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Care
by
Shawnee


The door to the loft opened slowly.  James Ellison attempted to walk normally, back straight, but it was simply too painful.  His roommate, Blair Sandburg, followed silently behind, ready to offer a shoulder should Jim need it.  When he saw Jim hunch forward slightly as he dropped the keys in the basket, he moved forward and slid an arm around Jim’s waist.  Jim’s right arm went around Blair’s shoulders and he let himself lean heavily on his friend.  Stubborness would only earn him more pain.

"Where to, man?" Blair asked quietly.

"Bathroom.  I want a hot shower."

"Can you stand up that long or would you rather have a bath?  A soak would help those sore muscles more."

Jim groaned.  "Chief, I think if I sit down, I’m not gettin’ back up in the next hundred years."

Blair chuckled.  "Sure you will, Jim.  C’mon, let me run you a bath.  While you soak, I’ll fix us something to eat."

Jim sighed, knowing he was defeated.  "OK, Chief, whatever you say."

Blair helped Jim into the bathroom, leaving him leaning against the wall.  Blair ran the tub full of very warm water, wanting to soothe, not scald.  He added some bath crystals scented of balsam to help Jim relax, then turned to his friend after turning the water off.  "You need some help getting your shirt off?"

Jim nodded.  "Yeah, I think I do." Jim was too tired and hurt too much to keep up his usual stoic facade.  It wouldn't work on Blair anyway.

Carefully, Blair helped Jim get the shirt and shoes off, with much moaning and groaning and bit-off curses, then Jim shooed him out, saying he could take care of the rest on his own.  Grinning, Blair left.

Forty-five minutes later, Blair knocked on the bathroom door, telling Jim dinner was ready.  "You need any help getting up, big guy?"

"No, I don’t need any help!" Jim snapped grumpily.

Blair didn’t take offense.  He was just happy Jim was only stiff and sore, and not hospitalized or worse.  He shivered as he remembered watching Jim, attempting to handcuff a robbery suspect he’d chased onto the roof of the store he’d robbed, fall over the side with the suspect when the man began to struggle.  Blair had screamed his denial and run to the edge of the roof, not wanting to look down and see his sentinel, his friend, lying dead on the sidewalk below.

Instead, he saw Jim struggling to his feet after landing on a large pile of cardboard boxes.  Only that and the fact he’d only fallen two stories had saved Jim’s life.  The suspect wasn’t as lucky, he’d broken a leg and several ribs in the fall.

Blair held out Jim’s robe when the door opened.  He’d warmed it first.  Jim’s face melted as he took the garment, feeling the heat, and he sighed as he slipped it on, turning back to hang his towel over the shower rod.  He smiled at Blair.  "Thanks, Chief."

"No problem, man.  Hey, I didn’t think you’d want anything heavy, so I just whipped up a little stir-fry."

"Yeah, you’re right."  Jim sniffed.  "Smell’s good, Chief."

A few minutes later, as they sat at the table eating, Blair looked at Jim and said, a little hesitantly, "Um, y’know, I used to give Naomi massages all the time.  She hurt her back on a job once and she had trouble sleeping for a long time, her back would tie up in knots.  I can give you a massage if you like, help you sleep."

"You don’t have to do that, I’ll be fine."

"I know, Jim, but I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to do it.  C’mon, man, I know you’re still hurting.  We can work on the dials while I do it, get you comfortable enough to sleep."

"Turning this into a test, Sandburg?" Jim smiled as he spoke, taking the sting out of the words.

Blair shook his head.  "No, but I will readily admit to ulterior motives.  You are such a *grouch* when you don’t get enough sleep.  So, think of this as self-preservation.  I don’t want to listen to you bitch and moan tomorrow."

"OK, all right, I surrender," Jim laughed, raising his hands.  He groaned as he sat back in his chair.  "Ohhhhh, maaaaan," he moaned as he tried to stretch.  "Blair, right now, a massage sounds like a little piece of heaven."

"OK.  Why don’t you go on upstairs, I’ll go get a couple of towels and this great liniment, you’ll love it, I promise."

"No weird concoctions, Chief."

"No, man, I promise.  It smells a little bit minty, but that’s all.  Wait, you’ll see."

"OK."  Jim stood, hesitating as he looked at the table.

"Leave it, I’ll take care of it after I take care of you."  Jim nodded and headed upstairs.

A few minutes later, Blair arrived with towels to lay out over the bed to keep the oil off the sheets, just in case.  He had Jim lie down on his stomach, and knelt beside him on the bed.  He handed Jim the bottle with the oil, letting him smell it.

"Smells good.  Just like you said, a little minty.  And something else…"  Jim sniffed again.

"A friend of mine in South Carolina makes it.  It’s made from lobelia, which relaxes smooth muscles, like back muscles, peppermint, which relieves pain, and comfrey, which soothes bruises.  And I gotta say, Jim, your back is really looking colorful.  I don’t want to hurt you."

Jim handed the oil back and settled his head on his arms.  "You won’t, Chief.  Go ahead."

Blair hesitated, biting his lip, then nodded.  "OK, but if it hurts, you tell me.  No fair turning the dials all the way down."

"I promise, Sandburg."

Blair poured a little of the oil into his hand and set it aside, then rubbed his hands together, warming the oil.  He lightly touched Jim’s back, at the top of his shoulders, and began a gentle massage.

For almost an hour, Blair massaged Jim’s back, shoulders to hip, just a light massage, working the oil in so that it could start healing those bruises and relaxing the muscles, soothing away the pain so Jim could sleep.  He let his touches get lighter and lighter and finally lifted his hands from Jim’s back, glancing at his friend’s face.  Smiling, he nodded to himself.  Jim looked to be sound asleep, and Blair hoped he stayed that way all night.  Picking up the hand towel he’d brought for himself, he wiped his hands and then eased from the bed.

At the top of the stairs, he stopped and turned back as he heard his name spoken, more a breath than a word.  "Blair…."

Blair found Jim’s eyes barely open.  "Yeah, Jim?" he asked quietly.

"Thanks."  Jim hugged his pillow, eyes closing again, sighing as he settled down to sleep.

Blair grinned.  "You’re welcome.  Anytime," he whispered.  He headed downstairs, quietly cleaned up the table and kitchen, then headed to bed himself.  As he turned out the light and lay down, he swore to always be there when Jim needed him, no matter what.  And in his dreams that night, a big silver wolf played happily with an enormous black panther.  No one had ever explained they were supposed to be enemies.  They only cared that they had found happiness together, as friends and brothers, and would always be there to take care of each other.

End