love is you

Chapter 2

Earn and Lada share an unexpected moment by the vending machine, exchanging names—and secrets—under the hospital's quiet lights.

Playlist for the AU:
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes

Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Apologies in advance if I have offended anyone's feelings.

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The early evening settled over the hospital as the once-chaotic energy of the ER began to subside, leaving behind a calm, almost hushed atmosphere. Lada leaned against the counter, peeling off her gloves and tossing them into the waste bin. She stretched, rolling her shoulders to release the day's accumulated tension, but her thoughts remained restless. A pair of amber eyes, flickering with faint recognition, flashed in her mind—a fleeting image that refused to fade.

She shook her head, brushing off the thought. There was no reason she should still be thinking about the beautiful actress she'd helped in the hallway. And yet, even through her exhaustion, a hint of a smile lingered at the edges of her lips.

-

Across the hospital, Earn wrapped up her shoot, her crew giving the final nod for her to hand back the doctor's coat she'd borrowed. She ran a hand over the name tag—"Dr. Sanithada"—feeling an inexplicable connection to the title and the world it represented. The hustle of the production faded as she slipped away, seeking a moment of quiet to shake off the unease that had crept up on her earlier. As she wandered the corridors, she couldn't help but trace a gentle touch across her arm—the exact spot where Lada had caught her.

The feeling was familiar. It brought her back to Athens, where she had comforted a stranger—a woman who had appeared out of the shadows, burdened by something heavy and unspoken. She remembered the quiet tears, the way Lada had broken down in her arms, as if no one had ever held her through her pain. After that night, Earn had wondered more than once if the stranger was okay, if she'd somehow found peace after all the sorrow she had carried.

-

Lada's pager vibrated on her hip, and she glanced down at it—a message from the reception desk notifying her that her shift was officially over. With a sigh, she left the ER, her steps slowing as she moved through the quieter halls.

As she rounded a corner, her gaze fell on a familiar figure standing by the vending machine. Earn stood there, looking a bit lost as she scanned the buttons, her fingers hovering indecisively. Lada hesitated, watching from a distance for a brief moment, an unexpected curiosity pulling her closer. She took a steadying breath and approached, trying to appear casual, though her own heart beat faster with each step.

"You know," Lada's voice was calm and unintentionally intimate, "pressing C7 makes sure it doesn't get stuck. These machines... they're tricky sometimes."

Startled, Earn turned, her eyes landing on Lada, and for a moment, her breath caught. She'd seen this face before—vulnerable and tear-streaked in the dim light of a quiet night in Athens. Back then, Earn had thought Lada was beautiful even in her brokenness, but now, even under the hospital's gloomy lights - dressed in her elegant, powder-blue blouse, she realized she'd somehow forgotten just how beautiful Lada truly was.

Lada looked different now, composed and poised, an understated elegance in her gentle expression. Her dark hair fell softly over her shoulders, framing her face in waves that seemed almost too perfect. And those eyes—Earn remembered them from Athens, but now, they were warm and clear, with a hint of curiosity that only deepened her allure.

"Oh, it's you!" Earn replied with a laugh, her heart fluttering as she took in Lada's slight blush, a delicate warmth that only added to her quiet charm.