Mercy had several on-call rooms. Aelia technically wasn't on call, but after taking a shower she still went to one of them, grabbing the bottom bunk in the corner and hiding under a blanket. She felt exhausted. It was just a few hours till she was supposed to start working for Hyunjin, but she needed to sleep first. He said he would tell her everything soon. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that yet.
She hadn't slept a wink when the door opened and a tall figure came in before closing the door again.
«Hey, it's me,» Hyunjin said. «You okay?»
«No.»
«Want me to hold you so you can sleep?»
«You make it sound like that's a normal thing we do.»
«It used to be.»
She pushed herself towards the wall and he lay down next to her, pulling the blanket over them before pulling her into his arms.
«Is this okay?» he asked as she put her cheek on his chest.
«Mhm, fine,» she said lowly.
«Try to get some rest,» he whispered against her hair. It was still moist from her shower.
«Did we sleep together?»
«Yes.»
«As in...»
«We had sex, yes. Many times.»
«But we were not a couple.»
«No, never.»
«Why?»
«You didn't want that. I'll tell you more later. Just sleep, Aelia. I won't do anything.»
«I'm not scared of you.»
She felt his lips on her forehead as she closed her eyes. It was true, there was nothing scary about this man. His arms felt very safe around her body.
Aelia didn't wake up until Hyunjin tried to sneak out of bed. She stretched and glanced at the window.
«What time is it?»
«Time to get to work,» Hyunjin said, yawning.
«Did you get any sleep?» she asked as she got out of bed.
«Yeah, I slept very well. I always do next to you.»
She sighed. «I'm sorry I don't remember, Hyunjin-ah.»
«Ready to get some work done?»
«Not really. You said you would tell me everything.»
«Oh, geez, you're so impatient! First, let's get something to eat.»
«We should pretend not to know each other,» Hyunjin said as they walked towards the cafeteria.
«Well, I don't think anyone will care, honestly. I'm not someone people like around here.»
«Why?»
«Everyone seems to know I'm a former slave.»
«They won't care once they see your work.»
«Right.»
That was bullshit if she had ever heard it. Rolling her eyes simply wasn't enough.
Not till they were on their way up to the ward did she ask.
«The others... Did they leave?»
«Yeah, I believe I signed their release papers. Why?»
«No reason.»
«Aelia!»
Luckily the elevator door opened and they weren't alone anymore.
She paid attention when being shown around. When Hyunjin had surgery later that day she was ordered to scrub in, only to hand him instruments. Her hands were sweating, but when they stood over the patient her head got quiet and her mind focused. She knew what to do. She paid attention to every single thing Hyunjin did. He didn't speak much, but he didn't have to. She knew what he was doing and why. This was familiar.
«Am I a cardiac surgeon as well?» she asked that evening when their 12-hour shift was over.
«What do you think?»
«I think I am.»
«Why?»
«Because it feels so familiar, I know why you do every little thing you do on the table.»
«That's right, you do know. You're a brilliant surgeon.»
«It's fucking frustrating,» she said, washing her hands one final time before leaving the surgical ward.
«I don't doubt it. But you're starting to sound more like yourself day by day.»
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he chuckled.
«Yep, that's my Aelia right there.»
«Shush!» As they walked down the corridor she hissed at him. «No one should know, right?»
«Oh, relax, I'll just pretend I'm hitting on the new attending. No one will think twice about it.»
«Shut the fuck up.»
As they came down to the doctors' lounge, Aelia bid him goodnight and took a really long shower before putting on clean scrubs and finding an available on-call room. By the time Hyunjin was back the next morning, she was ready to work.
A whole week went by like that. She made sure to switch what room she slept in so that the other staff wouldn't catch on to her sleeping at the hospital every night. She worked hard, helped out in several surgeries, not only with Hyunjin, and was getting familiar with how life was supposed to be. Work-life, that is. And she got a feeling that's how her life used to be. Mostly revolving around her career. It was so easy to get sucked back into that way of life. She was so tired when she went to bed that she didn't have time to think. Which is how she preferred it. Yeah, the medical stuff was seeping back into her head. She was comfortable with most things related to the job by now, although she hadn't actually done any surgeries on her own yet. That wouldn't happen for a while, and that was fine. She still liked it here. But this was only half a life. And Hyunjin kept avoiding telling her what he had promised to tell her soon.
One evening, very late, she went across town to just have a look. She needed to see that Felix was doing okay. She hadn't heard from him, so she expected he was. This was more for her own sake, she knew that.
The driveway was dark, and worry grew in her as she got closer to the house.
YOU ARE READING
Take Me Home // Ateez // Stray Kids
FanfictionAfter an unexpected escape from the Mansion, Aelia finds herself in a Safe House. Who is a friend and who has alternate motives? And what do the butterflies have to do with it? As a former slave, life looks empty. Aelia has to find her way in life...
