Page 81 of Our Blood, Our Pain

What’s that beeping noise? And that smell…it smells like antibacterial agents. That’s not what my room smells like. I miss Jules’s smell.

Fuck, I hurt all over. My heavy eyes slowly open and panic sets in. A hospital room. Oh no. The pain in my stomach intensifies, and I squeeze my eyes shut to try and calm my breathing, but the deeper I breathe, the more it hurts.

Opening my eyes again, I turn my head to the side and see Jules asleep in a chair. Jules. I look down at my body, noticing the bandages and IVs connected to me and the stabbing comes rushing back to me. Zac and Jez. I thought I was dead. I go to speak to Jules, but my throat is dry and sore, making my voice croaky and quiet.

“Jules,” I say, trying to make my voice louder. I’m in so much pain, and so thirsty.

“Jules!” I rasp out, and that makes him flinch. He rubs his eyes before opening them, and upon seeing me he jumps up out of the seat and dashes over to me, grabbing my face in the palms of his big hands.

“Kai, fuck, you’re awake.”

“Hurts…water,” I whisper.

“Let me go get a doctor or nurse,” he says, before running out into the corridor. Not even a minute later, a nurse returns with him and checks me over.

“He said he’s in pain and wants some water,” Jules says.

The middle-aged brunette takes my vitals and smiles at me. Her smile is of kindness and warmth. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a thing.

“Nice to have you back, Kai. I’ll top up your pain meds, but you can only have ice chips for now, at least until the doctor has checked you over, which should be soon,” she says.

“I’ll go get some. I need to text your mom,” Jules says.

“Is she here?” I ask.

“Yeah, she was with you last night, but I sent her home to get some rest. I’ll be back in a minute.”

I nod, and let my head fall back onto the pillow. Every inch of me aches like I’ve completed a forty-eight-hour Pilates class. Before Jules has a chance to come back, a tall skinny doctor with glasses walks in with another nurse, inspects my wound, and goes over my medical notes.

“It’s looking good, Kai. No sign of infection so far, or any further internal bleeding. We completed a blood transfusion on you when you arrived. You’ve got a little way to go in healing, but you’re incredibly lucky,” he says.

“When can I go home?”

“No chance of that yet, young man. Let’s see how you’re doing in a couple of days. Then we can discuss it further. Now, on a scale of one to ten, how’s the pain?”

“The nurse just gave me some more pain medication, so I’m at a four. It’s bearable. I’m really thirsty.”

“You can have some water, but not a lot. Always a risk for complications after the surgery.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll be back this afternoon to check on you again. Try to rest, and not aggravate your stab wound.”

“I will.”

“I’ll make sure he sticks to the plan, doc,” Jules says, walking back into the room with a cup of ice chips in one hand and a coffee in the other. I could kill for a coffee.

“See that you do,” the doctor says before he leaves the room.

Jules prowls over to me, eyes focused on mine, and I want to squirm. Now that I’m hooked up to monitors, I can’t hide his effect on me and my racing heart.

“Excited to see me, Kai?” he says as he places his coffee on the bedside table, and sits on the edge of the bed, level with my chest with the cups of ice chips.

“I’m sorry,” I say in a hushed voice.

Jules takes one of the ice chips in between his fingers and guides it to my mouth. I’m so parched.

“Open,” he says, voice low and commanding, and his sight set on my lips.

---