They didn't talk about the tournament that night. Instead, the moment Daniel was caught with his phone, he simply placed the device back on the bedside table before laying down and rolling on his side to go to bed. The act had been so nonchalant and not what Gun had been expecting, yet he didn't argue. Instead, he took his familiar spot in the corner and decided sleep was the responsible option for now.
When morning came the Doctors assessed Daniel's eyesight and made sure his other injuries were clean and in the correct condition before letting the patient know that he would be clear to leave the hospital the next day. Of course, Daniel was scheduled for periodic checkups, but otherwise, he was good to go.
"Are you excited to leave? I know being cooped up in this room for this long has probably made you restless so I'm sure you're ready to just get out of here" Gun comments but again Daniel is still ignoring his presence, slurping down his meal as he watches something on his phone.
The younger boy doesn't bother looking up at Gun, zoning him out. The Founder isn't surprised, the fact that Daniel's regained his eyesight does little to stop him from feeling disheartened about being ignored. Then again, Daniel has gone through worse pain due to Gun, so it was only right that he be subjected to this treatment.
Understanding that he wasn't going to get anything from Daniel, Gun settled his belongings down on his makeshift table before standing.
"I'm going to head out to the convenience store for some fresh air and food, do you want anything?" He asks but yet again he receives nothing in response. Nodding at his fate, Gun heads to the door. "I'll be back soon" He huffs out, finding it harder and harder to stop his emotions from leaking out through his voice.
Gun has always been great at hiding his true feelings, either hiding behind his stone mask or his anger. It protected him from getting hurt and it had been working well for over two decades now but it didn't mean that he didn't feel helpless when it came to situations like this. The Gun from a couple of months ago wouldn't have even bothered to offer to take care of the Doctor, much less try so hard to mend their friendship.
The walk to the convenience store is long enough for Gun to take his time to enjoy the fresh air and sun. The stagnant state of the hospital didn't feel right, if anything it made him feel a little sick despite being a place whose whole purpose is to cure sickness. Gun tries not to think about what to do with Daniel, he had already spent an entire week doing that and still couldn't come up with a proper answer.
He didn't want to push Daniel into forgiving him but at this point, Gun's patience was running thin.
Once Gun enters the store he spends little time looking at the snacks and food. He wasn't that hungry and he didn't feel like indulging in anything but of course, he can't go back empty-handed. So he selects a couple of snacks that he'll probably give to Goo later on since Daniel himself can't eat solids, before grabbing a cold drink.
As he walks down the aisle there's a section for stationary. His eyes catch sight of a small notepad before drawing back to the small selection of pens. Picking up the items he then heads to the counter. He passes the items to the store clerk before something else catches his eye.
"I'll also take a packet of Marlboro" Gun gestures and the clerk adds it to his items. Once outside he takes a cigarette out and lights it with a lighter that he hasn't used in a while. Gun hasn't smoked in months, not because he was at the CC more often or had more work to do but because he had been around Daniel a lot more.
The Doctor had once commented on the smell of smoke, telling Gun that he found the scent to be distasteful and since then he had stopped smoking before or when he was meeting up with the Doctor.
But for right now, he needed the relief.
He hangs around the store a little while longer, taking his time with the cigarette before eventually finishing it, throwing it to the floor and stamping it out with his foot. No one ever has ever called him environmentally friendly before so he wasn't going to start being a good person now.
Yet again he takes his time with the walk and before he even enters the hospital he takes a moment to smell himself. There was of course the faint smell of smoke but at this point, there was nothing Gun could do, should he take off his jacket? Should he go home and shower? That was far too much effort so Gun decides against it. If Daniel was going to ignore him then he'd at least like the man to acknowledge him in some other way, even if it was through smell.
Halfway through his journey to Daniel's room, as he's contemplating how to give the notepad and pen to the Doctor, another thought comes to mind. Did Daniel even need the objects if he had his phone? Can't he just use his note apps instead of choosing to write?
Letting out a groan, Gun slaps his forehead.
"Fuck, I forgot" Now Gun's olive branch feels useless, he thought that if he gave the Doc the notepad then Daniel would at least use it to talk to him or other people. Now Gun's come to the realisation that if Daniel wanted to speak in any way, even if it's just to pass the Founder swear words then he would have used his phone.
Shaking his head at his stupidity, Gun slides the door open, ready to be met with silence only to come face to face with something else entirely.
Daniel wasn't alone, there was some scrawny, dark-haired doctor smirking and standing near Daniel's bed, a hand seemed to be grasping around the younger male's wrist. Daniel seemed to be distressed, avoiding the Doctor's eyes as he tried to pull away. Furthermore, it seemed like Daniel's fluid food had been knocked over onto his bedsheets, and the bottle lay on the floor.
"What the hell is going on here?" Gun announces his presence and immediately the Doctor lets go of Daniel's hand before turning to Gun with an alarmed look before his face contorts to one of pleasantries.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise Doctor Park was going to have any visitors, I'm Doctor Kim. I was just swinging by to check on my friend here, I went to the same university as Daniel" The guy explains, taking a step away from the bed before gesturing at the mess. "It was my fault, I accidentally knocked over Daniel's food when I was trying to check him over, I'm such a clutz, I'll make sure to clean up the mess" He adds as Gun fully steps into the room.
His eyes trail from Doctor Kim's placating smile to Daniel who was still tense. His hands were clutching so hard onto his bed sheets that his knuckles had turned white, moreover, his face was slowly turning red whether it was from anger or embarrassment. Gun had a hard time telling.
"I see" Gun hums out, understanding that there is something else going on and that his instincts were telling him that this 'friend' of Daniel's was hardly friendly in the slightest. "Did it require you having to hold onto Daniel's wrist like that?" He questions, coming to stand in front of the Doctor.
He uses his full height to intimidate the scrawny Doctor, it's hardly threatening but it's enough to make the other man realise the predicament he is in.
"I…I was just making sure that Daniel didn't touch the mess, I didn't want him to have to wash his hands" Doctor Kim made up the excuse and Gun could hardly care before he turned to Daniel who was watching them apprehensively.
"Daniel, you good?" He asks in a softer, much more polite tone than what he was using on the Doctor.
Daniel takes a brief moment to debate whether he wants to respond or not. Eventually, he deflates and nods.
Good, if Daniel said no then he was going to send the Doctor in front of him into his hospital bed.
Clicking his tongue, Gun nods for the Doctor to leave.
"I'll clean up the mess, if you have nothing else to say to Daniel then you should leave. Your visit has been noted and appreciated, Doctor Jeremy Kim" He states as he reads the man's name tag, his tone clearly dismissing the Doctor who huffs at the attitude but agrees.
He walks away without so much as a 'Goodbye, get well soon' to Daniel before the door is closing behind him. With that, Gun couldn't help but let out a snort.
"What a nice friend" Gun exaggerates his sarcasm as he turns back to Daniel who lets out an amused breath through his nose before turning to meet the Founder's gaze.
It only takes a couple of seconds before the younger is realising what he's doing, immediately he turns away from Gun, intent on ignoring the elder again. This startles a laugh from Gun, it shouldn't have but it does. Gun should feel hurt that he was back to being treated as less than dirt but the childish act could only cause him to feel amusement rather than anger.
"Alright, alright, go back to ignoring me if you want. That doesn't change the fact that you replied to my question and looked at me" Gun teases softly before going to pick up the cup and placing it on the bedside. He then proceeds to go out and ask for new blankets before returning to take away the ruined ones, he does so with care so as to not disturb Daniel's attempts to avoid him.
He doesn't mention anything when he feels the Doctor's eyes on the back of his head as he works, or how he fidgets with his hands before they're eventually covered with new blankets.
"There we go, good as new" Gun hums before grabbing his plastic bag and pulling out the item he brought for the younger. Even if he was going to be laughed at for what he did he was still going to give what he brought, he didn't need the items anyways.
"Hey, I brought something for you" Gun hums before placing the notepad and pen on the bed. It was hardly worth anything, the pen was plain and the only noteworthy characteristic of the notepad was the cover of it containing cute little dog drawings. Daniel seemed like a Dog kind of guy which was he brought that notepad specifically. "If you need to talk to me just write it down" He mumbles the explanation before retreating to his corner of the room.
He fusses around with his mess, ignoring Daniel's burning eyes before eventually hearing soft scratches. Immediately Gun turns around to see that Daniel is writing in the notepad, excited by the action the Founder heads back to Daniel's side.
It doesn't take long before Daniel is showing his note.
'Did you smoke?'
Whatever Gun had been expecting to read, it hadn't been that. Gun stutters out a response, feeling caught by the younger man before eventually giving up and nodding guiltily.
"Yeah, I did. I'll go home, shower and change if you want" He huffs. Had it been Goo who was disturbed by the smell he would have smoked several more packets just to annoy him, but this being Daniel was different.
There was more pen scratching and soon another note is thrusted up into Gun's view.
'It's fine. Thanks by the way, for helping me'
Gun takes a moment to silently take in the words before meeting Daniel's bashful gaze which immediately flickers away. Ah, so even Daniel couldn't ignore his actions. Letting out a soft huff, Gun waves him off.
"It's fine," He replies.
Maybe he was a step closer to reconciling with the younger man after all.
.
.
.
Jinyoung wasn't able to take Daniel back home due to work and Seonhui didn't own a car so it was up to Gun to step up and offer his help. Seonhui had been ecstatic to hear that Daniel had regained his sight and would be discharged from the hospital but when Gun had offered to drive them back home she had been politely reluctant.
Gun of course insisted and that's how he ended up pulling up to some fancy double-story, modern-looking home with a nice front yard and probably a nice backyard as well. It was also located in quite a wealthy and safe neighbourhood. It might not have been as nice as Choi's home or even as luxurious as Goo and his apartment but it still screamed money. Then again, Jinyoung was the director of one of the most famous and wealthy hospitals in Korea so it was a given that his home would be nice.
Gun parks and is soon out and helping Daniel out of the car. Seonhui hovers, watching Gun handle her son as she unlocks and opens the door to allow them in.
"Sweetheart, would you like some food?" Seonhui asks once Gun gets him into the lavish living room with nice plush furniture and a massive TV on the wall. Granted it wasn't as big as the monster that Goo had brought for their apartment. "The hospital gave instructions on how to prepare your meals due to your jaw" She informs and Daniel takes a moment to think before nodding.
"Gun, dear, make yourself at home whilst I make some lunch for all of us" Seonhui nods as Gun opens his mouth to protest.
"Would you like any help? I'm not all that great at cooking but I can uh…peel potatoes" Gun offers and Daniel's mother merely chuckles before shaking her head.
"No need," Was all she said before disappearing.
Gun turns to stare at Daniel who was sitting on the couch, blankly thinking to himself before leaning forward to grab the TV remote. Turning it on he flicks through a couple of channels before landing on some soap opera.
"I didn't realise you were into these sorts of shows" Gun muses as he takes a seat by the Doctor's side, leaving enough space between them to be polite.
Daniel rolls his eyes but otherwise doesn't make a move to grab his notepad or pen. They watch the show together in silence, roughly 5 minutes pass before Gun deems it not worth watching. The show involved some cliche love triangle which was enough said so Gun turns to stare at Daniel's side profile instead. His staring must have been noticeable before eventually Daniel turned to meet his eyes, glaring at him to stop.
"Don't mind me, I'm just watching something that is much more interesting" Gun hums, half of him meant it jokingly whereas the other half was serious. Daniel lets out a deep breath through his nose before reaching out to scribble all over his notepad.
'Stop it, it's annoying'
Gun allows a teasing grin to slip onto his face.
"You think everything I do is unbearable and yet you still haven't kicked me out of your house" Gun shrugs, sinking deeper into the lovely couch as he crosses his arms. Seonhui did say that he could make himself at home so that was what he was going to do.
Yet again, Daniel scribbles something else down before flashing it at Gun.
'Leave then. Don't you have work to do?' The question was met with hesitant silence.
Gun takes a moment to formulate an answer before verbally replying.
"You don't need to worry, Charles Choi and the princess approved my leave and I was able to get most of my CC paper work done when I was in the hospital with you. If anything I've got more free time now than ever" Gun explains and in his words, Daniel seems shocked.
He narrows his gaze onto Gun, seemingly trying to decipher whether or not Gun was being serious or if he was lying straight to his face. Now that he could see and was actually paying attention to Gun again the younger had been doing it more often. Paying attention to Gun's words, body language and how he reacted.
There was another long-suffering sigh before Daniel wrote again, this time it was slower and more reluctant. Once he is finished he flips the page to Gun who reads it.
'How's the CC? How are their injuries?'
Gun could take the question and answer it in a general sense, seeing as Daniel hadn't named any names but of course, the both of them knew better than that.
"The CC's fine, the backlash and anger subsided since the end of the tournament and no one calling for us to be dismissed or be put out of business anymore. The death threats have also decreased back to its regular levels" He informs the younger man but the worry in Daniel's eyes doesn't subside, if anything they grow even wider at the information. "Oh don't look at me like that, of course, James, Goo and I get death threats. It comes with the job. Besides, none of it is even worth looking into and the majority of the time they come from no-name people who only want to stir trouble" He waves off.
Daniel shakes his head, letting out a grunt of frustration at the words. He moves to write something else, probably an entire paragraph about how stupid and unsafe Gun was being but before he could start, Gun chimes in again.
"Doctor Yu decided to stay and take care of things in the CC for the time being so all the patients have been going to him and Nurse Hong. They're taking good care of the fighters and all the injuries but otherwise, they all seem to miss you" Gun states evenly, waiting to see Daniel's reaction.
The Doctor pauses before tilting his head to the side in a 'really?' motion and Gun nods.
"Of course everyone on the medical team misses you, the fighters do too and so do James and Goo. You're more loved than you realise, I don't know how many times I have to remind you of that fact" Gun huffs and a thoughtful look appears on Daniel's face.
He doesn't argue with the notion only because he couldn't speak, but if he did then he would already be denied the words because Daniel Park is humble if anything else.
'What about No.1 and Workers?' Daniel had been tense as he wrote down the question and Gun understood why. Most people wouldn't be able to stand the idea of their or their attacker getting away with their crimes, some wouldn't even be able to utter their names. Daniel on the other hand hardly looked angry or sick at the thought of Eugene and Workers. Just curious.
"Last I heard the police are leading an investigation on Grimm's plastic surgery centre seeing as Goo outed them on using drugs and allegedly dealing with human experimentation. I'm not sure how much they've found or what they've done but Officer Kwak is the individual who's responsible for leading the case" The mention of the police officer brings a smile to Daniel's face. "I heard from James that Workers have practically sold all their shares from the business and have cut contact off with them. Eugene also seems to have abandoned the first responders business but luckily for them, James seems to like them enough to employ their business for future CC nights and tournaments so Taejin isn't going out of business" Seeing Eugene so readily destroy all his toys after he didn't win was absurd and sickening.
Again, Daniel seems to lighten up at the mention of Taejin and how the CC was helping them. Soon he's nodding for Gun to continue speaking.
"As for No.1…he's in critical condition. Goo did a number on him during their fight…he's currently on life support" This leaves a bitter look on Daniel's face, he disapproves of the result. "Hey now, everyone knows that No.1 deserved everything that happened to him, especially after what he did to you. If Goo didn't do what he did then someone else would have" By someone else, Gun means himself.
Still, Daniel didn't look satisfied.
'No.1 needed help, not to be beaten up'
Ever the empath, Daniel's mindset and ways continue to baffle Gun.
"You're not angry at him after what he did to you?" Gun inquiries but this seems to drag a different reaction out of the Doctor. Pain, suffering, fear, anger and defeat flow through Daniel's face before he settles on something sombre.
'Yes I'm angry, but I still don't want to kill him'
Gun sighs but doesn't outwardly disagree with Daniel's take. Eventually, the Doctor is writing another question.
'How's Goo?' and with this, Daniel gestures to his head.
"You're asking about Goo's head injuries? He's still a rowdy idiot who loves to make crappy jokes. I think he lost his last remaining brain cells but otherwise, he seems fine. Since I haven't been home in a while he's gone to James for sympathy and help" Gun snorts and Daniel smiles but nods his head in relief.
They continue 'chatting' about the CC, sometimes occasionally pausing when Daniel wants to catch up in watching the drama but otherwise, it's civil. Eventually, Seonhui is calling them to eat lunch and they're finally sitting at a table with their respective foods. Daniel frowns heavily at the slop he has to eat but Gun makes a promise to himself to take the Doctor out to wherever he wants to eat once his jaw isn't wired anymore.
"So sweetheart, I was wondering when you'd like to clear out your office. I know you've just come out of the hospital but I'm sure the CC are just waiting to eventually use that space for someone else" Seonhui mentions as she eats.
This catches Daniel off guard, he places his straw on the table before staring at his mother sceptically.
"I mean, you will be taking your stuff back, right? I also remember you mentioning that you had a room there as well with a lot of your personal belongings. I can take some time off to help you but I'm sure Gun here can also assist with the labour" Seonhui reasons and Gun finds himself nodding even if he didn't want Daniel to leave.
Yet again, Daniel was giving them confused looks before eventually he took his notepad to write something down.
'What do you mean? Why am I moving my stuff out?'
That question stumps both Gun and Seonhui. Did Daniel not think about leaving the CC even after everything that had gone down with Workers and No.1? Even in terms of his situation with Gun, wouldn't he feel awkward if he stayed? Shouldn't he take this as an opportunity to run?
"Darling…you're not thinking about staying and continuing to work at the CC are you?" Seonhui gapes, horrified by what her son was trying to say. Daniel makes an irritated sound with the back of his throat before nodding in confirmation.
Daniel wanted to stay at the CC. He wanted to continue working at the CC.
Those thoughts were like a siren in Gun's mind and he couldn't help but stare with an open mouth.
Seonhui looked at a loss for words before eventually shaking her head.
"No, I'm not allowing you to go back. There's no way I'm going to let you waltz back into the place that almost killed you. Are you out of your mind, Daniel? There are so many more places you could work, you could go back to SNMC or transfer to a different hospital if you wanted. Perhaps start your own clinic where you could practise or even ask your uncle to go and study overseas. I'm sure he'd allow it" Seonhui suggests but Daniel shakes his head stubbornly.
He was clear with what he wanted and that meant he wanted to stay.
"Why would you want to stay in a place like that?" She stresses out, not understanding why her son would want to stay.
Daniel looks pained before he's hastily scribbling down words on his pad.
'Because they need me, I can help them'
It looked as if he had wanted to write more but due to his circumstances, he limited himself to a few words.
Seonhui shakes her head.
"Oh sweetheart, I know that it's your passion to help people but you can do it elsewhere. There are plenty of people who can take over your position at that place, people who are stronger or better suited for the job. They don't need you just like you don't need them. Isn't it better to have a fresh start elsewhere?" She urges, trying to push her son to see her reason.
Gun doesn't open his mouth to say that they potentially wouldn't be able to get another Doctor, at least not one from Korea anymore due to the fear and dangers the position had instilled in people. He doesn't mention that they did need Daniel, he didn't want to hold the young Doctor back if he had the opportunity to be and do better in other places.
Even as Daniel's eyes flicker to Gun for backup but the Founder keeps his silence. This wasn't his place to speak, this was a family affair.
Seonhui must have noticed her son's lingering gaze as she immediately turned to him with a scowl on her face.
"Have you been telling my son to return to the CC? Is this what this is? Are you forcing him to go back to that hell hole that almost took him from me? How dare you!" Immediately she's standing from her seat, affronted by what Gun had been potentially doing. The Founder reels back, holding his hands up before shaking his head.
"I haven't, I haven't mentioned anything about Daniel coming back. To be honest I thought along the same lines as you, Seonhui. I didn't think he'd want to come back…" Gun answers honestly, his voice dying out at the end as he concludes that it hadn't even taken him to convince Daniel.
Daniel thought the most logical thing in the world was to go back to work at the CC, it was just him, and no one else had any hand in talking to him about it. Seonhui again didn't look convinced but she kept quiet. Daniel also stands from his seat before waving his note for people to turn and read.
'He didn't, it was all me'
Daniel's determination hadn't wavered as he stared back at his mother defiantly.
The two stare off at each other for far longer than what Gun was comfortable with. It was a wordless battle between the two and neither were giving up. Eventually, Seonhui closed her eyes before letting out an aggravated sigh.
"My final answer is no, Daniel" She states, her voice was much calmer but it also held a tone of finality. The topic wasn't up for discussion.
Daniel furiously scribbles down something before slamming the pad onto the table much to everyone's surprise.
'Unfortunately, that's not for you to decide, It's my life and I am an adult'
Daniel's eyes burned with passion before faltering slightly as Seonhui's own filled with tears. Glossing over she averts her gaze and turns away from the table.
"You're right, It's because I thought you were all grown up when I first allowed you to continue working at the CC after you told me about it. I didn't fight you on it because I thought I had enough faith and trust in you but now…now it's not about faith or trust in you as an adult, it's about your safety. It's about your life" She falls back down into her seat as tears fall down her face. "You don't understand, sweetheart. It was hard seeing you in that hospital bed…I can't go through that again…I could barely stand to bury your father…I can't bury you too" Her voice trembles as she wipes her tears.
Silence ensues and Gun continues to watch. The fight in Daniel's body had evaporated and he hesitantly reached out towards his mother only to pull away at the last second. He shakes his head before grabbing his notepad and pen and leaving the room altogether.
Now that Gun was left alone with the sobbing Seonhui he could only sit there awkwardly. What should he do? What could he do? Letting out a defeated sigh, Gun reaches for the boxes of tissues before handing them over to the woman. He scoots his chair closer and kindly if a little reluctantly, pats her back comfortingly.
"I'm sorry dear, I didn't mean to accuse you earlier…I was just frustrated and angry" Seonhui huffs through her tears as she looks up to meet Gun's gaze.
In the tears of his enemies, Gun had always laughed or felt amusement, sometimes even disgust. In the tears of Daniel's mother, he feels his resolve weaken.
"I'm sure Daniel understands that you only have his best interests in mind" Gun hums out soothingly. "If any other mother was placed in the same position they would ask for the same of their children" He knows this must have been the case for many families although he can't exactly claim the same for his own.
"I'm sensing a 'but' in between your words" Seonhui remarks, a sad smile on her lips.
"I don't want to intervene in this matter with my own opinions and words but I do think that in the end, it's ultimately up to Daniel whether or not he wants to go back. It's already crazy to think that he does want to return, that he wants to face the situation rather than turn tails and run" Gun states, trying to watch his words and tone when speaking on the delicate matter. "For as long as I've known your son he's been strong, one of the strongest people that I've had the chance to meet. It might be hard to see from a mother's perspective but your son is all grown, I think it's time you let him spread his wings" He adds.
Seonhui considers his words before wiping her remaining tears and hardening her resolve,
"I've allowed him to spread his wings, look how he ended up" She mumbles before excusing herself from the table.
.
.
.
Daniel is frustrated, no, he's beyond frustrated with the entire situation. From the moment he woke up to darkness until he was discharged from the hospital he felt nothing but that annoying achingness from his head and his inner frustration building up and now it had bubbled over.
At first, it was over the situation with his sight. He couldn't see, couldn't read his family's expressions when they spoke, couldn't eat properly by himself and couldn't even go to the bathroom without tripping or walking into a wall.
Then there was the frustration that he had built towards Gun and the CC. It was mainly at Gun, how dare that playboy try to act all kind and sympathetic over Daniel's situation when he was the one who had caused him immense heartbreak? It had been irritating always having Gun babysit him when he was in the hospital but that annoyance slowly yet very reluctantly transformed into fondness. That in itself pissed Daniel off even further.
Daniel had regained his eyesight Sunday morning but he hadn't mentioned it to anyone, he had been relieved when he saw the sight of a hospital roof rather than nothingness but he kept it to himself. Instead, he mentally decided that he wanted to observe Gun for the day, see how the Founder acted when he thought Daniel couldn't see him, and perhaps even expose the man for how he truly felt about the entire situation. Except he hadn't found anything negative, there wasn't a single look of disdain or act of annoyance. If anything, Gun seemed to work harder and care more than his monotone or guarded voice let on.
His eyes would periodically look up to stare at Daniel even as he was working, ensuring that everything about Daniel was right. During meal time Gun listened intently whilst the nurses were talking, the Founder had even tried asking subtly for a list of foods Daniel could eat. Unluckily Gun and the nurse hadn't been quiet or subtle enough as they exchanged notes.
When Daniel wanted to listen to the TV, because voices and sounds from the device were better than sitting or laying in complete silence, he pretended to search for the remote. His hands fumbled around his bed before moving to the bedside. Gun had immediately risen from his seat and as quietly as possible he manoeuvred to the bed. The remote had been on the bedside table and rather than open his mouth to tell Daniel or even hand him the object he had nudged it closer to the Doctor's searching hands.
Once Daniel had grasped it and flickered the TV on he wordlessly walked back to his seat to continue working. The action had baffled Daniel but it had been so absurd that he brushed it off as a once-off thing. Only that it wasn't.
When Daniel had started moving to get out of his bed to go to the bathroom Gun had been even quicker to subtly pull the bedsheets away. It ensured that Daniel wouldn't accidentally drop them to the floor and cause them to become a tripping hazard. Daniel 'blindly' walked towards the bathroom, hands out in front of him to stop himself from 'walking into' a wall and just as he was about to knock his head into the side of the door frame a hand shot out to soften the impact.
Daniel doesn't make a sound about the action or about the sensation of the hand, instead going in to do his business before walking back out where Gun stood watching his movements tensely. Once Daniel was back in bed and only once he was safe did the Founder relax.
When Gun had to leave later on in the afternoon Daniel found himself missing the Founders company even if he was still pretending to be mad and blind. Even when his mother had come by to check on him it didn't feel the same.
When he was finally alone for the night, Daniel found himself questioning where the hell Gun had gone before remembering that it was Sunday, meaning that the CC was probably still operating. Reaching out for the phone that he hadn't used since before the incident he immediately heads to the CC website to confirm that they were streaming. He had paled at the sight of the title.
'18TH TOURNAMENT FINALE!'
Daniel hadn't wanted to watch it but his curiosity got the better of him. Keeping the sound as low as possible he watched the stream, hoping that the feeling of sickness would subside. It didn't.
Every time No.1's face came on screen it made Daniel tense and his gut crawl uncontrollably, his palms would sweat and he would avert his gaze but by the end of the fight and witnessing what Goo had done he felt a different kind of sickness. When Gun came back to the hospital he didn't try to hide the fact that he could see.
Daniel's fondness for Gun from the previous day had turned into irritation again. How could Gun and the other Founders allow the tournament to continue after what had happened to him? Was it so they could get their petty revenge for Daniel? The Doctor didn't need revenge, he had only wanted the Tournament to stop so that no one else could be harmed by No.1. Instead they went ahead with it anyway.
No matter what the results were it still hurt Daniel to know they continued the very games that had injured so many individuals.
When Jeremy had come by to taunt him about his shortcomings and injuries he had been beyond pissed but couldn't retaliate. Just because Collin had apologised didn't mean that others felt the same way or would do the same. So he had wordlessly accepted the insults and taunts until Jeremy had dumped his food all over him. That had been too far but any attempts Daniel had made at shoving the horrible excuse of a Doctor away only made the other angry.
Gun had returned from his outing to find them struggling, the Founder had promptly dealt with Jeremy before cleaning up the mess without so much as batting an eye. Seeing Gun work tirelessly for Daniel and attending to his needs without so much as having to ask prompts the Doctor to extend an olive branch. The cute notepad and pen had been the shove Daniel needed to finally start communicating with the Founder again.
Then his argument with his mother occurred and suddenly Daniel found himself buried under the covers of his bed sheets again. The burning frustration had finally flared and erupted and he had taken out his anger against his poor, sweet mother who had only been thinking about his well-being. It felt horrible for having acted so aggressively and poorly but his stance on the situation still hadn't changed.
He might not need to go back to working at the CC, he was sure there were plenty of people in the world who were far more qualified but in the end, in his heart, even after everything he still wanted to return. The working conditions might somewhat suck and he would always have to be careful due to all the dangerous people he worked around but he had never felt more fulfilled before.
University and then working at SNMC had been great, Daniel had enjoyed both experiences but as Collin had mentioned they were both opportunities given to him because of his Uncle. In both settings he was coddled and constantly watched, they were always safe playing fields and because of this Daniel had never been able to get over his fear. He had never been able to develop as both a person and as a Doctor.
The same couldn't be said for Crews Corporation. He was alone the majority of the time meaning that he had more responsibility and when things go wrong it was up to him to take accountability and fix things. Resuscitating people, performing all sorts of surgeries and experiencing different injuries to resolve all under the pressure of having a limited team with limited resources. Most would quit or cave under all the expectations and pressure but Daniel had done the opposite. He had grown so much as an individual thus far and he knew that he could evolve even more, how could he possibly leave at this stage?
No.1 was out of commission, the Workers were walking on thin ice and Daniel still had his motivation and drive to be a Doctor so why were people still holding him back? His situation with Gun may cause a slight awkwardness but that was between them, he could remain professional, and he had already promised himself that he would.
It takes several days of sulking and avoiding his mother. He knows that she doesn't deserve this treatment but he knows that if he saw her they would yet again strike up the conversation surrounding the CC and again they would fight. He'd rather not argue with her.
Currently, Daniel was in the gardens, taking a short walk around the area to soak in the sun and also give himself some air. He had been stuck inside for too long.
"I heard you're giving your mother some trouble, brat" If Daniel could let out a scream he would have. Instead, he jumps out of his skin and turns around to see Jinyoung leaning against a wall, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
Daniel glares in his uncle's direction before turning away. Jinyoung pushes himself off the wall before stalking his way over to his nephew's side. The two don't speak for a moment, taking in the sight of the well-tended garden, thanks to the hires, before eventually Jinyoung speaks.
"You want to go back to that shit hole" It wasn't a question, it was a statement and Daniel nods, not looking over at the elder. "You know, I never should have agreed to let you go there in the first place" Jinyoung sighs and Daniel tenses.
He hadn't brought out his notepad or his phone so he could only stand there in silence and hope his uncle knew him well enough to interpret his reactions.
"Not because I didn't think you were good enough for a place like that, It was more because I knew how soft-hearted you are" Jinyoung chuckles. "You've grown attached to that place," He hums out but it wasn't an accusation, his tone had grown soft as if he understood.
It was true that, along with his development and growth, Daniel had grown fond of the CC. As strange as it was he could say that he enjoyed the company of the people of the CC, from other employees to his employers and especially the fighters. They were rough around the edges and had numerous problems and issues but that didn't cloud the fact that most of them were misunderstood. They could be kind, passionate and enjoyable to get along with.
"I don't get the appeal, is it because most of them are like strays and you feel like you should take care of them? Because if that is the reason then you should know that you don't have any obligation to do that" Jinyoung informs but Daniel shakes his head.
The director simply watches his nephew for a moment longer before deflating.
"Nothing I say is going to make you reconsider working there, right?" He questions and hesitantly Daniel nods, letting out a soft sound of agreement. Jinyoung on the other hand curses before moving his hands to his hips. "I told my sister that if she couldn't convince you then I wouldn't stand a chance either but no she just had to force me to speak to you" He grumbles under his breath before moving to stand in front of Daniel.
"You listen to me, boy. I will allow you to go back and I'll speak to your mother about it but in return for allowing you to return, there are conditions" He holds up three fingers and stares at Daniel intently to ensure that his nephew is listening. "Firstly, you are not allowed to fight or be in any fights. Apart from your incident with No.1, I know that you were involved in other matches and fights so don't even think about lying. If you're going to get involved in a fight at the very least make sure it's not live streamed for the world to see. Your credibility as a Doctor and a professional is on the line" Jinyoung grunts, unamused by the notion as Daniel deflates.
"This condition means no more CC matches, no altercations with other fighters or employees and especially no physical confrontations in or outside the CC concerning the CC. If you accidentally get into a bar fight with a drunk that's fine but if the drunk is mad at you because you're in the CC then the context changes everything. Do you understand me?" Jinyoung questions.
Daniel wished that he could gape at the words but unfortunately, his jaw was wired shut. The demand was ridiculous, almost laughable if it weren't so strict and directed at him. Seeing his uncle's burning gaze the younger couldn't question if he was joking or not. Instead, he reluctantly nods and agrees.
"Good, the second condition is that I'm increasing your report time. Usually, I get you to submit a report on how you're doing, the conditions of the CC, what you encounter and the state of your well-being once a month. I'm changing this to once per week now" His uncle demands and Daniel this time around throws his hands in the air.
Just the mention of more paperwork pissed him off. It was the one part of his job that he disliked doing and here he was being assigned more.
"Young man, if you're going to complain about this then we can simply put this aside and forget about this agreement. You can go sulk in your room all I care" Jinyoung bites out testily and Daniel pauses.
Right, his uncle had always been a man with less patience than a grenade without its trigger. The very fact that he was allowing Daniel to go back was already a huge shock, Daniel forgets that the man in front of him could very well take that privilege away faster than he could blink.
Slowly, Daniel nods mutely. Agreeing to the condition with a pout. Ultimately Daniel knows that the condition was created due to his uncle's care for him.
"Good, and the last requirement is that I want you to be happy" At this Jinyoung's expression mellows out only ever so slightly.
Daniel blinks in shock at the words.
"Yeah, yeah I know. Being happy is not a requirement for the workplace, the workplace is the space where you shut up and do your job. You're not there to make friends, you're there to work" Jinyoung rattles off, waving his hand in dismissal. "But, I know that you wouldn't want to go back to such a shithole if you didn't at the very least like the place or were happy working there. It's probably the main reason you want to go back so if you aren't happy working there anymore then what's the point?" Jinyoung looks off into the garden again.
There was an unreadable expression on his face as he sucked in a breath to continue speaking.
"I didn't have that opportunity when I was growing up, work has always been work for me whether I liked it or not. It's what happens when you take over your family's empire out of pettiness and spite but for you, you have a chance to do differently. You're young and I'm not gonna hand my company over to you if you don't want it. Live your life without regrets, Daniel" He hums and Daniel takes the words into deep consideration.
He had only ever heard snippets about his mother and uncle's childhood. About who and what his grandparents were like in short moments of nostalgia between the two adults. From what he could tell, both of them hadn't been happy which was why his mother had eloped in the first place. Whatever kind of ambitious monsters his grandparents were, Daniel will never know the full extent.
With the last term stated, Daniel nods in agreement before providing his uncle with a determined look. He agrees with the terms and conditions.
"Good, because if I find out that any of the three are broken I will immediately pull you out of the CC and send you to a medical program in the States, you hear me?" Jinyoung presses on and Daniel nods.
They both shake hands to seal the agreement.
.
.
.
It had taken another week before Daniel was even allowed to step foot in the CC building again. His mother had continued to fuss and attempted to convince Daniel to quit even after her brother had notified her of his terms. In the end, Daniel's stubbornness had prevailed.
"I'm only asking for the tenth time because I'm worried and kind of scared of your mother because she was giving me the death glare as we were leaving but…you're fine to come to the CC right? Today is just a visit and not a work day so you won't be doing anything strenuous but I get the feeling that your mother doesn't think so-" Daniel cut Gun's rant off with a hastily ruined note.
'It's fine'
He shoves the note in front of Gun's face once the Founder has finished parking. Gun still didn't look convinced but he accepted it.
The moment Jinyoung had finished giving Daniel his talk the younger man had immediately run to his phone to tell Gun. He shouldn't have been so excited to message Gun but he couldn't hold in.
Gun showed up a couple of days later on a perfect Friday morning and received the same shovel talk from both Jinyoung and Seonhui before agreeing to the terms as well. He had been stoic with his words and expressions but Daniel could tell that the elder had been nervous.
"It's only a short visit today, don't get your hopes up about staying the night or something like that. Your uncle also told me to keep an eye on you so don't go gallivanting off by yourself you hear me? Stay in my sights" Gun warns.
'Yes mother'
Daniel writes patronisingly before unbuckling and getting out of the car.
It was still early afternoon on a Friday, school wasn't out yet and the CC wasn't open to the public yet so there weren't many people around. As Gun had stated, Daniel sticks close to the elder, wearing a face mask and shades like he was going undercover or something like that.
The two enter the building, passing by a couple of security members and cleaners here and there but none were the wiser as to who the man walking beside Gun was. People already steered clear and avoided the Founder anyways.
Daniel had been curious as to where Gun was taking him first but after a moment longer of walking the young Doctor was able to connect the dots. Gun had enough etiquette to knock on the door once before opening it wide.
"Oi, idiots" Gun announces his presence.
"Gun, can't you just be nice for once in your life?" Goo squawks out yet there is no offence in his voice.
"Gun and being nice are two very different things that can never come together" James' monotone voice interjects. "The world might end if it does" He snorts as Goo laughs at the redhead's words.
"Huh, if this is how the two of you are going to treat me I'll just take myself and my guest right out of the CC" Gun narrows his gaze before turning around to address the Doctor. "Why don't we go see the gym, Doctor Park" He hums out.
That garners a reaction from the other two Founders.
"DOCTOR PARKS BACK?!"
"GUN GET YOUR FAT ASS BACK IN HERE!"
Were simultaneous shouts from the two men, smirking at the words Gun gestures for Daniel to go in. The younger didn't look impressed by the display but walked in anyway, pulling off his disguises to smile and wave at the two.
Goo immediately jumps up and runs straight for the smaller man, encircling Daniel in a tight hug.
"Doctor Park!" The blonde cries out and Daniel lets out a soft laugh through his closed mouth as he pats the Founders back. "You're back and you're okay!" Despite his aggressive excitement, there was something fond in his voice.
Soon enough Goo is pulling away to give Daniel a wide smile.
"Stop hogging the Doctor, Goo. Move, it's my turn" James huffs as he shoves the blonde out of the way before wrapping his arms around Daniel. "Daniel I'm so glad to see you, life has been hell with just these two" He murmurs.
Again Daniel smiles at the words before stepping back and pulling out his notepad. The two Founders watch him with matching sceptical looks as he writes.
'I'm happy to see the both of you too'
He shows them the piece of paper and they read it silently before turning to look at each other in confusion before turning back to Daniel. Realising why the both of them looked perplexed with why Daniel was writing rather than speaking the Doctor parted his lips and pointed to his teeth, showing them the reason.
"Ahhh," Both James and Goo say simultaneously.
"I forgot that Gun mentioned that you had a broken jaw" James mumbles, eyes still fixed on the metal that held Daniel's jaw together. Goo on the other hand didn't look happy in the slightest, soon enough he was reaching out to tentatively grasp the Doctor's face, urging him forward so that the blonde could gain a better view.
"I should have broken that mother fuckers jaw" Goo seethes out and Daniel was panicked by the venom that was laced with his words. His alarm must have shown on his face and the hatred melts off into Goo's usual smile. "I mean it would only be right, since he hurt you, Doc" He hums out happily as his thumb brushes against Daniel's cheek.
Daniel's brow twitches at the words and before long he's slipping away from the hands to fall back in line with a silent Gun who had been watching them with a placating look.
"As if you didn't do enough already" James sighs.
"Please, I'd argue and say that he didn't do enough" Gun grumbles to himself before turning to his Co-Founders. "Daniel's agreed to come back and continue working for us but in the meantime, as his jaw and head are still healing he'll be taking a backseat and doing lighter work whilst Doctor Yu manages the brunt of the work. Once he's completely recovered he'll return to his usual position" The Founder explains.
Both Goo and James gawk.
"Wait…really? You're coming back?" Goo fires out and Daniel nods before his eyebrows pinch together. Again he writes something in his notepad.
'You don't want me to?'
The question sets off both men.
"NO! PLEASE STAY!" James reaches out and grasps Daniel by the shoulder before giving the younger an exaggerated, teary eye expression. "You have no idea how hard it is to find a medical hire to help out around here, every time I email or call a hospital or medical facility and give them my name they immediately turn me down. I thought I was going to have to start reaching for people from overseas but I'm glad to hear that you want to return. Please stay, I can't do this anymore" The redhead dramatically rants.
"We don't want anyone else anyways, you're the only Doctor for us. I swear on Gun's dead mother" Goo adds, nodding furiously.
Gun looked affronted by the mention of his mother whereas Daniel, well he couldn't help but smile gleefully as he made appeasing noises, patting them both before turning to look at the last Founder smugly. Gun rolls his eyes before raising his hands and shoving both men away.
"Alright, enough waterworks. It's quite disgusting seeing you both act like this. I'm going to take Daniel to go see some other people and then when tonight's matches start he'll be sitting with us. I have ordered from both his mother and uncle to make sure he takes it easy for a while" Gun informs.
"You follow other people's orders now?" Goo snarks.
"How'd you convince his mother and uncle to allow him to come back?" James raises a brow.
Gun completely ignores Goo but chooses to answer James with a grin.
"I didn't, it was all Daniel" He reaches out to pull Daniel to his side, guiding him out of the office without so much as another word. The Doctor waves at them politely before eventually heading out.
The rest of the CC hadn't changed, it had only been about three weeks since he last stepped foot in the building so not much had dramatically shifted. As the two make their way to the medical room they keep silent.
There was a time when Daniel used to fill up the silence between Gun and him with his mindless chatter. He couldn't do it now but even if he could speak the younger wasn't sure if he could or if he even wanted to. The situation between them had somewhat repaired, they were civil with one another, professional, yet despite this, there was of course the underlying stiff atmosphere.
Neither Gun nor Daniel addressed it so it was left to fester. Then again, even if they did speak about it, it would only lead to furthering the rift between them. Gun being the gentleman that he was, although he'll never admit it, opens the door of the room and allows Daniel to step in first.
The hallways were cold and bleak, the majority of the CC rooms and offices were frigid and lacked character, and the medical room on the other hand, was warm. One of the rooms that Daniel single-handedly shaped, which of course the aspects of an actual hospital mixed with something amorous, Daniel had become beyond fond of the room. He hadn't realised how much he missed it until he stepped foot into it again.
It was like a teacher in their classroom. This was his room in a sense.
So of course he couldn't help the way his eyes suddenly grew hot with tears.
"Daniel?" A voice calls and said male looks up to meet both Collin and Jay's astounded faces. The two had dropped their files and pens they had been using, gaping in utter shock at the person who stood at the door.
Daniel merely smiles tearfully at them before soon rushing in to greet them. Jay was the first to greet him, wordlessly spreading out his arms and wrapping them around Daniel, he wasn't forceful or rough. He handled Daniel with enough delicacy and tenderness that it felt like love.
Daniel couldn't stop himself from grasping onto the blonde's clothes whereas Jay dug his fingers into Daniel's sweater. They hug for who knows how long but eventually they pull away and Daniel is pulled into another hug. His embrace with Collin was shorter due to their not-as-close relationship but that didn't stop the brunette from grinning from ear to ear at Daniel.
"Hey, you" Collin greeted and although he didn't speak many words the way his voice trembled was enough for Daniel to understand. "How are you? I haven't been around to visit or see you at the hospital since I've had to hold down the base here but I still worried for you. I thought about asking Jeremy to go and check on you but then I thought better than to ask him to go see you" The Doctor explains.
Daniel nods at the words and at the mention of Jeremy he holds back a wince. So Collin hadn't sent Jeremy, which meant the bully had found out about Daniel's hospitalisation and sought him out of his own accord. At Daniel's silence and soft grimace, a look falls onto Collin's face.
"He went to bother you, didn't he?" Collin questions and Daniel nods. A look of alarm crosses through the brunette's features. "He…He didn't do anything, did he? I know that he and I used to be the same and I should speak to him about his behaviour but I've been so busy…I haven't had the chance to go and see him. I don't know what he did but I hope you're okay" The man speaks and Daniel shakes his head.
Whipping out his notepad he jots down quickly.
'Don't apologise for his behaviour, I'm fine'
Collin doesn't look at any ease with the words, instead, he points to his jaw.
"They had to wire your teeth right? The moment I got to your side I was able to notice your broken jaw immediately"
Daniel nods in confirmation and just because he knows the two medical professionals would want to see it he puts his teeth on show for them. He's going to be doing that a lot, isn't he? Jay and Collin observe it quietly before nodding.
Jay gestures to Daniel's jaw before making another motion. Understanding his words, Daniel shakes his head.
'No, it's not as painful as before or when I woke up. It's just sore and it feels strange that I can't open my mouth' Daniel writes down so that both Collin's and Gun, who had been standing off to the side to allow them to have their moment, to read.
Jay croons softly at the words, his lips pursing at the answer. If Daniel could see his eyebrows they'd probably be furrowed.
Daniel couldn't help but smile, if there was one person who was unconditionally always worried about his wellbeing it was Jay. His attitude and reactions never failed to warm Daniel's heart. Reaching out he pinches Jay's cheeks teasingly as the blonde objects to the silent yet obvious notion that Daniel found him cute.
"It's like…watching a silent movie or something" Gun grunts and Collin snorts.
Daniel turns to pin the Founder with a glare before turning to his trusty notepad.
'Ha, Ha, clown the people who don't speak why don't you' Daniel rips and throws the piece of paper at Gun who watches the thin object sail through the air and fail to land its mark. He does catch a glimpse of the words once the paper lands on the floor.
"I'm not making fun of you, I'm just…amused by what I'm hearing or lack of hearing I guess you can say…oh wait, you can't" Gun grins and Daniel rolls his eyes before writing something else.
'I should have known you were an ableist'
Gun barks out a laugh at the note before nodding.
"It's my one flaw" Gun jokes, his voice dripping with sarcasm before pulling up his sleeve to look at his watch. "Anyways, as fun as it is to watch this thing that's going on, it's practically past lunchtime. We should head to the mess hall, you can continue this heartfelt moment when we get there" The Founder urges and as much as Daniel wants to protest and throw pieces of paper at the man Collin ultimately chimes in to agree.
"He's right, we shouldn't miss meals. It's not healthy" And with Doctor Yu backing him up, Gun got his way.
Gun led the trio to the open cafeteria whereas the three medical employees chatted in hushed tones behind his back…Or well, Collin's did. Daniel scribbled barely legible words with his 'Doctors' handwriting and Jay…did what Jay usually does.
"So you and him are cool?" Collin hisses, cupping his hands around his mouth to direct the words in Daniel's direction.
Daniel nods before pausing as Collin scrutinises him. Knowing that the other Doctor wouldn't let him get away with lying, even if he couldn't speak, he takes back the nod before raising a hand to make a 'so-so' motion. That answer wasn't any better to the two.
"You haven't spoken about it, have you?" Collin sighs, facepalming.
'He did, he apologised and said some things that I didn't agree with. It's hard to talk about a problem when you can't do the talking part' Daniel huffs through his nose as he shows the note to Collin and then to Jay who nods appeasingly.
"So you're going to wait how long? Another month before you can talk again to address everything? Isn't it too late by then? Won't it be more awkward if you talk about it wayyyy later?" Collin's spits out like rapid fire.
Daniel shrugs helplessly. He didn't have my options due to his current state. Talking about it now in his current state just didn't feel right. How was he supposed to get his emotions and thoughts across through writing? He needed to verbalise his words, not write them down in his barely legible writing.
Daniel didn't write any other notes, signalling for the conversation to end. It was already a risk to be talking about this so close to the perpetrator, it was also kind of ironic they were technically doing it 'behind' Gun's back.
Once they were at the mess hall Daniel was directed to go and sit whereas the other three went to grab food. There weren't many others around, only security and other staff members. Not a single fighter was in sight and Daniel didn't know if he felt relieved or disappointed.
As much as he would love to see his friends he also knew that deep down he would be overwhelmed.
"Here you go, one order of food mush" Gun places a large metal cup with a straw in front of him. "I already informed the staff about your condition as well as what you're supposed to eat to still maintain some level of nutrition. Go on, take a sip" The Founder urges and Daniel stares at his meal before looking up to make eye contact with Aunty Jihyeon.
He waved and smiled at her and she did the same.
Turning back to his food he drinks it. Of course, the food was supposed to be good for him but that didn't mean it tasted any better than the hospital sludge. It wasn't about the taste either, it was the texture of the food that put Daniel off his meals.
He sighs through his nose after he finishes his first taste. Having a broken jaw sucked.
"No good, huh?" Collin asks sympathetically as he and Jay come to sit with them.
Daniel shrugs before taking another sip. There was no way he was going to get out of finishing his food, not with Gun staring dagger at him as he ate his meal.
"Listen, the more you eat the more energy your body will have and the faster it will go about healing itself. You'll only be prolonging your recovery if you don't eat" Gun reasons as he eats his bulgogi. God, what Daniel would do for a nice meal of hot bulgogi and rice on the side.
Looking away from the group with their food, Daniel sulks into his cup.
He finishes his food without any further conversation between the group. Collin's and Gun seemed to be talking about Daniel's condition and how to speed up the healing process whereas Jay simply watched on. Despite being in their presence, Daniel had never felt lonelier in his life.
For the last two weeks of being in the hospital he had known it was lonely but he hadn't been all that focused on it. He had been busy trying to stay mad at certain people and now that he had gotten past his anger what was left was silence. He missed being able to talk.
It was a terribly lonely feeling, not being able to include himself in the conversations or do basic things such as eat.
Daniel almost jumps out of his seat when something warm covers his hand that had been lying uselessly on his lap. Looking down, underneath the table he notices it's Gun's hand. The large appendage had easily wrapped itself around Daniel's own and gently squeezed it.
The longer Daniel stared at the hands the hotter he was beginning to feel.
"Daniel, are you alright?" Collin's questions from his position sat opposite of him.
Daniel shakes his head, letting out a squeak before going back to staring at the table. Collin sighs but doesn't question it any further.
Feeling brave, Daniel sneaks a glance at Gun whose own eyes flicker to Daniel just momentarily before averting back to Collin. The Doctor feels Gun's hand pull away and before he can stop himself he latches on to prevent the elder from moving. He shouldn't be doing this, there should be a clear distance between Gun and himself so that they wouldn't do something stupid like hook up with each other again. Yet it was hard to resist, hard to pull away when Gun was the carrot and he felt like he was the mindless Donkey that chased him anyway despite the repercussions.
.
.
.
Lunch is a smooth affair and once Daniel had gotten over the well-needed conversation with Collin and Jay that he would be returning to the CC to work both he and Gun retreated to his office.
Gun's office was a lot more secluded and quiet in comparison to James' office. There were still clutters of books, files and papers as well as the regular office furniture but it was also very 'Gun' like. There was a lot of black that was for sure.
Daniel situates himself on the sofa whereas Gun heads to his desk.
"I have some paperwork I need to catch up on in regards to Charles, we have a long while before the CC starts so you're free to do whatever you want as long as you stay in here and stay quiet" Gun lectures and at Daniel's scathing look, the Founder catches himself. "Right…you can't talk…well anyways being quiet also means not making a racket in other ways so don't think that I'm just saying statements like that just to piss you off" Gun points out and Daniel rolls his eyes before flopping back onto his seat.
He sits comfortably and pulls out his phone to distract himself, there wasn't much said between them during this time. Only the sound of Gun's hands moving from his laptop to the soft scratches of his pen against paper. The man was a lot more proficient when he worked than Daniel had originally thought.
Over the period of time since he had regained his eyesight he had witnessed the Founder do more desk work than he thought Gun was capable of. Maybe in his mind, he had the preconception that the man was all brute force and brawn who would only occasionally reluctantly resort to millennial tasks such as paperwork but nope. Gun was as much of a hard worker in an office as he was in a fight.
Smiling at how Normal Gun looked, Daniel turned back to his phone. He didn't have much to do, he was even more bored than the time the Founders told him to take a break from the CC to 'rest' at least then he could do some strenuous activity and talk. So it wasn't a surprise when one moment Daniel had been scrolling through X and the next moment there was someone shaking him awake.
"Daniel? Hey, wake up"
Blinking bearily he comes face to face with Gun. Startled at the closeness, Daniel shoots upwards, wincing at the fast movement before noticing that he had somehow moved to lie down on the sofa and was using someone's blazer as a blanket. Staring at the article of clothing in shock before turning back to Gun, the elder had an amused yet knowing expression on his face.
"You passed out, I figured you needed the power nap before tonight anyways" Gun explains before another worried emotion filters through his face. "Unless you want to skip and just go home, I can take you if that's what you want" Gun hums and it isn't judgemental.
He wasn't insulting Daniel for his exhaustion or telling him to build up his strength and stamina like he would have done months ago. No, instead he was understanding and gentle.
Daniel reaches for his phone that had been placed neatly on the coffee table, something Gun must've done, and opens it to read the time. There were about 10 minutes before the CC would open, there wouldn't be any time for Gun to take Daniel home and come back without being incredibly late.
"If you're worried about me being late then don't. We have three Founders for a reason, it wouldn't be the first time where one of us either couldn't make it or showed up later than usual" Gun hums as he paces over to his desk to put his files away as well as close his laptop.
Despite the reassurances, Daniel wanted to stay and watch, so he breathed in deeply before standing and looking at the other man firmly.
"Are you staying?" Gun asks for confirmation and Daniel nods. "Alright, you should probably fix your hair then, as cute as the bedhead is, I'm not sure you want the people to fuss over it. They'll come to absurd conclusions about it" He smirks and Daniel immediately reaches up to pat his hair down.
Putting the blazer on the sofa, Daniel moves towards the bathroom to at least look over his appearance whereas Gun crackles in amusement to himself in the background.
.
.
.
The two arrive just in time to catch James and Goo discussing some last-minute things in front of the VIP booth doors. At the sight of Gun and Daniel, they go quiet but smile.
"Are you ready for your return, Doc?" James asks, a hint of worry in his eyes as he addresses Daniel.
God, was everyone going to be treating him like he was fragile for the next couple of weeks? He wasn't made out of glass, he would be fine. He nods placatingly, patting both James and Goo on the shoulder before smiling.
"Look if the Doc says that he's fine then then he is. Just know that if anything gets a bit too much you're free to walk out and take a breather anytime you want. If people ask or get curious I'll just tell them to mind their own business and that your bowel movements aren't something even you could organise" Goo defends and Daniel snorts at the words.
If there was one person among the trio of Founders who could be both ridiculous and lighten the mood, it was Goo. James rolls his eyes, whereas Gun lets loose a long-suffering sigh.
"Moving on from the topic of bowel movements, we three will go in first and then we'll call you in after a moment" Gun explains as Daniel raises a brow. Digging out his notepad and pen he writes.
'Why?'
James is the one who answers.
"Well everyone has been waiting for so long for news of how you are and whether you'd return. We have to make it a tad bit dramatic" James informs and Daniel sighs.
He almost forgot that the organisation thrived on its fanbase and how its main purpose other than to stop violence within Korea was to make money. Nodding in agreement the three Founders make a move to the door.
"Don't worry, after the initial shock everything will die down" Gun hums out reassuringly as Goo shoots him a thumbs up.
The moment the doors were cracked open the usual soft thrum of the crowd intensified. The sight of the three men initiating the same old reaction that Daniel had grown used to. The volume decreases when the door is closed again, only leaving a small crack so that Daniel can listen in on the voices.
Goo does his usual introduction, James is the sensible co-host as always and Gun's grumpy facade doesn't falter. As it continues the nervousness that Daniel hadn't been feeling before suddenly hits him all at once. His hands were shuddering similarly to when he was in the operating room and his breath goes frantic.
Daniel hasn't shied away much from the crowd of the CC, the majority of the time he was too focused on other aspects of his job to pay any mind to them and this day he still doesn't pay them too much heed. It wasn't the fact that there were hundreds of people physically present and thousands more watching online, it was the fact that most of them saw his incident.
They bore witness to what he went through and that feeling laced with embarrassment was enough to make anyone nervous. Gun had reassured him that everyone had been on his side and although he hadn't read comments about him he did still feel anxious that the Founder was wrong. That everyone hated his guts or believed he deserved it. That perpetual feeling of being hated, overlooked or thought of as a nuisance might have lessened since he left SNMC and started working here at the CC. It didn't mean it had disappeared.
What if he went out there and started having a full-blown panic attack because the arena brought back bad memories? What if people started booing him to get out and stay out? What if Eugene was in there? The main man who had sent No.1 into the CC in the first place due to his unspoken rivalry and opinions of the CC?
What then?
"Now, tonight the other Founders and I have a special guest for everyone!" Goo chirps happily, breaking Daniel out of his depressing thoughts.
"It's probably not someone you guys thought we would bring back" James chuckles and for the most part Daniel could see why.
His mother and uncle, even Gun, hadn't understood why he wanted to go back to the CC. How could he expect literal strangers to understand his thought process?
"We didn't choose to bring them back" Gun's voice points out, direct and to the point. "In fact, I even tried to talk them out of it but they're a bit too stubborn to listen to me. However, it doesn't matter because, in the end, they made the final choice to return to the CC. It was a choice that took a lot of bravery and one that shouldn't be shamed. Before we bring this person out I just want everyone to know that this person has been through a lot in these last couple of weeks and that you should be kind"
Now that was something that perhaps no one has ever heard Gun say. Be kind? Even the crowd was baffled by the words, some roaring out questions or mumbling to each other in confusion.
"I get that kindness is something that everyone in this forsaken place and on stream probably lacks because genuinely nice people would honestly not be here watching a fighting ring but still. Try to be, even if it short circuits the one brain cell that you all seem to collectively share" Gun snorts and now there were calls of indignation and offence.
Daniel huffs out a soft laugh at the words.
"Anyways, without further ado…" Gun must have passed the rest of the introduction to someone else as soon enough James' voice filters through.
"Let's welcome back, Doctor Park!"
After basically what was a lecture on being kind, how could Daniel not go out? Tentatively he reaches out to pull the door open and before he can second guess himself he steps in. The first sight he forces himself to see is Goo, James and Gun who were all still standing up but had turned around to face Daniel as he entered.
The next, as Daniel forces his eyes to move from them, was the sight of Vivi, Neko and Eugene who all had their respective bodyguards of the night, Xiaolong, Ryuhei and Yuseong. The majority of them were surprised, some kept it more well hidden than others.
The next bit that Daniel processes is the voices.
'Holy shit! Doctor Park is back!'
'NO WAY! THE GOATS BACK!'
'Didn't think he'd show his face back here after what happened'
The plethora of astounded reactions quickly turns to excitement and along with it come the cheers and screams. It thunders throughout the arena, surprising Daniel in a way that was frightening and too overwhelming. They were too loud, was the arena always this loud?
The camera feed had picked up on him and was now zoomed into his face. As Daniel stares back at himself on the large screens with wide eyes he freezes. He looked pale, scared and so unlike the calm and cool Doctor he had seen on those thirst traps those streamers had shown him a while back. The stark difference paired up with his already erratically grown anxiety was what held him back from moving any further.
He was frozen in place.
Maybe the Founders had been right. Maybe everyone had been right. He wasn't ready to come back yet and despite knowing this deep down in his heart he had thrown himself into the deep end anyways.
He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't avert his eyes from the flashing lights and blurry faces of the distant crowd. Couldn't decipher what anyone was saying or who was saying anything.
Then all of a sudden that was all gone and in his sight was a suit and tie.
"Hey, breathe" The voice demands, hands on his shoulder that felt grounding. "Breathe, you're alright. I've got you, Doctor, do you remember where you are?"
It takes a moment of deep breathing through his nose, God he just wanted to just suck in a breath through his mouth, before finally, he nods. He looks up, meeting his own eyes in the reflection of Gun's sunglasses. The man's jaw was set and his brows furrowed.
"I should take you home" He settles on saying. A short statement, one that Daniel should cling to but he doesn't.
He wasn't the type to run away, his anxiety and nerves be damned. If he turned around and walked out now then he knows that he wouldn't be returning. His uncle who was probably watching the stream would throw this in his face, his mother who was reluctantly watching would call him and demand he come home and the people would label him a coward.
"No one is going to think any less of you if you turn around and leave, and if they do I'll beat them up for you" Gun tells him, honest and open.
Daniel blinks up at Gun, taking in his words before cracking out a small smile. One of relief and appreciation. Gun pauses for a moment, having not expected the reaction before relaxing even if for just a minuscule moment.
"You want to stay?" He asks and Daniel nods, steeling his eyes. "Alright then" The hands on his shoulders give a reassuring squeeze before he turns and leads Daniel forward.
Taking one last breath before the view and the crowds with all their thundering glory and flashing lights come back into his vision. The people had settled down, the loudness had decreased ever so slightly but it had transformed into worry and concern instead. The moment Daniel came back into their sights there was a different form of cheering.
'Welcome back Doctor!'
'We hope you're doing okay! We've missed you!'
'Don't push yourself! Take time to rest and get better!'
Words of love and support, more support than he was ever used to unconditionally getting. Taking in another breath and a moment to catch James and Goo's awaiting gazes he turns back to the crowd and smiles. He waves at them and tries to convey his tiredness through the look.
Again the crowd loses its mind but this time it's more bearable. The hand that was still on his shoulder and guiding him even further forward was still comforting. Eventually, he was sitting down and so were the other Founders, apparently he was given a seat next to Gun.
"It's good to have you back Doctor, even if you're still on break for the moment" Goo initiates the conversation.
"Before people start demanding why our Doctor isn't back to continue working again it's because he's still injured and still recovering. It'll be several more weeks before the wired jaw comes out, am I right, Doc?" James questions and Daniel nods.
It was probably good to come clean about the jaw thing, that way he wouldn't have to try and explain to each individual separately as to why he wasn't speaking. He flashes his teeth and the camera catches it. More gasps, whispers and muttering.
"Pretty sure the most annoying part of his whole wired jaw thing is him not being able to speak" Gun cuts in. "The Doc loves to talk and listen to his voice, if anything it's been a bit of a reprieve for me, having this silence," He remarks.
People gape at his words, some cry out about Gun's inability to be sensitive over Daniel's condition. Even James and Goo were side-eyeing their friend, unsure of how to respond to his blunt rudeness.
As for Daniel? He snorts and gives a throaty laugh. Grinning at Gun before reaching out to whack the man in the shoulder for his words before rolling his eyes.
"You know I'm telling the truth Doc, you just love to talk people's ears off" Gun continues, rubbing his shoulder mockingly, as if exaggerating the Doctor's strength when in reality it was nothing more than a soft tap.
Daniel lets out another grunt before shaking his head. He pulls out his paper and writes.
'Are you trying to tell everyone that you're an ableist by making fun of me?' He questions, he doesn't show the cameras or anyone else but Gun finds this plenty funny.
Apparently making jokes like that was right up his alley as he chucks his head back and lets out a thunderous laugh. Figures that Jong Gun would love offensive humour. He slaps his hand against the armchair before shaking his head and reaching up to wipe a tear. Daniel was beyond shocked by the reaction but smiled nonetheless.
The two snicker for a little while longer before Goo cuts in.
"Alright, I have no clue if hell just froze over or if the world is ending, what I do know is that I never want to experience Gun laughing ever again. Let's get started with the fights, shall we?" Goo shivers before he addresses James, dodging the hit that Gun tries to send at him.
"Yes, let's" James smiles.
Both Goo and James looked relieved rather than disturbed by the laughter and soon after the matches were beginning.
People stop focusing on Daniel to focus on the arena and in that moment Daniel realises what Gun had done. To relieve the Doctor's stress he had made him focus on their banter and arguing rather than the CC.
Daniel's eyes flicker to Gun who is also now focused on the fighting. Letting out a soft sigh, Daniel couldn't help the ache he felt in his heart.