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Heeseung & Aiko
Aiko lay in bed, the dull ache in her leg reminding her of how much of a fucking mess everything had been lately. The room was dimly lit, just enough light spilling from the small lamp on the nightstand to keep her from feeling completely swallowed by darkness. Her injury throbbed with every movement, but at least the pain was manageable—mostly thanks to the meds.
Normally, it was Yuna who'd swing by around this time to drop off her painkillers and check in before bed. They'd chat a bit, share some random gossip or bitch about whatever was bothering them, and then Aiko would drift off into a half-conscious state where the pain wasn't as sharp.
But tonight, instead of Yuna's soft knock and cheerful voice, Aiko heard a more assertive, almost irritated rap at the door. She groaned inwardly, already feeling a sense of impending doom. She didn't have to ask who it was.
"Come in," she muttered, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in her tone.
The door swung open, and in stepped Heeseung, looking as unenthusiastic as she felt. He had a small cup of water in one hand and her painkillers in the other. "Yuna's busy, so she sent me to babysit you," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Great," Aiko replied, rolling her eyes. "Just what I needed—a shitty nurse."
"Hey, I'm not exactly thrilled about this either, princess," Heeseung shot back, walking over to her bed and handing her the cup and pills. "But we've gotta deal with it."
Aiko took the pills from his hand, their fingers brushing for the briefest moment. She ignored the way her skin tingled at the contact and instead focused on swallowing the meds as quickly as possible. She hated this feeling—this weird mix of frustration and something else she didn't want to name, especially not around him.
"Thanks," she muttered after downing the pills, handing the empty cup back to him.
"Yeah, yeah," Heeseung said, taking the cup and setting it on the nightstand. "You're welcome, or whatever."
Aiko adjusted her position in bed, trying to find a comfortable spot that didn't make her leg scream in protest. "So, did Yuna at least give you instructions, or are you just winging it?"
Heeseung smirked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Please, how hard can it be to hand someone a couple of pills and make sure they don't choke on them? I'm not a total idiot."
"Could've fooled me," Aiko shot back, a small grin tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Wow, you're hilarious," Heeseung deadpanned, though the faintest hint of a smile played on his lips too.
Silence fell between them for a moment, both of them seemingly unsure what to do next. Heeseung shifted awkwardly, glancing around the room before his eyes landed back on Aiko.
"You should probably get some sleep," he finally said, his tone softer now. "The meds will kick in soon."
Aiko nodded, letting out a sigh as she sank deeper into the pillows. "Yeah, I know. Just... my leg's been a bitch today. It's hard to relax when it feels like someone's stabbing me over and over."
Heeseung's expression softened slightly, and for a brief moment, he wasn't the cold, sarcastic asshole she was used to. "I get it. That shit isn't easy."
She looked up at him, surprised by the genuine concern in his voice. "Yeah, well... it's just another thing to deal with, I guess."
Heeseung moved closer to the bed, hovering for a second before sitting down on the edge, careful not to jostle her. "Look, I'm not exactly good at this comforting shit, but if you need anything, just ask. I won't bite your head off. This time."
Aiko let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "I'll believe that when I see it."
"Fair enough," Heeseung replied, his tone lighter now. "But seriously, if you need something, I'm here. Just don't expect me to hold your hand through the whole thing."
"God, I wouldn't dream of it," Aiko teased, rolling her eyes. But there was something almost comforting in his presence, even if he was being a jackass about it.
They sat in silence for a few moments, the tension between them not entirely unpleasant. Aiko found herself oddly grateful that it was Heeseung here tonight, even if she'd never admit it out loud.
"You know," Heeseung said suddenly, breaking the silence, "you're tougher than you look."
Aiko raised an eyebrow at him, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Heeseung shrugged, leaning back a bit. "Just saying. You've been through a lot of shit, and you're still here, still fighting. Not everyone can do that."
Aiko blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected praise. "Uh... thanks, I guess?"
"Don't get used to it," Heeseung added quickly, a smirk returning to his face. "I'm not exactly known for my motivational speeches."
"Yeah, no kidding," Aiko replied, but she couldn't stop the small smile from creeping onto her face. "But... thanks. For real."
Heeseung nodded, the smirk fading into something more genuine. "Anytime."
For the first time in a while, Aiko felt a sense of calm wash over her. The pain in her leg was still there, but it was dulled now, the meds doing their job. She wasn't sure if it was just the drugs or if it had something to do with Heeseung's presence, but either way, she felt a little more at ease.
Heeseung stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "Alright, I'm out of here. Get some sleep, will you? And don't go calling me in the middle of the night if you have a bad dream or some shit."
"Trust me, you're the last person I'd call," Aiko retorted, but there was no venom in her words.
Heeseung smirked one last time before heading to the door. "Sweet dreams, princess."
"Fuck off, Heeseung," Aiko called after him, but she couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Aiko settled back into bed, feeling strangely better. Maybe Heeseung wasn't the worst person in the world. He was still a jackass, but maybe—just maybe—there was more to him than that.
With that thought, she closed her eyes, letting sleep finally take over, a small smile still lingering on her face.
