Zayne’s Wife

“I wish to be the person who’s always by your side when you find happiness.”

[feelthemadnessinside]

He did the Mr. Darcy hand flex NOBODY FUCKING MOVE!!!!!!

Also love the references to Pride and Prejudice movie like ohhhh😍😍😍😍

I’m so obsessed this is like crack cocaine to me AHHHHHHHGGDJSAHH😍😍😍

[feelthemadnessinside]

Y’all don’t know the way I was screaming😭😭 it was genuinely embarrassing to witness

[shakingshore]

Zayne loves physical touch. He loves to hold your hand and wrap his arm around your waist and give you hello-and-goodbye kisses.

But because of his evol he is hesitant to initiate, and he had denied himself this little indulgence for so long that he is used to admiring you from afar.

As your relationship grows, and you become more comfortable with each other, Zayne realizes that your pinkies brush when you walk side by side, and he fixes your hair if a strand falls out of place, and you kiss his cheeks when you're overwhelmingly happy.

He realizes that there is nothing to worry about when it comes to loving you.

[rcvcgers]

Love Letters, Zayne

pairing ; zayne x reader

synopsis ; you ended up in the hospital with a concussion so zayne picked up an extra shift to look after you.

word count ; 4.7k words

author's note ; thank you so much for the love on the sylus part of this series! let me know who you want to see next out of the boys!

acc. masterlist - ao3

sylus | xavier | rafayel | caleb

The mission went wrong. Oh, so horribly wrong.

It was a simple mission, too! One that you have done so many times before in the past. It was at a place you knew — the Nest — and you even knew the man you were buying the protocores from. The only new variable? The new UNICORNS rookie Jenna sent with you on the mission. His name is Derek and he’s just an idiot. You’re not even sure how he was able to get onto the UNICORNS team. You asked Tara back at the Association to pull his files while you waited in the car. Derek was passed out in the passenger seat and didn’t even wake up when cars honked at you.

Turns out he’s another Nepo baby. One that hails directly from the Hunter’s Association’s president. Of course this had to happen.

When the mission started, things wet south real quick. One minute, you and your co-worker were pretending to be criminals interested in buying illegal protocores, and the next you woke up in the hospital with a raging headache. It was like a fever dream, to say the least. One that instantly knocked you out after Derek accidentally slammed the metal protocore case right in the middle of your forehead.

A groan falls from your lips as soon as the bright lights of the hospital room hit your sensitive eyes. You wince. Pain sears itself into the back of your eyes, the familiar ache of your mistakes settling into your bones. It was something you were used to, thankfully. The casual aches and sore bodies after dangerous missions. At least you’re safe now. That is all that matters to him.

“Oh good,” the familiar sound of Zayne’s monotone voice fills the silence of the room. You tilt your head to the side, the bright florescent light being blocked by his head. He matches your head tilt, the corner his lips just barely perking up. You can’t see it, but he can. The big bruise that sits in the center of your forehead. The lights flicker off and the pain in your eyes is put at ease. “You’re awake.”

“I am, yes,” you comment with a small smile. You try to sit up but Zayne’s hand immediately presses into your chest, gently moving you back down. “Why are you keeping me hostage here?”

“Well,” Zayne’s lips press into a thin line. His thin rimmed glasses sit low on the bridge of his nose. He whips out a medical chart — one that you presume to be yours — and clears his throat, staring at the words on the paper. “This says that you were knocked out mid-fight. Your partner—”

“Derek,” you mumble the rookie’s name, already forming a plan of revenge.

“—yes, Derek,” Zayne says his name like he loathes the man, the disgust he feels evident in the way Derek’s name rolls off his tongue, “brought you in. I can only assume that you have a mild concussion. You have a bruised rib cage and your ankle is badly sprained. I wrapped up for you and I have already confiscated your phone. I also informed the Hunter’s Association that you will be on medical leave.”

“Zayne,” you close your eyes and fall back into the bed. He hums in response, his eyes fixed on the papers in front of you. “How did you know I have a concussion if I was unconscious?”

“That’s what the lights were for,” Zayne actually smiles when he says this, gesturing to the now turned off room lights. Hilarious. “I’ll also be running a few tests to ensure that your heart is okay and wasn’t damaged in the fight.”

“My hero,” you groan out your sarcastic comment, rolling your eyes.

“Just a doctor, dear,” the man responds. He sets the clipboard down and sits on the edge of the bed.

You turn onto your side, ignoring the pain that strikes through your chest. He gently places his hand on your shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into your back. His touch is cool and it feels nice against your aching muscles.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, his voice much more gentle and soothing. “I was…worried about you. A concussion can be serious.”

“I’m fine, Zayne,” you breathe out, the tension in your chest now feeling numb from the medication. The ache in your head grows but having Zayne with you at your side makes the pain worth it. “I have you to look out for me. That’s all I need.”

“I’m working the overnight shift so I can keep an eye on you,” he murmurs. The dark haired man leans down and presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head. “You should rest. You need it.”

“Will you check in on me?” you ask, casually looking at him from over your shoulder. A pout forms on your face and your eyes turn pleading. Zayne lets out a huff of air, nodding his head.

“Of course,” his hand finds yours. He gives it a gentle squeeze, his cold fingers now warm from your touch. “I’ll discharge you in the morning then we can go home. Yvonne will look after you when I’m not here, okay?”

“Okay,” you nod, your pout turning into a small smile.

Zayne leaves the room a minute later. The room feels colder without him. You roll onto your back and stare at the blank ceiling, arms spread out across the bed. You turn your head to the side, looking at the door. In front of your gaze, though, sits the nurses’ call button. You purse your lips, a small plan beginning to form in your head. With the press of the call button, Yvonne quietly enters inside of your hospital room with a cup of water and an even smaller cup with a pill in it.

“Dr. Zayne hasn’t been gone for five minutes and you already need something,” her voice is warm and teasing. She presses the button to a dimly lit lamp, the warm lighting filling the room. You sit up in bed and take the water and pill from her, swallowing both like your life depends on it. “Is there anything you need?”

“I have a few questions,” you smile at her. “Oh! And I have a tiny favor to ask as well.”

Zayne was so over this shift. He is tired, already having worked a long shift before picking up the overtime to watch you, and he can’t help but think about you while working with other patients. The rows of rooms and hospital beds have begun to bleed into each other. Every patient he sees is just another version of you that he made up in his head.

Zayne took refuge from the work shift in his office. He sits at his desk, head rolled back as his sore feet take their rest. He knew you were asleep — well, that was what Yvonne told him when he asked — and didn’t want to bother you. Hell, just knowing that you’re here and safe and not out in dangerous situations is good enough to keep him going throughout the night.

“Dr. Zayne,” Yvonne knocks on the door, quietly stepping inside. She closes it just as fast as she opens it, hands remaining behind her back. There is a slight crinkle that Zayne can hear. He raises his eyebrow and sits up in his chair, leaning forward.

“Yes, what is it?” he asks.

“Your favorite patient asked me to give this to you,” Yvonne smiles at him. As soon as she reaches Zayne’s desk, she places a folded piece of paper and chocolate bar in the middle of his desk.

A smile spreads across Zayne’s face. He looks at the note, completely distracted by the sight of his name in your handwriting on the paper. Yvonne notices his interest and silent excuses herself. Once the door closes is when Zayne decides to move. He reaches for the chocolate bar, the weight of it familiar in his hand. He remembers telling you about his favorite candy from Akso’s vending machines. The fact that you remembered makes his heart flutter. It makes it even better to know that you gifted this to him when he needed it the most.

He carefully opens the chocolate bar, breaking off the first piece into his mouth. Zayne plucks the letter form the desk. He quietly observes it, noticing the way your handwriting is slightly lazy from the exhaustion you must feel. The corner of his lips perk up. He takes his time with opening up the folded piece of paper. It smells like the hospital with the slightest hint of your perfume on the paper.

My Dearest Doctor,

Hi babe. How are you? Is your shift going well? Do I need to fight any bad patients for you? I’ll get them to cooperate, just say the word!

I am unfortunately trapped in the confines of his hospital room. One that you put me in, I must add. It sucks that we are so close to each other yet so far. I can’t even believe that you haven’t checked in on me yet! Shame on you, hot doctor!

I hear your voice as you walk by, though. It makes me so happy to watch you in your own element. I knew you were a badass but Zayne? You are a medical god.

I’m just happy that I get to call that hot, medical god my boyfriend! Lucky me!

Will you please visit me soon? I miss you. I’m afraid that the only way for me to fully heal and recharge is if I see your face. Hold your hand. Hug you. Kiss you…

You know my room number. I’ll be waiting.

With All My Heart,

Your Favorite Patient

P.S., I hope you enjoy the chocolate bar. You can be a bit snippy when you’re hungry.

Zayne places the letter back onto his desk, a smile spreading across his face. His cheeks warm up from your words. His heart flutters and his chest tightens with longing. He gets up from his desk, ready to make a beeline for your hospital room when his pager goes off. He looks down at the device on his waist and sighs at the sight: Code Blue. He clicks the confirmation button, closing his eyes to gather his thoughts before he quickly exits his office, jogging down the hallway.

The door to your room is open with a full view of the nurses’ station. It’s proven good for entertainment, especially the people watching. Yvonne has been distracted with other patients and has blessed you the gift with the name of Juliette: a nurse that is head over heels in love with Dr. Greyson. The two of you eat chocolate pudding cups and talk about how your favorite men look so good in the white coats that they wear.

“Zayne is always so fussy whenever his is wrinkled,” you snort, amused by the last time Zayne tried to iron out a wrinkle for an hour. “He gets this look on his face and—”

Zayne and Greyson run by the open door of your hospital room. Their voices go from soft to loud back to soft all over again as they run off. You turn and look at Juliette as soon as she faces you. You blink for a couple of seconds, eyes flickering to the open door before they go back to the pudding cup.

“So, as I was saying,” you continue, shoveling pudding into your mouth. “Wait! Do you think you can do me a favor?”

An hour later, Zayne and Greyson exited the operating room. Zayne sheds himself of the layers of garments, his navy blue scrubs the last layer. He nods his head to the other doctor, a yawn escaping his lips. He glances down at his watch — 3:29 A.M. — and shakes his head, trying to get the exhaustion to leave his body. His feet take him down the hospital hallways, slowly finding himself growing closer and closer to your room. He is ready to get into the hospital bed next to you and relax, to kiss you and feel your skin against his, but his plan is quickly shot and killed when he sees Yvonne and Juliette standing outside your door.

“What happened?” Zayne asks, the exhaustion immediately leaving his body. He is on high alert now, hazel eyes focused on the closed doors. “Did something happen to her while I was in surgery? Where is she?”

“She’s fine, Dr. Zayne,” Yvonne shakes her head with a chuckle. She quickly intercepts him and guides him in the opposite direction, walking him closer and closer to his office.

“Oh, good,” Zayne breathes out with the nod of his head. “Is she—”

“Sleeping? Yes. Her headache went away and she was able to fall asleep,” Yvonne says. She opens up his office door and gently pushes him inside. She gestures to his desk, a smile spreading across her lips. “She left you something, though.”

Zayne’s head immediately snaps around. Another note sits on the desk beside a white go to cup. He listens to the click of the door before rushing to the desk, taking his seat. He ignores the cup and instead grabs your note, opening up the page much quicker than he did the last time.

Dear Hot Medical God,

You know what is so funny? I was just thinking about you! I was talking to Juliette about you and how much you hate it when your coat is wrinkled when you ran by. I heard the Code Blue talk from the nurses. They said you had to go into surgery because of severe blockages? I hope the patient is okay. Well, I know they are since you’re the one taking care of them.

It’s like I’ve always said: a patient under Doctor Zayne’s care is the most cared patient in the world!

But I can’t help but wonder…if you’re too busy taking care of everyone else, then who is going to take care of you? That is why, and I know you won’t do it but I would love it if you would do a drum roll for dramatic effect, I bought you hot chocolate from that street vendor you love! Surprise!

I know that the patient must have taken a toll on you and, well, everyone deserves a sweet treat.

I can’t wait to see you, Zayne. Promise me you’ll be there when my test results come back? There’s no one else I would rather listen to when it comes to all these fancy medical terms.

I love you, Zayne, never forget it.

You have my heart,

Your Favorite Patient

P.S., you look good in those scrubs. I can’t wait to watch you take them off!

Zayne rolls his eyes at your last comment, his cheeks turning a light pink color. The tips of his ears run hot and he clears his throat, instinctively reaching to fix the tie around his neck just to be met with the collar of his scrubs. He blinks at the nearby room before turning his attention to the drink on his desk.

The drink is warm beneath his touch. He lets out a quiet sigh and gently removes the cup, face to face with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. The smell is decadent. Rich. Sweet. It reminds him of you. He brings the cup to his lips and takes a slow sip, a sigh falling from his lips after he swallows the sweet drink. His body relaxes and he sits down in his chair.

He picks up the note again. He rereads your words. They are as sweet as you.

Fuck, how he wishes he could slip into your room and get into the hospital bed behind you. To bury his face into the back of your neck. To listen to you complain — as always — about him taking up too much space. Oh, how he wishes that he could pepper kisses along the line of your jaw, to inhale the faint scent of your perfume and feel the warmth of your body against his.

Zayne also knows, though, that you need your rest and that when he is around, you become a ball of infectious energy. You need to sleep and Zayne unfortunately needs to work.

“Dr. Zayne,” Dr. Greyson steps through his office door just as Zayne finishes the last bit of hot chocolate from the cup. “There’s a new patient that I’d like you to take a look at.”

“Alright,” Zayne nods his head. His feet hurt as soon as he stands. The familiar ache that he has grown accustomed to throughout the years. He slowly walks towards the door, running his fingers through his hair. “Tell Yvonne to check in on her. Whatever she needs, make sure that she gets it.”

“We’re on it,” Dr. Greyson responds. He passes off the new patient’s file to Zayne, watching as the determined doctor makes his way down the corridor, eyes fixed on the papers in front of him.

You woke up about thirty minutes later. The digital clock on the wall reads 4:09 A.M. and the darkness of the sky outside is tinged with the slightest amount of light blue. A yawn leaves your lips and you slowly sit up in bed, a quiet groan escaping your mouth.

The door to your room is slightly cracked. You lean to the side, pursing your lips, and watch as Yvonne and Zayne talk at the nurses station. A small graces your face. The heat in the middle of your head dissipates at the sight of your boyfriend and your ribs no longer hurt. You relax into the bed, your eyes dropping down his body. You take in the sight of his muscular arms, the scars that are embedded into his skin. The lines of his body are sharp and the navy blue scrubs do him justice. Your eyes take him in before dropping to the curve of his butt.

It’s just so perfect. And bouncy. It’s why you always let him win those running races of yours.

Zayne turns around, his hazel eyes meeting yours. A squeal leaves your lips and you immediately yank yourself to the other side of the bed. You bring the thin hospital blanket over your head, shielding you from the light of the room. The door pushes open, allowing the light from the hallway to pour into your hospital room.

“Don’t think that I didn’t catch you staring—”

“Dr. Zayne! The emergency room needs you!” a nearby nurse yells from down the hall, out of breath. “The patient sustained a stab wound to the chest, we think it’s in the heart!”

“Right,” Zayne nods his head. He takes one last look at you, though, and meets you gaze from across the room.

“Good luck,” you say, voice hoarse and raspy.

“Thank you,” Zayne responds. And just like that, he runs off yet again, leaving nothing but silence in his wake.

“Hey, Yvonne?” you call out. The nurse immediately comes into your room, a sweet smile on her face. “What time is Zayne scheduled to get off?”

The surgery lasted longer than expected. The patient crashed more than once and it proved to be more than strenuous to keep them alive. At one point, Zayne remembers having his hand clasped around the patient’s heart, manually pumping as Dr. Greyson used a tube to suck the blood out of the chest cavity. After being in the surgery room for so long, Zayne stepped out to see the sun rising in the distance.

His body hurts. His feet hurt. His eyes hurt. His ice evol encompasses his body with a nice chill, providing him some comfort as he cracks his neck exiting the operating room. He glances to the side and watches as nurses wheel the patient out, the anesthesiologist following close behind as they monitor their vital signs.

“Good job today, Dr. Zayne,” a nurse looks up from their clipboard as he exits the operating room. “We were glad to have you here tonight. You really helped us.”

“It’s my job,” Zayne responds with a simple nod of the head, “but I am glad that I am here too. May I ask how the patient in room 420 is doing?”

“Sure thing!” the nurse cheerily responds. They step to the computer at the nurses station and sit down, quickly finding the details of you and your room. Their smile falters for the briefest moment. Zayne immediately catches onto it.

“Did something happen?” the man asks. He moves behind the nurse and looks down at the screen.

“It says that she was discharged about an hour ago…”

“That’s not right,” Zayne shakes his head, unable to wrap his head around the fact that someone other than him would even allow you to leave the hospital. “We were waiting for the test results. They hadn’t come in yet—”

“The results all came back normal,” Yvonne interrupts him. Zayne looks at the nurse and raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. “Dr. Cooper and I looked them over. Checked them three times for your sake. Everything was fine with her and she didn’t want to be in that room anymore.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Zayne asks. There is impatience in his voice. Annoyance, even.

“Because you were in the middle of surgery,” Yvonne rolls her eyes.

Zayne’s lips press into a thin line. He walks past the rest of the nurses and doctors, ignoring what it is that they have to say to him. He doesn’t really care. All he cares about is you and your wellbeing. A part of him thinks — no…he knows — that this is all some big prank. That this is just another one of your jokes that you love to play on him. You probably got the nursing staff to join in on it, to input the wrong information just to mess with him.

He approaches your hospital room, his hand pushing the metal doorknob. An immediate layer of frost spreads across the metal handle, his evol getting the better of him. 

“Very funny,” Zayne announces to the room, shaking his head, “but I am not in any kind of mood for your games—”

He immediately falls silent once his eyes land on the barren wasteland of your hospital room. It has been completely vacated, the bed as empty as it was before you arrived. His chest tightens. A lump forms in his throat.

So…you really were gone. His face scrunches up before relaxing, brows relaxing before tensing all over again. He feels an immense amount of sadness was over him. His silent hope of seeing you after a long overtime shift was vanished. It has left him feeling cold and even more sore than usual.

Zayne silently steps towards the bed, his sneakers quietly squeaking along the vinyl flooring. He flattens his palm against the sheets of the bed, his lips tugging downward. His hazel eyes trail along the bed, slowly making his way towards the pillow.

That’s when he sees it. Another note from you.

Zayne picks it up as if it is the final thing that is holding him together. He unfolds the paper. The tension begins to leave his body once your handwriting comes into view, a sigh of relief falling from his lips.

Dear Hot Medical God,

Hi. Long time no see. Well, for me it has. I bet you’ve been checking up on me every now and then through that patient portal of yours on the computer.

Yvonne told me that you were having a rough night. Turns out that Linkon city is restless when their best and brightest cardiac surgeon is working overtime. It pains me to know that you haven’t gotten a break this whole night. It pains me even more to know that you weren’t there to discharge me from the hospital.

That’s okay, though. I know that I will be seeing you soon. I can never go too long without seeing you. I am growing restless by the second. I feel so burnt out without you. You are the only person that keeps me sane in this place…and I hate being alone, especially when you’re walking these halls and I am unable to see you.

So…please. Please come find me. I need to see you. I want to see my snowman. I fear that my headache will only go away if I get to see you. Maybe get a kiss or two. Or three. Or a hundred. Okay, let’s call it an even thousand kisses.

I miss and love you so much, Zayne. My heart hurts to know that we are so close yet so far apart.

You have my heart,

Your Love

P.S., your office couch is super uncomfortable. Maybe we can find you a new one later today.

Zayne raises his eyebrow at the last part of your letter. His couch? Weren’t you discharged an hour—

Oh.

Oh.

OH!

Zayne looks up and rushes out of the hospital room. His shoes squeak on the floors as he picks up the pace. The doctor rushes towards his office, note still in hand, but stops right before his hand can connect with the door knob.

What if you aren’t there? What if you wrote this right before you left? Would he even be able to handle the sting of knowing that you truly aren’t here? Will this add to the bitter taste of disappointment that sits on his tongue?

Zayne closes his eyes. He slowly inhales, holding it for a few seconds, before exhaling. With the release of his breath, he pushes the door open, slowly opening his eyes.

There you are. Fast asleep on his couch. You have the spare blanket — one with seals and penguins on it — wrapped around your body like a protective shield. Your cheek is smushed against the armrest, knees pulled up to your chest as you soundly sleep in an uncomfortable position.

The tension in Zayne’s body immediately melts. He quietly closes the door behind him and locks it. The man kicks off his shoes, feeling the ache begin to slowly dissipate. He lowers himself onto the couch beside you. The note falls from his hand and onto the floor. Zayne reaches for you, a small smile spreading across his face as you groan and shake your head, waiting to remain asleep. He drags you onto his lap.

“Zayne?” you mumble his name, voice slightly slurred as you remain half-asleep.

“I’m here,” Zayne quietly responds. He rests you on his lap. You straddle him, body incredibly warm from the blanket. Zayne loves it. You put all of your weight into him, your head resting against his. “You’re warm.”

“You’re cold,” you comment right back, a sleepy smile forming on your face.

A comfortable silence falls between the two of you. Zayne’s hands slipped under your shirt, his clean and dry hands gently rubbing soothing circles into your back. Your breathing falls in sync. Your bodies melt into one big mass. Zayne rests his chin on your shoulder while you press gentle and lazy kisses to the side of his face.

“Thank you, my love, for the notes and snacks,” Zayne breaks the silence, a yawn falling from his lips. “It was nice to know that you were thinking of me.”

“I always think of you, Zayne,” you slowly pull your face away from his. You rest your hands on his shoulders, keeping the two of you trapped underneath the warmth of the blanket. “It’s the least I could have done. I know you had a busy night.”

“I did,” he nods, his voice just above a murmur. The tips of his fingers drag up and down your spine, leaving chills in its wake. “I’m ready to go home, though. Will you come with me?”

“Of course,” you nod, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead. Your hands move to the side of his neck before moving to cup his cheeks. “We do have to find you a new couch, though.”

“The couch can wait,” Zayne comments with a smile, “I want to spend the rest of my day in bed with you.”

as always: likes, comments, and reblogs are greatly appreciated! remember to show support to your writers! <3

tags <3 @blessdunrest , @clothespintal

[cosmoszyn]

prince!zayne

commissioned artwork by the lovely @akiisks ♡

synopsis: prince!zayne who is regarded as the highest scholar of the academy is praised and worshipped by renowned intellectuals, commoners, and royals alike. everyone, apparently—except for you. but when fate cruelly decides to bind the invisible string between the most relentless and exasperating man you have ever encountered to you, you find yourself longing for a person you cannot have.

tags: soulmate au, royalty au, academic rivals to lovers, one bed trope, slowburn, unrequited requited love

❆ masterlist:

academic rivals prince!zayne finds you exasperating but you have to share one bed during the renowned full moon

prince!zayne gets distracted during swordsmanship training

prince!zayne finds you in the library at night

prince!zayne stands you up at the debate

full fic coming soon. 🏷 @sapphic-daze @sylusgirlie7 @baystrel @cynireththorne @hyori2 @vanaaa @stargirlygirl @seris-the-amious @hunterelys @yiddyyadda @mysticmiraculer @vynn30 @yourlocalcatscammer @dwuclvr @chiikasevennn @zaynxie @glitterykingdomangel @seungkwansflower @wakeupr41 @lamogliedizayne @nikkikawaguchi

no reposts, translations, plagiarism, or feeding to ai.

[beansproutsong]

[Proxy] Love and Deep Space After Vows official Ring

Preorder will be started from 19July until 18 August. The ring is free size and the Li names are engraved on the inside of the ring

Material: Silver S925

Each purchase will come with the ring case, dust cloth, message card, etc

Special price of 6850JPY until 29 July only (Price subject to change after July 29) Please note that it takes more than 200 days for their official shop to ship item: very very slow.

DM me here or at my twitter (angelic1408) to place your order

[cosmoszyn]

𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞! 𝐳𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

drabbles:

academic rivals prince!zayne finds you exasperating but you have to share one bed during the renowned full moon

prince!zayne gets distracted during swordsmanship training

prince!zayne finds you in the library at night

prince!zayne stands you up at the debate

[luvzayne]

zayne's new ring oh my god 🥹

[wardenbloom]

Zayne: A mermaid's gift

Zayne x Mina (Female OC)

Introduction: Voiceless mermaids are those mermaids without gifts and couldn't lure anybody to fall in love with them to be their mate which makes them a valuable collection for people with power. But that doesn't mean they couldn't fall in love and devote their whole lives for their love.

Mermaids are known for their voices that could cause hypnotism or sometimes, in rare occasions, hallucinations. However, among these mermaids, there are some that couldn't even talk, much less sing. These kinds of mermaids are often called "voiceless" and are the ones collectors and people in higher echelons seek. They consider them as a valuable collection or antique, symbolizing their status.

A mermaid's gift is given to a person whom a mermaid chose to be their mate. While their usual activity is drowning humans, some fall in love with their victims, giving them the mermaid's gift which gives them whatever they desire. The voiceless are believed to have no gifts at their disposal as they are mute and cannot find their own mate.

A sickly teenager read through his story book. His slender fingers gently flipped through the pages and his emerald eyes understood each word he read.

"Young master Zayne," His butler entered his room with a tray of medicines and a glass of water.

Zayne closed his book and readied himself to take his bitter medicines.

"Are they home?" Zayne asked about his parents as he swallowed his last pill.

"Not yet young master. They said that they will be here after the ball ends which could be tomorrow, at dusk." His butler replied.

"I see." Zayne dryly replied and looked outside from his window where their luscious garden stands.

"Young master, your birthday is coming up. Do you wish to have anything?" The buttler smiled as he cleaned up the tray.

Zayne smiled and looked at the thick book he was reading and jokingly replied: "Maybe a mermaid would be nice. It gets lonely here alone."

Zayne belongs to one of the most affluent families in the city where his father focused on enriching the business on trades and ports. Even though he's still young, he read a lot of books regarding trades, businesses, merchant relations, and different languages that even his father consults him sometimes.

Despite being sickly, his parents love and adore him very much that they are willing to do everything to keep him healthy and alive.

"He really said that?" Zayne's father asked the butler. He was sitting in his office while browsing the morning paper which showed:

VOICELESS MERMAID UP FOR BIDDING AT THE AUCTION HOUSE TODAY!!

"Yes, my lord." The butler answered.

"Haha, this is the first time my son has actually said something he wants. It seems like this father will have to bid some money today." The father laughed and stood up and rode his carriage to the auction house.

On his 16th birthday, they celebrated privately as they understood that Zayne's condition makes it hard for him to interact with several people at once.

"Close your eyes, sweetie!" His mother said and he happily followed. Their servants carried the large aquarium into his room and placed it against the wall. After everything has settled Zayne opened his eyes and saw a giant aquarium with a mermaid inside it.

Her tail had shiny blue scales that gently reflected the lights, her thick and dark long hair hangs from her head to her waist and her innocent deep blue eyes stared at Zayne with curiosity. Around her neck is a necklace with a small elongated spiral shell as a pendant.

Zayne looked at her and his heart thumped. He couldn't get his eyes off of her.

"Well, she is a voiceless and I trust you take care of her, Zayne." His father gently patted his shoulder. "And I'm sure she'll keep you company."

Zayne looked at her and felt pity.

How can a creature be so beautiful be enclosed in this tiny aquarium?

Night fell and Zayne struggled to sit on his wheelchair. He wanted to closely see her but he didn't want to bother his butler.

The mermaid watched him struggle as his thin arms supported his weight from his bed to the chair. After a few tries, he finally sat on his wheel chair then carried the lamp near the aquarium. He huffed and puffed as he caught his breath.

Expressionless, she looked at him in eye level and observed him.

"... Do you know how to speak?" Zayne finally asked. The mermaid stared at her blankly.

"I guess not... We should get some rest. " He said then turned around his chair.

... I'm already exhausted...

He breathed heavily then tried to lift himself from the chair to his bed but he couldn't. Droplets of sweat formed on his forehead as he tried again. The mermaid finally realized that he was struggling. She swam up then jumped from the top of the aquarium and gently fell into the floor.

Zayne gasped then rushed to her side.

"What are you doing..? " He said as his eyes looked at her innocent face. Her wet hair was stuck to her cheek. He stared at her and found his sight on her chest. His ears turned red and he looked away. He grabbed a towel and covered her up.

She held on to the towel then dried her tail. Zayne watched her as she patted herself dry.

"It seems like you know what you're doing." He uttered and she nodded. His eyes widened.

"So you understand me?" He asked and she tilted her head.

Shortly, her tail turned into human legs.

"... What...?" Zayne whispered. "You can turn into human?"

She slowly stood up and Zayne thought that she was about his age. Her height, face and body is that of a teenager.

"Y-y-you should cover yourself up..." He said as he blushed then opened the drawer. He gestured for her to come closer and she did.

He made her wear his clothes then he closed its buttons.

He sighed. He felt exhausted and sleepy but at the same time he wanted to know what more was she hiding.

"Need... Help...?" She struggled to speak but her voice sounded small and odd.

"Me?" He asked and she nodded.

"... Yes. I can't get to bed." He regretfully admitted. She scooped him into her arms with ease. Zayne gasped in surprised and she gently laid him down to bed then tucked him in.

"You... Weak." She uttered. "Need... Help..."

Zayne felt hurt about her words but it is true. His body is weak and he doesn't know how long he'll live.

Zayne looked away from her then she sat on the bed beside him.

"Don't..." He said but her eyes looked like she needed sleep. The gentle yellow light streaked and the more he looks at her, the more beautiful she gets.

"I... Help..." She muttered under her breath, forcing herself to stay awake.

"... Thank you but you shouldn't sleep here. Go back to the aquarium." Zayne said. She removed the shirt then jumped back to the aquarium. The moment she touched the water, her tail grew back.

He rolled to his side and watched her swim around.

She looked tired outside water but she could actually transform into human just like that...

Zayne thought then finally fell asleep.

Weeks passed and the mermaid had gotten used to getting out of her aquarium during nightfall and listen to Zayne talk.

"I think you can come now." Zayne said. He was sitting on his wheelchair with a towel on his lap and a change of clothes were ready on his bedside table.

The mermaid swam up to the mouth of the aquarium and jumped into his arms. He gently caught her then dried her up.

She sat on his lap and watched him clothe her. She smiled.

"You... Happy..." She uttered.

"Am I?" Zayne smiled then he rolled the wheels to his bed. She helped him up to his bed and Zayne laid his back on the headboard.

"I haven't asked before but do you have a name?" He asked her while opening his story book. She shook her head.

"Really? Do you want me to give you one?" Zayne asked and she smiled then nodded.

"Hm," Zayne placed a finger on his chin while the mermaid crawled to the bed then sat beside him. She made herself comfortable by placing a blanket on top of their laps.

"How about Lily? Its a kind of flower." He asked and she shook her head. "You don't like? How about Lorelei? She drowned people."

She shook her head again then frowned. "I.. Don't... Drown."

"Oh, sorry. How about Mina? It means blue sky just like the color of your eyes."

She smiled and nodded.

"Pretty... Name..."

"You like that? Then I'll call you that, Mina." He noticed that she was looking at his hand. "What are you looking at?" He asked then lifted his hand.

She clasped his hand using both of hers and placed it on her cheek.

"Warm... Like sun." She smiled. "Name?"

"My name?" He looked at her. "My name is Zayne. I'm 16 years old. How about you?"

"Mina... I'm... Uhhh" Mina released his hand then counted using her fingers. "Six.. Hundred.. Twenty human years.." She tilted her head.

"Human years? So how old is that in mermaid years?"

She counted again. "Seventeen..." She grinned. Zayne could see her sharp teeth.

"We're almost the same age. Maybe that's why we get along." He replied then noticed that she looked sleepy.

"Tired already?" He asked and she nodded. "Alright. We should call it a night."

"Dance..." She said as she looked at the painting beside his bookshelf. The painting showed a colorful venue of people dancing at a ball.

"Oh, you know that?" He asked. She nodded and swayed her head as if swaying to a tune.

"lalalala." She monotonously sang.

He chuckled. "If I get to walk one of these days, let's learn how to dance together."

Mina's face lit up and she nodded. "Yes, Zayne."

Months went by and Zayne told her countless stories, from adventure, to romance, to fantasy and the like. She liked listening to him talk even when sometimes, she could not understand what a certain word mean. Whenever that happens, Zayne notice her tilting her head and he automatically explain to her what that certain word mean.

She also tried to make him stand up once in a while. She supported his weight effortlessly and on the floor were marks of his walking mileage. They celebrated his walking mileage by sharing a cookie or eating sweets.

The two were sitting on his bed as they ate their little midnight snacks.

"You like that candy." Zayne smiled and she nodded. "I'll give you some more tomorrow." He patted her head while she chewed on the caramel candy.

She opened another pack of sweets, chocolate with wafer inside. She gently held one and gently placed it on Zayne's lips.

His eyes widened. He slowly opened his mouth and ate it. A bit of the chocolate melted on her fingers and she licked on her fingers while looking at him.

His face turned red upon meeting her eyes and he looked away.

"D-don't to that." He uttered.

"Do what?" She tilted her head.

Zayne pouted and looked at her. She was smiling at him.

This is bad. My heart rate had been unsteady.

She moved closer to him and embraced him.

"Mi-mina!” Zayne exclaimed. "It is improper for a boy and a girl to hug because we are not wed!" He wanted to push her away but he did not dislike feeling her skin against his.

"Zayne... You're kind." She said then pulled away. "What is wed?" She asked.

"Uhm. It's a union between a man and a woman. Where they swear that they'll love each other for the rest of their lives." He shyly answered.

"Oh." Mina smiled. "Let's get wed in the future."

Zayne smiled at her. "Sure, if I'd get better, let's do that." He uttered and tucked her hair behind her ear. He knew he was not going to get any better. No physician could even tell what sickness he has but it slowly deteriorates his system, leading to him being bedridden for years.

However, despite the physician's finding that he will not be able to walk, Zayne started getting better. It was still hard for him to walk, he could now somehow stand for a very short period of time.

"Well, sir. It seems that young master Zayne is doing very good than what I anticipated! I'll fix his dosage and prescribe some supplements." The on-call doctor said then wrote on his prescription pad.

"I knew that mermaid would bring us luck! Good job, son." Zayne's father patted his head.

"She's a good listener." Zayne replied. "I read her books and she liked the stories." He smiled.

Mina watched them as they talked. She noticed that they were smiling.

... Zayne is smiling... There must be good news...

She thought and unconsciously, she smiled at him. Zayne noticed her and his heart thumped.

During the night, she jumped again from the aquarium into his arms. She sat on his lap and stared at his face.

"Where were we?" Zayne asked while wearing his eye glasses. He's been teaching Mina how to speak properly so she could communicate well.

"Zayne," She gently called his name.

"Yes?"

"Why don't you tell them that I can talk and become human?" She curiously asked.

Zayne took a deep breath. "Hm, I just thought that if they knew you could talk, they'll take you away from here. You being able to speak means you can lure people using your voice."

"... I don't have that power..." She meekly replied.

"Yes, but, they won't understand or even hear you out. I won't be able to protect you due to my condition limiting me."

"Okay," She smiled.

From afar, Mina sensed a disturbance; she straightened up and alertedly looked around.

"Mina? Are you okay?" Zayne asked.

"There are strangers outside..." She said then closed her eyes and focused her senses in feeling the air, the way she did when she was in the sea.

"Are you sure its here? The mermaid?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

The echoes sound like they are in a corridor...

"Yes. I heard they placed the mermaid in the young master's room rather than a secured room." Another replied.

"Wait... Then... The young master and the mermaid are in one room... The young master is also disabled... Which means..."

"We can get them both and get ransom for two!!”

Mina opened her eyes and looked at Zayne. He looked worried and his breathing was heavy.

"There are... Strangers going here." Mina said and stood near him.

Suddenly, Zayne's door was slowly opened by two men Zayne doesn't recognize.

"Good evening young master." One of them politely said. "I am your new servant"

Zayne stated at him blankly then tried to ring the bell he has to call on his servants but the other man was already on his bedside holding down the bell.

"You're not fooling anyone." Zayne frowned. His heart was unsteady and his chest suddenly hurt. Mina noticed him wince and immediately rushed to him.

"Bro, there's no mermaid here." One said while looking at the aquarium.

"That's odd... I was told that she'd be..." The other man looked at Mina. "Here..." And noticed her in humane features. Her arms and hands had streaks of blue scales, her eyes were an unusual color of blue and her neck and jaw also had streaks of blue scales.

The man smiled. "Looks like we found our mermaid."

The two intruders approached them. Zayne was breathing heavily and was vulnerable. His temperature became hotter. His face showed visible signs of pain.

"Zayne..." Mina held him. "Stay awake..."

"First we get the young master, then the mermaid." One man smiled.

They separated her from Zayne. They tied Mina to a chair while they tied up Zayne's hands behind him.

"No... Leave him.." Mina uttered as she watched them rummage through his things. Zayne was sweating as his temperature rose. He started coughing.

"Look at what we have here." A man went through his drawer and found a necklace with sapphire as its pendant.

"N-no... That's... Not..." Zayne struggled to speak as he was breathing.

That's from my grandmother...

"Let's go. They might realize we're here." One man said and approached Zayne. Mina knew that he's going to be taken away. She felt her blood rising as they handled Zayne roughly.

"No... Don't take him away." She said in a voice Zayne never heard before. Her eerie voice filled the room. While there was a certain beautiful tone in her voice, it also sounded like a warning.

Her scleras turned black and her sharp teeth grew as if preparing itself to devour meat as bigger as her.

A man grabbed Zayne and Mina broke out of the ropes easily. Her arms and hands were slowly being covered by scales and her fingers turned into scaled claws.

While she couldn't sing, she hummed a tune that did not have the effect of attracting humans but it has the effect of instilling fear among them.

The two men stared at her in fear as she slowly approached them. Her eyes were focused on Zayne.

"Mine..." She said as she removed the ropes that bounded him. She then looked at the two intruders who prepared themselves to kill her. Even when shaking in fear, they stood their ground. They both held a dagger in their hands.

"A monster..." One managed to speak.

Mina laid Zayne to his bed. He finally got a closer look at her. She looked inhumane but still beautiful to him.

"Mina... What are you doing..." Zayne muttered under his breath.

One man lunged at Mina but her scaled arm deflected the sharp object causing the man to fall.

"You..." She stood up. "Can't take away what's mine."

Her dark hair illuminated with a shade of blue. She approached the man who fell on the ground and had him stand up by holding him by the neck. Her clawed hand dug into his neck and blood dripped down her arm.

She opened her mouth and slowly looked at the other man who screamed in fear. Her teeth suddenly covered the roof of her mouth as well and her grip on the other's neck became tighter.

Zayne stared at her. He was not scared. To him, she's his only friend whom he shared lots of stories with. "Mina... Don't" He forced himself to talk. "You don't kill people... You said it was bad and ugly."

Upon hearing Zayne's voice, she snapped back. Her features went back to normal and she let go of the suffocated man.

The servants and Zayne's parents rushed to his room and found two unidentified men on the ground. One had a mark on his neck and the other who fainted in fear.

On his bed, Zayne laid on her lap as he was struggling to breathe and his temperature rose. Mina was wiping his sweat.

"WHO ARE YOU?" The father asked as he separated his son from her. The two intruders were handled by the other guards.

"Father... She's..." Zayne wanted to explain but his consciousness failed him. "Please... Keep her safe... She's my only friend" He managed to speak before fainting.

"Zayne!" His mother panicked and ordered a carriage for them. His temperature was burning and he is covered in sweat.

The butler carried Zayne out of the room as the other servants prepared the carriage for him and they rushed him to the hospital.

Everyone's attention was with their young master that they had forgotten about her. She went back to her aquarium and waited. Hours passed and the servants returned to Zayne's room and cleaned it up.

Zayne said not to speak to anybody, so she didn't.

Lonely days passed as she looked at the empty bed in front of her. She could feel her heart being crushed.

Zayne...

She decided to get out of the aquarium; she wore his shirt and went to his soft empty bed. Mina laid down and covered herself with the blanket that has his familiar scent and memories surged in her mind.

She started crying in pain as pearls fall from her eyes.

Zayne... Go home...

Meanwhile, Zayne is in a critical condition at the hospital. His father and mother never left his side but they could see his body slowly deteriorating. At this point, they are waiting for him to pass.

The next day, the butler found her sleeping on his young master's bed and pearls rolled from the bed to the floor.

"Miss," The butler gently woke her up. Mina slowly opened her eyes and jolted up.

"Zayne!" She blurted out but as soon as she saw his butler, a wave of sadness suddenly embraced her.

"I'm sorry, young lady, but he is not here." The butler took a deep breath as it was also heavy for him.

Her lips trembled and she started crying.

"Zayne..." She sniffled as different sizes of pearls roll down her eyes.

"You're sad as well..." The old butler sat beside her and wept. "The young master had always been good to everyone here. Regardless of status, he respects and treats everyone equally. He is one of a kind."

"Where is he..." Mina uttered as she caught her breath.

"I don't know if voiceless mermaids like you could do miracles, but... He is in a critical condition as of the moment and-"

Mina stood up and patted the shirt she's wearing. "Let's go. Take me to him."

The butler's eyes widened. He stood up and called for the other servants to prepare the carriage and to dress her up.

The servants were delighted to dress her up as there was no young lady in the house. They made her wear a light pink dress with white white frills. Due to lack of time, they combed her hair and let it fall on her shoulders.

At the hospital room, she found his parents sleeping on the couch and the father snoring while Zayne stayed still on the bed. She rushed to his side and felt his bony fingers. His cheeks lost its color and concaved.

The sight of him pained her, she felt her heart breaking.

The butler watched her in silence. She removed her necklace and placed it in his hand. She gently touched his cheek and he slowly opened his eyes; his sight became blurry but he could see her clearly.

"Mina..." He whispered. "How did you..."

"Do you want to live, Zayne?" She gently asked while running her fingers through his soft dark hair.

"Of course." He weakly replied and forced a smile. "We are still to wed each other when I get better." Zayne couldn't feel his own body anymore. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily.

Thank you, Zayne. I'll carry the stories you told me in my memories. Live well and I'm happy that I am not the only one who loves you.

Mina squeezed his hand and it was the first warm touch he felt since he arrived at the hospital.

"I love you," She whispered as she closely leaned her face on his. She gently kissed him and a soft blue light emmanated from them. The butler watched in awe as the voiceless mermaid gave Zayne her gift.

The gift of life.

"I love you, too... Mina." He uttered without opening his eyes. She smiled upon hearing his words and just like that, she turned into bubbles as a large blue pearl fell on his lap.

"Miss Mina...?" The butler couldn't believe his eyes as she vanished.

Slowly, Zayne looked healthier. He gained mass and his cheeks became rosy. He slowly opened his eyes and expected to see Mina but she was nowhere to be found. He sat up and looked around.

"Young master!" The butler cried tears of joy as he saw him looking healthy and alive. His parents woke up and rushed to his side and hugged him.

"Oh! Oh my sweet boy!!” His mother embraced him tightly and his father cried.

"What miracle is this!" The father exclaimed in happiness.

However, Zayne's hand found the elongated spiral shell she had and a blue pearl sat on his lap.

He doesn't know what to feel.

"Where is Mina...?" He looked at his butler.

"Mina? Who's that?" His mother asked.

"The mermaid..." Zayne quietly answered.

She was definitely here... This pendant is hers and this pearl has the same color as her tail... She said she loves me...

"Young master, I..." The butler was hesitant to speak.

Even without saying anything, he already knew she vanished in exchange of his life. It's a famous folklore, after all. That mermaids turn into bubbles when they die.

Back home, he encased the blue pearl in a glass case and placed it in his study table. He wore the shell necklace and remembered the first time he ever saw her.

He took a deep breath and looked at the painting of people dancing at a ball and touched his shell necklace.

Too bad... I won't able to dance with you. It would've been fun.

He thought and glanced at the empty aquarium.

Thank you... For giving me this second life...

Zayne sat on his study then opened the book he's been reading her. He flipped though the pages and decided to rewrite some of the entries written.

A mermaid's gift is given to a person whom a mermaid chose to be their mate. While their usual activity is drowning humans, some fall in love with their victims, giving them the mermaid's gift which gives them whatever they desire. The voiceless are believed to have no gifts at their disposal as they are mute and cannot find their own mate.

The voiceless do have their gifts, but it is far more precious than any gifts as it costs them their own life. To receive a mermaid's gift from a voiceless means she loved you unconditionally for her to prioritize your own well-being than hers. To be loved by her... Is the greatest gift I've ever received. Her name means 'love' and I love her but she loved me more than anything else.

[mysticmiraculer]

😭

[wardenbloom]

Zayne: A Walk with you

The unforgiving fire enveloped her house as she cried for help. She was only eight years old when her family home crumbled into ashes due to a political dispute which resulted in arson. Her father timely rescued her from their burning home then stayed with her until help arrived. 

A man with tall stature, wearing an all-black wardrobe approached the two of them. 

“You.” He coldly uttered as his emerald eyes stared at the father. 

Her father attained third degree burns all over his body. His skin looked like it was melting, but even so, she held on to her dear father, her only surviving relative. 

“Dad…?” She tapped and hugged her dad but there was no response. 

“Me?” The dad asked, then looked at the man who called him. 

“Yes. Come with me.” He then turned his back from her father expecting him to follow but the father stood his ground. 

“I can’t go…” Her father said with a strong tone. “I can’t leave my daughter alone. We do not have relatives anymore, she doesn’t have a sibling… She’ll be alo–” 

“That, sir, is none of my business.” He turned around and looked at him. He was crying and worried about his daughter; his voice was shaking and so was his knees. He knelt down and wept. 

“Your wife is already waiting for you.” The man uttered and activated his ice evol to mimic a mirror and showed him his wife through it.

Her father stared at the mirror and looked at it – yearning for his spouse. 

“But… my daughter… please… I’d do anything…” He still was stubborn enough to want to stay despite knowing that someone was waiting for him out there. 

The man sighed and deactivated his evol. He looked at the child whose almost half of her body was covered with burns. She was now being taken care of and sedated by the medics while the father was being enclosed in a body bag. 

We’re getting nowhere. I still have a schedule of reaping fifteen minutes from now. 

He thought and finally gave in. “I can only watch over your daughter, if that makes you feel better.” 

The father’s face lit up and felt relieved. He now has no regrets and followed him wholeheartedly, looking forward to seeing his wife, who has been deceased for almost five years. 

Zayne had been doing a grim reaper’s job since he passed thousands of years ago. He was given only one job, to walk with the souls of the dead from earth to their next destination and to make his work more efficient, he was also given both human form and spirit form. He knew that if he deviated from his sole job, he'd be meted out a punishment of eternal damnation.

The situation where the deceased won’t pass peacefully without a condition is not new to him. He tries to avoid such conditions, but whenever he gives his word, he faithfully performs his end of promise. 

A year later, Zayne decided to visit the child he promised he’d be watching over. She now has healed burns but there are still scarring, and a house was also built for her using her father’s estate.

Her right arm and a part of her face was burnt and scarred but Zayne noticed that it didn’t stop her from being cheerful. She always visits her parent’s mausoleum and talks to them as if they were alive. 

“Well, my burns hurt sometimes, dad. But I think I’m doing better! The doctors were really nice.” Her small gleeful voice said. 

An orphan, but she doesn’t realize it yet. 

Zayne’s sight went from her to the graves in the cemetery. He remembers each one of them and their situation before they died as he walked with them to their next destination after their life on Earth. 

“Are you looking for someone?” The girl was suddenly in front of him and looking up at him. She was beaming with a smile as if her burns were not stinging. 

Zayne took a closer look at her and noticed that the burn affected the right side of her face as well. Her right eye was closed shut and her right cheek was completely burned. 

His eyes widened. 

… I forgot that I’m in my physical form… 

“No, I’m just looking around. It’s peaceful in the cemetery.” He replied in a soft tone. She tilted her head and nodded. 

“I agree with you, sir. It’s quiet here but it sometimes stinks of death.” She giggled but her eyes looked sadly at her parents’ mausoleum. 

“It’s… a natural process of life.” He replied. 

“Say…” She smiled. “Why do good people die early? My parents were good people… they fought for people’s rights… they like to include me whenever they do charity work but they were taken early… why is that?” 

Zayne did not know the answer because he only followed orders. 

“I don’t know.” He honestly replied and took a deep breath. 

“I see. Whether I find the answer or not, it doesn’t matter anyway…” She said then went back to the mausoleum. 

Zayne continued on watching her from afar for years. Somehow, he felt happy when she graduated from college then proceeded to do social work. The fact that the death of her parents were a result of other people’s greed did not let her change her outlook on life. 

He always wondered why she didn’t have many friends despite being good. He tilted his head while he watched her talk to a charity volunteer. She was still as cheerful as she was before. 

Why don’t people get near her? 

He looked at his pocket watch. 

I still have time to spare. I’m quite curious. 

For her birthday, she organized a feeding program for the orphanage in her area. They made lots of delicious foods and packed several hygiene kits for the children. She also made it a point to buy them different toys that they would like. 

At the nearby park, Zayne saw some of the volunteers for today. They were smoking and were engaged in a group conversation. He decided to listen in. 

“She’s so nice. Imagine doing all these for your birthday.” A girl said. 

“She looks ugly though. If she was a bit pretty, I’m sure people would flock over her.” A man said while laughing. 

“I agree. I also read before that her family used to do money laundering and shit. They all died except for her.” The other man added as he puffed his cigarette. 

“Huh? Are you sure it was money laundering? I thought her dad had done some corrupt practices as a politician before?” The girl asked. 

Where do they get their news…? Her dad was a good man… I was there when I led him to his destination… 

Zayne thought and furrowed his eyebrows.

“One thing’s for sure, that woman is gaining track of the limelight.” The man said confidently. “If she keeps this charity work up and being visible to the media then runs for an office, she’ll dominate.”

“I doubt that, bro. The people in power are just dynasties. Her dynasty died before she could even do something. Plus, look at her, ugly as fuck.”  

They laughed out loud. Shortly, a woman arrived at the park and called on the resting volunteers as their program was about to start.

I see. No one really bothered getting to know her. 

Months later, Zayne received the list of names for the reaping. He read the list as always and the first on the list was a name he didn’t expect. 

Zayne’s eyes widened as he read her name in the list. If he had a physical heart, it would’ve pounded rapidly. 

THIS EARLY??? WHY?? 

He read further into the document and it stated stabbed to death. 

He took a deep breath and looked at his pocket watch. 

I still have time… I can still… Can I save her? Should I? 

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

The gentle ticking of the watch reminded him of her time running out. Despite his doubts, he decided to save her. He arrived at her place and found her body laying down in the kitchen in her own pool of blood. Several stab wounds also hit her vital parts. 

No… I… I’m too late… 

Zayne held his breath and looked at her soul sitting on the table, looking at her dead body. She turned to look at Zayne and her face didn’t have any scars. In fact, she was the most beautiful soul he's ever seen.

She was never ugly… 

“It's you… The man at the cemetery… You’ve been watching me, have you, sir?” She childishly smiled. 

Zayne didn’t reply. It was unusual that she was so calm about it. She giggled. 

“Well, I don’t plan on living long anyway. This world is too cruel. I don’t want it.” Her eyes looked sad and had regrets. “But I still… I want to live…” Tears fell from her eyes. 

Zayne took a deep breath and approached her then awkwardly petted her head. “You did really well. Helping a lot of people at such a young age.” 

“The world is beautiful as well… I’ve met lots of nice people too… and the kids were very loving.” She forced a smile. He wiped her tears with his thumb and smiled at her.

“Shall I walk with you?” Zayne offered his hand and she nodded; he gently squeezed her hand then they started walking.

“Say…” She smiled. “If I’m good, then why do good people die early?” She asked again. 

Zayne smiled and answered: 

“When walking in a garden… which flowers do you think gets picked first? The rotten ones or the ones that are beautiful and blooming?”

[mysticmiraculer]

😭

[scarlet-and-shadow]

Credit: @/sockgin92 on Twitter

[xialittleapple]

🫀 What Is the 5th Intercostal Space & Why It Matters?

The 5th intercostal space (5th ICS) is the space between your 5th and 6th ribs—specifically along the left midclavicular line (down from the middle of your collarbone, near the nipple line).

This spot is crucial in heart care because it's where doctors and nurses listen to the apical pulse—the heartbeat heard at the tip (apex) of the heart. This location is called the Point of Maximal Impulse (PMI).

📍 Why it's important:

Best place to hear heart rate and rhythm

Used to assess for heart enlargement or fluid buildup

Guides chest tube placement, echocardiograms, and CPR

🔍 How to find it:

Locate your collarbone

Feel down to the 5th rib

The space just under it = 5th ICS

Follow it to the left midclavicular line

For healthcare workers, the 5th ICS is a key landmark for monitoring heart function and performing lifesaving procedures. ❤️‍🩹

[fayfaygoes]

This is my safe space so i have to put my few thought into it . this might sound unpopular opinion as this hc depiction is so popular people make it canon fact ,but canonically

Zayne is not a brat tamer.

Now, before I start, if it's your favourite head canon of him and you enjoy it , go ahead . You are allowed to enjoy a piece of media with head canon of your liking . But have you noticed that there is a hierarchy in among headcanons , some are widely popular , the truthers of it tries their best using original source material to back up how their HC is close to canon . Everyone gravitates toward it and it becomes and undying truth where other HC or interpretation of same events gets ignored . this is where people blur the line between headcanon & canon . Take Rafayel for example , how much of his image has suffered because the limited amount of sources that are used to portray him ignores the whole picture of him . He became this "whiny" "feminine""twink" boy some even go as far to claim only him as the "gay best friend" kind of interesting.. Alot of it has to do with HCs thats based on certain aspect of him that gets overamplified & now thats only thing even non Rafayel main thinks of him. And Rafayel mains has to correct & defend him constantly . HC is harmless, but projecting headcanon to see canon things doesn't lead to an unbiased conclusion. Maybe "who cares"? maybe "so what "? but we can agree that it does happen. It starts off as HC for fun, but then gets talked as facts, but then when you question it, it's silly headcanon again. Lets take a look at Dr, zayne first . Since early childhood he was an example of decipline , a golden student , attentive to his routine & lesson , he didnt enjoy his childhood like other kids , so many aspect of that he is learning & starting to develop interest NOW , at 27+ on top , he is suffering with his evol backlash & the guilt that comes with the accident that happened long ago . He burdened himself for so long & desperately tried to reach a solution , maybe a way he can help & save instead of distruction. and he thought he got there , almost , finally ....

He is in a career where precision is the key . He has to be precise & firm , controlled , never shaking . He cannot afford to budge when he is dealing with life of a person . experience shapes a person, so who do we get as result? A stoic , strict individual who is controlled , precise , and logical . Control is huge aspect of him He is your ideal Husband material , mother-in-law's first choice . G0d the students prays to before their exams

& even yvonne

But does this affect him?

yes . yes it does and the ending of the Death & rebirth literary tells you how .

he feels like he has to live up to the expectation , he has to keep being the precise example to outdo his mistakes , the guilt which he let fester inside him since very young age , a child .

the inner child he suppressed through maturity does come to a breaking point . but also -this strict , precise environment and behavior is all he knows. He has surrounded himself with it for far too long this is what he does habitually . & thats also reflects on how he acts toward MC , He tells her to behave , be nice , listen to words , sleep on time (non negotiatiable) that is something that is expected from him , he is good at it . And when you need to beat procrastination, he is your man . His achievement is called " procrastination killer " for a reason. He urges u follow rules , do things right . Or even playfully tells u he would tie knots if needed . this example has been brought in constantly as the ultimate proof.

but the question is,

a year has passed . how many times he has actually done this as response to MC's antique There's only one emergency medical instance we got in the main story recently .

but given how sometimes MC pushes his button , have he ever retaliated playfully like that ?

Never

because Zayne is always defeated by MC's actions. MC is in a job field that also requires similar things he is adept with , maturity, dealing with death, blood, life responsibility, and time sensitivity.

Yet how he find MC as ?

Carefree , silly sometimes reckless joyful cheerful colourful colour he never noticed the world around him had.

She doesn't play into his strictness unless she decides "its time to get serious and get stuffs done" Which is why MC listens when he coaches her or trains her to do something , or when she is sick & need aid to feel better . Other time ? her action bewilders him He asks her to behave while walking drunkenly on the road ? She doesn't listen , she has her fun and all he can muster is "You-" Then he catches her midfall , and defeated tone tells her to behave once again , defeated tone.

then she proceeds to do what she wants and ends up bashing her head to zayne's jaw anyway. He tries to make a playful "batsu" punishment in new Blobbu event , but by the evening MC catches him by his own rule & punishes him back . She also sheds his own carelessness over simple things in a positive light, She celebrates it & encourages him to be silly & experience new stuff.

Him being strict in time she didn't want to be serious Hardly ever worked on her & if situation isn't dire he has to accept it . Not only that this perfect ideal man has flaws MC keeps him accountable for , but she is also patient with him, telling her when he is ready , as long as he doesn't disappear & hurt himself . She challenges his overworking ways & he obliges. Monitoring if he is using his sick leave to work or not , if he is watching his suger intakes or not . He even sends her his daily routines on text When you annoy him in destiny cafe his playful threats also poses similar to how mc acts , option to keep doing what you want . You can make him annoyed and turn back but even then he wouldn't get his peace , will probably get his ass wooped & then he admits defeat and turns back For someone like him who always practices overcontrolled way of living , MC is his vivacity of life , a breath of fresh air . When she does something out of book . His first instinction is to do whats the right course of action - be well behaved, be better,Listen to advices, stay in hospital to get better & don't sneak out in middle of night from the hospital But once again she doesn't listen, thats why in that Tender moment he was so aloof & lowkey angry. But he had decided to do what she wanted instead , helping her go home with his car. it was a very early stage of the relationship, thus the tension was high. But this tells u MC was always like this. Zayne just got accustomed to & more accepting of it .

He saw how thats her charm & thats how she illuminates everything around. But experience shapes a person , It will be forever for zayne to completely let go of the controlling ideal way of doing thing , so that would always be what he suggests. Playing with mud isn't a logical thing to do so he will tell you to behave. But if you pester enough, u can convince a defeated Zayne to join in your shenanigans & play his role well. The game writers take time to show that no MC or Zayne's traits should be glorified, or how sometimes Zayne comes off as a hypocrite who always supports a logical approach. Her recklessness almost got her killed. The doctor who tells you to listen to doctors and was so angry doesn't listen to the dentist. He throws himself in front of a wanderer and starts falling from a high building as he shoots an ice arrow. HE COULD HAVE DIED THERE. MC is a free spirit which helps zayne to break out of his overly strict state , slowly little by little . and thus we see once " stoic, precise "Zayne let loose & express freely without being so cordial, awkward about it. The examples that gets used to portray him can easily proven false by next course of actions MC takes . Moreover , Zayne also likes MC on top , he willingly offer to be under her watch countless of times or even tells her he will pay the debt(context-she was lowkey pissed at him for endangering himself), In Predaetor AU event story Galen says she can handcuff him if she wants to reassure her , he willingly signs documents she provided without reading cuz then his life is now in her hand . Master of Fate ?if we go by the sentiment, He also could not "tame" her . In both times she did something unexpected ,made him gasp in shock then he had to accept it . MC talks in Ageyo around him, gaining all the privileges of his having a soft spot for her. Complain about him being strict or mean when he hasn't done anything yet. Saying " zayne please 🥺.." WORKS on him, even if it's an odd demand, he is weak. The dynamic they have going on can not be called "Brat/tamer", it's a troupe that u can find in Kdramas, the goblin couple, for example, or other east asian shows . Even though in english Brat taming is closet it can come to tell people what is going on . Naming it as such does disservice to their whole dynamic .

And as HC everything is fun. But then making it the key and ultimate depiction of what Zayne MC has to offer is doing zayne MC a disservice, Isolating their content material to a singular "he said this so it means he is brat tamer canon" when it can be him bantering with MC "if you don't do this i will do this 😎" which is common way of bantering even in friendship. The most solid evidence of him tying the knot is left vague as he never succeeded as much as Mc succeeded, pushing him down the bed and going on top of him . And not taking no for an answer when doing routine work is very aligns with how he lives as a character they are ideally non negotiable , but then again he is kinda oxymoron with an eyebag isn't he. In the original terms of where the Brat/tamer dynamic lands in BDSM , thepower dynamic is very important. Consenting to surrender power is important too . Which canonically is not the case for Zayne & Mc.

so it makes a good Headcanon when u imagine a setup where they did establish. But its the case for other headcanons too! Brat/Tamer Zayne MC is a headcanon that is good enough for exploring if you want. But it is not So canon enough to be shoved everyone's throat. Their dynamic has something similar sometimes but it isn't describable in English words. But its so much more than that MC plays as much of a mature logical role as Zayne does , with Zayne, it comes as instinct because it was his lifestyle. But it also has consequences, he missed out a lot …and with MC he is exploring more of the things he failed to experience in the past. Their roles are balanced, so it's a land of opportunities. HeadCanons are Head Canons they are not called "canon" for a reason so trying to make threads and thread trying to prove why this one is legit is pointless

[rika-mmendmethings]

Heart Shot | Zayne

Summary: It started as a coping mechanism — a secret, anonymous flirtation you expected to burn out with the help of a pink bow and silly notes. But every arrow you fire lands closer to something real — and the man you thought was untouchable suddenly isn’t dodging anymore.

Tag(s): Zayne x nurse! Reader, lots of fluff, pre-relationship fluff, hospital romance, written with female reader in mind, second hand embarrassment, mild archer! Zayne, silly people in love.

Word count: 2.7k

Now playing: Cupid by FIFTY FIFTY

Notes: Formerly titled 'Bullseye'. Just woke up to see I had hit 400 followers this morning and in celebration of that, I'm releasing my first ever fic of Zayne. Hopefully everybody enjoys it ♥

As one of the most seasoned nurses in the cardiac wing, you’d long since earned the trust of even the most demanding surgeons. Battle-tested in emergencies and headstrong in crisis, you were a pillar of calm in the chaos of the OR. But nothing — nothing — had prepared you for the battle that was raging in your chest: a hopeless, all-consuming crush on none other than the head cardiac surgeon himself, Dr. Zayne.

He was brilliant, reserved, maddeningly unbothered by the flurry of emotion that seemed to ripple through everyone else whenever he entered a room. You had worked alongside him for years, and while others found his cold, clinical demeanor off-putting, you somehow saw the warmth that flickered beneath it.

You prided yourself on the professional companionship you shared with him — mutual respect, shared jokes on occasion, the rare but treasured smiles he allowed himself when you said something that genuinely amused him.

Which made your recent blunder all the more mortifying.

During a high-stakes mitral valve repair just a few days ago, you had done the unthinkable. You were assisting Zayne, as you had many times before, and everything was running smoothly. Until he said, “Clamps.”

But instead of responding with your usual efficiency, your eyes were glued onto his hands. More specifically, the veins beneath the taut latex of his gloves. Your body reacted a second too late and the clamps slipped from your grasp and hit the sterile floor with a horrifying clink. You scooped them up in a panic and offered them anyway, and watched as the whole OR froze.

Zayne didn’t take them. Instead, he looked at you with such sheer incredulity that you instantly recalled every page of your surgical instrument sterilization manual in horrifying detail.

“That’s contaminated,” he said icily from behind his surgical mask, not even looking at you — just through you.

Your brain, fueled by pure shame and meme culture, offered the only response it could muster: “Um… five-second rule?”

Later, in his office, he let you have it. Not with shouting, of course. Zayne never did shouting. He did disappointment. And he was very good at it. After a solid ten-minute monologue on sterility protocols and ‘having expected better from someone with your experience,’ you left his office to crawl back into the earth.

You avoided him after that. You rerouted your coffee breaks and volunteered for shifts that didn't have him. You stayed alert just in case you got a transfer notice, which, fortunately, you didn't.

But avoiding Zayne only made your feelings boil hotter under the surface. You needed an outlet, something to release the idiotic affection swirling inside your ribcage. And that’s how you — an educated, credentialed nurse — ended up ordering a hot pink plastic Cupid bow and arrow set online at 2:12 a.m.

It arrived the next day: neon pink, the arrows tipped with heart-shaped suction cups, and laughably dramatic. It was a viral gag gift, popular with people who liked playing Cupid on social media. Except you had taken it a step further.

You wrote little anonymous notes with compliments, sweet nothings, medical pick-up lines and rolled them up, taping them to the arrows. Then you smuggled the toy into the hospital and hid it in your locker in the break room.

Your plan? Ambush Zayne by firing one arrow per day until your dignity or your license gave out. Either he’d laugh (hopefully), report you to HR (realistically), or — by some divine miracle — be touched by your ridiculous display of affection and fall madly in love with you (good jokes). Your feelings needed to go, and you figured nothing would kill romantic delusion faster than mortifying yourself with humiliating public displays of nonsense.

Day one

It was a crisp Tuesday morning at the hospital, the kind where the scent of antiseptic still clung thickly in the air from the early shift’s rigorous cleaning. The morning meeting had just ended, and like a tide retreating, doctors and residents poured out of the conference room in clusters, their footsteps echoing against the linoleum as they dispersed to their respective duties. The fluorescent lights above buzzed softly, and the sun streamed through the high windows in thin, filtered beams, casting a tired glow across the sterile white floors. The air smelled of antiseptic and fresh paper, tinged faintly with over-brewed coffee from the break room down the hall.

You stood tucked behind a concrete pillar near the east hallway, your back pressed flat against the cool surface, heart thundering. You could feel the absurd shape of the toy bow poking into your hip from under your scrubs where you'd awkwardly shoved it sometime ago to sneak it with you. The arrows, with their bright pink foam hearts, stuck out of your jeans pocket and you pulled your scrubs tighter to hide them.

You peeked around the edge of the beige support pillar you were currently using as camouflage, your breath caught halfway between a prayer. The hallway was almost empty now, save for the subject of your ridiculous affection, standing in the middle of it.

Zayne stood with one foot slightly turned out, clipboard in hand, jade eyes focused on the patient chart in front of him. His dark hair was slightly tousled in that infuriatingly perfect way, his lab coat flaring just a little at the back like he’d walked off a medical drama set.

You glanced around, eyes darting to make sure no one else was around. The coast was clear. He was engrossed in whatever file he was reading, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

From behind the pillar, you fumbled with the bow. It squeaked when you pulled back the string. Of all the props in all the stores in the world, you had to pick the one that squeaked. Your fingers, steady as steel in surgery, trembled now like they’d never known stability. You nocked the arrow with shaky fingers, adjusting the rolled-up pink sticky note you'd attached earlier.

“Okay, just center it… gently. Like placing a suture,” you whispered to yourself. A little pep talk.

Your hands were slick with nervous sweat. You held your breath. You had no archery training. Your only reference point was seeing some of the Deepspace hunters having a bow as their choice of weapon and firing it at the wanderers that had once invaded Akso Hospital. You aimed — or attempted to — for his heart.

The arrow veered slightly to the right, missed Zayne’s heart by a good foot and a half, and stuck squarely to the back of his clipboard. You gasped — then immediately ducked back behind the pillar, flattening yourself against it like a character in a cartoon, chest heaving.

Peeking out with one eye, you saw him pause his reading and slowly tilt the clipboard towards himself to inspect the pink projectile now suctioned firmly to its back. He glanced around, likely trying to identify the source of it but found none. He peeled the pink sticky note off with a neutral expression, unrolled the note deliberately, and read it.

You watched from the shadow of the pillar as his eyes scanned the words. The line of his brow eased and then one eyebrow rose by just a millimetre. A reaction so subtle it might’ve gone unnoticed by anyone else. But not by you.

And that was all the information you could process before the adrenaline got the better of you and you took off — straight down the hallway, hurried footsteps, cheeks aflame, the bow clutched to your chest like you’d just committed some sort of crime.

You didn’t stop running until you were safely back in the break room, where you shoved the bow, slammed your locker shut, leaned back against it, and gasped for breath like you’d just finished a marathon.

Day two

You’d been on your feet for hours — morning rounds, a consultation, two new admissions. You weren’t on a break, not technically, but your last task had wrapped up ten minutes early, and that meant only one thing in your world now: it was time for the next attempt. Most of your colleagues were either in their departments or catching a quick snack before the next round of patient visits. You were just returning after restocking supplies when you spotted Zayne.

He was standing at the water cooler near the far wall, just off to the side of the hallway, his back half-turned to the corridor. It was a quiet spot, mostly out of view. He had his lab coat sleeves pushed up, and he was leaning slightly forward as he pressed the little plastic lever and filled his paper cup. You hated how effortlessly attractive he looked doing nothing.

You felt your fingers twitch.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you doubled back towards the break room, pulled open your locker, and took out the bow and arrow set hurriedly. You grabbed one of the arrows and checked if the little rolled-up note you’d stuck on it earlier was properly sticking to it.

You found a spot near the corner where a big decorative plant provided enough cover. Thankfully, today’s chosen target zone was a less dramatic setting than yesterday’s corridor. You crouched down slightly, gripping the bow like you were trying to remember how human hands were supposed to work.

You loaded the arrow, biting your lip as you adjusted your grip. You had practiced a little more since yesterday — nothing formal, just a few shots in your apartment before your cat had attacked the dangling heart-shaped arrow and nearly broken your kitchen lamp.

Your plan for today was simple: aim for the cooler. Hit the wall just above it. Let the arrow bounce off near him with enough proximity that he would notice, but not enough to actually hit him.

You pulled back the string and let go. And the arrow zoomed off-course and smacked him square on the forehead. You instantly ducked back behind the plant, hands over your mouth, struggling not to burst out laughing.

Zayne blinked. The water cup in his hand wobbled slightly, and for a second, you thought it might tip over. He reached up, peeled the arrow off with a confused look on his face, and stared at it like it had just dropped from another dimension. He was reading the note now, his jade eyes trailing along the lines. You saw his mouth twitch, the corners of his lips quirking up. Not a full smile — more like the idea of a smile. It was the kind of expression someone makes when they’re trying very hard not to react, and they’re mostly failing. And then — he exhaled through his nose and shook his head once, walking back to his office with the little note and the arrow in hand.

You crouched lower behind the plant. There was a stupid grin on your face and your body was tingling in a weirdly giddy way. You waited a few more minutes before standing up and walking in the opposite direction.

Day after day, arrow after arrow, you let your absurd plan unfold. Each time, his reactions thawed another layer of his carefully guarded composure. You continued, a few arrows here and there — his locker, the break room, once even mid-presentation at the weekly surgical review meeting. Each time, he reacted the same way: unreadable at first, then just the faintest sign of amusement that fanned the foolish little flame in your chest. You’d catch him pocketing the notes as if filing them away for future diagnosis.

Then came today.

It was midnight when you finally found a pocket of free time. The patient charts had been signed, your shift duties temporarily in check. That’s when you decided for another strike. You knew Zayne had a short gap between procedures, and his office light had been on earlier. You’d been watching the hallway casually from the small corner where supply cabinets broke the line of sight. His shadow had passed by the frosted window in his office door twice since. You figured he was standing, maybe reading something, or maybe pacing.

Your plan was simple: Aim for the center of Zayne’s office door. Not his head, not his arm, not any part of him directly — just the door. You’d seen the shadow inside. He’d be coming out soon. You just needed the arrow to land when he would exit, let him notice it and make him smile again.

You nocked an arrow, tongue poking out in concentration, aiming for the center of his door. So focused were you on your target, you didn’t notice the soft footfalls approaching from behind — until you felt a warm hand wrap around your waist and another slide over your hand on the bow — just firmly enough to freeze you in place. The contact startled you so hard you nearly dropped the bow.

Zayne was right behind you, half-embracing you, correcting your form as if this were a shooting range and not a hospital hallway. His gaze was fixed forward, his tone calm and maddeningly unaffected.

“Your stance is off,” he said, voice low, like he didn’t want it to echo. His breath ghosted across your cheek as he pulled your body back against his. “You’re pulling too much with your fingers, not your back.”

You felt him ease you back just a little, accurately aligning your posture. His chest brushed lightly against your back, his arm sliding along yours to adjust your hold on the bowstring. His fingers were warmer than expected, calloused from years of surgical work, but the touch was careful, like he didn’t want to startle you more than he already had.

He deliberately adjusted your elbow with his hand and pulled your upper arm slightly back so the arrow sat straighter. The door to the office opened just then. You felt him release your hand. The arrow launched and landed with a splat on the forehead of Greyson, your colleague, who had just emerged from Zayne’s office.

There was a brief pause, followed by a loud “What the hell?” from Greyson as he struggled to peel the arrow off.

You couldn’t even laugh, too mortified by the presence beside you to do so. The shadow in the office had been Greyson — not Zayne. You shrank into yourself immediately, lowering the bow, trying to form some apology, but your brain had turned into static. You felt him step away from you. You expected him to walk away, or worse — scold you with that same sharp tone he’d used back in his office after the surgery clamp incident. But instead, he reached for the bow in your hands and took it gently.

Then, to your complete confusion, he picked up one of the remaining arrows from your quiver, dug into his coat pocket, and pulled out a blue sticky note. He didn’t say anything. He just wrote something, rolled it carefully, and stuck it to the arrow. Then he stepped in front of you, lifted the bow, and with a slow, deliberate shot — fired it directly at you.

The arrow landed cleanly on your chest, just above your heart.

You plucked it off gently, fingers fumbling slightly as you unrolled the blue note.

“Ever wondered what kind of combination archery lessons and freshly brewed tea might make?”

You stared at the handwriting for a second longer than necessary. Your heart dropped to your stomach and rose again in the same breath. You looked up at him — your face no doubt a disaster of color and disbelief.

He met your eyes for the first time fully, without avoiding or glazing over. There was a subtle lightness in the way he stood now, something more relaxed than usual. He was smiling — really smiling now. That slow, knowing curve of the lips that you’d never seen aimed at anyone else. He looked like a man who had been aware all along and was finally, finally joining the game.

Your voice came out softer than you intended. “I’d… love to know more about that.”

His smile deepened. “Friday. After your shift.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving you speechless in the hallway, an arrow in your hand and a rapidly accelerating heartbeat in your chest.

Check out my other works if you liked this ♥

[bshrdxxl]

How does the main story make you feel? 🫣

[raevalyntine-deactivated2025070]

what happens when you buy a little plushie of the man you love?

(zayne fluff! a gift for all zayne lovers out there, let's shower him with the love he deserves)

Akso Hospital had always been proud of its reputation—cutting-edge technology, pioneering research, and a surgical team led by some of the brightest minds in the field.

At the very center of it all?

Dr. Zayne Li. Their prodigy. Their miracle. Their youngest Starcatcher Award recipient. The man whose steady hands had rewritten the outcomes of congenital heart defects. Whose name was printed in journals and whispered in lecture halls. Cold, brilliant, focused. A doctor with a heart so carefully guarded, it felt like a privilege just to see him smile.

You knew better. You’d seen the version the world never got to see.

The one who braided a little girl’s hair in the pediatric wing because she missed her mom. The one who kept your favorite tea stocked in his office. The one whose silence was never empty, but filled with a love so steady you could feel it in your bones.

You didn’t know that the board of directors had been planning a new mascot for the pediatric wing. Or that every single person in the room had immediately, unanimously, said his name. Zayne. Beloved by patients. Respected by interns. The silent strength behind Akso’s brilliance.

So when you walked into the hospital that afternoon, expecting nothing more than a quick lunch date with your snowman of a boyfriend, you weren’t prepared for the way your world stilled.

Because there—tucked between informational brochures and pastel signage, under the soft hum of the hospital lights—

Was a plushie. Of Zayne. Your Zayne.

Your breath caught in your chest.

It was so small. Maybe the size of your palm. But the craftsmanship was unreal—his pale beige three-piece suit, stitched to perfection. His crisp white shirt. The tie you knot every morning as his eyes find yours, and he leans in—quiet, close—to kiss your forehead like you’re his first breath of peace for the day. A miniature stethoscope rested on his tiny chest. His neatly styled jet-black hair was captured in soft tufts, complete with that single familiar swoop at the front. And his expression—gentle, smiling, just a little—was so unmistakably him, it felt like someone had reached into your chest and sewn your feelings into fabric.

His embroidered green eyes were thoughtful. His blushing cheeks were subtle, like warmth just beginning to bloom.

Your fingers trembled as you reached out, brushing the plushie’s cheek with your thumb. And suddenly—your chest felt too full. Was it the hospital lights? Or your hormones? Or just the impossible, overwhelming truth of how much you loved him?

“Oh my god,” you whispered, hands lifting to your mouth. “Is this... Zayne?”

The nurse nearby laughed gently. “Yeah. New pediatric mascot. The kids adore him. Honestly, so do the parents.”

You were already at the counter before she finished speaking, your heart soft and stormy all at once. You held the plush like it might shatter in your hands. It was just… so him. And something about seeing him this way—gentle, warm, huggable—made your chest ache with a pride too big for words.

Then, a small voice near you pulled you out of the moment.

“That’s Dr. Zayne,” a little boy said to his mom, pointing. “He was really nice to me when I had to stay here. He let me listen to my own heartbeat.”

You nearly choked on a sob.

Crouching down, you held the plushie out to him. “Would you like one?”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

You nodded and bought one without hesitation, handing it to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. “He’d want you to have one. He’s… pretty special, huh?”

The boy hugged it tight. “Yeah. He is. He’s my hero!”

And somewhere behind you, footsteps padded softly down the corridor. Zayne had just stepped out of his office, clipboard in hand, his white coat fluttering gently behind him. He stopped the moment his eyes found you—kneeling beside a child, handing him a plushie version of him, your face aglow with so much love it nearly knocked the breath from his lungs.

And then he saw it—the plushie pressed to your chest, your touch light and reverent, like you were holding more than just fabric and thread. He saw the way your fingers paused over its stitched little smile. The way you looked down at it with a softness so achingly full of devotion, he could barely stand still.

And for a long, suspended second, Zayne forgot the beeping monitors, the lab reports, the surgeries waiting to be reviewed. Because in that moment, standing quietly in the hallway, he realised— No professional honour had ever made him feel like this. No accolade, no award, no headline about his “exceptional precision” or “gifted hands” had ever made him feel the way you did.

Like he wasn’t just someone who knew the rhythm of a heart—but had become the reason one beat at all.

He stepped closer. You looked up, startled—but then you softened. And smiled.

You lifted the plush slightly. “Look who I found.”

Zayne let out the smallest laugh, something caught between amusement and awe. “You bought a plushie of me?”

You stood, hugging it gently to your chest. “I bought two, actually. Gave one to a little boy who said you helped him listen to his heartbeat.”

His eyes lowered. “I remember him.”

“I’m really proud of you,” you whispered.

His hand came up, gently brushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I thought it was ridiculous, honestly,” he murmured. “Being made into a mascot. I didn’t think it meant anything. But…”

His fingers brushed against yours, just where they rested on the plush’s sleeve.

“…seeing you hold it like that—it feels like it does.”

Your voice trembled with tenderness as you whispered, “It does.”

And right there, in the middle of Akso Hospital, surrounded by laughter and life and the quiet hum of machines—he kissed your forehead.

Soft. Lingering. Like he was stitching the moment into the very fabric of his soul.

You didn’t say anything more. You didn’t need to.

A single, quiet “I love you” passed between you, unspoken, but felt in the brush of his lips against your skin.

The plush stayed in your hands the rest of the day—clutched to your chest, warm and cherished. Like a tiny, stitched promise of everything the real him already was.

Yours. Completely.

[mysticmiraculer]

AWWWWWWWWW 🩵🩵🩵

[xyzvoid-deactivated20250609]

thinking about nerd!zayne

a/n: hey, so this is fluff, okay? i just thought ill need nerd zayne hcs. he's so cute im gonna cry, my shayla. i fear the main story update will break me y'all, idc infold, im married to this man (⁠｡⁠•́⁠︿⁠•̀⁠｡⁠).... and if y'all will bully me enough I'll write a childhood friend zayne blowing your back after you got wasted

nerd zayne who always sits at the front of the class, his notebook open before the teacher even arrives, pen already scratching out neat diagrams and notes. you steal glances at him from across the room, your heart doing a little flip when his brow furrows in concentration, but he never looks your way. you turn back to your desk with a quiet sigh, doodling in the margins of your own notes.

nerd zayne who waits until your head is turned, your attention caught by something else, before he dares to glance at you. his eyes linger for just a second, tracing the curve of your profile, then snap back to his work. his grip tightens on his pen, he pushes his glasses up, the frames slipping down his nose from how often he does it, and buries himself in his textbook again, heart racing for some reason.

nerd zayne who seems distant and cold to most, his responses short and clipped in group settings. everyone assumes he’s arrogant, but you catch him one day at lunch, tucked away in the school’s backyard. he’s crouched down, crumbling bits of his sandwich to feed a cluster of tiny sparrows. he’s not cold—just painfully shy, unsure how to bridge the gap between himself and others.

nerd zayne who’s a living database of facts, rattling off obscure details about astronomy or biology without missing a beat. some classmates snicker at his enthusiasm, calling his intense focus “weird” or mocking the way he lights up when he talks about quantum mechanics.

nerd zayne who’s younger than everyone in your class, a fact you only piece together after overhearing a teacher mention it. it explains so much—his hesitance to join conversations, the way he fumbles when older students try to joke with him, his quiet discomfort in crowds. he’s brilliant but out of place, a kid trying to keep up in a world that feels too big for him.

nerd zayne who can be find in the bathroom one day, sitting on the cold tile floor, his knees pulled to his chest. his books are clutched tightly, pages creased from his grip. milk and raw egg drip from his hair, staining his uniform, his glasses smudged and crooked. the bullies are long gone, but their cruelty lingers in the way zayne’s shoulders hunch, his eyes fixed on the floor, silent and resigned.

nerd zayne who doesn’t see you coming in the hallway and crashes into you, his books scattering across the floor. “sorry,” he mumbles, voice barely above a whisper, as he ducks his head and scrambles to pick everything up, his glasses are so smudged he doesn’t notice they’re barely staying on. you kneel to help, and he flinches, hurrying off to leave.

nerd zayne whose notebook you find left behind on the floor. you flip it open, expecting formulas or sketches of constellations, but instead find pages filled with delicate prose—words about a girl who makes his heart ache, her smile like sunlight breaking through clouds. your breath catches as you recognize yourself in his descriptions, the way he’s captured moments you didn’t even know he noticed.

nerd zayne whose parents you meet by chance at a school event, expecting them to be distant or neglectful to match his lonely demeanor. instead, they’re warm, attentive, asking about his studies with genuine pride. they’re away often for work, they explain, but they call him every night, send him books on topics he loves.

nerd zayne who freezes when you approach him with his notebook, his eyes wide with panic, thinking you’ll mock the words he poured his heart into. “i’m sorry… i didn’t mean to—” he starts, voice trembling, but you cut him off, wrapping your arms around him in a sudden, impulsive hug. he goes still, breath hitching, unsure how to process the warmth of your embrace.

nerd zayne who’s never been held like this, not since he was a kid curled up with his mom during a rare visit home. his hands hover awkwardly, finally settling on your shoulders, trembling slightly. his cheeks burn, a flush creeping up his neck as he tries to understand how something can feel so overwhelming yet so safe. he doesn’t pull away, though—secretly, he hopes you’ll stay just a little longer.

nerd zayne who starts sitting with you at lunch, at first just to help with your homework. his explanations are patient, thorough, his voice steady as he breaks down complex problems into simple steps. over time, he loosens up, sharing bits of his world—how he stayed up late reading about black holes, how he named the backyard sparrows after stars. you notice his shy smiles, the way his eyes soften when he looks at you.

nerd zayne who begins to seek you out, not just for study sessions but for quiet moments—sitting together in the library, sharing snacks, or watching clouds during lunch. he’s still awkward, stumbling over words sometimes, but he’s trying, and you can feel the effort in every small gesture, every hesitant laugh.

nerd zayne who still gets nervous around you, even months later, when you’re officially together. he blushes when you hold his hand, fumbles when you tease him about his glasses fogging up during a chilly evening walk. but he’s happy—happier than he’s ever been—because you’re the one person who saw past the nerd, the awkwardness, the smudged glasses, and found someone worth knowing. and to him, you’re still the sunlight breaking through the clouds.

[moonlitconfessions]

✨💫 MASTERPOST: Starlight Remedy (Zayne Li x Reader) 💫✨

🎬 Summary: You’ve spent years working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, overworked and underappreciated, until the day you finally walk away from it all. But just when you think your dreams are over, fate throws you into the orbit of Zayne Li — world-famous actor, brilliant heart surgeon, and the last person you expected to see offering you a second chance. As the cameras roll and the lights shine, you’ll have to find your own strength, heal from old wounds, and discover what it means to become your own star.

🌟 Slow-burn romance 🌟 Workplace drama & healing 🌟 Showbiz chaos + quiet moments 🌟 Soft, protective Zayne 🌟 Reader’s journey to self-worth

💥 Episodes

Episode 1 — The Breaking Point Episode 2 — A New Beginning Episode 3 — Learning to Stand Again Episode 4 — A Rumor and a Choice Episode 5 — Eyes on You Episode 6 — Scene Stealer Episode 7 — The Ripple Effect Episode 8 — Sabotage in Satin Episode 9 — Shatterglass Episode 10 — Rewrite the Script Episode 11 — The Backlash Episode 12 — All Eyes on You Episode 13 — When the Spotlight Burns Episode 14 — The Red Carpet is Yours Episode 15 — Yours, From the Start Episode 16 — You, in Every Lifetime Final Episode — Ep. 17: And the Stars Aligned

Taglist: @nezuswritingdesk @regalillegal @zainaaryam @bidisasterforevermor @iisjihye @yourcaleb @zaynessbeloved @rione-x @plsdonutpercieveme @creator-freak @lunia-likes-pomegranet @beaconsxd (CLOSED) a/n:ive been reading daytime star over and over again and so i did my own daytime au but with zayne and reader hope u all love it mwah <3