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“And… that’s the last patient.”
Both the Head Nurse and the Intern breathed a sigh of relief, having finally finished a major operation, as well as the last patient of the day. They waved goodbye to each other as Intern offered to clean up as usual.
“It’s really no problem, Ma’am, you should get on going home.” Intern smiled a little, maybe a tiny bit strained, but she didn’t comment on it.
“Thanks! Boy, you’re really a life saviour.” The head nurse smiled as she unsrubbed and cleaned up, exiting the room. Through the glass of the door, Intern watched as she paused by the Security Guard, mentioning how ‘he’ had been such a great help.
But… Intern didn’t do that much, not really, just help to pass certain things around. Intern didn’t deserve the praise.
Intern pushed the thoughts aside as it finished up its job quickly, wanting to get out of the operational room that still smelled of blood. Its stomach growled, and it bit the inside of its cheek instead, keeping its jaws firmly shut.
As Intern finally finished, shutting the door behind it, it walked into the quiet corridors of the hospital. Intern found that itself taking a round trip to all the rooms, checking up on the patients, entertaining even the annoying little requests.
As it walked the halls, the place was quiet, everyone else having left their shift for the time being. It was 2am, after all. Maybe it could take just a bit of maple syrup… it wouldn’t hurt right…?
Everyone had left. Everyone except… Secret Agent, it seemed.
Intern paused in surprise as it was about to enter the check in counter office. It quickly stuffed the bottle of syrup into its pocket, hiding it away,
“Intern..?” Agent seemed equally surprised. “I thought you would’ve left with the nurses…” the black cat was by the monitors.
Intern shook its head slightly as it entered the office, door shutting softly behind it.
“I’m just doing a few more rounds… I can handle things here, you can go home to rest too…” Intern spoke as it turned to face the coffee machine, making a cup for itself. It could see Agent sitting on the chair near the cameras at the corner of its eyes.
Yet, he only stared back at Intern’s words, unimpressed. “You need rest too, Intern. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you off shift.”
Intern chuckled slightly, hiding how his body stiffened a little in the dim lighting. It kept a firm hand on the coffee machine, waiting for the cup to be ready.
Intern’s eyes only narrowed in on how its hoodie sleeve slipped up slightly, revealing how its ‘fur’ was awkwardly patched, tuffing up at all the wrong places, just wrong…
Intern hastily kept its hands to its side, trying to lean against the counter as it watched the cup fill, the steady stream of hot coffee suddenly very interesting.
“Intern, did you hear me?” The ‘rabbit’ jumped at the voice, suddenly way too close for comfort. There was a paw resting on the desk beside Intern, and it felt a brush of contact with the cat from behind.
“You walk… really quietly.” Intern turned its head slightly (careful, not too much), just to see yellow eyes gleaming back at it. Intern let out a breath, its multiple hearts pounding under its skin. Just another reminder of its failure of being real.
“You just aren’t paying attention.” Agent had a weird expression on his face, something that Intern couldn’t quite read or understand. He would probably be able to if it was a real animal. A voice whispered at the back of its mind.
“I…s-sorry.” Intern stumbled over its words, almost forgetting how to speak for a moment, let alone reply as it fixed its gaze back on the cat.
Agent was practically leaning over Intern’s shoulder, observing the coffee. 30 more seconds. Intern could feel the faint body heat radiating from his suit. Close. Too close. And Intern was trapped. He’s gonna find out. Agent is going to know. Intern couldn’t stop its eyes from trailing to the gun in his belt. It was spiralling, it knew but…
Intern just didn’t want to die.
Agent noticed, because of course he did, his own gaze following Intern’s, the constant frown deepening a little on his muzzle.
“…What are you thi—“
There was a soft series of beeps. Intern quickly turned back to the coffee, glad for the distraction.
“Well… I’m just… gonna check on the patients! See you next shift…” Intern grabbed the coffee cup and scurried back out of the office, right down the place it just came from. It didn’t stick around to see or hear Agent’s response.
Intern really hoped he had left already.
It had just spent minimally an hour checking every room meticulously, zapping a few walls or offering eyedrops to the ceiling every now and then. It also considered eating the maple syrup a few times but… he put it back. He didn’t deserve it after all. Anyway, point is, the night was late, later than it already had been.
So there’s absolutely no way-
Who was Intern kidding? This was Agent. Of course there was a way.
Intern started getting a sense of Déjà vu as he froze in place at the entrance, the black cat turning at the sound.
“I thought-“
Agent responded calmly. “I wanted to talk, but you left before I could say anything.”
Talk…? Intern flashbacked to earlier.
What are you…
Shoot. Intern’s going to die, isn't it.
“W-wait… I promise I can explain, I promise… I’m not…” Intern started rambling a bunch of almost intelligible words and sentences, its gaze fixating on the floor this time, frozen in place.
It’s gonna die it’s gonna die it’sgonnadie.
“Intern-!” The sharp sound suddenly cut through Intern’s mind, “Look at me.” At the command, some habit in Intern forced it to snap its head up.
Ð0’Ċ+ØŘ.
“No-!” Intern screamed as it squeezed its eyes shut, scrambling away with all fours (when had it sat on the floor?) until his back hit the wall under the check in desk, hard. Intern flinched at the impact, though it squeezed deeper into the space under the table.
It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts ithurts…
Intern The anomaly felt liquid squeeze out from its closed eyes, like the ceiling in room 3. Its body shook, like the skinwalkers. Its heart pounded irregularly.
Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad…
“…eaths…”
Anomalies should be killed. Anomalies are bad. Anomalies hurt people.
“…ep breaths…”
A soft paw took the anomaly’s, and it flinched at the contact, the rest of its body remaining so still afterwards, like the sniffles suddenly disappeared.
Agent didn’t know what triggered the Intern. Did something happen earlier? Did he get attacked? Was he okay? Probably not, based on how he was shaking and sobbing so pitifully.
Agent had immediately rushed forward to catch the intern when he first noticed his legs buckling, catching the rabbit before he completely hit the floor. At first, he had thought that Intern fainted from hunger or lack of sanity, but the poor boy started crying, completely breaking down when touched even lightly.
And Agent didn’t miss out the detail of how he seemed to almost lean into the touch before violently pulling away. How touched-starved was he…?
Anyway, those were all besides the point. Agent had to focus on calming him down…
“Cmon… it’s okay… you’re safe… deep breathes…” he repeated the words over and over, careful not to get too close, but it didn’t seem to work.
Thus, he reached out a paw, trying to prevent the bunny from digging his sharp claws into his own skin. The cat promptly ignored how the wounds didn’t leak blood, trying to soothe the distressed rabbit.
Intern somehow managed to start calming down, with the help of Agent’s calm voice and actions.
As Intern’s gaze finally started to clear up, able to register its surroundings again, it pulled its paw away from the cat’s.
“I’m sorry-“ it began to mumble a pathetic apology, but Agent cut it off. “Don’t be. It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”
Intern didn’t reply, it’s normally upright ears drooping with the tight space under the table, and the usual smile nowhere to be seen.
Agent could tell he didn’t believe it.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re…” he repeated a few soft murmurs, the black paw ruffling its fur…
Wait.
Intern stiffened again as it pulled its arm back, pulling the hoodie sleeve back down to cover the patched fur in the process. It wasn’t normal.
Agent was smart, sharp, quick to act, always decisive when there was an anomaly…. There’s no way that Agent didn’t know now.
“I’m… stay away from me… I’m not safe…” the anomaly curled into itself, hiccups threatening to rise up again.
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not…”
“I don’t care. I’m okay. You’re okay.”
“You just… DON’T GET IT-!” Intern raised its voice without really meaning to, a bit too many sharp teeth showing as it growled out the words.
It shut its mouth immediately, but it saw that look.
Agent’s yellow eyes had dilated slightly, fur rising a little, tail flicking ever so slightly.
Agent was… scared.
Agent was scared… of it.
Agent was scared of Intern.
Agent was scared of an anomaly.
No one yelled at Agent. You just… didn’t.
…maybe it would really be better to just die here. At least his secret might be kept safe from the others who had treated it so nicely, like it was a real animal worth talking to…
It would rather not stain their good memory of him. Of the Intern.
It reached out a paw, too fast for Agent to move away, taking the gun from his belt and putting it in his paws securely, closing its own eyes.
“…hurry… I won’t… I won’t fight… I won’t look… unless… you want me to see… I’ll do anything… I’m sorry…”
Agent didn’t know what to do.
He had suspected the Intern to be an anomaly for a while, watching the bunny carefully throughout their shared shifts. He had thought many times over on what his eventual confrontation would look like; maybe catching the rabbit get too tempted by the smell of meat? Maybe calling out one of his extra claws of the day? Regardless, he hadn’t expected this.
Hadn’t expected the rabbit to choose death for himself.
Most anomalies got aggressive when noticed, fighting back or trying to infect you too. Not one had Agent ever seen, ever had such deep emotions, such clear thoughts, such… animal features. Intern didn’t act like a monster.
Intern was just…
Agent was tense after the outburst, trying to keep his cool, eyes widening more as the rabbit grabbed his gun, not to shoot him, but to make Agent shoot himself.
The gun felt much heavier in his hands than it had been for a long time.
Intern was simply Intern.
“No… I’m not gonna kill you Intern.” Agent made sure the safety was on as he pushed the gun back down, getting it far away from Intern’s grasp.
The bunny’s paws trembled slightly, barely resisting as Agent ordered him to let go.
“I’m not… I’m not a real animal…” choked words came out from its mouth.
Agent was deeply troubled at his words. Sure, he was an anomaly, but above that…
He had been watching Intern for a long time, even before he had started suspecting him. Intern was careful with the patients, kind, observant, and had only gotten the medicine and antibiotics mixed up once before. He scurried around everywhere during shifts to keep himself busy, constantly finding tasks to do. He tasered anomalies and put out rituals. He laughed and talked and smiled together with all of them…
Yet here he was now, curled up underneath the table, trembling in fear. Because of Agent.
Because they weren’t good enough in assuring him that they had a place with them.
Thus, to make up for his past mistakes, Agent took a calculated risk.
Shifting to sit under the table, fur brushing Intern’s hoodie, he reached out to pull the rabbit into a hug.
For a moment, Intern flinched, trying to get out of the restrictive hold, yet Agent held it tight.
What was Agent doing? Was this a type of punishment? Intern couldn’t move, Agent’s arms wrapping around it.
Intern waited tensely for the impact, the pain, the blacking out but…
It didn’t come.
Eventually, Intern dared to open its eyes slightly.
It could see… the rest of the office from their spot under the table. It could see a little bit of Agent’s suit. Agent was currently holding the rabbit close to his chest, patting the soft fur on its head.
What are you doing… Intern was tired. Why was Agent delaying its punishment? Why treat it so gently when it was going to be killed?
“Shh. Let me take care of you.” Intern must’ve accidentally said his thoughts out loud, for Agent’s surprisingly soft voice replied.
Intern felt a shiver down its spine as Agent’s paws went over its fur, massaging his temples and smoothening its ears down. Intern somehow felt itself relaxing as it curled up against the warm body.
“I’m not…” Intern tried to protest, to remind Agent of what it was, but Agent shushed him again. “I don’t care. Intern is Intern. Simple as that.”
“How could you… trust me…?” Intern asked quietly, melting against the black cat’s care and embrace. At some point, it felt a rough, damp tongue grooming its fur, smoothening the fur on its head and neck.
When Intern didn’t get a response, it continued speaking. “Don’t you hate all anomalies…? Don’t you… hate… me…?”
Intern would never forget seeing how Agent had shot the first anomaly it had met at the counter, not noticing the unusual twitching and almost admitting the patient. It had been a skinwalker, so blood splattered, and Intern had done its best to smile at the rest of its coworkers, throwing up its chocolate and multiple coffees in the toilet later.
It had always known. That was what its fate would be when it got found out.
Yet, Agent was grooming its fur quietly, soothing the tense muscles and massaging the stress away.
“Why are you… treating me so nicely…?” Intern felt liquid filling its beady eyes once more, mouth trembling.
“…You’re not a monster, Intern.” Agent eventually replied, tugging the rabbit closer to himself. “I’ve seen how you treat the patients. You’re careful and kind, and you never hurt anyone, not on purpose.”
Though the words were meant to be assuring, Intern couldn’t help but zone in on the last line. Memories of a certain shift flashed into its mind.
“I… I gave antibiotics to a patient that needed medicine… I killed her… I killed her.”
“No you didn’t.” Agent quickly rebuked. She was in critical condition for a while, but the patient was on a way to a slow recovery. Sure, something that could’ve been avoided, but it was an honest mistake. Definitely not the first or last time anyone would get the green bottles mixed up.
“Intern. Listen to me.” Agent shifted the rabbit in his arms to face him. “You’re one of the kindest animals I’ve ever met. Lest to say anomaly. You aren’t a monster, Intern. You might be a little different, but you aren’t. a. monster.” He drove the words home, playfully tapping Intern’s forehead lightly as he spoke.
Intern seemed hesitant, and on the verge of crying again, but that was fine. These insecurities couldn’t be fixed overnight.
“One of the nurses would come in for their shift soon. The secretary too. Let’s go home for now, okay? It won’t hurt to leave a little early.” Agent chided gently as he guided them to move out from under the table, putting his hand in between the Intern’s head and the hard wood.
Intern nodded slightly, “sorry for taking so much of your time…” he sniffled a little, his tiny nose bobbing up and down. Cute. “I’ll see you next shift…”
“What makes you think I’m going home without you?” Agent asked casually, fetching his gun from the floor and slotting it back into his belt, covering it under his shirt.
Intern simply stared for a while, mouth agape.
“I don’t… I live in the hospital…” Intern admitted, feet shifting on the spot as it stared down.
It only heard a sigh as Agent approached it, taking its paw in his own and leading him out of the office. “I thought so. You’re coming home with me.”
Intern didn’t have much room to protest as it eventually found itself in Agent’s black car, zooming down lonely streets. The rabbit sat rigidly in its seat, not daring to move as the seatbelt restrained it. The dark orange leather and sleek black interior reeked of money. Money that Intern knew he got from killing anomalies.
Not that Intern was against his job of course; Intern didn’t like anomalies itself, it was trying to be better; but still, it was nerve wrecking.
“Relax.” Agent reached out a paw to rest on Intern’s, his gaze not leaving the road in front of him. To his credit, Intern did feel some rigidness leaving it, slouching a little in its seat. Agent didn’t move his paw away, but Intern wasn’t going to complain either.
“By the way, when we’re off work, you can call me Sal.” Intern turned to look at him, a little confused.
Agent Sal must have noticed, glancing away for a moment to look at the rabbit, chuckling lightly.
“That’s my name. Like Ron, and Ratthew.”
Sal had never liked how Intern kept inviting the rat inside the office; it was only meant for staff! But whatever, Intern seemed happy to chat with the guy, and he never did any harm. He could make an exception now and then.
“Sal…” the Intern repeated under his breath, and Sal smiled. “Do you have one? A name.”
Intern hesitated. The doctor only ever called it… what did he call it? Nothing, it seemed. Just ‘you-!’ Or something…
“Well… let’s give you one then. Something you can choose and call your own.”
“Do I deserve that…?”
Agent’s smile softened a little more at the words. Intern really had such a low self esteem.
“I’ll help you find some options when we get home.”
The rest of the car ride was a peaceful one, the rabbit relaxing as they went along, especially with the chin scratches or head pats that Sal seemed to be constantly providing him. Sal wouldn’t hesitate to indulge in the Intern more often if it could help increase both of their sanities. His fur really was too fluffy.
“It’s not a big space but… make yourself comfortable.” Sal unlocked his front door, pushing it open and inviting Intern in.
Intern stepped in carefully, observing the surroundings. It was a simple apartment, dark but quiet. No constant hum in the walls or chill of anomalies like the hospital.
“Come on. You should take a shower.” Sal appeared next to it suddenly, taking its paw in his and guiding the rabbit to a room. It was like one of the rooms in the hospital, minus the beeping equipment. Intern let itself be guided around as it watched Sal take out a few pieces of clothing, checking to see if the size matched. Sal was a little taller than the rabbit after all, if you don’t count the ears.
“You like long sleeves?” Sal asked. Intern had to snap back into focus, getting lost in the sure motions and glowing yellow eyes. Intern nodded slightly, and a black hoodie with a cat logo got passed into its hands, alongside dark gray sweatpants.
Sal then guided it back out, leading it to another room, stopping outside to face the rabbit.
“You can take a shower on your own right?”
There was a hint of a teasing smirk on the cat’s expression. Intern nodded quickly as it avoided his gaze, disappearing inside.
Sal watched him go, waiting for a while to hear the flow of water before retreating back to his own room, grabbing his own change of clothes and waiting for the Intern.
He had been scrolling on the couch in the living room when the door opened.
Sal turned a little too quick than he’d admit, eyeing Intern as he walked out to hover awkwardly in front of him.
“Was it okay?” Sal instinctively laid a paw on the rabbit’s forehead as he stood up. How did the fur get fluffier than before…
At the nod, Sal gave his own approving nod. “Wait here. I’ll be quick.”
It didn’t take long for Sal to speed through his shower, not particularly liking the feeling but knowing the importance of keeping himself clean after shifts at the hospital. Maybe he was also faster than usual because Intern was in his house… he promptly ignored the thought.
When he came out, he could see the back of Intern’s head as he sat on the couch, seemingly the exact same position as he had left him. Sal approached slowly, making an effort to make his steps louder on the oak floor.
“Hey.” Sal patted the bunny’s head once more, ruffling the fur. So close, he could smell his shampoo on him.
Intern glanced up at Sal’s words, giving a wobbly smile. The black cat frowned as he noticed the imprints in his paw.
“Stop digging your claws into your paw…” Sal sighed as he jumped over to sit down, examining the paw. No blood. Just… a wound. Maybe.
“…Sorry…” Sal cut him off, “Don’t.” However, he still softened at the guilty expression.
The calm was broken by a loud growl.
Intern quickly swallowed its saliva. He was so hungry that it felt like a rat was clawing at its stomach. (No offence Ratthew)
Sal seemed taken aback, before smiling easily again.
“Do you prefer cooked or raw meat?” He asked so casually that Intern could’ve gagged.
“What?”
“I’m cooking for you.” The cat padded over to the kitchen island, checking his refrigerator. “Raw or cooked?”
“Y-you don’t have to…”
“I want to.”
Intern couldn’t fight against the firmness in his voice.
“…anything then… I’m j-just… really hungry…”
Intern found itself drifting over to the kitchen, following the tempting smell as Sal unwrapped some frozen chicken. “No. Wait for it to thaw.”
Intern bit its lower lip slightly, keeping its jaw shut. It’d already been controlling itself for so long… It could wait a little longer…
It could feel itself salivating as it fixated on the meat, breaking out of its trance only when Sal stepped into its view, blocking the meal.
“Sorry you have to wait… just a little while, okay?” Sal drew it into a hug, and Intern felt its face buried into the soft fabric of his clothing. A normal shirt, unlike his usual stiff suit blouse.
Intern didn’t know how long they stood like that, but Sal eventually shifted aside. The plate was suddenly in front of it, and it couldn’t resist any longer as it dug into the food. Intern let out a sound of relief as the hunger subsided. This ‘chicken’ was so good…
Sal watched as Intern gobbled the meat up. The boy then started choking, and Sal scrambled to pass him a glass of water, patting his back soothingly. He really was kinda cute.
“Do you want to go to sleep, or would you rather search up some names for you now?” Sal asked gently. Intern seemed to perk up at the latter, and he didn’t hesitate to take out his phone.
Sal didn’t know how long they spent on the couch, going down the rabbit hole of internet baby names, jumping from different languages and cultures, but they eventually landed on one.
Sal couldn’t say that he watched anime a lot; he was busy after all; but he did keep updated with the recent anime sometimes. He had heard of Hikaru, a character from one of the shows who was like an anomaly too. How ironic that Intern chose that name without knowing the story behind an existing character.
Sal wasn’t about to reject him, of course.
“Hikaru huh? You want to be called that?” Sal spoke quietly, rubbing his eyes as the first rays of light peeked out from the slight gap in the closed curtains. Intern nodded, seemingly also a little groggy. Probably because he wasn’t running on that inhumane amount of coffee.
“I need to… check on the patients…” Intern Hikaru murmured. Sal simply brought him closer to his side, running his paw through his fur. The rabbit smelled so much like him now, wearing his clothes and shampoo.
“You can do that next time. The hospital can survive without us for a few shifts.” Sal soothed as he groomed his fur a little more. “Just rest now.”
Hikaru didn’t protest as he melted in his embrace. It didn’t take long for his breathing to slow, and Sal carried the curled up bundle to the bedroom, lying both of them down onto the bed.
“…Good night, Hikaru.” Sal murmured into his fur, shutting his eyes as the sun rose for its shift of the day.