The Extent of Love

23

He felt a stabbing pain in his stomach and woke up, gently pushing himself up. He was shirtless, and looking down he noticed there was a small stitched line in his chest.

How drunk did he get that the hospital had to come pick him up?

Looking around, he noticed that one: he wasn't in the hospital, two: memories were making his head spin.

Oh, ya, he was on the bus... then it hurt. He heard Alfred yelling, something from... Rulyn(?) about a bullet? Another guy off to the side... some guy Alfred punched for some reason-

He got shot by the American Mafia after doing an auction bust.

Shit.

"Ivan?" Alfred said, walking through the door. There were lines running down his face, bags under his eyes, and a few light bruises coating his skin.

"Hey dorogoy," he coughed, looking at the bottle of water that had been placed by his bed and drinking it.

"You're okay! Alfred exclaimed, walking over and sitting down on the bed beside him, waiting for him to finish drinking before hugging him, Ivan kissing him on the forehead as he pulled away.

"Fine," Ivan said, inspecting his wound. It was tiny- the machine gun bullets that those men were using were smaller than a dime. It wasn't even a bad wound, only three sutures.

"Do you want some of my pain medicine?" Alfred asked, looking at the wound with curiosity. In his mind that barely counted as a wound, maybe a minor scratch, but he could feel the pain etching from the bite. He remembered bullets like the one that had been in Ivan ricocheting off his head because his skin healed so fast small bullets bounced off.

"I'll be fine," the Russian replied, "you need your medicine."

"Okay!" Alfred exclaimed, standing up and leaving. Ivan was disappointed that his lover was leaving him alone so suddenly before Alfred walked back in with an orange bottle.

"Alfred," Ivan warned, "I don't-"

"Say that one more time and I will punch you."

Ivan shut up as Alfred handed him a pill, swallowing it with some water. Whatever, it would help or something.

Hero and Lampushka were curled up on the bed beside him, he noticed, petting his cat as he purred.

"Floofy boi was worried about you this morning," Alfred said, "and wouldn't stop bothering me about it."

'Shut up.'

"I'm not surprised, he's a good companion." Ivan said, petting him on the belly and moving his hand every time Lampushka moved until his cat just plain grabbed him by the wrist and started licking his hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Alfred asked, wanting so badly to just check him completely over and kiss all his wounds and his lips and just be with him.

"I have a few questions."

Oh no.

"Ya?"

"First of all, who are Rulyn and Bodaway?" Ivan questioned, Alfred trying to think of the last excuse. He'd said they were... animal rescuers.

"Animal rescuers from around this area. Rulyn used to be my old boss which is why she knew so much about me, and Bodaway was the second in command there," he said, laughing, "for all you seem to remember, you're missing some chunks."

Ivan realized he had said they were from a rescue, Ivan realized, when they got on the bus.

"And they'll take care of the animals?"