Chapter Text
It was almost…easier, in the immediate aftermath. Air heavy with dust and stained red and heady with spilled blood. He’d gotten used to breathing in, steady and calm against the sharp heat of it. Seeing Dex crumpled on the floor had done something horrible to his insides - had cracked something vital between his ribs - but he knew what to do with that. Knew to get him up, get him out, get him to help.
Here though…here, he’s lost. He stares hard at the door, listening close - listening to the painful scrapes of Dex’s breathing as he no doubt forces himself up to sit in response to the knock, and in that moment he wishes he hadn’t - wishes he’d walked away and continued his silent vigil, leaving the man to rest. But…
“Nate, come on…” He hadn’t spoken. Isn’t quite sure how Dex knows. But he’s opening the door without another moment’s hesitation, unable to resist any longer.
He’d seen Dex since they’d gotten back of course - had even helped settle him into the bed when cleared by Elidor - but in the rush to get him settled, in the mess of reporting and being careful of ripped edges, frayed nerves, it hadn’t really sunk in.
Facing him now, in the warm glow of the bedside lamp, he looks small in a way Nate hadn’t thought possible - pale skin broken up by bandages and smears of black-purple brusing. He doesn’t realize he’s just standing there again, staring, until Dex shifts again, pushing himself up even higher, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“That bad, huh?”
“No! No…well…” That gets a laugh - harsh and rough, but real, and Nate can feel himself relaxing despite himself, finally making his way over to sit on the edge of the bed, one hand reaching out to grasp at Dex’s leg through the covers - fingers curling in the soft fabric instead of clutching at the muscle like he wants to.
“Felix already filled me in, don’t worry. Something about a cement truck and a prize fight. Didn’t quite follow all of it, but pretty sure I lost.” He leans back against the pillows, more relaxed than Nate would’ve thought possible - and he finally lets himself look .
He’s aware of hooded eyes watching him, but Dex stays quiet - either knowing that Nate needs this moment, or too tired to push it away.
What had looked like black smears crystallize into sharp edged bruises, turning murky purple and yellow at the edges, standing out sharp against skin a shade too pale. The lacerations that had been bleeding - heavily, onto a grey dirty floor, too much, too fast - are either closed well or covered in thin bandages now, Elidor having done what he could to speed up the healing. He reaches out with his free hand to trace lightly over one that had just missed slicing through the rose on Dex’s hip - doesn’t even realize he’s doing it until Dex reaches up to catch his hand, tugging unresisting fingers up to his cheek instead. He presses a kiss to his palm before dropping both their hands to his lap, and the sound that comes from Nate then is more wounded than he thought he could still make. Dex smiles at him then, small and soft. “I’m okay, Nate. Not gonna lie and say I’m great - this shit hurts like a bitch - but I’m okay.”
Nate wants to grab, to pull close, to…to… Dex shifts slightly, only barely biting back a hiss, and Nate makes up his mind. He squeezes the hand he’s holding gently before standing and heading to the bathroom. From there, it’s easy to get things set up, the bathroom filling with steam shortly after, and then he’s back by Dex’s side, offering a hand, “I know you’re okay,” you have to be okay, “But this will still help.” And Dex blinks at that, then over at the bathroom, before humming and taking his hand. There’s more weight than either of them admit to being given to Nate to get him up and moving, but he’s steady on his feet, and Nate almost can’t feel the ghost of him pressed limply against his side anymore, so he’ll take it.
When they make it to the bathroom, Nate’s prepared to leave him to it, not wanting to intrude on his rest any longer than he has to, but Dex doesn’t let go of his hand. “Gonna be real honest here Nate - I don’t think I can bend that well right now.” The laugh is short, harsh, and no, Nate can’t have that - finally noticing the protective curl to normally strong shoulders, and the way dark eyes don’t quite meet his. No, he can’t have that at all.
He hums softly, sitting on the edge of the bathtub, taking back his hand only to splay both of them over sharp hip bones, looking up at Dex until the only place Dex can look is down. He feels Dex’s palm at his cheek, and leans into it, enjoying the warmth. “You should never feel like you cannot ask me for help, Dex. That’s all I want to do.”
A heavy sigh, as fingers curl into his hair, almost absent mindedly, “I show up to your door soaking wet, you show up to my door and I’m a mess. Just once, I’d like to be shirtless around you and not feel like a drowned cat.” It’s light, to hide the wavering thread, and Nate laughs softly before leaning in to press a sweet kiss to the curve of his hip - pretending not to hear the small, quavering sound caught in Dex’s throat.
“We can certainly make that a priority,” he breathes against prickling skin before leaning back enough to catch Dex’s eye again, feels his own breath catch at the look of…wonder on the other man’s face. The fingers in his hair card through before trailing down to his neck and if Nate had his way, he wouldn’t move from this spot for the next hour. But the steam at his back is getting heavy, and Dex is slowly starting to sway on his feet. “But for now, shower and rest?”
Dex huffs at him, shaking his head slightly, “Yeah, rest, that’s what I’m going to do,” and if it weren’t for the yawn, Nate would almost believe the sarcasm.
He gingerly helps Dex step out of the soft sweats he’d been wearing, and into the shower, pausing only just long enough to press a kiss to his shoulder as he passes, laughing when Dex shoos him away, muttering something about not being able to focus.
“I’ll be right down the hall if you need me,” he offers, waiting just long enough for the hum of acknowledgement before slipping back out - taking his first deep breath in a long while when the door solidly closes behind him.
Dex was okay. Dex was fine . And if he said it enough times, maybe he’d start believing it.