Safeway Pyongyang // Reader x Countryhumans

Waking Up

    Y/N blearily opened her eyes, blinking in the bright light. For a moment, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling and trying to remember where she was. She tilted her head to the right, wincing as her brain juices sloshed over, too.

      SH was sitting in a chair against the wall, head slumped over on her chest and breathing softly, asleep. Glancing down, Y/N became aware of the fact that she was lying on a thin cot, covered in a white blanket, and had an IV line coming out of her wrist.

     She blinked twice in confusion, then the events of last night came rushing back, hitting her like a 1968 Volvo, and she bolted up into a sitting position, hand flying to her side. The movement brought a rush of pain with it, and she gasped in distress, curling over around her wound.

     Her cry of pain woke SH up right away, and the province was instantly on her feet. "Don't move," she reprimanded, gently guiding Y/N back into a prone position. "You'll break your stitches."

     "I got shot," Y/N said blankly, hardly believing it. "With a gun."

    "Yeah, you did," SH said sympathetically. "Here- I'll call the nurse."

    "Wait-" Y/N shot her hand out to catch the province's white wrist. "Is North okay?"

    SH nodded, smiling. "He's been here for the past two days, waiting for you to wake up. He just had to... take care of something." The province turned her face to the wall. "Korea was really worried about you. We all were."

     The Provincehuman's voice wavered, and Y/N realised that she was holding back tears.

    "I'm sorry," she said guiltily. "I made you worry."

     SH aggressively wiped her arm across her eyes. "Don't apologise for that. That's... not something you should apologise for." She busied herself by leaning over Y/N and adjusting the thick pad of bandages under the girl's striped hospital robe. Which made her think...

    "Wait," she asked, panicked. "Who changed me?"

    "Don't worry," SH said, straightening up. She gave Y/N a reassuring smile. "I was here when the nurses undressed you- I told them to keep quiet about..." Her smile faltered. "Your bruises. The choson-ot is ruined, but you're alive."

    "Thank you. And sorry for the choson-ot." Y/N was relieved, but embarassed at the thought of random strangers that she had never met seeing her naked, and seeing her damaged back, as well as feeling guilty for the ruined dress. "I-"

      The door behind the hospital curtain creaked open, catching the two girl's attention.

     Hae slowly peeked her head around the curtain. Seeing Y/N, her white eyes widened, and she started to jump up and down in excitement, not making a noise.

     "Is she... okay?" Y/N asked, glancing uncertainly at SH.

      The province sighed. "Korea told her to be quiet when she's in here, so she didn't wake you up." To Hae, she said, "I think you can talk, now that she's awake."

      Immediately, Hae bolted around the curtain to Y/N's side, bouncing enthusiastically. "Ah'msogladyou'reawakeweweresoworriedahcan'tbelieveyou'realive!"

     The Korean was too fast for Y/N to understand any of it, but she got the message. "Thank you, Hae." She gave the province a one-armed hug with her non-IV arm.

     "Hae, can you call Korea?" SH asked. "He'll want to know that Y/N's awake."

     "Ah tried to call him earlier, but he din't answer."