Hospitalised

"Is he..."

Brian looked over to Lian and saw his shoulders trembling. He gently wrapped his arms around him trying to comfort him but nothing.

(What's happening to me? Why am I so shaken about the fact that he's in critical condition? Shouldn't I be glad someone has done my work for me?)

Lian asked himself numerous questions but he couldn't come up with answers to convince himself of why he felt like crying or why there was a sudden pain tightening in his chest.

"Everything's going to be fine," Brian whispered into his ear," just calm down."

Brian tilted his chin up and told him to breathe in rhythm to his movements. Heeding his words, Lian took deep breathes and soon, his shoulders stopped trembling.

"There you go, you're doing great."

"Thanks. You're like an older sibling," he blurted out and Brian's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

His cheeks flushed lightly at the remark and he covered his mouth holding back his laughter.

"Hahaha, really? That's the first time someone has said something like that straight to my face."

"Huh?"

"Don't get me wrong, I am the youngest kid in the family, so when you said am like an older relative, it surprised me a bit."

"Oh..."

Lian rubbed the back of his neck and the two stood together, an awkward silence settling in the air around them.

"Hey guys!"

Tsun walked into sight and Lian beamed happily upon noticing him. Tsun walked up to them and studied their faces sensing something was a bit off.

"Why do you two look like that?"

"Look like what?" Brian asked slipping his hand from Lian's shoulder and onto his side.

Tsun studied them for a few more seconds and shrugged.

"Um... so how's Mr. Ding?" Lian asked and Brian turned to him confused.

"Mr? Is he some kind of boss?"

"The doctors said he's out of danger, he'll be transferred to the normal wards soon," Tsun said dodging Brian's question.

After a few minutes, Tsun and Lian stood by Ding's bed watching him. The surgery was successful and he was out of the life threatening danger. After a quick discussion, they both agreed to take turns on keeping an eye on Ding, with Lian taking the first shift. Tsun took a seat on the couch present in the room, stretched his muscles and made himself comfortable. He turned to Lian who was seated on the bedside chair intensely watching Ding.

"Am going to sleep, will you be okay on your own?"

Lian nodded his head in response.

"If you can't take it anymore, feel free to inform me."

With those words, he turned his back and drifted off to sleep almost instantly. Lian watched Ding's sleeping face and he still could not get over how handsome he looked. He slowly tucked some hair from his face, his fingers trailing through his silky hair and he was amazed by how thick and soft it felt against his skin.

"Wow! How can someone's hair be this soft? Wonder how he'll look like if he decides to grow out his hair."

An image of Ding in long hair, wearing a smile on his face flashed across his mind's eye and he let out a surprised gasp and vigorously shook his head dismissing his imagination. He covered his face and turned his back to Ding.

Ding slowly opened his eyes and blankly stared at the ceiling, trying to comprehend how he got to the room. He slowly sat up and a pain shot up from his side stomach and he grit his teeth. He pulled the blanket from his body and saw that the wound was carefully bandaged with layers of sterile gauze. The bandage was secured firmly in place with strips of adhesive tape, creating a snug cocoon around the injury.

"Dammit! I can't believe they actually managed to injure me."

He flipped some bed hair from his eyes and scanned the room. His gaze immediately fell on Lian who was fast asleep by the bed and he let out a sigh.

"Sleeping like that looks uncomfortable," he murmured to himself.

He swung his legs from the bed, gently lifted Lian in his arms and placed him on the bed. He covered him up and slowly walked towards the window, pulling a chair behind him. He sat by the window watching as the orange glow faintly swallowed the darkness. A knock sounded on the door and he turned towards the door just in time to see a nurse walking in with a tray in hand.

"Breakfast is here."

Though surprised to find the patient by the window and not on the bed resting, she did not dare utter a word. She handed him the food and proceeded to explain how his medications should be taken. After ensuring Ding had finished his food and taken the medicine, she checked on the wound and found some faint stains of blood on the gauze.

"We should have that wound checked and the bandage changed. But..." her eyes trailed over to Lian who was sleeping silently on the bed.

Ding followed her gaze and shook his head," Don't disturb him. We can use another room, can't we?"

The nurse looked between the two men and let out a defeated sigh.

"That can be arranged," she said and walked out of the room.

Minutes later, she emerged pushing a wheel chair. She turned to Ding and requested him to sit on the chair so as to avoid any unnecessary movements which may cause pressure on the wound. Ding complied and he was pushed out of the room.

The light fell on Tsun's face and he groaned and sat up. He stretched his arms and with half open eyes looked around his surrounding.

"Right... hospital..."

He slowly got down from the couch and stretched his legs, kicking the exhaustion off. While yawning and scratching his hair, he walked towards the bed and gently shook the figure.

"Ding? Time to wake up."

The covers slipped off revealing Lian's body on the bed. Taken aback by surprise, he vigorously shook him forcing him up. 

"W, what? What happened?"

He groggily rubbed his eyes before settling his gaze on Tsun who was shocked up.

"Lian, what are you doing on the bed that Ding is supposed to be on?"

Lian rubbed his throbbing head before speaking up," Huh? How did I get here? Did I sleepwalk or something?"

He dug his brain for answers but he was too confused to come up with any reasonable explanation. Tsun rubbed the bridge on his nose with his eyes closed.

"Where's Mr. Ding?" he asked after not noticing his presence in the room.

"That's what I want to know as well," he replied with his eyes still closed and brows furrowed in confusion.

Reality struck him and he immediately got down from the bed and ran around the room looking for Ding in places he would most definitely not be. Tsun crossed his arms across his chest and watched as Lian ran around the room bare foot looking for Ding and he huffed in annoyance. 

"Seriously..."