Work Text:
The polluted air in Stellis isn’t something to marvel about, but you have grown to just ignore it after living there for years. Walking to work, you notice all the nice cars passing by, envying its owners because it must be real nice to not have to walk to work everyday. It was inconvenient to not have a car, but you can’t afford a nice one just yet. Walking to work is healthy for you, anyway. (except for the fumes of pollution you inhale on the way.)
You’d just won a case last week. You felt proud to go to work today—you weren’t exactly a fisher for compliments, but it felt good to receive praises after a long series of pulling all nighters. Especially from—
Ring! Ring!
You stop walking, pulling out your phone as it rang furiously. You make a mental note to change the annoying ringtone that Luke probably set secretly to annoy you. Clicking your tongue, you eye the unregistered caller ID, and accept the call.
“Hello? Good day, do you perhaps know Mr. Artem Wing?” Your face twists into a confused expression, not recognizing the voice. Is this a scam? A prank? “Your number, it’s his emergency contact. This is Stellis University Hospital.”
Oops. It wasn’t a prank. You thought you got another call from that scammer who tries to sell you faux PhDs from Stellis University. (It was embarrassing on the scammer’s part, actually, because you were actually a graduate from Stellis University. You thought that you would seriously dig a hole for him to crawl in out of the embarrassment that he got when you broke the news to him.)
Wait! Did they say Artem?! He’s in the hospital?! Did he get attacked? Maybe he got lured into a trap? Was he preoccupied while driving and got into a vehicular accident?
You shook your head, getting millions of bad ideas. You need to reply first before letting yourself get lost in your negative thoughts.“I’m his emergency contact? What happened? Is the police with you?”
“Oh, no, you are mistaken. It’s not much of a big deal to have the police over, but, please come. He needs your assistance.”
You sighed, trying to calm yourself down. No police means that it’s not bad. But they said that Artem needed assistance! What could it be? That guy, really! He’s pretty clumsy for a lawyer!
“Okay. I’ll be there in a few.”
———
Panting, you lean over the nurse’s station in the emergency room, wanting to take off your hot suit coat. The nurses looked startled, but you ignore that and asked immediately.
“I’m here for Artem Wing?” You ask, wiping off sweat beads on your forehead. “Did… did I come to the right place?”
“Artem Wing….” The nurse at the front read through a clipboard, and the tension was killing you. You just want to know what happened to Artem! “Ah! Here. Follow me.”
The nurse visibly suppressed a chuckle, as she stepped out of the counter and motioned you to follow her. It felt suspicious. Were they laughing at how disheveled you look (after running a literal marathon to go here) or at Artem? Did you have something on your face? Oh God, you didn’t forget to put deodorant today, did you?!
(Deodorant is important to a lawyer working for Themis. Let’s not stain the respectable reputation of the law firm because of the lack of deodorant.)
“Here he is.” You realize you’ve arrived, and you prepare yourself for whatever sight might welcome you. The nurse pulls the curtains away. “Sir, your emergency contact has arrived.”
“Artem!” You exclaim, quickly striding over to where he sat; to examine his injuries from up close. “What happened to you?!”
His ankles were bandaged and his arms had gashes on it. Some wounds look like someone scratched him, which made you think that some mad person attacked Artem and the senior lawyer was nice enough to let them get away with it. Well, if Artem lets them get away with it, you sure are not!
“Who did this to you?” You ask, hurriedly. To your surprise, Artem didn’t look like he was serious at all—which was also suspicious of him.
“I…. fell off a tree.”
What.
A man nearly 30 years old, who is also the youngest senior lawyer and the face of the Themis Law Firm has the time to climb up a tree and fall from it?! And also, isn’t Artem, like, as tall as a tree? He fell with that towering height?
“Someone’s cat got stuck on a tree. And.. I climbed it. And the cat didn’t like me. And I fell off because it was scratching me.” Artem looks away, embarrassed. Though you were very surprised at the story, you couldn’t deny that Artem was acting quite adorable. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I thought I’d be able to drive back to the office after getting treated, but.. I got both of my ankles a sprain.”
“When did this happen? Where’s the cat?”
“I was on my morning run. At 5 am.” Artem scrunched his nose slightly, staring at you. “It feels like you’re questioning me. I’m not a suspect.”
So it happened about an hour ago. You are curious as to why they only called you now, and why Artem would casually just halt in his morning run and save a cat stuck on a tree. Admittedly, it was cute, but why?
You sighed, placing a hand on Artem’s shoulder. You realize he’s still wearing a tracksuit, which was new to the eyes. “You could’ve called Vyn, you know….”
“I apologize. Are you busy today?” Artem asked, huffing guiltily. “Vyn is probably still asleep, or doing some work. Also, I cannot trust him especially when I’m out of it.”
His statement makes you laugh. Artem chuckles silently with you, which you surely enjoyed. You liked it when he drops his serious face and laughs with you. His carefree smile is priceless, and you definitely cannot miss how his eyes sparkle, too. You like it when Artem is happy. You like it when he’s around, honestly.
(Or… do you just like him in general?)
You shake your head at Artem, smiling. “I do have a driver’s license, but I don’t know your address. Ah! Just give it to me now—“
Artem cuts you off, his eyes narrowing. It feels like he is judging your whole existence whenever he pulls this face off. “It’s a Monday, and I’m not slipping out of work because of a minor accident. Lots of clients will come at the start of the week. So—“
You cut him off as well, crossing your arms. It felt like you were in a debate with a stubborn Artem. “I’m not going to push you in a wheelchair into your office because the chances that I’ll drop you while pushing you up that ramp in the entrance are more than a hundred.” You point a finger at Artem. “You’re going home.”
“.... let’s work on cases together at my house?”
“Wha—no. You are acting unbelievably stubborn today, huh. I’ll tell Celestine.” You threatened, pulling out your phone—which Artem was surprised at, leading him to hold your wrist with both of his slender, warm hands. It wasn’t smooth because of callouses and the wounds from his fall, but you liked how his skin felt anyway.
“Fine! I’m going home.” Artem sighed, his shoulders slumping. This action made you smile.
It made you wonder why Artem never had any romantic partner. Well, aside from Artem being a workaholic, what else could there be? Artem is charming, attractive, gentlemanly, adorable, smart—he’s got everything! It’s truly a mystery why he hadn’t dated anyone.
If anybody like Artem asks you out, you’d immediately say yes.
What if Artem himself asked me out? You wonder, making your smile widen a little. You don’t like office romances, but… .
“Hello, you two.” A new voice arrives with its owner, making you turn around to divert your attention to the newcomer. The familiar scent of mild men’s perfume, the white coat, the golden eyes—it was Vyn! “I was informed of an incident involving falling out of trees. I was expecting to see a young boy… but I am disappointed.”
You chuckle, realizing that Vyn came here to jest. “Good morning, Vyn!”
“Morning, dear. And morning to you too, Artem.” Vyn smiled, waving a hand. As you were busy greeting Vyn, you missed the millisecond glare Artem shot at Vyn for calling you ‘dear’. Vyn noticed Artem’s little action, though, and made him chuckle. “Seems like little Artem is in a bad mood, huh?”
You tun around to see Artem frowning, making you laugh. You can tell that he doesn’t like this situation at all.
(But…. he only frowned when Vyn arrived. Right? Why? )
Suddenly, you feel Artem wrap his hand around your wrist, pulling you closer to him as if he was protecting you from a rabid dog. You huff in surprise, slightly going out of balance in your wrong-sized shoes. Artem doesn’t let go of you, anywho.
“Go back to sleep, Vyn.” Artem spat, eyes half-lidded in deadpan. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Alright, alright,” Vyn laughed, showing his palms to you and Artem as if he were surrendering. “I will stop. Please take care of him, dear. Don’t let him near any paperwork until he can climb a tree himself again.”
You laugh along with him, nodding. Artem, however, was sulking like a 9-year-old because the silly joke Vyn made was actually funny, but he can’t laugh because that means he’s surrendering to the enemy.
(Calm down, Artem. It’s not a competition. You already won if there ever was, anyway.)
When Vyn walks away, you turn around again to face the (adorable) sulky Artem. “So? Address?”
When Artem doesn’t answer, you sigh. You had to console him. It felt like you suddenly had a spoiled son. “Come on, I’ll get you anything you like. On me! And I’ll—well.. I’ll grant you one wish!”
At the mention of ‘wish’, Artem’s electric blue eyes lit up again, filled with excitement and wonder. There was a hint of nervousness, but you ignore it, because the sight was cute. You guessed that he’d ask you to buy some kind of food he likes, or let him work.
But, to your surprise, he didn’t ask you for anything you expected him to ask for.
“A kiss, ” Artem breathes out, almost embarrassed. “I want a kiss.”