by J. M. Dabney
“I’ve been catching bits and pieces of stories about you two. He appears to love you very much.”
“I love him too. I want him to wake up so I can tell him.”
He reached up and stroked Lucky’s beard, after days of no trimming Lucky was looking a bit scraggly.
“Like I said he’ll be awake soon and you two can make up for lost time.”
“Thank you.”
Her smile became even brighter. “I’ll be back to check on you two later. His doctor is going to peek in soon.”
“Okay.”
“Now, try to get some rest, he’s looking better than you.” She patted his hand where it now rested it over Lucky’s heart, then disappeared.
The opening of the door had him looking up again to find Linus walking in with a large cloth bag in his left hand.
“Hey, I thought Lou was coming tonight.”
“She got stuck at work, some emergency meeting or whatever. I took off early to bring you a few changes of clothes and Lucky some sleep pants. No one needs to see his fuzzy ass when he’s up and moving around.” Linus set the bag on the chair next to the bed and opened it. “There were some books beside the bed, but I didn’t know whose side was whose, so I just grabbed both stacks and the tablet, plus charger. Trouble sent replacement jewelry for what they cut out and new plugs for what got misplaced.”
“Thanks, Lucky will feel more like himself with his stuff back in. Did you bring his shampoo and dread oil, also his hair dryer?”
“Yea, Lou texted me what I needed to grab. He has more hair product than Lou.”
“Dreads take a bit of upkeep.”
“Well, everything is in the bag, do you want to shower while I’m here,” Linus asked as he lifted the bag off the chair and sat down.
“Yea, are your parents on their way?”
“They were napping when I left, but I’m sure they’ll be headed this way soon. The crew said they’d come in shifts tomorrow.”
“They were here all day yesterday.”
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m worried and exhausted; I really want us to be in our bed. This bed doesn’t exactly accommodate both of us, but—”
“You’re not going to sleep anywhere else.”
Priest nodded, he inhaled the scent of hemp lotion he’d applied after Lucky’s sponge bath earlier.
“Thank you for—”
“Don’t mention it. Now, go shower, I can smell you from here.”
“I took a shower yesterday.” He eased off the bed, then leaned down to press his mouth to Lucky’s dry lips. “There’s swabs on the table.”
“I got it, Priest, go relax for a few minutes.”
He kissed Lucky once more. He straightened and walked around the bed to grab the bag Linus brought. Picking it up he headed for the bathroom, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. He set the bag on the shower chair. With quick movements, he untied his boots, removed them and his socks, and then removed the rest of his clothes. He shivered at the chill in the air. Why the hell did they keep hospitals so damn cold?
He reached into the stall and turned the taps, checking the temperature to make sure it was hot enough. He stepped beneath the spray. The scalding hot water hit him on his nape and cascaded down his back. Laying his hands flat against the wall he leaned forward to press his forehead to the cold tile. He let the tears flow. The shower was the only place he allowed himself to break down. Losing Lucky wasn’t an option. He couldn’t be afraid anymore, and he needed a future with Lucky. He hated himself for being pessimistic.
Growing angry with himself he pushed away from the wall and washed his hair in quick, rough strokes. His emotions were too raw. Even with Lucky close by, their fingers linked as he attempted to sleep the nightmares pushed at his mind. The hands holding him down. The laughter and grunts as his body was forced to submit. In his dream, he repeatedly screamed, begged for them to stop—for Andre to stop them.
“Priest,” Linus called his name through the door and jerked him from the memories.
As he slowly came back to reality, he heard his loud agonized sobs echoing off the tiled walls. The water had grown cold. He quickly got out, dried off and dressed. He scrubbed roughly at his face knowing his eyes were red and puffy. He had taken long, cleansing breaths before he opened the door.
Linus stood there with a frown on his face—a face too like Lucky’s. Linus opened his arms.
Linus must have noticed his hesitation because he sadly smiled.
“Come on, Priest, I know I’m not as homely as you like and a bit out of practice, but I’ve been told I give good hugs.”
He stepped into the opened arms, they weren’t Lucky’s and the body wasn’t lean, didn’t smell of lemon and hemp, but it was okay. This wasn’t the past.
“You’ll be okay,” Linus whispered and stroked his hair. “He’ll wake up and be as annoying as fuck.”
He tightened his arms around Linus’s bulky frame.
“I knew you were gay; now you’re making moves on my man,” Lucky’s broken and slightly pissed off voice came from the bed.
“Did you hear that? The evil one has awoken,” Linus held on.
“Hey, mine,” Lucky growled, and it was kind of cute.
He pulled away from Linus and was across the room in seconds; he leaned over the bed to hold Lucky’s face.
“Don’t you ever do this to me again,” He ordered and before Lucky could answer, Priest kissed him. Not the friendly teasing ones from the past, but like the hotel, all desperation, and long held need. He broke the kiss and looked down into Lucky’s tired, glassy eyes.
“Hospitals make you kiss me, I’ll remember—”
“I will kill you if you do this again.” He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, this is—”
“No, don’t say it. It wasn’t your fault. I ruined—”
“You didn’t ruin anything,” Priest assured and pushed the call button.
Meg walked in, then the chaos began. The questions and tests, he was pushed to the side as they took care of Lucky, but not for a moment did Lucky stop looking at him. Why didn’t he ever notice before? So much existed in that expressive gaze that he had overlooked living in the past. The past was gone even though the ripples still affected his present, but they weren’t as oppressive as before. He had so much to make up for, and he wasn’t going to waste it.
“Pretty bear,” Lucky called him.
A smile tilted his lips, and he put away the thoughts, for now, later he’d decide how to put his plans for their future into action. Right now, he needed to reassure himself this wasn’t a dream and Lucky was awake—back with him.
15 HE’S NOT THAT MUCH OF A KLUTZ
Everything he had hurt, there wasn’t a part of him that didn’t scream in agony every time he moved, but he hid it for Priest. His pretty bear had sunken eyes and dark half-moons under them. Priest’s freckles stood out even darker against his pale face. He just kept searching his brain to remember what happened.
Yes, he was accident prone as fuck, but being on his bike was like having an extension of himself. Riding was natural and in thirteen years since he’d first learned to ride he’d never once had an accident. Although the more he pushed, the darker and more painful it became. He’d finally permanently broken his already fucked up brain.
“You’re frowning and scrunching up your forehead. Don’t think so hard. You know you don’t have that many brain cells left.”
“Don’t be mean; I’m wounded and without jewelry. I can’t believe you let those fuckers cut them out.”
“Hey, it wasn’t like I had much of a choice, they’d already done it before your mother showed up with those papers you never told me about.”
Fuck, he hadn’t even thought about the papers. He’d did it when he’d bought the house he’d never told Priest about. If something happened to him, he wanted his—Priest to have his dream cottage. He’d even had his parents do up the outside like theirs because Priest always seeme
d to love it. He’d even gone crazy with wind chimes. He bought different ones from all over the world.
The sound of metal tinkling drew his attention.
“Is that—”
“A present from Trouble.”
“Gimme, Gimme, Gimme,” He made a grabby hand with his right hand.
“Are you going to put them in yourself?”
“Dammit, don’t tease me, I feel so—” Lucky whined, “naked.”
Priest stood, set on the bed and nudged his hip. With efficient movements, Priest put in a pair of dark wood plugs, then the rest of his piercings including the nipple ones. Even in extreme pain, the intensity of Priest’s touch caused his dick to jump, but at least he didn’t tent his thin gown and blanket. Two pieces of steel remained, and he knew they weren’t going in today, at least not until he could get Trouble to do it. His Guiche and Prince Albert would have to wait.
“Trouble can do the other two.” The thought of Trouble touching him even for something as innocent as reinserting his piercings was distasteful.
“I’ll just put these in your bag.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Catching up on sleep and everything else.”
“Maybe you should go home and get some sleep, check on our kids.”
“I’m waiting for the next shift to show up. We’re running out of clothes, laundries piling up and your temporary bed isn’t exactly comfortable for two.”
“Are we ever going to be us again?” He hated the distance. Right now, all he wanted was to reach out and pull Priest into his arms like he would’ve done before. It killed him he felt he didn’t have the right. He’d lost count over the years of the times Priest slept beside him. How many times he’d held him or merely touched Priest to calm himself, he’d done it every day for three years.
“Why did you hit him?”
Priest’s voice was so small, and it reminded him of that first year after coming to Twirled.
“I’ve fought and protected you before, why does this time have to be different?”
“Because this is the first time some guy didn’t throw the first punch, so answer me, why?”
“Because of every time I’ve watched you cry in your fucking sleep when you wouldn’t come to my bed. For every time, you flinched when I reached for you. For every time, I’ve wanted to tell you I love you. Do you know what it felt like when that fucker looked me in the eyes and told me you needed to be hit? All I remembered is what he did to you. I need you to live without fear and to be happy. I don’t care if you will ever love me as I do you, but I—”
Priest’s soft lips and thick beard tickled his mouth; he tasted the salt of Priest’s tears. He closed his eyes at the ultra light touch and sensed Priest’s hesitation.
“You don’t—” His words ceased as Priest’s kissed him. A real fucking kiss. Priest’s arms twined around his neck, and he placed his hands on Priest’s little love handles. He tried to push upward and pain sliced through his side.
“Oh shit, fuck,” He dropped his head back as he breathed through the fire coursing through his ribs.
“I’m so sorry, sorry, let me call the nurse.”
“No, no, I’m fine,” He so wasn’t, but no way was he telling Priest that. “It’s okay, just give me a minute and we can try—”
“No repeats, not until you’re healed. I do love you, but I’m terrified.”
“Of me?”
“Me, how can I have a normal relationship with what happened? How can I ever—”
He lifted his hand and placed it on Priest’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over his furry cheek. Priest tilted his head pushing into his touch. He urged Priest forward and brought their mouths together; he traced the masculine lines of Priest’s lips. He nipped the lower lip and sucked on it gently.
“Who the fuck defines what’s normal? We’ve practically been dating for years and don’t even bring sex into it. I know what you’re thinking and fucking stop it.”
“But you’re a sexual person, won’t you—”
“I said stop it. Sex isn’t all about penetration. It’s about touch and intimacy, just being together.”
“Like at that workshop?”
He nodded his head rubbing their mouths together. It seemed like a lifetime since he’d touched and kissed Priest. He’d lived for these moments, but it was so much more significant—like a promise.
“Aw, ain’t you two just cute as fuck,” Lou’s singsong voice came from way too close.
He turned his head to find her mere inches from their faces. “I could’ve absorbed you in the womb as I am the superior twin.”
“Wow, fetus cannibalism; you’re a fucking sicko,” Lou grinned from ear to ear.
“How did you not kill each other from zygote stage?”
He heard the laughter in Priest’s voice and glanced at him to see the beautiful smile curving his man’s lips. It was carefree and open, fuck, he wanted to see more of that. He turned back to Lou to glare at her as she just smiled like a mental patient.
“I showed great restraint.”
“I kicked him in the nuts all the time; that’s why he only has one.”
“Hey, I have two beautiful nuts, big and hairy, more than a handful. Perfect for rolling like Chinese Meditation Balls.”
“Do they chime like Baoding balls too? I know how you like your jewelry, maybe you have some bells attached to these epic balls of divine design.”
“Kiss my hairy ass, you just have ball envy, you wished you had a pair of your own.”
“I do see.” Lou cupped her breasts. “And mine are bigger and I can show them off in public in skimpy shirts, while you would go to jail for indecent exposure as is fitting for a pervert such as yourself.”
“I’m going, you two can finish this one without me.”
Priest looked trapped between horror and amusement.
“No, wait, I wasn’t done with you.”
“You need siblings bonding time, and as you’re both in a hospital, any injuries from you attempting to kill each other can be mended.”
Priest kissed him again but avoided his arms when he tried to grab him which was probably for the best because his ribs were fucked.
“You two behave, next shift is here in two hours. I’ll try to make sure it’s not another Trenton.”
He watched Priest walk away.
“You’re totally checking out the Bear’s ass and a fine one it is.”
“He’s gay.”
“I’ve never poached a day in my life, not one of your men anyway, although I did get one of Linus’s girlfriends alone that one Christmas.” Lou waggled her brows.
“Oh, I thought we promised never to speak of that one. Mama nearly lost her buzz when she walked in on that, I know I did.”
“Yea, that one was a mistake of the highest order, but I was high and horny.”
“And let’s change the subject.”
“Okay, how could you be such a fucking moron? Crashing your bike in the middle of nowhere.”
“I don’t know. I’ve never once fucked up on my bike—never.”
“Well, what the hell happened then?”
“Can’t remember a damn thing. They said it’s normal with the head trauma and it probably won’t ever come back. It’s driving me crazy. I’m not that much of a klutz.”
“Well, everyone is pissed and want answers, so you better get to thinking.” She walked around to the opposite side of the bed and laid down beside him. “And don’t do that to me again.”
“Promise.”
“Any hot nurses or doctors around here? Always wanted to get nasty with sexiness in scrubs.”
“I thought you did that on your last 72-hour hold?”
“Didn’t count, I was medicated to the max and thought the orderly was a nurse. Total fucking letdown.”
“There’s this beautiful nurse, completely your type appears to be the three F's.”
“Oh, man, you know how I love them fluffy, freaky and flexible.”
16 HE SHOULDN’T BE HERE
He hated grocery shopping, but luckily, they only needed a few things. If it weren't for him, the guys would starve.
“Priest,” Brody called his name from his spot at one of the four registers.
He walked towards Brody who was wiping down the belt. “Did the guys shop for anything other than coffee and energy drinks while I was with Lucky?”
“Nope,” Brody popped the P in Princess fashion. “But they’ve been doing a lot of takeouts unless Zerk cooks. No one else wants to brave food poisoning.”
“Women would be so much—”
“No, they won’t, same problems just different causes.”
“Celibacy is the way to go.”
Brody laughed so hard he snorted, “I like my Trouble time a little too much for that.”
“Don’t remind me. I was so glad when we moved y’all to the guest house. It’s bad enough needing earplugs to sleep in the room next to Zerk and Landon.”
“Someone is acting cranky without their hyper hippie close by.”
“They’re talking about releasing him at the end of the week.”
“That’s great. Sorry, I haven’t been more of a help.”
“Don’t even think it. You’ve had Princess and Juvie covered. So, anything you can think of we need?”
“Give me the list,” Brody held out his hand and took the envelope he’d scribbled on, then added to the list. “When are you headed back to the hospital?”
“Probably tomorrow morning, mid-day, they’ve rescheduled all my appointments, thankfully my clients have been good about it.”
“You’re one of the best.”
“Thanks, I better get this done.”
“Oh, I forgot, the kids need juice boxes, Lucky, Princess and Juvie are almost out,” Brody called out behind him.
