SGA fic: A Major Bruised (McKay/Lorne)
Title: A Major Bruised
Author: 1000traenen
Summary: Lorne comes back from a mission hurt. Rodney wants to make him feel better, but inadvertently outs them to someone in the process.
Rating: PG
Categories: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Drama, Established Relationship
Prompt: #1- Injured
Disclaimer: Since you don’t see stuff like this on TV, suffice it to say that they aren’t mine.
A/N: for the for the 10_hurt_comfort comm. Link to my table.
---
Rodney McKay walked into the familiar quarters that he’d spent a lot of time in, though they weren’t his own. He’d been careful on his way here, so as not to be seen entering the empty quarters of Major Evan Lorne, whom he’d been seeing in an ‘unofficial’ capacity for quite some time. He hooked up his laptop and began to work while he waited for Evan to return from his mission.
Rodney was settled on the sofa with his laptop on his lap. He was busy typing when the door hissed open. He turned to see Evan walk into the room slowly, stiffly. With a roll of the eyes, Rodney saved his work and shut the computer down. Setting it on the small table next to the sofa, he stood to see Evan gradually getting out of his clothes.
“Let me help…” Rodney offered, standing in front of Evan, then he gave the other man a visual once-over. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Natives got restless. They weren’t interested in trade nearly as much as our weapons,” Evan answered, knowing he had to have been hurting if being undressed by Rodney wasn’t doing anything for him.
“And that led to you getting your ass kicked,” Rodney surmised after he helped Evan out of his shirt.
“It was either me or Coffey,” Evan replied. “So I made sure it was me.”
“Lucky him,” Rodney mumbled, getting a reproachful look from Evan. “Look, I know you’re his team leader, but that doesn’t mean you have to take all the bumps for him. A dead team leader is a pretty useless team leader.”
“Didn’t Dr. Weir say that to Colonel Sheppard at one point in time?” Evan asked as Rodney worked on his belt.
“Yes, but it doesn’t make it any less true,” Rodney answered. “You guys certainly make sure your pants stay up offworld.”
“There’s a…”
“I know, Evan. I’ve undone your pants enough to know how it works,” Rodney said with a mischievous grin.
“Rodney…” Evan sighed with a slight shake of his head, then his hand immediately went to the back of his neck as the action made him hiss in pain.
“Evan?” Rodney asked, the grin gone.
“Moved wrong. I’m a little sore.”
“Which, in military terms, translates into ‘I hurt like hell, but I’ll take bullet before I admit it’,” Rodney drawled.
Rodney was better able to categorize Evan's injuries now that the Major was clad only in boxers and socks. And from the number of cuts and bruises that were spread over the military man’s body, Rodney wasn’t surprised that the man was hurting.
“Right now, I just want to lie down and sleep for a few days,” Evan muttered, easing himself onto the bed.
“Tell me you at least went to the infirmary,” Rodney said, standing in front of a seated Evan.
“Of course. Post-mission check.”
“And Carson let you go without so much as a pain reliever?”
“Dr. Beckett wasn’t there.”
“So which one of his useless underlings allowed you to leave in pain?”
Before he could stop himself, Evan answered, “Dr. Nichols.”
“Look, you get comfortable, well as much as possible anyway. I’ll get Carson since he’s obviously the only voodoo practitioner we have that’s any good as his job.”
“Rodney!” Evan said in fear. “I’ll be fine, there’s no need to get anyone!”
“Carson’s not going to care,” Rodney replied, sitting next to Evan. “I’ll make something up if I have to.”
“Yes, because we all know how well you lie to Dr. Beckett.”
Rodney frowned. “Well, I’m not going to let you suffer in pain. I’ll just go to the infirmary and get something.”
Evan's eyes narrowed a bit, then he nodded reluctantly.
“I get why you’re jumpy about this. It’s a stupid rule, but you have to live with it. Which means that I do too. Don’t worry. Genius, after all.”
“Like I needed reminding,” Evan managed to grin before grimacing as he went to lie down.
“I’ll bring back some food too,” Rodney said, his hand on his lover’s arm. And he muttered to himself as he crossed the room, “Medicine, food…water. He’ll need water…” And then Rodney left the room.
---
In the infirmary, Rodney couldn’t help but glare when he saw Nichols from across the room. But then he heard Carson’s voice nearby and opted to forego flaying Nichols…for the moment.
“Carson!” Rodney exclaimed when he found the Scot heading towards his office. “Just the man I was looking for.”
“Rodney, I don’t have time to turn on any Ancient…”
“And what could you possibly have that’s more important than…nevermind. Not why I’m here.”
“You’re not sick, are you?” Carson cautiously asked. “Injured?”
“No, no, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern though. I just need some good pain drugs.”
“I thought you said you were fine.”
“I am…”
“Then what do you need them for?”
“Look, Carson, someone’s in pain.”
Carson leveled his gaze on Rodney and crossed his arms over his chest. “And who is this someone? Why doesn’t he or she just come here?”
“He was here, but one of your flunkies let him go...”
“Rodney?”
“Umm, look, can I just have it? And forget that this conversation ever happened?” Rodney asked when he realized he ran his mouth a little too much.
“No on both accounts,” Carson answered, concerned for his friend. “Let’s take this into my office.”
Rodney led the way, knowing there was no way he was getting out of it. He didn’t plan on Carson being so inquisitive, though he really should’ve known better. Now he was trying to come up with a way out of it without mentioning Evan.
Carson sat in his chair while Rodney paced the room, which quickly wore on Carson’s nerves.
“Will you sit down?” Carson asked, hoping he didn’t sound as snappish as he thought.
“Medicine, food, water…” Rodney listed to himself, ignoring Carson.
“What?” Carson asked, grabbing Rodney by the arm as the scientist passed by.
“What I said I’d get while I was out…” Rodney answered, getting his arm back and continued pacing.
“Rodney, please, settle down,” Carson begged, and that got through. Rodney turned towards Carson, his eyes wide.
“I just wanted something to help him…”
“Who? What’s wrong with him?”
But Rodney just shook his head, and it dawned on Carson as to why the other man was being so unusually tight-lipped. So he tried another tactic.
“Rodney, I’m not going to give you anything unless I know who it’s for and what’s wrong. I won’t risk giving out something that will aggravate an illness or injury or that someone could be allergic to.”
“He’s only allergic to penicillin, and he isn’t sick.”
“Rodney…” Carson warned.
“Nevermind, I’ll just tell him I couldn’t get anything…”
“You’ll do no such thing. I won’t have someone here suffering in pain needlessly. Rodney, there is such a thing as doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“Look, I’m trying my best to protect someone. Someone with a career that means a lot to him and that he could lose if the wrong people knew.”
“That’s none of my concern, outside of the fact that you are my friend,” Carson noted.
“He’s US Military,” Rodney blurted out.
“I figured that much. Start from the beginning…of this particular problem, I mean.”
Rodney searched Carson’s face for a moment before deciding that the doctor would indeed help them. “He was offworld when he got beaten up. One of your flunkies, Nichols, checked him out and let him go with nothing for the pain. Carson, he looks like hell and I can plainly see that he feels like it too.”
Carson nodded knowingly. “I just reviewed his chart, and was about to check on him myself since the exam didn’t appear very thorough.”
“I could’ve told you that much,” Rodney said, then his eyes widened in shock.
“Calm down, Rodney. He’s a good man. Though I’m quite curious how that happened.”
“Figured out that we can trade intellectual conversation as well as barbs, among other things.”
“I’ll head to his quarters while you fetch him some food and water for him, if you please.”
“Fetch!” Rodney repeated with indignation.
“Rodney!” Carson exclaimed, trying to avoid the McKay meltdown.
“Right, food and water. And make sure you give him the good stuff. He gotten beaten up for one of his underlings.”
Rodney immediately left the infirmary, and went to the mess to put something together for Evan to eat, and also for himself since he was hungry anyway. In the meantime, Carson put a kit together and headed for Lorne’s quarters. On the way to the Major’s quarters, he was stopped by John Sheppard, who curious as to what the doctor was doing.
“What’s with the kit, doc?” John asked nonchalantly, slowing his stride a bit to match Carson’s.
“Just checking on someone,” Carson answered.
“Making a housecall? I thought you weren’t doing housecalls anymore?”
“I make exceptions when the housecall isn’t on an alien planet, and when a new member of my staff may have overlooked a thing or two.”
“Coffey said that Lorne looked like shit and shouldn’t have been released from the infirmary so easily,” John stated. “He was concerned. How’d you know?”
“I was reviewing the charts,” Carson answered truthfully.
“I was just on my way there too. I want to see him for myself.”
Carson nodded, and hoped that John’s visit was quick. John knocked on the door, announcing both himself and Carson. The door open, and both men found Evan lying on the bed, on his side, facing them. Evan went to prop himself up when he saw his CO, but John waved for him to be still.
“Coffey filled me in on what happened,” John explained when he saw the curious look he was getting. “Just wanted to see you for myself. And the doc’s here since he was looking over your chart…”
“I noted a few things that I want to go over myself,” Carson completed when John trailed off with no clue how to finish his thought.
“I’ll be fine, sir,” Evan told his concerned CO. “Just kindly don’t ask me to move for the next few days.”
“Didn’t plan on it. You need anything?”
“No, sir. Not right now.”
“You just let me know if you do. And Coffey asked me to pass along that same message. You need anything, you let one of us know.”
“Yes, sir,” Evan replied. And with that, John left the doctor alone to tend to his patient.
“So you were reviewing my chart…” Evan began, not finishing on purpose.
“Aye, and I noted that Dr. Nichols didn’t run a few scans that she should have, and that she released you with no mention of medication or follow-up. And noting the injuries, I found that to be odd. Though Rodney did make quite the effort.”
“He did talk to you.”
“Aye, lad, he did. He didn’t mention you specifically, though I was able to put it together.”
“And Colonel Sheppard?”
“As far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t need to know. For myself, I take it we have you to thank for calming Rodney down just a tad.”
“He’s not so bad.”
“I know that,” Carson laughed. Then he turned serious as he started to go about the real reason for his visit. “I’m going to run a few scans here, and as long as they’re clear, you’ll be allowed to stay here. If I see anything I don’t like, you’re going back to the infirmary, understood?”
“Yes,” Evan affirmed. “Where is Rodney, anyway?”
“I sent him to the mess for something to eat for you. Though I hope he gets the same for himself,” Carson answered.
The scans didn’t last long, and Carson didn’t immediately say anything. It wasn’t until after a few other tests that Carson moved back, indicating that he was finished.
“So, how am I?” Evan asked.
“The scans came back clean. The cuts aren’t deep, and they were properly cleaned and cared for. You’ll be quite colorful over the next few days, and those bruises will be rather tender. You’ll also be quite sore, so I want you to rest for the next couple of days. I’m leaving you with two analgesics, one is for the daytime and the other for night since it contains a mild narcotic which will help you sleep.”
“A narcotic? Doc, I don’t want to get hooked on anything.”
“You’ll be getting three tablets, one for each of the next three nights. Once those are done, I’ll reevaluate if need be. You won’t be getting hooked on anything on my watch.”
“Thanks, doc.”
Carson nodded. “The daytimes are to be taken every four hours, the nighttimes just once before you go to sleep.”
A sound was then heard, indicating that someone was at the door. Evan opened the door to find Rodney coming in with a tray laden with food in his hands. Once Rodney was clear, the door shut behind him.
“I just wanted to drop this off, so if you aren’t done…”
“We’re done. I’ll let the Major explain it to you,” Carson said, then eyed the tray that Rodney still had in his hands. “Good, looks like you got enough for two.”
“Yeah, figured I’d eat with him since I could use something too,” Rodney said, uncharacteristically unsure.
“Major, those tablets need to be taken with food, okay?”
“Food, got it,” Evan nodded.
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” Carson said, leaving the pair alone in the room.
“So?” Rodney asked, setting the tray on the part of the bed that he usually occupied. “What’s the prognosis?”
“I’ll be hurtin’ and colorful for the next few days.”
“And Carson gave you something?”
“Two somethings, actually. Daytime pain stuff and nighttime. The nighttime stuff has something in it to help me sleep.”
“Good, knew we kept him around for a reason.”
Evan nodded, then sighed. “He knows.”
“Carson…yeah. He has his occasional flashes of brilliance. But I wouldn’t worry about him.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just…”
“I know. Look, if anyone’s not gonna rat us out, it’s him.”
Evan nodded. “I guess it’s kinda good for someone to know.”
Later that night, Evan and Rodney settled into bed. Cautious of Evan’s injuries, Rodney curled up against him as best he could. As they lied next to each other, both had different thoughts running through their heads.
“Hey Evan,” Rodney said, interrupting the silence.
“Yeah?”
“I guess this means I have to take care of you tomorrow.”
“Well, you don’t have to…”
“I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t. I mean, after all the times you’ve taken care of me.”
Evan smirked, “Yeah, I guess I deserve it.”
Rodney only shook his head, pressed his lips to Evan’s temple and plotted how he was going to get work done the following day.
FIN
Author: 1000traenen
Summary: Lorne comes back from a mission hurt. Rodney wants to make him feel better, but inadvertently outs them to someone in the process.
Rating: PG
Categories: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Drama, Established Relationship
Prompt: #1- Injured
Disclaimer: Since you don’t see stuff like this on TV, suffice it to say that they aren’t mine.
A/N: for the for the 10_hurt_comfort comm. Link to my table.
---
Rodney McKay walked into the familiar quarters that he’d spent a lot of time in, though they weren’t his own. He’d been careful on his way here, so as not to be seen entering the empty quarters of Major Evan Lorne, whom he’d been seeing in an ‘unofficial’ capacity for quite some time. He hooked up his laptop and began to work while he waited for Evan to return from his mission.
Rodney was settled on the sofa with his laptop on his lap. He was busy typing when the door hissed open. He turned to see Evan walk into the room slowly, stiffly. With a roll of the eyes, Rodney saved his work and shut the computer down. Setting it on the small table next to the sofa, he stood to see Evan gradually getting out of his clothes.
“Let me help…” Rodney offered, standing in front of Evan, then he gave the other man a visual once-over. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Natives got restless. They weren’t interested in trade nearly as much as our weapons,” Evan answered, knowing he had to have been hurting if being undressed by Rodney wasn’t doing anything for him.
“And that led to you getting your ass kicked,” Rodney surmised after he helped Evan out of his shirt.
“It was either me or Coffey,” Evan replied. “So I made sure it was me.”
“Lucky him,” Rodney mumbled, getting a reproachful look from Evan. “Look, I know you’re his team leader, but that doesn’t mean you have to take all the bumps for him. A dead team leader is a pretty useless team leader.”
“Didn’t Dr. Weir say that to Colonel Sheppard at one point in time?” Evan asked as Rodney worked on his belt.
“Yes, but it doesn’t make it any less true,” Rodney answered. “You guys certainly make sure your pants stay up offworld.”
“There’s a…”
“I know, Evan. I’ve undone your pants enough to know how it works,” Rodney said with a mischievous grin.
“Rodney…” Evan sighed with a slight shake of his head, then his hand immediately went to the back of his neck as the action made him hiss in pain.
“Evan?” Rodney asked, the grin gone.
“Moved wrong. I’m a little sore.”
“Which, in military terms, translates into ‘I hurt like hell, but I’ll take bullet before I admit it’,” Rodney drawled.
Rodney was better able to categorize Evan's injuries now that the Major was clad only in boxers and socks. And from the number of cuts and bruises that were spread over the military man’s body, Rodney wasn’t surprised that the man was hurting.
“Right now, I just want to lie down and sleep for a few days,” Evan muttered, easing himself onto the bed.
“Tell me you at least went to the infirmary,” Rodney said, standing in front of a seated Evan.
“Of course. Post-mission check.”
“And Carson let you go without so much as a pain reliever?”
“Dr. Beckett wasn’t there.”
“So which one of his useless underlings allowed you to leave in pain?”
Before he could stop himself, Evan answered, “Dr. Nichols.”
“Look, you get comfortable, well as much as possible anyway. I’ll get Carson since he’s obviously the only voodoo practitioner we have that’s any good as his job.”
“Rodney!” Evan said in fear. “I’ll be fine, there’s no need to get anyone!”
“Carson’s not going to care,” Rodney replied, sitting next to Evan. “I’ll make something up if I have to.”
“Yes, because we all know how well you lie to Dr. Beckett.”
Rodney frowned. “Well, I’m not going to let you suffer in pain. I’ll just go to the infirmary and get something.”
Evan's eyes narrowed a bit, then he nodded reluctantly.
“I get why you’re jumpy about this. It’s a stupid rule, but you have to live with it. Which means that I do too. Don’t worry. Genius, after all.”
“Like I needed reminding,” Evan managed to grin before grimacing as he went to lie down.
“I’ll bring back some food too,” Rodney said, his hand on his lover’s arm. And he muttered to himself as he crossed the room, “Medicine, food…water. He’ll need water…” And then Rodney left the room.
---
In the infirmary, Rodney couldn’t help but glare when he saw Nichols from across the room. But then he heard Carson’s voice nearby and opted to forego flaying Nichols…for the moment.
“Carson!” Rodney exclaimed when he found the Scot heading towards his office. “Just the man I was looking for.”
“Rodney, I don’t have time to turn on any Ancient…”
“And what could you possibly have that’s more important than…nevermind. Not why I’m here.”
“You’re not sick, are you?” Carson cautiously asked. “Injured?”
“No, no, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern though. I just need some good pain drugs.”
“I thought you said you were fine.”
“I am…”
“Then what do you need them for?”
“Look, Carson, someone’s in pain.”
Carson leveled his gaze on Rodney and crossed his arms over his chest. “And who is this someone? Why doesn’t he or she just come here?”
“He was here, but one of your flunkies let him go...”
“Rodney?”
“Umm, look, can I just have it? And forget that this conversation ever happened?” Rodney asked when he realized he ran his mouth a little too much.
“No on both accounts,” Carson answered, concerned for his friend. “Let’s take this into my office.”
Rodney led the way, knowing there was no way he was getting out of it. He didn’t plan on Carson being so inquisitive, though he really should’ve known better. Now he was trying to come up with a way out of it without mentioning Evan.
Carson sat in his chair while Rodney paced the room, which quickly wore on Carson’s nerves.
“Will you sit down?” Carson asked, hoping he didn’t sound as snappish as he thought.
“Medicine, food, water…” Rodney listed to himself, ignoring Carson.
“What?” Carson asked, grabbing Rodney by the arm as the scientist passed by.
“What I said I’d get while I was out…” Rodney answered, getting his arm back and continued pacing.
“Rodney, please, settle down,” Carson begged, and that got through. Rodney turned towards Carson, his eyes wide.
“I just wanted something to help him…”
“Who? What’s wrong with him?”
But Rodney just shook his head, and it dawned on Carson as to why the other man was being so unusually tight-lipped. So he tried another tactic.
“Rodney, I’m not going to give you anything unless I know who it’s for and what’s wrong. I won’t risk giving out something that will aggravate an illness or injury or that someone could be allergic to.”
“He’s only allergic to penicillin, and he isn’t sick.”
“Rodney…” Carson warned.
“Nevermind, I’ll just tell him I couldn’t get anything…”
“You’ll do no such thing. I won’t have someone here suffering in pain needlessly. Rodney, there is such a thing as doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“Look, I’m trying my best to protect someone. Someone with a career that means a lot to him and that he could lose if the wrong people knew.”
“That’s none of my concern, outside of the fact that you are my friend,” Carson noted.
“He’s US Military,” Rodney blurted out.
“I figured that much. Start from the beginning…of this particular problem, I mean.”
Rodney searched Carson’s face for a moment before deciding that the doctor would indeed help them. “He was offworld when he got beaten up. One of your flunkies, Nichols, checked him out and let him go with nothing for the pain. Carson, he looks like hell and I can plainly see that he feels like it too.”
Carson nodded knowingly. “I just reviewed his chart, and was about to check on him myself since the exam didn’t appear very thorough.”
“I could’ve told you that much,” Rodney said, then his eyes widened in shock.
“Calm down, Rodney. He’s a good man. Though I’m quite curious how that happened.”
“Figured out that we can trade intellectual conversation as well as barbs, among other things.”
“I’ll head to his quarters while you fetch him some food and water for him, if you please.”
“Fetch!” Rodney repeated with indignation.
“Rodney!” Carson exclaimed, trying to avoid the McKay meltdown.
“Right, food and water. And make sure you give him the good stuff. He gotten beaten up for one of his underlings.”
Rodney immediately left the infirmary, and went to the mess to put something together for Evan to eat, and also for himself since he was hungry anyway. In the meantime, Carson put a kit together and headed for Lorne’s quarters. On the way to the Major’s quarters, he was stopped by John Sheppard, who curious as to what the doctor was doing.
“What’s with the kit, doc?” John asked nonchalantly, slowing his stride a bit to match Carson’s.
“Just checking on someone,” Carson answered.
“Making a housecall? I thought you weren’t doing housecalls anymore?”
“I make exceptions when the housecall isn’t on an alien planet, and when a new member of my staff may have overlooked a thing or two.”
“Coffey said that Lorne looked like shit and shouldn’t have been released from the infirmary so easily,” John stated. “He was concerned. How’d you know?”
“I was reviewing the charts,” Carson answered truthfully.
“I was just on my way there too. I want to see him for myself.”
Carson nodded, and hoped that John’s visit was quick. John knocked on the door, announcing both himself and Carson. The door open, and both men found Evan lying on the bed, on his side, facing them. Evan went to prop himself up when he saw his CO, but John waved for him to be still.
“Coffey filled me in on what happened,” John explained when he saw the curious look he was getting. “Just wanted to see you for myself. And the doc’s here since he was looking over your chart…”
“I noted a few things that I want to go over myself,” Carson completed when John trailed off with no clue how to finish his thought.
“I’ll be fine, sir,” Evan told his concerned CO. “Just kindly don’t ask me to move for the next few days.”
“Didn’t plan on it. You need anything?”
“No, sir. Not right now.”
“You just let me know if you do. And Coffey asked me to pass along that same message. You need anything, you let one of us know.”
“Yes, sir,” Evan replied. And with that, John left the doctor alone to tend to his patient.
“So you were reviewing my chart…” Evan began, not finishing on purpose.
“Aye, and I noted that Dr. Nichols didn’t run a few scans that she should have, and that she released you with no mention of medication or follow-up. And noting the injuries, I found that to be odd. Though Rodney did make quite the effort.”
“He did talk to you.”
“Aye, lad, he did. He didn’t mention you specifically, though I was able to put it together.”
“And Colonel Sheppard?”
“As far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t need to know. For myself, I take it we have you to thank for calming Rodney down just a tad.”
“He’s not so bad.”
“I know that,” Carson laughed. Then he turned serious as he started to go about the real reason for his visit. “I’m going to run a few scans here, and as long as they’re clear, you’ll be allowed to stay here. If I see anything I don’t like, you’re going back to the infirmary, understood?”
“Yes,” Evan affirmed. “Where is Rodney, anyway?”
“I sent him to the mess for something to eat for you. Though I hope he gets the same for himself,” Carson answered.
The scans didn’t last long, and Carson didn’t immediately say anything. It wasn’t until after a few other tests that Carson moved back, indicating that he was finished.
“So, how am I?” Evan asked.
“The scans came back clean. The cuts aren’t deep, and they were properly cleaned and cared for. You’ll be quite colorful over the next few days, and those bruises will be rather tender. You’ll also be quite sore, so I want you to rest for the next couple of days. I’m leaving you with two analgesics, one is for the daytime and the other for night since it contains a mild narcotic which will help you sleep.”
“A narcotic? Doc, I don’t want to get hooked on anything.”
“You’ll be getting three tablets, one for each of the next three nights. Once those are done, I’ll reevaluate if need be. You won’t be getting hooked on anything on my watch.”
“Thanks, doc.”
Carson nodded. “The daytimes are to be taken every four hours, the nighttimes just once before you go to sleep.”
A sound was then heard, indicating that someone was at the door. Evan opened the door to find Rodney coming in with a tray laden with food in his hands. Once Rodney was clear, the door shut behind him.
“I just wanted to drop this off, so if you aren’t done…”
“We’re done. I’ll let the Major explain it to you,” Carson said, then eyed the tray that Rodney still had in his hands. “Good, looks like you got enough for two.”
“Yeah, figured I’d eat with him since I could use something too,” Rodney said, uncharacteristically unsure.
“Major, those tablets need to be taken with food, okay?”
“Food, got it,” Evan nodded.
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” Carson said, leaving the pair alone in the room.
“So?” Rodney asked, setting the tray on the part of the bed that he usually occupied. “What’s the prognosis?”
“I’ll be hurtin’ and colorful for the next few days.”
“And Carson gave you something?”
“Two somethings, actually. Daytime pain stuff and nighttime. The nighttime stuff has something in it to help me sleep.”
“Good, knew we kept him around for a reason.”
Evan nodded, then sighed. “He knows.”
“Carson…yeah. He has his occasional flashes of brilliance. But I wouldn’t worry about him.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just…”
“I know. Look, if anyone’s not gonna rat us out, it’s him.”
Evan nodded. “I guess it’s kinda good for someone to know.”
Later that night, Evan and Rodney settled into bed. Cautious of Evan’s injuries, Rodney curled up against him as best he could. As they lied next to each other, both had different thoughts running through their heads.
“Hey Evan,” Rodney said, interrupting the silence.
“Yeah?”
“I guess this means I have to take care of you tomorrow.”
“Well, you don’t have to…”
“I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t. I mean, after all the times you’ve taken care of me.”
Evan smirked, “Yeah, I guess I deserve it.”
Rodney only shook his head, pressed his lips to Evan’s temple and plotted how he was going to get work done the following day.
FIN