The Day After [locked to lennox]

[chris_cutter]

Chris didn't know what time it'd been when he'd finally managed to fall asleep; it'd taken him a long time just to leave Neil's hut. Even after the bed and the machines had disappeared, taking his mother with them, he'd stayed. In a strange way, Chris had expected it, but that hadn't made it hurt any less. No body. She'd left no body. They

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[moraldyslexic]

Lennox had tried to stay awake for Chris's sake, but in the end it hadn't been possible and he'd drifted off eventually, feeling warm and safe against his husband's side, but ultimately, in the end, pretty damn useless. He could be there beside Chris and he could tell him he loved him and that things would be okay, but it didn't bring his mother back. It hadn't brought her back the first time and it wouldn't do so now either. It wouldn't bring her body back either.

When he woke up again, Chris was finally sleeping and the sun was strong and warm. Hal was sitting at the edge of the bed, watching them both curiously and her tail wagged, but it was hesitant. It was like she wasn't quite sure what to do with her owners.

"Don't wake him up," Lennox whispered, crawling out of bed carefully, pulling on a pair of shorts and then heading to the door with the dog. The island seemed normal again and that bothered him more than anything. He let Hal out to pee, then brought her back in again a moment later and just watched Chris for a

[chris_cutter]

Feeling the shift and rise of the mattress, Chris's body rolled and slid into the warm spot Lennox's body had left behind, his face pushed into his husband's pillow. It smelled like Lennox, of course, and that was oddly comfortable, lulling him into sleep once more.

In his mind, he was twelve again and he was helping his mother with her chemotherapy session, reading to her in the waiting room that he her hooked up to strange bags and tubes. She laughed and pushed the hair back away from his forehead and when the left, she was better again. And they never had to go back.

[moraldyslexic]

After taking care of Hal, Lennox stood in the doorway of the bedroom and watched Chris carefully, his brow creasing as he watched and wished there was something he could do. Eventually, he wandered over and sat down on the edge of the bed, close to Chris, his fingers stroking his back gently. It was okay like this, when Chris was asleep because Lennox figured things were easier while he was sleeping.

Still, he wouldn't stay asleep forever, but Lennox hoped it would last as long as it could. He couldn't help but touch Chris, though, fingers moving softly over his warm skin.

[chris_cutter]

Distantly, Chris was aware of movement again, a slow dip in the bed and he curled into it, eyes still closed for a long moment. He was aware of a warm, soothing hand on his back and very gradually, he began to awaken, pulling a slow breath into his lungs as his eyes opened.

For a moment, he was almost confused as to why Lennox was looking at him that way, his eyes soft and concerned and Chris's brow furrowed in response. But, then every moment of the day before came back to him in a rush and he swallowed a little, his arm shifting under the covers to brush his fingers over Lennox's leg.

"Hey."