New Lifestyle

To Rest

Although nobody was in the elevator, the pressure of visiting Riven was starting to push him down. It had been a week since the neck incident. Helia was holding a bouquet of origami flowers, and squeezing it even tighter as the elevator got closer to the floor where Riven was. 

As the elevator's doors opened on the 7th floor, Helia started to heat up as he walked out of the tiny space. Trying to find Riven's room, he started to worry about what Riven would say if he appeared in front of him. Would he not want him there? Would he just try to ignore Helia's concern by pushing it away? Or would it just be another awkward silence?

Finding Riven's room, Helia peeked through the door's window to see Riven's current state. The magenta-haired patient was eating a dark-chocolate pudding while resting on his hospital bed.

Helia knocked on the door cautiously.

"Come in."

A loud creak from the door made him more noticeable as he was entering the room.

"Oh. I wasn't expecting you to visit me."

"Why would you say that? Of course I would visit to see how you're doing!"

"I told you to stop worrying about me. Next thing you know, you're going to over do it and add more stress onto yourself."

Helia was now close to Riven, placing the origami bouquet with the rest of Riven's stuff before getting a stool and resting near his side. 

"What if you were dying? Maybe I couldn't see you and you couldn't see me before your last moments."

Riven didn't respond to Helia's assumption, he only moved his head and looked towards the window. A wound stitch was visible with a  somewhat whitish pink line with black threads sewn through it. Magenta hair strands were resting on Riven's shoulders, this was the first time Helia had seen Riven's hair down.

It was hard to see, but Riven's face was a bit frustrated with a mixture of anger, and could only express it with a loud huff. 

"Well...I wanted to gift you this."

Helia had taken out a big, soft, and warm blanket from his bag,"I had a spare one at my place, I thought you would find it comforting."

"I'm a hockey player. I'm on the ice rink a lot. I can resist the cold." 

"You can't resist everything."

"Like what?"

Riven turned his head, and was met with a hand on one of his cheek. He immediately turned red.  Helia had a warm smile on his face before laughing a bit.

The big, red blushing face had slowly turned into a soft pink one, with a shy grin. Helia stroked Riven's cheek, causing him to soften his embarrassment. Sighing with his eyes closed, Riven opened both of them to see Helia's face.

The familiar look of someone who cares for you while showing you genuine affection during some of your most vulnerable times was what Riven was seeing currently. He shifted himself up a little to get closer. 

"You know. I want to do a certain thing."

"And what's that?"

Riven had a teasing smirk on his face now.

"A kis-"

Some loud knocks came from the door, causing the two of them to turn to Timmy through the door's window. He slightly opened it. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but could we come in?"

We?

Before they could answer, Brandon barged into the room. 

"Hey! You're both here! That's good because look what I brouuught!", Brandon showed off the items in a bag he brought, another blanket, some candy and takeout food. 

"You should probably quiet down. There are other patients trying to rest.", Sky warned him. Riven was facepalming while letting out a quiet groan. Helia was amused by their relationship with each other.

"Come on, let's dig in. I got the takeout from that place you liked.", Brandon added, before stuffing his mouth with fried rice. 

"I didn't know a bar could sell fried rice. You should've bought alcohol with it. "

Laughter filled the room, with Brandon being the only one not laughing along. 

"Haha. You're real funny Riven."

Riven ate a piece of his take out, but noticed how detached Helia looked. The familiar blue eyes seem to be either remembering or thinking of something. Soon, those eyes saw food appearing in front of them. 

"Do you want some?"

Riven was trying not to turn pink again while looking at Helia. He chuckled,"I'm good, thank you. You didn't need to offer it."

A hint of embarrassment was on Riven's face, but Helia gave a look of reassurance that made it disappear. Brandon and Sky looked at each other with humor, with Timmy being oblivious to what they were trying to tell each other.

"You know, Riven has talked about you a lot.", Brandon noted. A angry and shocked glare was targeting towards him, with Brandon only stuffing another piece of his take out gleefully.

"He would stumble his words every time we mention you. He would also mumble about wanting to see your artwork or seeing you as a beautiful piece of art.", Sky added with a wink. 

"Did you know he-"

"OK THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Sky and Brandon giggled with each other, with Timmy still being oblivious to what's going on. The embarrassed face that Riven didn't want was on his face. Helia looked as if he wanted to laugh, but kept it inside for Riven's sake.

"I think you guys need to leave!"

"Aw but we were getting to know Helia bet-"

"NO YOU WEREN'T! JUST GET OUT!"

The blonde and brunette laughed, packing up their takeouts and going towards the door. Timmy unzipped his backpack and took out some folders filled with paper, and cards. He readjusted his glasses.

"I picked up some of your class work, and collected get well cards from people who learned about your situation. Get some rest."

Timmy was the only one who didn't seem to tease Riven, but it was true that they all cared about Riven's being. As they left, it was only Riven and Helia in the room, looking at the door before looking at each other. 

"I should probably go too.", Helia stated while packing up his bag. Violet eyes looked at him with some fear, almost asking him to stay. Helia answered by kissing him softly on the cheek. The same violet eyes widen in shock to what he just did. 

"Like Timmy said, get some rest. If you're scared, just call or text me, ok?"

Riven relaxed a bit, before signaling that he wanted to give a kiss back to Helia. As he did, he held Helia's hand and sighed. They allowed the quiet moment of their connection together to stay. It broke when Helia moved away, but Riven appreciate that moment he had with Helia. 

As he was leaving, Helia looked back towards Riven. He looked like a little kid who didn't want to be separated from their parent, but he waved goodbye with a small smile. Helia waved goodbye back, but then blew a kiss to him.

Riven blushed and that smile grew warmer. Helia left, leaving Riven with a warm feeling of calmness.