"Nines!" Chloe greeted brightly as he stepped out of the car. The driver helpfully opened the door and grabbed his bag, which was swiftly taken by one of the house valets. Chloe was careful as she wrapped her arms around him. She didn't press too close so as not to nudge his arm, which was resting securely in a sling. His hand was now safely bound and strapped in a leather covered splint that slipped over his hand and thumb like a fingerless mitten, which was a lot better for the swelling. "How's your wrist? Did the doctor give you a prognosis?" Nines smiled at her thoughtfulness as he accepted the small kisses on his cheeks. She was truly a sight for sore eyes. Her crystal eyes were bright, and she looked absolutely radiant in her blue dress and long white cardigan.
"The splint may be removed in eight weeks, but it's a bad break. It could need longer." It had surprised him to hear that. He knew that most breaks would mend within six weeks. Sixty must have been really determined to get him sent away. Chloe was sympathetic, of course, but he could also detect an undertone of quiet glee. He understood the feeling. She wasn't pleased he was hurt, but she was pleased he could stay with them longer. "How is he?" He couldn't help feeling anxious as he broached the subject. The letter had taken four days to reach them, and it had taken him three days to get back with the added stop at the hospital.
"Still feverish, but a little more lucid now at least." That was good. If the delirium was clearing, he was getting stronger. The tightness in his shoulders loosened a little at the news, but he wouldn't truly relax until he'd seen him again. He smiled as he rested his good hand over his pocket. On the way to the estate, he'd stopped in town to keep his promise. He wasn't sure Gavin would remember, but he'd thought of little else since leaving. Chloe could sense his eagerness and swiftly saw him into the house. She walked him as far as Gavin's door before leaving him with a smile.
"Gavin?" Nines called softly as he eased the door open. His gaze softened as it landed on the bed. Gavin was lying peacefully on his back, on the side of the bed closest to the window. That was the side he usually slept on. Gavin always preferred to be by the window. His eyes were closed, and Nines didn't want to disturb him, so he crept inside and slipped his shoes off. He pulled his heavy woollen jacket off his shoulder as he walked around the bed and sat in the chair. Resting the jacket across his lap, he pulled a small box from the pocket with his good hand.
He eased his arm from the sling and reached across with a wince, cradling Gavin's left hand in his own. His fingers actually felt a little cold despite the fever. His face looked pale and a little clammy, much as Sixty's had the week before. He was taking deep, slow breaths. They sounded a little raspy, but not so bad that he was worried. He tugged Gavin's hand a little closer as he plucked the silver ring from its red felt cushion. It would probably need adjusting at a later date. He'd had to guess Gavin's size by trying it himself and taking it down a size. He was gentle as he used his good hand to slide the ring onto Gavin's finger.
With his mission complete, he returned his injured arm to the sling, wincing as his muscles twitched. He couldn't help smiling as he returned to holding Gavin's hand, sliding his thumb across the smooth metal edge. It seemed Gavin felt it on some level. He felt his hand twitch and his fingers tightened a little to grip back. He took a slightly deeper breath, brow pinching as he turned his head. Nines wasn't sure if he was turning to look at him, or if the warmth of the sun was drawing him in like a flower. Nines leaned down to press a kiss against his knuckles before moving higher to kiss his forehead. Gavin definitely felt that.
He let out a small whimpering hum, breathing deeply as his eyes fluttered open. His usually bright eyes were somewhat dimmed and red-rimmed with fatigue. He seemed weak and unfocused as he blinked, clearing the fuzz from his vision. Nines smiled, waiting patiently for his presence to register. Gavin squinted, brow furrowing further as he looked at Nines like some foreign curiosity. He hummed and rubbed his eyes, apparently not believing what he was seeing.
"Nines?" He sounded half asleep, afraid to fully wake lest he disappear.
"Yes…I'm here…" Nines kept his voice soft, as if speaking to a scared child at night. He wasn't sure how well Gavin would take loud noises in his fragile state. He looked childishly happy at the news. His hand tightened, urging him closer. Nines huffed softly as he moved to the edge of the bed and kissed Gavin's temple.
"What happened? Did you get shot? Are you hurt?" Gavin seemed positively alarmed as he noticed the sling and tried to push himself up. He was stopped by Nines' firm hand on his chest, pressing him back into the mattress. He lingered, hushing him as he rubbed gentle circles on his clothed chest. Gavin rarely wore a nightshirt, but it seemed the nursing staff had been dressing him recently.
"I had an accident and broke my wrist…Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm alive and I came back, see?" Gavin relaxed and nodded at the reassurance. Nines wasn't sure how much of this was truly registering with him and how much of it was going over his head with the fever. His eyes were fluttering already. He kept nodding off and blinking his eyes open. Nines smiled as he raised his hand to his lips and kissed it, keeping it in his grasp. Gavin seemed to wake up a little at that. He frowned and squinted as he weakly pulled his hand free.
"Did I get married?" He seemed adorably confused, almost wonder-struck as he looked at the silver slither across his finger. He turned his hand this way and that, and let out a small, impressed sound as he twisted the smooth metal. "I have a wife now?" He almost seemed alarmed at the prospect. He looked at Nines for some form of reassurance, somewhat relieved as he chuckled and stroked his damp hair.
"No, Gavin…I bought you the ring. I promised, remember?" It dawned on Gavin that Nines was right. He had promised to buy him a ring. Gavin whined softly, apparently distressed as he fiddled with the silver.
"But we're both guys, Nines! We'll get in trouble!" Nines pushed down his own sadness at the thought. He took Gavin's hand again and held it tight. There was something incredibly sweet and vulnerable about feverish Gavin. He was almost childlike.
"Don't worry, we'll keep it a secret. Just the two of us will know, alright?" Gavin nodded his agreement. Nines knew they couldn't officially get married, but perhaps later on, after the war, they could have a small private ceremony of some sort. He didn't know any officiators personally, but perhaps Sixty would know. It is purely for ceremonial purposes, so perhaps Captain Allen would do the honours…He didn't have the authority, but the authority didn't really matter if it wouldn't be recognised anyway.
"Do you have one?" Nines shook his head. His own ring was something they could sort out later, perhaps when they took Gavin's for adjustments, though he had to say, it looked quite fine as it was. "I'll buy you one! A really nice one…" Gavin's eyes fluttered again as he murmured the words. Nines whispered his thanks and gently encouraged him to settle down and sleep. The more he slept, the better his recovery would be. The grip on his hand slowly loosened as Gavin fell asleep. Nines remained in his place on the edge of the bed for a while, stroking Gavin's hair and measuring his breaths. He seemed to be in relatively good health.
Gavin's wrist, though still bound, didn't seem to cause him any discomfort. He hadn't winced once while moving around and examining the ring. He couldn't say how his ribs were, but with all the rest he was getting, they would likely heal relatively quickly. Any bruising he had was covered by clothing, but bruising wasn't a huge issue besides the discomfort it caused. Since Gavin was in such good health, and he was worn from travelling so far, Nines left him to sleep so he could bathe and change out of his fatigues.
The valet had delivered his bag to Gavin's room, so Nines headed over and rummaged through it for something more comfortable. With a fresh set of clothes in hand, he headed for the bathroom and ran the bath. He needed to be careful with his splint. It would damage his skin if the water got inside and wasn't dried off. He sat in the bath for a while, resting his injured arm over the edge as he contemplated how best to clean himself. Since he was sitting, he started with his chest, shoulders and back. Most places were easy to reach with his right hand, but he couldn't use his left. He used a cloth to wipe down his left arm to the elbow and towelled it off immediately. He didn't want to risk droplets of water sliding beneath the splint.
He lifted his feet one at a time and cleaned up to his knees before kneeling to deal with his lower body. It was a challenge, but he was pretty sure he got everywhere he could reach. Holding his arm above the surface, he lay back to wet his hair. He poured a little shampoo directly onto his head and rubbed it into a foamy lather. As he massaged it in, he realised he'd used way too much, but there was little he could do about it with only one hand. He lay back and rinsed his hair before climbing out and towelling off with a contented sigh.
It was good to be back. He'd missed the mansion. He'd missed Gavin's room and the large bathroom. Having baths on the front at all was a treat. They were supposed to be once every ten days or so, but that time could be missed or extended at any time. Sometimes it was more than double the expected time. Having a private bath with running water was a luxury. One he intended to take full advantage of, splinted or not. He dressed slowly, doing his best not to overuse his left hand. Once he was done, with his arm safely secured in the sling, he fingered through his hair in the mirror. That little curl fell over his eye as usual, just like his brothers. He sighed, giving up on the unruly mess.
Gavin was still sleeping soundly as he returned to the bedroom. He smiled at the sight and padded around to his own side of the bed. He left his dirty clothes in a pile on the small bedside table to be dealt with later before climbing on top of the sheets. It was too hot for covers. The summer heat could be unbearable, though England felt fairly pleasant, especially since Gavin had his windows wide open. He sighed as he settled on his back beside him, his injured hand resting on his chest. It was nice. He could feel a gentle breeze on his skin. It smelled sweet. Floral. Fresh. It was a heavenly relief from the rot and antiseptic of the front. He could hear birds. A constant, gentle twittering. Voices carried on the air, but he was too far to make out the words. He could hear the clopping scrape of hooves and baying of horses, and the general clatter around the stables.
It would likely be a long while before they went riding again. Even after his recovery, Gavin would probably be nervous around horses for a while. Nines was no better off. Maybe he could ride one-handed, but why take the risk? Perhaps we can take a walk to the apple grove once he's better…it doesn't seem too far. It would likely take around two hours to walk, but the exercise and air would do them both good. Nines turned his head. He would have reached out, but he couldn't reach that far across with his right hand, and his left was secured across his chest. That really wouldn't do.
Nines let out a small groan as he slowly rolled onto his side. He was as careful as he could be with his bound arm, keeping it upright and resting against his chest. After shuffling closer to Gavin, he could finally rest his arm across his chest. Gavin seemed to feel it on some level as his head automatically tilted closer, though his face remained angled towards the window. With Gavin now safely within his grasp, Nines allowed his own tired eyes to slide shut. He'd travelled a long way, barely stopping to have his wrist strapped. Now that he knew Gavin was alright, and he'd properly bathed, the fatigue was finally catching up to him.