Cough Syrup

Aches

Elena looked over to Jonas and felt her heart splinter. Her five-year-old son had taken to Christian like a fish to water, so the two weeks he'd been gone were torturous to the boy. He lost another dad, and it wasn't fair.

But Elena had to be strong. She had to show that they were going to be okay. That they'd make it through the next five months without him.

God did it hurt. She fell in love so quickly, it felt like her heart would burst. She didn't want this. She didn't want to fall in love again... Henry was her husband. Henry was the man she loved.

Then she met Christian Yelich in a sweaty batting cage, and that idea fell apart. It was a slow burn for her, but even that was too quick. She wasn't ready to let go of the life she knew. Of Henry. Of her marriage.

"Mama?" Jonas whispered, curling up to his mother. His green-hazel eyes sparkling with sadness.

"Yes, baby love?" Elena responded softly, wrapping her arms around her sensitive boy.

"Can we call Christian?" he begged, playing with the dainty diamond bracelet.

Elena smiled gently and nodded, calling her boyfriend over FaceTime. She missed his face. His smile. The way his face crinkled as he gave a goofy chuckle. His little nose freckle.

God she was pathetic.

"Hi beautiful," Christian said softly, a serene smile on his face. He had gotten so tan, and he was glowing. LA was always good to him.

"Hi handsome," she said softly, a sense of relaxation washing over her at his voice. She was so smitten. "Jonas wanted to call you."

She didn't notice the way his face fell or the lick of his lip he usually did when he was nervous or upset.

"Christian!" Jonas beamed, climbing onto Elena's lap and waving at the phone.

"Hi little bud! How are you?" Christian's voice lifted like it normally did when talking to the boy he saw as a son. God, he was so in love with that boy. He gave him so much joy.

"I'm okay. I miss you so much, Christian," he said quietly, his little eyes full of sadness.

"I miss you so much, too, buddy," Christian said quietly. "You and your beautiful mama."

Elena smiled a bit but otherwise didn't let her face show emotion. She had gotten so good at hiding her emotions from Jonas in the aftermath of Henry's death. She never wanted her baby boy to see her barely hanging on. He already felt so deeply; she didn't need to add to that.

"When can you come home?" he asked, taking Elena's phone from her and looking at Christian with big puppy eyes.

"I can try to come visit after Thanksgiving. I have a lot of work I have to do here... even though we aren't playing baseball," it broke his heart to have to let the boy down. But he really had so much going on. Plus, it didn't seem like Elena even wanted him to visit.

"Oh... Okay, Christian... I love you," he said quietly, looking so dejected.

Christian kicked himself at the look on Jonas' face, tears already in his eyes. "I love you, too, buddy. I really wish I could be there right now."

Jonas nodded, seeing the tears in Christian's eyes. "I do too. But you is important... I can share you for a while! Mama says sharing is caring, and I care about you!"

Christian let out a wet chuckle and nodded. "It is caring. I care very much about you and your mom. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay, buddy?"

"Okay!" He grinned and hugged the phone, going off to play with his puzzle again.

"I love you, Elena," Christian said softly. "And I miss you so much. Everything about you."

Elena just nodded, not looking in Christian's eyes. She knew she'd break if she did. She missed him so much. His smile. His strong hugs. His soft kisses... His gentle and safe cuddles.

She even missed waking up with his rock hard dick against her ass.

She missed it all.

"Love you, too," she whispered. She did. She loved him so much.

She didn't know how she would last until March.

***

Christian went through the motions of his work out, picking up boxing to strengthen his pecs and shoulders.

And also to get out his aggression. He didn't know what was up with Elena. He could barely breathe without her, but she seemed to be doing just fine. She only called him when Jonas wanted to talk. Only said the bare minimum before handing the phone over to the boy.

He missed them both. He missed Jonas and their forts. The sneaked grilled PB&J on Sunday mornings before he had to leave for his game. He missed climbing into Jonas' tiny bed when he had a nightmare.

He loved that little boy so much.

But he missed Elena so much more. He missed her gentle demeanor. Missed her sweet kisses.

He missed her body, too, but it honestly didn't matter to him. He just wanted to see his beautiful girlfriend again. His heart wasn't in LA. Not even close. He was here out of obligation, and he hated it.

But if Elena didn't want to see him until March, she wouldn't have to. Jonas would still see him in November... But Elena didn't have to.

He hated it, but he knew that she needed time and he needed to be patient.

***

Elena closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath before grabbing the box of Henry's mail. It was time. His mail had stopped coming on October 1st. Alice set that up...

Now she had to go through it. Not that there would be anything to keep.

Junk. Junk. Sports Illustrated. ESPN.

ESPN Body.

Holy fuck. She knew that body. That was Christian.

Despite her better judgement, she flipped through the magazine. Her breath caught as her eyes landed on his perfect body. She'd seen it, more or less, in its entirety. She knew it was perfect. She knew all his little freckles.

How muscular he was. She felt it. In his hugs. His cuddles...

Inexplicably, sobs started to break through.

She missed him. So fucking much.

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and called him. Her sobs only grew more intense as she saw his face.

"Elena? Baby I need you to tell me what's going on," Christian begged, already grabbing his laptop to book a flight home.

"I miss you. I miss you so much," she sobbed, barely holding herself up. "I tried to be strong. I tried to be okay for Jonas. But I'm not. I miss you. I miss waking up in your arms. I miss kissing you. I miss sitting in your lap as we watch movies. I miss your smile. I miss you."

Christian's eyes widened as his girlfriend sobbed. This wasn't like her. She didn't cry like this.

"I'm coming home," he said softly, deciding to just go private. He needed to hold his girl.

***

Without knocking, Christian rushed inside. Immediately, he found Elena and held her as tightly as he could.

God he missed her. He needed her.

"I love you," Elena whispered, having calmed down significantly in the last 5 hours.

"I love you, too, Elena. More than words," he whispered and kissed her passionately.

For so long, he waited to go home during the offseason. And, for his whole career, that had been LA.

This was his home now. Elena and Jonas.