Partner

I managed to hurt my arm and side at work. So... despite the fact that I want. Really. Really. Want to write the next bit tonight, I'm afraid it likely won't happen. Unless you want the bit lacking punctuation due to the fact it's my right arm. Only hurts if I'm not typing actual letters, as letters require very little movement.

I felt like Paw, today. Except minus a Mik to make it better.

Read. Review. And Enjoy.




Mik rubbed his face as he walked into the apartment. He set the bible under his keys on the counter and sighed. Paw stood in the kitchen, pan in one hand, package of meat in the other. The Sidhe looked startled.

“What?”

Paw’s eyebrows drew down and Mik cocked his head to the side. He moved and the Sidhe continued to look intently in the spot where Mik had been standing. Obviously whatever Paw was watching, it wasn’t Mik.

Unless… he thought it was Mik.

“Paw?” Mik worked his way around the counter, making certain that he was not making any sudden movements, “Are you okay?”

Paw took in a breath and then let it out a moment later. It was like a huff, like when someone forces themselves to breath. Then another one. The Sidhe was stiff, from head to toe. His knuckles going white from his grip on the frying pan. As Mik watched, a shudder rolled through Paw’s body, the creature’s eyes rolled up into his head for a moment. Paw gasped and came to. Eyes falling to the kitchen counter before him frown creasing his brow as he panted.

“Paw?”

“EEEEEAAAAHHH,” the Sidhe screamed in fear and swung the frying pan around. Mik ducked and felt it whistle through the air where his head was just a moment before.

The pan slipped out of Paw’s hand and flew into the fridge. The poor appliance crunched, the pan embedding itself in the door. Something fizzled and Mik winced as he straightened. Paw was panting, arms at his sides, tears running down his face.

“Paw,” he moved quickly and wrapped his arms around the Sidhe, bent his lips to the creature’s ear, “Auhi?”

Paw whimpered.

Names were a way to reaffirm identity. Calling Paw by the name he went by -Paw- when he was having such issues would do nothing but confuse the Sidhe. As he was not actually Paw. He was Auhi.

Mik rocked back and forth gently as the Sidhe collapsed against him, weeping openly. The package of meat finally hit the floor, having been squashed into an unrecognisable form. Mik gave Paw’s back a pat then detached the Sidhe from himself.

“Do you need Essuan?” Paw shook his head, “Souse?” Another shake, Mik bit his bottom lip for a moment then said, “do you need Mik?”

Paw’s head snapped up, he looked Mik up and down and frowned.

“Paw, I am Mik,” Mik tapped over his chest and the Sidhe looked visibly relieved, “What…”

The Sidhe whimpered and hunched himself over, placing one hand over the other as he cringed away from an invisible something. Mik heard the phone ring in the other room and swore loudly. Paw turned his head towards Mik.

“Now is not the time to be calling,” Mik snapped at a random corner of the room, knowing they could hear and see him.

He pulled Paw towards him and tugged the Sidhe towards the nest room that Paw had claimed as his. Pushing as gently as possible, he helped Paw into the nest and draped several blankets and pillows around the Sidhe as he had seen Paw do in the past.

It was only after Paw’s eyes had drifted closed that Mik dared wander away and snatch up the phone before running back to the bedroom door and checking on the Sidhe. Paw let out a small huff in his sleep, but didn’t move.

Mik clicked the phone on and dialled the number he had memorized as Mari’s, “What the hell are you calling me in the middle of a fucking crisis for?” he snapped at the woman.

“Call you? What do you… that son of a bitch. What happened?” there were several clicks on her end of the phone, “that is a crisis. Any idea what was going on?”

“No. But I need a new fridge. And food,” Mik turned as the apartment door opened, “and soon, sounds like Lillow is home and she’s been starving recently.”

“We will send someone over immediately. Excuse me, but I have to talk to a certain man who thinks he runs the program. It will take about fifteen minutes for the food to get there, the fridge is going to take a little longer. Tomorrow morning likely and the apartment will have to be emptied as the fridge is installed, naturally. I will call you again after speaking to the man and reviewing the videos and information. In the mean time? I suggest sending Lillow for Souse and Essuan.”

“Alright,” Mik watched as Hohi slunk into the living room and shifted through the couch for something. The man clicked off the phone and sighed, “Hohi, could you get Souse and Essuan for me? Please?”

Hohi glanced over, “Have fight with Paw. Send Hohi running to fix?”

“Not a fight, Hohi, not sure what happened.”

“Mik come in. Poke Paw. Paw get upset. Paw throw pan.”

“Paw was standing, staring off at nothing, pan in one hand, meat in the other and unresponsive to anything until the second time I said his name and then he screamed and swung the frying pan, meaning to take my head off with it, and the pan hit the fridge.”

“Staring off at nothing? What that mean?”

Mik tried to demonstrate, but Hohi looked more confused than usual, “well… I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”

“Not talk through mind happen, why would he…” Hohi’s head cocked to the side and the Sidhe frowned.

“I don’t know, hence why I want you to get Souse and Essuan.”

“Ah. Oh. Rights, go now to get,” Hohi pointed and then moved towards the door.

Mik turned back to the nest and found Paw shivering as if caught with a fever, kicking at the blankets and breaking out in a sweat. The man worried and fretted, but all he could do was recover Paw, not knowing what to do besides that. Essuan flew in a moment later and was chattering at Violet, the girl was in a pant, bag in one hand and towel in the other. Her hair was sopping wet.

Essuan had obviously tried to slip out while Violet showered.

The girl dropped the bag, handed Essuan the towel and rushed out of the room. A moment later, Lillow replaced Violet, took one look at Paw and left again. Then Souse slid into the room. The male frowned.

Essuan took the towel Violet had given her and sat on the edge of the nest, wiping at Paw’s brow. The other tugged blankets back over Paw. Souse pulled his mate away from the nest and took the towel from her. He began wiping Paw’s brow. Violet returned a moment later with a bowl of warm water and several cloths. Souse gave the girl the towel and replaced it with a wetted cloth.

The healer began chattering again, giving out orders, pointing out the door and to the window. Both Lillow and Violet rushed to do whatever it was the woman was asking them to do. Mik looked at Paw, looking at Essuan and slid out of the room just as Violet slid back in with a mug of steaming something.

They, Paw and Mik, had planned on having sex that night. Lillow was supposed to stay at Hohi’s, under the watchful eye of one of the Sidhe whose names Mik didn’t know, and the two would have private time.

Mik moved into the dining room and grabbed one of the chairs. He took it back into the nest room and set it by the bed but out of the way. Essuan glared at him. Mik jabbed a finger at her and then at the chair. The woman folded her arms across her chest and gave Mik a killing look.

“Sit in the chair,” Mik snapped, “or get out. Do you really think that Paw would want you to risk the babe for him?”

“Mouseshit.”

“Then sit down.”

Essuan huffed out but took the seat.

“Mik,” Souse murmured.

“Mm?” Mik jumped at his name and turned towards the male.

“Slid in behind him and prop him up. Have to get tea into him, should stop fever,” Souse motioned first to Paw, then to Violet, standing with the cup held firmly between her hands.

Mik, with Souse’s help, slid into the nest and behind Paw, pulling the Sidhe into a sitting position. Paw whimpered and shuddered against Mik. It sounded so very, very different from the sounds Paw made when pleasured. Sitting up, Paw took several short, quick breaths before stilling nearly completely.

Souse took the tea from Violet and sipped a little. The male leaned forward and pressed his lips against Paw’s. The look on Souse’s face was a grimace, until he met Mik’s eyes.

“Leaf that makes Mik twirl around like … Lillow on caffeine,” Souse murmured, sipping some more before pressing his lips against Paw’s once more.

The smaller Sidhe swallowed, but it was likely more reflex than conscious decision. Essuan said something and Souse handed the mug back Violet.

“Now?” Mik murmured.

“Now. We wait.”



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