Chapter 196: Ch 196: Recovery
"How are you feeling now? Any lingering pain? Or anything else that you need help with?"
I asked Rhiner as he went out of therapy. Everyone had co back after the final dungeon but not everyone had been as lucky in regard to forgetting what happened in the final dungeon.
Rhiner, Lynn and a few others had an adverse effect due to the dungeon’s energy and were told to be on absolute bed rest for the ti being. And that was why I decided to visit them- to check up on them.
"I am fine. But I don’t think I can say the sa about Lynn. As far as I know, he has been twisting and turning in his bed the whole night because he was unable to sleep."
Rhiner told
and I heard a scoff from the background.
I turned around, only to see Theo looking back at
with a sowhat surprised face. It seed as if his reaction had not been sothing he had expected to make.
"Who is that?"
Rhiner asked, pointing to Theo and I opened my mouth to tell him, but then closed my mouth.
When I had turned the world back to how it was, sothing weird had happened- people had forgotten Theo. Even those who knew him well could no longer tell who he was.
I had not realized this fact until we were facing Emma and she asked
who Theo was.
Theo seed not to mind, but this left a sowhat bitter taste in my mouth. Still, I pushed the feeling down and turned to look at Rhiner with a smile.
"Theo, don’t be a brat and co here. I will introduce you to the brave people who helped
out with the final dungeon. This is Theo, my mate."
Rhiner’s eyes widened at my confession and he looked between
and Theo, his mouth opening and closing until he finally snapped it close for good and blinked a few tis.
"I see...so he’s your lover? It...makes sense that you finally have one. But still, I cannot say that it feels good to know this."
Rhiner told
and his eyes looked sowhat bitter when he looked at Theo. I quickly stepped in front of Theo so that he wouldn’t be visible to Rhiner and Rhiner looked even more baffled before he gave up.
"Fine, I won’t do anything to your lover. Good luck on your future. I hope you have a nice ti with him."
Rhiner told
and I nodded before I walked out of the hospital room. Now, only Lynn was left. But after his confessions, I was not sure how to face him.
Especially with Theo by my side. That would be like sprinkling salt in his wound even more.
I paused outside Lynn’s room, my hand hovering over the handle as an uncomfortable heaviness settled in my chest.
Sohow, I could already imagine Lynn sitting inside, exhausted from lack of sleep, his mind likely drifting to things he had said to
and that made
feel uncomfortable.
Just thinking about it made my stomach twist.
"I think I should wait outside."
Theo whispered from behind , almost reading my mind.
"You don’t have to—"
I began, instinctively wanting to deny it.
But he shook his head.
"You’re uncomfortable. And he will be too. There’s no point making things harder for either of you."
As always, his logic was annoyingly perfect. I let out a breath, nodded, and squeezed his hand once before letting go.
Theo stepped back until his presence completely disappeared from my peripheral vision. Only then did I push the door open.
Lynn’s room was dim, the curtains drawn tight to block out the harsh afternoon light. He was sitting up with his back against the headboard, his hair ssy, eyes lined with exhaustion.
The mont he saw , he tried to straighten himself, as if pretending he hadn’t been seconds away from dozing off.
"...You’re here,"
He muttered, his voice softer than usual.
"I ca to see how you were doing. Rhiner said you couldn’t sleep."
I said, walking inside. My steps felt heavy, heavier than they should have.
Lynn scoffed under his breath, but the sound was weak.
"I’ll be fine. Just a side effect. It’ll pass."
His attempt at sounding strong was painfully obvious. I moved closer and pulled a chair toward his bedside, sitting down slowly as I studied his face.
His eyes were swollen from lack of rest.
"You look terrible."
I said before I could stop myself.
He cracked a tiny, bitter smile.
"I know."
Silence stretched between us. A long, uncomfortable one. I could tell he was avoiding looking directly at , his gaze drifting from the blanket to the wall to the small glass of water on the table. Anywhere but my face.
I swallowed.
I had co here prepared to talk, but now my mind felt strangely blank.
"How are you really?"
I finally asked.
This ti, Lynn’s lips pressed together tightly. He closed his eyes for a mont before exhaling slowly.
"Honestly? My head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton. And every ti I close my eyes, I..."
He stopped, jaw tightening.
"I see things from the dungeon again. So I try not to sleep. But then I get tired, and then I... see them again anyway."
My chest tightened at the admission.
"Lynn..."
"You don’t have to comfort . I know I’m being pathetic. I’ll get over it."
He cut in quickly, almost too quickly.
"You’re not pathetic."
He flinched at my tone but didn’t argue. Instead, he looked at his hands for a long mont, his fingers curling into fists.
"Can I ask you sothing?"
He asked quietly.
"Of course."
His breath shook slightly as he looked up at
for the first ti since I entered.
"Are you...disappointed in
now?"
The question hit
harder than any monster ever had.
"Hate you? Why would you think that?"
"Because I was of no help. I promised to help, but in the end, I was not able to keep it."
He whispered, shoulders tensing.
His voice cracked just a little near the end, and I felt a sharp sting behind my ribs.
"Lynn, I am not disappointed. It was not a situation where anyone could help , no matter what."
I leaned forward, forcing him to et my eyes.
His shoulders slumped in visible relief, but the tension in his jaw remained.
"That’s... good. I just needed to hear it. I thought... maybe I ruined things."
He said, though his voice was strained.
"You didn’t."
Silence settled again, softer this ti.
Lynn hesitated, then asked,
"Is soone waiting outside?"
I froze for a split second.
"Yes."
I said eventually.
He didn’t ask who. Perhaps he already knew.
The brief flicker of pain in his expression was small, but it was there—quick enough that he probably hoped I didn’t notice. But I did.
And it made my throat tighten.
"Then you should go. He’ll get worried if you take too long."
He murmured, attempting a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"I can stay longer if you want."
I offered.
But Lynn shook his head firmly.
"No. If I’m being honest... I need a bit of ti to clear my head. And I don’t think I can do that properly while you’re here."
He paused, then added quietly.
"But thank you. For coming."
I stood slowly, my legs feeling unusually heavy as I pushed the chair back.
"Get so rest. If anything gets worse, call ."
I said.
"I will."
His voice was warm, but tired. So tired.
I lingered by the door for a mont before I finally stepped out.
Theo was leaning against the wall just a few steps away, his arms crossed and eyes trained on the floor. The mont he sensed , he straightened and looked up.
"How did it go?"
I didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, I let out a long sigh and leaned against the wall beside him. For a mont, neither of us spoke.
"He’ll be fine. He just needs ti."
Theo nodded slowly, expression unreadable.
"You care about him."
He said softly.
"I do. He’s my friend. And I don’t want him to think he’s alone or that he ruined anything."
I admitted.
Theo didn’t respond for a few seconds.
Then, gently, he reached out and brushed his fingers against the back of my hand.
"You’re too kind for your own good."
Maybe.
Or maybe I just didn’t like seeing people break.
Either way, I didn’t pull my hand away.
"Let’s go. There’s nothing more we can do here."
I said after a mont.
Theo nodded, falling into step beside
as we walked down the empty hallway, our footsteps echoing softly against the sterile walls.
The world outside felt strangely quiet.
Almost too quiet.
And for the first ti in a long while, the silence didn’t feel comforting.
It felt heavy.
But things were finally over for now.
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