Work Text:
It’s been almost a month since you’ve last seen Zayne. He’s been busy, you’ve been busy, it’s all been a mess really. It all started with a surge in Wanderers in and around Linkon, all Hunters on deck for the foreseeable future. That ended up meaning well over two weeks. That entire time Zayne had done what he could to keep track of your whereabouts, in a non-obtrusive way. He’d sent you message reminders to eat, to check in about how you’re feeling, to not exert yourself too much and to stay safe.
That entire time, he had neglected to tell you about the influx of patients at Akso Hospital. While that would be normal, too many people had flooded the hospital with protocore syndrome, which meant that he was on call all the time. The man had been in and out of nonstop surgeries, consults, case reviews and office hours, all the while checking in on you to make sure you’re alright.
You find this out when you finally, finally have gotten more than two hours of sleep and actually eaten a meal. It comes in the form of a call from Greyson, a panicked call from Greyson.
“Oh thank god, you answered!” He shouts through the phone, voice so loud that you actually have to move the phone away from your ear.
“Yeah? Is everything alright?” You ask with a mouthful of noodles, you’re on your second serving, stomach still rumbling from the lack of sustenance it had been put through.
“No! Dr. Zayne collapsed!”
You’re out of your seat and running out of your apartment before Greyson has even finished his sentence. Your heart is pounding aggressively, throbbing in your chest as the adrenaline courses through your system. The anxiety burns in your veins the entire way to Akso, you’re almost certain you broke several laws on your motorcycle in the process. The entire ride you wove in and out of traffic in a way that would’ve given Zayne a heart attack.
Zayne.
That’s the only thing on your mind. Zayne, your Zayne, had collapsed. The only thing that matters right now is making sure he’s safe, he’s unharmed, he’s–
The panic bubbles in your throat as you slam the breaks and cut the engine, parking right in front of the hospital. Your body moves on autopilot, kicking out the kickstand and tossing your helmet onto the bike before you take off running into the hospital.
One of the receptionists immediately catches your eye, stifles a giggle behind her hand in a polite gesture. “That way, Miss.” She points to the direction of Zayne’s office. “Dr. Greyson brought him in there a few minutes ago.” She already knows what you need.
You’re off once more, sprinting through the hallways at breakneck speed. Your overexerted muscles scream as you do, the tiny bit of relaxation that you’d been able to achieve is gone now, replaced with adrenaline and exertion. You practically kick the door to his office down, slamming it open and staring into the massive office with wide eyes.
“Zayne.” You pant, breaths coming in and out heavily.
Greyson stands over him, chewing on his thumb nervously as he monitors Zayne’s vitals. Zayne, is sat on the couch, looking dazed and otherwise pissed off at the three sets of machines he’s hooked up to.
“You called her?” He asks, looks to Greyson with a look that could kill.
“Of course I called her!” Greyson shoots back, pokes one of the machines. “You collapsed during a surgery! And your blood pressure is ridiculously high you–”
“My blood pressure is high because of this over reaction.” Zayne shoots back calmly, shifts his gaze from Greyson to you.
It softens immediately.
“Darling, I’m alright I promise.” His voice washes over you like a wave, warmth within it soothing your frayed nerves.
“Greyson told me you collapsed I–” You start, stepping inside the office.
“Greyson? Leave.” Zayne commands, starts taking off the cords that he’s hooked up to.
“But!”
Zayne shoots him a look.
The other doctor huffs and leaves the room with an eye roll, closing the door behind him.
You take a cautious step forward, hand reaching out to him. Zayne’s own rises to meet yours, and you practically run into his arms. Your body moves automatically, rushing into him to crash into his chest in a forceful hug. You need to feel his body against yours, the warmth and solid form of him up against your softer curves.
“I’m alright, sweet thing.” He whispers softly, presses a kiss to the top of your hair. “You didn’t need to rush all the way here in your pajamas.”
You freeze.
“My what?”
You pull back a little, look down at yourself. Suddenly, the receptionist’s giggle makes a lot more sense. You’re still wearing your Hello Kitty themed pajamas and house slippers, having quite literally bolted out of your home without a second thought at Greyson’s call. You blush, face heating up.
“I–” Your words die in your throat, what would you even say?
Zayne, ever patient and ever knowing simply chuckles, he’s an expert in you. He presses a kiss to your forehead. “You ran all the way here to check on me, sweet thing?”
You nod. “I couldn’t–” you take another deep breath, tears welling up in your eyes. “He said you collapsed and it was like I couldn’t breathe, I needed to be here, to see you, to touch you.”
Zayne nods, understanding. “I overexerted myself, pushed a bit too hard is all.” He runs a hand through your hair, soothing out the cowlicks that had been left untamed from your fifteen hour crash of sleep. “Greyson checked my vitals, they’re all normal.”
“When was the last time you ate?” You ask softly.
“I could ask you the same question.” Zayne retorts.
You pout, puffing your cheeks out a bit as you regard the gentle man before him. “Don’t you dare, you spent all that time checking on me and you weren’t taking care of yourself.” You shoot back.
He sighs, rests his forehead against yours and closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath, shoulders releasing their tension as he slouches against you. “I know.”
Your arms come up to wrap around him, to hold him close to you. This is your Zayne, and you have a responsibility to keep him safe, sometimes even from himself. You press a kiss to his lips, barely there and quite frankly a little awkward due to the way he’s resting, but it’s still enough to draw out a long, beleaguered sigh from him. The sigh of a man that wants nothing more than to be with his beloved.
“Let me take you home.” You say quietly, not wanting to break the moment of peace that he’s found. You rub your hand down his shoulders and over his back, attempting to soothe the tense muscles with your touch.
“No… I still have patients to see.” He protests quietly, voice barely above a whisper.
You shake your head. “No, you’re not seeing anyone else. You collapsed during a surgery, that means you’re officially off duty and a patient yourself.”
His eyes open, glimmering hazel staring into your own. “Is that so?” There’s a little sparkle of mirth in those depths, one that makes you smile and fills you with determination.
“Mhm, it is.” You insist with a nod.
A smile quirks on his lips. “Are you my doctor?”
“Yep, and I will be on duty until you are nursed back to health.”
“Well then, I guess I’m obligated to be a good patient and listen to my doctor.”
You smile, press another awkward little kiss to his lips. “Of course, be a proper patient Zayne.”
He sighs, content, arms coming up to wrap around your waist and smush you against him. He closes his eyes again, takes a deep breath. “I was worried, every time I stopped working I would think about the danger you were in…”
You sigh softly, hug him tightly. You know how much your job bothers him, how stressed and worried it makes him.
“And we were so busy… so many patients injured, every time an ambulance came in I–” His voice cracks with emotion unshed.
You hug him a little tighter. Instantly, you know that he worried that an ambulance would carry you in to him, that he’d see his worst fear come to light at any point this past month. He’d worked himself into exhaustion because of you.
You take a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head, holds you close, breathes you in. “Don’t be. We’re both front liners… it’s what we do.”
“But you–”
He shakes his head again, looks into your eyes. “I will never regret worrying over you, so don’t regret making me worry.”
Wordlessly, you pull him into a kiss, a proper one this time. Your lips melding against his slightly chapped ones to soothe both of you, to bring your souls together once again after so much time apart. There’s a promise inlaid in the kiss, a promise to be careful, a promise to take care, a promise to stay safe. That promise settles into your soul as you hold him close, as your lips speak to him every word that he needs to hear through your kiss.