Found family brainworms have infected me so I present to you — early career Dr. Zayne taking care of newly arrived kid Valko.
We know from leaks that Valko was adopted into his current pack and before that, he was a feral orphan wandering in the wilderness all by himself. We also know that Zayne is apparently popular with children at the hospital and even knows how to braid hair because of his proximity to child patients.
So, imagine — one stormy night, on a yet another night-shift, two women barge into the Akso Hospital with a bundle in tow. That bundle turns out to be a boy, no older than four, with a mop of dirty, auburn hair and bright yellow eyes, brimming with tears. He tries growling at the doctors that swarm them, but his voice is weak and so is his body. Zayne makes his way trough and immediately notices the dark red patch under the fabric that the child has been tucked into.
“We found him in the forest.” The woman who will one day be known as Valko’s aunt states. “He doesn’t react to words—I don’t think he can even speak.”
“He’s hurt!” The other woman, soon to be Val’s adoptive mother, chimed in. “A mountain lion got him, I think.”
Valko doesn’t make it easy on Zayne and the nurses. Everything is too bright and loud and he just wants to be left alone, so as soon as the doctor gets close — the boy sinks his surprisingly sharp fangs right into his forearm. The nurse jumps and wants to call for backup, but Zayne stops her, powering through the pain.
“The boy is already terrified. A crowd will only make it worse.” He breathed out, hand twitching under Valko’s grasp. “Get midazolam, I’ll distract him.”
Valko expected resistance, violence, carnage, but received only gentleness as the strange man who reeked of antiseptic gently stroked his back. It was an alien feeling…but not an unwelcome one. The warmth alone was enough to bring the child to tears and soon enough, he let go, leaving behind a nasty bite-mark. Clearly, this was no human boy.
Then, there was a sting that made the child jolt in surprise, but drowsiness set in quickly and so, the staff was finally allowed to examine his injury. A surgery was required, no doubt about it, but with Valko already sedated, it went by quickly. The stitches were some of the best work Zayne has ever done.
The two women who brought him in remained waiting and the man took this opportunity to converse with them.
“We are…lycanthropes, you see.” One of them spoke in a hushed tone, as most people weren’t exactly accepting of beasts. “That child wandered into our territory. By the time we arrived — he was curled up on the ground and screaming, poor thing…”
“He too is a beast, yes?” Zayne asked, and that is when the other woman noticed his bandaged arm, gasping. “It’s alright.” He assured her. “He was just scared.”
In the coming weeks, Zayne found himself spending every free moment in Valko’s room, bringing him toys, blankets, foods and getting him used to being around humans. He found it bittersweet how the boy would smell each object given to him with suspicion before taking it into his small hands.
Progress was made fairly quickly, however. In two weeks, Valko trusted Zayne just enough to be touched again, and when the doctor witnessed that adorable pair of wolf ears pop from under his hair, as well as a big, fluffy tail, he knew he’d never forget him. Under all that fear and caution was a sweet child, a pup craving to be loved, and perhaps…perhaps…
“He’s recovering well, and remarkably fast.” Zayne smiled; a rare sight from the usually stoic man.
The wolfwoman smiled back. “That’s beast genes for you. His regeneration will only get better from here. Say, since he is an orphan, he will need placement with people who can understand his physiology, right?”
“I agree.” Zayne nodded. “A werewolf, and one from the forest, won’t do well in an orphanage.” He held his breath, heart beating faster and faster. “…I was actually thinking that perhaps—”
“We should take him?” The woman cocked her head. “Way ahead of you, doctor. I spoke with the matriarchs over the weekend; they’re more than happy to accept him.”
Zayne hid his disappointment behind a poker-face. “That’s…good. Yes. This placement will do him well. I’ll contact CPS first thing tomorrow.”
The doctor thought that was going to be the last of it; that after seeing that boy (his hair now clean and braided), leave with one of his kind, he would never see him again.
Throughout the years, Zayne’s mind would comeback to the child, wondering how he was growing and developing after such a sudden switch from isolation to family structure, but kept himself from spiralling too deep into concern. Valko was a patient and nothing more.
“Doctor Zayne! We have a T14!” A nurse ran into his office and in the blink of an eye, the man was on the move, following her.
“Male, 26 years old, said he got slashed by a wanderer!”
“Lower right, abdomen. He walked all the way here.”
Walked all the way with an injury like that? Must’ve been high on adrenaline from the encounter, Zayne thought, unprepared for who he was going to see when reaching the left wing where a small crowd was trying to get said patient to lie on a stretcher.
“Mister Valko, please don’t resist.” A nurse held him upright by the arm. “You’re high on adrenaline right now, you don’t understand the full scope of your injury. We must operate on you.”
“What?!” The man’s voice cracked as his legs finally gave in and he sat down. “I hate needles…” He mumbled.
This man was huge; muscular and broad-shouldered, but Zayne never forgot those auburn hair, those yellow eyes and dimples.
His left arm twitched where, many years ago, a certain boy bit him.
In milliseconds, Zayne was on him, dragging the man onto the stretcher, panicked eyes observing the mess that was made out of his stomach.
“That…cough bad, doc?” Valko smirked, delirious.
“No, you’ll be okay.” Zayne offered him a small smile, a rare sight for a usually stoic man. “I’ll save you. Just like back then.” He uttered without thinking.
“H..huh?” Valko’s eyes narrowed as he was rushed through the sterile corridors, realisation slowly setting in as old, traumatic memories came back to claw at him. “I…I know…you…” his breathing quickened as the visage of the doctor brought him back in time. He was once again a small pup, scared, alone, cornered by a crowd of strangers.
Zayne placed hand on his chest. “Shhhhh…” he whispered. “Breathe, Valko…”
Notes: yes I know Zayne in cannon is only a year older than Valko, but let me have this ok 😭 I love Valko sm he got me writing fics even tho I never played lads, if the medical jargon is not accurate I’m sorry 😔
