You Found Me

[finch]

For once in my life, it was Jian who found me. It was his touch that was almost desperate, his fingers reaching out for my skin. In this case, well, they mostly found gauze bandage, but I recognized it when I saw it.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you come here?” I meant, to me. But I gestured uselessly at the hospital room anyway, as if I thought the scenery might be what had drawn him. It wasn’t bad as hospital rooms went; I’d certainly been in worse. But the view from a bed where you’re practically tied down by IVs and other tubes is never a scenic one.

“If you would prefer me to leave, Blaser, that can be arranged.”

I almost leapt off the bed, IVs be damned. “No! No. No leaving, please. Just tell me why.”

Jian grabbed me and steadied me, getting me back on the bed. He sighed at me. He expected me to know the answer already, I was sure, but I wasn’t any good at reading things. All I knew was that he was the stable center of my universe at that moment.

“Because you almost died,” he said finally. He walked around the bed,

“Well, duh.” It came out of my mouth before I could think what I was saying.

His facial expression moved into full anger and almost I expected him to lash out at me. I was on enough painkiller that I probably wouldn’t mind. He didn’t, though. He’d never hit me. One of the few, it seemed like.

“How bad is it?” Jian asked, finally, when he was calm.

I reached over with my good hand and poked at the bandages. “The one in my side didn’t hit anything that won’t heal. I lost two fingers. Nerve damage in the rest of my hand and wrist, which will make fine work slow to impossible until I figure out a way to work around it. Which I will. Compared to when I lost my eye and my leg, it’s not that bad, really.”

He nodded.

“And the one who shot you?”

“I got a call from Detective Lopez about an hour ago. She mentioned he died under… confusing and suspicious circumstances a few hours ago.”

“Not exactly tragic.”

“Jian, did you-”

He smirked.

“…Did you eat him?”

“Most of him was left intact. He wasn’t exactly delicious.”

“That’s… that might be the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me, Jian. It was certainly closer to “romantic” than anything my so-called boyfriend’s managed lately.”

“Boyfriend?” He got very still.

“Ex-boyfriend now. We broke up somewhere around Chicago. I’m over it.”

“Really?”

“Truth be told, I think I was ready to break up with him before I even left California.”

Jian nodded slowly. “I don’t like the idea of you having a boyfriend, Robin. I’ve gotten quite attached to you.”

I blinked at him. “That’s… nice? You don’t really get a say.”

“No?”

“I respect you as a teacher and all, but if you’re not dating me, you don’t have any say in who I’m dating.”

“And what if you were my boy… my boyfriend?”

I had not been expecting that. I pulled away like I’d been shocked, and only the painful tug of the needles in my arm kept me from going further.

“Is the idea that distasteful, Blaser?”

“Not distasteful, no. I just didn’t think you felt that way about anyone, and if you did, it definitely wasn’t me.”

“You assume too much,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. This time I didn’t pull away, even when he put his fingertips on my chin. “When I discovered you’d been almost killed a second time, I was forced to admit certain things to myself.”

I nodded, not daring to interrupt him.

“I love you, my boy. I want to take you with me and make sure no one harms you ever again.”

“I love you too. I’ve loved you for years.”

“I know. I should apologize for making you wait so long.” He leaned forward and kissed me, and I thought my heart would explode. This couldn’t be real. It was too good.

The frantic beeping of the monitor next to my bed made it clear that I was definitely not dreaming, however.

“I’d best go before someone answers that,” Jian said, glaring daggers at the machine.

“You can take me with you,” I told him, “as soon as I’m discharged.”

He smiled at me. “You’ll see me soon enough, then. It sounds as if there is time I have to make up for.”

He stepped away from the bed and disappeared, leaving only a fine mist behind, just before one of the nurses rushed in.

“Are you okay?” she asked, checking first me and then the machine.

“Fine,” I told her. “I just… got excited.”

She laughed. “That’s enough excitement for one day, then.”

I smiled like an idiot at her. “Guess I’ll just have to look forward to tomorrow.”

Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.

Comments

[novel_machinist]

Oh, Jack. You really are good at this fluff thing.

[finch]

Thanks <3

[wandererriha]

D'awwwwwww

I agree! Moar fluff! ^^

[finch]

LOL, okay, okay!

[whitemage]

Because you know it's true love when he slaughters your enemies without needing to be asked.

[finch]

Nothing better. ;)

[whitemage]

Except for maybe gifting you their heads on pikes.

Though that might be messy. And would definitely clash with the drapes. ;_;

[ambersweet]

Also is awkward to smuggle into a hospital room.

[finch]

Yes, that.

[finch]

I don't think the hospital would have approved of that. Better to send flowers.