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Taiga stumbled towards the doors of the Obscuary dorm. It was an unspoken rule that this place was off limits to him when Lulu was here. Lulu came here to forget the things that stressed him out, chief among those things Taiga knew was himself. But right now he had nowhere else to go. As much as the two of them fought, he didn’t trust anyone other than Lulu.
Romeo sat at the bar sipping his wine while Harry regaled the trio with all his misadventures of his fucked up zoo. He rolled his eyes, why would anyone put up with that bullshit? At least he made money with the bullshit he had to put up with.
The door slammed open, the welcome bell jangling discordantly making Romeo, Rui and Haru all jump and face the door.
Romeo’s first reaction to seeing Taiga was irritated fury, he was the last thing Romeo needed while trying to relax. Then he saw the blood and his face drained of color. Taiga locked eyes with him and gave him that infuriating smile that gave him butterflies.
“Lulu I don’t feel so good.” Taiga tipped forward and crashed to the ground.
Romeo jumped to his feet. “Call Mortkranken!” He snapped at Rui before rushing to Taiga’s side. Stupid BTH what the hell had he gotten himself into this time?
The blood was mostly not his thankfully, but judging by the wound on his arm he’d been stung by something. Romeo tore the shirt sleeve to get a better look at the wound.
“If you wanted my clothes off all you had to do was ask.” Taiga murmured, eyes unfocused.
“Shut it.” Romeo snapped.
“That looks like poison.” Drunken Haru said unhelpfully over his shoulder.
“No shit.” Romeo said through gritted teeth looking at the black veins pulsing around the wound. “Mickey, I need a room.”
Romeo hoisted Taiga up Taiga’s arm around his shoulder and his arm around Taiga’s waist.
Rui, still on the phone with Yuri, led them to one of the empty bedrooms.
Romeo collapsed forward onto the bed dropping Taiga’s heavy form onto the covers.
“If this is what it took to get you into bed I would have done it sooner.” Taiga chuckled, eyes closed, face pale and pained.
“Shut up, you're delirious." Romeo snapped. He untangled himself from Taiga and started to stand. Taiga grabbed his wrist, his grip unusually weak.
“Don’t leave Lulu.” His eyes cracked open briefly before rolling back. His grip was so weak.
“Where is that PMS!” Romeo shouted at Rui and Haru in the doorway.
“He’s on his way.” Rui said reassuringly. “He says in the meantime it might buy time if we try to suck the venom out.”
Romeo looked at the blackened wound and then glared at Haru and Rui. “Both of you get out, this isn’t a peep show.”
“Where’s your knife?” Romeo demanded of Taiga as the other two ghouls closed the door behind them.
Taiga shook his head vigorously. “This is my mess, don’t get poison on that pretty mouth of yers.”
“You’re the one who came to me.” Romeo berated him checking his pockets until he found the knife. He slashed the wound open wider, despite Taiga’s protests he pressed his lips against Taiga’s arm and began to suck the poison out.
Taiga’s protests were weak and muffled. “If you’re gonna kiss me I’d rather have your mouth up here.”
Romeo spit a mouthful of poisoned blood.
He and Taiga were at odds. Heads of different factions. They clashed and warred with each other. But in the end, in his time of need, Taiga had come to him. Had felt safe being vulnerable around him. Was currently more worried about Romeo getting poison in his mouth than he was about himself being at deaths door.
Romeo began to suck another mouthful of blood.
Taiga grimaced. “Don’t have any cuts in yer mouth do ya?” He asked worriedly.
“Of course not, I’m not an idiot. I know what I’m doing, I’m not getting myself poisoned for your sake.”
“Good.” Taiga sagged against the pillows. “Good.”
Romeo started sucking another mouthful of the vile tainted blood.
Taiga rolled his head over to look at Romeo, eyes fighting to stay open.
“Lulu…Lulu I…”
The door burst open and the Mortkranken team rushed in.
“Out of the way!” Romeo was pushed aside by Yuri. “Clear the room!”
Taiga started to thrash and growl as Jiro took charge of his injured arm.
Romeo moved to the other side of the bed taking Taiga’s uninjured hand.
“I said get out!” Yuri snapped.
Taiga snarled, bearing his teeth, wrenching his arm away from Jiro.
“Stop that!” Romeo put a hand on Taiga’s chest and he instantly stilled, sweating and panting, but not fighting. Romeo glared at Yuri. “He wants me here.”
“Tsk fine.” Yuri rolled his eyes.
Romeo sat on the edge of the bed and held Taiga’s hand throughout their procedures. Taiga entrusted himself to Romeo in his vulnerable state, he wouldn’t break that trust, he wouldn’t leave him. Not for a moment.
“Make sure he takes these twice a day.” Yuri handed Romeo a bottle of pills as he and Jiro began to pack up their things. “He’s out of the woods, just make sure he rests.”
“C’mere.” Taiga called from the bed after the doctors had left.
“They said you’re fine now.” Romeo said airily not moving closer.
Taiga frowned. “I gotta be dyin for ya to be near me?”
Romeo sighed and stepped closer to the bed.
“Sit.” Taiga demanded.
When Romeo sat down, Taiga scooched over, putting his head in Romeo’s lap.
Tentatively Romeo ran his fingers through Taiga’s wildly tangled hair, carefully combing it and scratching at his scalp.
“You need to take better care of yourself.” Romeo said.
Taiga grinned up at him. “I used the conditioner you gave me.”
“I’m not talking about your hair!” Romeo snapped. “Though you could stand to wash it more.”
Taiga closed his eyes nestling his face against Romeo’s middle, wrapping his arms around his waist.
“I needed to eat.” Taiga shrugged. “The anomaly bit back.”
This wasn’t the first time Taiga’s impulse to eat anomalies had ended in near disaster, it wouldn’t be the last.
If only…Romeo briefly stroked his thumb across Taiga’s cheek. If only he could find a way to save Taiga from himself.
Romeo fell asleep there leaning against the headboard of the bed, Taiga tightly wrapped around him.
Taiga woke up with Lulu in his arms. He looked up at his beautiful sleeping face. The most peaceful he’d ever seen him. He sat up, sitting there on the bed, just watching Lulu sleep. He wanted to kiss him. What would he do if he woke to Taiga’s lips on his? Taiga looked at the bandage on his arm. He caused Lulu nothing but trouble. Taiga didn’t deserve pretty things.
Romeo woke up alone, the space on the bed beside him still warm with the ghost of Taiga’s presence.