A small face peered through the doorway of Archer Montgomery's hospital room.
It was late evening and the eldest sibling of three was trying to talk himself into sitting up.
His head ached, his body felt as though it was fashioned from lead and it took him a lot longer than he would've liked to admit to notice the man squinting towards his bed.
Archer frowned.
"Can I help you?"
He didn't recognise the man, but he was able to recognise the hospital scrubs–– his immediate reaction was to sigh inwardly and figured that this was just another staff member coming to stare at the guy who'd gotten worms in his brain.
That happened often here, he'd had so many people coming to just stand and stare like he was some zoo animal. It was as annoying as it was humiliating–– that was the reason behind the glare that zeroed in on the stranger, making their ears turn red as they realised they'd been caught.
"Sorry," The man stammered his way through his apology, stepping forwards so abruptly that he almost tripped over himself, "I didn't want to bother you––"
"Well," Archer groaned lightly as he shifted in his bed, "Congratulations... You did."
It was said so flatly that the surgical resident blanched, his cheeks flushing as Archer squinted over at him. (That gaze was so alike everything else about the family, vaguely disapproving and reproachful, as if the Montgomery family was built with defence and self-preservation in mind.)
Archer was too exhausted to reprimand him more than just a glower, but he just waited for him to say something useful. He waited for the doctor to ask him to give a blood sample or update the neurosurgery team on how he was feeling post op––
"Sorry," He apologised again, and he eyed the state of the bed-ridden man,"I'm looking for Beth... I thought she'd be here with you."
"You're looking for Beth?"
Archer's echo was lined with bewilderment. When the man nodded in confirmation, Archer just frowned (or, at least, conveyed a vague sense of confusion with whatever strength his muscles had left).
"Why would you want Beth?"
Again, a light blush dusted the tops of his cheeks.
"I just need to...uh," He watched the man go through several stages of indecision, as if he was debating, silently, whether to be honest. If Archer could've managed it, he would've raised an eyebrow. "There was just something I needed to ask her... it, uh, it wasn't... it wasn't important."
