Ameliorate - [Tokyo Revengers Various] X Reader

•41• unwalled

The room blurs at the edges. Around you, voices drift in and out — muffled and distant — carried on a current that feels entirely segregated from where you stand. Nahoya's observation hangs in the air, and the frantic movements of the room melt into background noise, benerath the terror it stirs within you. Seconds stretch out, pinning you to a single point in the room while your mind buzzes overwhelmed under the pressure of the moment.

You've lost your grip on the room entirely.

It takes a firm grip on your shoulder and a gentle shake to drag you back to the present. You blink rapidly, the smeared shapes of the hospital room snapping back into focus, revealing Max hovering right in front of you. His eyebrows are creased, his mouth drawn into a tight, worried line as his eyes scan your face, refusing to miss even the smallest flicker in your expression.

"What's up?" his voice is low, barely above a murmur, "Do you need to sit down?"

"I'm fine," the answer slips out on instinct before your brain can stop it. You press your palm against your eye, rubbing at the dull ache forming behind your forehead, "I just zoned out. It's nothing."

Max doesn't look convinced. He keeps his palm flat against your shoulder, grounding you, letting warmth seep through the fabric of your shirt, "You'll tell me if you feel anything at all, right?"

You drop your gaze to the floor and force a small, tight smile to deflect the weight of his concern, "Does feeling terribly in need of ice cream count?"

Max's expression doesn't lighten. He simply stares down at you for a beat, his hand shifting to rest gently on your head, ruffling your hair once before he steps aside.

"Get your things together," he says quietly, "We're heading home."

You watch him pack the last few items and zip the bag, wondering if he is genuinely dropping such a severe topic just because you froze up. The thought stings with a sharp prick of guilt — for someone who bends over backward to protect you, you rarely give Max an inch of open truth.

Still, now isn't the time to reach out to his extended hand. If he finds out that the potential-stalker from before climbed through your window last night, Max would definitely hunt down and murder him.

"I'll just go talk to the doctor one last time," he says, passing the bag to Bruce, "Take it down to the car. Nahoya, make sure she reaches safely, I might be a while."

His exit is followed immediately by Bruce's departure, leaving a hollowing silence within the room.

Nahoya speaks up first, "They both left without saying a word. Know why that is?"

You do.

Your lack of response scared them more than the possibility of someone having entered the room at night. To avoid further pressure on you, they'd decided to drop the topic — for now, at least.

"Are you really okay, (Name)-chan?" he steps closer to you, his usual grin flattening into a thin, quiet line.

You nod, "I really am."

"Then there shouldn't be a reason why I should exempt you from the interrogation, right?" he walks to stop inches away from you, and for a split second, his eyelids open to reveal the warm peach-brown, eyes hidden beneath.

"Tell me. Who visited you?"

Unlike your brothers, Nahoya won't let you off easily.

"Visited me?" your eyes refuse to meet his gaze, "You sound sure I was aware someone entered."

The grin resurfaces, revealing his pearly white teeth, "And I'm not wrong. You missed Max-san breaking it down a moment ago, didn't you? He's already figured out that the guy came through the window and that you know who exactly he is."