Summary - Reader is hired as Ruben's assistant nurse after receiving head trauma during a football game. He has fallen into a deep depression on his road to recovery and does not accept much help from Reader as she only reminds him of how incapable he is.

Enjoy!

The weekend with Ruben went well. To your surprise he didn't give you much trouble. Nevertheless, you yearned for Max's return. However, you were surprised by the fact that he wasn't pleased with your work.

"Did you do anything on the list apart from giving Ruben his shots?"

"What do you mean?" You asked. He had barged into your room on Monday morning, crimson red in the face.

"Y/N, you're supposed to help with Ruben's exercises while I'm gone, how else is he supposed to get back to full fitness?"

You were left dumbfounded. Nevertheless, you felt guilty for being inadequate. Thankfully Max was a good guy, who really seemed to care for Ruben. He let you tag along for their walks that week, showing exactly what light exercises that were appropriate for someone in Ruben's position.

"The doctors say it's good exercise for his brain. But for someone with Ruben's background I want to make it a bit more of a challenge for him." Max walked backwards ahead of you and Ruben. He carried two tennis balls in his hands, shouting, "On your left." and threw a ball to the left of Ruben.

Ruben then caught the ball with one hand and tossed it back to Max without having to pause his walking. Mind you that Ruben did this while blindfolded.

"On your right."

He caught the next ball too, with Max determined not to make it easy for him.

"On your left."

"On your left."

"Right."

"Right"

"Left."

It was a bizarre sight for anyone passing by, but for Max and Ruben it seemed to be a fun activity that they both enjoyed, exhausted by it in the end.

"One more time," Ruben said, still gasping for air.

"Nah, I think that's enough for today."

"Come on Max, throw them to me one more time. I can do it."

"Ruben." You said, voice concerned. He was not only struggling with his breathing, but his body shivered even though it was a pretty hot summer day.

"Let's take a seat." Max said and guided Ruben to one of the park benches. There you checked his heart rate by pressing a finger to his throat, feeling how his vein pulsated beneath you.

"I'm fine." Ruben grunted.

"Your heartbeat is above average."

"So? We just did physical activity, it's normal."

"Maybe for a sixty year old."

"What did you call me?"

You mumbled the last words. "Ruben I just think you should take it easier the next time."

"Well you're not my physio, I'm not listening to you."

"I agree with Y/N." Max said, looking at you, nodding his head.

"Great, that's great. Are you happy now?" Ruben turned to you and for a moment you believed to see his lip quiver.

"I think it's time that we headed back." Max said, helping Ruben stand up from the bench. He seemed surprisingly disoriented, holding onto Max as you walked back home. The two of them disappeared into Ruben's room, leaving you clueless to what actually happened in the park.

You had trouble sleeping that night, thinking about Ruben and how upset he got not being allowed to continue his physical activity. However, it was an odd thing to be upset about. Anyone in his condition would have welcomed rest, but not Ruben. And what was it Max said about Ruben's background? What did he use to do for a living before his accident?

You reached for the light beside your bed, pulling out your phone from your pillow. You googled the name Ruben Dias and was surprised to see a picture of Ruben pop up in the search bar before you even finished typing in all the letters.

"No fucking way...."

A loud thud from somewhere in the house almost made you drop your phone.

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

You slipped out of bed to check out the noise, but seeing as all the lights were off in the apartment, you immediately assumed the worst and grabbed a knife off the kitchen counter.

"I have a knife!" You announced, approaching the hallway where you thought the noise had come from.

"Oh, my God, Ruben."

He lay on the floor, half of his body inside of the bathroom.

"What happened?"

You fell onto your knees, pressing your hand to his face in search of wounds.

"Y/N?" He mumbled.

"Yes, yes, I'm here." You said, wondering if Ruben had been sleeping walking on his way to the toilet.

"Shit I can't see. Wait, let me turn on the light."

"No!"

You had gotten up from the bathroom floor, but was pulled back down by two strong arms.

"Ruben?"

"Please." He said. "Not the light, my eyes."

It was amazing how you hadn't noticed with your hands had been pressed to his face. Ruben wasn't wearing the bandage that covered his eyes. It made sense that he slept without it, nevertheless, you didn't expect to see him like this, his eyes big in the night, staring blankly at you like dark pearls from the depths of the sea.

"Ruben, I should go get Max." You said, quite mesmerized by his gaze. You could tell that he was trying to make out the contours of your face as it was his first time seeing you and you him.

"I'm fine." He said. "It's just my body...it gets like this sometimes."

"At least let me help you up from the floor." You tugged at his arms and were surprised to find him complying by lifting them up. You managed to get him on his knees, Ruben then draped his arm over your shoulders.

"Jesus, you weigh a ton."

"I take that as a complement."

"I'm sure you do."

You reached for the bathroom door, wanting to push it open, when Ruben nudged your body in the other direction.

"Y/N, I have to..."

"What?"

He looked over your shoulder, towards the toilet.

"I have to go."

"Oh."

As a nurse, the need to urinate should be a natural phenomenon to you. However, holding on to Ruben while he did it really challenged your training.

The warmth of his torso pressing against yours, along with the smell of him, it was all too much.

"I'm really sorry about this."

"Please stop talking" You pleaded.

Nothing could quite drown out the sound of flowing liquid hitting water. Although Ruben could be considered a gentleman for aiming at the side of the bowl to dim the noise. Nevertheless, this was happening, you were helping a grown man urinate, a man whose eyes were visible at night and wouldn't stop staring at your face as if the words "look at me" were written across your forehead.

"There, all done." He sighed.

"Great."

He went to wash his hands as you stood beside him in case he would fall. You then escorted him back to his bedroom, helping Ruben back into his bed.

"Thank you." He said, embarrassment in his tone. "I didn't mean for any of this. I thought I could make it to the bathroom on my own."

"It's okay, Ruben. It's a part of my job."

"Right, your job." He looked like he wanted to tell you something else, but ultimately changed his mind.

"I should go back to my room."

He nodded. " Of course, thank you Y/N."

"Goodnight, Ruben."

That night you went to bed dreaming about dark pearls from the depths of the sea. You went to bed dreaming about the most handsome pair of eyes you've ever seen.

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