Enrico was left alone, with only the hollow darkness and his demented mind to accompany him in the void that was his office. After his wooden doors had shut the only sound in his ears was his own heavy panting as he leaned on his desk, and a smile crept onto his face. He was gone, he was gone and he had gotten him to leave.
A strong feeling of power swept through him and he laughed, loud and powerful. That whole evening he had felt weak, powerless against the world that hated him but now he was reminded of all the clout he held. Only he could command the strongest man in Iscariot, no, the world, and held that leash with pride.
After a few minutes of his solitary celebration he quieted, his laughter subsiding as the room's darkness came back into view.
How empty it was.
And cold.
And quiet.
Where there were only moments ago joy there was now fear, flooding his mind as the realization of what he had done sank in.
"Anderson?"
The echo of his whimper was his only response, and that was when the loneliness suddenly crashed inwards upon him.
His skin turned icy, freezing cold even as he hugged himself with his one good arm and sank to the ground, the tears streaming down his face the only source of heat felt on his skin.
"Alex!" He cried out in vain to the empty room, wishing that through the force of his words alone his only source of love and comfort would reappear.
"Come back! Please! I don't want to be here, not without you!"
Sobs wracked his body, choking on his own cries as he hugged his knees to himself, desperately needing the heat he seemed to be unable to generate. The thought of Anderson warming him, holding him made his cries escalate and ring in his own ears. At that moment those sounds of despair were the only sounds that existed in his dark cage.
Suddenly, in a cruel answer to his desires for warmth an agonizing tore through his hand and up his arm, rending his body in it's onslaught of pain and reducing the already broken man to a writhing, screaming mess upon the floor.
His shoulders burned, his neck stung and ripped further with each turn of his head, and his shattered hand felt as if it were filled with pieces of broken glass, cutting and slicing at him from the inside. And all of this pain had fallen upon him like wave in the time span of a second.
"Hahhh! Hah! Anderson! Anderson! Aiuto! Ah!" His chest heaved and shook as he gasped like a fish desperate for water, his wide fear-filled eyes staring helplessly up at the painted ceiling.
"I need you! I need you…."
His body fell lax, helpless and vulnerable on the floor as he piteously clutched his searing arm, sobbing quietly as he gave in to the pain and regret consuming him.
"I need you."
With time cries faded to whimpers as he lay there, defeated, with the tremendous weight of all of his life's pain and fears pressing on his chest like a boulder. Now more than ever did he crave his guardian's soothing, reassuring words that could remove any rock and toss it far into the distant sea. He ached to feel the solid rumble of his chest and strength of his arms, the tender kisses to his face, as he was held close in his arms.
"Ef ye need meh, plaze coom tae meh. Ah luv ye Enrico."
"Anderson!" Sitting up Enrico looked around the room madly, searching for the voice he heard.
There was still nothing. He was still alone. The voice had been only in his mind taunting him.
Or reminding him.
"Yes, yes I can go to him!" a surge of hope rose in his heart as he began the arduous climb upwards, pulling himself up by a single arm to regain his footing.
"Don't be stupid, why would he want to help lest be around someone like you. You're disgusting, undeserving of being in his presence."
The breath hitched in his throat and wouldn't become loose. He couldn't breathe, the pain from the truths the voice spoke freezing his windpipe and making him fall to his knees, rasping for air as his sight went hazy.
"I-" Another wheeze, his body protesting as with a burst of renewed vigor he forced his windpipe to open. "I know." He landed his hand on the desk and gripped it with eagle's talons and clawed upwards, the breath returning to him as he stood up as straight as he could manage.
The next few moments he spent just breathing, focusing on the rush of cool air into and out of his lungs, and staring at the door. It was so far away.
"But I need him, he'll understand."
Anderson was sitting on the side of his bed, his face buried in his hands as he cursed himself over and over again and repeating the events of that night constantly in his head as he searched for a way, any way he could have fixed it.
"Ah shuid 'ave never left. Ah left 'im. Why did Ah leave?"
He knew the answer to that of course, but it was so painful to remind himself of the harm he had caused, both physically and mentally.
It had all started out as another regular evening, there had been no indicator of Enrico falling so far when they had met earlier that day. The man had been quite pleasant, smiling and greeting him with two pecks on both cheeks and tugging him along to a private room, just for the purpose of asking him if he would like to join him that evening.
It was obvious the answer Anderson had given, otherwise he would not be sitting here in anguish at the knowledge that his ward was in trouble, but was helpless to stop it.
Was it because he had arrived late? Unforeseen circumstances had held him up, and he had ended up arriving hours past the arranged meeting time. He had been expecting an angry chiding when he walked into that door, not slurred words and a manic grin.
It seemed that lately he had been seeing that face more than before. The had breakdowns been coming more frequently lately, and the guilt from knowing that he still couldn't do anything about them ripped at his heart.
He felt stuck, feeling as if his presence had further unraveled the man than he would have been if Anderson hadn't come at all, but he was hurt, in even in ways not visible to the human eye.
Looking around the room, he began to wish he had his modest abode back at the orphanage instead of the uncomfortably large room he was given at the headquarters. The vast space had become oppressing and bleak, making everything feel so much colder than it should be.
His heart froze, not because of the cold, but because he had heard the best sound he had heard all evening.
The bed creaked loudly as Anderson leapt from it and rushed to the door, towards the loud, uneven knocks that he recognized from experience.
His arms were wide open before the door had completed his course, accepting the crying, shaking figure lovingly into his arms.
"Shhh, shhh et's alricht noo, et's alricht. Ah got ye mah dove."
He scooped Enrico up into his arms, feeling a mix of relief and sorrow when he felt the man's golden head tuck under chin and the tears falling onto his skin. A shaky hand clung desperately to the lapels of his cassock as Anderson made his way to his bathroom, trying to be brisk but the sharp cries of pain that erupted from Enrico's lips as his shattered hand was jostled made the short trip painfully long.
"AhAHH!" Enrico's face scrunched up in pain as Anderson kicked the bathroom door open, twisting his hand in the cloth of the man's cassock further when the soft petting of his hair and whispered comforts did nothing to numb his panicking nerves.
"Ah ken, Ah ken et hurts boot Ah'm going tae make et better, et'll beh alricht mah luv. Ah got ye."
He continued to stroke the tarnished gold hair as he placed his precious bundle gently on the ground, leaning him up against the wall and giving him a kiss to his brow before going off to fetch supplies. As he searched his cabinets for the required items he heard gasping whimpers of longing behind him.
"A-a, Anderson, don't go."
Enrico's body had begun to tilt with his head lolling loosely onto his shoulder, too weak to straighten back up and threatening to send the man falling onto his side. The only strength that Anderson could see the man still possessing was the weak grasp he had on his injured arm.
"Ah'm not going anywhere. Dinnae ye waerry." Anderson swooped down to his knees right in front of his patient, wiping the sweat from the man's brow with a cool cloth. "Onlae ae cruel man wuid leave ye en sooch distress."
"Then you are the world's only good man."
Taken aback by Enrico's sudden ability to form clear words he halted, frowning with concern as he saw how pale and sickly his skin was, how his determined eyes were now unfocused and blind with pain.
"Tha's not true."
"Yes it is."
Anderson quickly caught the man before he fell, wincing at the raspy softness of the man's voice. This was not the time for lectures.
"Ah'm going tae look at yer cut, Ah'm joos' going tae tilt yer head oop ae bit…"
"AH!"
"O God, Ah'm saerry, Ah'll try tae beh doon as quick as possible. Hold on fer meh Enrico."
The movement split open the raw wound, exposing the slick, red flesh in a bright sickening display, with crusty splotches of dried blood splattered around it. The cut had widened and grown significantly, now forming a gruesome necklace around the front of Enrico's delicate throat.
"Noo this will sting, hang en there." Letting the man's head lean into his palm he poured the disinfectant onto a cloth lying on the floor and picked it up, hesitating briefly before softly dabbing the bleeding wound. Enrico gasped sharply and jerked as the sharp stings assaulted him. Anderson could only whisper more soft words of encouragement and stroke his head with the thumb of his bracing hand as he continued his cleaning.
"There weh gae, ye did great, everythang's painless froom 'ere on oot. Ye're going tae beh fine."
Enrico just groaned, the Adam's apple on his neck jerking up and down as he struggled for air. Anderson gave him another kiss and a pet to his hair before grabbing the gauze and bandages, pressing the man's head back into the wall with the utmost care.
"Last thang, then weh can take care o everything else, aye?" Anderson smile weakly for reassurance, but it went unnoticed as the sick man muttered and lolled his head about.
With the movement holding the gauze steady was difficult work, but after a few tries he managed to wrap the tape securely about Enrico's lithe neck, tying them up with only enough pressure to hold the gauze against the skin. With his breathing already so labored, avoiding restraining it further was of utmost importance.
"Es tha' alricht?" Anderson stroked a clammy cheek to get his love's attention.
"Ughmm."
Anderson's answer was in form of an unintelligible groan and a limp nod of the head.
"Tha's great, wonderful. Hehehe." Anderson's laughs were only born of his own growing unease. Enrico's condition was worsening by the minute, more luster and life draining from his face as more time passed. A dangerous excess of alcohol, an unsteady mind, and serious injuries had created one of the rare moments where Anderson doubted his ability to take the pains away.
And a mangled hand still hung loosely at the man's side, twitching with each painful jolt.
"Enrico. Enrico look at meh." He steadied his head to look him in his eyes, despite the way they rolled away every second. "Ye're extremely hurt, ahn Ah dinnae think Ah can care fer ye properly. Ah'm going tae get th' doctors, they'll beh able tae help ye better than Ah can."
"N-No!" Enrico jumped to life in an instant, tears rolling from his terrified eyes as he clung to his only protector helplessly. "Don't leave me don't leave me Anderson! Don't go away!"
"Ah'm not going anywhere Ah'll beh wit ye."
"No I want to be with you! Only you! Don't give me away!"
Anderson felt what little resolve he had slip away when Enrico fell forward and burrowed into his chest shaking and crying. He sighed, admittedly feeling relief at his ward's eagerness to stay. Despite his reservations about his own abilities, to be able to tend to Enrico personally would always take eight off his chest. It was one of the very few selfish tendencies he had. With long, smooth strokes he rubbed his love's back and neck warmly, feeling the shivers subside a bit from his touch.
"Ah'd never dae tha', ye're mah honeyswate, ahn sae dear tae meh heart. Ah wis onlae talkin' aboot doctors Enrico."
"Don't go."
"Ah'm not, ahn yer not either."
For the first time that night Anderson felt the tightness in his chest slacken as the body against him relaxed.
"There weh gae, et's alricht. Noo Ah'm going tae gae-"
A sharp whine interrupted him.
"Shhh, not tha' way, joos' th' other room luv. Going tae get something tae make ae sling fer ye. Ah'll beh close, Ah won't leave ye."
He settled Enrico back against the wall, feeling his chest tighten again as he pried off the hand still clutching at his cassock weakly. In his mind he swore that removing his lover's hand took more strength and effort than disentangling himself from a demon's claws. The pained whispers and whimpers didn't help as well.
"Plaze, Ah'll joos' beh ae minute."
He rushed out the door, heading straight for his linen closet to search for an appropriate cloth. He couldn't set the hand. He could set arms and legs, perfecting this skill after years of aiding his compatriots on the battlefield, but hands were different, delicate and intricate. He didn't dare attempt it, especially with a hand that was so important to him. The thought of permanently damaging his dove was too horrible to imagine.
Just as he found the perfectly sized piece, he heard crashes from the bathroom, and rushed back over.
"Enrico! Enrico aur ye alri-"
He came in just in time to see Enrico vomit the alcohol-filled contents of his stomach out into the toilet he was hunched over, each retch sending rending waves of spasms throughout his body.
Anderson was at his side in mere moments.
"Ah got ye, Ah'm 'ere, et'll beh okay joos' let et all oot, yer okay."
He could only hold his lover's long dirtied locks back and hold him up, taking some of the stress off of the man's one usable arm as he was subjected to endless waves of great, body shaking heaves.
Anderson kissed his tarnished crown and never stopped his litany of tender words, wanting to let Enrico know that he was right there, touching and speaking to him.
The breaks from Enrico's anguish were rare and brief, only long enough to allow him a few loud gasping breaths before being hurtled back into a swirling world of stinging bile and nausea.
"Et'll beh over soon, Ah proomise."
With a last mighty heave the vomiting subsided and Enrico took a drowning breath, his lungs burning for air.
"Breathe Enrico breathe, git th' air flowing."
When the exhausted body fell back into him Anderson was on the floor immediately and cradling the exhausted man as he broke out in tears against his chest.
Anderson knew better than to make a deal out of the tears soaking his shirt. There was no gain in reminding the proud man of the weak state he was now in.
So Anderson remained silent, offering his love and sympathy through tender kisses and warm caresses.
It was strangely peaceful to just sit and hold him, and he hoped with all his heart that calmness and love would soak through his pores and into his endlessly plagued victim. He rocked back and forth while humming a quiet tune; taking special care to the injured arm and supporting it carefully to keep it steady, not wanting any extra pain to befall his Enrico.
He still shook and cried from his pains, but the flow of tears had started to slowly subside, leaving only the soaked area of Anderson's shirt as evidence that they existed in the first place.
"Enrico. Ah need tae fix yer arm oop." Indeed he did, and when he though about it that should have been the first thing to be attended to but there was no room for hindsight. "Ah'm going tae put ye doon, can ye sit oop by yerself?"
Another weak nod, and Anderson began the careful process of lifting him up and sitting him upright.
Damn, unless Enrico was going to be stuck in a shirt stained with a variety of bodily fluids he'd have to remove it before the sling was cast.
He began to work on the buttons to the no-longer-white shirt carefully, fumbling with the tiny, slick buttons a bit due to his large fingers. Enrico let out a confused noise as his shirt was opened, to which Anderson immediately responded.
"Shhhh, Ah mean nothang by et, Ah joos' need tae git et off. Dinnae want ye stuck en et all night aye?" He gave a reassuring smile as he lifted the good arm up first, sliding it off gently with his face creased in concentration. One down, one to go.
"This will hurt Enrico, Ah'll tae beh as careful as Ah can boot et'll hurt."
Enrico whimpered as his other arm was lifted to which Anderson soothed away with a kiss. Everything was going smoothly until the sleeve reached the hand. The instant the fabric began pulling over the battered flesh Enrico screamed, crying out endless messes of Italian words that Anderson just didn't have the focus to translate, all of his attentions turned to removing that damned shirt as quickly as possible. Hearing the panicked, agonized cries of his companion made him want to pull away and give up the endeavor all together.
"Et's okay, et's okay, Ah'm almoost doon ye're alricht, this es th' last thang ahn then et's all over…"
After a few more brutally long moments the sleeve was off and the shirt slipped to the floor unheeded, and a sling was already being fashioned.
"See? We're doon, we're doon, ye won't 'ave tae feel tha' ever again."
Anderson continued to whisper to the patient still reeling from the aftershocks of the ordeal in calm, steady tones as he wrapped the sheet around him. Getting the arm in the sling was simple and relatively painless, with only a small gasp of shock as the hand was finally laid to rest on the cloth. Another cloth was wrapped around the man's body, tightening the binds against the man for extra stability.
A relieved sigh left Enrico's lips and his muscles relaxed, finally given some respite. The relief was contagious and Anderson felt a flood of his own wash over him. Bringing an arm over his brow he was shocked to see that he had been sweating rather profusely this whole time. He hadn't even felt it.
His attention snapped back to his ward as he heard the man moan, and the relief faded away. The pale face was obviously feverish, and the simple act of placing his hand against the man's quivering forehead confirmed his suspicions, hot to the touch yet with the body shaking as if it were cold.
He frowned, knowing there was little he could do about whatever was ailing the man except continuing the aid he was giving now. They just had to make it till morning…
"How aboot Ah fix ye oop ae leetle hm?" Putting on his best attempt at an optimistic face and tone he looked over Enrico one more time before heading over to the counter, picking up a hairbrush and a couple of wet cloths.
"Here weh gae, this will beh mooch better than everything else aye?"
Bracing Enrico's head he dabbed the cloth gingerly at the man's heated brow, getting him used to the cool stimulus before softly wiping away the grime of the night.
After a small gasp of initial surprise Enrico leaned into the touch, seeking the feel of the cold cloth that was being so carefully administered by his faithful companion. He crooned soft dulcet noises of approval and tried to move closer his comfort giver, even as unsteady as he was. It wasn't long before he threatened to fall once again.
"Ah! Enrico!" Anderson ceased his caresses to the toppling man, yet only received a whine of disproval from the rescued.
He sighed with a small smile. "Aye, Ah'm glad ye loch this." Enrico had his wish fulfilled and was pulled closer, being set down in the Anderson's wide lap. "This moor comfortable?"
"Mmhrm." Exhausted, there was a solid thump as Enrico's head fell up against Anderson's chest like a falling rock, no longer needing to expend any effort in supporting himself up any longer. Cloudy blue eyes were lulled to close as the blunted spikes of the brush were combed through his hair.
It had become a tangled mess, full of knots and mats that Anderson had to work on one at a time with the utmost gentleness, but the work was one of the most pleasant things he had done all night. He began to hum an unknown tune, long forgotten to the trials of his life but still there, resurfacing for this brief time of peace.
Against his chest he could feel the shaking tremors that had filled him with so much dread beginning to subside. It was if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his heart, so much that tears threatened to fall as he squeezed his beloved closer, kissing anywhere on that sacred head that he could reach.
In his distraction the brush slipped, pulling a knot too tightly and making Enrico gasp with pain.
"Ah! Ah'm saerry joos' give meh ae second." As he frantically tried to untangle the brush he glanced down, and saw the sharp, displeased glare that Enrico had given him countless times before. It stopped Anderson cold, and he smiled. The tears that had been threatening to fall could not be held back, and a few streamed down his face. Enrico's expression changed quickly to one of confusion.
"Nay, et's naethang, gae back tae yer restin'." He gave a lingering kiss to his crown, his fingers caressing the man's face as it's laid itself down on his chest once more with a please sigh.
After a long while of patiently brushing through every tangle Enrico's hair was returned to its normal silky sheen, soft enough that Anderson could run his large fingers through it with ease.
"How does tha' feel?"
"N-n-nice."
"Ye 'ave nae idea how happy that makes meh…." Petting the top of Enrico's head he began to get up, grunting with effort to balance himself on his long legs.
"Let's git ye en bed, maybe git soom sleep, aye?"
Enrico gave a quiet murmur of agreement as Anderson strode over to his bed, and adjusting his bundle lightly, laid Enrico down to rest and pulled the covers over him, but then remembered something.
"O, yer shoes aur still on, let meh git those." He kneeled at the bedside, pulling back the covers and untying the laces to the leather boots deftly. United, he took them off and placed them neatly on the floor, lining them up perfectly side-by-side.
"There weh aur. Ah'll join ye en ae moment, joos' going tae git ready mahself."
Even with his reassurances Enrico still gasped and turned wide-eyed towards the man that was getting farther and farther away, almost falling out of the bed in his attempt to follow.
"Anderson!"
"Whit-Enrico!" Anderson sprinted back, catching his ward before he fell too far and settled him back against the pillows. "Dinnae dae tha' ye'll hurt yerself. Ah dinnae want anything else tae happen tae ye." He leaned down, letting Enrico clutch at him tightly as he soothed the frantic man with gentle words and kisses. "Ah'm joos' going tae beh ae leetle ways away, ye'll see meh plainly ahn Ah'll onlae beh ae moment." With a final kiss he got up slowly, continually watching Enrico as he walked away, making sure that he didn't jump out like he almost did before.
Enrico never took his eyes from Anderson as well, watching him like a hawk with fear still in his eyes.
Glancing back every so often Anderson shed his cassock and laid it on a nearby chair, loosening his collar, undoing buttons, an removing his shoes, placing them on the ground in the exact way as Enrico's.
"See? Still here." He chuckled as he got into bed, pulling the covers over the tow of them and making sure to tuck Enrico in a bit. In an instant Enrico had latched on to the large source or warmth and comfort beside him before he had even a chance to lay down, holding on as best he could with his single arm.
"Hey noo, hehe. Give meh ae moment. Let meh give ye soomthang better." Snaking an arm underneath the clingy man he cradled him close to him, laying him down against his chest. "Better, aye?"
Enrico cooed in pleasure when Anderson began to rub his back in firm, smooth circles, the feel of rough skin proving to be welcome, relaxing sensation against the exposed skin of his back. He's was still sweaty, his breathing was still raspy, and the grip of the hand clutching at his chest was weak, but Enrico was there, and laying on Anderson's shoulder with a look of calm on his features.
The night was winding down, and the muted light of the moon wafted over the two figures cuddled close together under the thin sheets. The silver light glided down Enrico's golden hair in waves as Anderson's hand continuously stroked it, soothing away from the locks all signs of the night's terror. Never once did Anderson's touch ever leave his sleeping prince, and neither did his eyes, cradling him in the warmth of his arms as he keep his silent vigil for the rest of the night. Despite the rigors and trials, the mental exhaustion and the fright, in his limbs Anderson felt no fatigue, and in his eyes no desire to let them close. If anything else were to happen that night, if Enrico's condition was to worsen in any way, Anderson was determined to be there.
He promised to his companion that he would stay, and that was exactly what he planned to do.