A Different Script

The First Calm

The room shifts again - not physically, but in the way the air settles. Softer. Warmer. Like something heavy finally slid off the table.

Aqua drifts into sleep, but it's not the restless kind he had before. No twitching fingers. No furrowed brows. Just steady breaths, a faint calm settling over him like he finally stopped fighting something inside his own head.

I sit there, unmoving, barely breathing. Because if I move, I'll break whatever spell this moment has.

His hair falls over his forehead again - stubborn as always. I reach up without thinking, gently brushing it aside. My fingers barely graze his skin.

He doesn't wake. But... he reacts.

Just slightly. His eyebrows relax. His jaw unclenches. Like my touch settles him.

It shouldn't mean this much. But it does.

A soft knock breaks the quiet.

I flinch, turning sharply - ready to glare at whoever dared interrupt this moment - but it's just Akane, peeking through the door.

Her voice is a whisper. "The doctor wanted to check his vitals. But I told him to wait a few minutes."

I blink. "Why?"

"Because..." She smiles faintly. Not smug. Not jealous. Just... knowing. "You needed this."

I look away. "It's not-"

"You don't have to explain anything," she says gently, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She moves quietly, like she's afraid to disturb the air around him. "He looks better already."

I nod. Because he does. Because for the first time in days, something feels stable.

Akane comes closer, stopping on the other side of the bed. She studies Aqua for a long moment, her expression soft but sharp - like she's analyzing every detail, storing it all away.

"He's changed," she murmurs. "Even from this morning."

"...Yeah."

Something flickers in her eyes. Respect. Relief. Maybe even a little awe. Aqua has that effect on people - even when he's unconscious. Even when he's broken.

She looks at me next.

"You should rest too," she says. "You look exhausted."

"I will," I lie.

She raises an eyebrow but doesn't call me out - which almost makes it worse.

"We're all glad he woke up," she adds softly. "Especially you."

The words hit a place I wasn't ready for. My throat tightens again.

Akane steps back, hand on the door handle. "I'll give you more time. Just call me if you need anything."

"Akane," I say before she slips out.

She pauses.

"...Thank you."

Her smile is tiny but genuine. "Of course."

The door clicks shut again.

Silence returns - but it's different now. Not empty. Not lonely. Just... steady.

Aqua shifts slightly, his face turning a little toward me even while asleep. Almost like instinct pulls him my way.

Something in my chest cracks open.

I lean back in the chair, exhaling for what feels like the first time in hours. My hand drifts back toward the bed, fingers resting lightly on the blanket.