"Have you lost your gosh darn mind?" Theodore shouted at the top of his lungs, outraged at Decha's request. Decha wasn't fazed by his outburst. He thought about it several times, and he was expecting this reaction.

"Decha, we don't even know if you are compatible to donate any of your organs." Jessica voiced much softer than Theodore.

"Run some tests..." Decha huffed. "Run some tests and scan me."

"You can't donate your organs to a Bracketer, N96!"

"Last time I checked, there's no law saying I can't." Decha rebuked his father.

"You are one of Astell's greatest heroes! If you're not all in one piece, then part of our order won't be enforced! And what will people say!"

"No matter what I do, Astellians are going to run their mouths." Decha shrugged slightly. The pain in his abdomen prevented him from having full control of his upper body.

"You'd risk your reputation. Your whole career! All for a Bracket woman?"

"It's my decision. Back off."

"That decision of yours will ruin your life!"

"Back off!" Decha flipped the bird at his father. He couldn't understand why Theodore was so bothered by his decision.

"Theodore! Decha! Please!" Jessica intervened, having heard enough of the two. "Theodore, you told me you were here to pick up a file. So please continue."

"What kind of file? Why would you be picking up something from Mom? The medical field has nothing to do with your job." Decha clenched his teeth. It was very eerie.

"I came here to get an analysis of Jamison's medical records."

Before Decha could lash out, Jessica pressed a finger to his lips. "Your father was trying to see if Jamison was compatible to be a donor for Rory." Jessica fumed.

"Why would YOU do something like that?"

"Believe it or not, N96, I want you to be happy."

"Bullshite." Decha forced himself off the table, alarming everyone. Even in a lot of pain, Decha pushed. He snatched the flash-drive Theodore was carrying. "We had a deal. If you do anything to him—"

"Decha! Your father came to me because he was concerned for you! You're treating him as if he's a monster!"

"I won't let you step in. Don't bother trying to help Rory. You already know that criminals can't donate any organs." Decha looked over at his mom and glared at Theodore.

"He's incompatible anyway." Theodore mocked.

"All the more reason for me to get tested." Decha finished.

Once Decha was done talking, he fell forward. Amir caught him as Decha went fully unconscious.

"Put him back on the table!" Jessica panicked. Theodore left the room, not even bothering to look back. When Decha was laid across the surface and flat, Amir followed Theodore out so Jessica could treat Decha in peace.

~~~

Rory built up some courage to enter the infirmary. Earlier, she heard the commotion. But she could tell that the conversation was heated so she decided to wait until the remainder of the day was done.

Jax had left with a General that Rory recognized, but didn't know his name. Theodore took them to the Agency.

Jessica and Avon went out. So it was just her and Decha there. Jessica told Rory that Decha was hurt, but she didn't know how badly. But Rory felt that Decha was overworking himself and it must've had something to do with her father.

Rory walked into the infirmary but her eyes were immediately drawn to the gloves and boots she made. They were placed aside on a countertop.

She wondered if there was a reason why they were placed there. Did they malfunction? If so, is that what caused Decha to be injured? Just the thought of that made Rory's heart unsettled.

She didn't want to be at fault for Decha's pain. Harming a General was a grand crime. And not only that, she just couldn't stand idly if she was the cause of someone she cared about being hurt.

Rory picked up the gloves first and held them up to look closer. The moment her fingers pressed against the material, she noticed something off about them. "I can't believe it..."

The small display on the back was distorted badly. The pads were pulsing. What in the world happened?

Rory bit her lip and began to stress herself in her head. The gloves did malfunction. "I have to fix this—" Rory turned her whole frame and bumped right into Decha. She almost slipped and fell backward, but she caught herself. "Decha!"

Decha studied her softly. He didn't have much energy. He just woke up.

Rory processed his appearance. His hair was a wavy mess. It was his bedhead. He was shirtless, but there was a thick bandage wrapped around his entire torso. But even with the bandage, she should see the start of a dark scar that led to his center.

"Why are you up?!" Rory exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"Fine," Decha nudged her away gently. He spotted the gloves she was holding and held his hand out to her. He wanted her to give them back.

Rory refused and held the gloves close to her chest. She shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Decha exhaled.

"I... You... You need to get some rest. There's no need for you to wear these right now."

She wondered if he was going to act tough and go back to work again. She already felt ashamed that her invention caused him to be like this.

"They're mine, aren't they?"

"They are... but— Hey! Give those back!" Rory reached for the gloves he snatched out of her hands. "Decha! You have to give those back!"

"Why? You're not planning on doing something to them, are you?"

"Because... I have to fix them!"

"No, you don't." Decha waddled back over to the gurney and sat down. It took a moment, but he was slowly starting to gain the ability to move around more.

"I do!" Rory whined. "Let me fix them! Give it—"

"Why are you so adamant about fixing them? There's nothing wrong with the gloves."

"The pads are pulsing! And I have to figure out what's going on with them too—"

"That's the effect of the beam that struck me earlier." Decha rolled his eyes.

"It's my invention, Decha!"

"But they're my gloves, aren't they? Nothing is wrong. They're fine the way they are."

"You don't know that! You don't know as much as I do about engineering or my tech!"

"You underestimate me." Decha snorted. What Rory didn't know was that he knew a lot about the technology Astell produced. He also knew a lot about the medical field. It was all because he had a photographic memory. That caused boredom, and boredom forced him to read a lot of books about various topics.

"Why are you acting so cocky?"

"Why are you so worried?"

There was a lot on Rory's mind. She just didn't want to spill everything at once. She worried that it would disturb Decha and only lower his spirit.

"I am... but... I'm okay. I just..." Rory sat next to him and shifted her gaze to his wound. "Don't overwork yourself... It's foolish to run into a situation you can't handle. And I know that there's tension between you and Mr. Chen, but please don't argue with him anymore. He cares about you."

"When did this become about Director Chen?"

"No, I meant... I don't want you to make him upset anymore. That will only stress you out."

"My conversations with Chen aren't any of your business," Decha grumbled. "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing!"

"Rory,"

"Decha, I'm worried about you." Rory groaned. "I trust you, but I don't want you to suffer because of me. I don't want to ask too much of you."

"So annoying," Decha felt an oncoming migraine. He hated having these types of conversations with her. It was repeated too many times.

"I'm reconsidering this surgery."

"No, you're not."

"Maybe it was too much for me to expect you to help me. And I—"

Decha flicked her in the nose and she squeaked in response. "You're getting the surgery. We made a deal. And you're not going back on your word."

Decha leaned against the wall and placed his gloves back onto his hands. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you to stop overthinking. Stop assuming everything is your fault. And if you keep doing it," He glared at her. "I won't go easy on you."

"Go easy on me?" Rory huffed. What did he mean by that?

"Do you think this is easy for me? I worry because no one tells me anything. I overthink because of your tough-guy act. Why can't I worry about you? I'm not a little girl who needs to be shielded all the time. And you're not a god, are you?"

"Why are you so upset?" Decha rolled his eyes. She was practically yelling at him, just because he tried to comfort her. Women were a puzzle for sure.

"I'm terrified for you Decha. And you dismiss it, constantly!"

"Rory, what do you want from me?"

"Why won't you let me care for you as much as you try to protect me? As smart as you are, why can't you tell that I love y— like... luh..." Rory slapped her hands over her mouth and began to stutter uncontrollably.

Decha blinked at her as Rory fumbled with her words. "Rambling again?" Decha grabbed her hand. "You should learn to take a deep breath before you speak. You'll stress yourself out."

"I'm already stressed."

"Then take a deep breath first," Decha chuckled softly. "Then say whatever you have to say. It's a natural remedy. The body can function better when oxygen is supplied."

His oblivious attitude was pissing her off. He was acting nonchalant again. She almost confessed to him, and even that didn't sound his alarm. Rory took a quick deep breath, before lunging forward.

Her and Decha's lips were only a few inches apart. But she paused before she did anything. Would he reject her again? What if he shoved her away?

Decha didn't look away from her. He kept the same intense stare on his face. His expression was making Rory question everything. There was an awkward silence between the two, but they stayed in that position.

Rory glanced at his lips and his eyes, wondering if she could go for it, or wait for him to push her away. But he didn't.

She leaned closer and kissed him. This time, Decha allowed it.

Rory's hand crept up the side of his neck and she cupped his face. But when she noticed there was no reciprocation, she quickly pulled away. "I..."

Decha narrowed his eyes when she began to hiccup again. "There you go..." He teased.

"You... I..." Rory hiccuped relentlessly.

"If you hold your breath, that won't happen as much," Decha advised. He understood why she hiccuped every time they had deep conversations.

Rory was nervous.

"Holding my... breath... I can't do... it for long..." Rory frowned.

Decha grabbed Rory by her face and kissed her again, much softer than what she had initiated. Rory's eyes went wide. She wasn't expecting it. The moment their lips touched, her hiccups vanished.

Decha was still in pain. So he nudged Rory back and rolled on his side to continue.

Rory gasped, but her lips were taken by his again before she could say anything. There were so many thoughts running through her head.

What was this completely new side of Decha? Was this a confession from him? Was he doing this to show her pity?

What would Jessica say if she saw them like this? If Jessica walked in, she'd feel ashamed. She'd feel worse if Theodore came into the infirmary.

"Decha!" Rory yelped when he bit her bottom lip. She nudged him back.

"What?" He snapped.

"Y-you're still hurt! I should leave! You have to get some rest. So I'll just—"

"Your hiccups are gone." Decha wrapped his arm around her and relaxed his shoulders.

Rory hummed softly, realizing it as well. "You're right..."

"Why are you nervous around me?"

Rory's face got warmer. "I'm not n-nervous!" She fumed. The reality was that she was extremely anxious. Even though it was her second kiss, she didn't know what their relationship was. Decha was unpredictable sometimes.

Rory's hiccups started again, and this time she couldn't stop it no matter how hard she tried holding it in. Her own body was exposing her lies.

In an instant, Decha kissed her again. It was much deeper. Rory melted. She wanted to ask him about their current status, but his warmth engulfed her. She had never seen this affectionate side of him before and she didn't want to interrupt it.

She moaned in the kiss and blushed because she wasn't expecting it. Her heart was happy, but deep down she wanted a little more. She wanted to know if this man's heart belonged to her.

She couldn't get over that. "Decha," Rory pulled away. "The Sectors... The law..."

"What law?" Decha voiced lazily. He didn't want to admit it, but he was so entranced and distracted that he didn't even want to talk.

"When I go back to Sector B, my temporary residency will expire. And the law of Sector A—"

"Why are you talking about that right now?" Decha grunted.

"I want to know what law prohibits me from doing this."

"Doing what?"

"I'm a Bracketer, you're an Astellian."

"I'm aware?" Decha raised a brow at her.

"Our lives are different."

"Rory, can you get to the point?"

"Do you like me, or not?" Rory blurted, getting sick of giving him hints. "You're a well-known General. And I'm a sickly Bracketer without a tekel to my name."

"What do you mean by 'like?"

"Romantically, how do you feel about me—"

"I don't hate you," Decha admitted bluntly. "I'm not one to express myself easily, Rory. But I'll tell you this. I don't care whether you're an Astellian or a Bracketer. You're a woman."

"You don't care? But there's a law that clearly states—"

"If you keep talking, I'm serious, I won't go easy on you anymore." Decha's eyes darkened. "You're so naive. No law says Astellians and Bracketers can't... be together. The law encourages it more so."

Decha assumed that her father never told her about her Uncle. "There's a reason why you have the seeds of the Klovoc flower in your ear, Rory."

"Because of our deal?" Rory scoffed.

"It's a sign of my vow."

"Your vow?"

"I'm going to protect you," Decha stated. "No matter where you are in the dark, I'll be able to find you. Literally."

"Oh! Because they glow!" Rory smiled wide. "That's very clever!"

She was still missing the point. Decha was going to try again. She wanted to know how he felt, but whenever he tried to tell her, it would go over her head.

"So even when I go back to Sector B, you'll be able to find me?"

Decha nodded.

"Amazing, that means you can come and visit! You have to visit me when I'm better, okay?"

"You have no idea what I'm trying to say," Decha grumbled and hovered over her in an instant. He ignored the pain in his torso. "You're not allowed to die."

"Huh?"

"Our training on the Outside is top-notch. My protection expands more than your illness." He stared into her eyes. "You'll find out eventually."

"So there's no law that prevents me and you from..."

"Nope."

"And you don't care?"

"What do you think?"

"Oh my gosh... is that why you kissed me when I found out about my father?"

"You initiated it."

"What? How did I initiate? You stole my first kiss!"

"You stole a kiss from me." Decha scoffed. "On Bloom Day. When I gave you your gift."

Rory remembered it. The dream she had. The one that felt so real. She turned on her side and pressed her hands to her face in embarrassment. Decha fell beside her and rested his head on the cushion.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize. I don't wanna hear it." Decha sighed and closed his eyes.

Rory didn't know if she should leave or if she should stay. Her mind stayed on Decha. He wasn't an affectionate person and he allowed her to kiss him. Again, he was extremely unpredictable.

Did his protection mean that the two were a thing? Exclusively? Were they a couple?

"In Sector B, there are phrases that we use if we are romantically involved with someone."

"Uh-huh," Decha mumbled.

"Beau and Bell. For example, since you're a guy, you'd be called a Beau."

"Is that what you're trying to call me?"

"No!" Rory panicked, flustered by the accusation.

"Good, because I don't like that word."

That settled it. Rory concluded that the two weren't romantically involved. A kiss wasn't always supposed to be romantic, was it? But that would be a problem for Rory. She wanted Decha to be hers.

"Are you going to leave or just lay there staring into space?"

"I'm thinking..." Rory murmured. "If I leave, Jessica might hear me. But if I stay, Mr. Chen could walk in and spot us. And that will only cause a commotion."

Decha yanked Rory by her arm and rolled her entire frame over. She flipped around and slammed into his chest. The collision made Decha jerk slightly because of the pain, but he masked it with a blank expression.

"Decha! Your wound! Let me go—"

Decha pushed all his weight on her and drifted off into sleep. He ignored her whining once his mind finally relaxed.

Part of him knew that Rory wasn't going to leave. So he had already locked the infirmary doors. It was more beneficial for her to stay closer to him in case POYO tried to attack. Also, he was already exhausted and didn't feel like moving around.

When Rory heard the sound of his soft snores, she stopped trying to resist. The sound of his heartbeat led her to rest soon after.

~~~

I'm thinking of creating a blog on my Ko-Fi page for early access to my other stories that I want to work on in the future. I want to create an active community on my page 😊. If you haven't already, please follow me on Ko-fi (it's free), and supporters will be able to get more content!