Tick Tock Part Four - The Mouse Fell Down

Grasping Comfort

"Hey-hey-hey, it's alright!" It wasn't alright. It wasn't alright at all. Gavin whined softly, twitching and shuddering at the raw pain in his side. He felt sick. His whole body ached. A cool cloth dabbed his forehead, wiping away the sweat that lingered. He didn't know how much time had passed since he'd been stabbed, but he knew he'd slept a lot. He'd passed out as soon as Jack started working on stitching him up. You wouldn't think it from the movies, but being stitched hurt like a bitch. He could take it in his shoulder, but in his gut after all that poking and stretching? No way. He didn't even last the first push of the needle.

Since then he'd been on bedrest, though he'd been able to get up to use the bathroom and clean up a little. Jack was responsible for the wound itself, and it had mostly been plain sailing. A minor infection had set in and been medicated, but not before a fever took hold. He'd probably been sleeping all day, still haunted by crawling touches on his skin and searching fingers in his side. When he woke, Jack was there to soothe him. Long fingers stroked through his hair. Fingers that didn't feel right. He couldn't shake it off. They were soothing and gentle, and the contact was nice, but it didn't feel right.

He was stuck between feeling too cold and too hot. He knew his skin was flushed and clammy, bringing with it a high temperature that Jack was keeping at bay with cold towels and medication. Despite knowing his body was hot, and feeling the heat sear his skin, Gavin couldn't stop shivering. His teeth chattered as ice trickled through his chest, rippling beneath the heat. The duvet felt too thick and heavy, and he wanted to kick it off, but he felt too cold and shivery to be without it. An icy cold seeped through him every time he moved, making him lie still on his back, swaddled beneath the duvet in damp pyjamas.

"Sit up, Gav...You need to eat something." That sounded like a terrible idea. He whined in protest as insistent hands pulled him higher and pillows were propped behind his back. The wound in his gut ached, almost bringing tears to his eyes as he did his best not to pull the stitches. The room was a little hazy, and even Jack was out of focus as he patted his cheek to wake him up a little more. Gavin roused himself, blinking and squinting at Jack where he sat on the edge of the bed with a bowl of what smelled like chicken broth. "You can lie down after, alright?" That sounded good.

There was a slight scrape that made him wince as the spoon touched the bowl. Everything sounded so much louder than usual, despite the fog in his head. Jack shuffled closer, holding the burning bowl in one hand and the spoon in the other. Conscious of how hot the soup was, Jack paused to blow on the hot liquid before moving it closer to Gavin's trembling lips. Gavin obeyed his gentle request to open his mouth and slowly closed his lips around the spoon. Jack praised him softly as he pulled out to get another ready. It was good soup. A light broth with chunks of real chicken and soft vegetables. It was easy to eat and would help him rehydrate.

Gavin had shown little appetite over the past few days, barely even rousing to drink water. If not for his constant scans and the fact he'd been medicated, Jack would think he was getting worse. He wasn't. Quite the opposite in fact. Though lethargic, Gavin was more awake than the day before, and his temperature had already started to fall. After the first few bites, Gavin's stomach seemed to settle. He started opening his mouth wider, anticipating the next hot spoonful, and his eyes brightened slightly. The fog in his head didn't really clear, but the clouds thinned enough that he could focus on Jack and the spoon.

"That's it, Gav. You're doing so well," Jack praised as he took yet another spoonful. Gavin hummed softly, savouring the rich taste on his tongue. It was a really tasty broth, though that could also be because he hadn't eaten properly for a day or two, so he was fucking starving. He was almost disappointed when he reached the end of the bowl. "Here, have some water before you sleep." That sounded like a good idea. There was a straw in the glass, making it a little easier to drink. Jack held the glass steady as he drank, quietly encouraging him until the glass was empty.