His Immortal

31

The room fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the steady beep of the machines monitoring Marcus's vitals. I sat up slowly "Do you want anything from the cafeteria?" I asked him gently.

Marcus's eyes flickered towards me, his expression softening. He appreciated my thoughtfulness, even in this stressful situation. He shook his head, his voice gruff but gentle. "No, I'm fine," he said, his hand briefly grasping mine. He knew I was probably still exhausted, but he also knew I cared too damn much to leave his side.

The agents watched the interaction between us two, their expressions becoming more thoughtful. They could see the tender concern in my eyes as I asked if he needed anything and the way he quickly dismissed my offer while holding onto my hand. It was a small, intimate moment, and it further cemented the depth of the bond between us two.

"You sure? I don't mind going over to it. You do need to eat something," I said gently.

Marcus grumbled under his breath, his expression torn between annoyance and appreciation. He knew I was right, but he also hated the idea of me having to run errands for him while he was stuck in a hospital bed. He held my gaze for a moment, silently debating whether to give in or not. After a few moments, he reluctantly nodded, a hint of irritation in his voice. "Fine. But hurry back."

"You lot keep him company but do not tease him," I said firmly as I got up and grabbed my bank card before leaving. The agents exchanged glances again, their expressions turning sheepish. They knew they had crossed a line with their teasing earlier, and they were still feeling guilty about it.

One of them, the one who had joked about Marcus being whipped, spoke up, his tone contrite. "We'll behave, ma'am. Promise."

The other agents nodded in agreement, their eyes flickering towards Marcus, who was still lying in the bed, his gaze fixed on me as I left the room. They couldn't help but feel a mixture of guilt and curiosity as they watched me go.

Once I was out of the room, the agents turned their attention back to Marcus. They were all quiet for a moment, the air filled with an awkward mix of remorse and tension. They knew they had to tread carefully to avoid stirring up Marcus's irritation further. Finally, one of them spoke up, his voice quiet. "We really didn't mean to take it that far, man. We were just messing around."

Marcus grunted softly, his expression flickering between irritation and resignation. "Yeah, I know," he said gruffly, his voice taut with a hint of weariness. "But maybe tone it down a little, huh? I don't need you guys making jokes when my girl's around."

The agents nodded, their expressions serious now. They understood that this wasn't just a matter of teasing anymore. They had seen how protective Marcus was of me and they didn't want to add any more tension to the situation. "We hear you, man. We'll be more mindful from now on," one of them assured him, the others murmuring in agreement.

As I returned with the food, Marcus's colleagues couldn't help but notice the difference in the meals. They were grateful for the sandwiches and the chips, but they couldn't help but feel a pang of envy when they saw the hot, freshly cooked meal I had gotten for Marcus. One of them, the one who had teased Marcus earlier, couldn't help but comment. "He's got it good, huh?"

I looked at them "He is the one who got shot, be grateful I bought you guys each that meal deal. It was $10 each," I replied.

The agents all went quiet for a moment, their expressions becoming sheepish again. They had all forgotten that I had paid for their meals as well. One of them, the cheeky one, spoke up, his tone slightly bashful. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks for the food, ma'am. We really appreciate it."

"I think I will go and wait in the waiting room," I told Marcus gently. Marcus's eyes widened in surprise as I announced my intention to leave. He could tell from my tone that I was a bit upset, and he knew it was probably because of the other agents' ungrateful attitude.

He reached out, gently grabbing my hand. "Hey, don't go," he said gruffly, his voice betraying a hint of disappointment. "The guys are just being idiots. Don't let them get to you."

The agents, realizing that I was upset and that Marcus was trying to reason with me, all shifted awkwardly. They knew they had messed up, and they were silently kicking themselves for being tactless. They watched the interaction between me and Marcus quietly, their expressions remorseful.

Marcus's grip on my hand tightened slightly, his eyes meeting mine with a hint of desperation. "Please," he mumbled, his voice gruff but tender. "Don't leave. I don't want you going off somewhere alone when I can't follow."

"I feel uncomfortable," I said quietly. Marcus's expression softened, his eyes flickering between me and his colleagues. He could see the discomfort in my face and hear the quiet pain in my voice. The agents watched quietly, their eyes flickering between the two of us.

He let go of my hand and gestured for me to come closer. "Come here," he said gruffly, patting the edge of the bed. As I sat down beside him, Marcus reached out and gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me closer, the gesture a mixture of comfort and possessiveness.

The agents watched silently from the side, their expressions remorseful and a hint guilty. They could see how protective and tender Marcus was being with me and they knew they had inadvertently caused tension by being insensitive.

One of the agents, the sensitive one, spoke up, his voice tentative. "We really are sorry, ma'am," he said sincerely. "We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. We'll back off, we promise."

"Don't call me ma'am, I'm only 18," I said not even looking at them.