Текст книги "Ravages"

Автор книги: R.A. Padmos

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

going to live.”

Steve shakes his head.

“I think your apartment is a bit more comfortable, and you definitely have a bigger and better

bed. Because after tomorrow, there’s no way I’m ever going to sleep in a bed that hasn’t got you in it.

Okay, with the exception of tournaments and matches.”

“And the night before the wedding,” Steve adds.

“Why?”

“Tradition.”

“Love it, an old fashioned man with principles. It’s definitely one of your charms. Like those

old cars dad restores. He used to let me watch when he worked on them. On the rare days I wasn’t

learning new tricks with a ball, that is. He told me if you treat those beauties with respect and

kindness, they will never let you down.”

“Hey ...”

“You know how I think about cars, and especially classic ones. I’m so looking forward to

marrying you. And that’s not because of the wedding. Although, the wedding night ...”

They kiss, because talking about the big day makes them somehow want to kiss. And when

they kiss, they don’t have to talk, or even think, about how they will have to deal with things they can

imagine, and things they don’t want to imagine and that will happen anyway.

*

Neither of them reckons that even leaving the hospital will be a complicated task in its own

right.

“There’s going to be lots of press waiting for you when you get out of hospital. No idea how

they’ll know, but they’ll know. So we’re going to spread a false rumour about the exact time. A few of

the boys and I are going to visit you, then we go out again. Answer some questions. Distract them as

much as we can while the two of you get smuggled out by a nurse. There’ll be a car, with a driver,

waiting for you. We can’t fool them all, so be prepared for a few pictures in the tabloids and on the

net, but it should at least be manageable. I talked it all though with the gaffer and Anthony and with

Gael of course, because he’s very clever with those things and you guys have enough on your plates

anyway.” Matthew explains the plan of action like the captain of a warship.

He reaches out and almost touches Steve’s mouth. “By the way, looks good.”

Daniël smiles even more brightly than Steve himself. “I know. And thanks for the help.”

“Don’t mention it. You know what the gaffer’s like when we seem to forget certain principles.

And as far as I’m concerned, you’re both part of the team I’ve been captain of for nearly five years.

Make no mistake about that.”

Daniël nods. “If you don’t like working in a team, you might consider taking up another sport.

And of course there’s also his famous: we’re not friends; we’re family, so we don’t have to like each

other to take care of one another. And eh, I appreciate what you just said.”

“I mean every word. Anyway, we’ll make sure both of your stuff gets to Steve’s, so you don’t

have to worry about that,” Matthew says.

So Daniël starts collecting clothes and everything else he and Steve can well miss for a bit

more than 24 hours and stuffs it into whatever bags are available. Somehow seeing him doing that,

while still talking with Matthew about all the things that need to be done to make the transition from

hospital to home as easy and pleasant as possible for Steve, makes it all so real it knocks the air out of

Steve’s lungs.

He sees himself kissing Daniël. “See you in two days, have fun with your folks.”

He sees himself walking through the city with a smile as big as the world on his face and a

spring in his step, the scent of his lover on his skin.

Getting confused about what the hell is going on in that park.

Finding refuge in his beloved’s arms so he didn’t have to die alone.

Crawling his way back to Daniël, away from perfect beauty and final wisdom, because there

was no other path to follow.

Learning everything anew, like a child, knowing he isn’t one.

Having no illusions whatsoever that some things are lost forever and still not being quite able

to accept the plain facts.

“I went for a bit of a walk. It took me months to get home,” he says.

Daniël stands there, a plastic shopping bag half filled with shirts and a pair of jeans. Silent.

“You done a bloody miracle,” Matthew’s words explode from his mouth like fireworks. Then,

much softer: “But lad, you paid an awfully high price.”

Steve refuses to say that it could have been much worse.

“Both of you have.”

Daniël looks at the man who’s still his captain. He puts his hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Perhaps.” Not a trace of self-pity in his voice.

After Matthew’s gone with a few bags of clothes – not too many because that would attract

attention – and with the promise a couple of the other guys will come in a few hours to get the rest of

what needs to be moved to Steve’s place, both men sit on the edge of the bed, holding each other’s

hands. Like two lost children.

That’s how they stay when Doctor Nisha visits Steve to ask some questions, give some last

pieces of advice, say goodbye, or rather until later, because the surgical team agreed there’s perhaps

still progress to be made in the operating theatre.

Nurses and other members of the staff, who don’t have a shift until after Steve’s gone home,

say their goodbyes. Smiles and hands outstretched in more than just professional courtesy. There’s so

much to be said, and so little is actually spoken.

The next day they look around in a room brought back to the essentials. Just a hospital room,

except for cleaning all set for the next patient. The last thing Daniël does before they leave the room is

putt on his watch. He smiles at Steve. “Ready to go home?”

*

Steve still can’t walk without his crutches but when he steps out of the hospital, Daniël takes

one crutch in his right hand. Hand in hand, they walk the few steps to the waiting car. There are no

tears in Daniël’s or his own eyes and they don’t say a word about it. They just walk outside, in the

morning sun, holding each other’s hand.

Expecting a hired chauffeur, Steve’s a bit surprised to see Anthony Levee opening the door for

them.

“Not going to let yer be brought home by some stranger.”

Matthew was right, there are hardly more than a few handfuls of photographers. A couple of

mostly female fans stand in silent awe. A young woman with a microphone asks a question Steve

ignores and Daniël answers with a polite but short, “More information will soon be available through

the club, thank you.”

When the photographers threaten to get too close, Anthony tells them off with words that

leaves little to the imagination.

“At least now they got something to write about.” He grins while he helps Steve inside.

Before he sets the car in motion, he makes a short call. “I got it under control, Matthew, we’re

on our way.”

Steve looks through the window. The world is still the same, he didn’t expect anything else.

But somehow it all looks different to him. No longer the same streets and houses. No longer the same

people.

Daniël steals a quick kiss. Anthony jokes about it in a good-natured way. Then he spends a few

words on how traffic is murderous, even at this time of the day, but that at least the sun is

shining.“Specially ordered for you.”

Steve smiles his gratitude. “Thank you.”

Anthony weaves smoothly in and out of the traffic, humming along with the radio. Steve has to

admit he actually enjoys the relatively short drive.

“Nice to see a bit of the world again?” Daniël asks, caressing the back of Steve’s hand with his

thumb.

“Yeah.” And it is.

“We’re here,” Anthony says. “We got yer home.”

Steve does the polite thing and asks their friend in, but the man refuses. “Nah, I bet you guys

could do with a moment for yerselves. I’ll just make sure yer safely in and I’m on my way. Oh, and

Dan, we made a few deals with the gentlemen of the press, so at least yer two should be left in peace

for the weekend. After that all bets are off, I’m afraid.”

With the help of Daniël Steve manages to get out of the car with reasonably ease. They ignore

the lonely photographer who snaps a few shots and is gone again, and walk to the door of what will be

their apartment for the time being, though strictly speaking it’s still Steve’s place.

Then, suddenly:“I don’t have the key.”

“But I have.” Daniël places it in Steve’s hand. And Steve tries not to wonder what this simple

gesture means.

His hand doesn’t shake when he opens the front door. He doesn’t cry when he walks from room

to room. Whatever this was before, after he closed the door behind him and said “See you in two days”

to Daniël, it no longer is.

Make no mistake about it, he’s happy to be back after so many weeks and he smiles when he

sees his belongings, exactly because they are his and as such, he cares about their history and their

practical and aesthetic value. He notices how everything has been cleaned and tidied and, even without

opening any cupboard or the fridge, he knows there’s plenty of food and something nice to drink as

well. His bed has been freshly made. There are flowers on the table. He is grateful for those gestures

of friendship. But whatever home means to him, it is standing right next to him, looking him intently

in the face. The apartment is just a place to stay. Things are things, nothing more. He only needs to

pack some very personal items, like photos of his mother and grandmother, part of his CD and DVD

collection, books and gifts from friends, in particular from Daniël, and he’s ready to go again.

“Daniël?” He places his crutches carefully against a chair and wraps his arms around the other

man. “Promise me something?”

“Anything”

“Find a real home for us.”

“Just say where you want to live and I’ll follow you. I can work anywhere. If no club wants me,

I’ll simply do something else.” Daniël kisses him. “What about you sit down, I’ll make a cup of

coffee, perhaps a few sandwiches and we’ll talk about it?”

They’re sitting as close together as possible while still being able to drink their coffee and eat

their sandwiches. For a while, they don’t say anything. There’s just the joy, slowly seeping in, of being

there, together, on that couch, touching, drinking coffee.

“You want to leave Kinbridge?” Daniël begins.

“Someday, perhaps. The club’s hinting at wanting to sell you during the next transfer window?

You’re thinking about finding another club?” He’s not even surprised how calm his voice sounds.

Or Daniël’s voice, when he answers, “Not that I know of. I’m happy to stay for a while longer.

I promised Degaré to start training after the weekend, to see if I can fight my way back. Who knows,

he might give me a chance with the first team as substitute. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll look around.

Lots of clubs won’t touch me with a ten foot pole, despite all the public declarations. Good chance my

market value has gone down a few million, and not because I’m a bit out of practice. On the other

hand, that makes me perhaps interesting for some less wealthy clubs, if I insist on playing football. I

only know I’m not going anywhere without you.”

He leans his head against Steve’s. “First I’m going to find a place for the two of us. And of

course, we have to decide a date for the wedding. ”

“Perhaps we could rent for a while. At least until we know if you stay here for the next season.

It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy.”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to deal with the media attention, or we can never go anywhere without

being pestered. I’m not going back into hiding, but I also want you to feel safe and free to go wherever

you want to go.” Daniël bites his lower lip in a nervous gesture. “I don’t want to be too afraid to leave

you alone for even half an hour, or to let you go out of the house without me. I didn’t want to think

about it, back at the hospital, but I’m afraid. Not for me, I don’t care what they sing about me in the

stands, but I can’t live with the thought that someone might even say something hateful against you,

let alone the rest.”

“If we lie on the couch I can hold you in my arms,” Steve says. “Like before ...”

It’s a bit narrow, they remember that all too well, but love doesn’t need a lot of space.

“Being discreet to the point of making ourselves invisible didn’t help. I guess some people will

be nasty for a while. But how long will it take before they’ll find something more interesting to make

a fuss about? Weeks? Months?”

Daniël looks at Steve, kisses him. “Why are you so calm?”

Steve kisses Daniël back. “I’m not, it just takes a while for me to understand how goddamn

scared I am. But somehow I don’t care. Perhaps I will tomorrow, or next week, but not today. I got out

of hospital alive. I’m holding my boy in my arms. We’re talking about our future. I can live with a bit

of fear.”

Saying the words somehow makes their significance clear. It’s not just a matter of being able

to go anywhere as a couple or to openly share an apartment, and not needing a girlfriend as prevention

against certain questions. It all goes far beyond that. They have entered the world of the grown-ups,

the adults; willing to sign a contract with the promise to take care of each other in sickness and health.

They’re a couple, setting up a household, instead of pretending it’s actually fun to sneak in and out of

each other’s homes, or to arrive at the training grounds in separate cars. They no longer hide behind

the childish lies about their love being a private matter.

He regrets the possible consequences for Daniël’s career, but doesn’t feel guilty about it. If

Daniël had chosen to ignore Degaré’s phone call and stay away from the hospital, he would have

accepted that and not laid any blame. But his lover has made a clear choice as an adult, as a man, and

he isn’t going to cheapen that by guilt. He had tried that, with the best of intentions, and he wasn’t

exactly proud of the outcome.

“So nice, having you here. Not having to warn the nurses. Not being distur –” Before Daniël

can finish his sentence the ringtone he uses for his mother’s mobile sounds. “I told her you’d come

home today.”

Steve listens to him talking in fast Dutch. Nodding and humming and sounding so full of joy it

makes his heart leap in his chest.

“Here, she wants to talk to you too.” Daniël pushes the phone against Steve’s ear.

“Just saying hi. You must be so happy to be home again. I said to Daniël he should take good

care of you and not let you do anything.” She talks for a few minutes more and Steve nods and tries to

get a few words in until Daniël takes the phone from his ear, says something in Dutch and then it’s

quiet again.

“She asked how you’re doing and if we had any trouble with paparazzi. I told her we’re going

to look for a place after the weekend and we’ll decide a date for the wedding very soon.” Daniël

presses his lips against Steve’s temple. “Say that’s okay. Please?”

“That’s very much okay. We’ll keep it small and simple, so there won’t be a lot of organising

to do.” Steve suspects it won’t be quite that simple, but for the moment he’s happy to bask in the

illusion they’re just like any engaged couple planning for their special day.

Daniël starts kissing him in earnest, his hands roaming wherever they can reach, his breathing

speeding up. “Can you feel what you’re doing to me?” He moves his crotch none too subtly against

Steve’s belly.

“I can feel it yes, the big little boy is getting even bigger.” Steve can’t stop himself from

teasing his lover.

“The poor thing can’t help wanting you.”

“I’m more than happy to give it a lot of loving attention.” Steve ghosts his fingers over the

prominent bulge. “But I’m afraid this couch is going to kill me in about two minutes.”

“I’m so sorry, I should have ...” Daniël almost falls on the floor in his haste to get up and help

Steve in a sitting position again.

“Hey, it’s no problem. It’s just so good with you, I kind of forgot. My body reminded me of a

certain fact.” Steve smiles through his pain.

“You’re in pain. I mean, more than usual. You need something for that?” Daniël looks

positively guilty now.

“You, me, a bed and a nice massage, that would be perfect.” Steve leans heavily on Daniël,

suddenly feeling more tired than he had been aware of moments before.

They walk slowly to the bedroom, where Daniël helps Steve to undress.

“What about you?” Steve pushes the hem of Dan’s shirt upwards and licks his lips when he

sees the strip of naked skin. He’s tired, yes, but his eyes are working perfectly fine. “Besides, I know

the big one feels much better when he has a bit of breathing space.”

“You’re a saint. Not a selfish bone in your body.” Daniël grins, but undresses quickly.

When they lie on the bed, side by side, touching, in each other’s arms, against each other’s

naked skin, touching and touching all over, they are silent with the wonder of it. They take their time,

or perhaps, Steve thinks, they allow time to happen. They don’t do anything of great importance, or

say anything of great importance. There is so much they want to do and are going to do, but not right

at this moment. And all the words that are going to be said, just like all the things that are going to be

done, just have to wait a bit longer.

Then, just as naturally, Daniël breaks the silence and kisses Steve on his lips. “I owe you a

massage.”

Steve has no idea if there’s still some suitable oil in the bathroom, but Dan obviously does

know, because soon enough his hands find all the kinks and just-not-right places on Steve’s body and

make it all so wonderfully, perfectly right.

Steve closes his eyes and enjoys that for as long as it is given to him, his body is just his body.

No pain, no things slightly off, no things almost working and yet not as he remembered. Although his

memories of what was are slowly replaced by what simply is.

Ever so gradually, Daniël mixes touches purely meant to relax sore muscles with touches to

arouse. Those touches get intermingled with deep, hungry kisses. Once again they lie side by side.

Steve touches Daniël in all the places he knows his lover likes to get touched, kisses him with the

clear message that yes, sex is very much on the menu.

Daniël gently scrapes his teeth over Steve’s shoulder and with his right hand, he grips Steve’s

left.

“You want to ask me something?” Steve teases, his free hand cupped around his lover’s

scrotum, enjoying the warm weight. Daniël’s untouched cock throbbing in envious need.

“Your fingers in me,” Daniël blurts out. Then, hastily, like he wants to correct himself before

Steve even has a chance of misunderstanding him, “I know we’re not ready for a good, hard fuck, but

that’s not the main reason. I just ...”

Steve, as gently as possible, places his hand over Daniël’s mouth.“I haven’t forgotten. Hand

me that massage oil, please?”

There’s still the logistics of it all. Steve knows he can’t stay on his knees for more than a very

short time without being in serious pain. He hopes that will get better in time, but for now it’s

something he simply has to deal with. But he also doesn’t want to lie on his back, with Dan on top of

him. He isn’t sure why not, he just doesn’t. And side by side, be it face-to-face or in a spooning

position, has its own practical problems, with his hands in an awkward position and Daniël not really

being able to move freely.

“Let’s try this,” Daniël says, after he collects all the pillows on the bed and even walks to the

wardrobe to find one more.“You just sit upright,” he continues and at the same time shoves the

pillows behind Steve’s back. “Comfy?”

Steve nods. “Very comfy. Feel free to offer me a massage any time of the day.”

Daniël gives a nice, deep kiss before he continues. “Now you spread your legs as far as feels

comfortable. You’ll be honest with me on this, promise?”

Steve nods again. “I’m so sorry we can’t just have sex in any position we feel like. Not very

spontaneous and not much variation in what I have on offer at the moment.”

Daniël kneels between Steve’s legs, and then lowers himself enough to be able to look his

lover in the face. “You have you on offer. I can’t think of anything better. I want both of us to have a

good time. And I’m not having a good time if the man I love is in pain or feels scared.” He takes one

of Steve’s hands and brings it to his fully formed erection. “What do you think this is? I’m so fucking

hard for you.”

“Perhaps spontaneity is somewhat overrated in sex.” Steve admits with a wry smile.

“But love isn’t.” Daniël rests his forehead against Steve’s. Then he turns and kneels away from

the sitting man, his legs wide open, offering his back to his lover. “Please.”

It’s been so desperately long since Steve has touched his beloved boy in this way, it makes his

hand shake a little, but he doesn’t mind too much because he notices the slight tremble in Daniël’s

limbs. The trembling stops when he gently caresses as much of Daniël’s body as he can reach without

having to stretch himself. His hands become steady.

One oil slicked digit is accepted very easily, two with hardly more effort. The deep sigh of

sheer pleasure that comes from deep within Daniël is a reminder to Steve that his fingers are not a

poor substitute for his cock, but are welcomed and loved in their own right.

“Oh god, I love this,” Daniël whispers. “Always have and always will.”

Steve twists and turns his fingers inside his lover, opening him up, knowing from the reaction

he gets he’s doing something very right because Daniël starts to moan, thrusting his body against the

pattern of Steve’s small, teasing stabs.

“Fuck yes, oh fuck yes.” Daniël hides his head between his hands on the bed, but there’s no

shame of shyness in his full surrender to the pleasure Steve brings him.

His cock almost aches with the need to be touched, so Steve wraps his fingers around the shaft

and tries to find a rhythm that takes off the worst of the pressure, but doesn’t let him come this very

moment. He removes his fingers from Daniël’s arse. “On your back, please.”

Daniël turns as quickly as he’s likely being able to.

“Use your hands to support your legs, so you can really open up.” Steve presses two fingers

against Daniël’s relaxed opening, going in with one smooth move, spreading out a little bit to make

room for the third one. His lover had told him over and over how he enjoyed the feeling of being

stretched. Showed him many times more.

Steve, fully concentrated on the needs of his lover by now and no longer touching his own

erection, watches Daniël’s face until he sees the expression that tells him pleasure is so close to pain,

the boundary between the two becomes translucent like a membrane.

“Please, let me come. I need to come,” Daniël moans and he tries to spread his thighs even

more, yielding himself; his eyes staring into Steve’s. There are no secrets, no pretences, no lies. He

tries to push himself further against Steve’s hand. Sweat dripping from his brow. His cock is now a

deep red, throbbing in need. His testicles look full to the bursting. But he keeps his hands where they

are. “Tell me to come. Please, Steve, let me come for you.”

For a split second, Steve wants to reach out with his free hand, knowing that a few strokes will

be enough. He would be mad not to want it, but he doesn’t give in to it.

“Then come for me.” Four simple words.

It’s all Daniël needs.

He grimaces and tenses up and shudders and trembles and moans and gags and grinds his teeth

and drools and cries and comes and comes and comes and ...

To Steve, there could not be a more beautiful sight in the world.

He can’t blame himself for touching his cock and bring out his own orgasm. Thick strands of

come land between Daniël’s still widespread thighs.

Somehow, he finds himself in Daniël’s arms, cleaned up, warm and safe.

A smile. A soft kiss on his lips. Nothing more.

Chapter 19

“You think there are paparazzi outside?” Steve asks while resting in the circle of Daniël’s

arms.

“I guess there’s always a few, temporary ceasefire with the club or not. Why? You’re planning

to go out? I mean, if you want to …”

“Not particularly.”

“Good, because I want to spend the next two days spoiling you rotten in every way possible

before we have to deal with everything we have to deal with.”

Steve snuggles even closer, inhaling the scent of his lover. “Spunk and sweat. Didn’t realise

how much I missed it until now.”

“I know I could do with a shower, I smell pretty rank,” Daniël admits shamelessly.

Steve knows Dan’s right, but he doesn’t care.

“Care to join me?” The suggestive undertone in Dan’s voice is unmistakable.

Of course Steve would love to, but he isn’t sure how long he’s able to stand without support

and what if the floor is too slippery and what good would he be to ...

Realistically, Daniël isn’t really able to read Steve’s mind, but he comes pretty close because

he gets up and says, “I’ve got something to show you.”

The change is in the details, but those details make Steve’s eyes wet with tears while at the

same time he can’t stop smiling. The floor has been made non-slippery, there are some strategically

placed handles so he has a firm grip no matter where he stands, a simple but comfortable stool in the

shower stall: it all speaks of well-thought out care.

“They did a great job, didn’t they?” Daniël beams. “I asked Matthew to hire someone who

knows about these sorts of things so it will be good and safe for you when you take a shower.”

Steve can only nod and smile and not cry.

“Want me to wash your back?” Daniël asks, standing very close to Steve even though there’s

room enough for him not to. But then, why shouldn’t he?

“Thank you.”

Steve has said ‘thank you’ a lot of times in recent weeks, and many of those times it was in

situations he wasn’t really thankful for, although he always appreciated that someone was kind, or at

least professional enough to perform any particular task for him. But this thank you is as real as the

man tactfully supporting him so Steve’s able to keep standing on his feet just a little longer. And those

few minutes are sufficient for Daniël to get a good feel of Steve’s body while getting him nice and

clean. The sheer luxury of time and privacy is something he doesn’t want to get complacent about, but

he also knows he’s all too human in his tendency to forget to count the small blessings.

“Tired?” Daniël asks.

“Lost in thought but yes, also a bit tired.”

Daniël helps him on the stool. “I’ll finish quickly and perhaps you can rest a bit while I prepare

dinner. Sounds good?”

“Good? Sounds perfect.”

There is something to be said about sitting comfortably in a well heated shower stall while

watching your gorgeous lover washing himself, Steve muses. Good strong erection too on the boy, or

perhaps man would be a better word in this case.

Daniël notices the direction of his gaze and gives his cock a bit of extra attention while, with

mixed success, trying to keep a wicked grin from his face. “You’d like me to jerk myself off while

you’re watching?” He cradles his scrotum in one hand, forms a fist with the other one and pumps up

and down a few times.

Steve’s voice isn’t really as stable as it sounds; he’s just very good at pretending. “Since when

do you need to ask me that?”

“So hot, your eyes on me,” Daniël breathes. “Fuck, so hot.”

“Show me what you usually do...did...in the hospital shower ...Please, Danny ...”

Daniël closes his eyes, but Steve knows it’s not to shut him out. It even gives him a chance to

study the face of his beloved, so concentrated in lust it makes the boy grimace in a way that would

almost be comical if not for it being so honest and bare in its vulnerability.

This is no longer a show or a kinky fantasy. Daniël is standing in that hospital shower, fucking

his own hand in equal lust and frustration; biting his lip close to bleeding to keep himself from

making any noise. Steve knows this beyond any doubt.

“Daniël, please look at me.”

The boy opens his eyes.

Even in his orgasm he’s silent.

“I’m sorry...I’m so sorry ...” The words stumble over his tongue. “I was back in the hospital

and I watched you die and I couldn’t let that happen. So it didn’t happen. I wanted to touch you, but

there was almost nothing left unbroken and I tried to imagine it was you touching me, and that didn’t

work either. So I jerked myself off out of frustration and missing you so much I thought I was going to

throw up with it. And all I wanted was giving you a bit of real life porn to look at.”

Steve gets up, praising the cleverly-placed handles once more, and takes him in his arms; the

boy sighs like a lost child finding home again. “I asked you, remember. What fantasy could be more

beautiful than the truth on your face?” Steve places a gentle hand against Dan’s cheek.

After a few moments, Daniël reaches for a big, fluffy towel and wraps it around Steve. “Do you

wonder too how long it will take us before we’ve left the hospital for real?” He dries himself

methodically and puts on his clothes before he helps Steve.

“Yes.”

“Not much we can do about that now. I guess it takes time. What about we leave it for now,

and concentrate on dinner in say an hour or two? Is that enough for you to get rested?”

“It depends on what you have planned for the rest of the evening,” Steve jokes.

“I’m all for a little improvisation. No nurses, no visitors, no nothing but you and me and this

whole weekend to do whatever we please.”

“There is something I would perhaps like to try. But, after dinner.” Steve hears in his own

slowing voice how tired he is.

“A surprise? I love surprises, especially from you.”

Steve almost regrets having said anything. “Would you be very disappointed if it doesn’t work

out the way I hope?”

“Stop worrying. You’ve already given me you. The rest is icing on the cake.” Daniël offers

Steve his arm. “Ready for your nap and then ready for dinner?”

He doesn’t do much napping, but Steve still feels he definitely needs the rest. It’s nice hearing

Daniël doing whatever he’s doing in the kitchen and living room, humming as he went. It starts to

smell nice, too, after a while.

*

A soft kiss on his lips. “Wake up, sleepy head.”

He must have fallen asleep, even if he thought he hadn’t.

Daniël joins him on the bed for a few moments, giving him time to get his body and mind in