Gargoyle: Kinswoman

Part 22

"Perhaps it would be better if they let me return home instead of keeping me here for another night." She reasoned with Bascun, who was picking from his own portion of baked apple rings he'd brought over, neatly set on the table near him. She had been stuck on the bed for over a week now and the hope of getting out seemed slimmer than ever. Her legs were constantly in pain, her backside was sending emergency calls to her brain and the bruise on her sides and shoulder seemed to only get bigger with time, causing her hand to stop reacting altogether.

Bascun didn't seem bothered by it at all, arriving around midday and staying throughout the evening until the visitors were asked to leave. Most of the days he arrived alone, sat through the day with his back against the wall closest to her head and read. She recognized the books from the shelf at her home and she didn't know if to laugh or cry.

"You're not pressuring them to let you leave before your hand is back in working order." He turned the page, ignoring her glare.

They'd had this conversation before and every time the answer was the same. She could reason with her brain how much she wanted that this was right, but something was still irking her nerves each time he said it. She tried to fight it, but it kept pushing her anger. Maybe it was the way he said it, the lack of... something... she didn't know how to name it, but it bothered her how he said it. She had flashbacks to time, when Robert's word was the law, when she didn't fight, but let thing go, because it was easier that way.

She felt the irritation scratching at her again and she pulled at the collar of her pajamas he'd brought on his second visit.

This was wrong, the whole situation was wrong. She knew there was no reason for her to believe he was going to be like Robert, because she knew in her heart he would not be so, but it felt still irritating enough that she wanted to lash out each time she heard the disrespect in his voice. Or what her heart took as disrespect while her brain said there was nothing wrong with the way he treated her. In fact, there had been nothing wrong in the way he would sit there like guard dog and keep watch while she was aching all over.

Yet she didn't like it. She didn't like feeling like the little wife that had to be protected against the big bad world. She didn't want to feel this weak.

Bascun's book fell to his lap as he quietly studied her face.

If he said one patronizing thing, she swore she was going to –

It sounded silly even in her own head, she burst in tears, scratching at her chest. But when Bascun rose to hug her, she hit him in the chest, pushing him away.

"I hate you right now!" She snapped as he stepped back, but wouldn't leave or get angry. She wanted a reaction, but she wasn't sure what "that" should be. She bit down her lower lip, refusing to apologize though her mind demanded she did.

He allowed her tears to finish however long they took and then glanced at the door behind him. She glanced at it too. As she had him to keep her company and cater to her every need, the nurses didn't come in more than four times a day to check her vitals or to bring her meals. One had been in less than half an hour ago and she was in the last ward, so no one would pass it by accident.

She quickly looked back up at Bascun. Then she straightened herself, wide-eyed, when she saw him slowly climb on the bed, with his boots and everything, and sat over her legs, squirming enough to give her the feel of his thighs as they scraped her sides, the jacket he never took off stretching far over his wings as they settled on both sides of her.

"As you wish." He whispered hoarsely, settling his arms the way he did when he sat on the floor, offering himself to her with knowing look.

"No, that's not -" she pushed up from her pillows, but leaned back, when Bascun seemed to understand his mistake and shifted closer to her reach. Then he settled back on sitting over her legs like before, his palms open, everything else untouched as if the moment he'd decided to allow this, he ceased to exist. He would do nothing unless she ordered it.

New row of tears made their way to her cheeks, but this time it didn't feel bad. She still felt at loss.

She reached out and used her good hand to unbutton his jacket's front, revealing the harness over his expensive looking purple shirt. She felt how tight the buckles had been pulled, so she began opening them one by one as fast as her one handed efforts allowed. He sighed with relief when the last one slid open and he could breath easier and stretch his wings a little. She kept her palm against his chest, massaging his chest muscles.

"This isn't right," she confessed, allowing the pain to come out through her voice, "this game – it's nothing but a game. That's not really who you are and I'm grateful for you playing with me, but we both know this role isn't for you." She reached to the last one in the heap of fabric over his crotch. "You are much better in leading others than kneeling in front of me and pretending to take my orders. I'm grateful you did it, but I don't think you enjoyed it."

He didn't move, didn't try to raise his hands or brush her off, nor said a word. Her hand fell away, suddenly weary that she'd said too much in a position, where he could easily erase her from life. That was stupid.

His eyes followed her hand retrieving, but he didn't move.

"You're right, I don't usually take orders aside my brother." He said, when he felt the discomfort rolling off her in waves.

She felt stupid and she must have sworn, because moment later she felt his lips directly on hers, where they stayed for a long chaste kiss. When he finally pulled back, she felt a whole new heat making its rounds in her body. She was thankful they'd removed the heart monitor earlier that week or the nurses would have come running. She was burning in all the wrong places and weird euphoric tingling made itself known in her midsection, making her panic.

He bumped his forehead against hers, holding it there. "I didn't offer my body for your disposal out of pity, nor did I think it to be cheap exchange for some illusion of security. You need to be back in control over your own choices and I chose to yield myself to you, just as I am doing now. Not for my family nor yours. For you." He gave her another quick kiss. "And I most definitely enjoyed it."

"Why?"

He snorted and instead kissed her again, forcing her lips open and giving her a taste of his tongue, when it invaded her mouth. Her hand felt weak against him and soon she found herself relaxing completely against the pillows.

"So," he brought her back to real life, "what would you like me to do?" He planted a kiss on her shoulder, sending shivers down her spine.

She thought for a moment, her eyes locking in his and suddenly she knew. "Stay like this?" She offered hesitantly, pulling him closer until he was flush against her chest and cradling her in his arms.

"Damn it, Bascun!"

They jumped at the sound of Tougo's voice and he jerked back to look at the other gargoyle filling the door frame.

"Are you insane? Anyone could have come in here and find you two smooching away like bloody teenagers in heat!" Then he let his all-seeing eyes roam over the site again and he groaned. "What the hell are you playing at anyway? Did you kiss her on the lips? Damn you!"

He frowned, but planted himself firmly over her, like protecting her against the onslaught. Tougo took a quick glance around the corner and exposed all his teeth when his gaze returned on Bascun's, who was sending clear message through his posture – get out.

"Get off her!" he reached his hand out as if to offer help. "Thorwald and Little Rat will be here any minute and he's not in a good mood right now!"

Bascun's eyes widened and the moment the names registerred, so did Vernonica's. Her hand shot out and dug into Bascun's jacket.

"No!" She shouted. "Stay where you are!"

To her shock and surprise, he did, eyes fixed on her alone, slowly settling back in his position, his thighs hugging her knees on the bed.