Ravan's POV
An irritating beeping was coming from beside me. My heavy eyelids refused to open. I tried to move my fingers, to make sure I was alive.
All I could feel was the coarse linen on the bed I was lying on and a strong smell of the Apple flavoured Dettol cleaner, that left me longing for slices of apple.
I had no idea where I was; all I could remember were Rowan's hypnotic eyes as my head dropped and my body went numb.
Maybe I was in the sick bay, but that didn't explain the infuriating noise. Too loud and too soft all at the same time.
I could hear it growing faster with the rhythm of my heart but soon I wasn't able to hear it over the white noise in my brain.
Likewise, I didn't hear anyone come in, but I did feel a strong veiny hand suddenly encircle my wrist, rubbing circles with their thumb to soothe me. There was another warm hand gently caressing my forehead.
I wasn't sure who it was, but I was sure that I felt safe with them.
Once I had calmed down I realised that against my eyelids there was a bright light, littering my vision with rainbow dots and patterns.
It was at that moment that I tried to open my eyes, but I didn't think that the lights would actually be so bright, so I quickly shut them again.
In the split second that my eyes were open, I saw a sliver of elegant, pure silver hair.
Straight away, I knew who it was, but I couldn't believe he was actually here. He didn't notice my eyes had opened, so that was a good thing.
Someone else walked into the room soon after I had shut my eyes. I heard the door bang closed after them.
The person must have gestured to Rylan because I felt his fingers leave my hand and head. For some reason that upset me.
I heard parts of their hushed conversation. The person who was not Rylan said something about me having been poisoned, which was why I was here. Wherever here was.
Rylan seemed to really despise this as I heard a slight growl erupt from his chest like rumbling earthquakes before a massive seismic event, and the other person scrambled out of the room. Knocking over what must have been a cart with a drink on it. The liquid ran out of the cup before splashing down onto the floor.
Rylan made his way back to me, his feet scuffling against the ground.
He began to whisper something to me, not realising I was half awake.
"Please Ravan, please be okay. I'm sorry I let you get hurt. I promise it won't happen again, I'll make sure you're safe, I promise." he lingered by my bedside after his confession before standing and making his way out of the room.
As soon as I heard the door close, I opened my eyes. The setting I now recognised as a Hospital ward was quiet and lonely.
I looked around for a source of colour or life to break up the depressing shades of white and grey, and my eyes landed on a box in an achingly familiar shade of yellow. The lego flower kit had a sticky note on it that told me it was from Rylan.
I reached over and picked up the box, hearing the bricks inside clink together comfortingly. It was nice of him to think of me like this after all the drama, and I smiled to myself as I reflected on this new side of him that had emerged.
Suddenly, the door creaked open again and saw Gael Gay's static pose silhouetted against the bright artificial light of the hallway.
"Hey RayRay, are you feeling any better? You gave us a good old heart attack back there. I thought it was an iron deficiency episode, but your blood pressure went up which is not a symptom," he said.
"W-what a-are you doing here Gael, r-remember we a-aren't friends." I managed to get out, my voice scraping against my hoarse throat. His face immediately dropped.
"I was hoping we could put that behind us, considering you almost died. I've missed you terribly. I know you're now best friends with Marqus' sister, but I can't help but be jealous of her. No matter how much I showed you I cared, you ignored me, and Muun is just using you." He folded his arms and fixed me with a piercing stare.
I was stunned, I couldn't understand why he would choose to tell me this while asking to be friends again. Something was wrong with his brain, so it was a good thing we were in the hospital.
I couldn't lie though, I did miss him an inordinate amount too. Despite trying to rid my mind of him, there was always a nagging thought about how I treated him unfairly.
I pointed at the cup of water that had just been spilled, gesturing for him to refill it and pass it to me. He complied.
With the water in my hand, there was a small thought at the back of my mind, scared that I would be poisoned again. I took a wary sip to wash away the lingering trauma response before replying.
"I miss you too Gael but I can't be friends with you when you continue to belittle me and the people I choose to spend my time with. I think you need to leave." I tried to make my tone as final as I could, but my traitorous voice still shook on the last word.
"B-B-but RayRay, I-" Gael looked as though he was on the edge of tears, but I gave no response so he turned around and walked out of the hospital.
As I lay in bed some more, I was confused as to why my own boyfriend hadn't come to visit me. Yet his boyfriend had?
Just as that thought was about to stress me out, Rowan walked in. His iridescent eyes sparkled with worry.
"Babe, are you okay do you need anything would you like more water?" He rushed out before coming to my side and kissing my cheek lovingly. His soft lips like the kiss of the sea breeze danced across my skin refreshingly.
I smiled at him comfortingly, "It's okay. I'll be fine."
"But my water bottle- It poisoned you- I feel horrible, I swear I didn't know!" He seemed distressed and I quickly reassured him.
Other confessions rose to the edge of speaking, and I had to restrain myself from letting them loose. Like feral horses, they would run wild before I could reel them in again.
For a moment my mind was at war. Should I tell him about the threats, Grus, and all of it, or should I keep it a secret?
In the end I decided to say nothing.