VriXian AU Compilation [ Part 1 ]

UWMA 2

***

The hospital, with its antiseptic smell and its never-ending beeping of machines, became a strange world where time seemed to slow down. Kung ibang tao, baka hindi na kinaya ito. But these two are different. Vrix and Christian, though in different rooms, were both trapped in that world of pain and uncertainty, but there was something comforting about the quiet bond that had started to form between them.

The nurses, Fruiittie and Nics, began to notice it—how Vrix would slip into Christian's room at the same time every day, just to sit there in silence. It wasn't like the visits from other patients or visitors who would chatter to fill the awkward, uncomfortable air. No. Vrix would just come in, sit at the edge of the bed, and watch Christian with a look that wasn't filled with pity or sorrow, but something gentler. It was like a silent understanding that filled the space between them. They didn't need to talk. Just being near each other was enough.

Christian, at first, felt hesitant. His body was fragile, breaking down little by little, and he was used to people treating him like he was made of glass. But Vrix was different. He didn't ask Christian to speak when he couldn't. He didn't look at him like he was a dying man, even though Christian knew deep down he was. Vrix just... was. And that was enough.

The pain was always there, gnawing at them, reminding them that neither of them had much time left. Christian's cancer had spread, and every day it took a little more from him. His once strong body was now frail, his face drawn and pale. The only thing that remained unchanged were his eyes—those eyes that still held a kind of warmth, even in the face of so much suffering.

And then there was Vrix, who had his own battle to fight. His heart condition had him tethered to this hospital, his own breath always just a little too shallow, his heart beating a little too slowly. Every step he took felt like it was dragging him deeper into a world he wasn't sure he wanted to be in anymore. But somehow, when he was near Christian, the pain didn't seem as sharp. It was still there, of course, but it was quieter, more bearable.

One afternoon, as the sun cast a soft light through the window, Vrix stepped into Christian's room once more. He was pale, a little unsteady on his feet, but his eyes were calm. Christian, who was sitting propped up in bed, turned his head slowly to look at him. The familiar silence between them settled in, but there was no discomfort, no awkwardness. Just the steady rhythm of their breathing filling the space.

Christian gave him a weak smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're always here," he said, his voice faint, the words soft and heavy.

Vrix nodded, sitting down beside him. His voice was barely more than a whisper, "I don't mind. Just... just being here is enough. If you need me to go, I will."

Christian shook his head, his eyes closing for a moment as he exhaled shakily. "I don't want you to go," he whispered back, his voice thick with unspoken emotion. "It's just... it's hard. You know? Every day it's harder."

Vrix didn't respond right away. There were no words that could make it better. He just reached over, carefully placing his hand on Christian's, a simple gesture, but it felt like everything in that moment. Christian looked at their hands, his fingers curling weakly around Vrix's, and he let out a soft, shaky breath. It was like the weight of everything—the cancer, the pain, the fear—eased just a little, just for a moment.

Fruiittie, who had been watching from the doorway, smiled softly to herself. She knew what was happening between them. It wasn't the usual hospital visit. It was something deeper, something real. She saw the way Christian's shoulders seemed to relax when Vrix was around, and how Vrix's tired eyes softened whenever he was near the other man. It was a connection born out of shared pain, out of an understanding that words weren't always needed.

Nics, who was the more outspoken of the two nurses, had started to talk to Fruiittie about it during their shifts. "It's nice, isn't it?" she asked quietly, glancing over at the two men who hadn't spoken a word for the past few minutes. "They've got something special, even if they don't say it. They don't need to."

Fruiittie nodded, her eyes soft. "Yes. They're both broken in their own way, but when they're together... it's like they heal each other, even just a little."

Meanwhile, Christian's doctor, Dr. Shang, came by for his regular checkup, his usual calm demeanor hiding the weight of the bad news he was about to share. He examined Christian quietly, tapping his chart as he jotted down notes. "How are we feeling today?" he asked, his tone professional but gentle.

Christian, who was too exhausted to lie, simply shrugged. "Same. Just... tired."

Dr. Shang looked at him, a flicker of sadness crossing his face, but he quickly masked it. "You know, Christian, we'll keep pushing for treatment. We'll do everything we can."

But they both knew the truth. The treatments were no longer working. Christian's body was shutting down, bit by bit.

As Dr. Shang left, Vrix could see the defeat in Christian's eyes. He wanted to say something—anything—to make him feel better, but he knew there was nothing. So instead, he simply said, "I'm here. You're not alone, okay?"

Christian turned his head to him, his voice a faint whisper. "You've been here every day... and it's the only thing keeping me going. It's the only thing that makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, I'll make it through."

But neither of them truly believed that. They both knew that the hospital, the sterile white walls, and the endless noise of the machines were the final battlegrounds in their fight for life. But in each other, they found the smallest of comforts, the briefest of moments where the pain didn't feel so all-consuming.

Outside the room, Nics and Fruiittie watched from a distance, seeing the bond grow, knowing that despite the inevitable, there was still something beautiful about their connection. Even though Vrix and Christian were both clinging to life with shaking hands, they had found something that many people never would—a connection in the most unlikely of places, between two people who didn't need to speak to understand each other.

And in those moments, that was enough. Just being near each other was enough.