[FIN] Home Sweet Home

[TawnyAngel]

If only they didn't have to part in order to leave this place, he missed the embrace the moment Abel stepped back. Soon they would be home though, everything would be better once they were safely back in the apartment. "I can manage, though an arm to lean on would help." As he spoke Zevran slid cautiously off the bed and stepped into the sandals Abel had brought for him. His legs felt weak, the pain flared up again, but he was hardly about to collapse; it would do.

Outside the curtains Dith took a few paces backwards and mentally kicked himself for eavesdropping as long as he had. No harm done as long as neither of them ever knew though, and perhaps what he had heard would stop him accidentally putting his foot in it in future? Heck of a way to justify being incredibly nosey and invasive!  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Then an arm you shall have," the blond replied agreeably, reaching down to grab the hoodie he'd brought for it too and held it open for him to slide his arms through if he wanted to put it on before they left the relative privacy of the room. "It isn't a very long walk anyway, I don't think." And then Zev could just sit in the wheelchair, then sit in the car, and then they'd have a time of getting him back upstairs and into his apartment, but after that he'd be just fine.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Thanks," Zevran flashed a smile as Abel helped him into the hoody. "And no, I don't think- oh, hello there!" This interjection of mild surprise was directed at Dith, who was just walking towards the curtains around what had been his bed. No longer! "You have good timing, you nearly missed us. Excuse me if I don't stop, standing up for too long is tiring." Much as he didn't like it he couldn't exactly deny it.

"Better timing than I expected!" Dith replied with a brief chuckle. "Taavi tipped me off that you were going so I thought I'd come down in my break. I didn't expect you to be off work just yet Abel! Lucky though." And lucky Zevran hadn't seemed to be suspicious about his good timing but, well, he did work here so it was pretty reasonable for him to have showed up. "You both must be glad to be getting out of here eh?" he added with a wry grin as he turned to walk alongside the pair towards the nurses' station at the top of the ward.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"You're welcome." After planting another kiss atop his head Abel returned the smile, though Dith's appearance was a surprise. "Ah, that is good timing. And yeah I am, they let me go a little early today," he explained, his gaze on Dith as they walked but his arm supporting his boyfriend as much as he needed. "So glad though, it's been way too long as it is, hasn't it?" The last couple words he aimed at Zevran along with a small wry smile similar to Dith's own.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Far too long," Zevran said fervently, his voice coming out a little tight as he started to need more concentration for walking. How long was he going to be this pathetic? It was infuriating! No injury he had suffered before had taken him down this low, he blamed the damned doctors who had insisted he be tied to that bed for more than a week. Would it had been so terribly damaging to disconnect the tube for a little while just to let him stand up? Soft, coddling, idiots. "I am looking forward to getting my strength back," he added in a slightly irritable undertone.

"Building back up takes time but you'll get there," Dith said with a gentle, sympathetic smile. "I'll chat to my friend in physio, send you some links to exercises that should help. Don't try to do too much too soon though or you might end up back in here, I'm sure that's the last thing either of you want." As he said this Dith glanced at Abel meaningfully, hopefully he would be able to keep his boyfriend from doing anything silly.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Yeah, you should take it easy for a while and give yourself time to heal more first," Abel said with a nod. He didn't need Dith's meaningful look at all; he didn't have any desire to see Zev try to push himself too hard too fast and worsen his injuries. Landing back in the hospital was definitely the last thing either of them would want. "That sounds like a good idea though, thanks Dith. I think the first order of business when we get back though is to have some serious couch time, maybe with a movie?" Abel looked to Zevran for his thoughts on the matter. "A movie and warm blanket, I think."  

[TawnyAngel]

That sounded perfect, and his displeasure faded away with the thought of just relaxing with Abel while something forgettable and pleasant played on the TV. "Yes, I think I could tolerate that," Zevran replied with a brief flash of a smile up to Abel.

As they approached the nurses' station a young woman - she looked barely out of highschool - came to meet them pushing a dull grey wheelchair before her and wearing a sunny smile on her face. "Hey! You're leaving! That's great!" she chirped. "I'm Miranda, I'm sorry I didn't get to know you! I hope everything goes well for you at home!"

Zevran smiled back under the onslaught of cheerfulness and nodded. "Ah, I am sure it will thank you; Abel will look after me." Look after him and fuss over him too; the latter was quite unfamiliar but he liked it, it made him feel important. "Speaking of which, would you hold the chair while I sit Abel?" He didn't want the bubbly little girl holding onto it while he was occupying it, he had had quite enough of strangers having control over his body!... Well not that he was unused to that but again, a different context.

"A movie with blankets sounds like a very good place to start," Dith chuckled. As the young nurse approached he fell quiet, best to let them get on with it so they could go.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ah good, the traces of irritation in his voice vanished almost as quickly as they'd flared up. Abel leaned his head down to press a quick kiss to the top of his boyfriend's head. "Just tolerate it?" He said playfully, a bright smile lighting up his face. "Hmm, I'll have to step up my game if I want you to do more than just tolerate it." Zevran would enjoy it and he knew it, and he suspected Zev knew that he knew it; there wasn't any harm in teasing about it though.

But there was an altogether far too cheerful young woman greeting them, and that was okay because they were leaving, and that was great. It was the best news he'd heard all day - all week, even, except for when he heard they were finally removing the tube from Zev's chest of course - so he aimed a bright smile right back at her. "Thanks. And of course I will," he added as he planted another brief kiss on Zevran's temple, moving to one side a bit so he could still offer his boyfriend his arm while holding onto the wheelchair with his free hand. To Dith he said, "Doesn't it though? We'll have to figure out a good one to put on." Oh yes, a good movie to put on that they could completely forget about; background noise to play while they simply enjoyed each other's company and embrace.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Just tolerate, just about," Zevran smiled as Abel kissed his hair.

As he sat down in the chair he repressed a grimace, moving around really was not a lot of fun. "No comedies," he put in with a wry smirk once he was settled. "I think that side splitting laughter might not be the best thing for me just now. Anyway, you don't need anything else from us?" He directed this up at the nurse.

"Nope!" Miranda shook her head. "You've got like, the dressings and antiseptic stuff and stuff?"

Zevran nodded. "Yes, we have that, it was already with my things." Was she naturally this cheerful he wondered, or was she sneaking something from the hospital supplies?

"Oh great, that's all then I think!" The nurse flicked through a clipboard and nodded. "Yeah, I see your bill's already all settled up..." She paused for a moment, shrugged and then continued; "Yeah, and there are numbers to call if you have an problems in that pack of stuff, so great!"

"Great! Time to go then?" Dith suggested with a motion of his hand towards the exit. "I'll walk out with you, there's one set of doors between here and the way out that's not automatic I think."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

He didn't think he'd ever tire of seeing Zevran smile. "No comedies, got it," he said agreeably, and once his boyfriend seated himself Abel moved to take hold of the chair, though didn't push it anywhere just yet. Thankfully they had everything and it sounded like nothing else was needed from them - the matter of the bill still perplexed him at times, though he wasn't about to argue it now - so it sounded like... Yes, it sounded like they could simply leave.

"I think so, yeah!" Abel said to Dith, his smile widening to a grin at the thought. Zevran could finally go home! He had a long road of healing ahead of him, but doing so at home would be much better than in a sterile, uncomfortable hospital. Since he'd motioned towards it and since no one else needed anything from them, the taller blond offered Miranda a word of thanks before starting to wheel Zevran towards the doors. "That's nice of you, thank you. I don't know how well I'd be able to handle a door and a wheelchair at once." While he could probably manage it, having another person to simply hold it for him made things infinitely simpler.  

[TawnyAngel]

Dith smiled and nodded as he held one of said doors open for the pair to go through. "No problem, I'm going the same way anyway on the way back to my office. And it is a pain in the arse trying to do both at once, unless Zev feels like being a battering ram?"

Zevran chuckled very briefly and shook his head. "No thank you, I will pass today. Tomorrow though? Who knows, I will try nearly anything or anyone once." As he realised what he'd said Zevran paused for a moment and then looked up at Abel with a smile. "Ah, make that just anything actually."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Aww, you sure you're not up for being a battering ram?" Abel asked with an amused chuckle, then leaned down to press a fond kiss to the top of his boyfriend's head. He hadn't even had time to feel bad about his initial response before he felt far more pleased than he probably should've when he amended his answer. "What a coincidence; that's how I feel!"

He straightened up again in the next moment and pushed the wheelchair through the door, aiming a smile at Dith as he passed. "Thanks. How much longer until your shift's over?" Was it another 10 or 12 hour shift? For his friend's sake he hoped not, even if such shifts sounded exceedingly common around here.  

[TawnyAngel]

"No, no slamming into me for a while I think. Or me into things?" Zevran chuckled and waved a hand airily. "English, so difficult sometimes."

"Tell me about it! And not too long in theory," Dith replied with a soft chuckle, and a grin for Zevran's dirt joke. "We've flipped over to six 'til sixes, I have one more surgery scheduled but it should be a quick one. If nothing else urgent comes in I might even get out just about on time." He could go eat at a normal restaurant or even, maybe, cook something himself... Eh, who was he kidding? He was not going to feel like cooking by the time he was done, and he didn't think he had anything in to cook with anyway. What a shame; he would have to go to Meat Palace or something and eat extra giant ribs with waffle fries, wings, and a giant salad on the side.

"Here," Dith pulled himself out of food fantasising as he pushed open and other set of doors and stood aside. "I'm pretty sure everything else is automatic. Message me about coffee sometime, yeah?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel's smile promptly morphed to a wicked grin. "You are absolutely terrible and I love you," he said fondly, but then he hummed thoughtfully as he nodded his head. Seemed like it was another twelve-hour shift again then... He wasn't sure how anyone could handle those on a regular basis. What time was it again...? "So only a few more hours then, just about; that doesn't sound too bad. Here's hoping you get out somewhat on time then. And I'll definitely message you about coffee, yeah. Thanks again for everything; see you later." The smile he aimed at his friend was warm and grateful, both for his help with the doors and for the bill.. everything he'd helped with over the past nearly two weeks. Oh yes, a nice bottle of wine was the least they could give him to try and repay his kindness. Abel made a mental note to think of some more gift ideas.  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran smirked salaciously and winked. "And you would not have me any other way." And not just the dirty jokes, everything about him that Abel knew so far he seemed to accept without question.

"Ah yes, hopefully we will see you soon; in a social setting not here!" Zevran continued with a grin to Dith. "Two thirds of the times we have met have been in here, it does not set a good precedent I think."

"Agreed! And I need to do more things that aren't in here, or with people from in here." Dith waved a hand at their surroundings. "Everyone needs some variety in life. You crazy kids take care of each other now, and I'll see you soon." With that and a wave Dith turned away and set off down the corridor. With his back to the pair a small frown spread across his face as he recalled once again the string of very bad luck they'd had, and what he'd overhead today too. Could he find out more when he met up with them? He knew he should probably just use the time to hang out with friends but he couldn't help but be worried about the mystery and what it might mean for them in future.