Katherine usually did very well at hiding her everyday pain from others, for her control to slip meant she was in considerable pain now.
The home Albert and his wife shared was a luxurious one. He had spared no expense to ensure that it provided every comfort she needed. But at times, the physical comforts did not provide enough. Albert slowly climbed the spiral staircase towards the master bedroom. Now that he was closer, he could sense the slivers of pain she was trying to hide. Shadows compared to what she must have been actually feeling, he mused. It took him some time before he made it to the bedroom, during which he felt her pain rise and ebb.
The door hissed open for him as he entered. Albert barely took notice of the massive bedroom as his icy blue and grey eyes centered on the bed on the far wall. He could faintly see a small and huddled form curled under the blankets, trembling ever so slightly. His long strides took him swiftly to the side where she was laying close to and took stock of what he was seeing.
As he had surmised, Katherine was curled into a fetal position, one hand clutching the side of the mattress. Her pale hand was nearly hidden against the white sheet because of just how hard she was gripping it. Albert’s normally placid expression softened, just an edge, as he kneeled down and with a hand gently caressed the flows of raven black hair that were visible over the edge of the blanket.
“Ssssh, love. I am here,” he spoke softly; “you do not have to keep hiding it from me. You know that I am no stranger to pain.”
Her trembling stopped as whatever had struck her passed, but the tenseness that was displayed in her hand did not loosen. Slowly, he felt that familiar sensation as Katherine opened her mental link to him a little wider. Albert ignored the growing sensation of pain that went with that.
“I am sorry mon mari…I did not wish to disturb you when I knew you were working.” Her psychic voice whispered in his mind, sounding so tired. “This illness…I hate it.”
Albert let out a sigh as his thumb brushed away some of her hair, revealing half lidded emerald green eyes that moved to stare into his own. Even in the darkness, her eyes were so vivid. He still remembered the day when he first saw them stare at him all those years ago. When she had merely been a girl and those green eyes had been filled with doubt, loneliness, and pain. While he had merely been a boy still trying to figure out his own path.
“You know better than to think you are ever disturbing me, ma marie,” he said softly in return as he got up from his kneeling position. His hands found the familiar places on her body to lift her into a sitting up position. Her hands would hold the blanket against herself in a reflexive modest gesture to hide her naked form. Albert took no notice of that as he placed the pillow carefully behind her so she was comfortable. “I am your husband and your mate. I know there are duties expected of the position. I know how to balance my work and those duties.”
Katherine gave him a tired look as she sank against the pillow. “I just wished for this to end. Sometimes…I feel so-“
He shushed her with a click of his tongue as his right hand caressed her cheek. His left hand came up to press the syringe he had been holding against the left side of her neck. With a quiet hiss, it dispensed its contents and he noted with satisfaction that her tense frame finally relaxed as the potent painkiller did its work.
“It is unrealistic to think that you can endure all the time. The fact you have endured this long is a testament to your strength of will.” She slid a bit away to give him to room to sit next to her. Her slight frame pressed firmly into his broader one as she curled her body against his. Ying and yang, it was always an interesting contrast to him. Her left hand lazily traced over his stomach, finding the firm muscles underneath his shirt before they paused to rest. “You should take pride in that. Lesser beings would have broken a long time ago,” he mused as his hand came to rest over hers. As always, she was cool, almost cold to the touch.
“…so strange isn’t it? You are the epitome of a vigorous vitality…while I am the best example of what a person wasting away would be like. But this is an old discussion my love, we have always speculated if Fate decided to give me a weak body to compensate for my mind.” She turned her head into his shoulder as she drew comfort from his warmth.
Albert did not say anything for a long moment as he let his wife find solace in his company. These moments were incredibly rare for them. He never considered himself the affectionate type and she never really sought it from him. But sometimes, they would just happen spontaneously. He could not say he loved her. Love was not an emotion he ever truly felt, but he would be lying if he did not admit he did feel something for her. Two halves of a whole, body and spirit, how to describe that to lesser minds?
He would kill for her, move mountains for her; ensure she lived like a goddess. Some might call that love, he considered it something else.
Finally, Albert drew slowly away from her when he sensed the film of sleep starting to cloud the link between them. He slid off the bed and he rearranged her to be comfortable. When he saw her eyes close and a quiet sigh told him that she was well on her way to rest, he pressed his lips against her cool forehead and drew the blanket over her shoulders.
“Sleep well mon amour,” his psychic voice hummed along their link. Albert felt the gentle touch of gratitude from her before she slipped into darkness. He backed away slowly and left the room, the door hissing close behind him. His hand would grip the staircase as he descended to return to his lab.
Yes he thought to himself. Perhaps it was love…perhaps something else. But he would never deny she meant everything to him.
