Always There: Gen/Romance, G
“He’s had a hard year, hasn’t he?”
I glanced over at the man driving the car. Ole-Kristian was looking in the rear view mirror, and I followed his gaze back to Tommy, curled up on the back seat; sleeping soundly. A faint smile touched my lips as I regarded my little brother, looking so young despite being only a year my younger.
“Yes, he has,” I agreed softly. I could remember too clearly Tom lying sick in bed, deathly pale and in so much pain. Even when he was mostly recovered, on medication to control the colitis, he was so tentative in returning to his normal life. Hockey, college, classes, his friends…but he battled through it. It seems to be a Fritsche family trademark, stubbornness; the will to go on despite everything.
And this would be no different.
I looked down my arm towards my hand, wrist wrapped in bandaging and splinted for support. I could still recall the flow of blood seeping from my flesh, drenching my gear and my jersey a ruddy red. The Predator player’s skate had bit deep, slicing through a thick artery, severing tendons and almost hitting my nerves-two hours of reconstructive surgery was all that saved me from bleeding out, from permanent damage. It would take three weeks to heal, three weeks before I could even think about returning to hockey, but-I was alive. It could have been so much worse. I might not have had Tommy there for me.
I might not have had Ole-Kristian there for me.
I glanced over at him again, watching the headlights of passing cars illuminate his face. His features were exotic, distinctly European but with a foreign flavor that was subtly different from guys like Freddy Modin, or Norrena. The sculpted cheekbones and long eyelashes rendered him attractive in a manner honestly beautiful, instead of just commonly handsome.
I reached out with my uninjured hand and brushed my fingers against his cheek, and those hazel eyes softened, his lips curling up in a smile. He kept his gaze on the road but leaned a little into my touch as I caressed his skin, cupping my palm against his jaw.
“Thank you for being here for me,” I said softly, thumbing the strong line of his cheekbone. “For being here for me and Tommy.”
“You know I’d do anything for you,” he replied gently, glancing over at me with a smile. We were coming up on my apartment building and he pulled up to the curb, parking in front. Once the car’s ignition died he turned to me, taking my chin in his hand, leaning in and pressing our lips together. The touch was light and chaste, just a little brush, but it made my heart flutter and my cheeks flush; the newness of this relationship still leaving me a little in awe.
We got out of the car and I opened the back door, leaning in to shake Tommy awake. He blinked at me fuzzily, barely comprehending as I helped him stumble out of the car, dark circles beneath his eyes. The day had probably been harder than him than it even had been on me. He leaned against my shoulder as I nudged him in the direction of the building’s front door, smoothing some of the mussed hair away from his face.
“You go on, I’ll be up in a minute, okay?” I murmured, guiding him toward the apartment. He nodded numbly and took a few dragging steps that way. Once he was inside I turned back to say goodnight to Ole-Kristian only to be swept up in strong arms, his nose pressed against my neck and his hands clutching at my back.
“I was so scared,” he whispered, voice muffled in my shirt. “God, Danny, I was so scared. I saw you gone from the bench and went down to the dressing room, and seeing your gear there, seeing all that blood-christ, I was so terrified…”
“Shh, I’m okay now,” I soothed, rubbing his back with my uninjured hand, resting the other on his shoulder. “I’m alright.”
“It was close,” he said softly. He pulled away a bit to look at me, his eyes wet, his gaze searching. “The doctors told me how close you were to having nerve damage. How close you could have been to bleeding out…”
“But I didn’t,” I replied gently. In a fit of daring I leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his mouth, a little thrill running through me at the action. “Don’t dwell on it, Kristian,” I murmured against his lips.
“I can’t help it,” he muttered. His hands, large and strong, dropped to my hips. His fingers curled around the ones of my injured hand, and he raised it to his lips. It was just pressure, barely felt through the layers of heavy bandages, but even that little touch and the sight of him pressing his lips over my wrist had me swallowing; curling my hands against his back.
“You’ll call me if you need anything, right?” he asked, lowering my arm back to my side and looking at me intently. “Anything at all, you or Tommy. Just call my cell and I’ll be here whenever you need me, night or day.”
And he would be, too. I saw the sincerity in his eyes; saw the determination, the willingness to even get up in the middle of the night to come if I needed. That devotion put a silly grin on my face, warmth flooding my chest. On impulse I hugged him tight, burying my face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.
“I-I love you, Kristian,” I mumbled shyly. The words tangled on my tongue, still awkward, still new, and I was sure I was blushing; but the emotion behind them was wholehearted and real, and his arms tightened around me.
“I love you too, Danny,” he said softly. “Jeg elskar deg.”
That little bit of Norwegian that I knew-I smiled and leaned back so I could capture Ole-Kristian’s lips, knowing how words in his native tongue meant so much more. A real kiss, this time; his hand slid up to cup my head, his tongue nudging at my lips which I parted eagerly, gasping a little when he slipped inside my mouth, exploring every contour from palate to molars. The stars twinkling in the sky, the full, bright moon; the streetlamp casting shadows across our bodies-everything faded into the distance in that moment, the only importance being Kristian, his lips, his mouth, his tongue. When we broke apart we both were flushed, panting a little, grinning stupidly like kids just off a roller coaster, high and giddy. Kristian pressed another kiss to my forehead and backed up a bit, still holding my hand in his own, smiling.
“Go and get some rest, okay? I’ll come by tomorrow morning to see if you need anything.”
“Okay,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. I didn’t want him to go, but he was right, I needed to rest. But my fingers lingered in his grip, and I was slow letting go. Kristian noticed this and grinned, and leaned in and kissed me again.
“I’ll bring breakfast,” he promised. “Donuts and coffee and those little pastries that David always buys at Panera. And muffins. We can have a wonderfully unhealthy meal to start our day.”
I laughed, shaking my head in amusement. Ole-Kristian winked and went around his car to the driver’s side as I watched, standing on the sidewalk, wanting to say something but not quite sure what it was. Kristian paused with the car door open and leaned on the side of it, eyeing me across it. He pointed toward my apartment.
“I’m not leaving until you’re inside,” he informed me matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow. I ducked my head, backing up a couple steps in that direction, still trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to tell him. The distance I covered wasn’t enough to make it to the door and he waited, still, folding his arms across his chest. Staying to make sure that I was safe.
God, Ole-Kristian. You’re the best thing…
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I blurted. “I…I just- wanted to say that.”
I didn’t wait to see what Kristian’s reaction was, turning and fleeing up the steps into my apartment building with my heart pounding in my chest. I did, however, wait out of sight until I saw his car drive away, disappearing into the night. Feeling giddy and stupid and happy all at the same time.
I was just getting inside of the apartment when my phone buzzed, once. I saw Tommy-he apparently hadn’t made it to his bedroom-draped across the couch, softly snoring, and shook my head bemusedly. As I tucked a soft knit blanket around his shoulders I fumbled one-handed to get my phone out of my pocket, flipping it open and squinting at it in the gloom.
‘You’re amazing, Danny. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Sleep well, love, and I’ll see you in the morning. With pastries. -OK’
Tommy mumbled in his sleep and twitched restlessly, almost like a puppy. But I barely noticed, floating toward my bedroom, phone clutched in my hand; a huge grin plastered on my face. It wouldn’t leave even as I readied for bed, pulling the blankets up to my chin and smiling in the dark.
Looking forward to the morning.
-
I glanced over at the man driving the car. Ole-Kristian was looking in the rear view mirror, and I followed his gaze back to Tommy, curled up on the back seat; sleeping soundly. A faint smile touched my lips as I regarded my little brother, looking so young despite being only a year my younger.
“Yes, he has,” I agreed softly. I could remember too clearly Tom lying sick in bed, deathly pale and in so much pain. Even when he was mostly recovered, on medication to control the colitis, he was so tentative in returning to his normal life. Hockey, college, classes, his friends…but he battled through it. It seems to be a Fritsche family trademark, stubbornness; the will to go on despite everything.
And this would be no different.
I looked down my arm towards my hand, wrist wrapped in bandaging and splinted for support. I could still recall the flow of blood seeping from my flesh, drenching my gear and my jersey a ruddy red. The Predator player’s skate had bit deep, slicing through a thick artery, severing tendons and almost hitting my nerves-two hours of reconstructive surgery was all that saved me from bleeding out, from permanent damage. It would take three weeks to heal, three weeks before I could even think about returning to hockey, but-I was alive. It could have been so much worse. I might not have had Tommy there for me.
I might not have had Ole-Kristian there for me.
I glanced over at him again, watching the headlights of passing cars illuminate his face. His features were exotic, distinctly European but with a foreign flavor that was subtly different from guys like Freddy Modin, or Norrena. The sculpted cheekbones and long eyelashes rendered him attractive in a manner honestly beautiful, instead of just commonly handsome.
I reached out with my uninjured hand and brushed my fingers against his cheek, and those hazel eyes softened, his lips curling up in a smile. He kept his gaze on the road but leaned a little into my touch as I caressed his skin, cupping my palm against his jaw.
“Thank you for being here for me,” I said softly, thumbing the strong line of his cheekbone. “For being here for me and Tommy.”
“You know I’d do anything for you,” he replied gently, glancing over at me with a smile. We were coming up on my apartment building and he pulled up to the curb, parking in front. Once the car’s ignition died he turned to me, taking my chin in his hand, leaning in and pressing our lips together. The touch was light and chaste, just a little brush, but it made my heart flutter and my cheeks flush; the newness of this relationship still leaving me a little in awe.
We got out of the car and I opened the back door, leaning in to shake Tommy awake. He blinked at me fuzzily, barely comprehending as I helped him stumble out of the car, dark circles beneath his eyes. The day had probably been harder than him than it even had been on me. He leaned against my shoulder as I nudged him in the direction of the building’s front door, smoothing some of the mussed hair away from his face.
“You go on, I’ll be up in a minute, okay?” I murmured, guiding him toward the apartment. He nodded numbly and took a few dragging steps that way. Once he was inside I turned back to say goodnight to Ole-Kristian only to be swept up in strong arms, his nose pressed against my neck and his hands clutching at my back.
“I was so scared,” he whispered, voice muffled in my shirt. “God, Danny, I was so scared. I saw you gone from the bench and went down to the dressing room, and seeing your gear there, seeing all that blood-christ, I was so terrified…”
“Shh, I’m okay now,” I soothed, rubbing his back with my uninjured hand, resting the other on his shoulder. “I’m alright.”
“It was close,” he said softly. He pulled away a bit to look at me, his eyes wet, his gaze searching. “The doctors told me how close you were to having nerve damage. How close you could have been to bleeding out…”
“But I didn’t,” I replied gently. In a fit of daring I leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his mouth, a little thrill running through me at the action. “Don’t dwell on it, Kristian,” I murmured against his lips.
“I can’t help it,” he muttered. His hands, large and strong, dropped to my hips. His fingers curled around the ones of my injured hand, and he raised it to his lips. It was just pressure, barely felt through the layers of heavy bandages, but even that little touch and the sight of him pressing his lips over my wrist had me swallowing; curling my hands against his back.
“You’ll call me if you need anything, right?” he asked, lowering my arm back to my side and looking at me intently. “Anything at all, you or Tommy. Just call my cell and I’ll be here whenever you need me, night or day.”
And he would be, too. I saw the sincerity in his eyes; saw the determination, the willingness to even get up in the middle of the night to come if I needed. That devotion put a silly grin on my face, warmth flooding my chest. On impulse I hugged him tight, burying my face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.
“I-I love you, Kristian,” I mumbled shyly. The words tangled on my tongue, still awkward, still new, and I was sure I was blushing; but the emotion behind them was wholehearted and real, and his arms tightened around me.
“I love you too, Danny,” he said softly. “Jeg elskar deg.”
That little bit of Norwegian that I knew-I smiled and leaned back so I could capture Ole-Kristian’s lips, knowing how words in his native tongue meant so much more. A real kiss, this time; his hand slid up to cup my head, his tongue nudging at my lips which I parted eagerly, gasping a little when he slipped inside my mouth, exploring every contour from palate to molars. The stars twinkling in the sky, the full, bright moon; the streetlamp casting shadows across our bodies-everything faded into the distance in that moment, the only importance being Kristian, his lips, his mouth, his tongue. When we broke apart we both were flushed, panting a little, grinning stupidly like kids just off a roller coaster, high and giddy. Kristian pressed another kiss to my forehead and backed up a bit, still holding my hand in his own, smiling.
“Go and get some rest, okay? I’ll come by tomorrow morning to see if you need anything.”
“Okay,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. I didn’t want him to go, but he was right, I needed to rest. But my fingers lingered in his grip, and I was slow letting go. Kristian noticed this and grinned, and leaned in and kissed me again.
“I’ll bring breakfast,” he promised. “Donuts and coffee and those little pastries that David always buys at Panera. And muffins. We can have a wonderfully unhealthy meal to start our day.”
I laughed, shaking my head in amusement. Ole-Kristian winked and went around his car to the driver’s side as I watched, standing on the sidewalk, wanting to say something but not quite sure what it was. Kristian paused with the car door open and leaned on the side of it, eyeing me across it. He pointed toward my apartment.
“I’m not leaving until you’re inside,” he informed me matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow. I ducked my head, backing up a couple steps in that direction, still trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to tell him. The distance I covered wasn’t enough to make it to the door and he waited, still, folding his arms across his chest. Staying to make sure that I was safe.
God, Ole-Kristian. You’re the best thing…
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I blurted. “I…I just- wanted to say that.”
I didn’t wait to see what Kristian’s reaction was, turning and fleeing up the steps into my apartment building with my heart pounding in my chest. I did, however, wait out of sight until I saw his car drive away, disappearing into the night. Feeling giddy and stupid and happy all at the same time.
I was just getting inside of the apartment when my phone buzzed, once. I saw Tommy-he apparently hadn’t made it to his bedroom-draped across the couch, softly snoring, and shook my head bemusedly. As I tucked a soft knit blanket around his shoulders I fumbled one-handed to get my phone out of my pocket, flipping it open and squinting at it in the gloom.
‘You’re amazing, Danny. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Sleep well, love, and I’ll see you in the morning. With pastries. -OK’
Tommy mumbled in his sleep and twitched restlessly, almost like a puppy. But I barely noticed, floating toward my bedroom, phone clutched in my hand; a huge grin plastered on my face. It wouldn’t leave even as I readied for bed, pulling the blankets up to my chin and smiling in the dark.
Looking forward to the morning.
-