Tyrant

(𝟸𝟺) 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚞𝚜𝚝

It took a week to get Darcio off bedrest.

I had remained by his side almost every hour of every day, leaving only to see to my needs and to sleep in my bedroom—only because the Healer named Sage had insisted I give Darcio some quiet healing time, alone.

Food had been served to him by a Healer every day, and I saw the silent gratitude that shone in his white eyes as I dined with him in that little healing room, just the two of us.

And now that the week of Darcio being cooped up and recovering is over, he can finally go back out again. He had told me that as much as he cherishes my company, he despises sitting still for too long and being useless. He wants to serve and be of assistance. To Terminate.

I told him I completely understood, but a fraction of my heart whined like a baby at the conclusion of spending long, heartening hours with this male.

And I had truly hated myself when Darcio stood from his cot on the seventh day, stretched himself, and found that his left arm cannot be lifted up all the way. I hated myself because my insides had done a little selfish dance at the fact that now, I can spend more time with him.

And finish the conversation you so desperately wish to finish—the one you had refused to mention again since the warrior was healing.

He had asked Kade why the hell his arm is immobilized, and the Healer had simply replied, "It needs more time." 

Darcio had cursed the stars above as he realized that he couldn't go out yet.

So he was allowed to roam around the Base, his left arm in a sling—but Kade had warned to be cautious, as any wrong movement may halt the healing process.

Darcio, like a stubborn, adorable child, had gone to The Top to request she deem him fit enough to Terminate. She had refused and told him to shut his ass up and listen to the Healers. 

I blink a few times and transport myself back to the present, to where Darcio is consuming lemon-pepper chicken with his right hand, seated at one of the three dining tables in the Food Sector. I suppress my grin as he tries to one-handedly chop the large piece of chicken in half with the edge of his fork.

"You need help?" I offer, nothing rude or mocking in my tone as I watch him. 

"I can do it myself." He says, clearly despising being doted and fawned over like a young chick.

I hold back a chuckle as he finally manages to chop the chicken into smaller pieces—he lifts his eyes up to mine with triumph. "See?"

I resist the urge to reach out across the table and place my hand over his. "I never doubted you, Darcio."

A small, satisfied tug of his lips has that little fire kindling in my chest—every time he smiles, that miniature blaze grows and grows—

"You gonna eat?" He asks while chewing, and I shake my head, leaning back in my chair.

"Not hungry yet." I glance at the clock on the counter: 9:56pm. Today had been filled with walking around, sorting strange documents behind door six as Raeyan had commanded, and visiting the ET room for basic stretches to enhance Darcio's healing—basically uselessness, the warrior had said.

How much longer, I had asked Kade earlier today, as he bent and probed Darcio's arm. It's been three days since his leave off bedrest, so three days of striding around the Base and not doing anything important.

Not much, Kade had replied. His arm is mostly healed, it just needs some physical therapy to get the blood flowing everywhere again.

The clack of Darcio's fork against the metal of the table has me glancing up. "Hey, Astrid." He greets, and I look behind me to see a tired looking Astrid glide into the room.