A Strong Hand

stroking the slender back gently, offering what comfort he could to the boy. He heard the sigh of relief as Nick sagged even deeper into the couch.
    "Okay, babe?"
    "Yeah, I—I'm okay," Nick said shakily. He tried to push himself up but Damian's hand kept him pressed to the couch.
    "Does this happen often? Do you have any pain pills?"
    "Not too often. I have pills at my flat," Nick said in an exhausted voice.
    "Would you trust me with your keys so I can go and get them?" Damian asked anxiously.
    "No, I'll just go home. I don't want to be a bother."
    "I'll take you home. Let's get you dressed. Let me do all the work; don't try to sit up by yourself. You might tweak it again," Damian ordered.
    Nick was feeling rather limp and he was more than happy to allow Damian to maneuver his pants up. Damian hoisted him to his feet and slid an arm around his waist. How he managed the doors and locks, Nick didn't know; he was too out of it to take notice.
    The next thing he knew Damian had buckled him into his car and was getting in the other side.
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    "Nick? Nicky? I need to know where you live."
    Nick rested his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes wearily. He hadn't had an attack this bad in a long time. He managed to give his address before lapsing into a dazed state.
    When he felt Damian searching his pockets for his keys, Nick realized the car had stopped.
    "Right front pocket," he whispered.
    Damian found the keys and got out, locking the car. He hated leaving Nick there alone in a neighborhood renowned for being very seedy. From the look of the building it was unlikely that there was an elevator, and even though he was strong and fit he didn't fancy carrying Nick up an unknown number of stairs.
    He found Nick's name on the mailbox and ran up the stairs two at a time, puffing by the time he reached the fourth floor.
    His instinct was right; he was not going to be carrying Nick up four stories. If worse came to worst, he would take the boy home with him.
    He unlocked the door and stopped, appalled by the poverty that made the tiny flat cold and ugly. It was only a single room, with a bed and a tiny bathroom. No place to prepare food, no luxuries. Apparently Nick did not own a TV or radio, although he had a laptop. And he was a slob. Clothing covered every surface, mingled with books and papers.
    Damian's lips tightened; now was not the time, but he would make sure Nick changed that or they would never be able to live together in harmony. Fuck! Where had that come from?
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    Damian stood motionless in shock as he worried exactly when he'd decided that Nick would be moving in with him.
    Then he remembered that he had left the semi-conscious young man in the car and resumed his search. At least Nick had left his pills in a sensible spot, in the medicine cabinet.
    Damian locked the door behind him and leaped down the stairs. He was relieved to see his car intact and Nick apparently asleep.
    He got in quietly and started the car. Nick's head rolled to the side and he opened his eyes to slits. "Find them?"
    "Yes. See if you can get some sleep. We'll be home in fifteen minutes," Damian said soothingly.
    Home . The words echoed in Nick's groggy mind. It had a nice ring to it. He spent as little time in his flat as possible. He didn't think of it as home; that was where his parents and his sister were, in the house where he grew up.
    But if he wanted to study art he had to be in London, and his parents couldn't afford to send him so finding this flat was actually a stroke of luck. It was cheap and it was close enough to school that he could walk, saving him the tube fare.
    When Damian turned the car into the circular drive and slowed to a stop, Nick pried his eyes open to see a charming Tudor cottage, two stories with a garden that looked enchanting even under the moonlight.
    Damian ran around the car, opening the door and extracting Nick from the seat. He pulled Nick's arm over his shoulder and supported him to the door, unlocking it and kicking it open.
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    He guided Nick down a short hallway to a room with a fairly large bed. "I'm going to get you into bed. Let me do all the work, right?"
    "Yeah."
    Damian lowered Nick down onto the bed and stripped him, making short work of it. He lifted the slight body to pull the covers out from under him and tucked him in. "I'll be right back."
    He fetched a glass of water and sat on