I’m meant to be resting. And the wound care wouldn’t be forever. And Dean said he could help... I’d be a burden.
I carefully lay down on the covers. It took several attempts to get comfortable with the bandages pulling at my skin, and when I finally did, I didn’t want to rest. My mind was too loud again.
A light knock on the bedroom door pulled me from that.
I tried to keep my voice happy. Content. “Come in.”
Dean slipped into the room with barely a sound and closed the door behind him.
“Hi,” I smiled.
He smiled back as he approached the end of the bed, and then gave my sock-covered toes a gentle squeeze with his warm hands. “Seb and Kira have gone to buy more dip.”
I mocked a pout. “Did you get lonely?”
His cheek dimpled. “A little, yes.”
I knew he was trying to keep things casual, light even, but I could see the way he subtly searched my face and body.
“I’m okay, Dean.” It was easier to pretend I was when everything going on in my head felt so confusing; so bleak.
Dean, however, had a talent for reading people. He walked around to the side of the bed and sat down beside my hip, seeing right through my weak attempt at a happy poker face.
Everyone knew I was tired, and maybe coming across a little melancholy, but he knew better.
I rolled onto my left side, facing him.
“I won’t say it gets easier,” he said. A muscle in his jaw feathered lightly before he slid his hand across the covers to mine. His eyes were on where our fingers interlocked as he continued. “I’m also not about to tell you that you’ve gotta talk about it right now. But bottling it up won’t help. Trust me.”
I only nodded.
“When you’re comfortable talkin’ about it—”
“I know,” I said softly, bringing his hand closer to me as I offered him a small smile. “Join me?”
His eyebrows rose. “Yeah?”
I responded by edging myself away from him, doing so much slower than I liked as I tried to not pull a stitch in the process. Eventually, I made enough space for him to lie down. I patted the empty spot when he made no attempt to move.
He chuckled and he lowered himself to the bed. Laying on his back, he lifted his right arm and waited for me to snuggle in beside him. When I did, resting my head on his chest, he lowered that hand to my shoulder blades. Then trailed his fingers slowly up and down my spine, mindful of where the bandages were on my lower back.
The chaos in my head settled enough for me to close my eyes. I finally felt sleepy enough to rest as I got lost in his scent and warmth. All wrapped around me like a giant safety blanket.
After several minutes in silence, his hand began to slow and eventually came to a stop on my shoulder while his breathing deepened. I had almost drifted off to sleep with him until the faint click of the front door pricked my ears.
For a second, I held my breath.
Seb and Kira entered the apartment as quietly as they could, from the sound of it, but failed miserably as they laughed about something Seb mumbled. Which resulted in Kira shushing him, only to get the giggles again.
A smile crept onto my lips as I listened.
“You know they’ve been almost inseparable since meetin’ again in the waitin’ room?” Dean’s voice was deep and sleepy. “They feed off each other’s energy.”
I lifted my head to look at his face, finding his eyes closed.
I was about to share with him the subtle spark I noticed between our friends, but the thought drifted to the back of my mind when I saw how peaceful he was. There was a slight lift in his brow and a tenderness to his lips. At least until the corner of his mouth twitched.
“I can feel you lookin’ at me,” he murmured.
