Adonis

Azalea did not expect that her peaceful night would turn into her meeting all injured Adam at her doorstep. 

A few hours ago…

After finishing her dinner with her mother, Azalea bid her mother farewell and was almost deciding what to do before bed when the doorbell rang. 

Annoyed, Azalea stormed towards the door, peeking out through the peepholes to find no one. Maybe it was some kind of prank? But somehow her heart was telling her that was not true. It was telling her to open the door and check. 

Following her dumb instincts, she unlocked the door, opened the door, and checked. And the scene that unfolds through her peripheral vision, was enough to make her heart….

'No, there is no way.' She tried to rationalize all her thoughts, seeing the vivid scene beside her. There was a murder just in front of her house! Who knows if the murderer was still roaming around trying to go for her? Unsure of what to do, her mind was cluttered with thousands of words. 

"...A-..." Azalea was still going crazy when she heard a mumble just loud enough to reach her eyes. With a heavy heart, she finally looked down at the man for the first time. Until then she had only seen him through peripheral vision. The blurry silhouette took shape, the blood-covered body and the known face. 

Adam leaned his back on the wall, his eyes closed. The fine white shirt was covered in blood and pus, making a pool around him. 

Azalea froze in her place, her legs instinctively taking her inside and grabbed her tablet and in a hurry dialed a number. After a few rings, someone picked it up. 

"Hello! Brother! Help! Someone is lying in front of my house covered in blood! He mumbled something! I don't know what to do…! He looks…." 

"Lea, calm down. Take a deep breath. I am coming. If you can take him inside." The man calmly instructed. 

Azalea gulped, trying to take a deep breath as she went back to Adam. Her hands vigorously shaking in fear, she squatted down and tried to wake him up. "Adam…" She shook his shoulder but did not react. 

Luckily, her brother's workplace was just minutes away from her place and it only took ten minutes to reach her place. With unsteady breath, Ashton reached up to her door and glanced at the man leaning on the wall, with Azalea beside him, covered in tears. 

Ashton didn't waste a minute and grabbed one of Adam's shoulders and made him stand up. The back covered in blood was only then revealed. Azalea hurriedly opened the door to her bedroom and helped her brother to place Adam onto the bed. 

"Bring me some clean towels and water," Ashton ordered, grabbing his first aid kit. He quickly took off Adam's shirt, while Azalea brought the towel and water. 

Seeing all the wounds on his back, made Azalea frozen to her place. Not just one, two, or three…his whole back was covered in burnt wounds. How can someone be so cruel? 

Ashton saw the traumatized face of his sister. For people like him, it was already horrifying but for someone like Azalea who had been nothing but pampered, it would be traumatizing. 

"Get out of here," Ashton yelled as he cleaned Adam's wounds. 

Azalea calmed herself down and nodded. As she walked out, a voice stopped her. "Azalea!" Adam's voice rang through the room. Azalea didn't know why she stopped, but she instinctively walked back, beside the bed, and held onto his hand. "Lemme stay here, I am fine." Azalea declared with her head held up straight. 

Ashton wanted to refute, but the moment he saw the unconscious man holding onto her hand tightly, he didn't say anymore. It seemed his little sister might have found her knight but Ashton didn't focus on those details and continued treating. He still had a lot of time to interview his sister about whatever was going on. 

***

Present time…

Azalea was startled by the sudden hug. Her brother was still there cleaning the blood outside.

"Adam…" Azalea muttered, careful to not touch his wounds. 

"Let me hold you for a bit. I don't know how long I will be in this sweet dream." Adam remarked, his grasp on her getting tighter.

Azalea didn't refute, and patted the back of his head, humming a tone. Adam shot opened his eyes at the humming. He stared at her shocked and flustered as if the realization dawned over him. 

"W-what…" His brows furrowed, as he glanced around the unfamiliar room. 

"Are you two done being lovebirds?" Ashton's frustrated voice caught both Azalea and Adam's attention. 

Azalea was quick to clear up," It's nothing like that. We just know each other." 

Ashton shot a glare at Adam, scanning him from head to toe. He was not foolish to not notice Adam's feelings. Except for his sister, no one was that blind. The way he called out for Azalea in his painful time, the way he searched for solace in her says everything. 

Ashton decided to point out the obvious. His little sister would soon learn the truth, whether she wished or not. "Just be careful to not get his wounds wet, and take bed rest. The meds are on the table with the prescription. Give it to him on time. Cya." Ashton bid them farewell, not caring much about his little sister's private life. He was sure, their parents already dissected everything, and if he had not gotten any call from his mother about her with the wrong guy that meant he was already approved. 

Azalea's cheeks turned beet red, seeing his brother not even caring to question as if already accepted Adam into the family. Azalea was not surprised that Ashton didn't care much, he was never a person to make fuss and think logically but that made her annoyed right now. 

Ashton left without saying anything else. Once he was gone, Azalea got up to leave. "You should rest," Azalea remarked, trying to escape when Adam grabbed her by the wrist. 

"Where are you going?" Adam inquired, bobbing his head to the side. His black eyes, piercing out her soul. 

"You need to rest." Azalea retorted, averting her gaze from those piercing stares of him. His eyes were like a mirage in the middle of the desert, tempting her closer. 

"I know. I am asking where are you going?" 

"..." Azalea was dumbfounded, was it not normal for her to leave the room to give him privacy? Of course, she can't let a patient sleep on the couch. Where else does he think she will go? "To the other room." Azalea gulped, replying. 

Adam didn't talk any further, and with a swift yank, he pulled her into his arms. He wrapped around her tiny silhouette tightly. "Stay with me. Just for tonight. I promise I will not make any advances. Just stay by my side." Adam's voice almost sounded like a puppy begging for its owner's attention. How can Azalea resist such temptation? 

"B-but…your injuries…." With a stuttered voice she tried to put up one last fight. 

"I only need you by my side." Adam declared with a determined look. Even though Azalea had resolute willpower, she couldn't compete against Adonis by saying such kind of words. If she was getting killed tonight because of her stupid lust, she would pray to be born as a monk in the next life.