◈A D R I A N◈

Tick tick tick.

The sense of dread grew heavier as my eyes followed the minute hand on the white face of a plain clock ticking closer to the number twelve.

Ten more minutes and I would be out in the wild for Damon to hunt. There would be no reason for me to remain in the hospital.

No.

I would probably be back here sooner than expected. Except, this time, my body would lay on a cold steel bed in the morgue rather than a ward.

I burrowed my face in the cradle of my chilled, sweaty palms. An almost hysterical laugh escaped my dry lips at the thought of that. The irony in this was as laughable as a dead man's joke.

"Thinking about something funny? I bet you're itching to get out from this depressing room, huh?" Helga asked, having misunderstood my laughter for something jovial. I looked up to see her placing a stack of freshly washed clothes on the table on my side.

I recognized the clothes to be mine. The threadbare sweater with familiar loose strands circling the sleeves was hard to be missed.

"Thanks," I muttered absentmindedly.

She gave a sad smile. "Is there really no one to pick you up? I can give your mom a call if you want."

I shook my head vigorously. "It's fine, really. She's really busy. I'll be fine on my own."

Helga didn't look convinced but I got up immediately and grabbed the clothes before she could say anything.

"I need to get changed," I said and held up the clothes, hoping she would get the drift and leave me alone to mull things over.

"Right. I'll leave you to that," she relented and left the room.

Sighing, I dropped the clothes on the bed and started to unbutton the shirt. My exposed skin pebbled in the chill air and I hurriedly pulled the sweater down my head. The faint throb on my chest forced me to slow down and be careful as I shrugged my arms through the sleeves.

Helga knocked on the door when I was zipping up my jeans. "Are you decent yet?" A hint of humour was evident in her tone.

I jumped and my fingers fumbled with the loop, fearing she would barge in any time soon.

"Just a minute," I yelled and breathed out in relief when the button obediently fastened in its loop. "I'm decent now."

The door pushed open and a head with salt and pepper hair popped in. Helga smiled and held up a notable white box with green polka dots.

"No way," I breathed out excitedly.

Her smile grew wider at my excitement. "I thought a little sugar might give you a boost of positivity."

I took the box and quickly opened the lid. Six glistening doughnuts nestled enticingly within the box. Peanuts, chocolate glazing and sprinkles! My stomach growled eagerly at such a delicious sight.

Helga looked at me expectantly so I pushed my shyness aside and picked up my favourite, a chocolate glazed doughnut with rainbow sprinkles on it.

The chocolate was as decadent as I expected it to be. The sprinkles gave a delightful crunch that complimented the soft dough. I moaned at the taste and blushed afterwards when Helga chuckled at my dramatic expression.

I gulped the last bite down my throat and suddenly felt emotional. "Thank you."

"Oh come here, you sweet boy," she gushed and pulled me into a warm hug. I winced at her strength but stayed in her embrace. I haven't felt such warmth in my life and I wasn't going to let some pain get in my way to bask in it.

Helga released me and gave a watery smile, "Be safe."

I returned her smile but didn't say anything because she didn't deserve my lies or worry for an unrelated boy.

✴

I was feeling as skittish as a frightened cat. Standing in front of the hospital entrance, I was afraid to take another step forward. I didn't want to lose my circle of protection but I couldn't possibly camp out here for the rest of my life.

The helplessness I felt was starting to drive me nuts. I've been afraid all my life and look where it got me to. A dank corner with my back pressed tightly against it.

I gripped on the box tightly that it crumpled a little under my force. I decided I would cower no more. If god had plan death for me then so be it, I'll greet the Grim Reaper with a smile.

Helga was right, a little sugar could spread positivity. Feeling better and less afraid, my feet carried myself further from the sanctuary and towards a place my heart longed to be.

The route to Logan's workshop was so deeply imprinted in my mind that I was convinced I could find my way here blindfolded. However, my steps faltered to a stop right at the corner to his workshop.

Doubt and guilt started to bubble in my guts. I owed him an apology for being an ungrateful prick. Hell, I didn't think I thanked him too after all the kindness he showed me.

"Ugh," I groaned and sank to my feet in a squat. "I'm a horrible person," I admitted and dropped my head in shame.

Deep in my thoughts, I didn't hear the approaching footsteps until a pair of beaten boots entered my vision.

"If you're gonna take a shit, do it in your house," a gruff voice spoke.

My head perked up and saw Logan staring coolly down at me. Startled, I jumped to my feet without a second thought and regretted immediately when a sharp pain stabbed below my ribs.

I groaned out loud and my face paled instantly. Sweat began to bead on my forehead despite the bone-freezing wind. Since Logan's workshop was situated at the end of a long alley surrounded by tall buildings, the alley functioned as a wind tunnel and a slight breeze would amplify to ten times its strength by the time it reached us.

Logan sighed and hooked my left arm around his neck much to my surprise. He acted like a crutch as he took half of my weight and slowly led us to his shop. I gripped on the box of doughnuts tightly against my chest when a man hurried to us.

"What happened?" he asked and I recognized him from the time I came looking for Logan only to find him reacquainting with his ex-wife.

What was his name again? Max?

He was quick to open the door to the partitioned room and swiveled a chair for me to sit. Recognition dawned on him when he saw my face. "Hey, it's you."

"Yeah," I gasped out as I slowly leaned against the chair.

However, Logan wasn't in the mood for a merry get-together though. He slumped on his own chair on the other side of the table.

"Mike, can you get hold of Bones for me? The fucking compressor is acting up again," Logan grumbled.

"Sure thing. I'll get the healer," Mike replied with a grin.

He left us alone and without missing a beat, Logan turned to me and barked, "Why are you here?"

I flinched at his tone but feigned ignorance and placed the doughnuts on the table. "It's the weekend. I'm here to help out."

Logan's brows raised high and the creases crisscrossing his forehead became more prominent. "Are you shitting me right now?"

"Repayment," I simply stated. I wanted to shrug but since the doctor advised against excessive movements, I settled for a helpless smile. "Did you forget about it?"

"No. But I didn't know I made myself out to be a first grade asshole to ask someone who just had a broken rib and a sprained wrist to help out," Logan gritted out.

I swallowed nervously. My joke was definitely lost on him since he clearly wasn't in the mood for a laugh.

I held my hands up as a sign of surrender. "I'm just kidding. This is the real compenstion," I explained and pushed the box nearer to him.

His gaze dropped to the white and green box and grunted.

"I'm sorry...and thank you," I began. Logan's eyes widened slightly in interest.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you back in the hospital. What you said was right. I didn't know how I fucked things up so badly. I just-I panicked and before I know it, things went downhill," I continued in a rush before I lose my guts and clam up again.

"My brain isn't capable of making wise decisions. It's kinda retarded in case you haven't find that out yet," a nervous laugh broke out to mask my embarrassment.

Logan remained quiet in his seat with a blank expression.

"What I meant was...I'm sorry for troubling you all the time. I promise I'll make it up to you. Cleaning the workshop or doing laundry, anything. I'll do anything for you," I proclaimed earnestly.

"Those are big words," he commented. His rough fingers pulled the box closer and flipped the lid open. He smirked at the missing doughnut and picked a plain icing one.

"I'll take you up on that," he said before taking a bite.

✈

Author's note

It's the middle of the night and I'm craving for doughnuts.

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{Song: little light one by flor}