Rating: NC-17 for topic and some scenes

Characters: M/Sk/K

Series: No

Spoilers: None – PWP

Summary: The blade slipped. Honest…

Archive: Just tell me where it’s going

Additional ‘stuff’: Set in my ‘Circle the calendar’ universe

Warning:  Serious and graphic hurt/comfort. Spanking and a sick Fox.  

Title: Blood ties

Walter took a deep breath and called up the staircase. ‘Coming Fox.’

Although he didn’t want Fox bothered too much and had installed him in the spare room, Fox didn’t seem to realize how much he was bothering Walter.

Alex had taken Fox’s illness – a migraine – personally, believing he was somehow to blame for the agonizing and debilitating pain Fox was now suffering. Too much surfing adult websites, too much pizza, whatever. Fox had been struck down while they were talking, and he was, therefore, to blame.

For the first time in a long time, Walter had two things to worry about. Fox – which was nothing unusual – and Alex, which was. Fox was often unwell. Alex had not disappeared from the house without leaving a note for some time.

********************

‘It slipped.’ Alex said quickly.

Walter wasn’t impressed.

‘It fell from your hand, blade down and onto your wrist which was above it?’

Alex swallowed hard but wasn’t backing down. ‘Yeah.’ He was always amazed at how much bigger Walter seemed when he was standing over one of them, facial muscles twitching, a sure sign he was just this side of yelling.

Walter sighed, picking up Alex’s hand, turning it over, examining it carefully, realizing the cut, whilst deep, was small. Ignoring Alex’s squirming, he cleaned and dressed the wound, eyes on the white dressing, not Alex’s anxious face. When he was done, he put his hand on Alex’s shoulder, gripped firmly, and lifted the younger man to his feet. ‘Bed. Now.’

Alex allowed himself to be ‘guided’ to the bedroom and, when released, he climbed silently into bed, curling into a tight ball.

‘We will talk about this in the morning Alex. Now go to sleep.’

Walter walked back to the spare room only to be surprised as Fox lifted himself up. ‘Is Alex okay?’

Walter nodded. ‘Flesh wound.’

Fox smiled. ‘I’m feeling better. Can I get up?’

Walter laughed. ‘You mean, can you talk to Alex.’

Fox nodded, his face coloring. He sat up, swung his legs over and stood, wobbling slightly.

‘You’ve been laying down for two days Fox.’ Walter reminded gently, seeing Fox’s frustration at his weakness. Hooking a hand under his elbow, Walter helped Fox walk slowly from the spare room to their room, stopping every few paces when Fox wobbled.

Alex didn’t give any sign he was awake. Maybe if he lay still enough…

‘Alex, I know you’re awake. You didn’t cause my migraine. I did. I shouldn’t have eaten the ice cream. I wasn’t feeling well, and that just pushed it over the edge.’

Fox reached across and gently stroked Alex’s forearm, just above the dressing. ‘I’m better now.’

‘Until the next time.’ Alex said, unable to keep the edge out of his voice.

‘Next time? What do you mean Alex? I can’t control…’

Alex turned over suddenly, startling Fox and Walter. ‘You’re always sick. Your head, your back, your…whatever!’

Stunned by the outburst Fox shook his head. ‘Alex, I don’t deliberately hurt…’

As he spoke, Fox realized he had said exactly the wrong thing.

Alex sat up and looked from Fox to Walter, who seemed shocked by Alex’s words and was just standing at the side of the bed. ‘I do, okay! I do! I cut myself and it hurts and then nothing else can!’

Walter leaned across, enclosing Alex in a tight grip. Fox moved out of the way, kneeling on the end of the bed, out of reach of Alex’s flailing limbs.

‘It’s not fair!!’ Alex yelled.

Fox slipped from the room, returning moments later with a damp washcloth, cool in his hand, and a glass of water.

After a few more seconds of struggling to hold an increasingly distraught Alex, Walter said firmly: ‘Alex, stop it. You’ll hurt yourself. Stop this right now!!’

Something in Walter’s voice, perhaps the stern tone, perhaps the undercurrent of concern, found its way into Alex’s brain. Almost instantly, he stilled, shuddering violently in the aftershocks of hysteria.

Fox climbed back onto the bed, lying behind Alex, letting Walter release him slowly and gently, folding his own arms around the trembling form. ‘Alex…shhh…breathe…that’s it.’

After a few more frame-shaking sobs, Alex’s body went limp as he exhausted his anger and hurt. Walter reached for the cloth and glass on the nightstand, covering Alex’s hot damp forehead with the cloth, sliding an arm behind Alex’s shoulders. ‘Have a drink Alex. Just a little.’

Alex sipped at the drink, spilling most down his chest, too exhausted even to swallow properly.

Walter sighed sadly, stroking the damp hair from the now-cool forehead as he turned the cloth. ‘Alex, we can’t be worrying about hiding all the sharp objects in the house.’

Alex half-opened his eyes and shook his head slightly. His voice was soft with hoarse pain. ‘It’s okay. I don’t hurt myself badly.’

Walter took hold of Alex’s shoulders, startling him. ‘You don’t hurt yourself Alex, ever again. Understand?’

Alex took a deep breath. ‘It’s just something I do Walter.’

Realizing they were getting nowhere, and Alex was in no fit state to argue, Walter backed off. ‘Starting tomorrow, we’re all growing beards.’

Fox smiled tiredly. ‘You’d look good with whiskers Walter.’

Alex closed his eyes. ‘I look like a bum.’

Fox smiled. ‘Well, perhaps a little chin growth would help that Alex.’

Walter laughed, dissolving some of the tension, Fox found it contagious and joined in. Finally Alex smiled. ‘Also starting tomorrow, this is an ice-cream free zone.’

Walter nodded at that, still smiling. Lifting the cloth from Alex’s forehead, he climbed into bed. ‘Let’s all get some sleep now.’

Snuggling down, an arm around Alex, Fox nodded sleepily, yawning. ‘Night.’

Looking at the light coming through the curtains, Walter sighed. ‘Almost morning.’

Relaxing against Fox, feeling Walter’s bulk in front of him, Alex closed his eyes. ‘We’re gonna sleep in, right?’

Neither Fox nor Walter argued.

End

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