You're sitting on the bed, swiping, swiping, scrolling. Laughing at memes, criticizing poorly executed pranks, singing along to songs with awkward choreography. You fail to notice that it's only about an hour until midnight. As you laugh out loud at a particularly funny video of a man cooking "boneless water", a hand reaches over and suddenly takes your phone from your hands, putting it to sleep.
"Hey!" You begin to protest, looking up to find Zayne towering over you, dressed for bed and green eyes boring into yours with a subtle amusement. You fall silent as your eyes meet.
"It's 10:54 and a certain hunter has work tomorrow. Why aren't you asleep," he questions, dangling the phone over you as you attempt to snatch it back from him.
"I'm not sleepy," you huff, still trying to retrieve the phone.
Zayne pulls the phone behind his back and shifts from amusement to a slightly concerned expression. "I've noticed you haven't been sleeping on time lately. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
You remain silent for a beat. You consider laughing it off or using this moment to catch him off-guard to finally grab your phone, but instead, you let out a sigh and murmur a defeated reply. "I've just been really stressed about work. There's a lot going on. New recruits I have to train and look after, colleagues have been wounded and on leave, which kinda puts a strain on everyone else too. The rise in Wanderer reports, the late shifts, they're all getting to me, Zayne... I'm tired," you finish in a whisper, turning away to hide your vulnerability. But then, you feel a warm weight on your shoulder and a gentle grasp around your waist.
Zayne rests his chin on your shoulder, whispering into your ear with a soft, protective voice. "So that's what's been bothering you. You dont have to pretend you're okay, darling. I'm your doctor, and more importantly, your friend. We've known each other for years. There is nothing in the world you can say that would change that. No matter what, I will always fight for your wellbeing. Now then, tell me what I can do," he finishes with a smile. Before you can answer, he leans in, softly pressing his lips to your cheek.
Wide-eyed and shy, you look up at Zayne with the most sincere gaze before speaking softly. "Right now, what i really need...is cuddles. I just need to be held." You turn around to face him and bury your face into Zayne's chest, attempting to hide your flushed expression.
Zayne chuckles softly. "Whether it be a hug, a kiss, or every star in the sky, whatever you want from me will always be yours."
