Ya'll Know You were Just Waiting For More of Them (Fics 17-19)
Well, I got sidetracked and backtracked and a million other things, yet again. So we're back to more-than-one-a-day updates for Kalin and Nathaniel. And away we go! Harsh critique is loved!
Title: Symptoms
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: PG
Themes: #26. Too close for comfort
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
“You’re doing it again.”
Kalin stopped, and looked over at Nathaniel, who lounged half in the room, leaning against the doorjamb pensively as he watched his lover mill sporadically throughout their bedroom. Kalin’s fingers twitched on the comforter, and slowly let it drop; he rubbed the tips over his thumbs, and stared at them.
“I hadn’t realized-”
“I know baby,” Nathaniel assured softly, sighing. “Wanna go out? We’re overdue for a date.”
“I . . . I’d rather we didn’t, Nathaniel, if it’s all the same to you.”
Nathaniel sighed, and hung his head, kicking his heels as he strode into the room, and grabbed the comforter, flailing it easily over the bed. He settled onto the rumpled surface, and grabbed Kalin’s soft, trembling hands, rubbing warmth back into the cold digits as he stared up at him.
“We haven’t left since they put you on the regiment. I think it’d be good for you-”
“I don’t want to fucking go out,” Kalin growled, snatching his hands away and tucking them under either arm, looking away. Nathaniel tugged at his ear a moment, before hauling his legs up under him and leaning up onto his knees, tilting until he was back in his lover’s line of sight.
“What’s wrong?”
Kalin let out a barking laugh, and shook his head, throwing his arms up almost helplessly.
“I’ve got a goddamn headache, that’s what’s wrong. I’ve got a hole in my lung. My kidneys might fail from the chemo that they said I wouldn’t need. And you, goddamnit, want to take me out to dinner. That’s what’s wrong.”
“We could stay in,” Nathaniel whispered, rocking back and leaning back on the heels of his palms as he worried his upper lip nervously. Kalin rolled his eyes a little, and shook his head, crossing his arms again.
“If you want to go out, then go out.”
“I wanna be with you, baby-” Kalin pinned him with a withering glare, and snorted a little, scuffing his foot along the floor. Nathaniel frowned a little. “What? You think I don’t want to be with you because you’ve got a headache and a hole in your lung, and you’re bald?”
“. . . can’t have sex,” Kalin muttered dejectedly, staring intently at the end of the bed. Nathaniel fell back against the comforter, chuckling humorlessly.
“Kali, we went, what, eighteen years without sex? A couple of months won’t hurt me.” He smiled up at Kalin, slid down the bed a little until he was back in his partner’s line of sight, eyes twinkling as he murmured, “I could always just strip down, tie you to a chair and make you watch.”
“That wouldn’t be nice,” Kalin murmured, halfheartedly following the joking. Nathaniel grinned up at him, pulled him down for a long kiss, ran his hands slowly over his cool head slowly. “Stop it,” he ordered, and Nathaniel pulled his hands away easily, though he looked reluctant.
“You haven’t changed, baby. Not on the inside.”
“Oh, don’t get all mushy and hippy on me,” Kalin whined, pulling away from Nathaniel’s strong arms. The dark haired man chuckled.
“Beauty is on the inside, baby, and you’ll always be beautiful!”
“Oh God-”
“Because I-ee-I will always love y-oo-oo-u!” Kalin was laughing over Nathaniel’s rendition, slapping his shoulder and wriggling away, tumbling them over on the bed a few times, until he was able to shove Nathaniel onto the floor and glower mockingly down at him as he laughed, coughing to regain his breath.
“You suck.”
“Why, yes, I do! And you love it.” Kalin smiled. Nathaniel flicked his hair absently against his palm, and then against Kalin’s nose, before raising onto his knees and draping a good hank of it over his lover’s bald head. “Hm.”
“I wouldn’t look good with black hair, anyway,” he stated, shrugging.
“You’d look like you’d dyed it. And I like my hair attached, anyway.”
“Good,” Kalin murmured, pulling at the long hank powerfully, until Nathaniel cringed and began to bat at him. “I like it too.”
Such a weird little thing. After the first 16 fics, the themes got really hard to work with. Ah well. Here's the next one!
Title: Happy New Year
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: G
Themes: #27. Christmas eve; New year
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
There was a tin of homemade fudge sitting on the floor beside their table, where it had tumbled, and lost its lid, sometime earlier in the evening, when Kalin’s shaking hands had done away with his grace. He had apologized, as though it were his fault his motorskills were not entirely back to par, and had worried over the few pieces of spilt fudge, until Nathaniel had grabbed his arms, and drug him off to his office, settling him easily into the comfortable chair there.
The TV was on, soft and quietly playing strains of some band from a late-night program’s house group.
“Are you feeling any better?”
“I’m fine.”
Nathaniel didn’t believe Kalin, who was pale and shivering as though he had a chill from the snow falling outside. There were dark circles under his eyes, as though he hadn’t slept in a week-Nathaniel wouldn’t have been overly surprised. His fingers ran over the fabric of the comforter; Nathaniel wondered if Kalin could even feel it.
“I’m sorry,” Kalin whispered hoarsely, letting out a tinny little cough into the back of his hand. He forced a smile, and shook his head a little, nonsensically, shrugging one frail-looking shoulder. “I’m being such a worry-”
“You’re a worry even when you’re not sick,” Nathaniel chuckled, running his hands over the fuzz that had begun to grow over Kalin’s head, now that his regimine was done. Kalin leaned back against him, sighed softly, shutting his eyes and cringing a little. “Headache?” He nodded. “We should get you checked out-”
“No more hospitals,” Kalin demanded, sternly but with worry deeply laced throughout the words. “One was enough. Eventually, it’ll get back to my parents and-”
“She signed over medical right of atternoy to me, it’s not like they can come all up and tell me I can’t get you treated.” The smaller man shrugged just a little, and nuzzled back into Nathaniel’s warmth just a bit more. “You’re not lookin’ too hot though, baby. We should get you checked out.”
“I’m fine,” Kalin assured, his hands fidgeting over the comforter still. Nathaniel grasped them tightly, frowned at their clamy texture, and lifted them slowly to his lips, blowing warm air over them and kissing the tips gently.
“I know, I know; you don’t need any special attention,” Nathaniel murmured against the digits, solemn and reserved. He looked up at Kalin, and pulled him close, cupping the back of his head as he kissed him gently. “I love you, you know that?”
“Of course I know. I love you too.” Nathaniel smiled, laying back, pulling Kalin atop him, until he rested just under his chin, tucked around him like a child.
They were silent, the tinny sound of aplause on the TV trying valiantly to drown out the sound of Kalin’s nearly harried breathing. Nathaniel sighed, running his hands slowly up and down Kalin’s back and sides.
“I’ve decided to make a resolution,” he uttered. Kalin lifted a little, staring at him blurrily.
“You hate making resolutions.”
“Well, I’m making one,” came the quiet objection as he tucked Kalin back down. He wrapped his arms securely around Kalin’s torso, inhaling the sharp, musky scent of his skin and shampoo. “I resolve to never stop loving you.”
On the TV, a cheer went up. Nathaniel sighed, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Happy New Year, baby.”
“Happy New Year.”
Why do all my characters end up with horrible fates? Oh Woe, the pretty bishounen! They're killing themselves off!
Title: How Bad Can It Be?
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: PG
Themes: #24. locked in; stuck in the middle of nowhere
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
“This is cheating, damnit. I’m not sick.”
“Humor me, woul’cha?”
“Mr Gregor? Look at me if you would; big eyes.”
Kalin obligingly looked at the nurse, keeping his eyes wide as she flashed a light into each, watching the contraction of the pupils and checking for . . . whatever it was that nurses checked for when they did things like that.
Nathaniel sat beside Kalin on the table, quietly squeezing his palm in reassuring pulses.
He knew Kalin couldn’t feel them.
“That’s awful bright.”
“Really? Does it hurt?” Kalin nodded a little, and the nurse jotted something quickly onto his chart, humming a little. “Have you been suffering any pains since your surgery.”
“No-”
“He gets chest pains, headaches, and can’t feel anything on his left side.” The nurse looked up, as though seeing Nathaniel for the first time, and raised a brow, flicking her eyes to the chart as she denoted quietly.
“And you are?”
“His partner.” She raised a brow, and frowned a little. Kalin blushed, gave Nathaniel a half-hearted, sidelong glare, and then went back to staring at his fingernails.
“Well, Mr Gregor, Dr Cartright should be by soon. So that you’re aware, he might wish to run some tests. Just to make sure your partner is correct in his . . . analysis of your condition.” Nathaniel wanted to bark something cold to the woman, wanted to tell her where she could shove that chart she held so protectively.
He squeezed Kalin’s hand, and sighed softly.
“I’ll have to stay if they find anything.”
“They won’t find anything,” Nathaniel stated vindictively. Kalin gave him that sharp look he always had when he was annoyed with something, and snatched his hand away, tucking it beneath his thigh.
“Promises you can’t keep, huh? Nice.” Nathaniel murmured a quiet apology, staring intently at the wall.
The door opened, admitting a tiny man, perhaps the same age as Kalin’s mother. Dr Cartright looked up from the charts, and smiled at Kalin and Nathaniel both, setting the chart down for a moment as he stepped up, shaking Kalin’s hand.
“I can’t say I’m glad to see you again, Kalin, but at least you came in. And you’re . . . Nathan, is that right? You were here with him during the surgery.”
“Nathaniel, but Nathan’s fine,” he whispered, shaking the older man’s hand. Cartright sighed, and picked up the chart again, flipping through.
“This doesn’t look good, the symptoms. You should have come in early.” He looked up, and worried his lip a moment, before grabbing a syringe and needle from the cabinet. “Turn up your sleeve, would you? Might as well take a sample while we’re here. Have you been sick lately?”
“Nothing besides what Nathaniel told the nurse.”
“Are the headaches just an ache or-”
“He had to leave work last week and come home sick, because the fluorescents were aggravating his senses,” Nathaniel supplied helpfully. Kalin sighed, and rolled his eyes a little.
“That was nothing.”
“Have you participating in any risk behaviors lately?” Kalin flushed a little, and flinched as the needle pricked the niche of his elbow. “Squeeze.”
“Risk behavior?”
“Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, smoking or being around smokers. You’re both using protection when you participate in intercourse, right?” Kalin’s blush grew devilishly dark, and he looked away, squeezing harder than was properly necessary at the ball in his hand.
“He had a little bit of wine at Christmas when my half brother and his fiancée came by, and a little bit of champagne at a New Years party we attended. He doesn’t smoke, and I stopped when we found out about the cancer.” Nathaniel stopped, and looked at the niche of Kalin’s elbow, watching the contrast of dark blood to pale skin as he quietly murmured, “And Kalin uses protection when we make love.”
“That’s good.” He took the needle from Kalin’s arm, and frowned a little as he pulled the needle off, throwing it away. “I won’t have them check for any STI antibodies then, if you’re both so sure. Kalin, I’d like for you to come with me down to neurology; you can come too, Nathan, if you’d like.”
“Neurology? But . . . that’s brains and junk,” Kalin murmured intelligently, rubbing his tender arm. The doctor nodded.
Nathaniel was not allowed into the CAT scan room. He loitered in the waiting room, pacing incessantly. An older woman offered him a smile, and patted the seat next to her.
“Are you waiting for someone?” she asked softly. He nodded, running his hands through his hair.
“My partner went in for a CAT scan. Nobody’s been out in a while. I guess I’m just worried.” She smiled, and patted his knee, squeezing softly.
“Don’t you worry, son. I’m sure everything will be just fine.” She caught the glint of lights against his ring, and her smile widened. “How long have you been married, son?”
“Hm?” He lifted his hand, staring at the ring, and blushed a little, chuckling softly. “Oh, I’m not married. It’s the companion ring to my partner’s; we can’t get married.”
“Oh, dear, why not? There are such nice places to have a wedding.” He blinked for a moment, before smiling softly, and flicking his hair out of his eyes.
“Well, my partner and I, we’re gay.”
“Don’t let that stop you son! Just because of that doesn’t mean you can’t tie the knot properly. How long have you been with him?” He shifted, somehow comfortably awkward speaking with the older woman.
“Almost eighteen years. We met when he was sixteen.”
“How romantic. He’s lucky to have such a cute boy stick by him through all this; you tell him that every now and then, don’t you? Just a reminder?”
“Every day. But I think I’m the lucky one.” She smiled, and sighed, her eyes nostalgic. Nathaniel was reminded of his grandmother, a small, sweet woman from whom he had inherited his blue eyes. He offered a tiny smile, and asked softly, “Who are you waiting for?”
“Oh, nobody in particular. I like to come down here and see the patients.” Her eyes grew a little distant, and she frowned a little. “I lost my husband here, a few years back. He was such a sweet man. Whenever I felt sick, he’d send me to bed, feed me homemade soup, and sing me to sleep.”
“That’s so sweet. How did he die?”
“Alzheimer's. By the end, he didn’t even remember who I was.” Nathaniel covered the woman’s hand gently, but she smiled, and batted him off gently. “And here I am, asking you all these things and rambling on. I’m Sara.”
“Nathaniel.”
Just then, Cartright entered. Nathaniel shot up, fidgeting instantly. Cartright smiled at Sara very softly, and she waved a delicate hand.
“We printed out the scans. Thought it’d be better if . . . if you told him instead of us. He’s just been admitted.”
“Admitted?” Nathaniel gasped, taking the proffered manila envelope, flicking it open to stare blankly at black and white photo cross-sections of his lover’s brain.
“Nathan . . . . I always hate telling the family news like this. Kalin . . . we had to admit him, and this time, he might not be able to leave.”
“Doc-”
“Kalin’s lung cancer must have masticized before we did the surgery. His stay, if not permanent, will be highly prolonged, and intensive. He may need extensive invasive surgery.”
“What’s wrong with him!?” Nathaniel roared, trying hard not to either break down into tears or hit the doctor.
“Kalin has a malignant tumor in his brain. If we’re unsuccessful in removing it, he’ll die. And we may not have enough time to remove it.”
Nathaniel let the folder fall from his lax fingers, and settled on the former option.
Now, I just have to figure out how to do the "Toast; Toaster" theme . . .
Title: Symptoms
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: PG
Themes: #26. Too close for comfort
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
“You’re doing it again.”
Kalin stopped, and looked over at Nathaniel, who lounged half in the room, leaning against the doorjamb pensively as he watched his lover mill sporadically throughout their bedroom. Kalin’s fingers twitched on the comforter, and slowly let it drop; he rubbed the tips over his thumbs, and stared at them.
“I hadn’t realized-”
“I know baby,” Nathaniel assured softly, sighing. “Wanna go out? We’re overdue for a date.”
“I . . . I’d rather we didn’t, Nathaniel, if it’s all the same to you.”
Nathaniel sighed, and hung his head, kicking his heels as he strode into the room, and grabbed the comforter, flailing it easily over the bed. He settled onto the rumpled surface, and grabbed Kalin’s soft, trembling hands, rubbing warmth back into the cold digits as he stared up at him.
“We haven’t left since they put you on the regiment. I think it’d be good for you-”
“I don’t want to fucking go out,” Kalin growled, snatching his hands away and tucking them under either arm, looking away. Nathaniel tugged at his ear a moment, before hauling his legs up under him and leaning up onto his knees, tilting until he was back in his lover’s line of sight.
“What’s wrong?”
Kalin let out a barking laugh, and shook his head, throwing his arms up almost helplessly.
“I’ve got a goddamn headache, that’s what’s wrong. I’ve got a hole in my lung. My kidneys might fail from the chemo that they said I wouldn’t need. And you, goddamnit, want to take me out to dinner. That’s what’s wrong.”
“We could stay in,” Nathaniel whispered, rocking back and leaning back on the heels of his palms as he worried his upper lip nervously. Kalin rolled his eyes a little, and shook his head, crossing his arms again.
“If you want to go out, then go out.”
“I wanna be with you, baby-” Kalin pinned him with a withering glare, and snorted a little, scuffing his foot along the floor. Nathaniel frowned a little. “What? You think I don’t want to be with you because you’ve got a headache and a hole in your lung, and you’re bald?”
“. . . can’t have sex,” Kalin muttered dejectedly, staring intently at the end of the bed. Nathaniel fell back against the comforter, chuckling humorlessly.
“Kali, we went, what, eighteen years without sex? A couple of months won’t hurt me.” He smiled up at Kalin, slid down the bed a little until he was back in his partner’s line of sight, eyes twinkling as he murmured, “I could always just strip down, tie you to a chair and make you watch.”
“That wouldn’t be nice,” Kalin murmured, halfheartedly following the joking. Nathaniel grinned up at him, pulled him down for a long kiss, ran his hands slowly over his cool head slowly. “Stop it,” he ordered, and Nathaniel pulled his hands away easily, though he looked reluctant.
“You haven’t changed, baby. Not on the inside.”
“Oh, don’t get all mushy and hippy on me,” Kalin whined, pulling away from Nathaniel’s strong arms. The dark haired man chuckled.
“Beauty is on the inside, baby, and you’ll always be beautiful!”
“Oh God-”
“Because I-ee-I will always love y-oo-oo-u!” Kalin was laughing over Nathaniel’s rendition, slapping his shoulder and wriggling away, tumbling them over on the bed a few times, until he was able to shove Nathaniel onto the floor and glower mockingly down at him as he laughed, coughing to regain his breath.
“You suck.”
“Why, yes, I do! And you love it.” Kalin smiled. Nathaniel flicked his hair absently against his palm, and then against Kalin’s nose, before raising onto his knees and draping a good hank of it over his lover’s bald head. “Hm.”
“I wouldn’t look good with black hair, anyway,” he stated, shrugging.
“You’d look like you’d dyed it. And I like my hair attached, anyway.”
“Good,” Kalin murmured, pulling at the long hank powerfully, until Nathaniel cringed and began to bat at him. “I like it too.”
Such a weird little thing. After the first 16 fics, the themes got really hard to work with. Ah well. Here's the next one!
Title: Happy New Year
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: G
Themes: #27. Christmas eve; New year
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
There was a tin of homemade fudge sitting on the floor beside their table, where it had tumbled, and lost its lid, sometime earlier in the evening, when Kalin’s shaking hands had done away with his grace. He had apologized, as though it were his fault his motorskills were not entirely back to par, and had worried over the few pieces of spilt fudge, until Nathaniel had grabbed his arms, and drug him off to his office, settling him easily into the comfortable chair there.
The TV was on, soft and quietly playing strains of some band from a late-night program’s house group.
“Are you feeling any better?”
“I’m fine.”
Nathaniel didn’t believe Kalin, who was pale and shivering as though he had a chill from the snow falling outside. There were dark circles under his eyes, as though he hadn’t slept in a week-Nathaniel wouldn’t have been overly surprised. His fingers ran over the fabric of the comforter; Nathaniel wondered if Kalin could even feel it.
“I’m sorry,” Kalin whispered hoarsely, letting out a tinny little cough into the back of his hand. He forced a smile, and shook his head a little, nonsensically, shrugging one frail-looking shoulder. “I’m being such a worry-”
“You’re a worry even when you’re not sick,” Nathaniel chuckled, running his hands over the fuzz that had begun to grow over Kalin’s head, now that his regimine was done. Kalin leaned back against him, sighed softly, shutting his eyes and cringing a little. “Headache?” He nodded. “We should get you checked out-”
“No more hospitals,” Kalin demanded, sternly but with worry deeply laced throughout the words. “One was enough. Eventually, it’ll get back to my parents and-”
“She signed over medical right of atternoy to me, it’s not like they can come all up and tell me I can’t get you treated.” The smaller man shrugged just a little, and nuzzled back into Nathaniel’s warmth just a bit more. “You’re not lookin’ too hot though, baby. We should get you checked out.”
“I’m fine,” Kalin assured, his hands fidgeting over the comforter still. Nathaniel grasped them tightly, frowned at their clamy texture, and lifted them slowly to his lips, blowing warm air over them and kissing the tips gently.
“I know, I know; you don’t need any special attention,” Nathaniel murmured against the digits, solemn and reserved. He looked up at Kalin, and pulled him close, cupping the back of his head as he kissed him gently. “I love you, you know that?”
“Of course I know. I love you too.” Nathaniel smiled, laying back, pulling Kalin atop him, until he rested just under his chin, tucked around him like a child.
They were silent, the tinny sound of aplause on the TV trying valiantly to drown out the sound of Kalin’s nearly harried breathing. Nathaniel sighed, running his hands slowly up and down Kalin’s back and sides.
“I’ve decided to make a resolution,” he uttered. Kalin lifted a little, staring at him blurrily.
“You hate making resolutions.”
“Well, I’m making one,” came the quiet objection as he tucked Kalin back down. He wrapped his arms securely around Kalin’s torso, inhaling the sharp, musky scent of his skin and shampoo. “I resolve to never stop loving you.”
On the TV, a cheer went up. Nathaniel sighed, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Happy New Year, baby.”
“Happy New Year.”
Why do all my characters end up with horrible fates? Oh Woe, the pretty bishounen! They're killing themselves off!
Title: How Bad Can It Be?
Genre(s): General/Romance
Rating: PG
Themes: #24. locked in; stuck in the middle of nowhere
Author: Sumthinlikhuman
“This is cheating, damnit. I’m not sick.”
“Humor me, woul’cha?”
“Mr Gregor? Look at me if you would; big eyes.”
Kalin obligingly looked at the nurse, keeping his eyes wide as she flashed a light into each, watching the contraction of the pupils and checking for . . . whatever it was that nurses checked for when they did things like that.
Nathaniel sat beside Kalin on the table, quietly squeezing his palm in reassuring pulses.
He knew Kalin couldn’t feel them.
“That’s awful bright.”
“Really? Does it hurt?” Kalin nodded a little, and the nurse jotted something quickly onto his chart, humming a little. “Have you been suffering any pains since your surgery.”
“No-”
“He gets chest pains, headaches, and can’t feel anything on his left side.” The nurse looked up, as though seeing Nathaniel for the first time, and raised a brow, flicking her eyes to the chart as she denoted quietly.
“And you are?”
“His partner.” She raised a brow, and frowned a little. Kalin blushed, gave Nathaniel a half-hearted, sidelong glare, and then went back to staring at his fingernails.
“Well, Mr Gregor, Dr Cartright should be by soon. So that you’re aware, he might wish to run some tests. Just to make sure your partner is correct in his . . . analysis of your condition.” Nathaniel wanted to bark something cold to the woman, wanted to tell her where she could shove that chart she held so protectively.
He squeezed Kalin’s hand, and sighed softly.
“I’ll have to stay if they find anything.”
“They won’t find anything,” Nathaniel stated vindictively. Kalin gave him that sharp look he always had when he was annoyed with something, and snatched his hand away, tucking it beneath his thigh.
“Promises you can’t keep, huh? Nice.” Nathaniel murmured a quiet apology, staring intently at the wall.
The door opened, admitting a tiny man, perhaps the same age as Kalin’s mother. Dr Cartright looked up from the charts, and smiled at Kalin and Nathaniel both, setting the chart down for a moment as he stepped up, shaking Kalin’s hand.
“I can’t say I’m glad to see you again, Kalin, but at least you came in. And you’re . . . Nathan, is that right? You were here with him during the surgery.”
“Nathaniel, but Nathan’s fine,” he whispered, shaking the older man’s hand. Cartright sighed, and picked up the chart again, flipping through.
“This doesn’t look good, the symptoms. You should have come in early.” He looked up, and worried his lip a moment, before grabbing a syringe and needle from the cabinet. “Turn up your sleeve, would you? Might as well take a sample while we’re here. Have you been sick lately?”
“Nothing besides what Nathaniel told the nurse.”
“Are the headaches just an ache or-”
“He had to leave work last week and come home sick, because the fluorescents were aggravating his senses,” Nathaniel supplied helpfully. Kalin sighed, and rolled his eyes a little.
“That was nothing.”
“Have you participating in any risk behaviors lately?” Kalin flushed a little, and flinched as the needle pricked the niche of his elbow. “Squeeze.”
“Risk behavior?”
“Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol, smoking or being around smokers. You’re both using protection when you participate in intercourse, right?” Kalin’s blush grew devilishly dark, and he looked away, squeezing harder than was properly necessary at the ball in his hand.
“He had a little bit of wine at Christmas when my half brother and his fiancée came by, and a little bit of champagne at a New Years party we attended. He doesn’t smoke, and I stopped when we found out about the cancer.” Nathaniel stopped, and looked at the niche of Kalin’s elbow, watching the contrast of dark blood to pale skin as he quietly murmured, “And Kalin uses protection when we make love.”
“That’s good.” He took the needle from Kalin’s arm, and frowned a little as he pulled the needle off, throwing it away. “I won’t have them check for any STI antibodies then, if you’re both so sure. Kalin, I’d like for you to come with me down to neurology; you can come too, Nathan, if you’d like.”
“Neurology? But . . . that’s brains and junk,” Kalin murmured intelligently, rubbing his tender arm. The doctor nodded.
Nathaniel was not allowed into the CAT scan room. He loitered in the waiting room, pacing incessantly. An older woman offered him a smile, and patted the seat next to her.
“Are you waiting for someone?” she asked softly. He nodded, running his hands through his hair.
“My partner went in for a CAT scan. Nobody’s been out in a while. I guess I’m just worried.” She smiled, and patted his knee, squeezing softly.
“Don’t you worry, son. I’m sure everything will be just fine.” She caught the glint of lights against his ring, and her smile widened. “How long have you been married, son?”
“Hm?” He lifted his hand, staring at the ring, and blushed a little, chuckling softly. “Oh, I’m not married. It’s the companion ring to my partner’s; we can’t get married.”
“Oh, dear, why not? There are such nice places to have a wedding.” He blinked for a moment, before smiling softly, and flicking his hair out of his eyes.
“Well, my partner and I, we’re gay.”
“Don’t let that stop you son! Just because of that doesn’t mean you can’t tie the knot properly. How long have you been with him?” He shifted, somehow comfortably awkward speaking with the older woman.
“Almost eighteen years. We met when he was sixteen.”
“How romantic. He’s lucky to have such a cute boy stick by him through all this; you tell him that every now and then, don’t you? Just a reminder?”
“Every day. But I think I’m the lucky one.” She smiled, and sighed, her eyes nostalgic. Nathaniel was reminded of his grandmother, a small, sweet woman from whom he had inherited his blue eyes. He offered a tiny smile, and asked softly, “Who are you waiting for?”
“Oh, nobody in particular. I like to come down here and see the patients.” Her eyes grew a little distant, and she frowned a little. “I lost my husband here, a few years back. He was such a sweet man. Whenever I felt sick, he’d send me to bed, feed me homemade soup, and sing me to sleep.”
“That’s so sweet. How did he die?”
“Alzheimer's. By the end, he didn’t even remember who I was.” Nathaniel covered the woman’s hand gently, but she smiled, and batted him off gently. “And here I am, asking you all these things and rambling on. I’m Sara.”
“Nathaniel.”
Just then, Cartright entered. Nathaniel shot up, fidgeting instantly. Cartright smiled at Sara very softly, and she waved a delicate hand.
“We printed out the scans. Thought it’d be better if . . . if you told him instead of us. He’s just been admitted.”
“Admitted?” Nathaniel gasped, taking the proffered manila envelope, flicking it open to stare blankly at black and white photo cross-sections of his lover’s brain.
“Nathan . . . . I always hate telling the family news like this. Kalin . . . we had to admit him, and this time, he might not be able to leave.”
“Doc-”
“Kalin’s lung cancer must have masticized before we did the surgery. His stay, if not permanent, will be highly prolonged, and intensive. He may need extensive invasive surgery.”
“What’s wrong with him!?” Nathaniel roared, trying hard not to either break down into tears or hit the doctor.
“Kalin has a malignant tumor in his brain. If we’re unsuccessful in removing it, he’ll die. And we may not have enough time to remove it.”
Nathaniel let the folder fall from his lax fingers, and settled on the former option.
Now, I just have to figure out how to do the "Toast; Toaster" theme . . .