August

Neal woke up to a beam of sun shining in the door of his bedroom. Elizabeth was snuggled up to him, her arm across his belly, her head on his shoulder. He needed to pee, so he very gently displaced her. He sat up, with a little grunt. It wasn't getting any easier, that was for sure. He gently tucked the covers back against El's side. She settled in, with a soft sigh.

He pushed himself up using both hands on the night side table, and shuffled to the bathroom. Peter was already in there, in pajama pants but no shirt, brushing his teeth. Neal walked up behind him, put his arms around Peter from behind, and pressed his nose and lips into the curve where Peter's shoulder and neck met.

Peter spit in the sink, and then said warmly, "good morning, Neal. El still asleep?"

Neal nodded into him, Peter's body a solid warm pillar in front of him, Peter's breathing slower than his, which he found himself unconsciously matching.

He let go and used the bathroom. He pushed up on the toilet paper dispenser and the wall, glad Peter was now focused on flossing and not watching how stiff and difficult the process was.

He washed his hands, and then brushed his teeth as well, rinsed out his mouth, one hand on the counter through all of it, holding as much weight as his arm would support, which wasn't as much as it used to be.

Peter, done flossing, stood behind him, wrapped his arms around Neal's waist, and kissed him up his neck, jaw, cheek. As he did that, he pulled both of them back a bit, so that Neal leaned against him, and Peter took some of his weight.

Neal put the toothbrush away and closed his eyes, laying his head back against Peter's shoulder, relaxing into Peter's affection.