Wilting Flowers

24: Carpe Diem

Grim refused to let Immy call him in sick a second time. As awful as he felt, he needed to work. Also, Gabriel deserved his apology. He was bound to be worried after he didn't come back on Monday.

Immy wasn't pleased. In fact, she was pissed at him. At least, that was what Grim thought of it. He knew she was just worrying about him burning both ends of the candle, especially since he hadn't eaten anything since before the hospital. As much as he wanted to, he just couldn't keep anything down.

He showed up at work a shaking, nauseous mess who didn't take his meds and could barely get ready that morning.

Gabriel spotted him as soon as he showed up. His eyes widened.

"Grim," Gabriel sighed, his shoulders dropping. He smiled.

"Um- hi," Grim stuttered his response. "Look, I'm so sorry. I never should've-"

"-I understand, Grim. I'm just glad to see you. You're going through it right now. Speaking of which, Xen told me you got food poisoning?"

Oh, so that was what she told them.

"Uh- yeah. It sucked."

Grim drew in a long breath and picked at a loose thread on his sleeve.

"I'd imagine. You feeling any better?"

"A lot better than I was. Anyway, I really want to give you a proper apology-"

"-And I accept it. I understand that you weren't..."

"In my right mind?" Grim muttered.

"I don't know."

"I s-still feel bad, because I know you were only trying to protect me. Even if I don't think you should, I, um- understand now why you did. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Grim was glad he didn't have anything in his system to puke up, because his nerves were making his stomach turn inside out.

"It's fine, Grim. I'm not going to get mad at you, stop thinking I should be." Gabriel's expression turned to concern. "Are you-"

"-You have every right-"

"-No, Grim. You're shaking, man. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Grim!" Vix called, making him jolt. She murmured something to Gabriel, who typed it in on his computer quickly. "How are you feeling?"

"Hello, Miss Vix! I'm great, actually!" He plastered on his best grin. "My shift?"

"Yes!"

Vix fiddled with her watch as Gabriel directed the person she had just brought to the morality office. He looked up at him with a pained expression.

'What?' Grim mouthed to him, still forcing his face into a smile.

His watch buzzed before Gabriel could answer.

Grim's lunch break was primarily used for teleporting Immy home, as she worked at a coffee shop near HQ. It was close enough that she walked, and although Grim didn't like it, she insisted. For the first time, the thought of seeing her wasn't soothing.

When she walked through the doors to the soul management wing, Grim could tell something was off. Normally, she waltzed in with enthusiasm that shook the entire wing. Everyone near the front desk couldn't help but crack a smile, even in the slightly somber setting. They were all either delighted or annoyed, and Grim couldn't give two fucks about the latter. Instead, nobody really noticed her. Maybe it was in her posture, or lack of greeting.