“Baby, please don’t cry. It’s okay. This happens a lot. Really.” Colton gently caressed his cheek.
“Well, it doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Dean kissed his neck and hugged him tightly.
After his wounds were cleaned and dressed, Dean gently rubbed his arm. “Can I make you something to eat?”
“Nah, I think I want to go back to sleep.” Colton offered a timid smile. “I’m feeling pretty banged up.”
“Okay, let’s get you back to bed.” Dean smiled weakly and took his hand.
Dean put Colton back to bed, with extra fluffy pillows to support his body, and his head resting on his lap. “Thank you, Dean. I love you…very much.”
Dean kissed the top of his head. “I love you too, Colton.”
They watched TV and Dean ran his fingers through Colton’s hair, letting him drift off to sleep.
He assessed Colton’s injuries while he slept —there were so many cuts and bruises all over his beautiful body— he imagined how painful it must have been for Colton to endure.
Sure, Colton was built like a brick wall, but those hits had to have hurt something fierce. And Dean couldn’t fathom that level of pain.
He could barely stub his toe or have a hangnail without turning into a whimpering baby.
Meanwhile, Colton looked like he had gone over Niagara Falls in an innertube and just shrugged his shoulders like it’s no big deal. And maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it sure as hell looked like it from Dean’s perspective.
Dean smiled in admiration of Colton’s strength, his ability to get hit by a bus and stand up and say ‘that all you got?’ with a smirk. He nestled down into Colton’s side and wrapped his arms around his beautiful, bruised boyfriend.
***
Colton
For the next forty-eight hours, Dean tended to Colton’s injuries, ensuring they were clean and dressed. Each time Dean began to fuss over him, Colton laughed. “You know, we have a whole staff of trainers at the facility that will do this for me?”
Seeing Dean so distraught over some minor injuries made Colton’s heart ache. And, in the grand scheme of football injuries, these were really fucking minor. Granted, they looked awful, but they looked much worse than they actually were…just a few cuts and bruises.
And truth be told, if Colton had seen Dean in this state, he would have been a muttering, blubbering mess too. So, he got why Dean was emotional.
His soul soared at the thought of Dean caring for his injuries and deeply dedicated to his well-being. Had this ever happened before? He didn’t think so. Hell, Colton couldn’t even remember his own parents being this emotional or invested when he was injured.
And that told him all he needed to know…Dean was the person he would grow old with, if he had any say in the matter.
Colton still went to practice each day, however the coaches let him take it easy, to allow his wounds to heal before the game this coming Sunday.
Colton stepped into the loft after practice on Tuesday and dropped his bag onto the foyer floor. He spied Dean milling around the kitchen, swaying his hips to the music thumping through the loft. He wore a tight tank top and a tight pair of short shorts that looked like they stepped right out of the 70’s…with just a hint of ass cheek hanging out the bottom.
Colton’s dick twitched. As much as he'd tried to start things over the last two days, Dean wouldn’t allow them to fuck around because of his injuries. And Colton was primed and ready to make up for lost time.
He swooped into the kitchen and grabbed Dean around the waist from behind as he yelped in surprise.
“Well, hello!” Dean giggled.
“Hi.” Colton nipped the side of his neck. “Those shorts are sinful. You need to take them off…now.” He growled seductively.
“Is that right?” Dean writhed his ass against Colton’s crotch. “I think I might need some help…they’re awfully tight.”
“Hmmm…I noticed that. I’m genuinely concerned they’re cutting off your circulation,” Colton whispered, his lips grazing the shell of Dean’s ear.
Dean shivered and whipped around to face Colton. “Maybe just a little. But first…off with your shirt.”
Colton lifted his t-shirt over his head and tossed it onto the kitchen counter, and Dean inspected his arms and torso.
