Raven

Hug

True to his words, he was there when I woke up.

Under me. Holding me. Stroking my hair.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" that smile. Oh how I have missed that smile.

"Good morning. I slept better than in weeks, that's for sure." I let out a yawn, "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well."

I stare at him.

"You liar. I bet you didn't sleep a wink last night."

"Guilty. But in my defence, I was just unconcious for, what was it, three weeks? I feel like I could go the next three without any sleep." he lands a quick kiss to the top of my head.

I wiggle my way out of the bed and get up.

"I'm gonna go find something for us to eat. After we'll start working on getting you to your feet." I pat his knee as I walk past him, and out of the door.

I work fast, not wanting to stay away from him for too long.

He's here.

He's alive.

He's okay.

I bring back the food and water and we eat together. Tadashi has enough strenght to eat by himself now, not needing me to feed him this time.

"Alright," I take the plates and glasses and put them on the bedside table, "let's start. Can you move your legs?"

He tries. And successfully moves them over the edge, now sitting completely without leaning on anything.

"Good, good. Do you feel like you could stand up?" I reach out my hands that he can use to help him keep balance, if he stands up.

He does and takes hold of both of my hands.

He stays standing for a long time, that is, until he collapses back down, onto the bed. With our hands still intertwined, he takes me down with him.

I stumble forward, but do not fall. Instead I am now standing between his legs, very close to his body.

Mind you, he is still very much naked.

For what felt like seconds, but also an eternity, we stare at each other. Stare into each others' eyes.

He lets go of my hands and I make a move to step back, but he wraps his arms around me, hugging my torso, making me freeze, not able to, but also not wanting to, move.

"Um." I start but am interrupted by the man holding me captive.

"Let me stay like this for a second." his voice, clearly pleading makes me unable to say anything. Instead I wrap my arm around him, so I was stroking his hair. The other resting on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." so quiet I almost do not catch what he said.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Rose. For all you have been through these past weeks. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you." a damp spot is forming on the fabric wrapped over my stomach.

Tadashi is crying?

"No. Tadashi. Do not apologize. The fire was not your fault. You did not choose to be unconcious for three weeks. It's not your fault. You're okay. That's all that matters right now." this time I am the one kissing the top of his head. I didn't even think about it, my body acted on its own.

Something hits the back of my mind.

Oh yeah. He's still naked.

The heat rises to my face and I gently push away from him.

"Umm. I-, I uh, I washed your clothes! I think you should put them on before you get sick on the top of everything else that has happened." I throw the clean clothes next to him on the bed and zoom out of the room, letting him have some privacy.