Adrian
Today was supposed to be ordinary.
I had planned everything—down to the smallest detail.
Spend the night with Maxen—my boyfriend.
Attend the charity event together.
Wrap up the dinner meeting with Mr. Gavin and his wife.
Come home.
Fall asleep with Maxen in my arms.
And tomorrow—well, today now—he would meet my family.
But fate had other plans.
It always does.
Adrian sighed, his gaze drifting to the pale figure beside him.
Maxen's face—usually composed, guarded, quietly expressive—was now shattered with a pain so raw it made Adrian's chest ache.
It was the kind of heartbreak you couldn't fix with words.
You could only sit beside it.
And hope your presence was enough to hold someone together when they were falling apart.
"Maxen," I said softly, walking over to where he sat beside Ryan's hospital bed.
Two hours.
That's how long we've been here.
And in all that time, Ryan hadn't stirred—not even once.
Just the quiet beeping of machines, the faint rise and fall of his chest, and Maxen's silent vigil.
Dr. Sean had been in and out, reassuring us that Ryan was stable but unconscious. Still, Maxen refused to move.
Refused to blink his eyes.
Refused to rest.
He wouldn't even sit on the small cot they'd brought in for him.
"Maxen," I repeated, kneeling beside his chair this time. "Please. At least lie down on the bed they provided. You need to sleep, even for a little while. I'll wake you the second he opens his eyes. I promise."
He didn't look at me right away. His eyes stayed fixed on Ryan, unreadable—haunted.
I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands were clenched in his lap like he was holding himself together by sheer will.
"Max," I murmured again, placing my hand gently over his.
His fingers twitched under my own.
"You won't be any help to him if you fall apart," I whispered. "Let me take care of you. Just for a moment."
He turned toward me—and then he hugged me.
Silently, he wept into my chest, his fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt like he was afraid to let go.
"It's okay, Xen," I whispered, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "Let it all out. I'm here, and I will walk this journey with you."
It was like those words unlocked something inside him—some hidden dam he'd been holding back for hours.
His sobs came freely then, raw and quiet but powerful. And I—
I followed.
Because when someone you love is in pain, how can you not feel it too?
We stayed like that for about ten minutes, clinging to each other in silence and tears, until I realized…
he had gone quiet.
He had finally fallen asleep in my arms.
Yesterday into today—it had been brutal.
The emotional weight of the past 24 hours would break even the strongest person.
Maxen deserved at least a moment of peace.
I gently lifted him and carried him to the cot the nurses had set up. He didn't stir as I laid him down, brushing a few strands of hair away from his face.
"Just rest," I murmured, "even if it's just for 30 minutes."
I glanced toward Ryan's motionless form in the hospital bed and sighed.
I know it's selfish, but I hope he doesn't wake up just yet.
Not until Maxen has at least a little more time to breathe.
Quietly, I stepped out into the hallway and pulled out my phone.
I texted Mom and Dad:
"Hey, we won't make it to breakfast today. Something came up. I'll explain later."
Then I messaged Roderick and Rahel too, keeping it simple, keeping it vague—just enough to let them know I wouldn't be showing up as planned.
As I stepped back inside to check on Maxen, I heard a voice behind me.
"Adrian?"
I turned. Dr. Sean approached with a tired but gentle smile.
"You're Maxen's friend, right?"
"Boyfriend," I corrected calmly.
"Oh—right. My bad," he said with a slightly awkward chuckle.
He adjusted his clipboard. "I just wanted to let you know—you can go home, freshen up, get some rest. Come back around noon, or I'll call you once Ryan wakes up. You look tired."
I shook my head. "Don't worry. We'll wait. Maxen won't leave his friend behind unless Ryan opens his eyes."
Dr. Sean studied me for a second, then nodded. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He sighed lightly. "Alright then. My shift is ending soon, so I'll hand everything over to the next attending. Don't worry—she's one of the best. Please cooperate with her, okay?"
"Of course," I said. "And… thank you for the cot."
He smiled. "Anytime."
With that, he turned and walked off down the hallway.
I glanced back at Maxen, still fast asleep on the cot beside Ryan's bed.
But of course, the universe had different plans.
And today, it seemed set on frustrating mine.
Because just then, Ryan's machine started beeping—loud, insistent, irregular.
My breath caught.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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