[FIN] Music to My Ears

[BlackFireKitsune]

Not only did nothing go wrong, it sounded like quite the opposite; that everything was going perfectly. "Awesome!" He repeated, his grin broadening as he followed along after her, down the hall and then into Zev's room. He looked much better without the tube - still far too pale, but much better regardless - and he couldn't help the warm, happy smile that sprung onto his face even if he'd wanted to as he crossed the room to sit at his bedside. "Nah, I definitely don't need telling for that," he admitted with a chuckle, his hands already moving to take one of Zevran's in his to hold, to lace their fingers together, just to touch and feel his pulse. His smile softened. "A few hours until he can actually start really having conversations, yeah?"  

[TawnyAngel]

"Ahh, yeah should be," Summer agreed, tilting her head slightly to the side in thought. "Depending on how he reacts to coming off the drugs he might not really be with it until late this evening, but it could be more like mid to late afternoon. He'll still be very short of breath, and tired along with it, but we'll manage his pain so you don't need to worry about that side of it.... Oh, and I'd expect him to stay in hospital on a general ward for another week to ten days with the chest tube in for most of that; just in case he asks you."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

So potentially a few hours to quite a lot of hours; Abel's focus shifted back to Zev as he nodded, his colorful eyes roaming over his boyfriend's sleeping face. He looked infinitely better without the tube, and almost looked peaceful... almost. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind," he said with a small nod, indeed tucking the tidbit of information away. "Hopefully he'll be more alert sooner than that, but anytime's fine really. I've waited this long, I don't mind waiting a bit longer." A soft smile worked its way onto his face then as his gaze dropped down to his hands around Zevran's. While the thought that he'd be here another week at minimum wasn't exactly thrilling - he'd much rather he come home sooner - at least he was alive and would be awake soon. He'd much rather wait another week with him in the hospital than never see him awake or alive again. "If he asks I'll let him know, thanks."

After a pause he smiled up at Summer again. "Thank you for all your help, I really appreciate it. He will too I'm sure, once he's awake enough."  

[TawnyAngel]

"With how he came in he's doing real well, I bet he'll keep it up for you," Summer commented in agreement to Abel's willingness to wait. "I'll leave you guys alone for now, I need to see other patients, but I'm around until five if you need me. Hope I get a chance to say hi to Sleeping Beauty!" After parting pleasantries Summer headed out of the room, just about in time to hold the door for Taavi as he came in.

"Hey Abel, hey Amigo, hey Zev!" Taavi grinned. "How're you guys doing? And if anyone doesn't answer I am taking that as 'okay thanks', okay?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"I hope he does!" Abel said with feeling, smiling over at Summer. "Alright, I'll see you later then. Hopefully he's awake enough later so he can say hi too. Hey man," he added once Taavi entered, grinning broadly at his best friend. "I'm doing good, he's doing good too. Really well, even. Hopefully he'll be able to tell you himself soon enough; afternoon with any luck, but maybe not until this evening. How're you?"  

[TawnyAngel]

"Great, and good!" Taavi replied as he flopped down in the second chair. "I've got stuff to do if I need stuff to do," he waved a folder to illustrate, "and uh, I didn't mention it before because - you know, more important stuff - but Chris is good with you not being available until further notice. I told him you had a family emergency which is uh, not really lying? I mean you're not- But if I'd just said your boyfriend was hurt he might have asked more questions so, uh, hope that was okay." Maybe he should have asked...? No, at the time he'd dealt with it Abel wouldn't have had the head-space to think about work stuff.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"That's good," he said with a nod and a glance to the folder, though he wasn't quite sure what was in it. Should he ask though? Was it personal work stuff that he shouldn't ask about? Hopefully so, because he opted not to ask. For now, anyway. "Oh, thanks," relief was evident in his voice and the smile he aimed at his friend, "I'd honestly forgotten about work more or less. I'll have to go back soon, I know, but just.. not yet. And a family emergency's perfect, yeah -- just fine."  

[TawnyAngel]

Being a bit paranoid about how people saw you definitely made you aware of little glances, and so when Abel nodded and looked at the folder Taavi's senses twanged. He waved it again. "It's just work stuff! A few reports and, uh, some training stuff. Always new stuff to learn right? And, um, don't worry about it." Taavi set the folder down in his lap and fiddled idly with a corner of it as he spoke. "I figured you would have, and I guessed Chris would be cool? But telling him ahead of time I thought was better. Uh. And speaking of I'm back at work tomorrow, I took a couple of days leave but I don't have any more built up right now."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Oh, well that explained it. "Ah okay, that's fair. Learning new stuff is always good, yeah, though hopefully they don't give you too much work to do after - well - work."

Mention of work gave him pause and he hummed thoughtfully, considering it. "That's really fair, I honestly can't take much more time off either, but," he gestured helplessly. "Zev will probably be here another week at least - week to ten days she said - and I'll have to go back to work during that time. I'll just have to make time when I'm not working to come visit him as much as I can... and he'd appreciate if you did too," he added with a small smile, "even if he doesn't say it. I mean hopefully he does, of course, but I don't know if he will." He probably would though. Abel's gaze dropped to his hands curled so snugly around Zevran's. "Thanks again for being here, and for talking to Chris for me. I'm... I'm glad you're here."  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi looked down at Abel's hand linked with Zevran's and smiled again. "I'm glad I am too. Hey, do you remember when I was just going to stay with you for a week, until I worked things out?" Taavi looked up at Abel and his smile shifted to a smirky grin. "Could you have imagined this back then? Any of what your life is? I can't. I mean, we were friends but... well not like we are now. and that's without mentioning anything else"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Nope!" The blond replied without any pause for thought or consideration, a wide grin crossing his face the next moment. As if that wasn't something he'd thought before himself plenty a time. "I remember that plain as day, and I never could've imagined any of this. If you tried to tell me way back then that today I'd be out from under - well - done with that b***h and happily dating a guy? I would've laughed you right the hell out of my apartment. No question or doubt about it, I would've straight up thought you were crazy or high or both," he said with a bright laugh. No, there was no way in hell he ever would've imagined anything like this happening. Not in a million years.

The laugh faded to a chuckle just as quickly as it bubbled up from his throat, and promptly vanished a moment or two after, leaving him with a warm, pleased smile on his face and in his eyes that crinkled at the corners. "I can't ever regret any of it though. I'd do it all the same, if I could do any of it over again; you both mean the world to me. Even if you are a lightweight," he added abruptly in much brighter tones than the soft, fond ones he had been using; his arm reached out just as suddenly to wrap around Taavi's shoulders and aim a wide smirk at him. No, he wouldn't want anything to be different; both of them were perfect as could be just the way they were.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Right? It's been a crazy- I mean a really wild year. Last few months have been great though, really great." He had a job he loved, he had Valour back, they were free, and he had wonderful friends. "And I guess I gained some wisdom," Taavi added with an amused huff. "Next time if someone I'm interested in says I can never go to their place I'm going to run a mile." It had been a painful lesson, he still found himself missing Sasha sometimes, but he guessed it had been for the best.

"Oh, have you told your folks yet? About this I mean... About the whole dating a guy thing in general actually. Your Mom was totally onto you by the way, when we visited? And I was too!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"So unbelievably great," he agreed, his bright expression softening as his gaze drifted back to Zevran sleeping away in bed. The smile on his face grew more rueful in short order though. "Yeahh, or at least they'd better give you a legitimate reason that doesn't sound sketchy as s**t." Truthfully he'd still never seen where Zev lived, even though he'd been in the warehouse. They never went to his room in it, so it didn't really count so far as he was concerned.

Oh, right. "Mmh, about this, the past couple days? Not yet. But about us dating, yeah. You and Mom were the first people I told, though I dunno who else she's told since then." Abel bit his lower lip thoughtfully for a moment or two. "I dunno what to tell her about any of this... and we might have to postpone our summer trip back home too, until Zev is well enough again."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Oh yeah, duh'" Taavi shook his head at himself, "I remember, my bad. Um, and yeah I guess it'll be a while before he's up to travelling. Getting away from the city might be good for him though, when he can; fresh air, peace and quiet, all that good stuff. Plus I bet your Mom will spoil him and make sure he eats lots!"

And sketchy, sketchy was right! "I guess I just didn't want to believe anything was wrong. Pretty dumb but," Taavi shrugged eloquently, there was nothing he could do about it all now.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Nah, no worries," Abel said with a shrug. It wasn't like he'd never forgotten anything in his life or anything. "And yeah, that's what I was thinking, though you have a point, getting away from the city into some good clean air would probably help... Oh gods Mom will spoil the s**t out of him, you know she will," the blond added, chuckling a bit. His gaze remained focused down at Zev's bedside where his hands were still curled around his boyfriend's, and he gave it a soft, affectionate squeeze.