Page 38 of Elas

“Go on, then,” I say, “before he attacks you for wasting his time.”

Elas snorts and rolls his eyes. “Like he could take me.” His shoulders throw back, and I try to hide my smile at the way he pushes out his chest.

“Of course he couldn’t, killer.” Back in his usual state of sass, Elas winks at me before walking into the hallway, leaving me in the thick silence of the lonely apartment. I sigh and meander into the kitchen, spotting the three worn paperback books sitting on the countertop. An amused puff of a laugh leaves my nose at the variety. Straight romance, gay romance, and… I frown at the last one and flip to the front page.

A medical journal that’s several decades outdated.

“Oh, Elas,” I chuckle under my breath as I put it aside, glancing back and forth between the two that remain. Truthfully, I’ve never given much consideration to the gender of my partner, but currently…

The first book’s cover features a man with six glistening abs and a woman with curves in all the right places. I drop it on top of the medical journal, and I choose the cover with twelve abs split between two men. After I grab a bottle of water, I curl up on the couch and crack open the book. A tiny piece of paper flutters out and landson my leg.

The next few days fall into a routine. Elas sneaks into his barracks in the early hours before dawn, and I wake up wrapped in his arms. The first night he was spooning me again, his morning wood digging into my ass while he slept peacefully. I was wide awake, fighting the urge to flip over and turn it into more until I saw the pronounced rings under his eyes. Even as he was sleeping, he looked exhausted, so I didn’t wake him until it was necessary to get me to the clinic on time.

The second time, we were facing each other with my leg thrown over his hip and my face tucked into his neck. Today, the third morning, he was lying on his back and I was almost on top of him. We seek each other out in our sleep, and it’s terrifyingly comfortable.

Every day, his hand glows brighter, and my chest shines more brilliantly in return.

He sleeps until we’re out of time, then he escorts me to the clinic, where the days go by in a dreadful state of boredom. It’s nearing the end of the workday, and I just offered Xeni another flimsy excuse to avoid dinner.

Adate, even if he hasn’t said that part out loud.

My complicated feelings towards Elas are the reason for my refusal. It wouldn’t be fair to Xeni to lead him on. The people pleaser inside me hates continually turning him down, even though he seems unaffected by therejection. He’s friendly with everyone and a natural flirt. Hells, for all I know, I’ve imagined the entire premise of this being a date and he just wants to hang out as friends. Regardless, I’m not in the right headspace to be alone with him.

The file room is nearly completed, but a glance at the clock tells me I won’t finish today. Barring any other interruptions, the new system will be in place by the end of the day tomorrow. Nerves build in my gut as I wonder what they’ll have me doing next.

A medic I’ve only exchanged pleasantries with, Flynn, rushes into the room and slams the edge of the door into one of the filing cabinets.

“Shit!” he shouts, turning to me with wide eyes. “Sorry, I uh…”

“Forget how strong you are sometimes?” I ask dryly, having heard the excuse every time it happens, and he gives me a sheepish cringe. “It’s fine. You aren’t the first person who’s done that. I should probably move it.”

“Want some help?”

I glance at him in surprise, taking a moment to catalogue his stout frame and dark brown skin. My brain shuffles through the different species I’ve learned about in my time here, finally identifying him as Bemesse. They’re scholars and tend to be very peaceful, so a career in the medical field makes sense.

Flynn offers me a tentative smile as I glance again at the giant metal cabinet. “You wouldn’t mind helping me shift a few things? I can do it on my own, but an extra set of hands would be amazing for my lower back.”

“Sure thing. I’ve got a few minutes until my next appointment. The last patient was faking to get out of training, so she didn’t take very long.”

I snort a laugh. “Let me guess, upset stomach?”

He shakes his head with a serene grin. “She wasn’t even that smart about it. Food poisoning is a good choice because it’s nearly impossible to diagnose. Our immune systems are robust enough to fight food-borne illnesses with time, so we just take them at their word. Now, if they’ve gotten ahold ofactualpoison, that’s more of a cause for concern.”

The offhand way he says it makes my brows climb my forehead in surprise. “That happens?”

Another lighthearted chuckle leaves him. “You’d be surprised what people find to get into. Where do you want these?” he asks as he gestures towards the filing cabinets.

I’m still stuck on casual poisonings, but shake my head to snap out of it. “Right… the door only hits the furthest one. Could you help me move it to that free spot between the shelves?”

Flynn nods and grabs the cabinet by both sides to walk it away from the wall. Random loose pieces of paper and a few beige files that were wedged behind it fall to the ground, but we ignore them for now. I grab the other side, and we move it with relative ease thanks to Flynn’s strength. We settle it into place, and he dusts his hands off with a nod.

“Thanks,” I say, breathing a touch heavier from the exertion.

“Anything else you need while I’m in here?” Flynn asks, perfectly poised while I catch my breath.

“No, that was it. I really appreciate the help. If I’d attempted that on my own, I would’ve been sweating like a pig by the time I was done.” He chuckles good-naturedly as I pick up the stack of papers that had been stuck behind the cabinet and leaf through them.

There are a few loose test results that need to be filed, a couple of scribbled notes I’ll have to decipher, and a six-year-old weekly menu from the galley that goes straight into the trash. Two manila folders are at the bottom of the stack. The first is relatively thin, stamped in the upper corner with the red X along with a date that means the patient is deceased. I set it aside and glance at the last one.

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