Chapter Text
The healers had left for the moment and Dorian seized the opportunity to sit back at Nicos’s side, gently holding his hand, careful not to move his injured arm. He looked Nicos over, examining the changes the healing had done. He didn’t look as alarmingly pale, though his bruises had darkened to a sickening purple-black. The bandage around his middle had been changed, tiny speckles of red already seeping through. Dorian swallowed his fear, forcing his face into a neutral expression. He couldn’t see much under the thick blanket, but he imagined his legs were covered in the same dark bruises. Cassandra had been right; he didn’t want to see Nicos like this. But he knew Nicos and he knew if he found out Dorian had refused to be by his side, if he woke up alone—if he woke up at all—he’d be upset. He couldn’t stand the thought of having Nicos upset with him.
“Come back,” he whispered as he leaned his head down to rest on the edge of the bed. As he took deep breaths, he took in Nicos’s familiar woody scent and let it relax him.
He hadn’t noticed he’d fallen asleep until a groan woke him up. Immediately, his head snapped up and he saw that Nicos was coming to.
Quietly, barely opening his mouth, Nicos began to speak. “Dorian…can you…can you let go of my hand?”
Dorian sat up and gently pulled his hand free, confusion and hurt filling him. “Oh. Sorry.”
Slowly, Nicos turned his head in Dorian’s direction. He struggled to open his eyes, as swollen as his cheeks were, but the bright blue shone through and he looked healthier. Still broken and battered, but better. For a while he said nothing and simply watched Dorian as the mage crossed his arms over his chest and looked everywhere but at Nicos.
Finally uncomfortable with the silent stare, Dorian asked, “What?”
“I meant you were hurting my hand, idiot.” He offered a weak half-smile, but winced as it aggravated the cut on his cheek.
Dorian couldn’t fight the embarrassment quickly rising and he blushed, earning a huff of quiet laughter from Nicos. He sagged in relief at the sound and despite every instinct telling him not to, he leaned forward and kissed him, a full, passionate kiss of longing.
Nicos groaned again and Dorian backed off, his eyebrows knitted together in both relief and worry. “I almost lost you, amatus. Don’t you ever do that again.”
“Aw, you do care. And here I thought you were using me as arm candy," Nicos replied, using Dorian's own line with a small smile.
Dorian wanted to laugh, he wanted to reply in kind, but he was too overcome with relief and exhaustion to do anything but smile and wink at him. “I should inform the healers that you’re awake. And your advisers. They’ll be pleased to know there won’t be a power vacuum after all.”
Nicos nodded and smiled after him.