Saul. The recognition came right along with the name. Saul. His Master. His lover.
Resting. It hurt too much to rest.
“Mr. Finch, you’re fighting hard to come back to us, aren’t you? Your partner is here with you, but you need to try and sleep. You can’t heal if you don’t rest.”
“I think he’s in pain. He’s all tense, you see that? And he was moaning.”
“Let me see when he’s due for more meds.”
“He’s hurting now.”
“Well, as it happens, I can give him some now. I’ll be back.”
Saul sighed. “She’s right though, boy. You have to rest. They’ll let you wake up tomorrow if you’re stable enough.”
Love you. Stay. I’m so tired. I want to go home. Stay. Please.
“Okay Mr. Finch. This should help.”
“I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere I promise.”
Oh, thank God. Yes, please.
“Oh, he liked hearing that, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. He wants me to stay, you know? He needs me.”
“You definitely relax him. He trusts you.”
“He does. I love him. He asked me to move in just yesterday.” Saul sounded happy.
“Oh, that’s wonderful. And good for him too, he’ll need help when he gets home.”
“Yeah. I guess he will.”
That isn’t why I asked, though. I would never do that to you. Never.
“So that stuff will help the pain?”
“Should work pretty quickly. It’ll put him out for a while too.”
“Oh. Good.” Saul’s fingers shifted and tangled with his. “You should feel better in a minute, baby. Rest up. I’ll be right here like I promised, okay?”
He tried to open his eyes again, but it was a lost cause. He didn’t have the energy. “Love.”
Hopefully that was real.
23
Saul startled awake when one of his feet slid off the bed rail where apparently, he’d had it perched when he fell asleep. He didn’t remember doing that, or falling asleep, but the sound his sneaker made when it hit the floor was real enough. He pulled his other leg down with a groan and sat up, rubbing his hands across his face.
Ooh, stubble. He wondered if it was long enough people could actually see it. It took him weeks to grow enough scruff to call a beard.
It had been a long couple of days. They’d let Troy wake for a bit but that didn’t work out so well pain-wise so they put him under again. The second time they let the sedation wear off went better, but Troy was taking his orders well and spent a lot of time sleeping hard.
He hadn’t left the hospital yet, but he was going to later tonight. Geoff was going to come spell him overnight so he could get a shower and sleep in a bed.
Hopefully. He needed to stop promising he wasn’t going to leave the hospital.
“I want to go home. Tell them.” Troy’s green eyes were bloodshot, and the command wasn’t making him leap to his feet.
“Sure, I’ll tell them. And then they’ll laugh at us both. Or, we could just stick around and share some more green Jell-O. That was fun.”
“No more Jell-O.” Oh, his boy was grumpy.
“You only had two bites. I ate most of it.” He pushed up out of his chair and perched next to Troy in bed, smiling. “Look, no more mask. Want a kiss?” He leaned in, made a kissy face and crossed his eyes.
“Making fun of me.” Troy leaned up, wincing as he brought their lips together.
Saul kissed him, leaning down and pushing Troy’s shoulders back into the mattress. He hadn’t intended it to be longer than a peck but they both wanted more. “Cheering you up,” he said when they parted.
He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed that kiss. It was a little low energy, but it was definitely Troy. Thank God.
“I want my own bed. I have to get back to work. I—”
Saul quieted his boy with another soft kiss. That was enough for now.
“You have one job.” He brushed his hand across the short fuzz on Troy’s head. It was soft and a coppery red, tickling his palm.
“Only one?”
“Yes. Rest. That’s it. I’m conspiring with your boss, so there’s no point in arguing with me.” He had to assume Carter had found someone to fill in for Troy by now. He knew Carter was paying Troy and that the man had insurance, so all his boy had to do was breathe.
“Think of it as taking twenty years of sick days all at once.” He winked. “With the handsomest nurse on the planet.”
“I’ll give you that, for sure.” Troy rubbed his cheek as the IV line tugged. “I hate this thing.” Then his boy sighed and shook his head. “And I’m whining. I’m sorry.”
“A little.” He shrugged. “I like that thing. And I like this hospital bed. And I even like those bloodshot eyes. Because all of those things mean you’re still here.”
“I can’t believe this happened to me.”
He couldn’t believe it either, but he couldn’t say that. He had to say something positive. That was his job, right? “You’re going to be fine. Do what you’re told, and you’ll be out of here before too long.”
He yawned through that last bit. God, he was tired.
“Honey, go home.” The words were warm, gentle. “I can handle this for a day. I swear. You look exhausted.”
“I’m fine. Geoff is coming soon, and then I’ll go. I don’t want you to be alone.” He half expected Troy to try to get up out of bed or something.
“With all these nurses with their psycho refusal to let me sleep and another night of infomercials? I’m never alone.”
He laughed and gave Troy’s knees a pat.
“Well look at the lovebirds. Are you through with this pathetic cry for attention, honey, or what?” Geoff breezed in looking… like Geoff. Khakis and perfect hair. “Hello, junior.”
He rolled his eyes. “Geoff.”
“I am. Take me home, and you can go home to Carter.”
“Good luck.” He smiled at Geoff and slid off the bed.
“Nice try, honey. You’ve got a week minimum sentence.”
“Traitor.” Troy winked at Geoff. “Did you bring me my coffee?”
“I did. Special brew for the heart patient.” Geoff set a cup down on the table by the bed. “Don’t ask me what that means. Sue made it.”
“I guess we’ll find out.” Troy caught his gaze, like he was a touchstone.
He leaned over the bed rail and kissed Troy again. “Are you going to be okay if I go?”
“I will. I swear. You deserve a night in a real bed.” Troy squeezed his arm. “Good night.”
He just needed a shower and one good night’s sleep. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
Geoff snorted. “It’s one night, Saul. Troy’s a big boy.”
He ignored Geoff and gave Troy’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll be at your place and I have my phone. I love you.”
“Our place.” Troy held on for a second. “I love you.”
Oh. Wow. “Our place.” He nodded. “See you in the morning.”