Double Trouble in Paradise | cw

It was so strange. The last time they had touched, Eden had pushed him away, denying him any comfort when he had been struggling with his emotions. Part of him had convinced himself that just by being close to him again, he would eventually be pushed away again. The pain in his chest was soothed by the touch and the gentle kisses, but would it ever go away? He told him he was strong, but he didn't feel that way. Far from it. He felt like a coward. He couldn't even manage his own emotions, and that was what had ended them up here. It was as if those rumors had set off a chain reaction, his mind convincing him that it was because he wasn't good enough, that he wasn't perfect. That spiral had only worsened when he had been alone with no-one to look out for him.
"I wanted to die," he said, blinking a few times as if the realization hit him. His eyes watered as he felt scared again. Scared that he had done what he had just to get out of the pain. "Calling you .. I guess I was looking for a reason to stay .. but hearing your voice just made the hurt so much worse," he whispered, too scared to talk too loudly. His hazel eyes looked to the blue green ones that he found so much comfort in. He lifted his hand, touching the cold cheek, his own body temperature being lower than normal because of his condition. "Please don't hate me for what I did."

He whimpered softly as Eden told him he could never hate him. Somehow he found it hard to believe, because it had felt like it that day in the forest. How he had been pushed away, so desperate to just press his snout against the mark. He wasn't sure, looking back, if it would've made him stay if he had gotten to do it. But it would've hurt less, that was for sure. Eden elaborated, how he hated the action that Romeo had made, and more so seemed to blame his own shortcomings. The lycan didn't see it like that. It had been a selfish act, one that he couldn't just explain away or excuse. He felt the cold hand over his own, feeling better just by relaxing into his touch.
How he felt? That was more of a loaded question if anything. "I don't feel good," he admitted, looking down to Eden's chest, but not moving away from him. He didn't feel uncomfortable with the vampyre there, far from it as his presence seemed to calm him more. "I feel guilty .. I feel disgusting," just to name a few things. He felt like he smelled bad, his skin sticky and his breath bad. Not at all how well kept he had always been when he was around Eden. "The only good thing right now is you being here," he admitted, frowning as it was clear there was more to it, "but by admitting that I feel guilty again."

His eyes well up as he was asked why he felt guilty. There were a lot of reasons to it, one of them being the fact that he had worried Eden. Another was the whole exchange in the forest, and if he could've changed his reaction, if he had just listened and stuck around then maybe it wouldn't have gotten this bad. He looked at Eden, "because I can't stop .. I can't," he could hardly say it, his hand moving up to clutch at the medical gown over where his heart was beating. The monitor beeping a little louder as he surely felt his heart go crazy in his chest. He gasped softly for air, looking down before finally admitting why he felt so guilty, "I can't stop loving you."
Closing his eyes he wished he could just disappear. Maybe he shouldn't have called Eden, maybe he should've just let him be in the unknown and not stuck here, seeing how sick he had gotten. "And I don't care what you did or didn't do .. I just .. I can't handle life without you," he whimpered, a few tears rolling down his cheeks yet again, still grasping at his gown over his heart. It hurt so much. Being in his lycan form he had managed to suppress a lot of the pain, but being in his human shape brought it all back just as strong. And he felt so weak admitting to this. It was like inviting Eden to trample all over him another time in another place. The fact that in his head, Eden could cheat on him all he wanted, he just couldn't live life without the vampyre by his side. "And that's why I'm weak .. I have no boundaries, I have no wants besides you," he was starting to cry more, his throat knotting up from the emotions.

Romeo wasn't sure what to think as Eden comforted him. His words so genuine and it just added to the hurt. He was sure what he meant about a chair, but he figured he didn't want to know. He leaned in, their faces close as he then pressed their foreheads together. "Let me be yours again .. Please I can't be in this world not by your side," he pleaded softly, clinging onto Eden as his heart felt like it was bursting through his chest. His throat so tied up that he couldn't do anything but sob in his raspy voice. "I don't want to hurt anymore .. Eden I need you .. I love you."

Their lips met in a tender dance, but Romeo held himself back. It wasn't like he didn't like to be kissed, far from it! But not feeling well translated to how he acted rather prominently. He gasped softly for hair, his heart monitor going a little crazy, but it was just his pulse going up from their kiss. Being close to Eden had always made his body react rather strongly, and he surmised that now they had science backing that up as well. "Never leave me," he whispered to Eden's tender words. He loved him so much, and just being reunited with him, it didn't matter what had happened or hadn't happened for that matter. "You still have our rings, right?" He whispered, hoping it was a yes.

The thought of Josette coming made him frown. He didn't really want anyone to see him like this. He hadn't had a choice in regards to Eden, but he would like to keep his looks intact for the vampyress who had always been so gentle and understanding of their relationship. The mention of a chain made him hum, looking down at his slender fingers. Only to him he still looked too imperfect. It was just the curse of his mind seeing something that wasn't really there. "I .. I didn't give you the ring back that night because I was breaking it off," he said, like he had to make that clear. No he had been way to upset to even break it off, but Eden's reaction had made it so. He sighed, closing his eyes as everything was such a mess in his head. "I just hadn't wanted to lose it while in that form," he muttered. Was he making any sense at all?

His promise did ease him a bit, but he honestly just wanted to get out of the hospital. He didn't want to be here, he hated all the tubes and the beeping machines. "I wish I had talked to you too," he just agreed, but he had been unable to calm down. Pacing those woods until Eden found him, not wanting to leave and yet feeling the need to just run. The focus on his healing made him sigh, though he let the vampyre wrap his arms around him. He kept his eyes closed, taking in each gently placed kiss that Eden awarded his forehead and the rest of his face. With him he felt good. He felt like he could be himself. And yet he knew there was one thing they needed to talk about.
"I'm .. I'm sick," he said, speaking in a low voice, not wanting to say it too loud. He could barely confess to it himself, but of course he knew he had a problem. He knew because despite it all, he could feel Eden's hands feel him up and he barely had anything to fight back with on his bones. "And I-I want to get better .. But I don't know how .. And I don't know if I can just do it on my own." It wasn't like Romeo hadn't tried getting better. However it was like every time he looked at food he just had the urge to get as far away from it as possible. "And I don't want a tube up my nose for the rest of my life," he confessed, opening his eyes to look at the vampyre. He knew it wasn't a topic that an immortal being would know much of, but he hoped that he knew of something or someone who might be able to help.

The nurse? It seemed weird to think that someone had seen him like this, and yet he knew that the personnel at hospitals probably saw their fair share of different patients. Perhaps even some that resembled him to some extent. He looked at the folder, flipping through it a little carefully. It looked nice, though there was a catch. "It's an inpatient program," he said, frowning as he wasn't sure how he felt about that. It would mean he would be separated from Eden again, wouldn't it? His heart started beating a little faster as he felt anxious, and the monitor picked up on it. Could he really get better without Eden there by his side? He wasn't sure, but he also knew the hospital couldn't force him to stay here. "It's out in the countryside," far away from the bustling city, and perhaps that was what he needed. He needed peace to come to terms with this disease he had.

Romeo looked at the pictures, humming as it did look rather nice. They even had a sun room. It reminded him of his home back in Italy, but he didn't say that. Eden was right. Maybe it was a good idea to just get away from everything for a while, take a breather and simply just focus on getting better. He looked from the folder to the vampyre by his side, "you would come visit, right?" he asked, just to be sure, perhaps because he felt insecure. Going to a place like that seemed rather daunting. He would be without Eden, and it wasn't what he truly wanted. He wanted to be with him, not be apart from him.
But once again Eden was right. The sooner he went, the faster he could be back with him. "When the hospital clears me we can go see it .. And if I don't like it, I won't go," he just said quite blankly. There was no need to pack it in, he wasn't going to stay in a place that he didn't like from the get-go.

The kisses were more than welcome, warming his cheeks a bit as he felt so happy to have him close. To feel that love again. There wasn't much better than that. Eden spoke about how they would find the place for him that he would like and he nodded, sighing as he felt his eyes were sleepy again. His body just naturally felt exhausted as it took a lot of energy just to breathe. The probe probably would help in the long run, but for now all it did was just administer some food to his stomach. He closed the folder up, snuggling up to Eden once more, holding his arms around him. "I'm tired," he muttered. For one he actually was, but he also couldn't really make up his mind just yet. He needed a good amount of rest before he could think clearly.
Falling asleep once more he slept more relaxed now. He had his vampyre, the love of his life right here by his side, and nothing was going to change that. Nobody could truly break them apart. While he slept the nurses came and went over the next fair few hours. Some asked if Eden needed anything, most were just focusing on their job in regards to Romeo. The nice nurse returned, however she wasn't in her uniform, holding her bag over her shoulder as she looked to be heading home. She sent Eden a polite smile, "just a heads up, the doctors are having a conference tomorrow about his condition - I doubt they'll agree to let him leave unless there is a plan setup for handling his healing," she knew she wasn't supposed to tell him that, but they seemed like a genuine couple. And in all honesty she loved her job. "I probably won't see you two again - and for both of yours' sake, I hope we won't ever," she smiled before she had to leave and head home.
Romeo was sleeping for a while, the machines whirring as some dispensed food, others checked his heartbeat and a third did gods know what. When he opened his eyes once more, daylight was peaking in through the windows. He hadn't noticed, but Josette had come to the hospital not long after, bringing the rings around as per requested by her father. She had brought some vials for him as well, and a book for Romeo, stating that he might not read it, but he would probably appreciate the thought.

Josette was clearly just happy to help, and seeing her father in a state where he was actually responsive made her feel good. She hoped that the two lovers would figure it all out. Though she was a little upset that she couldn't see Romeo, she just had to trust Eden when he said everything would work out.

Chiara stood with her father, her eyes red from crying and yet she held her head high as Eden showed up. Her father started hissing at the vampyre but she stepped forward, turning her head over her shoulder to look at the man she called father. "Silenzio, bobba," she told him before looking to Eden. Her motherly heart was bleeding, and yet she was also a proud woman. "Posso vedere mio figlio?" She asked, struggling with her English until she tried that instead, though it would be a bit broken. "I see Romeo?" Chiara Trevino-Altera was not a woman who asked for permission much in her life. But it was clear she understood now that she couldn't demand it. All she wanted was to see her son, maybe hold his hand if he would even let him. "Per favore," she said, humbling herself before the vampyre, lifting a hand to her chest, where her heart was aching, "my baby."

Chiara put in her number, looking at Eden as she nodded, somewhat understanding and yet her eyes moved to Romeo inside the bed. He had his back turned, but he looked so small. Her eyes welled up, looking down before she took a few deep breaths. She wasn't going home, but she wasn't barging in either. Instead she walked towards the cafeteria, urging her father to do the same unless he had other business to attend to.

Romeo was slowly waking up as Eden entered. He was a bit disoriented, especially because Eden wasn't there. Sitting up his heart monitor started picking up. Where was he? He hadn't just left, had he? Turning his head he then saw the vampyre enter, the lycan's eyes already welled up as he thought he had been abandoned at this place. He reached out for him, "Eden," he pleaded, needing him close, not wanting to be apart from him just yet.

Eden explained himself, but as he showed him the rings he felt his heart hurt a little. Reaching out to touch them gently as they rested in the vampyre's palm, he felt his breath hiccup a bit. He took Eden's ring, lifting it to inspect it before looking to the man he loved. "Give me your hand," he said softly, and if he did as he asked, he would place the ring back where it belonged before giving Eden his hand. If he hesitated he would look at him, "I just want to wear it on my finger for a little while," he said, knowing that the ring would be very loose on him. He felt ashamed that he had come to this, but there wasn't much he could do about it now.
If the ring was placed on his finger he would entangle their fingers on the hands they were wearing the rings. "As soon as I'm better .. I want to marry you .. I don't want to waste a second," he whispered. It had been too long they had been apart, and Romeo never wanted to feel that hurt ever again. He looked from their hands up to Eden, reaching out and touching his cheek gently, like he was the most valuable thing in the world. And he was, at least to the lycan.