Son Of A Preacher Man (18/?)
Jul. 10th, 2011 10:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
million_starTitle: Son Of A Preacher Man (18/?)
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
millionstar
Pairing: Belldom, AU
Rating: This part, PG
Warnings: Language, Sudden Southern Drawls, Tight Blue Jeans.
Summary: AU Belldom, set in the Deep American South. Enough said, y'all.
Feedback: Is welcome & appreciated, if you're so inclined.
Archive: Links only.
Disclaimer: I don't own Muse, no $$ being made, and this is fiction. Title taken lovingly from the song of the same name.
Author's note: As always, eternal thanks todolce_piccante & myz_bee for their beta skills and constant encouragement. So much love, ladies.<3 Special kudos to lalalive23 for being an uber smexy cheerleader. *hugs*
And as always, HUGE thanks to my sis,captivemuse for her help in all thangs Southern. She's got-damned essential to this fic. Make no mistake. <3
One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen | Fifteen | Sixteen | Seventeen
When the preacher finally walked into the hospital room and was able to see firsthand the state his boy was in, two things happened. Firstly, he asked the nurse on duty to give him some privacy, nodding tightly as she acquiesced. Secondly, he sank to his knees at Dominic's bedside and cried like he hadn't in months.
He was in the middle of a living nightmare like no other.
This was supposed to be their clean break; a new beginning. A fresh start free from this sort of madness. Gabriel forced himself to stand after a couple minutes and pulled the chair around the bed, placing it as close as he could to it. It still wasn't close enough, though, so he planted his knees in the chair, kneeling on it so he could scoot a few inches closer. He reached for his baby's hand.
Dominic appeared to already be sleeping; his right eye was sporting a nasty purple bruise and was nearly swollen shut. Gabriel had been assured in the ER (by the kind young couple who worked with Dominic at the park and brought him to the hospital) that his son's injuries were in no way life-threatening, but they were still serious enough to warrant an overnight stay. The doctor who had spoken to Gabriel in the hallway had seemed astonished that the young man had escaped with only one cracked rib.
"Prepare yourself, Mr. Howard," he'd warned Gabriel, "the bruising on his legs and chest is quite extensive, but it will heal eventually. We had to flush his eyes twice to clear them of dirt & debris. The concussion is very mild, and the cracked rib, well, those just take some time to recover from. Given what he's been through, he's extremely lucky."
You mean blessed, Gabriel wanted to say, but instead he had taken that opportunity to ask the only question that mattered to him in that moment. "Is he in pain?"
"Yes. For that reason, we've just administered a sedative. If you want to talk to him, you'd better go in now."
He raised his head when he felt Dominic stir slightly. "Don't cry, daddy. Please," he whispered. "Are you okay?" He squeezed his father's arm feebly.
Gabriel beamed through his tears; he had to, for despite the fact that Dominic was obviously in crippling pain he was worrying about his father's current condition. Even in the face of complete and total cruelty he remained selfless.
"DJ," the preacher replied between his sniffles, "don't you fret about me. What happened, son?"
Though still in his partly-sedated state, the patient had known the question was coming, but that didn't stop the tension from gripping him. Dominic shrank visibly into the bed, while all the time averting his father's questioning gaze, his breath coming in shallow gulps. Gabriel frowned at his reaction.
"I got jumped." Dominic squeezed his good eye shut, as if doing that would purge every unsavory memory from his mind. He'd blacked out in the parking lot as Jason had scooped him up into his arms, the last thing could remember hearing was his friend's voice ordering Allison to help him get Dominic into his truck.
"Who was it?"
"Didn't see 'em."
"But why? Did he say anything?"
The two, and only, words his attacker had uttered danced across his brain in a sudden flash of neon, bringing with them even more frustration and sadness. Why they also left him with a sense of shame was a mystery to Dominic. He knew in his heart that he'd done nothing wrong, and didn't deserve such treatment from anyone. Still, though, he was too embarrassed to admit to his father that he'd been referred to in such a disgusting manner. So, he, for the first time in his life, lied to Gabriel. "Dunno. I'm tired."
Gabriel tried again. "Son, the sheriff's deputy's outside, wantin' ya to make a statement."
"What?!" Dominic replied with such a sense of panic that his father winced. "Why'd ya do that?"
"Y'been assaulted! We gotta cooperate with th-"
"I ain't doin' that."
"But-"
"No. Send 'em away."
"Are you-"
"My God! I just wanna forget it, daddy, okay?" Dominic roared, angry at himself for speaking to his father in such a tone but even angrier at the fact that he was crying again. "Please!" He sat up, one hand over his mouth as he sobbed into it. Gabriel pulled him close, biting back more tears of his own.
"Okay, son, okay. Whatever ya want."
"I just-" Dominic didn't know how to put what he was feeling into words. The thought of reliving what he'd went through for even a moment was unbearable. It would solve nothing, especially since he couldn't even identify his attacker. No, it was best to try to purge it from his psyche, although privately he wondered if he'd ever have a peaceful night's sleep again.
"I understand, Dominic. It's your decision. I just want ya t'be alright." Gabriel stood and perched himself on the edge of the bed. He grabbed a tissue from the box on the bedside table and gently wiped Dominic's eyes, taking care with his bruised one especially.
"But I yelled at ya," Dominic sniffed, pulling him close to hug him again. "I ain't never done that before. I'm sorry."
"Son, y'ain't yerself right now," he soothed, "just focus on gettin' better. I'm gonna go back out and tell the deputy you ain't up to talkin' right now." Gabriel didn't say it, but he was hopeful that Dominic would change his mind eventually. They stayed in that position for some time, until Dominic's medicine kicked in and he started to nod off. Gingerly, Gabriel eased him back into a comfortable position, the young man sighing as his eyes closed.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"Love y..."
Gentle snores could be heard now as Dominic slept, so he never heard his father's reply.
"I love ya more, baby boy."
30 minutes later
"Reverend Howard?"
Gabriel turned and was faced with a tall young man who was peering at him politely from the doorway.
"Can I come in, sir?"
"Of course."
"Oh, sweet lordy mercy, where's my manners!?" He offered Gabriel one hand. "Christopher Wolstenholme, Dominic helped me out with some work on my farm not too long ago?"
"Oh, yes, yes! Nice to finally meet you!" They shook hands, Chris turning to take a good look at Dominic finally, Gabriel watching as his face went white. He chewed on his thumb as he took in the sight before him. It didn't seem right that such a vibrant, happy man as Dominic could be so broken down and hurt. The thought made Chris' blood come to a boil in his veins.
"My wife was here with our newborn for a checkup when Jason and Ally brought Dominic in earlier, she called me right away. Id've been here sooner but needed t'get cleaned up, I was out in the field plowin'. I hope y'don't mind me stoppin' by like this."
Gabriel was touched by the young man's worry for his son. "I don't mind at all-"
"I called Matthew," he blurted out.
"Matthew. Oh Lord! Good." The older man practically sighed in relief. "T'was kind of you, Christopher. I was gonna call Bellamy's myself but it just slipped my mind, I'm just so worried that I'm scatterbrained I reckon."
"First, call me Chris. Second, yer sick with worry, so don't beat yerself up. Any idea who did this?"
"No idea," the preacher admitted, "he claims he doesn't know who it was, that he was taken by surprise."
They both jumped at the gentle knock at the door; a different nurse nodded at them both. "Mr. Howard, can we ask you a couple questions? We need you to fill out some paperwork."
"I'll stay with him," Chris offered, "y'go on sir."
A frown twisted his lips when he saw Dominic shudder and twitch in his drug-induced sleep. It didn't matter that he wasn't conscious, he still looked to be in an incredible amount of discomfort. That realization prompted Chris to wonder when Matthew would arrive; his best friend needed to get here as soon as possible.
Dominic's left arm shot out, pushing the covers from his body, exposing part of his injuries to Chris' eyes. The skin on Dominic's hipbone was purple in places, the bruising not quite as severe on the underside.
He leaned in closer, not daring to believe what he was seeing, despite the fact that it was unmistakable. There, before his eyes, was the Newton farm insignia, clearly pressed into the tender skin on Dominic's hip. Chris was livid; for such a small piece of metal to make such a damaging mark meant that it was delivered with brutal force. His anger was peppered with a sense of understanding, however, for he knew for a fact that there was only one man in town who owned a pair of boots with this particular adornment etched into the steel-plated toe.
That mark'll surely be fadin' over the next day or so, he thought, chewing on his lip worriedly. Before he realized what he was doing his cellphone was in his hands, the camera feature activated. He knelt down, and with one last glance at Dominic's sleeping face, quickly snapped a picture of the mark, managing to slide the phone back into his pocket just as Gabriel entered the doorway.
"Everything okay?"
Chris nodded, crossing the room to join him. "Yessir, he's still restin'." In silent agreement they closed the door so he could rest uninterrupted just as a pair of feet came thundering down the small corridor, sliding to a stop in front of them.
"Where is he?!" Matthew demanded. "What's happened? Are you okay, Mr. Howard? What can I do?" He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Gabriel put a hand on Matthew's arm.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm gonna check on Kevin, he's downstairs in the cafeteria with Dominic's work friends. Would... would you like to go in and sit with him until I get back?"
"Please? Could I?" The brunet's face positively lit up at the prospect.
Chris took that moment to make his goodbyes, telling Gabriel to please let him know if he could do anything to help him. He glanced at Matthew, torn as to whether or not now was a good time to show him the photo he'd just taken of Dominic's wound. In the end he decided to sleep on it; it was more important that Matthew focus on Dominic tonight.
"I'll walk you down, sir. Matty," he said urgently as he opened the room to Dominic's door, "call me tomorrow, yeah?"
"I will," Matthew promised. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the cool, sterile room. When the door closed he leaned against it. The light was dim, but from across the room he could see Dominic's bruised eye easily, the sight prompting his heart to leap into his throat. Matthew took a couple more steps toward the bed, his heart hammering away in his chest. Dominic, in his sleep, had pushed the blankets aside, leaving one of his legs exposed. The skin on his calf was dotted with tiny scars, the knee blackened significantly. Matthew was horrified, saddened and confused as to why this had happened.
But more than that, he was angry. So very angry. In the back of his mind he couldn't help but wonder if this perhaps had something to do with what had happened at Bellamy's between Isaiah and his father, but he wasn't about to grill Dominic for details. Not yet, at least. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he blinked rapidly. He coughed, an old nervous habit of his from his childhood, then cringed for fear he'd wake Dominic.
Just then a sound, soft and slight, prompted the patient in question to open his good eye slowly. Dominic still felt so horrible that the instant he woke up he tried to will his body to go back to sleep. The haze that his medications were creating combined with the pain consuming his body made for a miserable ranger.
The sound repeated itself, as though someone were coughing. Dominic gasped when he finally was able to focus on the source of it.
Matthew was there, standing before him like something out of a dream, all fluffy brown hair and concerned blue eyes. It was the sweet-as-sugar smile on his face, however, that made the blond's stomach do a few flips. "Hey."
Dominic was so happy to see Matthew that his body reacted violently; he swallowed the lump that had suddenly manifested in his throat. "Hi."
"I got here as soon as I could." He smoothed the hair from Dominic's forehead gently, his fingers trailing down to sweep the tear that was falling down the blond's cheek away. Matthew leaned over the bed, pressing his lips lightly to Dominic's bruised eye, gifting the marred skin with feather light kisses.
To Dominic, they were markedly more effective than any medication he'd received thus far. He basked in the warm glow the kisses were creating, the familiar scent of Matthew's cologne assaulting his senses.
He couldn't help himself, his lips traveling across Dominic's cheek, finally stopping to kiss the blond's mouth sweetly. The blond made to reach out for Matthew but instead groaned in pain when he tried to raise his arm.
"Shit. I can't-"
"No, no, don't talk, babe."
The gentle admonishment, and especially the term of endearment therein, soothed Dominic in spades. He licked his lips, Matthew now gently kissing the inside of his wrist.
"Just rest," the brunet whispered, squeezing Dominic's hand tightly. Dominic nodded, looking down at their joined hands. He squeezed back, clearing his throat; his pronounced case of dry mouth began to catch up with him and he coughed repeatedly, wincing as the pain in his rib was magnified by a million with each shake of his body. Dominic's face fell when Matthew released his hand, but he needent have worried, for the brunet was right there with him, holding a cup of ice water to his mouth.
"Ooh, a bendy straw," he joked weakly, Matthew chuckling despite the anger and hurt that were consuming him. Dominic took a long draw from the cool liquid, then another, before nodding and reclining back on his pillow. It certainly didn't do anything for the pain but it was satisfying in its own way. Matthew sat down in his chair at Dominic's bedside.
"Better?"
Dominic shook his head, Matthew frowning. The blond reached for Matthew's hand again, locking their fingers tightly together.
"Better now," he whispered.
"Good."
The two of them were both startled by the sudden opening of the door. The blond made to remove his hand from Matthew's but the brunet had a vice-like grip on it like no other and refused to cooperate. Just as suddenly the door closed without anyone coming in.
"What's wrong?" Matthew asked.
"I didn't know if ya wanted anyone to see us holdin' hands," he replied softly, and more than a little sadly.
"What?"
Dominic didn't reply.
"Dom, I don't give the first goddamn who sees you and I holdin' hands. Hell, right now I feel like runnin' naked through the streets of town holdin' yer hand." The dramatic proclamation prompted the blond to smile, Matthew responding in kind. He grew serious, though, with his next statement. "I don't know what's happened. But, I do know that I ain't afraid, so don't you be either. Okay?"
Gabriel's voice cut into the moment. "Can I come in?"
Dominic's face lit up. "Oh, daddy, stop bein' silly. Did ya bring me anything?"
The preacher didn't say a word as he put the cup of ice and a single, glorious can of cold Cheerwine down on the tray over his bed. The blond gave his father the first genuine smile of the day. "Thanks, daddy!"
"You're welcome," he replied smoothly, dropping a kiss to Dominic's head. "How you feelin'?"
"The same, mostly, but," he glanced at Matthew, "it's some better now."
"I'm glad. Listen, son, Kevin's so upset that he's given himself a sick stomach," Gabriel said. "I'm gonna have to take him home for a bit. I reckon I can be gone for a couple hours, sleep, then come back and-"
"Let me stay with Dom tonight," Matthew asked. "I mean... well, I'd be more than happy to, that's all, if ya like?"
"Really?"
"Sure thing. That way y'can tend to Kevin and not worry that Dom's alone here."
"Excuse me, gentlemen. I ain't goin' nowhere," the blond said, "and I ain't a baby, I'll be okay here tonight."
"Still," Gabriel commented, "I think I'd feel better if y'weren't alone. You sure, Matthew?" He knew he would rest easy knowing Matthew were here with Dominic.
"I'm positive. If Dom doesn't mind, I mean?"
Dominic blushed. "'Course I don't mind."
"Y'call if y'need me, okay? I'll see ya in the mornin', son. Love ya."
Two hours later
Matthew had, upon taking one look at what qualified as food at Sapphire Falls Hospital, taken it upon himself to have some take-out delivered to Dominic's room. Luckily he knew the new cook at The Quarry, and Sadie happily sent her son Jake with two of the night's specials: country fried steak and mashed potatoes, complete with some blackberry cobbler for dessert. They were full and tired after their impromptu feast, and after Dominic's nurses had given him his last round of medicine for the night, the blond found himself growing even more sleepy.
Curled up in the chair next to the bed, Matthew finally asked Dominic what he'd been wanting to for the last two hours. "D'ya wanna talk about it?"
Dominic turned to him, feeling a little more confident that in the morning he'd be ready to jump that hurdle. "Not right yet. Can I sleep instead?"
"Sure thing," Matthew assured him, as Dominic turned down the lights. "Can I get ya anything?"
"No, ya killed me with that supper, and just havin' ya here is, well," he shook his head, "it's the best thing ever. Thank you."
"Don't thank-"
"Yes, thank you. I," the blond struggled to express what he was feeling, "I... Matty, I love that yer in my life. Just wanted t'say it. Fuckin' love it, blue eyes," he whispered.
"I..." Matthew swallowed again, trying to play it cool on the inside when really he wanted to explode with happiness. In the end he settled for a simple, heartfelt agreement. "I love it, too, Dom. I wouldn't be anywhere else. No chance."
It was true. Matthew had absolutely no intention of being anywhere else tonight. Indeed, he'd decided the instant he'd entered the small hospital that he would be there until Dominic was released. In the brunet's mind it was the easiest decision he'd made in ages. Matthew pushed the steel bar down, smoothing the bed. Once he'd toed his shoes off, he tucked his feet under his backside and sat down, leaning over until his head was resting against Dominic's hip.
"Y'can't sleep like this," Dominic protested quietly, his fingertips scratching Matthew's scalp. Matthew's lips turned up slightly at the corners, the blond's ministrations putting him to sleep.
"'Course I can. Hush."
"Yer legs'll be killin' ya in the mornin'-"
"Nah, they won't."
"But y' have work early."
Matthew sat up, his hands on his hips. "Dominic."
"Yeah?"
"Git yer sweet ass to sleepin', boy. Now!"
Dominic's eyes widened but he relented, both hands in the air. Matthew resumed his position and as soon as he felt Dominic's hand in his hair again he closed his eyes. They fell silent, the hum of hospital machinery the only sound in the room until the patient spoke again in a sleepy whisper.
"Damn right my ass is sweet."
They both giggled.
At three in the morning the overnight nurse came in to monitor Dominic's vitals. Once she'd finished she remained in Dominic's doorway, marveling at what she was seeing.
She couldn't tear her eyes away.
Dominic was sleeping soundly, as was the dark-haired man in bed with him, his arm around the patient protectively. It was a minor miracle that they were both able to fit in it comfortably, but the nurse reckoned that comfort was the last thing on their minds. They looked so peaceful that nothing else mattered.
The blond stirred in his sleep just then, and almost on cue, the brunet raised his head and opened his eyes a crack, placing a soft kiss to his cheek in an attempt to comfort him. This seemed to do the trick, for the patient fell back asleep shortly thereafter.
She closed the door with a smile on her face, hoping that someday she could find the same kind of bond with someone that the two of them so obviously had.
Author:
millionstarPairing: Belldom, AU
Rating: This part, PG
Warnings: Language, Sudden Southern Drawls, Tight Blue Jeans.
Summary: AU Belldom, set in the Deep American South. Enough said, y'all.
Feedback: Is welcome & appreciated, if you're so inclined.
Archive: Links only.
Disclaimer: I don't own Muse, no $$ being made, and this is fiction. Title taken lovingly from the song of the same name.
Author's note: As always, eternal thanks to
dolce_piccante & myz_bee for their beta skills and constant encouragement. So much love, ladies.<3 Special kudos to lalalive23 for being an uber smexy cheerleader. *hugs* And as always, HUGE thanks to my sis,
captivemuse for her help in all thangs Southern. She's got-damned essential to this fic. Make no mistake. <3 One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen | Fifteen | Sixteen | Seventeen
When the preacher finally walked into the hospital room and was able to see firsthand the state his boy was in, two things happened. Firstly, he asked the nurse on duty to give him some privacy, nodding tightly as she acquiesced. Secondly, he sank to his knees at Dominic's bedside and cried like he hadn't in months.
He was in the middle of a living nightmare like no other.
This was supposed to be their clean break; a new beginning. A fresh start free from this sort of madness. Gabriel forced himself to stand after a couple minutes and pulled the chair around the bed, placing it as close as he could to it. It still wasn't close enough, though, so he planted his knees in the chair, kneeling on it so he could scoot a few inches closer. He reached for his baby's hand.
Dominic appeared to already be sleeping; his right eye was sporting a nasty purple bruise and was nearly swollen shut. Gabriel had been assured in the ER (by the kind young couple who worked with Dominic at the park and brought him to the hospital) that his son's injuries were in no way life-threatening, but they were still serious enough to warrant an overnight stay. The doctor who had spoken to Gabriel in the hallway had seemed astonished that the young man had escaped with only one cracked rib.
"Prepare yourself, Mr. Howard," he'd warned Gabriel, "the bruising on his legs and chest is quite extensive, but it will heal eventually. We had to flush his eyes twice to clear them of dirt & debris. The concussion is very mild, and the cracked rib, well, those just take some time to recover from. Given what he's been through, he's extremely lucky."
You mean blessed, Gabriel wanted to say, but instead he had taken that opportunity to ask the only question that mattered to him in that moment. "Is he in pain?"
"Yes. For that reason, we've just administered a sedative. If you want to talk to him, you'd better go in now."
He raised his head when he felt Dominic stir slightly. "Don't cry, daddy. Please," he whispered. "Are you okay?" He squeezed his father's arm feebly.
Gabriel beamed through his tears; he had to, for despite the fact that Dominic was obviously in crippling pain he was worrying about his father's current condition. Even in the face of complete and total cruelty he remained selfless.
"DJ," the preacher replied between his sniffles, "don't you fret about me. What happened, son?"
Though still in his partly-sedated state, the patient had known the question was coming, but that didn't stop the tension from gripping him. Dominic shrank visibly into the bed, while all the time averting his father's questioning gaze, his breath coming in shallow gulps. Gabriel frowned at his reaction.
"I got jumped." Dominic squeezed his good eye shut, as if doing that would purge every unsavory memory from his mind. He'd blacked out in the parking lot as Jason had scooped him up into his arms, the last thing could remember hearing was his friend's voice ordering Allison to help him get Dominic into his truck.
"Who was it?"
"Didn't see 'em."
"But why? Did he say anything?"
The two, and only, words his attacker had uttered danced across his brain in a sudden flash of neon, bringing with them even more frustration and sadness. Why they also left him with a sense of shame was a mystery to Dominic. He knew in his heart that he'd done nothing wrong, and didn't deserve such treatment from anyone. Still, though, he was too embarrassed to admit to his father that he'd been referred to in such a disgusting manner. So, he, for the first time in his life, lied to Gabriel. "Dunno. I'm tired."
Gabriel tried again. "Son, the sheriff's deputy's outside, wantin' ya to make a statement."
"What?!" Dominic replied with such a sense of panic that his father winced. "Why'd ya do that?"
"Y'been assaulted! We gotta cooperate with th-"
"I ain't doin' that."
"But-"
"No. Send 'em away."
"Are you-"
"My God! I just wanna forget it, daddy, okay?" Dominic roared, angry at himself for speaking to his father in such a tone but even angrier at the fact that he was crying again. "Please!" He sat up, one hand over his mouth as he sobbed into it. Gabriel pulled him close, biting back more tears of his own.
"Okay, son, okay. Whatever ya want."
"I just-" Dominic didn't know how to put what he was feeling into words. The thought of reliving what he'd went through for even a moment was unbearable. It would solve nothing, especially since he couldn't even identify his attacker. No, it was best to try to purge it from his psyche, although privately he wondered if he'd ever have a peaceful night's sleep again.
"I understand, Dominic. It's your decision. I just want ya t'be alright." Gabriel stood and perched himself on the edge of the bed. He grabbed a tissue from the box on the bedside table and gently wiped Dominic's eyes, taking care with his bruised one especially.
"But I yelled at ya," Dominic sniffed, pulling him close to hug him again. "I ain't never done that before. I'm sorry."
"Son, y'ain't yerself right now," he soothed, "just focus on gettin' better. I'm gonna go back out and tell the deputy you ain't up to talkin' right now." Gabriel didn't say it, but he was hopeful that Dominic would change his mind eventually. They stayed in that position for some time, until Dominic's medicine kicked in and he started to nod off. Gingerly, Gabriel eased him back into a comfortable position, the young man sighing as his eyes closed.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"Love y..."
Gentle snores could be heard now as Dominic slept, so he never heard his father's reply.
"I love ya more, baby boy."
"Reverend Howard?"
Gabriel turned and was faced with a tall young man who was peering at him politely from the doorway.
"Can I come in, sir?"
"Of course."
"Oh, sweet lordy mercy, where's my manners!?" He offered Gabriel one hand. "Christopher Wolstenholme, Dominic helped me out with some work on my farm not too long ago?"
"Oh, yes, yes! Nice to finally meet you!" They shook hands, Chris turning to take a good look at Dominic finally, Gabriel watching as his face went white. He chewed on his thumb as he took in the sight before him. It didn't seem right that such a vibrant, happy man as Dominic could be so broken down and hurt. The thought made Chris' blood come to a boil in his veins.
"My wife was here with our newborn for a checkup when Jason and Ally brought Dominic in earlier, she called me right away. Id've been here sooner but needed t'get cleaned up, I was out in the field plowin'. I hope y'don't mind me stoppin' by like this."
Gabriel was touched by the young man's worry for his son. "I don't mind at all-"
"I called Matthew," he blurted out.
"Matthew. Oh Lord! Good." The older man practically sighed in relief. "T'was kind of you, Christopher. I was gonna call Bellamy's myself but it just slipped my mind, I'm just so worried that I'm scatterbrained I reckon."
"First, call me Chris. Second, yer sick with worry, so don't beat yerself up. Any idea who did this?"
"No idea," the preacher admitted, "he claims he doesn't know who it was, that he was taken by surprise."
They both jumped at the gentle knock at the door; a different nurse nodded at them both. "Mr. Howard, can we ask you a couple questions? We need you to fill out some paperwork."
"I'll stay with him," Chris offered, "y'go on sir."
A frown twisted his lips when he saw Dominic shudder and twitch in his drug-induced sleep. It didn't matter that he wasn't conscious, he still looked to be in an incredible amount of discomfort. That realization prompted Chris to wonder when Matthew would arrive; his best friend needed to get here as soon as possible.
Dominic's left arm shot out, pushing the covers from his body, exposing part of his injuries to Chris' eyes. The skin on Dominic's hipbone was purple in places, the bruising not quite as severe on the underside.
He leaned in closer, not daring to believe what he was seeing, despite the fact that it was unmistakable. There, before his eyes, was the Newton farm insignia, clearly pressed into the tender skin on Dominic's hip. Chris was livid; for such a small piece of metal to make such a damaging mark meant that it was delivered with brutal force. His anger was peppered with a sense of understanding, however, for he knew for a fact that there was only one man in town who owned a pair of boots with this particular adornment etched into the steel-plated toe.
That mark'll surely be fadin' over the next day or so, he thought, chewing on his lip worriedly. Before he realized what he was doing his cellphone was in his hands, the camera feature activated. He knelt down, and with one last glance at Dominic's sleeping face, quickly snapped a picture of the mark, managing to slide the phone back into his pocket just as Gabriel entered the doorway.
"Everything okay?"
Chris nodded, crossing the room to join him. "Yessir, he's still restin'." In silent agreement they closed the door so he could rest uninterrupted just as a pair of feet came thundering down the small corridor, sliding to a stop in front of them.
"Where is he?!" Matthew demanded. "What's happened? Are you okay, Mr. Howard? What can I do?" He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath. Gabriel put a hand on Matthew's arm.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm gonna check on Kevin, he's downstairs in the cafeteria with Dominic's work friends. Would... would you like to go in and sit with him until I get back?"
"Please? Could I?" The brunet's face positively lit up at the prospect.
Chris took that moment to make his goodbyes, telling Gabriel to please let him know if he could do anything to help him. He glanced at Matthew, torn as to whether or not now was a good time to show him the photo he'd just taken of Dominic's wound. In the end he decided to sleep on it; it was more important that Matthew focus on Dominic tonight.
"I'll walk you down, sir. Matty," he said urgently as he opened the room to Dominic's door, "call me tomorrow, yeah?"
"I will," Matthew promised. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the cool, sterile room. When the door closed he leaned against it. The light was dim, but from across the room he could see Dominic's bruised eye easily, the sight prompting his heart to leap into his throat. Matthew took a couple more steps toward the bed, his heart hammering away in his chest. Dominic, in his sleep, had pushed the blankets aside, leaving one of his legs exposed. The skin on his calf was dotted with tiny scars, the knee blackened significantly. Matthew was horrified, saddened and confused as to why this had happened.
But more than that, he was angry. So very angry. In the back of his mind he couldn't help but wonder if this perhaps had something to do with what had happened at Bellamy's between Isaiah and his father, but he wasn't about to grill Dominic for details. Not yet, at least. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he blinked rapidly. He coughed, an old nervous habit of his from his childhood, then cringed for fear he'd wake Dominic.
Just then a sound, soft and slight, prompted the patient in question to open his good eye slowly. Dominic still felt so horrible that the instant he woke up he tried to will his body to go back to sleep. The haze that his medications were creating combined with the pain consuming his body made for a miserable ranger.
The sound repeated itself, as though someone were coughing. Dominic gasped when he finally was able to focus on the source of it.
Matthew was there, standing before him like something out of a dream, all fluffy brown hair and concerned blue eyes. It was the sweet-as-sugar smile on his face, however, that made the blond's stomach do a few flips. "Hey."
Dominic was so happy to see Matthew that his body reacted violently; he swallowed the lump that had suddenly manifested in his throat. "Hi."
"I got here as soon as I could." He smoothed the hair from Dominic's forehead gently, his fingers trailing down to sweep the tear that was falling down the blond's cheek away. Matthew leaned over the bed, pressing his lips lightly to Dominic's bruised eye, gifting the marred skin with feather light kisses.
To Dominic, they were markedly more effective than any medication he'd received thus far. He basked in the warm glow the kisses were creating, the familiar scent of Matthew's cologne assaulting his senses.
He couldn't help himself, his lips traveling across Dominic's cheek, finally stopping to kiss the blond's mouth sweetly. The blond made to reach out for Matthew but instead groaned in pain when he tried to raise his arm.
"Shit. I can't-"
"No, no, don't talk, babe."
The gentle admonishment, and especially the term of endearment therein, soothed Dominic in spades. He licked his lips, Matthew now gently kissing the inside of his wrist.
"Just rest," the brunet whispered, squeezing Dominic's hand tightly. Dominic nodded, looking down at their joined hands. He squeezed back, clearing his throat; his pronounced case of dry mouth began to catch up with him and he coughed repeatedly, wincing as the pain in his rib was magnified by a million with each shake of his body. Dominic's face fell when Matthew released his hand, but he needent have worried, for the brunet was right there with him, holding a cup of ice water to his mouth.
"Ooh, a bendy straw," he joked weakly, Matthew chuckling despite the anger and hurt that were consuming him. Dominic took a long draw from the cool liquid, then another, before nodding and reclining back on his pillow. It certainly didn't do anything for the pain but it was satisfying in its own way. Matthew sat down in his chair at Dominic's bedside.
"Better?"
Dominic shook his head, Matthew frowning. The blond reached for Matthew's hand again, locking their fingers tightly together.
"Better now," he whispered.
"Good."
The two of them were both startled by the sudden opening of the door. The blond made to remove his hand from Matthew's but the brunet had a vice-like grip on it like no other and refused to cooperate. Just as suddenly the door closed without anyone coming in.
"What's wrong?" Matthew asked.
"I didn't know if ya wanted anyone to see us holdin' hands," he replied softly, and more than a little sadly.
"What?"
Dominic didn't reply.
"Dom, I don't give the first goddamn who sees you and I holdin' hands. Hell, right now I feel like runnin' naked through the streets of town holdin' yer hand." The dramatic proclamation prompted the blond to smile, Matthew responding in kind. He grew serious, though, with his next statement. "I don't know what's happened. But, I do know that I ain't afraid, so don't you be either. Okay?"
Gabriel's voice cut into the moment. "Can I come in?"
Dominic's face lit up. "Oh, daddy, stop bein' silly. Did ya bring me anything?"
The preacher didn't say a word as he put the cup of ice and a single, glorious can of cold Cheerwine down on the tray over his bed. The blond gave his father the first genuine smile of the day. "Thanks, daddy!"
"You're welcome," he replied smoothly, dropping a kiss to Dominic's head. "How you feelin'?"
"The same, mostly, but," he glanced at Matthew, "it's some better now."
"I'm glad. Listen, son, Kevin's so upset that he's given himself a sick stomach," Gabriel said. "I'm gonna have to take him home for a bit. I reckon I can be gone for a couple hours, sleep, then come back and-"
"Let me stay with Dom tonight," Matthew asked. "I mean... well, I'd be more than happy to, that's all, if ya like?"
"Really?"
"Sure thing. That way y'can tend to Kevin and not worry that Dom's alone here."
"Excuse me, gentlemen. I ain't goin' nowhere," the blond said, "and I ain't a baby, I'll be okay here tonight."
"Still," Gabriel commented, "I think I'd feel better if y'weren't alone. You sure, Matthew?" He knew he would rest easy knowing Matthew were here with Dominic.
"I'm positive. If Dom doesn't mind, I mean?"
Dominic blushed. "'Course I don't mind."
"Y'call if y'need me, okay? I'll see ya in the mornin', son. Love ya."
Matthew had, upon taking one look at what qualified as food at Sapphire Falls Hospital, taken it upon himself to have some take-out delivered to Dominic's room. Luckily he knew the new cook at The Quarry, and Sadie happily sent her son Jake with two of the night's specials: country fried steak and mashed potatoes, complete with some blackberry cobbler for dessert. They were full and tired after their impromptu feast, and after Dominic's nurses had given him his last round of medicine for the night, the blond found himself growing even more sleepy.
Curled up in the chair next to the bed, Matthew finally asked Dominic what he'd been wanting to for the last two hours. "D'ya wanna talk about it?"
Dominic turned to him, feeling a little more confident that in the morning he'd be ready to jump that hurdle. "Not right yet. Can I sleep instead?"
"Sure thing," Matthew assured him, as Dominic turned down the lights. "Can I get ya anything?"
"No, ya killed me with that supper, and just havin' ya here is, well," he shook his head, "it's the best thing ever. Thank you."
"Don't thank-"
"Yes, thank you. I," the blond struggled to express what he was feeling, "I... Matty, I love that yer in my life. Just wanted t'say it. Fuckin' love it, blue eyes," he whispered.
"I..." Matthew swallowed again, trying to play it cool on the inside when really he wanted to explode with happiness. In the end he settled for a simple, heartfelt agreement. "I love it, too, Dom. I wouldn't be anywhere else. No chance."
It was true. Matthew had absolutely no intention of being anywhere else tonight. Indeed, he'd decided the instant he'd entered the small hospital that he would be there until Dominic was released. In the brunet's mind it was the easiest decision he'd made in ages. Matthew pushed the steel bar down, smoothing the bed. Once he'd toed his shoes off, he tucked his feet under his backside and sat down, leaning over until his head was resting against Dominic's hip.
"Y'can't sleep like this," Dominic protested quietly, his fingertips scratching Matthew's scalp. Matthew's lips turned up slightly at the corners, the blond's ministrations putting him to sleep.
"'Course I can. Hush."
"Yer legs'll be killin' ya in the mornin'-"
"Nah, they won't."
"But y' have work early."
Matthew sat up, his hands on his hips. "Dominic."
"Yeah?"
"Git yer sweet ass to sleepin', boy. Now!"
Dominic's eyes widened but he relented, both hands in the air. Matthew resumed his position and as soon as he felt Dominic's hand in his hair again he closed his eyes. They fell silent, the hum of hospital machinery the only sound in the room until the patient spoke again in a sleepy whisper.
"Damn right my ass is sweet."
They both giggled.
At three in the morning the overnight nurse came in to monitor Dominic's vitals. Once she'd finished she remained in Dominic's doorway, marveling at what she was seeing.
She couldn't tear her eyes away.
Dominic was sleeping soundly, as was the dark-haired man in bed with him, his arm around the patient protectively. It was a minor miracle that they were both able to fit in it comfortably, but the nurse reckoned that comfort was the last thing on their minds. They looked so peaceful that nothing else mattered.
The blond stirred in his sleep just then, and almost on cue, the brunet raised his head and opened his eyes a crack, placing a soft kiss to his cheek in an attempt to comfort him. This seemed to do the trick, for the patient fell back asleep shortly thereafter.
She closed the door with a smile on her face, hoping that someday she could find the same kind of bond with someone that the two of them so obviously had.
