Title: Lullaby
Author: OpheliacAngel
Pairing: Eddie/Coop
Genres: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Rating: Mature
Summary: Eddie figures now's as good a time as any.
A/N: Hope the point of view switches aren't annoying. Rated for language.
"Easy, babe," Eddie coos. "Easy."
They're on the fucking freezing tile floor in the kitchen, but Eddie's got other things to worry about than how cold the tile is even if Coop's shivering in his arms. At least it's better than the filthy carpet in the living room until either of them have the time to get it ripped out. At least it's better than getting rug burn on his ass and the undersides of his legs.
Eddie puts a hand on Coop's jaw because his boyfriend's teeth are chattering ridiculously loudly and it sounds painful and Eddie don't know what the fuck else to do.
Coop's immune system has been weak lately since the flu from hell, and accompanied by pneumonia meant the last week hasn't been pretty. Even though Coop's been over it for the past few days, unfortunately he's still been susceptible to hypothermia, and no amount of ridiculous yet wishful finger crossing on Eddie's part could have changed that.
Eddie doesn't know how long Coop was in the shower before he came home from his shift, subject to freezing cold water no less. It scares him how much the doctor's been spacing out lately. Coop was trembling violently as Eddie reached around him to turn the water off, and even when he gathered his boyfriend into his arms he had looked up at Eddie numbly for a good five minutes before he even registered that it was him. Talk about scaring the shit out of him.
Then there was his boyfriend's uncoordinated body and pliant though still heavy limbs and Eddie trying to carry him out of the shower while also making sure he didn't hit his head on anything and also trying to get Coop to respond to his prodding and the sound of his voice and his pleading that must have only relayed how he was freaking the fuck out.
They made it to the kitchen before Eddie couldn't guarantee being able to take his weight anymore, and the tile had been cold then and still is now but it's much better than the carpet. At least there's towels in the kitchen, just small ones.
"Did you just...," Coop stutters and breaks off, face scrunching up in pain and eyes squeezing shut. Eddie would almost think about how adorable Coop looks, so young and pretty, eyelashes brushing daintily against his pale cheeks like black ink on white canvas, but Eddie's one of those guys that overreacts and tends to hover when someone he loves is in pain, wishing he could take it from them. So no, he's not gonna think about how adorable Coop looks, 'cause that would be cruel. Instead, he focuses on how the pain is a good sign: it means that feeling is coming back to him. It means Coop's fingers and toes are starting to tingle and wake back up, means he's almost out of the danger zone. Still, Eddie called All Saints more for his own peace of mind than anything else. "Did you just call me babe?"
Coop marvels at Eddie's ability to act like absolutely nothing is wrong. He figures Eddie's silently having a heart attack right now, or at least almost did when he found him even if Coop can't remember much of anything. He recalls being in the shower and then… blank, and he knows how dangerous that is.
"Believe I did," Eddie retorts, and Coop can see his blinding grin even with his eyes closed. He sighs, though it probably comes out as more of a whimper with his teeth chattering, and he sinks back against the pharmacist, relying on Eddie to deal with ambulance and hospital stuff. God, he thinks, I'm in that damn hospital almost twenty-four seven and on my day off I can't even catch a break. Eddie's hand squeezes his shoulder and the other runs through his water-soaked hair. Eddie towel-dried it earlier but then gave up when Coop couldn't stand the feel of the material against his forehead. Too grating. He had just wanted Eddie's hands. Eddie presses a kiss to Coop's forehead like it's just a normal day off and they're snuggling in bed or on the couch together, except that this time Eddie not only pulls him closer but presses his cheek against the side of Coop's head, breathing him in like Coop's a lot worse off. "You want me to start singing you a lullaby too?"
Coop shrugs, trying to breathe through the pain. His fingertips are sparking back to life, like little bolts of lightning are coursing through them. The doctor would almost be able to ignore it if shards of glass weren't erupting in his chest, turning him into a human pincushion. God, this sucks. "Might be nice," he offers, playing along. He doesn't know whether Eddie's hell-bent on singing or if he's just joking around for his sake, but it's too late to find out now. Eddie's too good of a guy, too good of a boyfriend to back out now.
Eddie pops something in his mouth and Coop knows it's a lifesaver because he immediately breathes in the familiar, permeating scent of grape. Eddie's been known to suck on them lately in times of high-stress, teeth annoyingly clacking against the candy, fervently when Coop points out he's likely to break his teeth if he keeps doing that, to which Eddie responds that he's not dating a dentist. Coop knows a little about Eddie taking pills, or at least that he used to take pills, though he honestly doesn't think the candy is a substitute for them.
"Nah," Eddie opens his mouth and Coop breathes in. The smell of the candy helps ground him and almost lets him pretend that everything's normal. "Think I'm gonna have to give you a rain check on that one."
Coop doesn't mind. He just kinda wants Eddie to keep talking. "Hold you to that." He licks his bottom and winces. "Ed?"
"Yeah, Fitch?"
Coop's heart swells at the name. He hates it unless Eddie's using it, but it's really rare for him to do so. "God, you're just full of surprises today, aren't ya?"
The pharmacist grins, teeth clacking against the candy for a good few seconds. That sound is familiar too and Coop really doesn't want him to stop. Still, Coop's about to chastise him just because he can, but Eddie shifts against him and Coop stays quiet and waits. He doesn't have to wait long. "Marry me, beautiful?" Eddie doesn't call him much by that either.
Something seems to snap in Coop and he starts shivering uncontrollably. Eddie holds him tight, trying to give him an anchor for the pain, trying to prevent his limbs from moving as much as possible because Eddie just knows he is gonna be sore for the next few days. Eddie knows Coop's not going to be able to get out of bed and so he'll make up for it by fighting with Eddie on taking the pain pills that Eddie absolutely knows beyond a fucking doubt that he'll need, not to mention the muscle relaxants that Eddie will advise him to take alternately.
Eddie almost forgets about the whole marriage thing he just offered because Coop's in fucking pain and he can't do anything about it. Pretty much forgets until Coop squeaks out all breathy like: "Yeah."
He almost forgets he has the damn life saver in his mouth and clamps down. Luckily, it's on the other side of his mouth. "Yeah?"
Coop's hand is trembling just as much as the whole rest of his body is, but miraculously he somehow holds it up and splays out his fingers as if the ring's already there. "Yeah," Coop repeats, and he's not the only one who's smiling.
Eddie's chest is tied up in knots for more than one reason then. "We'll pick out the flowers when you're feeling better." Funny, but that's the first thing they do pick out. After the rings, of course.
He ends up singing Coop that lullaby before the ambulance comes, just 'cause.
FIN