No soup for you!

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Continued from here.

Spike climbed back up onto the extra bed, leaving enough room between them that he wouldn't jar Wesley if he moved. He leaned against the upright back and gave Wesley a wan, apologetic smile. "All right?"

Comments

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley nodded again, trying to shift himself sideways a bit so they'd be closer together. It hurt to move like that, though, so he stopped. "Come closer?"

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"I don't want to hurt you." Telling himself firmly that he was supposed to be fearless and strong, Spike tentatively slid a bit closer.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Frustrated and weary and hurting, Wesley twisted his hand in the fabric of Spike's shirt, wanting concrete proof that he was there. "I'm tired."

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"You should get some sleep, then," Spike said, laying his hand over Wesley's. "Let's lie you back. Want something to help the pain?"

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"It must be nearly time," Wesley said, hating to admit that he needed relief before it was officially scheduled. "I can wait."

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"You don't have to." Spike reached for the call button. "She'll bring it right quick if we ask."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley didn't have the energy to protest, so he just turned a bit more toward Spike -- just his head and shoulders, really, trying to leave the rest of him where it was -- and nodded.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

After Spike pushed the button, he remained where he was for a moment, leaning across Wesley but not touching him. It was about as close as he could get to a hug right then.

"What can we do for you, Mr. Wyndam-Pryce?" a woman's voice came from over the little speaker.

"He's ready for his pain medicine," Spike said.

There was a brief pause and the sound of some papers rustling, and then the nurse said, "I'll get it now." The low humming of the intercom shut off.

Spike smiled at Wesley. "Told you they'd hop to it."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"You were right," Wesley said. He was rather overwhelmed by how quickly he could go from feeling all right to exhausted, even though he remembered that it would be like this for the first few days.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"I usually am." Wesley was beginning to look grey with fatigue and pain again, so Spike carefully pulled back from him. "Want to lie back again, love?" he asked, his voice gentle and full of concern.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"No," Wesley said, still holding onto Spike's shirt. "Stay here. Please?"

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike chuckled softly and said, "The last thing I want is to go somewhere else. Didn't I just make that obvious?" He stopped moving away, though, tethered by Wesley's weak grip.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"I love you," Wesley said, needing something to focus on. "You know that?"

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike nodded, his smile wobbling a bit. "I love you, too. Do you know that?"

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"Yes." Wesley whispered the word.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"I hope so," Spike replied. "Because you mean the world to me. You are the world to me."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley closed his eyes and tried to pull Spike closer, wanting to be able to burrow against him but knowing it wasn't really possible. "Sorry," he managed, still in a whisper.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"What're you apologizing for?" Spike asked, letting Wesley tug him in but being careful not to bump against him. He brushed his cheek against Wesley's in a soft caress.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Shaking his head slightly, Wesley did his best to make himself let Spike go when the door opened, but he couldn't quite manage it.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"Here we are," the nurse said as she came in.

Spike glanced over and gave her a tight smile, but his attention wasn't away from Wesley long. "You'll feel better in a minute, pet," he murmured, hoping that the nurse would get the hint and hurry.

She checked one of the machines and then injected the medicine into the IV bag. "Pretty soon you'll be moving to pills," she said cheerily. "No more IV."

"Then there'll be no hope of keeping him in bed," Spike replied.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley just wanted her to leave, but he forced himself to acknowledge that it wasn't her fault and turned his head to smile at her. "Thank you."

"You let me know if you need anything else," she said, looking from Wesley to Spike as if she knew who she was really talking to.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"We will," Spike assured her.

She gave them both another smile and left.

As soon as she started moving toward the door, Spike turned back to Wesley, not moving an inch away from him. "Won't be long now," he said, ghosting a kiss over his temple.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"I know," Wesley said, shifting closer still, even though it hurt.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"Shh, it's all right." Spike smoothed his hand over Wesley's shoulder, trying to keep him from moving. "If you want me closer, let me come to you."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"Don't leave," Wesley said. "At least until it's better. All right?" He knew he didn't need to ask, but he felt as if he had to say something, do something.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"I'm not going anywhere," Spike promised, wishing that he could erase the lines of pain around Wesley's eyes with something as simple as a kiss. "I'll stay like this as long as you want."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley forced himself to breathe more slowly. "I love you," he repeated. It made him feel better to say it.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike smiled even amidst his concern. "Love you, too." He pressed his lips softly to Wesley's forehead. "You'll be all right. You'll feel better soon. Just hold onto me."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"This is just a very small amount of time in our lives together," Wesley said. That made him feel better, too.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"I feel like it's taken years off my life," Spike replied, still finding it in him to smile. "Good thing I've got plenty more."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Wesley loosened his grip on Spike's shirt and stroked Spike's chest lightly. "It's all going to be fine," he said.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike sighed and tried not to tremble at Wesley's touch. "I think that's my line, pet."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"All right," Wesley said, trying to smile. "You say it, then."

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"It's all going to be fine," Spike repeated dutifully.

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"That doesn't sound very convincing." Wesley ran his fingers up Spike's chest, tracing his collar bone through the fabric of his shirt.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike managed not to lean into Wesley's hand. "You're here. I'm here. They've got enough drugs to keep you comfortable 'til you heal. It's going to be fine."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

That was better. "Thank you," Wesley said, raising his eyes to meet Spike's.

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"It's the least I can do," Spike said, his voice tinged with sadness as he saw the pain in Wesley's eyes. "Wish I could speed things up for you."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"So do I," Wesley said. "But as long as you're here, it won't be so bad."

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Spike gently squeezed Wesley's shoulder. "I'm not leaving your side unless you tell me to. I'll be here the whole time, reading, talking, whatever you want."

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

"As long as you're here," Wesley said again, feeling for some reason that he couldn't quite recall now that he shouldn't keep repeating that. He blinked slowly. "Is there anything you need?"

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

Smiling faintly, Spike shook his head. "I'm fine. Feeling any better?"

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

It seemed like a complicated question. "Yes," Wesley said. "God, I won't be capable of conversation much longer, will I."

[flaming-muse.livejournal.com]

"No." Spike tried not to sound sad about it as he watched Wesley slipping away. This was good; this was healing, even if it left him alone again. "What do you think about lying back now, love? Be more comfortable, wouldn't it?"

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

Continues here (http://www.livejournal.com/community/reality_bends/74087.html).