12 Days Til Christmas

Chapter 11: Day 10

*Smut warning, enjoy!*

Mark POV

The steam from the cups he held basked his face in warmth as he entered Jack's hospital room. Felix lay sprawled in on of the chairs by the window, fast asleep; the Grumps were on the floor, while Bob and Wade shared the extra bed. Mark had been the only one who couldn't sleep.

Hooked up to countless machines and just starting to stir, Jack lay in the main bed, his bottom half covered by a thin blanket. His dirty green hair was askew as his eyes fluttered open, glancing around in confusion before settling on Mark's. He smiled, walking over to perch lightly on the edge of the bed, holding out a cup of coffee.

"The nurse said you're allowed to have this now, since they took you off IV's. We should be able to go home in a few hours," he said, brushing back the Irishman's hair gently. Jack's eyes flashed up at him before focusing back on the small cup of liquid tar between his hands.

"They're just going to let me go? Just like that? Aren't they suppose to keep me on watch or something like that?" He murmured quietly, his shoulders curling towards himself. Mark shifted, avoiding a few wires and tubes, so that he could wrap an arm around Jack's shoulders.

"Normally, yes. But I convinced them that I'd keep an eye on you. It helps that I knew one of the doctors," Mark said, leaning his cheek against the top of his boyfriends head. It hurt to see him so broken, gauze wrapped around his wrists and a dainty gown wrapped around his shoulders. The more he thought about what had them to this point, the more his blood boiled. How dare she say those things about Jack?! He wouldn't even hurt a fly!

"Babe?" Jack's fingered hovered above his cheek, snapping him out of his mental ranting.

"Yes?" He said, trying to hid his anger, and most likely failing.

"I asked if you slept any. You look dead on your feet." Mark shook his head before Jack even finished speaking.

"No. The rest of the guys slept, but I couldn't." The Irishman's eyebrows drew together in confusion as he glanced over his shoulder.

"The guys stayed?"

"Yeah, they were very insistent. I told em to fight over the bed for entertainment but they were civilized for once." Mark said, smiling a little when Jack turned back to him. He was surprised to see a bit of a glisten in his baby blue eyes. Without thought, he reached over and pulled him against his chest, sighing in content when one arm was wrapped tightly around his waist. They stayed like that till a nurse came in, a cup with pills in one hand and a clipboard in another.

"Good morning boys," she said, walking over to the opposite side of the bed Mark was perched on and checking some of the monitors.

"Morning," Jack said quietly, leaning back against the bed. His small fingers stretched across the bedspread until Mark reached over and grasped them comfortingly.

"Well, it seems like your vitals are all good. How's the pain, on a scale of one to ten?" She asked, turning to grab one of Jack's wrists gently and peeling back the bandages. As worse as it had looked the other night, the cut was surprisingly tiny, only needing three stitches to keep it closed. Already it was scabbed over.

"4," Jack murmured, refusing to look down at his arm. The nurse- Janet, her tag read- smiled gently, replacing the bandages and holding out the cup of pills.

"You seem to heal rather fast, or so it appears. The stitches will only be needed for maybe one or two weeks, if that." Jack nodded, swallowing the pills. Mark rubbed the back of his boyfriend's hand soothingly with the back of his thumb. "I also took the liberty of grabbing your discharge papers for you, since I figured you wouldn't want to stay here long. Normally we wouldn't let you leave for a few more days, but your boyfriend has promised to keep a close eye on you, so we'll make an exception." She held the clipboard out to Mark, which he took with a slight wince.