Chapter 3.5
1128 Words
The Nio District might be overrun by vampires, but there was an abundance of medical professionals who could patch something like this up in less than an hour. The equipment and the facilities they had in Nio made the Silic look like a dump in comparison. There was a good reason for it too. The vamps in Nio have been living this earth for hundreds of years, saving money, collecting knowledge. They had their hands inside the cookie jar called the Mason Government and used it to every advantage.
Taylor couldn’t blame the feds. With eternal life dangled over their heads, how could they say no to that?
They could if they knew what was right or they could at least try to help the people suffering in the lower districts. But that would cost them time and money. They were too above and corrupt for that.
Taylor tossed back his bedsheets and pulled himself off the bed. He stumbled as another ripple of pain went through him, but he grabbed the side of the wall and took a moment to gain his balance. He took one more shaky step when an arm wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up.
“Wh—” He was taken aback to see Ryan beside him and his face so close to his.
“Sorry,” Ryan said, blushing but not letting go. “I had to run to the corner shop and get some soup. You don’t have much here to eat.”
Taylor stared at Ryan, unsure what he should make of the situation. He fought against his pride and just opted to shake his head.
“That’s not—” He couldn’t finish his words. He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’ve got it. Let me go.”
He wanted to deny how much he longed for Ryan to keep holding him. He was warm, familiar, all the things he needed right now, but he had to be stronger than he wanted. If he was going to be anything to Ryan, he had to beat this weakness out from him and become better than he was. Cleo had managed to up him last night and he wasn’t going to let that happen again.
Ryan righted his arm around Taylor’s waist, pulling him closer to his side. “No.”
“No?”
“No,” Ryan said once more, harder this time. “You shouldn’t be walking around without support. And after the s**t you pulled, I’m not planning on letting you anywhere without me.”
Taylor blinked. He floundered, searching for words to combat Ryan’s. “I don’t need you to help me do s**t. Let me go. It’s not that serious.”
He pulled Ryan’s arm off him and tried to walk to his small kitchen. He made it one step before his legs gave out. He growled out as he grabbed onto the wall, clawing to stay up, but Ryan was there to pull him off the ground.
“It won’t mean anything. Just let me help you.”
He didn’t want help and he didn’t need it. The pain would be gone in a day and he would be able to walk again. f*****g hell.
He slammed his fist into the wall. “Don’t f*****g touch me.”
Ryan hovered over his shoulder. He was staring at him. It made him feel like a complete asshole.
“Sorry.”
“You should be.”
“I take it back.”
Ryan laughed. “I’ll start lunch.”
Ryan helped Taylor back to the bed and Taylor went without a fuss only because he knew that he wouldn’t be able to make it on his own. His pride was beaten down, but it was better to bite his tongue and let Ryan help him this once than look like a fool on the ground. He lied down, his hands cradling his aching side as he watched Ryan walk to the small kitchen and begin what he needed. He was making chicken noodle soup and all he had to work with was a busted can of chicken broth and some stale noodles he’d found on sale.
Most of the things sold in Kitro were past expiration date or had been scrounge up from old fallen building before the Rising. There were only a couple of factories in Mason that still produced well-made food for the public though most of them were far beyond anything affordable because of the state of the economy.
Taylor watched from his bed, still sour about the situation. He was grateful though. No words could describe how much he was thankful Ryan was here after everything.
The blue vial popped into his mind. He stiffened and sat up in his bed once more. He looked down at the clothes he wore now. They were shorts and t-shirt, not clothes he’d worn last night.
“Ryan?” He called out, more frantic now than he was before.
Ryan turned around, his hand on a small saucepan. He looked at Taylor quizzically.
“What’s wrong?”
Taylor looked in horror around his room. “Where are they?”
Ryan put the pan down and ran to Taylor’s side. He grabbed him and looked in the direction Taylor was looking. “What? What are you looking for?”
Taylor attempted to push Ryan away, shaking his head. “Where are my clothes? The vial was in there!”
It clicked for Ryan and he grabbed tightly onto Taylor’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Tay. I’ve got it. It’s fine.”
Their eyes met.
He didn’t know what to say. The panic inside of him was unlike him in so many ways, it made him more ashamed than being too weak to stand on his own.
He swallowed thickly and looked down at his hands. They looked so fragile laying on his bedspread. He looked fragile. Everything had changed so fast in one night, it was unbelievable.
“That’s what they wanted,” he said, his voice soft just as he looked now.
Ryan touched his hand. Taylor held onto the touch. He wanted it imprinted into his memory and to never forget it.
Last night he’d almost lost his grasp on reality and Ryan had been his way to stay. He never knew how much he needed him until now.
He would never forget. Never.
- Writer
