AMATEURS [Tenya Iida x OC]

Chapter 9 - The One When They Play Video Games

Blinking the gunk from her eyes, Peri awoke to flowers.

She felt like shit. Like she'd been steamrolled, hit by a wrecking ball, dropped to the bottom of the ocean and gnawed on by a shark for a good long while. "Ow," she groaned, turning her head to look around. The nurse's office, bleach white and sterile, came swimming into view, reminding Peri of what happened the day before.

"Peri!" Tsu cried, peeling back a curtain hiding one side of her bed. Peri swiveled her head, and managed a weak smile. Tsu collapsed onto her and squeezed her in a hug so tight that Peri thought she cracked a rib. "What were you thinking, chasing those bad guys?" Tsu scolded, frowning at Peri and holding her at arms' length.

"That I could save that poor person's livelihood and-"

"You WEREN'T. That's the right answer," Tsu interrupted. She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. "I have to go meet Toru to work on our project, but everyone will be excited to hear that you're better. I'll stop by your room later, okay?"

Peri nodded, her throat dry with fear. "And Tenya?"

Tsu chuckled and shook her head. "He just went to go get some breakfast. Should be right back. Now rest! Goodbye!"

"Fine! Bye!" Peri laughed weakly, watching Tsu slip out of the room. She leaned back against her pillows and sighed, letting the pain in her lungs remind her that she was okay. That she was safe. That she was alive.

She must have fallen asleep.

-

Tenya came back, coffee and pastries in hand from their coffee shop. Their coffee shop. Peri was asleep, hair splayed across her pillow, dreamless from her pain meds. He set everything down on her bedside table, and pulled the nearest chair up close to her. When he sat, he gripped her hand in both of his, squeezing twice.

The guilt of escaping mostly uninjured while Peri was lying in a hospital bed was unbearable. Tenya had been two steps behind her, watched her capture the first villain... and was attacked by a surprise third villain. Secret backup. Fighting the third man while hearing Peri fight off her assailant in the alley adjacent was torture. All he could focus on was either fighting until he could incapacitate the villain or stalling until the police showed up.

"Hey."

His heart skipped a beat, and when Tenya looked up, Peri's eyes were open. "Hey," he whispered back. "Sleep okay?"

Peri shrugged and gave him a weak smile. "My insides trying to melt kind of made sleep difficult," she joked.

"Do you need more medicine? I can go get Recovery Girl?" Tenya stood, ready to go find her.

"No! I mean, I don't need more meds, but I'd like to go home," Peri said, struggling to sit up.

Recovery Girl popped around the curtain, arms crossed. "I heard my name, and you are not going home."

Peri pouted. "But I feel much better!"

"Your insides were liquifying not twenty-four hours ago," Recovery Girl said, "I cannot let you go with a good conscience. You understand?"

"But Tenya will keep an eye on me! He'll come and get you if I faint or something," Peri countered, looking at him, "Right?"

Flustered from being put on the spot, Tenya said, "No - I mean, yes! I don't want you to faint, but yes I'll come get Recovery Girl if anything happens! I can keep an eye on her!" He added a bow at the end for good measure.

Recovery Girl chuckled and shook her head. "Fine. But come check in tomorrow after school, before the weekend, so that I can see how you're recovering. Deal?"