Aurora - You are my light (Ateez x reader)

TWENTY

I felt that the days on Velurien passed more slowly, but that was surely due to my heavy heart. Or perhaps it was because I had no distractions and had to focus on my recovery. As I gradually regained my strength, Elaria took me on a tour of the beautiful castle and showed me the breathtaking gardens. She promised to show me more of them once I was fully recovered. I learned that the islands of Velurien were inhabited by elves and were renowned for their healing powers. Elaria told me that she and all the elves in her people possessed special healing abilities. That was the reason the crew brought me here; it was my only chance of survival. Fortunately, I hadn't bled out on the way.

The grand library, with its towering, pointed windows and shelves that reached the ceiling, particularly captivated me. Here, I could distract myself with books while still allowing my body to rest. I devoured several books in a short time, all on the topics of medicine and health. On the Treasure, they had all the roles well distributed and filled, except for medical expertise, which I painfully lacked, making me wonder if they never fell ill or needed medical assistance.

I grew closer to Elaria, and she helped me think of other things so that I didn't dwell on the crew every minute. But if I were honest with myself, I missed them terribly. I would have even traded the silence for Wooyoung's snippy comments, though I would never tell him that.

After nearly a week of my stay, I met Thalion, Elaria's best friend, and we hit it off so well that after our first dinner together, the three of us emptied several bottles. It was a boisterous evening that momentarily made me forget. Their presence made me feel less lonely. That night, I slept happily for the first time, albeit a bit drunk, cuddled up with Elaria in my bed.

When I opened my eyes, the morning light had already filled the room, bathing everything in a soft, golden glow. Elaria was already up and standing beside my bed, holding a stack of finely woven clothes in her hands. Her long white hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, and her smile was warm and reassuring.

"Good morning," she greeted me. "I had some clothes made for you by our tailors. I thought it might be nice to have something fresh to wear now and then." She chuckled softly.

I sat up carefully, feeling my limbs regain their strength, and the idea of having my own clothes again was enticing. "Thank you, Elaria. That's very thoughtful of you."

She stood there somewhat awkwardly with the clothes, unsure whether to put them in the wardrobe. She had already noticed during her check-ups that my body had regained its strength, and we had never discussed my further stay.

I threw back the covers and walked over to her, taking the clothes from her to put them away in the wardrobe. "I don't even know where I would go; I don't have a home anymore." At these words, she hugged me from behind, wrapping her arms tightly around me. She was a head taller and rested her chin on the top of my head. I grinned and wiggled to create more space to hang the beautiful clothes. After she released me from her embrace, she silently helped me. "I forgot something, one moment." She then left the room and returned with a shimmering silver bag, flopping onto the bed with it. "Come here." I looked at her puzzled but then joined her on the bed. "What's that?"

She hesitated a bit. "I don't know if it's inappropriate or too much, but I think you, especially, deserve to feel beautiful. So, I bought the finest fabrics for you at the market." She pulled out some shiny fabric pieces and laid them out neatly on the bed. I looked at her, confused. "Lingerie?"

"You've been through so much crap. I want you to feel good and comfortable when you next have an intimate encounter, whenever that may be. And since I can't help you much in bed," she grinned at me with a playful, suggestive look, "unless you want my tongue for company, I thought you might appreciate this."