Primeval fic: Aftermath
Title: Aftermath
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 624 (approx)
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan
Rating: 15
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
Warning: Angst.
A/N: Birthday fic for Fred, from her prompt: Ryan looking after Lester after a bad day when he's not been able to stop thinking about what happened. Hope you like it and that you have a very happy birthday. Many thanks to Luka for the beta.
A/N2: The prequel can be found following this link: And Is Had All Started So Well...
The slamming of a car door broke Ryan's concentration and he looked up from the book he was engrossed in. He glanced at the clock as he rose to make himself a coffee. Stopping at the door, Ryan swung back as the time registered. James had been gone far too long for just a shower. Maybe he had fallen asleep? The day had to have been exhausting for him.
At least, Ryan hoped his lover was just asleep. With the fucking terrible day they'd just had ... Ryan didn't charge up the stairs as he didn't want to wake James if the man was asleep. He did, however, move as fast as he could whilst still being quiet.
The bedroom was empty, but Ryan could hear the shower running. Knocking on the bathroom door received no response. Normally Ryan would have left and returned to his book.
But not today.
He opened the door and waved the billowing steam that filled the bathroom out of his way. He could almost feel it seek to grasp at him as it flowed past him into the bedroom.
Peering through the remaining steam at the half-visible figure kneeling in the shower tore at Ryan's heart as he heard the choked-off sobs.
Ryan reached through the spray to turn it off, snatching his hand back from the now freezing water. Ryan grabbed his lover by the scruff of his neck and hauled him out. He turned James towards him to give him a piece of his mind.
Ryan just stopped.
Tears tracked down James' face as he tried to pull free, back to the shower.
“No, James. Love. You've run the water cold.”
James sounded so lost. “It won't come off.”
Ryan's voice was controlled, even though fear clenched at his heart. “Love?”
“The blood. It won't come off.”
“It's off, James. It's all off.”
James raised his hands and stared at them. “No. I can see it.”
Ryan bit off a curse as he noticed James' hands. His lover had scrubbed them red and raw-looking. “Oh, love.” He pulled James against him, unconcerned by the water soaking into his clothing. Rocking James gently as he murmured calming nonsense in his ear.
Ryan wrapped a towel around a shivering James and briskly dried him before settling him on the loo. He could only hope the sink water was from a different tank as he turned the tap on. Sighing in relief as warm water flowed out, Ryan hauled his lover up and rinsed his hands. His touch was gentle as he carefully cleaned James' hands. “See, love. All clean.”
When James just looked at his hands, turning them over and over, Ryan could only pull him into a hug. “I promise, love. They are clean. Come to bed.” He half-carried, half-guided James to their bed and into it.
Ryan quickly stripped as he watched James closely. He felt as if his heart would break. The look in James' eyes was starting to scare him.
Settling himself in the bed, Ryan tugged James down and into his arms, wrapping them around his lover as he gently rocked him. James' skin was still too cold, and not just from the shower. James was actually trembling in Ryan's arms and he could do nothing but hold his lover tight and try to reach him.
Soon, James' breathing evened and he began to snore softly. Ryan grinned; his lover always claimed he slept quietly. The grin quickly faded as Ryan recalled why he was in bed with his lover at 6.30pm. He could only hope sleep would help, that rest was all James needed. That he was only exhausted from the day's events.