My eyes fluttered open, and the light felt like it was piercing the back of my skull. "Ah," I moaned, but the sound from my own voice was enough to hurt my head more, if that was somehow possible.
"Hey," Steve whispered behind me, it still hurt.
"Too loud," I groaned and rolled away from him. Oh my gosh, my head hurts, every cell in my body hurts. I couldn't remember the last time I had been hung over, gosh, this sucked.
"Advil," Steve dropped some pills into my hand.
"I'm," I started to roll over, "I'm going to throw up," I warned him a second before I did. I had barely opened my eyes to see the tile floor before I vomited stomach acid onto the floor.
"Easy," Steve was still behind me, attempting to support me in this awkward position.
When I finished heaving, I rolled back into him, everything else be damned. He started to move behind me, "Steve, stop moving," I grumbled.
"I'm going to clean up," he was gone from behind me then, and I heard him grabbing the cleaning supplies. A bottle, or something, dropped on the floor. The sound was louder than a bomb going off next to me, it rattled my whole skull. "Sorry," he quietly apologized about the sound before I complained.
"I'm sorry," I apologized for the vomit, but didn't bother trying to make out the words he spoke back. I rolled over so that I was in the spot he had just left, it was still warm and I nuzzled back down into that.
I heard the cleaning sounds and was almost back to sleep when he spoke again, "Nat, pills." I didn't move beyond reaching a hand behind me and he placed a handful of pills in it. I didn't question nor look at them as I popped them all into my mouth, and then found a water bottle being placed in my now free hand. I somehow managed not to choke as I took a sip and struggled to swallow the pills down. I was asleep again before I could think too many more thoughts beyond how badly my head hurt.
I woke up again in the same spot, feeling considerably better but still not wonderful. I also noticed a few more blankets on me than when I had fallen asleep, Steve must have covered me up. He wasn't next to me, so I opened my eyes up and finally looked around the room. There was a note on the countertop, but it felt like too much work to go check at the moment, so I lounged on the floor a bit longer until I felt like I could get up.
Standing was a mistake, I immediately felt the hypotension and was pretty sure I was about to go back down, I threw myself at the counter and braced before I completely hit the ground. It took several seconds to get my eyes to work, they were open but I was still just seeing black at that point. When that cleared, I grabbed the note and read it,
Hey Nat,
I went to the library on level fifty four, I'll stay here so you can find me. You can have more Advil if you're reading this after 11:00am, if not, please don't. Grab some orange juice or gatorade, something to hydrate yourself, and then come find me.
I love you,
Steve
I laughed a bit at the formality of the note. I could have recognized his handwriting anywhere and given that we were the only two people in the tour for the next two weeks, I laughed more that he thought he needed to sign it. I found some water and Advil laid out, it was close enough to ten thirty that I figured I could take the drugs, so I gulped those down, brushed my teeth, and then went to my room.
I entered and quickly changed into a workout outfit and grabbed a few things to go do a quick workout. I hated to admit it, but I was already feeling guilty about the calories from the vodka and food last night. I wanted to workout to clear that and clear my head.
I walked down to the gym and found that Steve must have already done a workout today. He had left several weights out in a familiar pattern, he wouldn't put them away if less people were in the tower. He didn't see the point if he was just going to get it out later that day, especially since no one else would use the weight he did.
I started to go through a dynamic warm up flow and instantly regretted the choice, I was so nauseous and I felt so weak already, and this was just warm up. My headache seemed to blare brighter with each rep, but I kept convincing myself it would get better the more I pushed, or at the very least, maybe other forms of pain could distract from it. I did, however, drink more water that I normally would have to workout with, so that was a healthy choice on my part. I put on my headphones and blared the music, hopefully a distraction from the pain between my eyes.
I started with the weights and began to go through several reps of free weights and lifts, straining each muscle group until my whole body was shaking and I didn't know if I could do another rep. I walked over to the bench press and laid myself down, exhaling and inhaling to up my resolve. I grabbed the bar off the rest and slowly lowered it, and then began to push it up. It was heavy, not my max, but a higher weight, especially given how much I had already done and how fatigued my body was.
I closed my eyes and strained to push while my back arched off the bench, come on, come on. My ribs were in so much pain and begging me to stop, but I didn't have much of a choice. I pushed until I suddenly felt it become light as air, and then back on the rest. It wasn't me. I opened my eyes to find a very disgruntled and worried Steve as my spotter. He mouthed something and I tried to read his lips, but just ended up cocking my head and raising an eyebrow. He gently removed my headphones, careful so I saw what he was doing with his hands, "what the fuck are you thinking?"
I hesitated as I tried to come up with some valid excuse, he had to be livid.
"Nat," he shook his head, "you need to eat."
"No, I don't. I had enough calories last night," I didn't bother sitting up or moving much, he didn't seem to mind that we were talking upside down to each other.
"That was nowhere near enough calories for one day, not for a normal person, especially not for someone who is already starving, hungover, and working out far more than any sane person should," he scolded, "and what were you doing lifting without a spotter? You were shaking so badly when I came in here I'm just glad your arms didn't buckle."
I sat up and whirled fast at that comment, wincing as the pain in my head and whole body came flooding in a second later. I saw Steve reach down to help in the corner of my eye, and reacted before I thought, jumping back from his hand and flipping away. I crouched ready to spring should he attack, but the logical side of my brain caught up to the reactive side. This was Steve, he wouldn't hurt me. I experienced more pain as that realization dawned, and I just let myself crumple a bit to the floor, my ribs barking in agony.
"Nat?" Steve was instantly worried while also trying to give me space, a hard ask for him, especially when I was in this much pain.
"Ya, ya, fine," I tried to wave him off, "I was fine, Steve. I'm strong enough t-"
"I'm not saying you're weak or not strong enough, I'm saying that we all need a spotter," he gestured to the pulley system Stark had installed over Steve's bench. It let the bar have the same mobility as a free weight, but there was a panic button by Steve's foot so if it were to slip, he could get some help from the machine... given that it would take Clint and I together to pull it off him.
"I just-" I stopped myself as I almost admitted that I was upset at my own body for being so weak. Weak because I couldn't lift as much as I should be able to and weak because it needed the food. I knew I was being defensive, but it still felt like he was calling me weak right now.
"I know, and you're not weak," he read my thoughts, "I just need you to be careful, your body won't be able to heal from an injury right now," I heard the unspoken words, my body wouldn't be able to heal itself while I was starving. "Let's get some breakfast," he slowly reached out a hand in gesture for me to come over to him, letting me close the distance.
I stayed on the ground, I didn't want to eat right now.
"Look, how about a compromise? Protein smoothies?" He was desperate at this point, I realized it might have something to do from the fact my muscles were still shaking, just tiny tremors, but he would notice them.
I hesitated again.
"Come on, you need something to build your muscles back up," he reasoned.
I stood myself up, more like a deer on ice, and walked over to him. I walked past his hand and right into his chest, I don't know why I needed a hug right now, but I just felt like I did. He slowly and lightly wrapped his arms around me, enough to be a reassuring presence, but not so much that I couldn't escape if I needed to.
"Fine," I mumbled against his chest, I was so damned shaky and I knew my body needed something.
I felt him pause in surprise, "thank you," he placed a quick kiss on top of my head, I also felt his relief as he took a large breath.
He tucked me against his side and the two of us walked out of the gym and over to the small smoothie bar by the entrance to the fitness areas. By the time we got there I was shaking so much that I was basically clinging onto him as a crutch, he was holding me up and looking down at me with so much concern I was worried I would melt under his stare. Neither of us said anything about it, we just dealt with it. He walked me right up to one of the tall chairs by the counter and pulled it out for me, but kept his arm around me until I was sitting down.
He quickly walked to the other side of the counter, barely taking his eyes off me for more than a millisecond. "So, what flavor are we having? We've got strawberry banana, plain strawberry, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, berries an-"
"Can you make the one where you put in chocolate peanut butter and peanut butter banana?" I questioned.
His smile lit up, "of course," he set about making it, but still keeping a close eye on me. We had discovered that the two flavors were delicious together one time when we were mixing them all. It had been one of the only good things to come from that idea, the rest of the flavors had us gagging on the taste.
I was upset that I had to keep this charade up for Bruce, and I hated him for it. I hated him because my ribs hurt so-
"Natasha!" He was suddenly next to me and I jumped, I fell back off the tall chair, but he quickly caught me.
I didn't like the hands on me, I didn't want Bruce touching me right now. I sent a quick and swift knee into a sensitive area and vaulted over him when he doubled over.
"Uhh, Nat," Br-Steve wheezed in pain.
I shook it off, why was this happening so much?! "Fuck, Steve, I am so sorry," I closed the space between us I had just created and placed a hand on his back (maybe to steady myself again...) and leaned down to see how bad he was hurting.
"All good," he groaned through gritted teeth, he was still hunched over and holding the afflicted area.
I stood there and gently rubbed his back while he recovered. I wanted to go grab him some ice or something, but the world was starting to get dizzy for me and he was the anchor. "I'm so sorry," I just repeated, which he kept saying it was not my fault, but it most certainly was.
"Nat," his voice finally sounded a bit less strained, "I was wondering," he sucked in a large breath and turned his neck to face me, "if you were okay, you were all spaced out and distant."
I guess I had tapped out or something. The way he had said my name made it clear he had tried to snag my attention multiple times and failed, and the fact that I remembered him being behind the counter before he was all the sudden at my side. "Sorry, I think I zoned out," I explained.
"No reason to be sorry," he repeated for probably the hundredth time in the last few minutes alone. "The shakes are ready," he slowly stood up, but he replaced his arm where I had been holding his back. He clearly knew I had been leaning on him and was careful to keep me upright.
Gosh, I pushed it way, way too hard in the gym, but I wasn't going to admit that to him. We both knew it was true, something about saying it out loud didn't sit right with me. I knew he wouldn't use it against me, but I just didn't want it to be real.
He reached over with his free arm and handed me one of the protein shakes, and then grabbed his own. "How about we go sit somewhere more comfortable," he looked uneasily at the distance between my head and the ground should I fully pass out.
"Ya," I agreed. He wrapped me under his arm and on his side again and we walked to a room with a cozy couch and large TV, the lounge we had been in earlier. He sat me down on the couch and then grabbed me a few blankets, as if knowing that drinking the shake was going to make me cold.
"Alright, what are we watching?" He grabbed the remote and started to flip through all the options and streaming services. I saw his eyebrows raise just a bit and realized that the show he was currently on was the one he wanted to watch.
"You want to watch Quantico?" I questioned.
He paused, "no, I want to watch what you want to watch."
"I thought Captain America never lied?" I pushed and leaned into him.
"I'm not lying, I want to watch what you want to watch. Are there shows I like and would be fine watching right now? Yes. But what I want more than that is for you to pick something," his arm was still around me and he slowly pulled me closer to him. I knew it was Steve and I knew he wasn't trapping me down, I had to remind myself that as he did the movement, but I was able to stop myself from having a strong reaction. He smiled just a bit as he must have noticed too.
"Quantico sounds good," I reached over and hit the 'okay' button on the remote and the show resumed an episode he must have been in the middle of.
He started to explain the plot so far, the characters, and general knowledge I should have at this point in the show. I also noticed he had finished half of his smoothie, so I took a sip of my own while he was distracted by the show. Damn, it tasted good. I swore I could feel my body chomping at the bit to get the nutrients, something to rebuild what I had just damaged.
By the end of the episode, Steve had fully finished his shake and I had had about a third of mine when I started to shiver, it was making my whole body cold, I felt like I was being frozen from the inside out... but it tasted good and it was making my headache go away, so I kept sipping.
"Hey, why not I grab you a heated blanket," Steve had also started to slowly rub his hand up and down my back during the episode to try and create some heat friction, all while being careful of the ribs that still ached.
"I'm okay," I covered and realized my teeth were chattering a bit.
"No, you're not," he looked over at that and was clearly a bit alarmed by the sight of how cold I was, "Nat, you're freezing." He stated the obvious and got up carefully yet quickly to grab more blankets.
"I'm fine," I insisted. My eating disordered thoughts hated this, but I was enjoying the protein shake right now, I didn't want him to take it away from me.
He came back over and plugged in two heated blankets and brought them over to the couch. He laid one down, then patted it so I got on top of it. Once I was there, along with all the blankets I had dragged with me, he sandwiched the other heated blanket on top.
He looked at my shake. "Please don't take it away, I'm sorry," the words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.
A look of pity flashed across his face and he took a step back, "Natasha, I would never and will never take your food away from you," his statement was so resolute, I took a sigh of relief. I also saw that he was happy that I was ingesting calories right now, it wasn't eating, but it was close. He went to the other end of the couch and sat down, giving me space while I was being overly possessive of my protein shake. "Another episode?"
I nodded and took a sip, then turned my attention back to the TV, finding myself invested in the show as well now. I kept an eye on him, and he kept an eye on me. Between watching him and focusing on the show, I finished the whole shake without really thinking about it.
My eating disorder was enraged and telling me to get the calories out, to throw them up and that they would make me fat. But I felt so weak right now that getting up to purge felt like too much work, not that Steve would let me. I also felt my body needing the protein, needing it so badly that I didn't want to purge the calories for the first time in a long time. All the thoughts in my head felt like major breakthroughs, and maybe they hurt a bit, but I logically knew they were good for me.
This episode ended and I still felt cold, but I was definitely beginning to warm up. Steve had asked if he could move over and came to sit on the edge of my pile of blankets. "It's like, ten degrees warmer over here," he laughed.
"Shut up, I'm freezing," I argued. We knew that wasn't a good sign for my health, but we both still laughed a tiny bit.
"Well, if you're still cold, how about we go get in the hottub or the sauna?" He suggested, "maybe the sauna, then you won't have to dry off and get cold again."
"That sounds amazing," I smiled and started to stand up, but stopped.
"What is it?" He was immediately concerned, ready for something bad to happen to me.
I felt bad for making him worry so much, "Steve, I just don't want to leave all my blankets. It's warm and I'm still cold," I whined a bit to try and ease his tension.
He giggled a bit but came over to me, he moved the heated blanket off the top of me and then picked me up along with several of the blankets I was under. I couldn't help but giggle too.
The sauna was back in the fitness area, and he walked me over to the tablet on the wall so I could hit the buttons to turn it on. I reluctantly stripped down to my undergarments and then padded quickly into the room, it was fucking cold. I heard Steve chuckle at my aversion to the cold.
The room was completely steamed and I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face, but the warmth was a very welcomed change. I knew where the bench was and went to go sit down, I sighed in relief as I started to feel the hot air chip away at the cold in my body.
Steve opened the door and quickly shut it, but enough steam escaped that he made out where I was and he came to sit next to me. I also had a quick view of his muscles, which never would fail to make me heat up as well.
"You kept your underwear on," he stated.
My eyebrows knitted in confusion, not that he could see it.
"I didn't," his voice dropped an octave and I realized what he wanted.
I laughed a bit, "bra is on too," I informed.
"Take them off," he commanded. It wasn't as strong as he sometimes would be when he got all dominant during sex, he left the option for me to say no. He always would accept no for an answer, even before the current issue, obviously. But he made the way out more clear if I needed it right now, which I appreciated... but did not want.
"Do it yourself," I teased. I heard him moving but I could see much through the steam, my nerves heightened in anticipation.
Suddenly there was a strong hand on my thigh, I jumped before I could stop myself, I pulled back.
"Woah, easy Nat," all the previous tension was gone, I still couldn't see his face but I knew he was panicked.
"I'm good," I panted as I settled back down.
"Maybe this isn't a great idea," he started to move and sit back down, more distance.
"No, I want this," I pleaded, "I'm jumpy, that's just the way things are right now, but I'm okay. Please, Steve."
"I don't want to trigger you, we can do-"
"I am fine, Steve," I begged, "fuck me."
"Fuck," he growled. I knew he wanted sex as much as I did, it was the only reason I would be able to win this argument. "I'm coming over," he narrated.
"Don't fucking tell me what you're doing, just do it. If I flinch, I flinch," I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know if I like that," he paused.
"Safeword," I offered.
"Sure, what is it?" He seemed to like that idea enough to at least try it out.
I paused, I didn't think he would agree so fast so I didn't have one chosen.
"Blue?" I shrugged, just speaking the first thing that came to my mind... the first thing that didn't have to do with sex.
"Okay," he mused. Then there was a hand on me again, this time it was far more gentle and not so high, basically on my knee. I knew he was being careful, but I also knew he would get caught up in the moment and recover quickly.
Steve moved his hand steadily up my leg and gently hooked it over his shoulder, then the next one. He put a hand on my leg, just an inch from my center, finding the fabric of my underwear still there. I had worn a lacey pair, one that I knew he liked, not that I was sure he could see it.
He gently hooked a thumb under the material and slipped it down my leg a bit. His longer fingers brushed lightly at my core as he moved, and I worked hard to keep my hips still.
"Stuck Rogers?" I sneered as I realized both my legs were over his shoulder.
He didn't answer, I just heard a quick tear and knew that the lacey pair was no longer wearable, I laughed. "Fuck," he growled at that sound and started to bite and suck at my inner thigh.
I jumped in surprise, and I felt the effort it took for him not to pull back and check on me. I recovered, and so did he, his lips trailing kisses closer and closer to my center, right to my crease. The intensity and the touching stopped, I didn't feel anything, I was about to inquire when the slightest flick of a tongue sent shivers down my body, my head arched back. Not being able to see was definitely adding something to the experience.
Another pause, another flick, this one stronger and slower. I couldn't stop as I moaned a bit and leaned my hips forward into it. The next one came faster, building again. Then a long pause, "Steve," I snarled.
His laugh sent a hot breath on a very sensitive area, I was about to arch my hips again when his hands clasped down and held them in place. I tried again, but he wouldn't let me move. I felt his pause to see if I was still okay with it, which I was, and then his mouth was on my clit. He started to suck hard, that devious tongue flitting fast, I couldn't stop my hips from trying to ride him, but he held me firm. I leaned forward and braced my hands on his shoulders, gripping hard onto something. Whatever that did to him had his teeth starting to gently pull, the new sensation almost sending me over the edge right there.
I was fighting as my legs were clamping around his head, "No," he paused, "do that," he ordered and then he was immediately back on me. One hand left my hips and a second later there was a finger inside me, pumping in and out, just grazing the edge of that certain spot. I stopped fighting it and let my legs squeeze around his head, he groaned and then there were two fingers.
That was it, I fell over the edge, I wasn't sure but I may have screamed his name. My arms went limp for a moment and I slumped forward, I was panting as I found myself leaning over him, he was still between my legs. "Steve," I hummed in relief.
His nose brushed a swollen and sensitive area as he laughed again. I don't know when I started to realize things around me again, but I was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that his two fingers were still buried deep inside me. I flexed wondering if I was just feeling things, but Steve's returning huff confirmed he was still there.
"Your ribs okay?" He asked, I knew he had been worried about them, worried enough he didn't grab my breasts yet.
"Hmm," I just hummed, not a direct answer. I was beyond words, and well there was a decent amount of pain radiating from the ribs, I was also beyond caring.
Several moments passed before I broke the silence, "what?" I could just sense it, he had an idea.
"Sit on my face," he didn't move apart from a quick twitch of his fingers.
I jumped a bit at that sensation, almost unseating myself from his hand, but there was still a hand on my hip that stopped that from happening.
"What?" I asked again, this time in a bit of disbelief.
"Sit on my face," he repeated, more sure this time.
I couldn't really believe what I was hearing, but he took his fingers out from me, and it was a strain to keep the disappointed sigh from leaving me. Then there were two hands on my shoulders, gently guiding me to stand up, which I did. My legs were still shaky, but for a whole different reason at this point.
"Come here," he gently encouraged and his hands guided me down. I knelt down and then felt as Steve moved around, then cued me with a tap on the right leg to move. I lifted it and then reset it, and I sucked in a breath as I realized both my knees were suddenly in contact with both of his shoulders, and that when I lowered myself, I would indeed be sitting on his face.
"Are you sure?" I questioned, "I don't want you to suffocate."
"If I suffocate, then I have died a happy man," he smiled and his hands came up to my hips and guided me down.
"Steve," I scolded, "you don't get to die," I froze.
"Are you okay with this?" He misinterpreted my fear for him as hesitation.
"Yes, absolutely, I just don't want to hurt you," I affirmed.
"You won't," he pulled lightly again, and this time I followed, slowly lowering myself. Fuck, I was so sensitive from earlier that I probably could have come as I just felt his breath, and then his face. I didn't know if he wanted me to move, but he quickly answered that question as he squeezed my ass, a movement that he knew always drove my hips forward. The friction was tantalizing as my hips bucked, his tongue sliding up and inside me.
I wasn't sure how much control I was in as I started to ride his face, or how much of it was him spurring me on. He laughed against me, and as he kept moving his lips against me, I fucking came hard. I screamed this time as every muscle in my body tensed as tight as it could, and then all relaxed. His tongue was still in me as I fell, my muscles contracting around it. I was pretty sure I could have died in the bliss. I sat back so he could breathe, just shaking with the euphoria and the effort it was taking to hold myself up, over him.
I was almost limp as I felt his hands snake up my sides to support me, and then felt him twist under me. I let him roll me to the ground so he was on top of me, "you okay with this?"
"I haven't said the safeword yet," I panted.
"Just wondering if you wanted a break," I felt him slowly lower himself as he started to line up. His tip was teasing my entrance, and despite how tired I was, I moved my hips up to meet him there.
"Fuck me, Rogers," I sat up as well, the pleasure far greater than the agony from my rib injury, and found my lips on the base of his neck. I had been hoping for his lips, but with the thick fog I had missed, either way, I clamped and sucked down on his skin.
He lost his careful resolve at that and was inside me in the next second. I was warmed up enough that there wasn't any issue as he started to trust and ride hard, I tried to match his pace, but he kept changing it. I came so fast and so fucking hard from all the previous rounds. I ran my nails down his back, only driving him more mad.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he panted in pleasure as I just went limp, he rode me through the wave until he was almost there. I had no idea how I was tensing again, one orgasm just rolling into the next, I wasn't sure how many there were, or where one stopped and another started.
Then with a roar, he came as well, I felt the pulsating as he relaxed on top of me, breathing harder than I was, "fuck," he would just occasionally whisper in pure ecstasy.
We fucked a few more times, not really bothering to move location given that I was warm and there was no one else in the tower to walk in on us.
Some time must have passed and he started to gently nuzzle at me, "again?" I questioned. I was seriously wondering how much more I could take before I went into a cardiac arrest from the pleasure.
"No, we're done," I could hear the satisfied smile in his voice, "you okay?"
"I never used the safeword," I hummed.
"Ya, but are you tired? Are your ribs okay?" He inquired, we had had a few issues with my ribs at some points, but I was able to talk him into finishing... several more times.
"Yes," I rolled into him and was comfortable despite us laying on the hard bench.
"To which?" His arm wrapped around me and started to gently stroke my side.
"Both," I was very tired, and maybe my ribs didn't feel great at all, but the bliss in every other part of me made up for that. "Are you okay?"
"Natasha, I don't think I have ever felt better," he chimed. "But you're tired, we should get you off to bed."
"What time is it?"
"Nat, I can't see more than two inches from my face, I have no idea," he nuzzled his face into mine, and I laughed.
"Are you tired?" I didn't want to be the buzz kill of the day.
"Thoroughly exhausted," he stood up and then picked me up, I curled into him as he walked us out of the sauna.
He breathed in the cool air with relief.
"Ahh, cold," I was shocked by it and curled farther into his warmth.
"Shoot," he leaned over and grabbed a few blankets to wrap me in while I clung onto him for dear life.
He walked us over to the elevator while I was starting to warm back up a bit with the blankets, "whose room?"
"I don't ca-"
"You choose, if I have to make another choice I'm going to lose my mind," I interrupted him, "and I don't care, just get to a bed so we can sleep."
"You okay with my room?" He asked as the elevator got there and we stepped on. I hit the button for the floor and just nodded yes. "Okay, sounds good," he added.
Steve P.O.V.
I honestly lost count of how many times we actually fucked in the sauna. I don't think we had ever gone that long before, especially given how few opportunities we had to have sex in our secret relationship. I just recognized how tired Nat was and that was the only thing that made me pause, and then realize how tired I was.
I walked over to my room and gently set her down on the bed. She didn't move from where I set her, she felt warm so I didn't worry about covering her up, but I made sure that she was still under a blanket or two and that there were several within easy reach for her should she need them. I walked over to the bathroom to wash my face, I was still sweating from the heat of the room and the sex.
I looked back at her through the mirror, Nat still hadn't moved, but she had a satisfied smile on her face, I was pretty sure that she was asleep before I had set her down. Once I was washed up, I came and carefully got into the bed, kicking all the covers over to her, I was still so damned hot.
"Steve," a quiet hum and question.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," I probably would have been kicking myself for waking her up had I had the energy left, but again, I think I was almost as tired as she was.
"It's fine," I could barely make out the words, I had to strain to hear her, "can you hold me?"
I was suddenly much more awake and ecstatic at the offer, "yes, absolutely." I scootched over the space I had been careful to leave between us and found her exactly where I had left her. She moved without opening her eyes and rolled herself over so she was on top of my chest, her ear was right over my heart.
But she wasn't relaxed, her muscles were suddenly tight again, "Nat, what is it? We don't-"
"Ribs," she wheezed out, and I made sure to hold myself as still as possible as she recovered from the pain.
"I pushed it too far in the sauna, I'm sorry," I started. I was still tired, but her pain sent my brain into overdrive.
"We pushed it, and don't ever," she wheezed a breath, "don't ever be sorry for what you did in the sauna."
I laughed and so did she, which did nothing to get her through the pain.
"We should go get those x-rayed, what level is the x-ray machine on?" I mused, the pain was getting too much for my comfort.
"Shut up, we're sleeping now," she hummed as she finally started to relax and untense her muscles. I felt all her movements as half of her was on my chest, and one of her legs was dangling over my own. We couldn't have been closer, we fit together perfectly.
I wrapped my arm around her low back, "this okay? No pain, you're comfortable?"
"Hmmm," she hummed her 'yes' sound, and then was asleep before I could double check she was okay with it.
I wasn't more than two minutes behind her as I found myself in a deep sleep as well.
Hi, quick author's note here. Please let me know if the 'Two Weeks' parts are dragging on too long, I have several things planned (lol, trying to give them a break and some happiness, so odd for me). But ya, let me know if the story needs to speed up. Also, thank you so, so much for reading this far. I know that the story is on the darker side of things, but I am finding it very healing to write, and I really hope that maybe this is helping someone out there. Either way, thank you for reading, you guys are all absolutely amazing!! Love you <3<3<3!