ORCHIDS AT MIDNIGHT

✰✭𝕳𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜 𝕳𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖙

*Universe III

Akso hospital, busy as always. I sat in front of Zayne's office. The nurse had told me earlier that he would be in the operation room, performing a surgery for the next 6 hours. I had no problem waiting and I deserved to do so. Other days, I'd arrive late to the hospital for my weekly check ups. Zayne has been my primary health care physician for two years. Since the wanderers raid, he told me, I had to come in regularly, to check for any post trauma to my heart and brain. He only ever told me, I had a heart condition that caused my evol to manipulate me into seeing visions.

Normally, my evol was just to enhance another individual's evol. I had no idea why it started messing with my brain. I looked at my phone, 3:30pm. I had been here since 1pm. Constantly looking at the time, waiting.

If I was to be very honest, I was getting impatient even though I had nothing to do after the check up. I got up and began to pace back and forth. There were various pictures on the walls, most of them of the chief doctors. Zayne's picture drew my attention every time I came to see him for my check ups. Reading his short biography and lengthy accomplishments, I always wondered if he ever had time for himself when he was younger. He was a scholar throughout his education from high school through to college. He never mentioned his parents but I bet they must be proud of their son. I pace around for a while longer until my eyes become heavy. I take a seat and close my eyes. Drifting away into deep slumber.

I'm awake looking at a man, his face is blurred but it didn't really matter. His face is turned towards me. His hands glowing, I try to move and an unimaginable pain hits my back. I couldn't move, just frozen in place, the only part of me that moved, were my eye lids. The man talked placing his hand on my back. His touch sends shivers through me, shivers that I feel as I'm being lifted...

Carried.

My eyes slowly pull apart and I find myself in Zayne's arms. High off the ground, he sure was tall. His emerald eyes looked down at me from his silver rimmed glasses. His face holding nothing, just a plain look. My face heats up quickly, regardless of my skin color Zayne always knew when I was flustered. I turn my face away from his. Feeling his chest heaved in a slow and steady motion. It was soothing. I closed my eyes, listening for his heart beat.

"Are you done?...". The stoic voice of the doctor asked. I immediately compose myself and nodded. He slowly sits me on one of the patient seats, before walking over to the other side of the desk. I wanted to hit myself with the closest thing i could find and maybe die in the process, Zayne was clearly not happy with my little stunt. I watched as he sets some documents on his neatly kept desk, which i presumed was a compilation of all the reports from my check ups.

I can only stare in silence as he reaches into the drawer of his desk, pulling out a new sheet of paper. He walked back to me and sat on the other patient seat pulling it closer. He takes the stethoscope from his coats pocket and puts it on. I move closer and watched him listen to my heartbeat. I knew my heart was racing from nervousness, he looked up at me from his glasses. Ofcourse he was judging me.

"Your diet for the week?" He asked plainly, not looking up from the clipboard in his hand. I exhaled. The air was too stiff for this. "I had some takeout, Monday, Tuesday, some hot pot and ramen Wednesday, Thursday, I plan to have a salad when I get home today". I said, my words rushed out my mouth like water out a hose.
Zayne looked at me for a few seconds, taking off his glasses, he massaged the brigde of his nose .

"You mean to tell me, you had only oils this week?". He asked. There is a sudden dryness in my throat for a few seconds. "Well, ramen doesn't have oil in it". I said feeling a little proud. Zayne leans back in the seat. "Really?...". He paused. "Well knowing you for 2 years is enough for me to justify that you fry your noodles". He said. I instantly regret my choice of words. Trying to hide my defeat, I pouted and tried to defend my words, nothing was wrong with fried noodles right?

"Hey it's not my fault that greasy food tastes really good. A little oil never hurt anyone". I said with folded arms.
"A little oil can't but eating a ridiculous amount of it could cause a lot of issues to your health, Alyssia". There he goes calling me with my full name. I rolled my eyes and looked away from him.

And in your case...". He began. I looked back at him meeting his emerald eyes once more. "Your heart can only handle so much". I rolled my eyes at the statement. What was the deal with my heart anyway. I remember asking him if the problem started from birth, and his answer is always the same. "It's complicated" or "it would overwhelm your heart if I told you, and we only want it in a stable condition, for you and your mental state". I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

"You are such a kill joy". I said and folded my arms, keeping the pout on my face. Zayne chuckled and for a moment I thought I was hearing things. "A killjoy?".
He echoed, his voice held a bit of amusement.
"Because I worry for your health?"
He cleared his throat and leaned closer. "You will bring pain to yourself if you continue like this, a heart attack is imminent at this point". He said a small smirk on his lips. My eyes widened at his words and he sits up straight putting his glasses back on, his face returning to the stoic brick it was a few moments ago.

"Reduce your oil intake, restrain from it if possible". He simply said and walked back to his seat at the other side of the desk. My body is frozen for a moment, was my condition really that bad?. I looked at Zayne who hadn't taken his eyes off me. He removed his glasses and sat down releasing the tension on his face. "How's everything at the Hunters association?". He asked. I feel a little relieved that he is trying to change the topic to something else, to put me at ease.

"It's always the same, only that I'm too busy lately, too busy to check out the No hunt Zones". Zayne hummed to my response and sat back, looking more relaxed now. "But that means more freetime for you, no?". He asked. I thought about his questions for a few seconds. I was always ready for a challenge but i did enjoy being lazy. I sighed and shrugged.

"It depends really...if I really need that free time, but just like you, I'm very serious about my job Doctor Zayne". He nodded in understanding. Quickly taking a piece of paper, he wrote something on it and handed it to me. I can barely read anything on the piece of paper.

"Don't stress your eyes, take that to the pharmacy downstairs, they will give you the drug and it's prescription". He said turning to his desktop. This was basically a signal that the check up was over. I look back at him one more time before walking out of the office, my eyes studying the things written on the paper.

***

"You dreamt again, didn't you?"

***