hounded (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} hounded) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} qaf_drabbles,@ 2007-12-22 16:57:00 |
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Title: Christmas Lights 14-21
Author: Rebel
Warning: Angst and veterinarians
Timeline: Post-513
Author's notes: A continuation of the series that began with "Justin Saves a Kitten." Parts 1-5 are here. Parts 6-9 are here. There are 12 drabbles in this final part, but this conclusion is out of challenge so there are no condoms.
Back at the Hospital
By Rebel
Rage lifted his head. He smelled something good, something… JUSTIN.
“Mew.” He said it as piteously as he could, and was rewarded with the touch of the big, strong hand he loved best in the world stroking him.
He said “mew” again, but this time it was a greeting, not a cry. And as Justin’s hand petted firmly down from the top of his head to the base of his tail, Rage nuzzled into him and started to purr.
He heard Justin say his name, and he thought back at him as hard as he possibly could: Take. Me. Home.
Not Yet
By Rebel
Brian was talking with the veterinarian while Justin cradled Rage against his chest, careful not to dislodge the IV tubing and monitors. Rage was mewing and chatting to Justin, undoubtedly outlining all the many indignities he had been forced to suffer at the hands of the incompetent staff of the best – and most expensive – veterinary specialty practice in Pittsburgh.
Justin was agreeing with every word Rage uttered, and assuring him that he’d be going home soon.
But the vet shook her head. “We need to keep him one more night. His heart was stopped, Mr. Kinney. He needs careful monitoring.”
Are You Sure?
By Rebel
Justin didn’t say anything when he heard what the vet said, just closed his arms more tightly around the kitten.
Brian frowned. “But tomorrow, if he gets through the night okay?”
“Mew!” said Rage, very, very loudly.
Justin lifted his head. “He really wants to come home.”
The veterinarian had a look on her face Brian found hard to interpret, but if he had to guess, he’d think she was trying not to laugh. But in a good way.
Justin looked at her. “He won’t understand if I leave him alone here another night, why I’m not here with him.”
I Wish I Could Forget
By Rebel
The vet was explaining the reasons why Rage needed one more night of monitoring and fluids, but Brian wasn’t listening. He was thinking about Justin in the hospital all those years ago, not knowing where Brian was, and why he wasn’t there.
Justin was nodding at whatever the vet was saying, but Brian mumbled something about the rest room and went outside. He stood in front of the building, watching the snow falling all around, with the holiday lights reflecting on the windows and windshields of the cars in the parking lot, and thought about how much he hated hospitals.
Come Inside
By Rebel
“Brian?” It was Justin. “You’re freezing. Come back inside.”
Brian turned and wrapped his arms around Justin’s shoulders. “How late will they late you stay?”
“They said all night if we want, but if an emergency comes in, or they get really busy, we’ll have to leave.” Justin put his hand on the back of Brian’s neck. “What’s wrong, Brian?”
Brian touched his forehead to Justin’s. “I hate hospitals.” It was all he said.
Justin stared at him for a long time, then he went on his toes and kissed Brian softly. “Come inside,” he repeated. “You’re cold out here.”
All Night Long
By Rebel
Brian was in the lobby getting a cup of coffee from the stand near the waiting area. It was terrible, and the creamer substitute bore no resemblance to any kind of dairy product, but he loaded it with sugar and sucked it down for the medicinal effect. It was somehow easier, he thought, to stay up all night when you were dancing at an after-hours club in Manhattan, than with your butt on cold linoleum and your back against a row of cat cages while your partner slept with his head on your shoulders and his kitten in his arms.
The Next Day
By Rebel
Every muscle in Brian’s back, legs, and ass screamed at him, but he eased Justin’s head off his shoulder and stood up.
The tech whispered, “They might be able to release him after rounds, if you want to go get some breakfast and come back in an hour or so.”
Brian glanced down at Justin, who looked at Rage.
“We’ll be right back,” Justin said. “And then we’ll take you home.”
Rage gave a terrible, loud “mew” in protest when Justin slid him back into the cage. Justin hesitated.
“We’ll be right back,” Brian repeated firmly. “We promise.”
Rage blinked.
Paying the Bill
By Rebel
The vet was going over Rage’s home care with Justin. They had brought Rage out in a carrier, but Justin had moved him immediately to inside his jacket, where the kitten was purring so loudly Brian could hear him from ten feet away.
The receptionist slid the final bill towards him, and Brian calmly handed her his credit card. Ted was going to have a heart attack when he saw more than four grand at the vet hospital. Then he groaned. Until now, he’d managed to avoid having Ted find out there was a kitten in his house at all.
What Brian Heard
By Rebel
Brian was almost asleep waiting for his receipt to be processed, when the fact that the lady standing next to him was sobbing penetrated his consciousness.
“Our grandson was here for Christmas and he left the door open,” she was saying through her tears. “We didn’t know he’d gotten out until it was too late.”
The receptionist gave Brian his receipt, and he nodded towards the couple. “What happened?”
She lowered her voice. “Their little dog got hit by a car, and it’s a three thousand dollar bill to save him. And they don’t have it.”
Brian bit his lip.
What Justin Heard
By Rebel
Even though Justin had Rage tucked warmly inside his jacket, Brian had left them there while he went to get the car.
Rage’s purrs were a comforting rumble against Justin’s chest.
The vet was whispering with the receptionist, and then walked up to the couple standing at the end of the counter. “It looks like we can do your dog’s surgery after all, Mrs. Richards.”
The woman shook her head. “We don’t have the money…”
“The bill’s been paid in advance.”
“What do you mean?”
The vet shrugged. “Another client heard what happened and he paid your bill for you.”
In the Car
By Rebel
Rage woke up when they got in the car, and panicked for a minute. But he realized he was still inside Justin’s jacket, and he closed his eyes and resumed purring. He knew they were going home, and away from that terrible loud place full of sharp things and strangers and dogs.
He felt Justin twist around, and he wriggled into a more comfortable spot. Justin was saying something to the other man, and he heard him make a short kissing noise. He was saying, “I love you.”
Rage purred more loudly. It was good to be where he belonged.
At Home
By Rebel
Brian got under the duvet, sliding his arm under Justin’s shoulder without disturbing the kitten. “I told you he’d be home before Christmas.”
Justin smiled. “And he’s okay.”
Brian nodded smugly. “I told you that, too.”
“Yes, you did,” Justin laughed.
Brian was almost asleep when Justin’s lips brushed his. “This is the best Christmas ever.”
Brian smiled without opening his eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “It is.”
Rage opened one eye, then shut it again. He was still home, and they were still kissing. He wasn’t sure what Christmas was, but it seemed like a very good thing to him.
THE END of the Christmas story, but there is another adventure here!
By Rebel
Rage lifted his head. He smelled something good, something… JUSTIN.
“Mew.” He said it as piteously as he could, and was rewarded with the touch of the big, strong hand he loved best in the world stroking him.
He said “mew” again, but this time it was a greeting, not a cry. And as Justin’s hand petted firmly down from the top of his head to the base of his tail, Rage nuzzled into him and started to purr.
He heard Justin say his name, and he thought back at him as hard as he possibly could: Take. Me. Home.
Not Yet
By Rebel
Brian was talking with the veterinarian while Justin cradled Rage against his chest, careful not to dislodge the IV tubing and monitors. Rage was mewing and chatting to Justin, undoubtedly outlining all the many indignities he had been forced to suffer at the hands of the incompetent staff of the best – and most expensive – veterinary specialty practice in Pittsburgh.
Justin was agreeing with every word Rage uttered, and assuring him that he’d be going home soon.
But the vet shook her head. “We need to keep him one more night. His heart was stopped, Mr. Kinney. He needs careful monitoring.”
Are You Sure?
By Rebel
Justin didn’t say anything when he heard what the vet said, just closed his arms more tightly around the kitten.
Brian frowned. “But tomorrow, if he gets through the night okay?”
“Mew!” said Rage, very, very loudly.
Justin lifted his head. “He really wants to come home.”
The veterinarian had a look on her face Brian found hard to interpret, but if he had to guess, he’d think she was trying not to laugh. But in a good way.
Justin looked at her. “He won’t understand if I leave him alone here another night, why I’m not here with him.”
I Wish I Could Forget
By Rebel
The vet was explaining the reasons why Rage needed one more night of monitoring and fluids, but Brian wasn’t listening. He was thinking about Justin in the hospital all those years ago, not knowing where Brian was, and why he wasn’t there.
Justin was nodding at whatever the vet was saying, but Brian mumbled something about the rest room and went outside. He stood in front of the building, watching the snow falling all around, with the holiday lights reflecting on the windows and windshields of the cars in the parking lot, and thought about how much he hated hospitals.
Come Inside
By Rebel
“Brian?” It was Justin. “You’re freezing. Come back inside.”
Brian turned and wrapped his arms around Justin’s shoulders. “How late will they late you stay?”
“They said all night if we want, but if an emergency comes in, or they get really busy, we’ll have to leave.” Justin put his hand on the back of Brian’s neck. “What’s wrong, Brian?”
Brian touched his forehead to Justin’s. “I hate hospitals.” It was all he said.
Justin stared at him for a long time, then he went on his toes and kissed Brian softly. “Come inside,” he repeated. “You’re cold out here.”
All Night Long
By Rebel
Brian was in the lobby getting a cup of coffee from the stand near the waiting area. It was terrible, and the creamer substitute bore no resemblance to any kind of dairy product, but he loaded it with sugar and sucked it down for the medicinal effect. It was somehow easier, he thought, to stay up all night when you were dancing at an after-hours club in Manhattan, than with your butt on cold linoleum and your back against a row of cat cages while your partner slept with his head on your shoulders and his kitten in his arms.
The Next Day
By Rebel
Every muscle in Brian’s back, legs, and ass screamed at him, but he eased Justin’s head off his shoulder and stood up.
The tech whispered, “They might be able to release him after rounds, if you want to go get some breakfast and come back in an hour or so.”
Brian glanced down at Justin, who looked at Rage.
“We’ll be right back,” Justin said. “And then we’ll take you home.”
Rage gave a terrible, loud “mew” in protest when Justin slid him back into the cage. Justin hesitated.
“We’ll be right back,” Brian repeated firmly. “We promise.”
Rage blinked.
Paying the Bill
By Rebel
The vet was going over Rage’s home care with Justin. They had brought Rage out in a carrier, but Justin had moved him immediately to inside his jacket, where the kitten was purring so loudly Brian could hear him from ten feet away.
The receptionist slid the final bill towards him, and Brian calmly handed her his credit card. Ted was going to have a heart attack when he saw more than four grand at the vet hospital. Then he groaned. Until now, he’d managed to avoid having Ted find out there was a kitten in his house at all.
What Brian Heard
By Rebel
Brian was almost asleep waiting for his receipt to be processed, when the fact that the lady standing next to him was sobbing penetrated his consciousness.
“Our grandson was here for Christmas and he left the door open,” she was saying through her tears. “We didn’t know he’d gotten out until it was too late.”
The receptionist gave Brian his receipt, and he nodded towards the couple. “What happened?”
She lowered her voice. “Their little dog got hit by a car, and it’s a three thousand dollar bill to save him. And they don’t have it.”
Brian bit his lip.
What Justin Heard
By Rebel
Even though Justin had Rage tucked warmly inside his jacket, Brian had left them there while he went to get the car.
Rage’s purrs were a comforting rumble against Justin’s chest.
The vet was whispering with the receptionist, and then walked up to the couple standing at the end of the counter. “It looks like we can do your dog’s surgery after all, Mrs. Richards.”
The woman shook her head. “We don’t have the money…”
“The bill’s been paid in advance.”
“What do you mean?”
The vet shrugged. “Another client heard what happened and he paid your bill for you.”
In the Car
By Rebel
Rage woke up when they got in the car, and panicked for a minute. But he realized he was still inside Justin’s jacket, and he closed his eyes and resumed purring. He knew they were going home, and away from that terrible loud place full of sharp things and strangers and dogs.
He felt Justin twist around, and he wriggled into a more comfortable spot. Justin was saying something to the other man, and he heard him make a short kissing noise. He was saying, “I love you.”
Rage purred more loudly. It was good to be where he belonged.
At Home
By Rebel
Brian got under the duvet, sliding his arm under Justin’s shoulder without disturbing the kitten. “I told you he’d be home before Christmas.”
Justin smiled. “And he’s okay.”
Brian nodded smugly. “I told you that, too.”
“Yes, you did,” Justin laughed.
Brian was almost asleep when Justin’s lips brushed his. “This is the best Christmas ever.”
Brian smiled without opening his eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “It is.”
Rage opened one eye, then shut it again. He was still home, and they were still kissing. He wasn’t sure what Christmas was, but it seemed like a very good thing to him.
THE END of the Christmas story, but there is another adventure here!