"Was that all? Anything else?"
"Yes, there's more I need to say. Leon had called again the day before he was scheduled to work. His voice sounded worse off than before and I had a hunch something was wrong. So I pressured him to tell me and he said had a small cold that would go away with a few days of rest. Now that I think back, I should have put more effort into finding out his address. I could have given him medicine and food…"
"Did he tell you why he was taking a break before?"
"No…Leon had always been tight lipped about his own problems. He would always be hardworking and serious during work but was also cheerful and cheeky while talking with the usual customers that come in. Everyone enjoyed his presence here. When I let him take time off again, he didn't call again. I was worried and called him a bunch of times. But they were all unanswered. He didn't let anyone know deeply about himself. And he always avoided the topic when I asked him to move in and live with me. I even prepared the adoption papers to add him into my family register. When I lost all contact with him, I was so worried and hoped to god he was okay."
"...I see. I appreciate that you opened up and told me about Leon."
"It's no trouble if I can help Leon. He is like my child I gave birth to. If you find out that he has awaken from his coma, please tell him to visit me."
"Yes, I will be sure to notify you on what happens."
Vander left and continued to go around to find information on Leon. Dia and Vander became closer as close friends as they interacted with each other over time. Before, it was only professional conversations as employees under the same employer but they got to know each other and realized their interests clicked. When the boss learned about Leon's coma, he transferred Leon to his private mansion in a large private and guarded gated community for upper class people. He gathered his own medical team to look after and care for Leon.
Leon was in a coma for years and recently woke up one random day. One of the caretakers with a medical practice background had their shift that week and when she went to switch out the liquid IVs, Leon's eyes opened for the first time. Their boss was notified and he quickly finished his current job and canceled the rest of his work schedule for the day. But when he went to meet Leon and talk to Leon for the first time, they found out another difficult challenge. Leon had woken up but was unresponsive. The boss hired and gathered a group of professionals that specializes in physiology and psychiatry. They all said that he was in a state of anemic autistic dissociation. He was not mentally there and is constantly having illusive dreaming while awake.
"Welcome back, Master Zaydis."
"Un. How is he?"
"We haven't seen anything new with his condition. He is currently in the garden and having a picnic with the caretaker assigned to him."
Zaydis nodded and went to the back. When he was close enough to see Leon, he watched as Leon's eyes would still be unstable and dazed as he reached out to a few butterflies near him. Leon giggles as he misses by a long shot and moves his attention to the blooming flowers and nature around him. He was crawling and bending down to smell the florals. Zaydis frowned and looked over to see the caretaker had noticed him.
"Why is he just sitting on the ground? You should have spread out a picnic blanket for him."
"I apologize for my mistake, sir. I spread out the blanket for Sir Leon to sit and play but he ran to the grass. I tried to guide him to sit on the picnic blanket but he stubbornly shook his head and refused to stay or sit. I have been following him and watching in case anything happens."
"I see…You may leave and take a break. I will call you when you're needed."
"Yes, sir."
The caretaker left and Zaydis walked closer to Leon. Leon was laying on the grass and just rested there while turning his head to smell the air around him. Leon let out a deep breath and opened his eyes to see Zaydis.
"Ah!"
Leon voiced out in excitement the moment he saw Zaydis. When Leon had just woken up from his coma, it took awhile for Leon to acknowledge anybody's presence. He just blinked and stared at the white ceiling while anyone spoke to him or tried to get his attention. When Zaydis first met Leon, he had just watched from the side as the professionals worked. But nothing they did was seen. Leon stayed mute as he laid on his bed. Zaydis had them leave and try again the next day. When Zaydis had completed his night routine after finishing his work in his home office, he went to Leon's bedroom nearby and wanted to check up on him. The caretakers were off shift and if anything were to happen, the wristband on Leon would send an emergency notification to all of them and they would rush to do their job.
He carefully opened the door and looked inside the dark bedroom. There was moonlight coming into the room from the floor to ceiling glass panels which had double doors attached to walk out to the large spacious balcony. Zaydis panicked when he didn't see Leon on the bed and rushed into the room to find him. One of the glass doors was open so Zaydis went to the door and saw Leon out on the balcony. He concluded that Leon had tried to step down from the bed but was weak and stumbled. Leon must have seen outside the glass windows and crawled over only to realize he wasn't able to go over. He probably figured out how to unlock one of the doors and continued to crawl until he decided to stay there, still seated on his bum and on the stone floor as he watched the moon. Zaydis sighed as he went out, planning to pick up Leon and carry him in to get cleaned and a fresh pair of clothes. Leon ignored everything in a daze as usual but when Zaydis touched Leon's hand to brush off the dirt while checking if he had gotten any injuries on his path there, Leon's eyes widened at the appearance and sight of Zaydis.
"Leon, why are you out here? It's chilly at night and you're still in thin hospital clothes."
Zaydis knew Leon wouldn't react as he is still in that state but Zaydus didn't care and still spoke to Leon like a normal conversation between people. Zaydis hadn't noticed Leon's reaction since he was still checking Leon's body for any wounds still. He pulled Leon's arms which were pale skin and bones from being in a coma for so long as the body relied on machines and fluids from liquid IVs connected to him. Zaydis easily picked him up in a princess carry and took Leon to his own bedroom which was a luxurious large master bedroom. Zaydis didn't like other people snooping around his home so he only let the lead bulter and a few staff live in the small dormitory connected to his mansion. Zaydis didn't mind his fresh new silk pajamas he just wore, becoming dirty from touching and carrying Leon.
"You made me extremely worried when I saw you not in bed. I hope you don't do that again, understand? …what am I doing, he can't hear me."
Zaydis entered his room and went to the bathroom. He shifted Leon and simply held him with one arm like a parent carrying their kid. But Leon was an adult male with a lot of weight, even if he had stunt growth and was just skin and bones. Zaydis was not tired at all and didn't even break a sweat. His mind was fully worried about getting Leon cleaned up and changed into new clean pajamas. Zaydis turned on the knob for the tub and went to the walk-in closet to look for new pajamas for the both of them.
Zaydis was stumped because his clothes were a bit big for the malnourished Leon's body. He also realized there was no new underwear for Leon to wear. Zaydis frowned in thought before deciding to just let Leon wear his button-up, long-sleeved shirt. He didn't usually wear the shirt in bed to sleep anyways. He'll have his butler buy some clothes and underwear for Leon tomorrow morning. Zaydis took another black silk pajama set, identical to the one he was wearing, off the hanger and went back to the bathroom. He sat Leon on the sink counter to undress Leon and placed him carefully in the warm bath tub.
Zaydis turned to go grab the body wash and shampoo in the semi open shower, which had a glass divider to block the water splashed from the ceiling shower head, but he felt a pull on his pajama pants. He was surprised as he looked down and saw pale skinned hands tightly grip the fabric at his thigh. His line of sight followed the hands to the arms and up to Leon's face. There was a slight, but barely noticeable frown on Leon's face. He still had a dazed expression on but there were tears rolling down his sunken cheeks. Zaydis immediately turned back and kneeled down to check Leon again.
"Leon?! What's wrong? Are you in pain anywhere?"
Leon still was unresponsive but his hand switched to tightly grip Zaydis's shirt. Zaydis furrowed his brows in anxious worry but was confused.
"Leon? Can you hear me?"
"..."
"Guess not. …ok, I'm just grabbing stuff over there."
Zaydis pointed at the see thru glass semi-open shower but Leon's dazed eyes stayed on Zaydis's face.
"Has he been looking at me this entire time?"
Zaydis asked himself out loud as he had noticed Leon loosened his grip and watched Zaydis back up slowly and grab the stuff. He quickly returned under Leon's dazed eyes and washed Leon clean. Zaydis knew Leon would panickedly grab his clothes again if he left to change. The bathroom sink was a few steps away from the bath tub since he had it built spacious the way he liked. So he simply unbuttoned a few buttons to be loose enough to swiftly pull up the shirt and off him, right in front of Leon.
"Ah."
Zaydis was startled by the sudden soft call. He looked at Leon's face and noticed a subtle change in expression. It was barely noticeable but the ends of Leon's lips were slightly curved up. Leon's eyes also seemed to hold joy in his dazed gaze.
"Leon? Can you understand me?"
Zaydis asked as he unblinkingly observed Leon's eyes. Leon had another subtle change in expression, Zaydis saw confusion in his gaze. So he asked a few same questions in different wording and similar terms. He was patient as he observed Leon's every change in microexpressions. Zaydis had a slight smile on as he concluded that Leon is getting better. Leon would take a long time to recover but Zaydis was willing to keep helping Leon. Zaydis stood back up and simply took his pants off too, revealing his skin tight black boxers.
"Ah."
"Hm? What's wrong, Leon? What are you happy about?"
"Ah."
Zaydis chuckled at Leon's call as he went to grab the towels next to them. He came back and placed a towel over Leon's shoulders. He picked him up and placed Leon to sit on the sink again. He dried Leon's body and wet hair that had grown over the years. Once Leon's hair was dry enough to go to bed, Zaydis helped Leon wear his shirt. He buttoned a few buttons of the shirt and then grabbed his pants to wear on himself. Zaydis carried Leon again and they went to bed. Everyday, Zaydis would go to work and leave early to spend time with Leon.
"Oh, I was caught haha. I wanted to surprise you with a hug."
"Ah. Ah."
Leon sat up and jump into Zaydis's arms as he had kneeled down to speak with Leon. Leon rubbed his hair on Zaydis's neck, right under his chin.
"Hm? Did you miss me?"
Leon continued to act clingy to Zaydis. Zaydis carried Leon and went into the mansion. He ate lunch while feeding Leon food too. Leon had fattened up quite healthy with Zaydis's attentive care. Zaydis continued this routine for a few months. But then, he was scheduled to go to a serious meeting that was in another country.
"Sir, are you really going to leave Leon here?"
"Dia's right. Boss, will you leave Leon at home and go on the business trip by yourself?"
"...he's recovering fine so far. And he is aware enough to understand basic words. I don't have to stay beside him as much like in the beginning. I think Leon is good enough to play by himself for 5 days. I will complete my work as soon as possible to come back earlier."
"But sir, Leon has never gone to sleep without you beside him!"
"...it'll happen sooner or later. He is recovering well enough to handle this short time away from me."
"Okay…I'll pack my stuff quickly and follow you. Vander, I hope you can watch over Leon carefully!"
"Dia, I also care for Leon just like you! I'm like his big brother! After the boss of course."
Zaydis left for his room to pack, leaving Dia and Vander to bicker like kids as usual. Zaydis opened his bedroom door.
"Zaydie! You're back early!"
"Leon, I have to tell you something."
"What is it??"
"I need to go work in another country for a few days. So I'm going to return your stuff to play with and see if you remember anything. Okay?"
"...will you come back quickly?"
"I will try my hardest."
"...ok…"
Zaydis hugged Leon tightly and went to grab the things. Zaydis gave Leon his phone and wallet, including his other possessions he had Dia and Vander bring back.