Nathan was doing his best to clean the mess in their living room. He picked up the door he shattered, piece by piece, taking his time knowing he needed to slow his mind down. One of the apothecaries came out after 40 minutes and cleared her throat.
"My Lord Custodian. Why are you doing a serfs job?" Her voice quiet, both from fear and sensing Nathans need for quiet. Nathan looks down at her, observing her. She squirmed underneath his gaze, looking away after a few moments.
"Why do you ask young one?" Nathan finally answered.
"This work is beneath you. And you... are not at his side." She seemed to shrink further into herself when she stated the facts that drove her to speak. Nathan took in the words, the concern about his distance from his loved one.
"I have an issue I am currently dealing with." Nathan said, knowing he has to be a vague as possible with this. Nobody other than him, Steve and the person who cursed him could know about this. "I need to keep a clear head." Nathan looked down at the gore in the room. "Does that answer your question?"
"Yes my Lord." the apothecary nodded. "We are transfusing some blood and the main wound on his back is being treated." Nathan looks over to her, not understanding why she was telling him this. He could hear everything they were doing to Alexander and they knew he hears. "He should be stable enough to start and wake in about another half hour." And with that she returned to Alexander. Nathan waits until she is gone and sighs. What was he doing? He should be next to Alexander, watching for any misstep that the apothecaries might stumble into. Nathan ran a hand down his face and heard someone knock on the doorframe. Nathan looks over and sees Steve, concern creasing the slight wrinkles around his eyes.
"Hey, what is going on?" Steve asks, walking over what remains of the door. "Alexander?" Nathan nods looking at the blood stains. "What did he do this time?"
"23 knives." Nathan turned and went back to picking up the door.
"Yes." Nathan brushed past Steve. He didn't care to explain, Steve already knew why he wasn't near Alexander.
"I shall call some cleaning serfs but I fear that blood will never fully come out." Steve pulled a dataslate out and quickly called the needed serfs. Nathan noticed how Steve held it at an odd angle. Steve looked up and saw Nathan staring at his hands and a flash of panic washed over his face. Steve put set it down, again at an odd angle before he joined Nathan in clearing the debris.
"I don't want to talk about it." Steve cut Nathan off, his voice hard. Nathan blinked, it was rare for Steve to act like this.
"I am here, if you change your mind." Nathan said going back to work.
Nathan was on his knees scrubbing the floor when the serfs arrived. They all muttered among themselves, shocked to see a Custodian doing such work. They quickly started to work on the stains, crowding him out of doing the work. Steve had gone to check in on Alexander when they were done with the door. Nathan stood up and looked back, seeing the crowd around Alexander. He had been fighting the urge to droup his eyes for hours and now he had two choices. Go to Alexander and let his symptoms worsen or leave. Leave Alexander to wake up with strangers surrounding him. Nathan moved towards the door and ran into Steve.
"He is doing good for what happened." Steve said voice full of his normal joy and mischief, "how are you feeling?" The question was one of a concerned big brother.
"I am fine." Nathan said, looking everywhere except Alexander. "You are leaving correct?" Steve put a hand on Nathan's arm, drawing his attention to him.
"I am needed. But I shall return soon," Steve looked at Nathan, seeing how tired he was. Both physically due to the curse and mentally. "I wish I could stay. Do. you want me to get Callisto?" Nathan looked at Steve, Alexander knew her. He would be safe with her. And Nathan could be somewhere else.
"No. I am going to stay." Steve tightened his grip and bowed his head slightly.
"If you say so," and with that he left. Nathan didn't watch him, he focused on the serfs that were cleaning the floors. He couldn't move from his position, staring down at the laborers as they cleaned up Alexander's mess.
"n-ath-an" the rasping voice cut through all the noise. Nathan turned around, seeing the amber eyes of his love blearly looking up at him. The apothicaries pulled back as Nathan tried to move through the lead in his veins slowing him down. Nathan focused his eyes on the small movements Alexander was making, taking his hand when Alexander reached out.
"Hello" Nathan's voice quiet. He ran a thumb over the large scar that ran over Alexander's cheek. "You gave us quite a large scare."
Alexander seemed to resist closing his eyes, looking up at Nathan. "yo-u did-n't ha-ave to" the words getting stuck in his torn throat, "keeep me al-alive"
"Don't say that" Nathan said, trying to keep his voice steady. He failed at that, another thing on the list of failures. "I... can't let you die."
Alexander closed his eyes and hissed as he tried to get up, Nathan scrambled to... help? Stop him? He didn't know what he was going to do. The apothicaries all ran up to hold him down, and they were surprisingly successful as Alexander was instantly fell down.
"My Lor-" Uriel started before a glare from Nathan shut them up. "You cannot move yet." Alexander looked over at them. "Unless you let yourself heal I am afraid movement will put you at risk reopening the wound."
"Please Alexander. Just enough." Nathan couldn't finish the thought but Alexander understood. He sighed, or did he best to while restraining a cough. His back started to knit itself together, and that was enough to send on of the new apothecaries out of the room. Nathan observed and noted how Alexander's other wounds were still stagnate, but he was now healing. And right now that was enough. Alexander opened his eyes as the healing slowed, then stopped.
"ha-ppy?" he asked looking up at Nathan.
"Satisfied" Nathan paused, "do you remember?" Alexander looked sad at the question but nodded.
"Everything" he raised a hand and Nathan cupped it, guiding it to his face. His hand engulfed Alexander's but holding it to his face, it was all Nathan could feel. Nathan closed his eyes and leaned into it. "I am... so sorry."
The apology, for all the groxshit Nathan had gone through these past few months, it cracked the crumbling walls he had put up. Nathan doubled over and sobbed. Alexander moved pulling Nathan into him and held him close. Nathan could sense the apothecaries turning to leave as fast as they could, all except Uriel. They watched on. Nathan could dimly hear Alexander psychically tell them to 'piss the fuck off', all Uriel did was walk out into the next room and close the door behind them.
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