[Milliways infirmary]

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta quieted down considerably after a certain stranger paid him a visit; once Simon finished his analysis and added oral THC to his regimen, he stopped singing more or less for good. The pain still breaks through every so often -- twinges here and there, a gradual build when one drug or the other starts to wear off, but it's never bad enough to take up the tune. Not anymore.

He'll be able to get through this, he thinks. He still has his other leg; he has a means to manage the pain; he has plenty to keep him distracted until he's better.

Right now, the current distraction involves the IV bag hanging above his bed: he's watching the liquid inside with rapt fascination.

Comments

[faithful_lt]

He'd stared in dull surprise at Milliways when it had appeared before him on the other side of the door to the head, before shrugging, tucking his kit under his arm and heading to the bar. Hoshi had figured that he could shave and wash up in a room here as easily as there, and with the bonus of not having to spend any extra minutes before heading back up to sickbay to see if he can talk his way in through Ishay again, on the off chance that Felix might be awake this time.

That plan had changed very quickly.

Now he's standing in the doorway of the infirmary instead, his heart aching in his chest.



"... Felix?"

[mr_gaeta]

The whisper breaks over him like a gentle splash of water. Gaeta pauses, glancing toward the sound.

He blinks, as if not entirely sure what he's seeing -- and then his whole face lights up in relief and love, shining as bright as ever. "There you are," he says, softly, as if he's been searching for Louis his whole life.

[faithful_lt]

"Felix, oh gods--"

One second he's frozen in place by the door, and the next he's crossing the floor as fast as he possibly can, reaching to take the other man's hand between his as soon as he gets to his bedside. Hoshi has to blink back tears in order to focus on that beloved face.

"--I'm sorry, I would have been here sooner, I didn't know you were here--"

[mr_gaeta]

"Hey." Gently concerned, as if Louis is the one lying in bed with half of one leg gone. "Hey, no, it's okay, sweetheart. I'm fine. I'm so glad you're here."

He's smiling, and while it may not be a fully present smile, there's no pain to it.

[faithful_lt]

He lifts Felix's hand, and presses a kiss to the back of it, even as he searches the other man's face.

"You look like you're feeling better than when I last saw you," he murmurs.

[mr_gaeta]

"Yeah," he says, lips twitching as he suppresses a giggle. "I'm feeling a lot better."

Gods bless medicine from another planet.

" -- Wait, when's the last time you saw me?"

[faithful_lt]

"Before my last shift," he says, simply.

"You were asleep."

[mr_gaeta]

"...Oh."

The concern returns. Gaeta reaches out, carding a hand through Louis' hair. The texture of a thousand fine strands raises goosebumps along his arms.

"You could've woken me up," he murmurs. "I would've gotten back to sleep eventually. Unless Cottle told you not to wake me up." Another suppressed laugh. "I wouldn't've wanted to argue with him either."

[faithful_lt]

He tips his head slightly, leaning into the touch.

"He threatened me with my life if I dared wake you while you were resting," Hoshi admits. "I talked my way in through Ishay to see you the next time, and swore I wouldn't disturb you."

He draws a soft, ragged breath.

"I had to see you, though. I couldn't wait."

[mr_gaeta]

It's too easy to picture Cottle's gruffness, magnified to caricature, as he chases Louis out of sickbay -- and too difficult to keep the giggling at bay this time. Gaeta squeezes Louis' fingers, lets go, and brings up his newly freed hand to cradle his face.

"Here I am," he says, voice still traced with laughter, and kisses him.

(He's been wanting to do that for so long. Gods, it's even better than he imagined.)

[faithful_lt]

He gives himself fully to the kiss, and when it breaks, Hoshi's sweet smile lights his face like the sun.

"Here you are," he agrees.

A beat.

"Which leads me to ask -- baby, how did you get here?"

[mr_gaeta]

For all of Aphrodite's beauty, all he has to do is look at that smile to think, Yeah. This is better. He can't resist the urge to kiss him again, albeit a bit lighter this time.

"I fell out of bed," he explains, apologetic. "I just wanted some water."

[faithful_lt]

His eyes widen in shock.

"Fell-- are you okay?"

Inwardly, Hoshi vows that he'll make sure anything Felix wants is within easy reach from now on.

[mr_gaeta]

"I'm fine," he says with another reassuring (and vague) smile. "Simon brought me here and got me settled in."

A beat.

"Um. Simon Tam. Not a Four. I don't know if you've met him -- have you met him?"

[faithful_lt]

"I don't think so." Hoshi smiles back. "I didn't think you meant a Four, either -- you wouldn't have been this relaxed if it was."

He considers that for a second.

"Or maybe you would have, come to think of it," he teases, and oh, it feels so good to laugh with Felix again, for the first time in months, despite everything. "What the frak kind of meds has this guy got you on?"

[mr_gaeta]

"Good ones." Emphatic, before he starts laughing again. He can't help it; Louis is here, finally, and this is the last thing he needed for everything to be perfect.

"It's a combination of stuff -- um, morpha and..." What was the name of it again? "Some kind of marijuana derivative. Just the refined bits that actually do anything."

Though smoking that first dose had been pretty relaxing in and of itself, he thinks.

[faithful_lt]

"Hm."

He raises a hand and strokes his fingers lightly over Felix's cheek, tracing along the arch of bone and down to his jaw.

"Never heard of it, but maybe I should," he teases.

[mr_gaeta]

That touch surrounds him as fully as the kiss. The path of Louis' fingers hums with feeling long after he's moved on, and Gaeta finds himself humming to match it, very softly.

"Feels nice," he says. "Do that again?"

[faithful_lt]

Hoshi smiles, and repeats the caress.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta sighs, happily, and leans a little more into the touch. The variation in pressure makes it even more interesting.

"How've you been?" he thinks to ask after a moment.

[faithful_lt]

"Trying to keep busy, for the most part," Hoshi tells him.

"You didn't miss anything all that much, although you probably couldn't tell that from the letters I wrote. I think there are a couple where I even listed out everyone's wins and losses at cards for the day."

[mr_gaeta]

"...Right," he breathes. "The letters."

Gaeta opens his eyes, slants a glance and a terribly sweet smile up at Louis.

"Lady Aphrodite said you wrote to me. I haven't had a chance to read any of them yet, though."

[faithful_lt]

"Bar's got them still, if you want."

He feels his heart turn over in his chest at the sight of that smile, and can't help but smile back.

"She's pretty amazing, isn't she." Softer, he adds, "She told me you were here. She and Lady Demeter both."

[mr_gaeta]

"I want," he murmurs, reaching to twine his fingers with Louis' again. It feels nice, too, as if they're tangling together and connecting by far more than just touch. "I definitely want. And yeah, she's..."

The smile brightens.

"She's wonderful. I'm glad she found you. Both of them, they said they'd try when I asked them to do it."

[faithful_lt]

"It just goes to show that no one can deny you anything," Hoshi replies, squeezing Felix's hand. "Not even the Lords."

He shakes his head.

"I wasn't even trying to come here - the door just opened to Milliways instead of to the head."