Camellia

one | i

Antiseptics, machines, constant beeping, hovering nurses, shit food and the worst part, nosy neighbors. 

"Luc, you could at least go for a walk, it's depressing to see you in this room the whole time." His mother whined. She was a stout, small woman, with silver eyes that he inherited. Her blonde hair was twisted into a bun above her head, probably his little sister's messy accomplishment. 

"There's people out there, I'd rather not." The machine that drained fluids into her veins chimed annoying as his mother sighed. 

"There's people everywhere dear. Go to the cafeteria, get yourself something to snack on, or something to drink." He sighed, shifting in his chair. 

"I've got water and some -" His voice caught in his throat as he saw the nightstand beside his mother's hospital bed empty. He glanced back at his mother and her eye glimmered. "Mother." He sighed. 

"I might have been craving a little snack and something to drink while you napped." She spoke proudly. He rolled his eyes and sighed again. 

"Why must you make me suffer, mother?" He groaned as he stood. He stretched up, side to side and down. His mother watched him bemusedly until he started to grumble. 

"Have fun." she sang, waving her stubby fingers at him. 

Nurses buzzed around stations like bees, some glancing up at him and smiling, their eyes glancing at him momentarily or lingering on him. 

"It's there anything I can do for you, Mister Tomé?" One of the nurses, out of all that looked at him, asked. He adjusted his hands into his hoodie, shrugging slightly. He looked her over; small, silver hair braided, blue eyes and pointed ears that barely peeked through. She was one of him. 

"The cafeteria."  He replied. Her face brightened ever so slightly as she nodded, explaining how to get to the cafeteria. He gave her a short nod before she smiled, leaving him to his journey down to the first floor. 

Some doors were opened, some had a full view to who was inside, others had curtains pulled. Conversations could be heard from open doors - simple, human issues. 

Closed doors contained hushed conversations, that aren't meant for human ears. He sighed. He had no idea who thought it would be a great idea to have a hospital cater to both humans and people like him. 

"Hold the elevator please!" A female voice rang through his head, making his hand shoot out to the elevator sensor. The door bounced back and a girl came in, barely out of breath. "Thanks!" She smiled up at him and he nodded, pressing the first floor button. 

The ride from the third floor was silent, with soft elevator music playing in the background. The girl stood by the buttons, looking up at the changing numbers with a hum. She was dressed similarly to him, a hoodie and pajama pants, meanwhile he had sweatpants. A bun of dirty blonde hug off her head, just like his mother's but even messier. He glanced at her ears and they were rounded. 

If anything, she'd probably have had forgotten he was there. It's what all humans do-

"Such a cloudy day, isn't it?" She let out a sigh, startling him out of his thoughts. Did she know he was there?

"Yeah." He hadn't looked at the sky. Ever since his mother has been cooped up in the hospital, he hasn't had the chance to looked up at the sky. 

"Fresh air is so nice, but it would be more fresh if it was sunny, you know?" 

"Sure." His kind have magic to them. Usually they can be seen by the human eye, but due to the magic they are enshrouded in, humans easily forget. A silent elevator ride should have been long enough to forget.