Tyne hovered there for a second.Meyer blinked up at him, trying to think of something to tell him.He should thank him, right?
“I’ll get you something to eat,” Tyne suddenly said.
“I’m fine.”
“Your body is healing.Penley did what he could, but you need rest and fuel.I’ll get you food while you shower.”He hesitated.“Unless you need my help in the bathroom?”
Meyer couldn’t think of anything worse right now.“I’ll be fine.”
“Be careful and yell if you need any help.”
Meyer had no idea what was happening.Why was Tyne suddenly talking to him?Was it because he’d almost died?Was that what it had taken to get Tyne to pull his head out of his ass?
Meyer wished he had the energy to ask, but the only thing he wanted to do was shower and drop into bed.He got to his feet and wobbled for a second with Tyne hovering there.His hands were held out as if he was ready to catch him.Meyer shook his head to tell Tyne was fine, then made his way to the bathroom.He was careful as he moved, but even though his leg hurt, it didn’t buckle under his weight.
It took every last bit of Meyer’s energy to shower.By the time he was done, he was shaking, and he briefly wondered if he could fall asleep sitting on the toilet.He was tempted to try, but he was pretty sure that someone would look for him in here, so after drying off and pulling on the pajama pants he’d left in the bathroom this morning, he wobbled his way back into the bedroom.
He blinked when he saw that Tyne was gone.He’d told Meyer that he was getting him food, but Meyer wondered if he’d just run.He might have been afraid for Meyer, but that didn’t mean he was over whatever his problem with Meyer was.Maybe Meyer should have asked those questions when he’d had the opportunity to, but it looked like it was too late now.
He moved toward the dresser to grab a shirt when the door burst open, making him jump.Tyne was there, holding a tray.Meyer was even more confused.Why was Tyne back?Why did he suddenly care so much about Meyer?
* * * *
TYNE DID HIS BEST NOTto stare at Meyer’s chest.It had been decades since he’d last seen Meyer in this state of undress, and part of him wanted to wrap his arms around him and press his cheek against his chest.He wanted the reassurance that Meyer was okay.
But that wasn’t the kind of relationship they had, so Tyne forced himself to look away.He stepped toward the nightstand, dropping the tray with the food he was carrying onto it.That gave Meyer time to open a drawer and pull out a t-shirt, and when Tyne turned to look at him again, he was fully dressed.
It wasn’t what Tyne had wanted, but it was happening, and it wouldn’t stop Tyne from taking care of Meyer.
He rushed toward his dragon when Meyer turned toward the bed.Meyer jerked back as if afraid that Tyne would hurt him, which would have offended Tyne if he hadn’t treated Meyer like shit until recently.Why would Meyer trust him?Tyne hadn’t given him a reason to.
He didn’t know what he was doing.He was still terrified of getting hurt again after everything that happened before Meyer was taken from him.Hell, could he even think that?Meyer hadn’t been his anymore.He’d already told Tyne that he was leaving him.
Tyne shook his head.That wasn’t what he wanted to think about right now.Hell, he’d be happy if he never had to think about that again.
He helped Meyer into bed and fluffed his pillows.It was clear that Meyer was puzzled by Tyne’s behavior, but then, so was Tyne.He’d never been a fusser, not even when they’d been together.
“You know I’m fine, right?”Meyer asked once he was settled under the blankets, and Tyne turned to grab the tray.
“I think your leg disagrees with that.”
“Penley healed me.”
“He did, but he said you needed rest.”
“Which I’m about to get since I’m in bed.You don’t have to stay.I know you don’t want to.”
Tyne had only himself to blame for that.He’d told Meyer he wanted nothing to do with him.He’d been treating him like he hated him, and part of him did, but another part couldn’t stand to see his dragon in pain and helpless.
But no matter how much Peyton had hurt Tyne, Tyne had never stopped loving him.He’d never stopped hoping he would find him, and he had.He wasn’t Peyton anymore, but he still looked like him.That was why Tyne had stayed away, but he couldn’t now that Meyer was hurt.It was easier to focus on Meyer being Meyer when he was so worried about him dying.It had been easy to hold onto his anger before, but he’d almost lost Meyer again.
He shook his head.He didn’t know what to say.Instead of talking, he reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the remote control.He turned the TV on so that there would be some noise in the room and he wouldn’t have to fill the silence.He didn’t want to start rambling, especially when he didn’t know where any of this left them.
Luckily, Meyer seemed okay with the silence between them.After staring at Tyne for a moment longer, he started eating and turned his attention to the TV.It was a rerun of an old police procedural that Tyne was pretty sure he’d seen dozens of times, but he didn’t mention it.He kept his gaze on the TV while regularly sneaking sideways glances at Meyer.
He snatched the tray away as soon as Meyer was done eating.Meyer frowned, but he still didn’t say anything and settled back against the pillows.Neither of them spoke.The soft voices coming from the TV were soothing, and Tyne found his eyes sliding shut.He still needed to shower, and he couldn’t exactly sleep in Meyer’s bed.He was pretty sure that Meyer would kick him out if he tried, broken leg or not.
He needed to find a less awkward way to leave, but he didn’t think he could.Everything about his interactions with Meyer in the past twenty minutes had been awkward, even just sitting there staring at the TV.
