Work Text:
Casey stayed in the shower a little longer, letting the hot water beat on his lower back. Despite the morning's distractions the pain had come back and was spreading down his upper thighs, like his body from there to his lower belly was clamped in iron or filled with cement. He sighed and turned off the water. Wobbly legs out of the shower. Clean dry towel on top of the closed toilet, and he smiled to see a freshly selected outfit for him underneath. A faded navy tshirt with thin white stripes, and a pair of Lars' warm flannel pyjama trousers. Lars had clearly decided Driver wasn't going anywhere but back to bed today. Casey opened the mirrored cabinet to get supplies and saw two smiley faces and a heart drawn into the fog.
He presented himself for inspection back in the main room of the garage, neatly dressed, hair combed. Lars looked up as he made the final touches to the freshly made bed, and nodded firmly in approval, eyes scrunched and happy.
The bed looked soft and inviting, so Driver stalked over and let himself fall, full body-weight, flat on the covers with a "whoompf".
"Casey!" Lars giggled, and Casey laughed quietly with him, before letting his head smoosh down into the blankets. Lars tentatively laid a hand on his back - still tentative, despite everything they'd done before (and during) the shower. Driver didn't know how to explain that the freakiest sexual relationship he'd had in his life was with a man with the disposition of a teddybear, and was beginning to think he should give up understanding and just let Lars happen. The bedclothes felt squishier than before, and he looked up at Lars quizzically.
"I went to the house and got some things from Karin." Lars explained. "I don't get periods but I thought of some things that might help, and Karin sent some things too."
He got up and walked towards the kitchenette. "She wanted to come over herself but I said you wouldn't like that today and that we needed space, and she understood."
Casey looked up. "Thank you, Lars. Good job."
Lars chuckled bashfully. "Well, she's getting better at understanding."
He came back into the room with a tray, but stopped in the doorway and looked stern.
"You should get under the covers and get comfortable." Lars said. "Then I'll bring you your things."
"Yes, sir!" said Driver, and did as he was instructed. And if Lars suddenly found the toes of his worn-down slippers extra interesting, well, that's something to play with later, Casey thought.
Instead of just the top sheet and quilt like before, they had a european-style duvet now, heavy, comforting, and Driver noted extra pillows behind his back. He once again felt sort of...quietly directionlessly angry. That these things had been available for Lars in the big house all along, but he only wanted them when he noticed a need of Casey's. He was sort of angry at Lars for not taking better care of himself, but also knew that Lars knew what Lars needed and wanted. Sort of angry at Karin, but not, because he knew how she could smother or over-presume. Sort of angry at Gus for being so hands-off, and not, because Gus was too much like Lars to truly dislike. The only one of them with any sense was Bianca, he thought, punching down a pillow.
Lars sat on the bed with his tray, kissed Driver's forehead, and the feeling simmered down like a hot pan under a cold faucet.
"So I made you new tea after we got, um, distracted," Lars began, "and here's some toast and honey, nothing too rich for your tummy, and I can make you eggs later if you get hungrier!"
"Thank you, Lars," Casey smiled.
"You are so welcome, sweetheart! Then here's some pain medication, and a big glass of water, so I think you should take that soon and maybe try to sleep some more afterwards. I'll be right here all of today if you need anything," Lars finished, with a gentle pat to Driver's hand. Who at that point realised that Lars had changed back into loungewear too.
"Lars." He said flatly."You can't stay off work every month when this happens."
"Oh, you think it'll be every month now, sweetheart?" Lars asked, like butter wouldn't melt. "What changed?"
"Uhhhh, eating better, probably."
Lars' face cracked into a huge grin, the "I'm Good At Looking After Casey" grin, but Casey wasn't going to let him get away with this one so easy.
"I'm serious. This is all..." Driver floundered. "Lovely. And it's more than enough. You can - Should - still go to work."
Lars looked at him seriously. "Ok. But I want to stay home today. Compromise?" and he held out his hand with the solemnity of a business merger.
Driver clasped it, relieved. "Compromise."
They found neither of them wanted to let go particularly, so Casey ate his breakfast one-handed. Lars hummed.
---
With the things cleared away and the pain meds (hopefully) kicking in soon, Driver curled up on his side, eyes closed, under the soft weight of the comforter. Lars sat close by him in a reading chair, stroking slowly-slowly over Casey's hair. It felt like a dream.
Casey felt his mind go gloopy. His body felt heavy, like it was being pulled down into the mattress, and the strongest things in his awareness were the soft susurrations of Lars' hand brushing again and again over his head, his own breaths, Lars' breaths. A little bit of bird song outside. The sheets smelled of Lars, -Driver- smelled like Lars now, months living in his garage, sleeping in his bed, sharing clothes, even before they'd started this sexual element to their dynamic. Casey guessed they were probably boyfriends now. Does saying "I love you"s mean definitely boyfriends? But a stroke of Lars' thumb over his forehead smoothed the thought blissfully straight out of his head.