Consequences

He could hear distant voices, they sounded as if they were coming from underwater and he could depict an urgent note to them. Slowly the voices became more focused and as they cleared his eyes fluttered open and he looked into a bright light that had him scrunching them shut again.

"He's coming to." An unfamiliar voice said to his left.

He tried opening his eyes again, slower this time and this time the light wasn't as bright. A figure moved forward and as his eyes adjusted he could make out the silhouette. It was familiar and he saw a mess of raven black hair. His hand reached out on its own accord toward the figure.

"Ace." He croaked, his voice rough.

"Just lie still, you hit your head pretty hard, sir."

Smoker blinked as the silhouette distorted into the shape of the night security guard at his complex. His hand dropped back down to his side and his eyes burned. It wasn't Ace. It would never be Ace. He shut his eyes again wishing he could go back to the numb oblivion.

-/\-

Despite his many protests Smoker found himself lying in an uncomfortably small hospital bed hooked up to various machines, each one beeping annoying things into the silent room. He had been examined by the ER doctor and it was decided that he should stay overnight in case of a concussion and to rehydrate him. So instead of being home in his bed with new sheets he was in the hospital with an IV pushing clear liquids through his system. Yet through it all his mind refused to focus on anything other than a certain raven-haired troublemaker.

He had just been woken for what seemed like the millionth time that night when he heard the silken voice outside his door. He could have been half-deaf and he swear he would still recognize the seductive, wheedling tone urging the night nurse to let him in. His brain wasn't the only part of his body to recognize the voice. Smoker's heart sped up and he felt a small tingling work its way through his body. There was a sudden silence in the hallway and Smoker didn't want to think about what was happening right then.

"What the hell happened to you?" Smoker barked out in shock as the man entered his room.

"Me? You're the one in the hospital bed taisa." Ace replied with a chuckle.

Smoker stared in shock at the young man standing in front of him. His right eye was slightly puffy and the beginnings of a brilliant shiner were already starting to show. His movements were slightly stiff and Smoker could tell that if the unusual shirt was gone he would see a patchwork of cuts and bruises. Ace moved to the foot of the bed and picked up Smoker's chart, flipping through the pages and nodding to himself.

"Well... I don't understand any of this. What happened?"

Smoker felt like hitting himself in the head. Or perhaps hitting Ace. He glared at the annoyance but Ace just stood there waiting for an explanation.

"I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours." He wheedled.

"The idiot doctors think I am dehydrated and have a concussion."

"Which you stubbornly refuse to believe so why are you here?"

"I just told you brat."

"You said why you are still here. Why did you come here to begin with?"

"I was exercising in the gym and... andIfainted."

"Fainted?"

"..."

Smoker glared murderously at the laughing brat in front of him. He never should have let him come in. He should have beeped the nurse or thrown him out himself. He shouldn't be hearing the guy laugh, he shouldn't be wanting to hold him in his arms and he most certainly should not be opening his mouth and inviting him to lie down with him on the too small bed.

If Ace was surprised at Smoker's request he hid it well, moving over to the bed and settling down beside him. The bed was small and in a movement as natural as breathing Smoker wrapped an arm around the younger man and held him to his side. They just lay there in silence for a minute, the only sound their soft breathing and the steady beeps of the machines. Ace broke the silence a moment later, talking softly into Smoker's chest.

"I got into a bar fight."

Smoker stayed quiet, letting Ace tell him the rest.

"I don't remember much of it, I was pretty trashed. But there was this big guy with a dirty black beard spouting nonsense and well they took me here to check me out. No broken bones just a few stitches and a lot of bruises."

Smoker couldn't help but let a small smile tug at his lips, he really wasn't all that surprised that Ace had gotten into a fight. What was surprising was the sudden concern for the battered young man. His thumb absent-mindedly ran along Ace's arm, up under the sleeve of the shirt he wore.

"What happened to the other guy?" Smoker asked.

Smoker's question was met with silence that soon turned into soft snores. He looked at the sleeping boy in his arms and couldn't help but think in slumber he looked innocent and small, black eye and all. He smiled fondly at the boy before pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead and drifting off himself.

-/\-

Ace woke up stiff and sore, his room was a dishevelled mess of clothes and books and he carefully picked his way through the mess to his bathroom. He turned on the shower and let the water warm up. As he waited he brushed his teeth, examining his face in the mirror. It was pretty gruesome, his eye was still quite puffy and there was a nice black and purple ring completing the horrific image. There was a new bruise forming on his jaw and his chest was covered in them. He climbed under the hot spray, the heat pounding into his sore muscles and helping them to relax.

The water washed away all the grime and dried blood leaving Ace feeling refreshed and renewed. Last night had been a horrible mistake. It shouldn't have happened and there was only one way to make sure it didn't happen again. He finished his shower and got dressed in record time, his mind on a certain gruff cop the whole time. With his usual smile back on his face he left his apartment tossing his car keys in the air.