Page 161 of We Are Just Us

Kieran moved behind him, carefully untying the strings at the back of the hospital gown. His fingers worked slowly, methodically. The gown fell away, pooling around Rory’s legs.

And Kieran saw it. The incision. Running down the back of Rory’s neck, disappearing under the cervical collar. Stitches stark against reddened, swollen skin. The wound looked angry. Raw. Kieran stared at it. At the physical proof of how close they’d come to losing everything.

Rory went still. “Bad, huh?”

Kieran didn’t answer right away.

“I bet I look like Frankenstein’s creature,” Rory said, trying for humor. “Or whatever the fuck it’s called.”

Kieran still didn’t say anything. Just looked at the stitches. At the violence they represented. At the surgeon’s attempt to put Rory back together. Then he leaned forward and kissed the top of Rory’s head. “You’re still you,” he said quietly. “That’s all I see.”

Rory made a sound that might have been a laugh or a sob. “You’re delusional.”

“Doubtful.”

Kieran moved around to face Rory. Looked at him straight on. Naked. Vulnerable in every sense of the word.

“Pants first,” Kieran said.

He grabbed the sweatpants Samantha had brought, soft blue ones, easy to get on and off. He crouched down and carefully worked Rory’s feet into the leg holes.

“Give me your leg,” Kieran said. “Left first.”

Rory tried to lift his leg. The movement was shaky, uncoordinated. Kieran supported it, guiding it through the fabric.

“Now the other.”

Same process. Slow. Patient.

When the pants were secured around Rory’s waist, Kieran straightened up and reached for the shirt. A button-up. Also from Samantha. Oversized so it wouldn’t put pressure on Rory’s shoulders.

“Arms up,” Kieran said.

Rory tried. Got them about halfway before they started shaking.

“Okay, okay. Never mind. We’ll do it this way.”

Kieran maneuvered the left sleeve onto Rory’s arm first. Gentle. Then the right. Then he carefully pulled the shirt around Rory’s back, settling it onto his shoulders without disturbing the incision site.

Button by button, Kieran worked his way up. Starting at the bottom. Taking his time. His fingers steady even though his heart was racing.

Rory didn’t say anything. Just watched Kieran work.

When Kieran finished the last button, he stepped back. Looked at Rory.

“There,” he said. “You look almost human again.”

Rory genuinely smiled. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You still need socks.”

“Fuck the socks.”

Kieran laughed. “You’re going to be cold.”

“I’ll survive.”

They sat in comfortable silence. Rory on the edge of the bed, fully dressed for the first time in a week. Kieran standing in front of him, hands in his pockets, looking at this man he loved. This man who’d been broken and put back together. This man who was going to have to relearn how to do things he’d taken for granted his whole life.