Synopsis: You have a strange dream and see some weird stuff.
~450 w
☆☆☆
A break, that's what you needed. Or a mental evaluation. But how would you explain this to a doctor? None of then would believe you. You hardly believe it yourself.
No, you couldn't tell anyone. This one... you had to figure out on your own.
But how was the big question.
With shaky hands, you banished your phone to the dark depths of your junk drawer.
For now.
Because deleting the app wasn't an option. No, there was some tiny part of your brain that wouldn't let you.
No, that's destroying their bond with you. You can't do that. To yourself. To them.
But as of this moment, what you really could use was a nap. Before you knew it, you found yourself drifting off into the strangest dream you've ever had.
Warmth.
You can't place exactly where it started from, but all you know is that there's a warmth that's rapidly increasing in intensity all throughout your body.
It seems to get stronger as it moves closer to your heart. Its boiling, so painfully hot-
But then it stopped.
It was gone as soon as it came, the sudden lack of heat making you feel oh-so-cold.
You wake with a start- but there's no heat, no smoke or fire, your heart beating as steady as ever.
You took a few labored breaths, your chest heaving. But there was only silence surrounding you.
Of course. Of course it was a dream.
Your feet hit the cool tile of your kitchen, bringing you back down to earth. You threw back the cup of water, letting it soothe your dry throat.
It tasted like reality. Cold, flavorless, bland. Like a pill you refused to swallow.
Your eyes focused on nothing outside the window above your sink as you washed the glass and the dishes you forgot to clean from last night's dinner.
What were you thinking? You weren't some anime protagonist or fanfiction character. How naive. You were an adult- with responsibilities, a guilty pleasure, a job, a boring, uneventful life-
CCcRRAAAccck.
Your pity party was interrupted by an ear-splitting sound- that sounded way too close for comfort. But before your brain could think to tell your legs otherwise, you were running towards it.
You spun all around, expecting the source to be a tree that lost a fight with a bear or the like, but no.
You didn't need to look far. The thing was huge. Deer-like, as tall as a house, with antlers like jagged icicles made of crystal.
Recognition made your face grow pale.
You knew this creature. Oh, you knew it quite well.
Elysian Cervus. A wanderer.
And on top of the beast, wrangling it to the ground, was a man. Even through his mask you'd know him anywhere.
You can't place exactly where it started from, but all you know is that there's a warmth that's rapidly increasing in intensity all throughout your body.
It seems to get stronger as it moves closer to your heart. Its boiling, so painfully hot-
Ok isn't it weird that caleb is the only LI that mentions the wanderer's 'ultimate attacks' and being at 'half health'? Stuff thats OBVIOUSLY gaming terminology and would not be visible to him, but is definitely visible to us outside of the game as a player
Isn't that weird
And isn't it weird how it seems like he knows a lil too much
Isn't weird how he says 'fingertips' in the hand interaction dialog when the mc uses the whole hand
And dont you think he'd be the first to know that he wasn't real and lived in a video game I mean hes part robot and has a chip in him
Ok isn't it weird that caleb is the only LI that mentions the wanderer's 'ultimate attacks' and being at 'half health'? Stuff thats OBVIOUSLY gaming terminology and would not be visible to him, but is definitely visible to us outside of the game as a player
Isn't that weird
And isn't it weird how it seems like he knows a lil too much
Isn't weird how he says 'fingertips' in the hand interaction dialog when the mc uses the whole hand
And dont you think he'd be the first to know that he wasn't real and lived in a video game I mean hes part robot and has a chip in him
Ok isn't it weird that caleb is the only LI that mentions the wanderer's 'ultimate attacks' and being at 'half health'? Stuff thats OBVIOUSLY gaming terminology and would not be visible to him, but is definitely visible to us outside of the game as a player
Isn't that weird
And isn't it weird how it seems like he knows a lil too much
Isn't weird how he says 'fingertips' in the hand interaction dialog when the mc uses the whole hand
And dont you think he'd be the first to know that he wasn't real and lived in a video game I mean hes part robot and has a chip in him
A cleric who's actually just a modern-day doctor reincarnated into this medieval fantasy land and trying their hardest not to have an aneurysm while helping everyone. They're only a cleric because the god of medicine loves them so much.
Some rando who tags along while they're trying to get back to linkon witnesses mc overexert herself and collapse and is like "ah, she must be stricken with the plauge-"
You weren't quite sure how Zayne felt about you. But you were pretty convinced it wasn't exactly... great.
Constantly showing up at Akso wounded - some instances more serious than others. Having a finicky heart that constantly required check-ups. Being so high-energy when he was so reserved. If you had to guess, especially based on his interactions with you?
You'd say that Zayne likely tolerates you because he feels obligated to. Y'know, being childhood friends and now doctor and patient. He kind of needed to tolerate you for these things to work.
Which is probably why it hurt so much trying to move on from him. Considering you had never been in a romantic relationship with him the first place, most would assume it would be easy to get over. Rather, you were mourning the chance you'd likely never get.
While also feeling sorry for your younger self who harbored such a crush on him while growing up. You had dreamed of reuniting with him after he had moved away, and seeing how awkward things had been at that first unintentional reunion? You figured he was just a bit awkward still, just as he was as a child.
But now? You feared it was disgust from the start, mixed with annoyance. I mean, he denied letting you sit at the table with him at first, to this day you still felt bad about intruding on his lunch.
"Good afternoon." Zayne doesn't stop typing on his computer as you enter. "Hey, Dr. Zayne." You reply a little more causally than you wanted, internally cringing as you took a seat in front of his desk. This was just adding to the reasons you were sure he didn't like you.
"Just a moment, I'm finishing this report." You can only muster a nod, hands tightly clasped in your lap as you mull over the words you're about to say. Seconds tick by in silence before Zayne finally stops typing, moving his mouse to save the document.
"Today's visit is just a typical routine check up." he starts formally, moving to grab the stethoscope around his neck and roll his chair over to you. "Actually, Dr. Zayne." You hesitate to meet his eyes, cool and calculating. Honestly quite intimidating.
"I wanted to talk to you about something first before we move forward with the appointment." You clear your throat when you see the slight raise of his brow. "Proceed."
"This will actually be your last appointment with me. I put in a request to be transferred to a different primary care physician."
The silence that stretched lasted far longer than the typing of his report. Zayne's expression was unreadable, so many emotions flashing through his typically calculating eyes that you wanted to sink into the chair you sat on and disappear entirely.
"Why would you do that?" It wasn't Dr. Zayne talking to you, you realized that the second he opened his mouth. This was Zayne, the boy you had grown up with, the boy you had crushed on so hard. The man you prayed you'd get a chance to reconnect with later on in life
The tone of his voice was far less formal, and if you weren't mistaken, he sounded hurt. "I-I um..." you stammer, cheeks feeling warm as you try and recall the lines you had practiced. "You're such a busy man, and your patient waitlist is miles long. I take up so much of your time and I figured I'd be doing you a favor by leaving as your patient."
"Doing me a favor by leaving me?" He shot back almost immediately, and it was not the response you were expecting. His brows were pinched, his jaw tense. You realized a moment later that his fingers were trembling as he set them down on his desk.
"Have I done something to make you think you are a burden?" The promise he made to Josephine echoes in the back of his mind, but that is far from being the only reason he wouldn't want to lose you.
Not when he just got you back.
Being put on the spot like that, called out directly left you a little stunned. So stunned that you couldn't stammer an excuse, instead a quiet mumble of "Yeah, kinda." slipped past your lips.
He's left a little speechless himself, heart racing a mile a minute as he tries desperately to think of something - anything to say so you won't walk out of his life again. But he's never been all that great with words, his biggest kryptonite, his achilles heel.
He couldn't just spill his guts out for you, could he? Here you were attempting to distance yourself from him thinking it would be doing him a solid. Here you were admitting he made you feel like a burden. A declaration of love would surely scare you away for different reasons all together. He was stuck, dammit. So stuck.
"M'sorry Zayne. Really, this is ridiculous to put you through." you moved to stand, ready to run, and panic shot through his entire being. "No, don't you dare." It's all he could manage, standing and moving without thought as his hand wrapped around your wrist.
"You are not a burden." he starts, voice steady and firm despite the roaring of blood in his ears. "Not to anyone, and especially not to me."
"It's my fault you feel this way. I've never been the best with words, and I'm not sure what it is about you but you just make me feel so..." he swallows, he knows exactly why you make him feel the way he does but that is too much to unload right now. "Shy."
"I lose all my sense when you're with me, in front of me. I worked for years on my people skills since I was so awkward when I was younger. I've managed to break out of that shell and yet you..." he swallows, eyes darting around his office before meeting yours again.
"You send me right back to our childhood. You leave me speechless in a good way. Because I find myself wanting to impress you but I panic and can't think of much to say..." He's rambling, he can feel his ears turning red when he realizes. But the look on your face is nothing short of stunned, a blush creeping over your own features.
"I'm sorry for giving you the wrong idea, I want you in my life. I can settle for just having this, being your doctor and all. But truthfully, I'd like for us to be so much more."
Was he pushing it?
"Zayne... now I'm the one left speechless." You start softly, and he can see the guilt in your eyes as you process everything. "M'so sorry for this, I feel like I've made such a scene." Apologizing, again. He shakes his head, hand still wrapped around your wrist. "Don't apologize."
He swallow the lump in his throat. "Just... start by telling me you won't leave." It takes you a second to realize his thumb had been rubbing slow, soft circles on your pulse point. Something he had done since childhood, a comforting gesture when you’d get upset.
“I won’t leave, Zayne. Trustfully? I don’t think I ever could.”
Idk how to feel about this, I’m so used to writing smut that sometimes writing stuff like this feels so awkward. But since I took the time to write it I might as well share it? Idk I may delete later lol it's so random hnghhh