Fic: White Light, Chapter 14 (CSI Miami, Eric Delko / Ryan Wolfe)
Title: White Light, Chapter 14
Pairing: Ryan Wolfe / Eric Delko
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Notes: Inspired by the movie Just Like Heaven
Big thanks to Lausi_gm for the bunny, my old ones were thrilled to get some new company ;)
CSI Miami Main List
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 (NC-17)
“See you then. Bye.” Eric hung up and waited.
And waited. Speed concentrated on emptying his locker and ignored him.
“Come on, man. Ask me.”
“Nope.” Speed shoved his things into his backbag. “I told you I don’t wanna know, and I’m sticking to that. Not a word.”
“I know you want to…”
“I don’t. And since we’re on the topic, I still think the whole thing is sick. Does the guy remember anything about the coma-ghouling thing?”
“Still no. I’ve talked to him on the phone every night, and nothing. One dream, but that was it.”
“So you’re not gonna tell him?”
“Last time I did, he threw a fruit at me. If I try it again, the first thing he gets his hands on could be something more dangerous.” Eric groaned. “The pineapple was painful enough.”
“You’re just gonna try to infiltrate his life and wait?”
“No need to make it sound so underhanded and devious.”
“It is underhanded and devious.”
“Yeah, but you’re my buddy, you’re supposed to back me up on this.”
“No, I’m not.” Speed slammed his locker shut. “I’m supposed to talk some sense into you, and all things considered I’ve been a really understanding friend. I took your word for it when you said you were seeing ghosts, and that’s not something a lot of people would do, but I draw the at taking advantage of a guy, who still has a bullet in his head.”
“I’m not taking advantage of him!”
“Not yet, but you’re trying.”
“I’m doing him a favour! Like today, his uncle has stuff to do so I’m keeping him company.”
“Today?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s getting out today and you can’t even wait a day to swoop down like vulture.”
“He asked!”
“He doesn’t know the whole thing.” Speed grabbed his back and swung it on his shoulder. “I’m your friend, but don’t expect me to pat you on the head and say: Atta boy.”
-------------------------------------------
Eric’s face went serious as soon as the door was opened. Wolfe Senior didn’t bother to rely on casual greetings, he simply pointed down the hallway.
“Second door on the left, I’ll be back around seven thirty.” He took his coat and walked out before Eric had a chance to say anything. He followed instructions and walked into the living room.
Ryan was laying on the couch leafing through a thick stack of photocopies. He looked up and gave Eric a crooked smirk.
“Save me. This stuff can drive a man crazy.”
“Therapy instructions?”
“Yeah, I had my first sessions at the hospital and tomorrow I’ll start with a regular therapist next week. I’m supposed to do these till then, so he can measure my progress.”
“How’s it going?”
“Have you ever run a marathon?”
“No.”
“Imagine what it feels like after it. That’s about the same feeling I have when I walk from here to the bathroom.” Ryan dumped the stack of papers to the coffee table. “Muscle control is pretty much back to normal, but the strength is gone.”
“Did you get any estimate on how long you’ll have to go to therapy?”
“At least couple months. If I don’t kill uncle Ron before that.”
“You just got out of the hospital.”
“Five hours ago.” Ryan confirmed. “I love the man, but he can drive anyone up the wall.”
“No comment here, I just got the half a minute cold shoulder.”
“Yeah, he wasn’t thrilled when I called you here, but it was between you and Evan.”
“And I won?” Eric smirked.
“Evan’s… really possessive. He’s my mother hen number two, uncle Ron’s number one.” Ryan leaned back and closed his eyes for a minute. “I slept all the way from the hospital and I could go right back to sleep.”
“You wanna go to bed?”
“You just wanted to say that out loud, didn’t you?” Ryan cracked on eye open and smirked. “No, I had a quickie session with the hospital therapist before Ron came to get me, I could use a shower.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I’ve held on till now, because I didn’t want to say it in front of Ron. He’d try to set an chair in the shower so I don’t fall or something.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
“Just because I look like a wreck, don’t think I can’t kick you out if you start agreeing with him.” Ryan`s tone didn’t sound really angry. He pushed himself up from the couch and took few staggering steps. Eric followed him and kept his hand close to the man`s back, hovering few inches behind him in case he staggered.
Ryan made his way slowly to the bathroom and snapped the lights on. He sat down on the edge of the tub with a deep groan.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“I spent three months getting wiped clean by nurses, and after that they took me to the shower with one of those harness things and someone was there next to me making sure I didn’t have an accident. I`m going in and I`ll do it even if it kills me.”
“I knew you`d say something like that…”
“You think you know me well, don’t you?” Ryan looked up. “You’ve known me for a week, so don’t think you know me. Can you get me that?” He pointed at the wall.
Eric took the soft bathrobe from the hook and placed it on the edge of the sink. He eyed silently as Ryan pulled off his T-shirt and folded it neatly. He left it on the floor and pushed himself up to his wobbly legs again.
“Need help?”
“Yeah, gimme a hand.” Ryan grabbed Eric’s arm for support and kicked off his sweatpants. He sat down again to remove his socks.
Eric tried to keep his eyes above Ryan’s shoulders, but he couldn’t help stealing few stealthy glances at the man who was now drawing deep breaths dressing in his boxers. The time in the hospital had taken its toll, and Ryan had obviously lost some weight, and his skin was very pale under the bright bathroom lights. Somehow Eric cloud imagine what Ryan had looked like before the shooting, face and arms tanned while the rest of him was intriguingly white. Eric snapped out of his musings when something flew pass him and landed in the laundry basket. He looked at Ryan, who was now slowly sliding into the tub and realised what the article of clothing had been.
Ryan had shed the last piece of his clothing and Eric’s gaze travelled down his body.
“Eric?”
Eric was almost certain he had heard something.
“Eric?”
The remains of Eric’s self-control kicked in and he shook his head to shake off the thoughts.
“Yeah, what?”
“Little privacy?”
“You don’t want me to wash your back?”
“I don’t bathe with people I’ve known for one week.” Ryan laughed. He turned the faucets and adjusted the water temperature. “Can you wait outside?”
“Yeah, sure.” Eric mentally thanked his skin tone for conveniently covering the blood that was rushing on his face. “I’ll leave the door open. Yell if you need something.”
“Thanks.”
Eric walked out and left the door half open. He could hear the sound of running water and the mental images of pale skin and hazel eyes returned. He forced himself to stay away from the door, resisting the urge to take a peek. Instead he wandered through the apartment, taking a look at the rooms. He didn’t even steeped into the first two, which were obviously Ron Wolfe’s bedroom and his home office. Third one turned out to be Ryan’s bedroom. Eric walked in and observed the space with a trained eye.
Everything was neatly organised and placed into cupboards and shelves. Since Ryan had only just been released, it was most likely his uncle´s doing. Eric eyed the symmetrical stacks of folded shirts. He had heard few rumours about Ryan`s OCD from some of his contacts at the PD. If they were true, Ryan and his uncle had at least one thing in common besides their physical features.
“Eric?”
Ryan’s voice echoed from the bathroom and Eric took one last look at the room. He went back and pulled the bathroom door all the way open, a damp cloud of moist mist hitting him. Ryan had wrapped himself into the bathrobe and was now leaning heavily against the sink.
“Everything okay here?”
“Yeah.” Ryan supported himself with one hand and ran a comb through his hair with the other. “First time I’ve ever been happy that my hair grows so fast.”
“What do you mean?”
“This.” Ryan pulled a handful of hair aside.
Eric took a step closer. The overgrown hair had covered the bald patch where a horizontal surgical scar went from above Ryan’s ear to the back of his head. The scar had healed nicely, but it was too large to really fade out. Ryan combed his damp hair down again to cover it.
“Not pretty, but it beats the other alternative.” He stated dryly. “They had to shave off most of my hair for the surgery.”
“I thought they didn’t operate on it.”
“They couldn’t remove the bullet, so they decided it was safer to leave it where it is. But there was some intracranial haemorrhaging and other complications.” Ryan leaned more heavily on the sink. “It’s weird to think about it, when I didn’t hear about it till three months later.”
Chapter 15