Lord Liverchester

Chapter 8

The night was so still, the bed was so warm, and my mind was clear. Not much could stir me from that sleep, except when I felt movement beside me. My heart was racing with excitement but forgetting what it was I was excited for. I opened my eyes to find the room was still dark. The night was seemingly never ending, but the blue light of dawn was starting to come in through the windows. I looked down at the black mass of fur and velvet beside me to see that it was now moving. I searched it over in the darkness, seeing the whites of Dorian's eyes glistening in the light that was just barely there. I tightened my grip on him again, nuzzling his chest. He was breathing like normal again and wide awake. Nothing much came yet, no words or reassurance. I waited in anticipation as he shifted to face me, careful not to roll over onto me by accident. He groaned, slamming his face down into the pillow underneath him.

"This feels like the world's worst hangover," he said painfully. "Am I even alive? It burns so bad."

I could only comfort him, running my hand through his hair and cradling him. I wanted to say so much but couldn't yet, just helping him in whatever ways I could. I helped him get his coat and boots off and covered him up. After that he relaxed again. I tossed our jackets over a big wooden rocking chair in the corner, setting them up nicely for when we needed them again. I curled up on the bed, watching closely as Dorian faded in and out of sleep. Despite the obvious pain, he was so still. He closed his eyes for a few minutes at a time and opened them again, staring up at the ceiling. He was so quiet, I could only wonder what was on his mind. I left him to get some medicine from another room. It was kind of a bathroom, but I didn't have indoor plumbing either. It was more so a place where I kept medicines and cleaning supplies. With the light of dawn starting to grow, I found what I was looking for in the cabinet. It would be good for pain relief, and I needed some too. My head was pounding again and it was distracting. Dorian hadn't moved at all, staring upwards and looking lost. I jumped in bed beside him and shook him to get his attention. He at least looked at me, blinking once before looking upward again. I measured out a dose of medicine in the bottle's cap and knocked it back. It tasted awful, nearly comparable to Dorian's weird liquor. It was bitter and didn't go down smooth. I poured some more and put it to Dorian's lips, getting him to swallow. Some of it got in his beard but neither of us cared. That seemed to help him, at least getting him to respond to the taste. He stuck his tongue out and coughed, wiggling to get away from the taste. I kept the medicine close in case we needed it later. Whether we liked the taste or not, it was pretty potent. I felt better within a few minutes, in a bath of absolute euphoria. Dorian was soon the same, no longer tense. He looked at me, that faint light helping me to see his face.

"That shit's magic," he said with a giggle. "Gotta be drugs, but ya know what, I don't even care."

I smiled. He was no longer rigid and had moved to hold me again. The two of us talked on and off for a while until sleep took over. Just like before, it was a calm peaceful sleep. It was better this time though. It was so easy to stay relaxed knowing Dorian was okay and our problems were hopefully behind us. In my dreams I thanked the powers that be for protecting us and helping us survive. Dorian was in my dreams too and I thanked him for being there and kissed him all over his face. I woke up just a few hours later with so much gratitude for everything. The sun illuminated the room and its white walls; it was so heavenly. I greeted the day like always, jumping up from bed with energy I hadn't felt in years. Dorian was still sound asleep, lying on his stomach. I covered him up and tucked him in, allowing him to get the sleep he deserved. I tiptoed away and out into the hall, glancing at the broken window. It would have to be fixed before the next rain came. Already there was a bit of water damage on the window sill and the floor. I would fix it later. House work was on my list of least favorite things. Knowing me, I would avoid it until the very last minute. Instead of dwelling on it, I skipped down the stairs and out the front door. A bright sunny day greeted me, the pink flowering trees depositing their petals all over the ground. All the living things were on about business as usual. In my garden everything was covered in a thick layer of leaves and flower petals. I wondered if any vegetables were still alive. Nothing much, just a few small carrots and a questionable potato. Good enough.