Raphael paced outside the hospital room, his shoes tapping against the cold tiles. Luna sat quietly on a chair nearby, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Both of them were waiting for any news. The silence was heavy, broken only by the sound of distant footsteps and the occasional beeping from the nearby monitors.
The door to Damian’s room opened, and the doctor stepped out. He looked tired but calm, which gave Raphael a small sense of relief.
“Mr. Raphael Wolfe,” the doctor said, pulling off his gloves.
Raphael stopped pacing and turned quickly. “Yes? Is he awake?”
The doctor nodded. “Your brother is stable now, and he’s conscious. You can see him, but keep it brief. He’s still weak and needs rest.”
A wave of relief washed over Raphael’s face, but it quickly turned into concern. “Thank you, Doctor,” he said. “How’s his condition? Will he recover fully?”
The doctor gave a small smile. “We’ve managed to stabilize him, but we’ll need to monitor him closely for the next 24 hours. The drug in his system was strong, but your brother has a resilient body. He’ll recover, but he needs time.”
Raphael nodded. “We’ll take care of him,” he said firmly.
The doctor gave a nod and walked away, leaving Raphael and Luna standing in the hallway. Raphael turned to Luna, his expression serious but softer than usual.
“Come on,” he said, motioning toward the door.
Luna hesitated, standing up slowly. “I think I should stay out here,” she said quietly, avoiding his gaze.
Raphael frowned, stepping closer to her. “Why?” he asked.
Luna looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers nervously. “He doesn’t need me there,” she said. “You’re his brother. He’ll want to see you, not me.”
Raphael sighed, crossing his arms. “You’ve been worried about him this whole time, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Luna admitted softly.
“Then come,” Raphael said firmly. “You care about him, and he needs all the support he can get right now.”
Luna still hesitated, but Raphael wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He reached out and grabbed her hand gently, pulling her toward the door.
“Stop overthinking,” he said, giving her a small, encouraging smile. “You’re coming with me.”
Luna looked at him in surprise but didn’t resist. Her heart pounded as Raphael led her toward the room. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to face Damian after everything that had happened, but she didn’t have much choice.
Raphael pushed the door open, and the sight of Damian lying on the hospital bed made both of them pause.
Damian’s face was pale, and his eyes were half-lidded, but he was awake. The room was filled with the quiet hum of machines, and an IV drip was attached to his arm. He turned his head slowly as they entered, his tired eyes meeting Raphael’s first.
“Raphael,” Damian said, his voice hoarse but steady.
Raphael smirked, walking up to the bed. “You scared the hell out of me,” he said, his tone light but filled with relief. “Don’t do that again, you idiot.”
Damian gave a weak chuckle, his lips twitching into a small smile. “I’ll try,” he said softly.
Raphael pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, leaning forward. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” Damian muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. “What happened? The last thing I remember is… the party.”
Raphael’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t want to overwhelm his brother just yet. “We’ll talk about it later,” he said. “Right now, just focus on getting better.”
Damian’s eyes shifted to Luna, who was standing hesitantly near the door. She looked nervous, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
“Luna,” Damian said, his voice soft. “Why are you here?”
Luna opened her mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure of what to say.
“She’s been worried about you,” Raphael said, answering for her. “She came to make sure you were okay.”
Luna nodded quickly, her cheeks flushing. “I… I’m glad you’re awake, Master Damian,” she said quietly.
Damian’s gaze softened slightly, and he gave her a small nod. “Thank you,” he said. “You didn’t have to come, but… I appreciate it.”
Luna’s heart eased a little at his words, and she took a small step closer. “I was just… worried,” she said. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
Damian’s lips twitched into another faint smile. “Good to you, huh?” he murmured. “I’m not sure everyone would agree with that.”
“You’ve been better than most,” Luna said softly, meeting his gaze.
Damian sighed, leaning back against the pillows. “I guess I’ll take that,” he said. His eyes closed for a moment, exhaustion washing over him.
Raphael glanced at Luna, nodding toward the chair beside him. “Sit,” he said quietly.
Luna hesitated again but eventually sat down, her hands resting in her lap.
“You’ll get through this,” Raphael said, his voice firm as he turned back to Damian.
Damian opened his eyes again, looking at his younger brother. “I don’t have a choice, do I?” he said with a small smirk.
“No,” Raphael said, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t. And don’t think I’m letting you off the hook. You’re going to owe me for taking care of the party while you were out.”
Damian chuckled weakly, his gaze softening. “You handled it?” he asked.
“Of course,” Raphael said, shrugging. “You didn’t leave me much of a choice.”
Damian’s smile faded slightly, and his eyes turned serious. “Raphael,” he said, his voice lower now. “I need you to find out what happened. Someone did this to me. I need to know who.”
Raphael nodded, his expression hardening. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m already on it.”
Luna looked between the two brothers, a sense of unease settling in her chest. She knew Damian wouldn’t rest until he found the person responsible. And she had a feeling things were about to get even more complicated.