Work!Camp Wesley, pt 3
Apr. 13th, 2005 09:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wesleysgirlThis really needs an actual name.
Part 1
Part 2
Wesley woke up to another coughing fit and rolled onto his side instinctively, holding onto the edge of the mattress like a lifeline even in his half-sleep.
"Take it easy."
It wasn't Angel's voice, but it was soothing, and Wesley let it wash over him as he coughed so violently that it felt as if he might bring up a lung. By the time it was over, he was gasping for air, his lips numb from lack of oxygen.
"Easy," Gunn said, as Wesley finally managed to take a breath that didn't seize up into a fresh round of coughing. "There you go. Easy."
Wesley opened his eyes and looked at Gunn, sitting forward in the chair Angel had been in earlier. There were a few feet between them -- enough so that Wesley didn't feel immediately uncomfortable, but not enough so that he couldn't see Gunn clearly. Gunn's skin glowed, his eyes were dark and sympathetic, and Wesley blinked and swallowed, taking another shaky breath.
"Don't try to talk," Gunn said, just as Wesley was about to do so. "Just breathe. The talking can wait." Unsure that it could, Wesley just looked at Gunn some more, until finally Gunn shifted back in the chair again. "Let me guess; you want to know what's what."
Wesley nodded, doing as Gunn had said and concentrating on keeping his breathing steady. It still rattled in his chest disturbingly, but he already felt better than he had before. Before. He didn't know how long that had been.
"You've been asleep for about... huh, six hours," Gunn said, glancing at a chunky wristwatch that Wesley couldn't remember. "The cough's pneumonia. Guess you probably knew that though."
Again, Wesley nodded. The diagnosis wasn't a surprise, although he hadn't been able to put a name to it -- it seemed that some of his vocabulary had deteriorated from lack of use. He hoped it would come back.
"The doc says the antibiotics will knock it right out; you don't have to worry about that." Gunn was very nearly staring at Wesley, studying him, as though he were infinitely interesting. It made Wesley wonder how he looked. "But yeah, I'm sure you know the rest. Malnutrition, dehydration. And you're underweight. We'll have to feed you up good."
Wesley smiled faintly at that, and his stomach, apparently responding to the idea, grumbled.
"I could get you something," Gunn said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.
"No," Wesley said. His voice cracked on the word, and he cleared his throat. "In a little while."
Gunn relaxed again, his thighs falling slightly apart. "Okay. Um, let's see, what else?" He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, and Wesley noted for the first time how tired he looked. "Not all that much has changed. We had a case about, hm, eight months ago that paid pretty well, so we're doing okay. Fred's still here. Cordy's..." Gunn frowned at Wesley's expression. "Fred? Studying to be a physicist? She was trapped in Pylea for years. She came back with us. Skinny girl, big eyes?"
Oh. Now he remembered. "Apple," Wesley said, pointing to his throat.
"What? Oh, right. Yeah, that's her." Gunn watched as Wesley began to cough again, then got up and poured some water into a glass, offering it to Wesley as the worst of the attack passed.
Cautiously, Wesley reached out and took the glass, his fingers brushing against Gunn's. He remembered... something. It was gone.
"Gotta keep drinking," Gunn said. "That nurse Angel hired wasn't too happy about leaving you without the IV."
Wesley had forgotten that, as well. He glanced down at the back of his hand and saw the blood-stained bandage he had applied himself, then sipped at the water. It was cool, and it didn't take long for him to drink the entire thing, although by the time he had, his stomach felt swollen and he was no longer hungry. He felt as if he wanted to say something, to thank Gunn for not having given up on him, but the simple act of drinking a glass of water had exhausted him and he lay back against the pillows.
Gunn seemed to understand. "It's okay -- go on back to sleep. I'll be here."
Having no choice in the matter, Wesley slept.
* * * * *
It continued on like that for the next while; Wesley would wake up long enough to drink some water, to be soothed by the gentle, familiar sound of Gunn's voice, and then he'd sleep again. At one point when he woke the room was dark, but he opened his eyes and could see Gunn still sitting there, dozing in the chair. He wondered briefly if Gunn shouldn't be sleeping somewhere more comfortable, but before he could do anything else, he fell back asleep.
In the morning, with sunshine filtering in through the windows, Wesley woke to the smell of eggs and toast and the sound of Gunn shutting the door. The realization that it had been opened while he slept and he hadn't known set Wesley's heart to pounding, and he struggled to a sitting position.
"Hey," Gunn said, stopping where he was, halfway between the door and the bed, holding a tray. Then, more softly, "Hey."
Wesley nodded and forced himself to relax. His chest ached.
"Sorry," Gunn said, coming closer without making any sudden movements.
"I may be... a bit on edge," Wesley said hoarsely.
"Yeah, I get that." Gunn gestured with the tray. "It okay if I put this down?"
Shifting backward into a more comfortable position on the bed, Wesley patted the mattress beside his thigh. His hand was the only part of him that trembled visibly as Gunn came over and put the tray down, then backed up and sat in the chair.
The food smelled wonderful. "You didn't have to sleep here," Wesley said, picking up a triangle of carefully buttered toast and taking a small bite from it.
"I wanted to," Gunn said. "Well, okay, I didn't want to want to. Does that make me sound like Cordy?" The frown on his face was familiar in a way that made Wesley relax as he chewed. There were more pills to take, he noted, and swallowed them with a mouthful of what he suspected was freshly squeezed orange juice.
"I was glad," Wesley said. "That you were here." It seemed like rather a lot to admit to.
"Good." Gunn looked pleased as he watched Wesley eat.
He didn't manage much more than he had at the previous meal, but he could tell how badly he'd needed the food, and the last thing he wanted was to overdo it. The thought of being ill from eating too much too quickly was nearly terrifying.
"Doc said you'll probably sleep a lot for the next few days, while you're healing," Gunn said. It sounded an absurdly optimistic theory to Wesley, who felt shattered, as if he'd never be the person he'd been. Gunn got up and took the tray away, setting it on a table that was over near the wall. "There anything you need? Or want?"
Wesley began to shake his head slightly, then paused.
"What?" Gunn said. "You name it, I'll get it."
"Glasses?" Wesley requested, pointing to his eye. He wondered if he'd continue to do things like that -- make unnecessary gestures to clarify words that required no clarification.
Gunn seemed neither surprised nor offended. "Yeah -- Cordy tracked down your prescription and they're supposed to be done by tomorrow." Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I don't know and I don't ask. Sometimes it's just better to let women do their thing and not get too involved, you know?"
"Thank you," Wesley said, because he needed to say it.
"Hey," Gunn said, sitting down again. "I'm just glad you're back." He hitched his chair forward slightly as Wesley rearranged himself on the bed, lying on his side with his head cushioned on his arm.
Wesley studied Gunn's face for a while, unwilling to close his eyes.
Slowly, he slid his hand out across the bed until it beside the edge of the mattress.
Gunn looked back at him, and then, just as slowly, reached out and put his hand over Wesley's. Gunn's hand was warm and solid, reassuring. Wesley thought he wouldn't mind staying right where he was forever.
To be continued, hopefully
Part 1
Part 2
Wesley woke up to another coughing fit and rolled onto his side instinctively, holding onto the edge of the mattress like a lifeline even in his half-sleep.
"Take it easy."
It wasn't Angel's voice, but it was soothing, and Wesley let it wash over him as he coughed so violently that it felt as if he might bring up a lung. By the time it was over, he was gasping for air, his lips numb from lack of oxygen.
"Easy," Gunn said, as Wesley finally managed to take a breath that didn't seize up into a fresh round of coughing. "There you go. Easy."
Wesley opened his eyes and looked at Gunn, sitting forward in the chair Angel had been in earlier. There were a few feet between them -- enough so that Wesley didn't feel immediately uncomfortable, but not enough so that he couldn't see Gunn clearly. Gunn's skin glowed, his eyes were dark and sympathetic, and Wesley blinked and swallowed, taking another shaky breath.
"Don't try to talk," Gunn said, just as Wesley was about to do so. "Just breathe. The talking can wait." Unsure that it could, Wesley just looked at Gunn some more, until finally Gunn shifted back in the chair again. "Let me guess; you want to know what's what."
Wesley nodded, doing as Gunn had said and concentrating on keeping his breathing steady. It still rattled in his chest disturbingly, but he already felt better than he had before. Before. He didn't know how long that had been.
"You've been asleep for about... huh, six hours," Gunn said, glancing at a chunky wristwatch that Wesley couldn't remember. "The cough's pneumonia. Guess you probably knew that though."
Again, Wesley nodded. The diagnosis wasn't a surprise, although he hadn't been able to put a name to it -- it seemed that some of his vocabulary had deteriorated from lack of use. He hoped it would come back.
"The doc says the antibiotics will knock it right out; you don't have to worry about that." Gunn was very nearly staring at Wesley, studying him, as though he were infinitely interesting. It made Wesley wonder how he looked. "But yeah, I'm sure you know the rest. Malnutrition, dehydration. And you're underweight. We'll have to feed you up good."
Wesley smiled faintly at that, and his stomach, apparently responding to the idea, grumbled.
"I could get you something," Gunn said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.
"No," Wesley said. His voice cracked on the word, and he cleared his throat. "In a little while."
Gunn relaxed again, his thighs falling slightly apart. "Okay. Um, let's see, what else?" He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, and Wesley noted for the first time how tired he looked. "Not all that much has changed. We had a case about, hm, eight months ago that paid pretty well, so we're doing okay. Fred's still here. Cordy's..." Gunn frowned at Wesley's expression. "Fred? Studying to be a physicist? She was trapped in Pylea for years. She came back with us. Skinny girl, big eyes?"
Oh. Now he remembered. "Apple," Wesley said, pointing to his throat.
"What? Oh, right. Yeah, that's her." Gunn watched as Wesley began to cough again, then got up and poured some water into a glass, offering it to Wesley as the worst of the attack passed.
Cautiously, Wesley reached out and took the glass, his fingers brushing against Gunn's. He remembered... something. It was gone.
"Gotta keep drinking," Gunn said. "That nurse Angel hired wasn't too happy about leaving you without the IV."
Wesley had forgotten that, as well. He glanced down at the back of his hand and saw the blood-stained bandage he had applied himself, then sipped at the water. It was cool, and it didn't take long for him to drink the entire thing, although by the time he had, his stomach felt swollen and he was no longer hungry. He felt as if he wanted to say something, to thank Gunn for not having given up on him, but the simple act of drinking a glass of water had exhausted him and he lay back against the pillows.
Gunn seemed to understand. "It's okay -- go on back to sleep. I'll be here."
Having no choice in the matter, Wesley slept.
It continued on like that for the next while; Wesley would wake up long enough to drink some water, to be soothed by the gentle, familiar sound of Gunn's voice, and then he'd sleep again. At one point when he woke the room was dark, but he opened his eyes and could see Gunn still sitting there, dozing in the chair. He wondered briefly if Gunn shouldn't be sleeping somewhere more comfortable, but before he could do anything else, he fell back asleep.
In the morning, with sunshine filtering in through the windows, Wesley woke to the smell of eggs and toast and the sound of Gunn shutting the door. The realization that it had been opened while he slept and he hadn't known set Wesley's heart to pounding, and he struggled to a sitting position.
"Hey," Gunn said, stopping where he was, halfway between the door and the bed, holding a tray. Then, more softly, "Hey."
Wesley nodded and forced himself to relax. His chest ached.
"Sorry," Gunn said, coming closer without making any sudden movements.
"I may be... a bit on edge," Wesley said hoarsely.
"Yeah, I get that." Gunn gestured with the tray. "It okay if I put this down?"
Shifting backward into a more comfortable position on the bed, Wesley patted the mattress beside his thigh. His hand was the only part of him that trembled visibly as Gunn came over and put the tray down, then backed up and sat in the chair.
The food smelled wonderful. "You didn't have to sleep here," Wesley said, picking up a triangle of carefully buttered toast and taking a small bite from it.
"I wanted to," Gunn said. "Well, okay, I didn't want to want to. Does that make me sound like Cordy?" The frown on his face was familiar in a way that made Wesley relax as he chewed. There were more pills to take, he noted, and swallowed them with a mouthful of what he suspected was freshly squeezed orange juice.
"I was glad," Wesley said. "That you were here." It seemed like rather a lot to admit to.
"Good." Gunn looked pleased as he watched Wesley eat.
He didn't manage much more than he had at the previous meal, but he could tell how badly he'd needed the food, and the last thing he wanted was to overdo it. The thought of being ill from eating too much too quickly was nearly terrifying.
"Doc said you'll probably sleep a lot for the next few days, while you're healing," Gunn said. It sounded an absurdly optimistic theory to Wesley, who felt shattered, as if he'd never be the person he'd been. Gunn got up and took the tray away, setting it on a table that was over near the wall. "There anything you need? Or want?"
Wesley began to shake his head slightly, then paused.
"What?" Gunn said. "You name it, I'll get it."
"Glasses?" Wesley requested, pointing to his eye. He wondered if he'd continue to do things like that -- make unnecessary gestures to clarify words that required no clarification.
Gunn seemed neither surprised nor offended. "Yeah -- Cordy tracked down your prescription and they're supposed to be done by tomorrow." Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I don't know and I don't ask. Sometimes it's just better to let women do their thing and not get too involved, you know?"
"Thank you," Wesley said, because he needed to say it.
"Hey," Gunn said, sitting down again. "I'm just glad you're back." He hitched his chair forward slightly as Wesley rearranged himself on the bed, lying on his side with his head cushioned on his arm.
Wesley studied Gunn's face for a while, unwilling to close his eyes.
Slowly, he slid his hand out across the bed until it beside the edge of the mattress.
Gunn looked back at him, and then, just as slowly, reached out and put his hand over Wesley's. Gunn's hand was warm and solid, reassuring. Wesley thought he wouldn't mind staying right where he was forever.
To be continued, hopefully
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 02:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:52 pm (UTC)*Snuggles*
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Date: 2005-04-14 02:52 am (UTC)**hugs**
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Date: 2005-04-14 11:52 pm (UTC)Thanks, honey.
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Date: 2005-04-14 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:53 pm (UTC)Thanks.
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Date: 2005-04-14 03:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 03:35 am (UTC)Seriously, this was just so sweet and beautiful and I am SO rediscovering my not-quite-lost Gunn/Wesley love!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:53 pm (UTC)*Smooches*
no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 05:00 am (UTC)...Hmm, a new OTP?
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Date: 2005-04-14 11:54 pm (UTC)Thanks.
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Date: 2005-04-14 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 06:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 07:29 am (UTC)Poor Wes. He's got a lot to cope with. We glasses wearing people always risk that extra difficulty - like when we kneel on them when we are looking for them - doh! ::sigh::
Thanks hon.
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Date: 2005-04-14 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:59 pm (UTC)Thanks. :-)
no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 05:10 pm (UTC)That was really sweet. Lovely how they all seem to understand Wes needs to build things back up slowly.... *everything*. No Cordy barging in and demanding he be better or Fred babbling at him or any such thing that would be too much in his current physical/mental condition. Just taking very good care of him.
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Date: 2005-04-15 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 05:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 05:29 pm (UTC)Poor Wes. He's doing a bit better, though, and that's good, and I'm glad Gunn is there.
Yay, more!
:)
no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 05:47 pm (UTC)And- yep. Still lots of angst.
I love.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 11:15 pm (UTC)but it's so beautiful that i've got to keep reading anyway.
poor wes.
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Date: 2005-04-15 12:03 am (UTC)Thanks. :-)
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Date: 2005-04-15 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 12:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 02:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-15 11:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-18 01:39 am (UTC)I love all the h/c you have going on here, as well as all the small, caring gestures from everyone, like Cordy tracking Wesley's glasses prescriptions, and how they all spent more than a year looking for him. I really like where this is going, and hope you continue it soon.
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Date: 2005-04-18 03:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-18 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-19 01:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-28 10:21 pm (UTC)Just gorgeous, the part with Wes just watching Gunn, their hands meeting, and Gunn being so careful, so wary, so soothing. Aww! I appreciate that Wesley feels this instinctive safeness with him -- it makes more sense in the timeline than with Angel (though I'll admit that I was waving my Angel/Wes flag through most of part one *g*)
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Date: 2005-04-28 11:19 pm (UTC)Thank you!