Jay's POV
I woke up to bright lights and an aching back. The first person i saw was Aries. His head was down. He looked broken.
"A-aries." I couldn't recognise my own voice from how dry it was. He looked up instantly. I gestured to the water. While drinking i heard distinct shouting from outside.
Percy suddenly entered, extremely mad about something that immediately cooled down when he saw i was awake.
"Jay. How are you? Do you need anything? Do you want me to fluff the pillows? Do you want me to---" Before he could finish he got smacked by Aries.
"OWW. What was that for? Now my handsomeness is going to get ruined because of you." Percy said rubbing his forehead. i chucked and got a glare by the victim of a smack.
Percy immediately switched tactics
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. Aries hit me." He said sulking. I struggled to hold back laughter.
"Good." I whispered, But he still heard me. And in result i got to deal with a crying child who is supposedly older then all of us.
Then tita entered and the atmosphere suddenly shifted. Percy stopped crying and straightened, Aries did the same.
"Jay. How are you feeling?" she said in a voice i didn't even know she could produce.
"Good. Ahh Tita Where's Will?" i asked. Percy looked down. Aries looked away. Oh no. Did something happened????
"Where's Will?" i demanded
"He's in the other room." Percy said
"WHY?"
"Because he's--he's. Look he's behind you." i looked back. I didn't even hear the door opening but i was so worried.
"Percy!!!" i threw my shoe at him. He was laughing so hard that he fell to the floor. Aries was also laughing hysterically, even Tita cracked a smile.
Then the door opened and chaos awaited like always
3rd person POV
The hospital room door slowly opened.
Jayjay was awake, pale and tired, tubes running from her arm and monitors quietly beeping beside the bed. She had barely processed where she was when the door suddenly burst open.
Calix walked in first.
He stopped dead the moment he saw her eyes open.
Calix:"…You're awake."
Jayjay blinked slowly.
Before she could say anything—
Felix:"MOVE."
Felix pushed past him and rushed to the bedside.
Felix:"You idiot—"
His voice cracked halfway through the sentence.
He grabbed the railing of the hospital bed like he needed something to hold onto.
Felix:"Do you have any idea what you did to us?!"
Behind him Rory was already crying.
Not quiet tears.Full, dramatic, ugly crying.
Rory:"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD."
Jayjay winced slightly.
Jayjay (hoarse):"…Hi to you too."
Josh rubbed his face like he hadn't slept in three days.
Josh:"You got SHOT."
He pointed at her like he was accusing her.
Josh:"People don't just walk that off!"
Cin walked in slower than the others.
he looked at Jayjay for a long moment before speaking.
Then he lightly smacked Jayjay's arm.
Cin:"You scared the life out of us."
Denzel stayed near the door, arms crossed, watching the heart monitor like he was personally supervising it.
Denzel:"You're stable. That's good."
Jayjay squinted at him.
Jayjay:"…That's your reaction?"
Denzel:"You got shot. My reaction is relief."
Mayo appeared beside the bed next, holding a bag of snacks.
Mayo:"I brought food."
Everyone turned to stare at him.
Mayo:"What? She's going to wake up hungry."
Blaster leaned against the wall and shook his head.
Blaster:"You survive a shooting and the first thing you do is sleep through our panic."
Kit adjusted his glasses, clearly trying to look calm but failing.
Kit:"You were in surgery for four hours."
Jayjay blinked.
Jayjay:"…Four?"
From the back of the room Yuri spoke quietly.
Yuri:"We stayed outside the whole time."
Eren nodded.
Eren:"No one left."
Drew lifted a hand from the windowsill.
Drew:"We even skipped the presentation."
Jayjay's eyes widened.
Jayjay:"…The posters."
The entire room groaned.
Felix:"YOU GOT SHOT."
Rory:"And you're worried about HISTORY???"
Calix:"Jayjay."
He stepped closer to the bed and shook his head.
Calix:"You almost died."
The room went quiet.
Jayjay looked around at all of them.
Every single one of them was there.
Some standing.Some leaning on walls.Some pretending they weren't still scared.
She swallowed.
Jayjay (softly):"…You all stayed?"
Cin:"Obviously."
Josh:"We literally made a schedule."
Blaster:"No one was letting you wake up alone."
Mayo held up the snack bag.
Mayo:"And I was in charge of food."
Jayjay let out a weak laugh.
The monitor beeped steadily beside her.
Jayjay:"…You guys are dramatic."
Felix pointed at her again.
Felix:"You got SHOT."
Rory wiped his face.
Rory:"Next time just text that you're going to be late."
The whole room laughed.
The room was loud.
Too loud for a hospital.
Jayjay had barely finished laughing at Rory when the door suddenly opened again.
A nurse stepped in.
She froze.
Her eyes slowly scanned the room.
Jayjay in the bed.Felix leaning over the railing.Calix beside the bed.Rory half sitting on the chair arm.Josh pacing.Cin standing by the IV pole.Blaster against the wall.Kit with his notebook out.Mayo holding snacks.Denzel by the monitor.Yuri, Eren, Drew, and Eman all squeezed near the door.
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then she looked at Jayjay.
Nurse:"…Why are there fourteen people in this room."
The entire group went silent.
Felix slowly raised a finger.
Felix:"Technically thirteen visitors."
Josh added helpfully.
Josh:"She's the patient so she doesn't count."
The nurse stared at him like she was reconsidering her career.
Nurse:"Hospital rules allow two visitors at a time."
Everyone slowly turned to look at each other.
Then Rory pointed.
Rory:"They're emotional support."
Blaster nodded.
Blaster:"All of us."
Cin crossed her arms.
Cin:"She got shot."
The nurse pinched the bridge of her nose.
Nurse:"I am aware she got shot."
Mayo raised the snack bag.
Mayo:"I brought food."
The nurse turned toward him.
Nurse:"…Is that a family-sized bag of chips."
Mayo:"Yes."
Nurse:"For the patient?"
Mayo hesitated.
Mayo:"…for the group."
Jayjay started laughing again and immediately regretted it.
Jayjay:Ow—okay—don't make me laugh—
Kit cleared his throat.
Kit:"We can organize a rotation schedule."
The nurse pointed at the door.
Nurse:"You can organize it outside."
Josh looked at Jayjay dramatically.
Josh:"This is oppression."
Denzel finally pushed off the wall.
Denzel:"She's right."
Everyone stared at him.
Denzel:"We're blocking the equipment."
Felix looked offended.
Felix:"Whose side are you on?"
The nurse crossed her arms.
Nurse:"Two people stay."
The rest of you—
She gestured toward the hallway.
Nurse:"Out."
The group groaned collectively.
Rory dramatically grabbed Jayjay's hand.
Rory:"If we never see each other again—"
Cin pulled him back.
Cin:"She's not dying."
Rory:"You don't know that."
The nurse pointed again.
Nurse:"Door."
Everyone started slowly shuffling out.
Josh stopped at the doorway.
Josh:"We're right outside."
Blaster nodded.
Blaster:"Literally outside the door."
Mayo shook the snack bag.
Mayo:"And we have food."
The nurse looked exhausted.
Jayjay watched them leave one by one until only two stayed behind.
She sighed.
Jayjay:"…They're not going home, are they?"
From the hallway, Rory's voice echoed.
Rory (outside):"WE CAN STILL HEAR YOU."
The nurse closed her eyes.
Jayjay smiled.
For the first time since the shooting…
Everything felt normal again. Until the news arrived the next day.