La Maison 5: Darkness (Complete: mxm BDSM)

Arc 2 - Chapter 1.1

A/N: you deserve this. Thanks for sticking by me through the rough ride of Gabe's life. Here's some light forming.

This is dedicated to Kay and KD, without whom this really wouldn't have happened (and I thought they'd appreciate the shout out on the non-abusive part of the story rather than earlier)

Pain. Snaking from his hips, up, around his ribs. Radiating from his head. Down his neck. A breath that felt like fire. Rough, scratching. Wheezing.

"Gabe? Stay calm. You're safe."

The voice was smooth. Melted chocolate smooth. A voice that sounded like it should be singing in an underground bar with a jazz band at its back.

Safe though. What did that mean? Should he feel not safe? Pain. But pain didn't mean unsafe. He didn't know why that thought was ricocheting around his agonizing head, but it was strong, even as he forced his eyes to open. Well, one eye, actually, because the other lid seemed unwilling to part, only adding to the feelings of swollen discomfort that embraced every part of him.

"Nurse, can he have more painkillers?"

"Of course, Doctor." A new voice. Young sounding but husky, with something amused running through it. Sexy. Okay, he found men's voices sexy. Why was that a thought?

Was it normal? To actively have to think something like that? He knew he was in a hospital, that was easy. But, and it swiped at his mind, hard, who was 'he'? Why was he here? The panic hit like a brick, his body tensing, yet more agony as he tried to call out, fearful. But something warm pushed it back, washing over him, cooling the overheating in his brain, letting him sink down. Safe.

* * * * *

"Hey Gabe. Is that okay? Can I call you that?"

Gabriel's lids fluttered, slowly cracking open. He was Gabriel. There was a sense of relief at being aware of that. He felt something pressing against his cracked lips and parted for it, feeling the blessed relief of an ice-cold chip melting onto his tongue. It was gone in a moment and he opened his mouth, begging wordlessly for more, which landed, soothing the harsh rasp of his throat.

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing formed. No words came to him. The bright light spearing through his slitted eyelids was taking everything from his mind. It was too much, making his eyes water. He still couldn't see the man who'd fed him ice – the same one from earlier, his mind supplied, the young one. Earlier though? Gabriel wondered when, because whatever had kept his left eye shut last time didn't seem as bad now, even if the light felt worse in that one.

"It's okay. Calm down." He recognized that voice, too. Smooth.

Gabriel hadn't even realized the panic he was feeling in his mind was manifesting, but he felt a large, warm hand rest on top of his own, applying gentle pressure, which worked to ground him a little, even though his mind was spinning.

"Does he need more painkillers?"

He closed his eyes again. The light too much.

* * * * *

This time, there was no bright light. Gabriel's heart pounded for a moment, thinking his vision had gone as his eyelids parted slowly, but as they widened he was able to distinguish shapes with fuzzy edges, and he realized it was just night, and the light in the room was off – the only light coming through the slightly open doorway.

It was quiet, so quiet – not helping the soft edges of his mind already feeling as though they were underwater. But after long moments, where he finally got his eyes to open fully, he could hear the distant sounds of voices, and a beeping that faded into his consciousness, until he realized it was close, and coming from a machine to his side, that he could just see, even though turning his head was too much to consider just yet, as sharp tendrils of pain shot along his spine.