[Private Room, Auclair Family Hospital - Two weeks later]
I had never hated hospital gowns more in my life.
"Finally," I muttered, running a hand through my hair as I buttoned up my shirt slowly. Too slowly. My movements still felt annoyingly stiff, but I was determined not to ask for help.
Two weeks.
Two weeks of white walls, whispered check-ins, endless meds, physical therapy and being reminded every five minutes that I almost died.
Haruka stood nearby, arms folded, watching me like a hawk.
"You know, if you pull that stitch open again for the sake of pride, I will drag you back into that bed and stitch it myself. And you'll be staying here with me for another week."
I glanced over, smirking faintly. "Kinky."
He didn't flinch. "Don't tempt me. You're not ready for that kind of pain."
"Fair."
I sat down slowly on the hospital bed, breathing through the stretch of healing muscles in my chest. The pain wasn't sharp anymore, more of a dull, constant pressure, but it reminded me that I was still on borrowed energy.
Chris walked in a moment later with the discharge file in hand, his coat unbuttoned and coffee half-finished.
"You're clear to leave," he announced. "But under strict instructions… no stress, no lifting, no running, no fights…"
"No saving Haruka from psychotic bastards alone."
Chris narrowed his eyes. "Especially that."
Haruka made a show of checking the bag of meds. "You've got painkillers, antibiotics, iron supplements, and enough restriction to make a monk complain."
"Monks don't get stabbed in the aorta."
Haruka looked over his shoulder. "Depends on which century you're asking about."
Chris sighed like he was too tired to deal with both of us. "Just go home. Rest. No heroics. And if I hear you're checking emails or holding meetings…"
"I'm not even allowed to climb stairs without supervision."
"Good. Because you're not invisible."
"Yet."
Haruka shook his head with an exasperated smile.
Chris signed the last of the paperwork, handed me the envelope, and patted my shoulder lightly. "Glad you made it, Levi. Go be normal for a while. Heal."
"Normal," I repeated. "That's going to be weird."
[Later - Haruka's Penthouse]
We're in front of Haruka's place right now. If you're curious about why I'm here instead of my place, that's because I'm being stubborn as always. Insisted on following him, getting his things, even when he told me to head home first.
[Author's note: Haruka will be staying at Levi's place to help him with home recovery. And Haruka asked Ray to take care of the kittens later when he's not there.]
Okay, back to Levi's POV
I had barely made it past the front door before two kittens leapt out from under the coffee table.
"Oh god… now… watch the stitches." I braced myself against the wall as the Ha-chan headbutted my ankle.
Haruka swooped in instantly. "No, no, no… absolutely not!" He scooped up both fluffy culprits and glared at them like they understood. "He's injured. You can't jump him like that."
They meowed in protest. Loudly.
"They missed me," I said, slowly lowering myself onto the couch. "Can't blame them."
Haruka dropped them onto his lap instead, sighing, then gently adjusted a pillow behind my back. "They almost reopened your stitches."
"A small price to pay for loyalty."
"You're ridiculous."
"You love it."
He didn't argue.
Instead, he handed me a glass of water, sat beside me and let out a long breath. I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment. The scent of ginger tea lingered in the air. The warmth of the place wrapped around me like a soft blanket.
It didn't feel like a stopover.
It felt like home.
"You're really here." Haruka said quietly.
I turned my head towards him. "Yeah. Thanks to you."
He was silent for a moment, then leaned in and kissed my temple gently.
"You're not allowed to scare me like that again."
"No promises."
"Levi."
I smirked. "I'll try."
We both laughed softly.
The kittens curled between us on the couch. Warm, purring, oblivious to everything except the peace in the room.
After a few moments, I looked over at him and opened my mouth.
"So… while you're playing live-in nurse at my place," I said, voice casual. "Who's going to take care of these two little demons?"
Haruka blinked, then grinned.
"Already handled. I asked Ray."
I stared at him. "Ray?"
"He said no at first," Haruka replied, stroking one of the kitten's ears. "But then the smaller one climbed his leg, and the other curled up on his coat pocket. He didn't say anything after that."
I snorted. "Let me guess. He accepted his fate in dignified silence?"
"More like muttering 'this is hell' and walking off with them like a resigned single father."
I laughed. Real and deep, even if it hurts my ribs just a little."
"Good. They'll whip him into shape."
Haruka nudged my arm. "Come on. We've got a few weeks of you pretending to follow doctor's orders. I should finish packing."
"Right. I'll just sit here and play with the babies, then." I said, patting both of the furry babies.
"I'd expect nothing less. But don't be too extreme." With that, Haruka left for his room.
[30 Minutes Later]
We were back at the door again. Haruka dragging a suitcase, and me doing my best impression of someone who actually obeys medical guidelines.
He sighed, then took my hand gently.
"Let's go home."
"Yeah, let's go."
I said, and then we said our goodbyes to the fur babies.
//SKIP//
[Levi's POV - Levi's Mansion (Few Days Later]
I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than a book.
That included grocery bags, closed jars, and laundry bags, and apparently, I need to ask for his permission to even get up from my bed.
"Don't even think about getting out of bed without me."
Haruka's voice came from the hallway, just before the bedroom door swung open. He held a tray of breakfast, meds, a thermos, and one very judgemental expression.
"I swear," I muttered, eyeing the tray he just brought in. "I'm recovering from surgery, not cursed with fragile bones."
"You almost died."
"Three weeks ago."
"Your sternum hasn't been forgotten."
He set the tray on the bedside table and handed me a mug. The scent hit first. Warm honey lemon tea, just the way I liked it. He didn't say anything, but I noticed the bruise-like shadows under his eyes.
"You've barely slept."
"I sleep when you sleep."
"Then you've slept what? A grand total of…"
"Ten hours for 4 days. Yes, thank you for noticing."
I sighed, sipping the tea. "You don't have to hover like I'm made of glass."
"No. You're made of healing vascular tissue, which tears like paper when stressed."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
He smirked. "Only slightly."
[Later That Day - At The Kitchen]
I insisted on going downstairs.
It wasn't like I was planning to run a marathon. I just wanted to cook something. One simple dish. Just for normalcy.
Haruka hovered the entire time.
"I said like activities, Levi. Not frying over an open flame."
"It's a gas stove. Not a war zone."
"You literally winced when you lifted the skillet."
"It slipped. Not my sternum."
I cracked eggs one-handed slowly and added milk with measured care. Haruka stood behind me with his arms crossed, ready to intervene, like I was defusing a bomb.
I turned slightly, catching his reflection in the stainless steel backsplash.
"You know, if you keep glaring at me like that, the eggs might curdle out in fear."
He didn't respond. Just stepped closer and reached around me, gently guiding my hand as I whisked.
Silence.
Warmth.
His chest pressed lightly against my back. His hand over mine. No rush. No words.
"...You're stubborn." He said softly.
I tilted my head back a little, resting against his shoulder. "Takes one to love one."
//SKIP//
[Levi's Mansion - Week Two of Recovery]
The rain had stopped an hour ago, but the air still smelled like wet earth and rosemary from the garden outside. I sat on the living room sofa, blanket over my lap, trying to look comfortable, but truthfully, I was fidgeting.
Not because of the pain.
But because she was coming.
Haruka was arranging tea with that quiet precision of his, moving through the kitchen like he was in surgery again. Focus. Intent.
"Are you nervous?" He asked without looking up.
I blinked. "Should I be?"
He glanced over his shoulder. "You get this weird look on your face every time you're meeting my mother."
"That's because your mother is… intimidating."
"She likes you."
"She also has the emotional x-ray vision of a hawk. I can't lie to her even if I wanted to."
Haruka smirked. "Then don't lie."
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. Punctual, as expected.
Haruka wiped his hands, gave me a once-over (like he was checking for any trace of blood or rebellion), then went to open the door.
And there she was.
Haruka's mother, Madam Auclair.
Regal as always in a pale grey coat, hair pinned elegantly, and eyes sharp but warm. She stepped inside with practised grace, and her gaze landed on me immediately.
"Levi." She said gently.
I stood. Slowly, but before I could finish straightening, she moved forward.
Her arms came around me before I could react.
A soft, careful hug. But a real one.
"You should be resting," she murmured. "Not standing on my account."
"I'm fine." I said, voice a little quieter than usual.
She pulled back, studying my face. "You looked better than I feared."
I gave a half smile. "Haruka's been… persistent."
"Good. He gets that from me."
Haruka appeared beside us with the tea tray, and she sat gracefully across from us. The silence was calm, the kind that didn't demand to be filled.
And then, she turned to me.
"Levi."
I met her gaze.
"Thank you," she said, voice firm. "For saving my son."
I didn't know what to say at first.
She wasn't saying it like a grateful mother. She was saying it like someone who knew the weight of that moment. Who had watched someone she loved nearly bleed out before.
"You don't have to thank me," I murmured. "I couldn't… I wouldn't let anything happen to him."
Her eyes softened, but her voice carried more weight now.
"This is the second time," she said, and for a moment, I froze.
"The second time you rescued and protected my son. Even when it broke you."
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
She looked between us, then set down her teacup. "I know how difficult this life can be. How lonely. But if there's one thing I believe in… it's the bond the two of you share."
Haruka looked away slightly, clearly embarrassed.
She smiled faintly. "He loves you more deeply than he admits. And I see the way you look at him too, Levi. You would burn the world to keep him breathing."
I looked down at the steam rising from my own cup. "I almost did."
Her voice was lower now, almost a whisper. "And if you ever feel like the world's trying to take that love from you… You come to me. I'll stand beside you."
Haruka blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Mother…"
She reached over and placed her hand on mine. Her touch was light but firm. Just like my mother's had once been.
"I may not have given birth to you, Levi. And I couldn't even help you when your mother left," she said. "But I have watched you grow even from a distance. You are part of this family now. You always were."
I swallowed hard. "I don't know what to say."
She smiled. "Then don't. Just keep protecting Haru-chan. And let him protect you, too."
I didn't say anything.
I just nodded, because for the first time after my mother left, I finally understood what it meant to belong.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!