Jean quickly threw off the quilt and checked her clothes. Finding them intact, her face turned a deep shade of red. For a brief moment, she had let her thoughts wander in an unexpected direction, but when she looked at the bed beneath her, her embarrassment only deepened.
This was obviously Soren's bed!
The scent of food drifted in from outside the room, making her stomach growl despite her flustered state. Pushing aside her thoughts, she got up, walked to the door, and stepped outside. The dazzling sunlight made her squint for a moment before her eyes adjusted.
"Jean, you're awake? Come sit down and eat something." Soren greeted her with a warm smile.
After blinking a few times to clear her vision, Jean took in the scene before her. Soren, now dressed in casual clothes with his sleeves rolled up, was standing by an outdoor table, serving food. A variety of beautiful dishes were already set, their vibrant colors and rich aromas making her mouth water.
The whole scene radiated a sense of warmth, something Jean hadn't realized she had been missing for so long.
"Soren, how long was I asleep?" she asked as she approached.
"One day and one night." He replied, carrying over another dish.
Jean felt a mix of emotions~shyness at having taken over his bed and a deep, unexpected warmth at the realization that she had found a place where she felt safe.
"Sit down already." Soren said with a teasing grin. "I've prepared all this just for you."
Jean hesitated for only a second before joining him at the table.
Each bite she took was a revelation. The flavors were unlike anything she had ever tasted delicate, complex, and utterly delicious. Compared to the simple foods she was used to bread, milk, pizza, and steak… this was a whole new world of cuisine.
"Soren… this is amazing!" Jean murmured between bites, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Glad you like it." He replied with an easy smile, watching her reaction with amusement. "Cooking is one of my many talents."
After they had finished eating, Jean set down her chopsticks and, with a slight blush, spoke softly. "Soren… thank you."
"No, it's me who should be thanking you." He said in a playful tone. "If not for the lovely Miss Grey accompanying me, I'd be eating alone again today."
Jean let out a small laugh, her face growing even warmer. For the first time in a long while, she felt… light.
Soren's gaze softened. "Jean, if you ever need anything, my door will always be open for you."
Something in Jean's tightened at his words. She wasn't sure what it was yet, but it was there.
Jean ended up staying at Soren's for three days.
During that time, they spent their mornings basking in the sun on the grass, their afternoons exploring different parts of New York, and their evenings in quiet companionship, sometimes with Soren playing the piano while Jean listened, lost in the melodies.
These short three days became some of the most peaceful, happiest moments Jean had experienced since her abilities awakened.
And Soren's calm presence, his warmth, his kindness, was now imprinted deeply in her heart.
What had once been admiration was beginning to...???
After sending Jean off, Soren leaned back in his chair, stretching lazily. "I guess I won't be seeing another extraordinary patient for a while."
Late that night, as he was about to rest, a loud disturbance came from the entrance of his hospital.
With a sigh, he got up, rubbing his temples. "Who the hell is making noise at this hour?"
Extending his ability, he scanned the area outside and frowned.
A man lay unconscious at the entrance… his body covered in scars, his clothes nothing more than tattered remnants, and his breathing dangerously shallow.
"Great, a drunk brawler?" Soren muttered, unimpressed. He considered using his ability to toss the man into the garbage when...
His expression suddenly changed.
[Bruce Banner, The Hulk]
[This World Class: B+]
[Abilities: Hulk Strength lv7, Anger Evolution lv5, Gamma Regeneration lv6]
Well, talk about luck. A walking natural disaster literally falls at my doorstep." Soren's lips curled into a grin. "
Without hesitation, he activated the power of the Everlife Medical Hall, effortlessly moving Banner inside. The man's injuries were extensive, his body still healing, but sluggishly. The sheer physical exhaustion from his transformation had taken a toll.
"Can't waste an opportunity like this." Soren placed Banner on the operating table, a soft white light emanating from his hands. Within moments, the wounds closed, bruises faded, and the scientist's breathing steadied.
[Congratulations! You have treated Bruce Banner, a B+-class figure.]
[Drawable Ability: Hulk Strength lv7, Anger Evolution lv5, Speed Healing lv6]
[Random Draw Initiated... Congratulations! You have obtained Hulk Strength lv7!]
A surge of energy coursed through Soren's veins. His body transformed. muscles tightening, bones reinforcing, a newfound strength flooding every fiber of his being.
He clenched his fist, marveling at the sensation. "Damn… I feel like I could punch through a tank."
Satisfied, he glanced at Banner, who remained unconscious. Not wanting the man to take over his bed, Soren used his ability to lift him and gently set him down on the couch. With that taken care of, he checked his mission points.
[99/100]
"One point short?" Soren groaned, rubbing his temples. "You've got to be kidding."
Just as he lamented his bad luck, Banner stirred.
"Where… am I?" Banner groggily sat up, his mind still clouded. He blinked at the unfamiliar surroundings, then his eyes widened as memories rushed back. "Wait… Ross, he was chasing me!"
He shot up from the couch, adrenaline surging.
"Easy there, Mr. Banner." Soren said calmly, leaning against the doorframe. "You're safe. You collapsed outside my clinic, and I treated your injuries."
Banner turned to him, eyes filled with both gratitude and wariness. "You… healed me?"
Soren nodded. "Doctor's duty."
The scientist ran a hand through his disheveled hair, still processing everything. "I appreciate your kindness, but I can't stay. General Ross is after me. If they track me here, you'll be in danger."
"Mr. Banner, I run a medical clinic, not a military base. I don't turn away patients just because they're inconvenient." Soren chuckled.
"I don't have any money to pay you." Banner admitted with a sigh.
Soren waved him off. "Consider it a freebie. Besides, you already paid me in a different way."
Banner might have feared that Ross would find this place and harm Soren, so he hurriedly left through the back door, disappearing into the night with a silent nod of gratitude.
Soren exhaled, finally allowing himself to relax.
"What a night." He muttered, stretching his arms. As he was about to settle into his chair, a deep, thunderous rumble shook the ground beneath him.
The roar of helicopter blades echoed through the night sky, their floodlights piercing through the windows of the Everlife Medical Center. The rhythmic clanking of tank treads followed, heavy and foreboding.
Then came the voice… booming, authoritative, and laced with impatience.
"Soren Macaluso, the owner of the Everlife Medical Center, step outside immediately. You are harboring a fugitive of the United States government!"
Soren's eyes flicked to the door. Well, that didn't take long.
The loudspeaker crackled again, this time with an edge of frustration.
"This is General Thaddeus Ross. Your facility is surrounded. Cooperate, and this will be resolved peacefully."
Soren ran a hand through his hair, sighing. Great. I help one good man and suddenly I'm an enemy of the state.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Fellow Phantoms and aspiring Phantoms to be, if you seek to access advanced parts of this story procced to my shadowy realm of p@treon.
PhantomDream