A better morning Who: Micah and Nic Where: Nic's House When: just after dawn
By the time Micah had finished up his last patient that he knew he could handle the power flickered back on. There was a collective sigh of relief throughout the hospital, not needing another struggle with no power and more patients that they’d had since opening. Micah’s night was weighing on him, heavily. He’d managed to get out of dirty scrubs and replace them with clean ones, just throwing out his stained clothes and grabbing his bag. No one stopped him on his way out. Dawn was peeking over the horizon. Someone else was coming in to take his place and it was time for Micah to get away from all the death.
And there had been so much death. He’d seen tragedy on a massive scale. A multi car pile up that had flooded the ER during one of his rotations. That had been awful. Tonight had been worse. People ripped to shreds. So many were dead on arrival or dying once they’d been pulled into triage rooms. It was like a war zone. Even those who’d survived, would be scarred and damaged.
Micah had never been relieved to leave like he was when he trudged to Nic’s house, tired mind on one thing and one thing only. Whatever lay behind Nic’s door, which he really hoped was a shower and someone to sleep next to, but he wasn’t going to make assumptions.
Nic had arrived home only a half hour before Micah got there, just enough time to shower himself off, which was a necessity. By the time the night was over, he looked like he’d been in a war zone, blood staining his skin and seeping through his scrubs. They were black for a reason, the same as anyone who worked in the ER. Except doctors. They always wore that pale green. He was sure Micah was a mess.
As soon as he got out of the shower, Nic started on something to eat, something easy and something small. He felt like he needed to eat something or he just might fall over, though he wasn’t even sure he was hungry. He was in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door and he smiled to himself, hurrying to answer it. “You made it,” he said, stepping back to let Micah in. “I got to worrying about you getting here safely.”
“I did. Though if I had given up an hour ago I don’t think they would have let me leave and I’d be sleeping in the hospital.” He ran his hand through his hair again, making it stick up more as he walked into Nic’s house, noting instantly that it wasn’t nearly as bare as his was. “I’ve never wanted to leave that place like I did this morning. Feels strange.”
While Nic was glad that Micah had been able to come to his place, he wasn’t pleased at Micah being dead on his feet. He knew how exhausted he must be. Nic led him to the kitchen, glad he had something to serve, something Micah might appreciate: chicken soup. No noodles, but it was close enough. “It’s never been so over-run by death,” Nic pointed out. “But I’m glad you could make it. I made some soup. Do you want a shower?” He wasn’t sure what Micah needed, so he wanted to offer all of it.
“I haven’t since the turn.” Then it had been a different type of overrun, but the same idea. There were a ton dead then, just like tonight. Micah let himself be led into the kitchen, just because he couldn’t think of anything more than following someone. Yes, he did want a shower and soup would be great, but Micah didn’t get the answer out before he was wrapping his arms around Nic, just holding on to him for the moment.
The turn. Nic knew what he was talking about immediately, having picked up a number of people that weren’t quite dead or alive. Having a zombie in the ambulance with him had been the first clue to running and running fast. He couldn’t imagine Micah trying to work in a hospital with that going on, and he was going to say as much when Micah’s arms wrapped around him. Then words didn’t seem enough. Nic hugged him back, held him tight, and kissed the side of his head.
Whatever Micah had been thinking was forgotten at the hug in return. That brought him back to himself really, letting him focus on Nic’s shirt under his fingers, Nic’s breath against his shoulder and the warmth of strong arms around him. That was much better to focus on. After a moment Micah pulled back, smiling at Nic and feeling more himself, even if he was uncomfortable, realizing also that he was somewhere new that wasn’t his. “Shower?”
If he wasn’t so tired, Nic could have seen the hug leading to so much more. He always wanted to be close to Micah, to steal every kiss possible, to run his hands over the man’s body. But tonight, this morning, all he wanted was the comfort that being with him could offer. He slid a hand down Micah’s arm, taking him by the hand. “This way,” he said, leading him back towards the bathroom. Now that Zania had moved out, the house was clean, organized, but well-lived in. There were little things here and there that spoke of Nic and the things he enjoyed. And the towels in the bathroom matched. “I have an extra set of scrubs, if you need them.”
Even without the few little things, the house looked more lived in that Micah’s. His looked almost new in comparison. The pristine model to show potential buyers. Once in the bathroom, he smiled at the matching towels before turning to look back at Nic. “These are clean,” he said about the set he was wearing, but he knew the shirt was sticking to the blood that had seeped through and dried against his skin. They were clean, but they weren’t pristine. Micah watched Nic for a long moment before daring to close the space between them with a lingering kiss. That was the tempting part, even if he knew he had no energy, part of him still wanted that release, to ease the tension in his shoulders with something more than a shower.
Micah didn’t need a pristine set of scrubs to sleep in, just some that didn’t have blood on them. If the ones he was wearing were clean enough, then Nic didn’t care, so long as Micah ended up in his bed. It was going to be hard getting there, though, when Micah was kissing him like that, making him wish he wasn’t completely exhausted. Nic’s arms slid around Micah’s neck, pulling him closer as he leaned against the bathroom counter. When he close his eyes, the world spun a little, forcing him to open them again. “Next time I’ll have to join you,” he said softly. “But I think, maybe, we need sleep first.”
Despite his own exhaustion, Micah had been trying to raise Nic’s shirt from where he had a grip on the other man’s waist, but he was more than aware of what Nic was talking about. He could barely stand. “I’d rather you join me now, but I know you’re right.” He smiled and kissed Nic again, something shorter before pulling away and fiddling with the faucet to turn the water on. Then he was undressing, not caring if Nic was still in the room. It wasn’t anything new.
“I’d rather join you now, too, but I’m afraid I might pass out and offend you,” Nic said with a little laugh. Nothing could possibly be more upsetting than having his partner pass out on him while fooling around, except being the one to pass out when he didn’t want to. Nic smiled into the kiss, then took a step back to let Micah turn the water on. When Micah pulled his shirt off, Nic bit his lip, reconsidering the offer, then forced himself to take a step back. “I’ll have soup ready for you when you get out.”
“I don’t think you could offend me,” Micah promised, but let the offer drop. No use in forcing the issue. That’d just waste what little energy he did have left. He glanced over his shoulder before dropping the rest of his clothes and nodded. “Sounds great,” he said before getting in the shower and stepping under the spray.
It was tempting just to stand there and watch him shower, but Nic had promised soup and he intended to provide. What he needed, more than anything else, was the comfort of having someone near him who’d survived the night, who understood the trauma it caused. Nic had never picked up that many bodies in one night. The only thing keeping him going was the thought of collapsing into bed, with Micah there to chase away any nightmares.
Micah focused on the shower, scrubbing his hair and skin, loving the smell of Nic’s soap that was such a familiar scent. It helped him get through the process of getting cleaned up quickly. Once done he turned the water off, holding on to the wall for a long moment, pushing away the memories of the night and focusing on what he had here, that he wasn’t alone.
It took a few moments to get his thoughts settled and then Micah was toweling off, and pulling on just the scrub pants. He didn’t need the shirt. Not when they were headed to bed before long. Leaving the bathroom he went to find Nic, smiling softly, something tired but pleased, when he found him.
Nic heard the shower shut off and scooped soup into two bowls, glad to have everything ready when Micah got out. He was trying to decide if they should eat at the table or just take the soup into the bedroom when Micah stepped into the kitchen, completely distracting him from his task. Now he regretted missing that shower. “Hey,” he said softly, a bowl of soup in each hand. “Feel better?”
Micah was fine with just watching, one shoulder against the doorway of the kitchen. “I think so. It’s start at least.” He was still exhausted, still beat down from everything he’d seen, even the things he wasn’t sure he had actually seen. Like one of the last guy’s he had that had been more of a chew toy or a snack for the wolf he’d run into, but already seemed to be healing. Didn’t help that one look at the guy said he should have been dead, but he wasn’t.
Moving forward after a moment, Micah took one bowl and moved his free hand around Nic’s hip. “How are you feeling?”
Nic moved closer to Micah, enjoying the heat of his body and not at all sure what to do with the soup he was holding. It seemed like a bad idea now, trying to eat when falling into bed with Micah was an option. “Exhausted,” he admitted. “Worried. But better with you here.” They hadn’t defined what they were, but at least they could both agree on that.
“Worried about what?” Micah asked, still in his doctor voice. He was too tired to let it down, not when it was the only thing keeping him going. The doctor could work long hours and keep functioning even as his eyes started to close.
“This town,” Nic said. “My cousin. He got bitten earlier this evening. Zan brought him in. He was in good shape compared to others, but... there were just so many.” So many hurt and so many dead. Just as they were starting to feel safe again, something like this had to go and happen.
Micah listened and thankfully instinct took over. He set his bowl down on the counter, then took Nic’s and set it down as well. Once his hands were free he reached for Nic, wrapping one arm around him, the other twisting in his hair. He pressed a soft kiss to his temple. “It’s going to be okay.”
Nic hadn’t fully realized how worn down he was until Micah took hold of him. His arms wrapped back around Micah and he held on tight, needing that anchor. It was just one night, he told himself. It was going to pass, just like everything else. But he didn’t believe it until Micah said it. He sounded so sure of himself, speaking with a confidence that Nic couldn’t even pretend to have. “What if it’s not?”
Micah brushed his fingers against the nape of Nic’s neck, trying to soothe him. “Then we survive. Just like before. I know you can do it.” He let his kisses drop lower, along Nic’s jaw, then his neck. Maybe it was just asking him to be distracted, but maybe that was what he needed.
Nic’s eyes fell shut as his chin tilted up, giving Micah better access to his neck as he repeated Micah’s words in his head. Just like before. He’d made it through everything else, and this was nothing by comparison. Maybe after a few hours sleep he’d feel better about it, as optimistic as Micah sounded. “Let’s go to bed,” he muttered softly, pulling Micah closer, the soup completely forgotten.
Micah pulled back, but only enough to stop kissing Nic’s neck and see his face. He watched the younger man for a long moment, memorizing his features before leaning in to kiss him, something long and lingering. “Yes. Please. Nowhere else I want to be.”
Why had he thought they should do anything other than go to bed? With a kiss like that, Nic could think of nothing else and began to steer Micah back towards his bedroom, his hands on Micah’s hips as he continued to kiss him. As tired as Nic was, he still wanted Micah and the opportunity to lose himself, each kiss and touch a distraction as well as a desire.
Micah stumbled, but managed to catch his footing, letting Nic guide him back, trusting Nic not to run him into anything he didn’t need to be run into. And he didn’t stop kissing him, not when this was so much better than everything else. Not when this made sense. The heavy conversation they’d had in halls of the hospital seemed silly here. They made sense here.
Behind closed doors, Nic’s insecurities didn’t seem to matter anymore. It was just the two of them and he trusted Micah, even with the feelings and desires that made him nervous and confused. Perhaps that was because everything felt so right once they ended up there, bodies pressed together just like lips. Nic pulled Micah back onto the bed, pushing away the covers, but barely bothering with him, his focus on keeping Micah as close to him as possible.
Catching himself on one arm, Micah managed not to get pulled directly on top of Nic, but propped up over him as he grinned. “How did I get so lucky?” he asked, leaning down to kiss Nic again.
Nic smiled, hooking one leg over Micah’s hip in an effort to pull him closer. It wasn’t a position he was entirely comfortable with, except for the feel of it, the satisfying weight of Micah’s body against his own. “You’re crazy,” Nic said softly. “I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one.”
That made Micah laugh, letting Nic pull him closer, raising one eyebrow. “I’m crazy now? Not at all.” He kissed Nic again, fingers in his hair. “I am lucky,” he said after he pulled back. He hadn’t found someone he wanted to be with in a long while and now he had Nic.
For putting up with him? Nic was pretty sure Micah was crazy, but he wasn’t going to point that out if Micah didn’t mind. One hand slid into Micah’s hair, pulling lightly as Micah kissed him. “Then we both are,” he muttered against his lips. Nic hadn’t thought he’d ever find anyone that made him happy again after losing Cade. He hadn’t thought he deserved it, but there was Micah and that felt like luck.
That just made Micah smile, gasping slightly at the tug of his hair. “I think I can agree to that,” he said before grinning and kissing Nic again. He let his fingers wander to Nic’s shirt, tugging it up, but not moving yet to really get him out of it.
Nic’s fingers slid down Micah’s back, then slowly scratched their way back up as Micah kissed him. He could do this all night, except night was almost over, the only thing that might hold him up being complete exhaustion. But until the hit that point, he’d enjoy every second with Micah, his hips pushing back against his in encouragement.
Nic earned himself a soft groan into the kiss, as if the shivers from his fingers on Micah’s back weren’t enough. Grinning he rolled, switching places with Nic and laying back on the bed by himself. He needed to not be over him. Over him had Micah thinking about more than just this casual make out session. Under him kept them farther away from those thoughts.
The sudden change in positions made Nic laugh softly, more familiar with being on top, even if it was usually a girl that was beneath him. Micah was nothing like a girl, and yet Nic was just as taken with him, maybe more so. It didn’t matter how little they still new about each other; Nic wanted to know everything about Micah, wanted him in his bed every night, to have him there when he wasn’t ready to completely crash. He pressed one arm into the bed to support himself and continued to kiss Micah while pulling the covers up around them. He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, that was for certain.
If Nic was moving the covers up, then Micah was definitely taking his shirt, pushing up on it more to get it off of Nic. It wasn’t helping keep those thoughts farther away, the ones where he skipped sleep and went instead for a collection of different ideas he had for Nic and himself, but he reveled in that. When was the last time he wanted that from someone? Really wanted it? Too long. So he was fine with feeling Nic’s skin against his.
Nic pulled his shirt over his head, helping Micah take it off and toss it somewhere across the room. It was so much better that way, feeling Micah’s skin against his own, that Nic wondered why they were wearing clothes at all. Keeping things to just kissing wasn’t something Nic was good at, always wanting more, sometimes more than he should. But with Micah it felt right. If he didn’t get more now, he’d get more later, when they were feeling a little more awake and able to keep up with their desires.
This man was determined to do Micah in completely. He slipped his fingers into Nic’s hair, free hand gripping his shoulder. “I thought you wanted to sleep,” he teased lightly in between kisses.
“I do,” Nic answered, pausing in his kissing for just long enough to take a breath and look back into Micah’s eyes. He was so tired, his body now fighting between arousal and exhaustion, with Nic unable to choose which he wanted more. “But I want you, too.”
That made Micah laugh softly. “Then we’re in quite the conundrum,” he teased again, hand trailing from Nic’s shoulder to his lower back, dipping below the hem of his pants. “I’m not completely useless this exhausted...but I am better when I’ve not been awake for over twenty-four hours.”
Nic groaned softly as Micah’s hands travelled down his body, his hips rolling back against Micah’s. He wasn’t worried about falling asleep on Micah, not when he had that kind of encouragement to keep him awake. He just knew he wasn’t as with it as he would be otherwise. “Aren’t we all?” he asked, hand sliding behind Micah’s neck as Nic kissed him soundly.
Micah probably would have laughed or answered, but Nic was kissing him again and he just groaned into that, keeping his hand exploring Nic’s backside. After a moment he pulled Nic’s hips back down into his, groaning again without breaking off the kiss.
The bad thing about being on top, Nic decided, was that it wasn’t quite as easy for his hands to explore Micah’s body as Micah was doing to him. Nic was now thinking that he should find a way to rid himself of his pants, that Micah was too slow in getting them off. He could do this all day, but with the way Micah was touching him, he wanted more.
It probably wasn’t fair, but Micah had a feeling he needed to keep at least some of the control or this was going to get wildly out of hand. Especially given how tired he was and how low his inhibitions were. His fingers curled around Nic’s hip, nibbling at his lower lip before breaking off the kiss. “So what do we do? Give in to sleep or something else?”
At the moment, Nic would have done just about anything, though a good part of that was due to how fuzzy his thoughts were. He could hardly think, was going almost entirely on feeling, and that seemed easy when it came to Micah. He would have preferred to keep kissing, but then he was being asked a question, one he took a second to compute. “I want something else, but... I’m kind of out of it.” Enough to keep going, but not enough to fully enjoy it like he could if he was completely awake.
Micah drew his fingers across his Nic’s cheek smiling softly. “I’ll be here when you wake up. And whenever you want.” It was quite the admission, but the truth. He shifted, moving out from under Nic so he could wrap his arms around him.
Nic groaned softly in frustration, wishing he could have the energy right now to enjoy the fact that he had Micah in his bed. Fact of the matter was that he was about as close to useless as he came, that he’d enjoy every second of his time with Micah, but that he couldn’t give a hundred percent. Nic curled up against Micah, one arm draped over him as he closed his eyes. It was scary how quickly that seemed to make him drift. “Promise?”
Micah found Nic’s hand, twining their fingers together with a nod against Nic’s temple. “Swear. There’s...no where else I want to be.” He kissed Nic’s knuckles, wrist, then turning to kiss his forehead. “You make me happy. In a way that is so different I didn’t realize I wasn’t happy.”
Nic smiled and turned his head enough to kiss Micah’s chest as he squeezed Micah’s fingers. Being with Micah was like nothing he’d experienced thus far, not with any other person. “You should stay here more often. I’d like that. Being with you makes me happy, too,” he said sleepily.
“It’s nicer than my place.” Micah could hear the sleepy tone in Nic’s voice, steeling himself against his own exhaustion to wait for Nic to fall asleep. “So I think yeah. Whenever you want. Just let me know or I’ll drive you nuts just showing up in the middle of the night.”
“I wouldn’t mind.” Micah could show up whenever he wanted and Nic would be happy to see him. It was just tonight that was rough, the day made longer by the trauma they’d gone through, and even after all that he still wanted Micah there with him. “It’s nice to have you here... like this...” Nic mumbled, sleep finally catching up with him.
“Go to sleep silly,” Micah chided lightly, kissing his forehead. “We’ll talk more when you wake up.” Sleep was tugging at him as well, but not until Nic fell to it. Not until then.
Nic gave a little nod and tightened his hold on Micah, a small hug before he let sleep take him and his grip went slack. It was unusual for him to find sleep so easily after a night like last night, but Micah being there changed everything. He felt safe, something his house couldn’t provide, but Micah did.
Micah waited, listening to Nic breath, hearing it even out. Only then did he let sleep and exhaustion tug at him. He was just as tired, but he was comfortable here, enjoying the warmth of Nic next him, letting himself revel in that and fall asleep.