Bonjour!

He let out a small, still-silent breath of relief, lying fully back down again; this caused his muscles to relax entirely and he only felt a small pain in his wrist. He looked up at the ceiling in the silence, thinking back to the nightmare he’d had.

Victor gave Atem another small smile. "You'll be better soon, Sir. You've already been recovering really quickly."

If not for the situation, the look of sheer horror on Atem’s face at the mention of Noah’s reaction would’ve been comical. However then he let out a breath of relief; he could count on Shelly to keep Noah calm enough—but he still fully expected the blond to try his hardest to find some way of payback. [At least with him calmer though, he knew it wouldn’t be anything Noah’d get arrested for…]

Victor nodded again. “You were in really bad condition… You’ve improved a lot, actually.”

Bonjour!: ancientruler: theangelbros: ancientruler: The sound of Jonathan’s...

"If it's any consolation, your bruises are yellowing," Victor said with a hesitant smile. "They'll be gone in no time."

If not for the situation, the look of sheer horror on Atem’s face at the mention of Noah’s reaction would’ve been comical. However then he let out a breath of relief; he could count on Shelly to keep Noah calm enough—but he still fully expected the blond to try his hardest to find some way of payback. [At least with him calmer though, he knew it wouldn’t be anything Noah’d get arrested for…]

Victor nodded again. "You were in really bad condition... You've improved a lot, actually."

The sound of Jonathan’s voice surprised Atem, but he agreed with what the other was saying. But even with painkillers, that didn’t change the tight feeling on his neck. He even put his good hand up to his neck, gingerly touching it and finding nothing around it; his hands just felt cold against the bruised skin.

"I’m very sorry, Mr. Atem," Victor muttered.

(Even the laugh Atem gave was silent.) But still, he gave a small nod in concur, glancing between the two before taking in another deep breath, and silence fell for a little bit again.

Victor nodded. "Yeah. The moment we got here, actually. Noah was beyond angry, as expected. But Shelly calmed him down. He came to see you the moment he hung up the phone. You were asleep, of course, and eventually he went home."

Atem still trembled lightly, but relaxed his neck muscles; no wonder the side of his face felt wet, if he’d been crying…

"I’m so sorry, Sir…" Victor looked away a bit. "I would take the pain in your place if I could…"

The sound of Jonathan’s voice surprised Atem, but he agreed with what the other was saying. But even with painkillers, that didn’t change the tight feeling on his neck. He even put his good hand up to his neck, gingerly touching it and finding nothing around it; his hands just felt cold against the bruised skin.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Atem," Victor muttered.

Atem’s eyes snapped wide open, though three shudders in a row shot through his system. For a long bit, it still felt like he had hands around his neck, but then the feeling transferred to his arm, which Victor still held onto.

Atem still trembled lightly, but relaxed his neck muscles; no wonder the side of his face felt wet, if he’d been crying…

"I'm so sorry, Sir..." Victor looked away a bit. "I would take the pain in your place if I could..."

"……-ke up! Sir! Wake up, Sir!"

Atem’s eyes snapped wide open, though three shudders in a row shot through his system. For a long bit, it still felt like he had hands around his neck, but then the feeling transferred to his arm, which Victor still held onto.

Atem continued to smile, though after a long while, he suppressed a wince and a shudder from the pain. He kept a hand over Victor’s but he had to lie back down. Movement was not his friend; his eyes were almost glassy from held-back pain.

Bonjour!: ancientruler: theangelbros: ancientruler: Atem slowly released the…

Atem watched the door for a bit, even after Victor left; at some point he must’ve fallen asleep—somehow, considering the pain he felt in his neck and wrist and basically his whole body—but he did.

"......-ke up! Sir! Wake up, Sir!"

Atem slowly released the other [as if it DIDN’T cause extreme pain] looking to the blond sternly.

Atem looked at Victor serenely, not a hint of doubt on his face. Not even pain could be seen on it right then.

Atem continued to smile, though after a long while, he suppressed a wince and a shudder from the pain. He kept a hand over Victor’s but he had to lie back down. Movement was not his friend; his eyes were almost glassy from held-back pain.

After a while, Victor's hiccups and sobs slowed to quiet sniffles, and he wiped away his tears.

Atem slowly released the other [as if it DIDN’T cause extreme pain] looking to the blond sternly.

Atem looked at Victor serenely, not a hint of doubt on his face. Not even pain could be seen on it right then.

Atem slowly released the other [as if it DIDN’T cause extreme pain] looking to the blond sternly.

Atem put his hand [his one without the broken wrist] firmly to Victor’s shoulder. He looked at him sternly still.

"You-... Y-You trust me, Sir...?"

Atem slowly released the other [as if it DIDN'T cause extreme pain] looking to the blond sternly.

Victor read the words, crossing his arms over the bed and letting himself drop onto the chair near it. He hid his face in his arms.

The next moment, Victor was held against Atem’s chest, tight in an embrace as the pharaoh kept his arms around him. He didn’t care about the pain, it was just flesh wounds right now. He shut his eyes either way, keeping his mouth tight shut as well [from fear he might start yelling in pain] but held onto Victor either way. Even if he couldn’t speak, he desperately wanted the other to hear him.

When he was suddenly against the other, Victor buried his face against his shoulder, carefully hugging him back.

Bonjour!: ancientruler: theangelbros: ancientruler: theangelbros: Victor read...

Victor read the words, crossing his arms over the bed and letting himself drop onto the chair near it. He hid his face in his arms.

The next moment, Victor was held against Atem’s chest, tight in an embrace as the pharaoh kept his arms around him. He didn’t care about the pain, it was just flesh wounds right now. He shut his eyes either way, keeping his mouth tight shut as well [from fear he might start yelling in pain] but held onto Victor either way. Even if he couldn’t speak, he desperately wanted the other to hear him.

When he was suddenly against the other, Victor buried his face against his shoulder, carefully hugging him back.

Victor read the words, crossing his arms over the bed and letting himself drop onto the chair near it. He hid his face in his arms.

Atem’s eyes narrowed and he put both hands to the other’s shoulders [regardless if it hurt his broken wrist]. His heart reached out to him, and it hurt to hear him talking like this.

Victor's shaking hands tightly clutched the fabric of the sheets, and he shook his head again. "No... N-No... I-I could have d-done something... I-I should have called the doctor right when y-you showed up..."

Atem smiled serenely, putting a hand firmly to Victor’s shoulder and nodded once, even though the action hurt his neck and he coughed a couple times. He still seemed sick and he was a bit pale; but he kept a hand to Victor’s shoulder, still trying to tell the other he was alright.

Victor read the words, crossing his arms over the bed and letting himself drop onto the chair near it. He hid his face in his arms.

Atem didn’t watch him leave, but he took in a strained breath once he was gone. He didn’t WANT to throw his life away—he hadn’t expected for this to happen! He didn’t want to worry or frighten anyone; he couldn’t even remember what had happened, it was all blank in his mind. He just woke up left-for-dead on the street—and someone DID try to kill him, he knew it from the bruises he felt around his whole neck—and he’d just subconsciously gone to the nearest place. He wished he would’ve just gone straight home; Noah would’ve taken care of him even with his injuries, and he wouldn’t have told anyone about what happened if Atem didn’t want him to.

From the corner, the small form of Victor began to stir a bit, before he yawned heavily and stretched his legs a bit in his chair. He sleepily looked over to where Jonathan had recently been sitting, noticing he wasn’t there and beginning to search the room slowly.

Atem smiled serenely, putting a hand firmly to Victor’s shoulder and nodded once, even though the action hurt his neck and he coughed a couple times. He still seemed sick and he was a bit pale; but he kept a hand to Victor’s shoulder, still trying to tell the other he was alright.

Victor read the words, crossing his arms over the bed and letting himself drop onto the chair near it. He hid his face in his arms.