getting nibbled by sharks." He glared without heat. Upon San's blinding smile, he lost any ability to be mad. When he laid down with a huff, the two studied each other's faces, memorising them so they could be assured not to lose each other anytime soon. Wooyoung wanted to trace San's tattoos with his fingers, but his shoulder stung too much to move. So he settled on interlacing their hands.

"Are you in pain?" He whispered, unable to bear the thought of San suffering alone. He wanted to take as much strain as possible off San's shoulders.

"I can bear with it. Once your friend wakes, I will ask the doctors to bring us some medicine."Wooyoung glanced over his shoulder. Everyone had left but Kiko, who needed lots of bed rest to recover. She was down under again, but her face was even.

Wooyoung shoved his blanket back and sat up. Despite San's protesting noise, he masked every hint of the pain that zapped through his back as he got up. His fingers slipped from San's but the medium trusted him enough to stay where he was as Wooyoung padded outside in the search of a doctor. On his way, he picked up his shirt.

"I will be back in a moment."

Eager to help his hurting lover since it was the most he could do, Wooyoung roamed up the stairs. The movement was good for him. Lying down with a hurting back was much worse.

The doors to the bunker and the palace were open again. When he crossed the entrance hall and glanced outside, all the water was gone and Atlantis bustled with reparations for everything that the flood had demolished. Everyone helped, no matter the tattoos on their faces.

Wooyoung ambled towards the dining hall, unsure where to find a doctor, but he would find people there who could tell him. When he peeked his head inside, he found Yeosang seated with Yunho and Mingi. Yongguk sat far from them, quiet in his conversation with Shxcay and Seonghwa.

When his eyes met Wooyoung's, Yeosang straightened in his chair. He had received bandages for his arm and head, and the colour of his face was much healthier than the day before. Wooyoung was glad he hadn't sustained a concussion.

"Wooyoung," he called; voice back to its usual warmth. Wooyoung waved at him as if he was a queen and did the same when Seonghwa and Yongguk glanced up.

"Please, one after the other. I can only hand out so many autographs at once," Wooyoung pretended to be bothered. When Yeosang rolled his eyes, Wooyoung knew the man already regretted him waking up.