Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

sweet?"
    Sebastian didn't want to think about how he'd go about describing Daren as a boyfriend. Daren was a patient in a one-bed, non-certified recovery facility. He made shooing motions, hoping to speed Rachael and Tyrone towards the door.
    "Okay, we get the hint."
    "Daren, sweetie, get well soon." Tyrone called out.
    Sebastian managed to get them out the front door.
    "Seriously, if you need some kneecaps broken…" Rachael offered.
    "I've got your number. Good night."
    Sebastian closed the door, locked it, and waited until he heard a car pull away from the house before he went back to Daren. Daren was actually out of bed, leaning against the closet, standing on his good-ish leg and holding a rolled up copy of National Geographic with his non-broken hand. He also looked like he was about to pass out.
    "Jesus." Sebastian scooped Daren right off his feet and deposited him back into bed before he could collapse and do more damage.
    "I'm sorry. I tried not to cough."
    "No. Not your fault." He straightened out Daren's legs and shook out the crumpled sheets. "They should have called or just not shown up."
    "They're your friends."
    "I've known them all of seven months. They're Jimmy's friends, and my ex-roommate was dating Jimmy's ex-stepsister. Rachael hangs around me 'cause she was a Marine and I was Navy and she likes to make semen jokes. And Tyrone sees me as a curiosity because I'm the only gay guy he knows who uses generic shampoo."
    "I had noticed that."
    Before Sebastian could reply Daren began to cough again, his body trembling with each breath. Sebastian helped him sit up, rubbing circles on his back until his breathing settled down.
    "I'm fine." Daren said, preempting Sebastian's comment. "I told you this happens every year. I just usually don't have broken ribs. Cough syrup and allergy medicine and I'll be fine."
    Sebastian grabbed his stethoscope. "That's nice. I'm taking another listen to your lungs."
    Daren rolled his eyes a little but held still as Sebastian tried to listen to every inch of his lungs. Nothing seemed to have changed, so he draped the stethoscope around his neck. "Your system is still pretty messed up, so I'm not letting you mix drugs. You can have the cough syrup or antihistamines. Not both."
    "What flavor of cough syrup?"
    "Cherry."
    "Good. I hate grape."
    "Cough syrup then?"
    "Yeah."
    Sebastian grabbed the cough syrup and some water. The adrenaline of Rachael and Ty's visit finished wearing off, and he was suddenly back to exhausted again.
    Daren made a bit of a face as he drank down the syrup but began to nod off even as Sebastian was tucking in his blankets.
    Sebastian collapsed down in the chair and closed his eyes. He needed to clean up the kitchen a bit, run some laundry, update Daren's chart.
    "Sebastian?"
    "Yes."
    "Where have you been sleeping?"
    Sebastian didn't bother opening his eyes. "The couch. Here. Mainly here."
    "Oh." Daren said nothing else, and Sebastian figured he'd dozed off. He pried himself out of the chair. "Sebastian?"
    "Yes?"
    "I'm only using half this bed." Daren's voice was small and tentative.
    Sebastian was sure he'd be more shocked by the offer if he was just a little more awake. "It's okay."
    "I never intended to kick you out of your own bed. Never really intended for anything…" Daren's voice started to fade as if he were slipping into sleep again. "You need some better sleep."
    Sebastian wanted to object. Daren was right, but it wasn't appropriate. Daren did use up the whole bed when the nightmares hit. And Daren was really his patient. But Sebastian's spine was objecting to yet another night sleeping in the chair, and the siren call of his own bed was just too great. "Okay."
    Sebastian kicked off his shoes and dropped face-first on top of the blankets on the empty side of the bed. He heard Daren shift and give a little cough before they both fell asleep.
    ****
    Sebastian woke with his arm draped across Daren's chest. He'd gotten up once in the night to give him a second dose of cough syrup, but for the most part, they had slept. Sebastian considered closing his eyes and going back to sleep. For the first time in a week, he didn't feel frazzled and on edge.
    Sebastian pushed himself up far enough to read the clock that said 8:22. So much for his nice neat schedule, but he couldn't bring himself to really care.
    He tried to roll out of bed as carefully as possible, but Daren gave a little start and was awake. "Hey, sorry," Sebastian whispered. "Go back to