[FIN] Music to My Ears

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel chuckled, a grin on his face as his hand remained holding Zev's cheek, his thumb tracing soft little circles there. Poor guy was struggling to wake up and yet seemed so exhausted... but he was alive, and that was the most important thing. It'd take him a while to fully wake up and be aware again, and much longer to recover physically, longer still to recover mentally... but at least he was alive for all of those. There wasn't much more than that Abel could ask or hope for. "Sure, it sounds fun, and nah, don't worry about accents. I only know like three words in Spanish and I'm pretty sure I butcher them at least a little bit, and my accent is probably nonexistent." Zevran didn't seem to mind though.  

[TawnyAngel]

"I think I can remember how to ask the way to the station in Spanish," Taavi replied with a grin. "And how to say I don't speak Spanish... and that's about it, Um, well not quite it but you know. Maybe you can teach me some more Zev, when you're up to it?" He smiled encouragingly at Zevran, even though the blond currently had his eyes shut.

Zevran blinked awake again and looked blearily over at Taavi. "Sí, claro." He wasn't sure what he'd just agreed to but Taavi had wanted him to do something... teach him something? "Great teacher," he said after a pause to dredge the words out of wherever they were trying to hide. He then raised his free hand and made a sort of groping gesture in mid air. "Hands on."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

This time Abel couldn't stifle the snort of laughter that escaped, and he didn't try to stop the chuckling after nor the bright, amused grin that lit up his face. "Yes," he said after a few moments, "you are an excellent teacher. I'd love it if you could teach me some Spanish too... and it sounds like you're starting to wake up a little bit more."  

[TawnyAngel]

Taavi laughed too and shook his head with a fond grin. "Oh, hi Zev, nice to have you back! You're awful."

"Uhh... ¿Si?" Zevran frowned. "Yes. I don't quite.... Speak slowly? Everything is..." His frown deepened and he was silent for a few moments as he looked for the word. The word was still outside the bubble and so he shook his head and made a vague gesture in the air. "Borroso." Maybe they would understand what he meant even if they didn't understand the word.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Awful and terrible and wonderfully amazing. Abel's grin softened to an affectionate smile and he rubbed another couple little circles over Zev's cheekbone, being careful of the tubes on that side of his face. "Mmh, just take it easy," he said gently, acquiescing with his request and speaking slower in the hopes he'd be able to understand easier. He didn't understand the Spanish word or gesture in the slightest, but he could kind of understand the intent. Difficult, maybe?  

[TawnyAngel]

"I wish we could get our 'gears out, then I could try to google that word," Taavi said with a wry grin. Still, it seemed like Zev's grasp of the situation - and English - were improving rapidly. "How do you feel?" he added after a moment, speaking slowly like Abel had and like Zev had asked.

Zevran allowed his eyes to close again and made a soft noise of contentment as Abel stroked his face. "Okay. Sore, a little. Tired. Ahh... not clear?"

While Zevran was busy trying to think of more words the door opened and Summer stepped inside; when she saw Abel and Taavi leaning forward eagerly a bright smile lit up her face. "Oh, hello!"

Zevran opened his eyes again and looked over at the newcomer suspiciously. "¿Quién es?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ah, it'd be nice to know that word too but at the moment it didn't seem too important. "You'll be tired and sore for a while I think," the blond informed him slowly, hints of sympathy creeping into his expression. Poor guy... If there was any way he could take at least some of his pain or discomfort away he would do it in a heartbeat.

He would've continued but just then a familiar face entered, and he turned to grin brightly at her. "Hey Summer!" Fortunately he didn't need to understand Spanish to understand the tone Zevran used, and he gave his boyfriend a reassuring squeeze to his hand. "She's a nurse here at the hospital. She's very nice, don't worry." A pause, another fond hand squeeze, a grin; "She likes your tattoos."  

[TawnyAngel]

Mmh, well he supposed that made sense and if Abel liked her she was probably okay. "Naturalmente. My tattoos are... uh... making better a work of art." It was difficult to be smug and smooth when you were struggling to translate in your head before speaking, usually he didn't have to do that save with the odd word here and there. Was it good that he was now aware of that though? Probably.

Summer chuckled and winked. "Well professionalism means I'm not allowed to comment on that. Can you answer a few questions for me Zevran, and let me do a few tests? Nothing hard or painful."

...Was that alright? Still feeling hazy and unsure of the situation Zevran instinctively deferred the decision to somebody else; he glanced at Abel. "Alright?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel smiled fondly down at his boyfriend - for the umpteenth time, not that he could help it or would try to stop himself from doing so - and gently stroked his cheek with his thumb. That didn't stop his heart from aching at his question. Planning and making decisions had never been his strong suit, he knew quite well, but that didn't make him feel any better about it. "Yes, that's okay," he said with a nod and another gentle squeeze of his love's hand, hopefully to reassure him. Turning to Summer he asked, "Can we stay here while you do them?"  

[TawnyAngel]

"Of course," Summer smiled at the group and nodded, "It's just an extension of what I was doing earlier, while you were asleep Zevran. It's nothing invasive."

In-va-sive. It took Zevran a moment or two to process the word, to process all of it. Not invasive was good though, and it was okay to let her. Thinking about it, it made sense to let her; she must be here to help and Abel trusted her. "Okay," Zevran turned to Summer and nodded. "Do your tests then."

"Thank you honey," Summer smiled and approached Zevran's bed. Once she was standing beside him she took something out of her pocket and showed it to him; it was pretty obviously a mini torch but all the same she said; "This is just a little torch. I want you to look into the light for me and follow it. Can you do that for me?"

That seemed easy; Zevran nodded. "Si, I can do."

"That's great, thank you, and I'll ask you some questions too okay?"

Zevran nodded again. "Okay."

Summer turned the torch on and shone it towards Zevran. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Zevran...." No, he wouldn't add that. "Just Zevran." He had left that name behind him and, and, and there was something in that. He felt colder, the anxious feeling grew worse. What had happened?

"Okay, thank you," Summer moved the torch, "and what year is it?"

"Uh, 2017. Somehow. Time uh... it flies when having fun?" He'd had so much since New Year's... but when had that been? What month was it now? What had happened to him?

"Great, aaaand, what's your favourite food?"

"Pfh!" Zevran shook his head. "You cannot ask that. May as well... egh, question a mother of her favourite child?"

Summer laughed and turned the torch off. "That is a great answer. Well, your eyes are looking good and you seem pretty grounded so that's all good news. If you still feel a bit lost don't worry, it'll get better. For now you just need to take it easy for us okay? We'll bring you something to drink soon, and something to eat later if you're up to it. If you're feeling sick from the drugs though we can keep up nutrition through your central line for now." Summer tapped near her own collarbone.

Zevran raised his hand slowly and found yet another tube going into his skin. "¿How many of these are there?" he asked with a frown.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Zevran was slowly but surely becoming more aware and able to communicate, and as much as he wanted to hear him talk and get better, what he needed most was to rest and relax. He'd been talking a lot as it was, but he'd probably need to rest soon. Abel squeezed Zev's hand again, gentle as ever. "You've got quite a few for now, but hopefully you'll have less over the next couple of days," he half-said and half-asked, glancing over at Summer as he did so for verification.  

[TawnyAngel]

"Yeah, fewer soon," Summer agreed warmly with a slight incline of her head. "We'll remove the central line, the one in your neck there, pretty soon; we don't need to give you large quantities of anything now you're awake. We'll keep the line in your hand for now for pain management and fluid supplementation, and you'll need the chest tube until your lung is all better. For a case like yours I'd guess five to seven days on that one. When you leave the ICU they'll take the cardiac monitors off you as well so that's fewer strings to get tangled up in!"

"Uh..." He definitely hadn't taken all of that in. Abel would have, no need for the woman to know he hadn't too. "Oh good, thank you," Zevran replied, summoning up one of his charming smiles as he spoke. "Summer, si? Should I then compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more... uh, more lovely and more temperate. Bad winds shake the darling buds of May, and summer's... summer stays all too short a date." He had definitely ruined that but maybe she wouldn't notice!

"Was that Shakespeare?" Summer beamed and shook her head. "Nobody had ever flirted with me with Shakespeare before, I like it! And I like you Zevran, it's wonderful to see you awake. Keep hold of this one Abel or I might steal him!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

The long 'uhh' before his response told Abel everything he needed to know, and he gave Zev's hand another soft squeeze. "That all sounds good," he said with a nod, tucking the various times away. 'Pretty soon' would hopefully be 'later today' with any luck.

His question was waylaid a bit and he aimed a broad grin at them both. "No stealing allowed, I'm afraid," he said with a bright chuckle and a shake of his head, "though I don't blame you one bit for wanting to. Mmh, d'you think he'll leave the ICU tonight, or tomorrow?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Summer nodded to Abel and smiled brightly again. "Probably tonight with how well our Mr. X is doing!" She turned back to Zevran and her expression softened. "I'll be glad you're leaving but sorry to see y'all go. You should keep hold of Abel too! He's a real catch."

Zevran smiled wearily and turned his head back to Abel. "The best," he agreed softly, and lifted Abel's hand to his lips so he could press a soft kiss to his knuckles.

Taavi, who had said nothing for a while, continued to say nothing and grinned stupidly at the affection between his friend and adopted-by-agreement brother. He wanted that for himself - well not exactly the same but something just as good and loving and trusting, respectful, thoughtful, frikkin' adorable! Maybe one day. He knew more about himself now, he was more confident - a little - and he had good people around him. Love was out there, sometimes in the last place you expected. All you had to do was keep your heart open and hope.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Aha, tonight sounded perfect. He'd miss Summer and the rest - mostly Summer - but he'd feel much better once Zev was out of the ICU and in a general ward. Before he could however Summer and Zevran both said what they did, and Abel's heart practically melted. "Ah, and you're the sweetest," he countered affectionately, his smile bright and pleased and terribly fond as he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Zev's forehead.