Noris&Nathan: Waiting for you only

Chapter 2

Nathan
(@sc_authentic)

The next day

Today, Noris was going to take Nathan to a secret ship. They were supposed to use Roman's private plane, which was available to subordinates in case of emergencies.

The demoted secretary was put in a wheelchair, driven to the airport, and brought on the plane. Of course, he couldn't walk yet. Throughout the flight, Noris stayed by the wounded man's side, caring for him.

"Sorry you have to deal with me," the secretary said apologetically, thinking it was the boss's order. Little did he know, Noris had volunteered. He had taken a month off work to spend time with Nathan and help him adapt to his new reality for the period of time when he would lose the ability to speak.

"Did I complain?" the man calmly asked.

The wounded secretary furrowed his brows slightly and fell silent for the rest of the journey.

Finally, they arrived. The cold and the strong wind intensified the pain in Nathan's legs, but he tried really hard to not give himself away and only bit his lip hard. Noris didn't notice anything. He wheeled the man into the assigned cabin, then gently moved him to the bed, helped him get comfortable by leaning him against the headboard, and covered his legs with a blanket.

Throughout all this time, Nathan couldn't take his astonished gaze off him. Had he figured out about the intensified leg pain?

The secretary looked around and realized that the room was much bigger than he had expected.

"Why am I in such a large cabin?" Nathan asked. It wasn't his first visit to the ship, and usually, his room was smaller.

"It's for two people," Noris replied.

Nathan frowned, "I won't be living alone?”

He thought he would have to share the space with someone from the ship's staff.

"With me," came the calm reply.

Nathan's thoughts were completely scrambled.

"But you're leaving soon, right?" he asked.

"I'm staying here for a month," Noris explained, putting his suitcase away in the closet.

"Why?" Nathan didn't understand what was happening at all.

"I need to take care of something here. Don't ask too many questions."

"Well, when you leave, will I have to move to another cabin? Wouldn't it be better to do it right away?"

"You can stay in this room for the next two years.” Noris has already received approval from the boss.

Nathan looked incredulously at the huge and only bed in the cabin. Did he have to share it with Tiger's personal bodyguard?!

"Then, while you're here, I can sleep on the couch. That would be better for everyone."

Noris turned around and glared at the boy disapprovingly.

"Are you out of your mind? Look at yourself! What couch?! You'll sleep with me!"

Nathan immediately fell silent, not daring to object. In the past, he wouldn't have hesitated to retort or push back, but now he felt subdued, so he didn't say another word.

Seeing such a reaction, Norris sighed heavily.

There was a knock.

The man approached the door. Opening it, he found Dr. Mason and the on-call doctor on the threshold. Noris had previously asked the medic to examine Nathan's wounds after the long journey.

"I decided to come along with the doctor," Mason said instead of a greeting, entering the cabin.

Seeing him, Nathan averted his gaze. They didn't like each other. The secretary envied the scientist because he had previously slept with the boss. And the scientist didn't like Nathan's not-so-secret crush on Roman.

Doctor Toru approached the bed, opened his medical bag, and began examining and cleaning Nathan's wounds.

"When is the 'Ariel' shot planned?" Dr. Mason asked Noris.

Upon hearing this question, Nathan clenched his teeth, and his heartbeat accelerated. Soon he wouldn't be able to speak for two years.

At that moment, Norris looked at the man lying on the bed with his head down. After a pause, he replied, "Tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll come here in the morning. We'll administer the shot in the cabin so you won't have to take him to the infirmary."

The scientist's voice clearly conveyed irritation and disdain because he knew Nathan had seriously messed up.

"Hmm," Norris muttered.

A few minutes later, the doctor finished the examination.

"When the wounds have healed, have him try to take a few steps. For now, be careful lifting his legs. There shouldn't be any problems with  healing – the bullets didn't hit any arteries. If they had, you could have ended up crippled," the doctor added, looking at the patient.

"Even if that happened, you'd deserve it," Mason commented spitefully.

Nathan lowered his head even further.

"Thank you, doctor. I might come to you again," Norris said to the doctor, who nodded before leaving the cabin.

 "Why are you taking care of him? He's a grown-up, he can handle it himself," the scientist uttered,seemingly puzzled.

Those words stabbed Nathan's heart like a knife.

"That's none of your concern," Norris calmly replied.

The scientist's eyebrows shot up in surprise, he shrugged, and left.

The bodyguard closed the door of the room and began tidying things up. Nathan watched him intently. He himself wondered about this. Maybe it was Roman's order? Then why did he entrust this task to his personal bodyguard? Norris was Tiger's right-hand man and was always with him. Until this moment.

"What kind of work will I have to do?" Nathan asked, to distract himself. Besides the punishment, he had to work off these two years on the ship.

“The boss ordered you to join the employees in the department responsible for procuring supplies for the ship.”

Nathan nodded slowly, but couldn't help feeling an instant nervousness. Working in this field involved constant negotiations. Since he wouldn't be able to speak, it would be much harder. Plus, soon the whole ship would know that he had been sent there as a punishment for a serious offense.

"Don't think about anything other than doing your job. Just follow the doctor's instructions and recover," Norris advised.

Nathan didn't reply, but his face bore a grim expression. Norris understood; he needed time. They say time heals everything.