Final Christmas || Scaraven Modern AU

11

scaras pov

I'm only just gaining back consciousness when I place a hand on my chest and notice myself hyperventilating. My vision and thoughts are still a blurred mess but I immediately jolt upwards, realizing where I've been taken, and rip a variety of tubes out of my arm.
As my vision returns and my thoughts slowly collect themselves, I frantically look around the room I'm in. With that and my bandaged arm, there's no doubt it's my turn now in the hospital.
If the Doctor found me and put me here, I swear to fuck..

And then it hits me, that if he was the one who found me, I would have awoken in his office instead.
It worked. It actually fucking worked, he didn't find me this time!
I smile and sigh in relief, letting my head fall back on to the bedframe.
But if he didn't bring me here.. who did?
My question is pretty swiftly answered, as a purple haired woman peeks into the room, before her eyes widen and she swiftly walks over, sighing with a smile.

It's Ei.
I haven't seen her since the day Nahida saved me. So much has happened that I had almost forgotten about her..
She sighs and takes a seat for herself, looking at me with a worried expression.
"How have you been doing? Nahida had invited me over and I'm so relieved I got there early, or I'm afraid you might've...." she went quiet and looked away awkwardly
"I'm alright don't worry, thanks a lot."
"I wont ask what happened, I'm sure it wont be fond to remember, but I'm so so glad you're okay.. when I found you, Nahida arrived home shortly after I called the ambulance.. I was worried sick about you and I'm not even sure why..
Perhaps because of the resemblance to a child I once had."

Jeez she's a bit of a rambler.. but then again information could definitely be important.
"I hope you find him one day, I'm sorry to hear about that."
She leans forward in her chair, looking down at her knees.
"From when I first saw you I haven't been able to get it off my mind.. that maybe there's a slim chance.."
I look away silently and collect my thoughts..
Would it really be so bad to tell her the truth?

Maybe I should talk it through with Nahida first. I could be making a terrible decision.. 

-

A few hours later, Ei has left a while ago and the door opens once more, this time enters Nahida, who's face quickly drops from a look of suspense to relief.
"Scaramouche, I'm sorry for not visiting earlier, I'm so glad that you're okay..."
"I'm alright, don't worry at all" I smile back at her
"You're right about that, but I still worry about you, y'know.. it's been a few months and you're already like a nephew to me"

A nephew huh.. interesting choice of words. Maybe 'cause she knows I have 'family' elsewhere..
I quickly look around the room to make sure that nobody else is here, just in case.
My heartbeat speeds up at the thought of telling her the truth, and my vision starts to blur from the anxiety.
"Nahida, if I was ever forced to do something terrible, would you abandon me?" I blurt out. It doesn't take long for my face to turn red after I process what I've just said
She holds my hand and looks at me sincerely saying,
"I'm not sure why you're asking, but no, of course not, because that wouldn't be your fault at all!"

Even though she said she doesn't know, the way her eyes met mine gives me the feeling she can see right through me, perhaps even pierce into my soul.

-

11 days later

After being discharged from the hospital I'm having school off for a few weeks to fully recover. It's given me a lot of time to process recent events and.. then it hits me.
I haven't seen Venti for a while.. I should really go and check up on him.
He's probably out of the hospital by now, though I have a feeling he wouldn't really want me around after...

That night I suck it up and head to the bar he said he often visits. Even if he's not there I can still find something interesting to do..
While walking I look behind me over and over, panicked and expecting the Doctor to be there, but he isn't. Maybe I am finally safe from him..
About a block away from the bar, I see none other than Venti, sitting lazily on a swing in a local playground. My thoughts start racing at how he might react if I approach him, but before I can decide what to do, his head snaps around and he jumps right out of his seat.

"Scara..?" he says in a slurred voice, stumbling towards me. Of course he came here wasted.
Before I can even get a word out, he punches me in the shoulder, really fucking hard too.
It doesn't hurt me but it still pushes me back a bit and I finally say, "Jeez, hello to you too.."
"Be lucky I didn't go for the bandaged one dumbass... . . ." He says, laughing now and clearly trying not to trip over his own feet. "Consider it my petty revenge.."
I grab his arm and drag him over to a bench so he doesn't collapse.
Before the silence can get too awkward, he blurts "So why'd you come back.."
"I was in hospital for a while"
"Ouwwgh what happened.. I'm so fucking tired Scara can you take me home.."
He didn't even let me answer? For some reason though, I feel like I owe him, so I agree and slowly drag him back to his apartment.

On the way there he mostly groans and complains about a headache, as well as various other rants which I could not make out a single word of.
Once we arrive at his door, he takes my wrist and pulls me into what I suppose is his room. The walls are shockingly empty, not a single hint of any interests or personality to it.. maybe he just can't afford to decorate.
He then turns to face me holding both of my hands now and looks me in the eye, and I uncomfortably force myself to resist looking away.
He leans in a bit closer, then drops his head, hugs me, and cries his eyes out all over my shirt, holding far too tight to let me breathe properly or move away without having him collapse. So I instead place my hand on his head, feeling through his endless curls. I almost don't mind this at all.

He lets go to wipe his face with tissues from a box on his desk, then sits down on his bed and gestures me to come closer, so without thinking, I do.
He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me downwards, squeezing the life out of me, then he opens his eyes and looks at me one more time, whispering "stay" before slowly loosening his grip and dozing off
I'm getting a little tired myself since I couldn't sleep well in the hospital, and.. nightmares of course, I'm too confused to process this and too comfortable to leave.. so soon enough, I fall asleep in his embrace.