Fleeting Life

Day 2: Hospital Food

The small gaps between the curtains are pierced by the bright morning sun, as the dawn breaks the night, giving birth to a new day. Everyone rises up to greet the dawn, preparing to face whatever comes their way.

One of those people, is Caelus, who stirred awake after being pierced by the blinding sun. Realizing that he had just fallen asleep, he took a moment to look around his surroundings. The walls were white, the light coming from the window was ever so strong, and the bed next to him was occupied.

The occupant, Firefly, was sound asleep. Her face still retained the same peaceful look he saw when he fell asleep. He quietly let go of his hand, stretched his stiff limbs, and looked at her with a mixture of love and sorrow. Even in sleep, she radiated a serene beauty that he couldn't help but adore. 

He stepped away from the bed, moving towards the small table in the corner of the room. There, he found the breakfast that the hospital staff had left for them. It was a simple bowl of fried rice, with a bowl of soup as the side, made with miso from an outworld civilization. 

Caelus quietly prepared a tray, arranging the bowls with care. The warm aroma of the soup filled the room, mingling with the soft light of the morning. He's glad that she won't have to eat any bland food for the duration of her stay.

As he set the tray down on the bedside table, he decided to open the curtains to let more of the morning sun inside the room. After gently sliding the curtains onto the side, the sunlight streamed in, casting a golden hue across the room and making everything feel a little warmer.

He turned back to the bed, noticing that it's occupant was slowly stirring awake. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a sleeping smile.

"Good morning." she whispered.

Caelus returned her smile, as he gave her a greeting of his own.

"Good morning, Firefly. Breakfast is ready."

She sat up slowly, taking in the scent of warm soup in the room. "Is that Izumo Miso?"

"Sure is. Quite an extravagant breakfast for a hospital." Caelus replied with a grin.

She slowly reached out to the food on her bedside, but Caelus stopped her.

"Hold on, let me help you with that." Caelus said gently, while picking up the spoon, scooping a bit of the soup and blowing on it lightly to cool it down. "Here, open wide."

Firefly hesitated, her face now decorated with a slight tint of red. Soon enough, she compiled, opening her mouth slightly. Caelus carefully fed her the spoonful of soup, watching her reaction.

She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor, with a face still emitting a faint red hue. "It's delicious." she murmured, a faint smile playing on her lips. 

"I'm glad you like it." Caelus replied. He continued to feed her, taking his time with each spoonful, ensuring she was comfortable and enjoying the meal.

After a while of eating in silence, she suddenly came to a sudden realization. 

"Caelus, have you eaten yet?" she asked.

Caelus shook his head. "No, I just woke up after all. Got to prioritize the one who's sick as well." 

This awakened a fire in Firefly's eyes, as she looked at him with a burning intensity. "Unacceptable. We can't have you collapsing from hunger." she said as she grabbed the spoon from his hand. She carefully placed a bit of the rice onto the spoon, and moved it to his mouth.

"Here, open wide." Firefly said, while aiming the spoon at his mouth. Although he hesitated, he reluctantly opened his mouth and let her slowly feed him.

"So? How does it taste?" Firefly asked, a look of complete victory in her face.

"...Delicious." Caelus said, his face decorated with the same red hue that she had.

Firefly chuckled. "I'm glad you like it." she said, while scooping up another spoonful and bringing it to his face.
 
  

"Well, this was a rather eventful breakfast. And you'll be pleased to know that this was a recurring thing throughout the days that followed."