Fandom: The Eagle- AU.
Title: Young Blood: Itfs a Long Road to Recovery
Rated M: For potty mouths, implied sexual goings-on, nasty habits, etc.
Warnings: The usual stuff.
Disclaimer: Marcus and Esca and Cub and Uncle belong to Rosemary Sutcliffe. The abuse of these belong to me.
Notes:Occurs a couple years after the events of YB, perhaps a year after Cub moves in with Marcus and Esca. It's mentioned here, but not in the original Young Blood piece, but Marcus was in the military a couple of years before he went to vet school- got injured, had to choose another career.


Slip Up- Day 4

The third day passed without incident. Esca made it through without his nicotine fix. And Marcus took special pains to draw out their oral reward session that night.

Unfortunately, the fourth day was just hell on earth. And Marcus caught Esca lighting up a fag behind the dented dumpster. The struggle that followed was epic. And left them both with burns.

Back home, things aren't much better. After separating an arguing Cub and Esca for the sixth time since dinner, Marcus sits on the couch and watches Cub huff off to his room while Esca storms around downstairs. His hands cannot remain still for even a second. Pulling on his hair. Clenching in his shirt. Scratching the insides of his jean pockets. The back of Esca's neck is also scratched raw. The cough is deeper, frame racking. Marcus flinches with each explosion of noise and phlegm.

Esca passes by him again, cursing in his hoarse voice. Marcus reaches out, ignores the aggressively protesting hands, and pulls Esca down. Tight against him. The sweat instantly soaks through Marcus' shirt to his chest. Esca struggles, with great strength considering his health, but gives up after a few futile moments. It twists something painful in Marcus' gut, feeling the man's weight pressing lifeless atop him. Weak and beaten. Adjectives Marcus does not normally associate with Esca.

A muffled cough. Esca shakes until it sputters away. Marcus gently combs his fingers through his lover's hair, soothing. Stares at the ceiling hoping for some insight hidden in the swirls of rough plaster. Remembers his own struggle years ago. " I hate that you're miserable."

" Same here." Esca coughs again, pushing his face into Marcus' shirt. He regains his breath after a few seconds, settling back down. Marcus notices the small flinch as Esca accidentally brushes a fresh cigarette burn on his wrist against the embroidered logo on Marcus' shirt. " I remember you like this." Apparently, Esca's thoughts are wandering in the same direction as Marcus' memories. "That one night, at Cottia's."

Marcus remembers it, as well. Much too clearly. Feeling like shit after a PTSD session with his government appointed military therapist, out of the Oxycontin tabs prescribed to him after his last leg surgery, irritated and shaky and ruining the little study session being held at his then-girlfriend's flat. He remembers accidentally breaking a plate between his clenched hands. Cottia holding his wrists while Esca picked the shards of glass from his palms. The scars are faint, but still there. " Wasn't exactly my best night, was it?" He chuffs a little laugh, moving his hand onto Esca's back for more petting. " Suppose I should keep you away from the dishes."

The laughter isn't returned. " I keep thinking about that. How bad it was for you and it makes me feel like a complete git for getting so worked up over this stupid shit." Esca barks out another series of horrible coughs. Gasping, writhing tensely atop Marcus.

Marcus holds his lover through the spasm, feeling useless. " It's not stupid shit, Esca. I mean... I was fucked up for a few months. You've been smoking for nearly a decade." He squeezes the man in his arms once the coughing ceases. " I think you've got the worse of it, mate. And I know it'll take more than just a few days of hummers to get you through it. I know months from now you'll have days where you'd sell your soul for a cig, but," Marcus pushes his face into the messy hair, voice nearly desperate with his need to reassure this man. " But we're going to keep at it, okay? You and me. And eventually you'll get cigarettes out of your system and I'll figure out how to swallow."

He wants Esca to laugh, so much. Remembers his own days of shakes and pains and erratic moods that made him a terror to be around. Remembers Cottia going out of her way to distract him, to lose himself in some pleasure, to make him laugh at her bawdy stories. Remembers Esca helping in her endeavor. " By the holidays I'll be so well trained all I'll have to do is lick my lips and you'll cum!"

There it is. Esca chuckles, snickers and snorts, until his breathing begins to suffer, the beginnings of another coughing fit coming on. Marcus is quick to shush him. Rubs soothing circles over his back.

There won't be any blow jobs tonight, as much as Marcus would love to give one just to see Esca's face light up. But a deal is a deal. And Esca had a cigarette today. Marcus sighs quietly.

Regardless, he's going to take Esca up to their bed soon. Lay his lover on the clean sheets. Stretch out their naked bodies, side by side. And touch Esca so gently. Kiss his lips. Massage behind his ears. Stroke down his spine. Until peaceful sleep takes them both.

And then, tomorrow they will try again.


the end