Work Text:
Sisyphus was learning to sleep alone. Which was a hard thing to do when the bed was too big and had too many pillows. It was meant to be shared, but currently he had no one to share with. It was unbearable; he became accustomed to sleeping next to a warm body.
He fell into a restless sleep: one plush pillow between his legs, one on his stomach, and one supporting his head—the rest were strewn on the other half of the bed where he kicked them after a restless sleep.
He wasn't expecting anyone to join him that night. But there he was, startled awake when the mattress dipped ever so slightly in the darkness.
Too light to be human.
He squinted in the dark. A faint black shape on the pillow next to him. A ball of sorts. As he rolled over to get a closer look, the ball turned and pale eyes narrowed on his face.
Sisyphus reached over and turned the light on.
"How did you get here?" The velvety ears flicked up at his question. The cat yawned and snuggled in closer, pressing its nose against his cheek. It didn't think of fleeing once it was found. Sisyphus couldn’t withhold the temptation to touch the glossy fur. To his utter delight, the cat had a thick fluffy coat for his fingers to be lost within. Even better, it started purring as he started scratching around its neck.
"You can stay for tonight," he warned as he reached for the light again. He continued to stroke the cat in the darkness, his words laced with sleep. "Cid won't like it if his pillow is covered in fur."
The next morning the bed was empty. Sisyphus rubbed sleep from his eyes, certain he dreamed the whole thing up.
There weren't a lot of visitors in the hospital that morning. He walked down the hallway, food in hand, and peeked into the room half-expecting a warm welcome. But the occupant was still fast asleep, hooked up to countless machines.
“I made a new friend,” he settled into the nearest chair with a sigh. He was, once again, his only visitor. “He—I think he’s a he—is just like you. Follows me around everywhere. He likes sleeping in your spot. You won't believe how much fur is left behind. I’ll have to change the bedding once you wake up. Sometimes I go to work and I find his hairs on my desk."
No response. Chances were slim but Sisyphus wasn't denying he was hoping for one.
“I miss you.” He sighed, resting his forehead against the bed and kissing his fingers as he spoke. El Cid smelled too clean. Too many foreign scents on his skin from the constant cleanings from too many operations. “The doctor said your scans look great. It’s just the waiting game for you to wake up. They said talking is good, although I don’t know if you can hear me.”
He lingered as long as he could. But time was ticking. He left the food by the bed. “Please wake up.” His voice cracked as he kissed his forehead good-bye.
That night, he awoke again as the cat joined him. This time he settled against his chest. "Where do you come from?" He wondered as the creature flopped on his side and stuck those tiny paws beneath his body. Those gleaming eyes closed as it accepted his touch.
"Must have left a window open..." He made a mental note to close the window the next morning. He couldn't risk other critters sneaking in when he wasn't paying attention.
Sisyphus liked company when he worked. Even if that company did not speak or enjoy his conversation. A black shadow on the opposite counter caught his eye while he was cooking.
"I usually pack one lunch for work, you know," He said as he filled a second container with food. The cat blinked once. Twice. Was it interested? "But I want two this week. You never know who else might be hungry. If no one eats it, I just take it home and make it my dinner."
When he left the kitchen the cat wound around his legs and rubbed its head against his calves. Its tail brushed his knee when he stopped to pick up his car keys.
“Come on, out you go. I need to go to work.” The cat followed his command and padded outside. It followed him up to the garden bed where it sat on its haunches, staring as he got into his car.
"I'll be back later.” He promised through the window.
He happened to glance into his rearview mirror in the parking lot. A strangled yell escaped him as a pair of pale blue eyes glared at him from the back seat.
The cat looked unimpressed at his yell.
“How did you get in here?” It was too late to head home and return the cat. He would have to bring him to his office.
The cat gave no resistance as he picked it up. Didn't make a sound as he gently draped his coat over it as a disguise.
“Don’t make a habit of this. I have meetings. People can’t see me with a pet. It’s not professional. El Cid will be disappointed.”
But, of course, he knew El Cid wouldn’t be in. He hadn’t been in for days.
He acquired a copy box from the printing room, stashed the cat in it, and placed it under his desk before rushing to his meeting 10 minutes late.
He was surprised the box was still there when he returned; the cat staring at him with those cold eyes when he lifted the lid to peek in.
“Here. This was the best I could find.” He had a slice of fish, unseasoned and cooked. He put it in the box and replaced the lid. He could hear smacking as the cat dug in. Hopefully, his desk wouldn't smell like fish afterwards.
Halfway through his phone call, tiny feet stepped over his shoes and settled on his feet. Whiskers tickled his ankle before a wet tongue flicked against his bare skin.
“Sisyphus, did you drop the phone again?” Aspros chided from the other end when he yelped.
“I thought I saw a bee,” He peered into the darkness under his desk. The cat was satisfied it got his attention and began pawing his shoes. After a few seconds, he tentatively kicked them off and touched its fur with his toes. A rumbling purr as he rubbed its back with his sock. The cat rolled over and exposed it's belly to enjoy the massage.
When Sisyphus finished his call the cat jumped into his lap. He patted its head absentmindedly as he talked. He didn't start any meaningful conversation, just said the first thing that popped up on his mind. It had been a long time since he spoke to anyone about what happened.
“My husband, El Cid, was in an accident last week.” A thin purple ribbon was tied loosely around its neck, an adornment Sisyphus couldn’t help to add when he saw it in his drawer. He toyed with the ends until the cat batted his hand. "He was walking in the park when a car jumped the curb and hit him. I always tell him to wear bright clothing when he runs. But I guess it didn’t matter since the accident happened during the day. And he wasn't even going on a run. He was walking home with dinner. I told him I wanted to try that new restaurant that opened up down the block.”
Sisyphus didn't even know El Cid was taken to the hospital. He missed the call because he'd fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him to come home.
He woke up 4 hours later, hungry and cold. His phone had 6 missed calls from the hospital. El Cid had gone through 2 emergency procedures and was awaiting a 3rd. They were calling to see if he was next of kin.
"He's been in a coma for a week. I was afraid I came too late. But they said it's likely he'll wake up. It's just…time."
The doctor promised to call if any changes happened when he wasn't there. They were monitoring his brain activity daily. Sisyphus didn't know what to do; he visited every day to talk to him.
The good news was that he wasn't getting worse. His wounds were healing and there were no complications arising from his surgeries.
The cat stretched up to lick his cheek. Sisyphus’s laugh shook them both.
“I think I may want to keep you. El Cid might be jealous.”
"When did he—just an hour ago? Yes…yes, I'll be right there."
A hurried excuse to leave work early and Sisyphus was clamoring up the hospital's stairwell, clutching a stitch at his chest.
El Cid was sitting up and reading his chart when he arrived. The packed lunch he left behind earlier this morning was empty, only crumbs remaining.
He walked in while the nurse scolded him for eating solid food.
"Your body can't handle that yet, you should've waited," She looked at him when he arrived, perhaps thinking he would tell him off. Instead, Sisyphus burst into tears and threw his arms around him.
"I missed you." His words were muffled by the starchy hospital gown. "I missed you. Don't do that ever again."
"I know." Shaking fingers carded through his hair. El Cid was weak, but he struggled to keep the tremble out of them. "When I slept, I dreamed I was with you the whole time. Sleeping. Cooking. Eating. Even went with you to work."
El Cid leaned down and kissed his tears away. Sisyphus tried wiping them away, but they kept flowing. He gave up after several tries, and El Cid made room for him on the bed.
"There's a surprise when you get home. Well, he found me and I can't get him to leave," he said when he calmed down. When all his pent up emotions washed away down his face.
"Your brother?"
Sisyphus laughed, "No, Illias is still home. Though he promised to visit soon since you're awake."
"He shouldn't worry. I'm fine."
"Last week your insides were being held in by staples and tape."
"It isn't that terrible."
El Cid tried to make light of the situation. But his eyes creased in pain as he shifted the wrong way. Sisyphus jumped up and helped him back into a comfortable position.
"You may think you're fine. But, El Cid, I had hospital food for the past week. Very expensive and filled with salt. The doctors are worried about my blood pressure again."
"When we go home…" He was trying to stay awake and talk, but Sisyphus could see he was nodding off. He grasped his hand, thumb rubbing gentle circles to soothe him. "...I'll cook better food."
"I'll look forward to it." A fond smile played along his lips as El Cid fell asleep. "You know I love your cooking."
El Cid was discharged the next afternoon with a strict diet and a warning to avoid avid physical movements. Sisyphus stayed overnight, not wanting to leave his side for a second. He received El Cid and his list of scheduled appointments for physical therapy for the next 3 months.
"A waste of time." El Cid grumbled to both the wheelchair he was forced into and the appointments the nurse explained to him.
"If you have pets, it's best to keep them away for a little while," the nurse told Sisyphus after he helped his disgruntled husband into the car.
He found himself wondering about the cat all alone in the house. He spoke to El Cid about it when they were driving away from the hospital.
"I hope he isn't hungry. I didn't leave much food out yesterday."
"If you haven't been feeding it before, it will take care of itself."
El Cid sounded very sure of his statement. Sisyphus was sure he was jealous of the cat taking up so much of his thoughts.
But no cat greeted him at the door. Nor anywhere else in the house for the rest of the day. Even the cat hairs were missing off of the bed. He wondered if he imagined the whole affair.
He was making lunch in the kitchen when a familiar feeling of being watched washed over him. Turning, he found El Cid leaning against the counter watching him cook.
"You're staring," he admonished. He beckoned him over and held out a spoon filled with warm soup. El Cid leaned over and ate it without complaint. When Sisyphus turned back, he crept forward, pressing against his back with a sigh.
"You're being very cute today." He reached back and patted his head, letting his husband rest his chin on his shoulder as he cooked. "Don't worry, I'm almost done. We can have lunch together."
"You boiled all the nutrients out of the vegetables," El Cid complained. He tried to refuse the pills Sisyphus placed on the table. But Sisyphus was patient and handed his troublesome husband one after another until they were all gone.
Sisyphus worried about the cat having no place to sleep since El Cid was back in his normal spot. It kept him pacing late that night. Usually the cat would be here, but he didn’t show tonight.
"You should get some sleep," El Cid frowned. Sisyphus sighed and came to bed. His efforts earned him a kiss on his forehead. When he held his arms out, his husband embraced him, nuzzling his cheek.
"You remind me of him." Now that he was comfortable, a great weariness overtook him. "Can we get a cat?"
"No." El Cid said into his neck as he squeezed him tighter.
"I knew you would be jealous." No response to his sleepy words. Breath warmed his neck. He closed his eyes, happily surrendering himself to sleep for the first time in several days.