Healing isn't always easy | Eden

Romeo let the donor be, following Eden as he too was a bit worried about what would happen now. What if the vampyre's system rejected the human's blood? He feared that would be the case, so he just sat down on the bed beside him, reaching over to hold his hand. He could feel the anxiety coursing through his lover's veins, leaning his head onto his shoulder wanting to comfort him. But he still couldn't really say anything. He just wanted to stay close and be of some sort of comfort or help to the man he loved so dearly. Unsure what else to do, he just held his hand, caressing it gently with his free hand, wanting to soothe him to the best of his abilities.
After a while he could hear the donor moving around, them yelling a polite goodbye before the front door was closed. He wondered if she had found them strange. But then again she had seemed like she didn't particularly cared about what was going on. Well besides the fact that she took her job seriously, which was only good for Eden, right? Giving his hand a loving squeeze, he hoped that his husband would shed some light on what he was thinking of. He could feel the anxiety, but that was just a response the body had right now to something bigger - or at least that was how it felt.

Romeo felt as the relief set in, smiling as he leaned his head away only to see the blood trickle down from the vampyre's nose. Quite frankly he was stunned and as his husband went for the bathroom he sat frozen in place. This was bad. This was really bad. He felt his eyes tear up, but he had to be strong for Eden. Instead of sulking he got up, moving out to the bathroom where he saw the aftermath in the sink. He moved closer, wrapping his arms around Eden from behind. Being about to suggest two things that the vampyre would hate more than anything. One was that he fed on him and the other was that he should see a doctor or perhaps some sort of specialist that could do some testing.
Releasing the man he loved, he moved around so that he could look at him. Grabbing a towel he dried the bad blood off of his lips gently before reaching for a shaver. He made a careful cut on his wrist, lifting it to the man he loved. He knew his body couldn't refuse feeding when his blood was exposed. He was willingly giving it over. There was nothing to fight here, he just wanted Eden to feel better, if only for a while.

He was frustrated but worst of all hungry. With the blood expelled, it was back to scratch and he didnt really like that one bit. He felt Romeo's arms around him and he pushed up to look at himself in the mirror. He looked as shit as he felt in his own eyes. It probably wasnt that noticeable for any other than himself. But it would be in due time if he had to keep going like this. Romeo moved and he looked down at the lycan with saddened eyes. As he reached for the shaver, Eden wanted to object. It wasnt good for him. But he couldnt refuse him, especially as he smelled the blood that was so appealing to him now. He grabbed his wrist, looking at him before he placed his lips around the wound. The blood felt as good as seraphim blood had. He didnt drink a lot, reaching out for a hand sized towel that he wrapped around the wrist as soon as his immediate thirst was soothed. It was like a light snack. "I cant do this to you." he muttered, keeping the cloth wrapped tight enough to not have the blood flow freely. He looked down. "You need all your blood."

Eden at least took to drinking from him. He didn't take enough if you asked Romeo, but he also knew how weak he was in this moment. Watching as his wrist was neatly and tightly wrapped he soon turned his eyes to the man he loved. The insistence of him needing his blood he could accept, but if he thought that the lycan wouldn't gladly risk it all, then he didn't know him very well. His throat still felt rather coarse, but he tried speaking anyways. "You need a doctor," he spoke with much trouble, moving closer to lean his head against his chest. His body felt tired after everything it had gone through. It needed sleep and very soon. "I can't lose you." Not when he had just gotten him. They were married now, they could call each other husband, and Romeo was not willing to give that up because of this obstacle. No, they had faced so much worse, and now they had another thing they would have to face together. His eyelids felt heavy, and he soon pulled at the vampyre to leave the bathroom and return to the bedroom. Romeo desperately needed some rest, and it seemed that as soon as he laid his head on the pillow he drifted off.

Romeo was pretty much tuckered out, falling asleep rather fast he didn't even register that Eden left. If he had he would've protested to come with him, but alas he needed his rest and perhaps the vampyre could easier recognize that than the lycan himself. Sleeping for a while he eventually woke up rather disoriented and also warm, kicking the duvet off. Laying for a bit he just stared up at the ceilling, recollecting his thoughts as he listened to the house. There wasn't a sound to be heard. Maybe his husband was outside smoking? No, he couldn't sense that a door was open anywhere. Eventually he sat up, looking to the table next to the bed and seeing the note. He was sad that he had left, but also relieved that he had went out to seek the help he needed. Romeo loved him, but he couldn't fix all of his problems sadly.
Still a bit shaken from earlier he realized he had fallen asleep with his clothes on, but that seemed to work out in his favor as he heard the door being knocked. At first he thought it might've been a mistake. Maybe some neighborhood kid playing a prank. But the second knock made him get up and heading out to the door. It was at times like this he wished all doors had a small peephole to see who was on the other side. A little hesitantly and slowly he opened the door, careful in the sense that he was still on edge after what had happened.

Outside was a woman he had never met nor seen before, at least not to his recollection. She spoke politely at least, but he was worried when she spoke of his husband. Though he had a hard time trusting anyone, surely someone Eden would send to help escort him was at least better than getting everything home by himself. His throat still felt sore, but he knew his voice was at least working somewhat again. He nodded, gesturing for her to enter as he went to go pack. It felt bittersweet. He frankly had wanted to stay here for longer, but he also knew that he had to return to the facility as well. As he packed up he found himself wiping tears off of his face. He was lawfully married. But he couldn't go home with his husband just yet. He had some way to go before that could truly happen, and when he returned he was sure they were going to spot the fact that he hadn't been eating as much as he should've.
As he finished packing up, he checked the rooms just to make sure. He had been sneaky enough to pack one of Eden's shirts among his own belongings, just to have something to remind him of his husband. The crystals he had put in Eden's bag, hoping he would keep them safe for now along with the two trinkets they had gotten at the market. He returned to the woman, nodding to signal that he was ready to go.

Romeo did feel a bit on edge getting into the car. His hands shaking a little, but that could also be caused by the fact that his body still felt so drained. Being quiet he just looked out the window, frowning as they weren't heading for the facility but rather the city. He was quite frankly surprised. But he was also looking forward to seeing home. He missed it a lot. As the car ride came to an end he looked to the apartment building, surprised and maybe a bit skeptical of the suggestion. He knew he had come far in his recovery, but coming home already felt like a big step. He just nodded, not really saying much before he got out of the car. He took their belongings, his body shivering a bit under the weight, but it was clear he was determined. As he had taken a few steps he looked to the woman, "thank you," he just said, his vocal chords still raw and broken, but he at least didn't have to whisper. Inside the lobby he went to the elevator, heading up to their floor and unlocking the door to their apartment. Their shared home. Just dropping the bags inside in the hallway he locked the door and went straight to bed, feeling so fatigued after everything.

Romeo didn't hear the apartment getting unlocked, but he did feel the weight that befell the mattress. Smiling in his sleep as the vampyre pulled him close, his arm just instinctively wrapped around him rather loosely. He seemed to relax more in his presence, falling asleep and really getting some rest.
When he finally woke up he was hiding his face away in the vampyre's chest, mumbling something against his shirt that he wasn't even sure of himself what meant. However pulling away he looked at his husband, his hand reaching up to cup his cheek. He could smell the blood on him, but not really anything else. And he wasn't really quite awake yet to pick up any certain smells. "I can really get to be home while recovering?" It was somehow the first thing on his mind. Maybe because it was what had surprised him the most. He would love to be here, love to wake up to Eden every day like a real married couple. "I mean, I'm still not all that good at keeping my food down," he warned him, looking down a bit ashamed. He just hated that he had to be this way, but it was an evil cycle.

Feeling so relieved at this revelation he just pressed himself closer to the vampyre. He felt his eyes tear up, but he wasn't really crying. He was just really happy. The blue green eyes met with his, seeing just how exhausted the vampyre was. Not that he couldn't feel it, no it was obvious. The mutter made him nod, closing his eyes as the hand touched his cheek. It was such a comfort to be close to Eden. He felt better than he had in a while. "Our life seems to be slowly getting back on track," he muttered, opening his eyes to look at him, clearly a bit worried as he was about to ask something a bit tender to their situation. "You feel very tired .. are you alright? Did you manage to eat?" He was worried and rightfully so. He had seen how Eden's body had rejected the donor's blood more than once. His hands moved around to his back, grasping lightly at his shirt, just pulling himself as close as he could. He craved his closeness and the intimacy of this tender moment between them.
Maybe Romeo should've just focused on himself, but he didn't work like that when it came to his husband. He needed him to feel good and be healthy, and then again he supposed that all partners had this wish for their other half. Eden meant more to Romeo than anyone. The vampyre had found a place within his heart that he hadn't thought accessible before. "I think I need to eat too," he admitted. His stomach felt as if it was folding in on itself, and while it had been a feeling he had before associated with progress, it wasn't anymore. "You can just stay here .. I'm going to grab a protein drink," he assured him, getting up even if he hated moving away from him. Getting up on his feet he felt a little shaky, but it could be a plethora of things that were wrong.
He moved carefully out to the kitchen, opening the fridge and just pulling out the protein drink. He didn't even care about the taste because the texture was horrible either way. He grabbed a straw as well, moving over to sit down by the kitchen island. His hands shaking a little as he placed the straw into the bottle, sucking some of the liquid up. He would've thought at this point he would've gotten used to the taste, but alas not. It was just going to be one of those things that he had to survive to get better. Finishing the drink mostly he went to go wash it down with a few glasses of water, just to get the sticky sensation out of his mouth. Standing for a while he just let his head hang down over the sink. He felt nauseous now and he knew that he just had to stand still for a while.

Injecting it? He didn't really like the sound of that. But if it worked it was better than nothing for sure. He just left to do his thing and yet it seemed that the vampyre joined him not long after he had finished the protein shake. He watched as he pulled the vials out, reaching out to take his hand if he let him. "Eden?" He asked, worried as he sensed the desperation. What was going on? He had been so tired and now he seemed almost too awake. "What's going on?" He had to know. Even if he would hate the answer, he hated more to see him struggle like this. He looked to the blood, feeling a bit of his nausea return. Never had he been squeamish about blood, but after seeing the vampyre actively expel it, he had found it hard to wrap his mind around. "Do you really think this is wise?" Of course he could not control him, but he did want him to think twice before he did something he would regret. He reached over, tucking a piece of hair away from his forehead, caressing his skin gently as he wasn't sure what to do in this moment. And he felt sad that he could truly do nothing to soothe his husband's ache. He wasn't strong enough to offer more blood, and it pained him so.

Just hearing her name was enough for Romeo to know that it wasn't a good thing. They hadn't exactly ended on a good note. In fact, things had been muddy and messy for a while as tension had kept growing. However the lycan wondered why she had taken so long to break the silence. Was something going on at the Parish estate? But then again, it was no longer of their worry. They were Altieri now, a family of the two of them and well on their way to start a new life together. Eden's disclosure of Kareema's eventual wishes made him grit his teeth. Because it didn't sound like the vampyre wanted him to come along. "If she wants to meet, then we'll see her together or not at all," he spoke rather seriously to his husband, "and don't give me any crap about protecting me .. I need to face her just as much as you do." He knew that Kareema disliked him. That she saw him as expendable and easily replaced. But Eden had proven time and time again that what they had was stronger than anything. They had a love and a need for one another that couldn't be measured. It was truly otherworldly, at least if you asked the young lycan. "If I stay behind, she'll have more ammunition to attack me with; and she could hurt you because of some ploy she's involved in." Romeo felt like he had to be the voice of reason as of late. But it at least seemed like the two of them were working out how to communicate in these situations. That gave him some comfort.

Romeo hated that Eden was right, because he wanted to help too. He had been away for so long, and frankly he wanted nothing more than to just be beside the vampyre in everything that they could face. However the reminder of how they had made him doubt what they had made him upset, and it was rather visible. He looked down, frowning as he wasn't sure whether he was angry or disappointed. "You're really going to hold that against me?" He asked in a soft murmur. He almost couldn't believe it. That was so long ago, and it was brought up now when he was finally feeling so secure in what they had. "Eden .. you've proved that all of my fears were wrong .. hell, you've even worked it out so that I can stay here, at home, with you," he said, looking up as he was almost in disbelief. He had grown since then. He had gotten stronger, and they had solidified their relationship in a wonderful marriage. "You're not just my boyfriend anymore, not just my fiancé .. you're my husband," he said, reaching out to touch him, grasping on to his shirt as he wanted to be close to him. "And as your husband you need to trust that my doubts stem from my own insecurity .. because you're so .. so perfect .. and to think that you're actually mine was so farfetched for me," - "But I believe it now; my name is permanently on your skin; your bite is permanently on mine .. we're more than soulmates at this point."

"I'm not holding it against you, but I'm not going to ignore it either." he replied, frowning a little. Wasnt that fair to take into consideration? Everything with them seemed secure now, but could they ignore the fact that they also hadnt been facing troubles that were quite like the extreme that they had met with the twins? He didnt look truly convinced when Romeo reached out, looking at him with a saddened look in his eyes. It was rather clear that he wanted to believe him. That sure, they would just be able to handle anything that anyone would ever throw against them. "Would you have believed me if I hadnt just made sure that you could stay home rather than the facility?" he asked, moving a hand up to place over the lycan's. He gave his hand a soft squeeze before he looekd down. "But maybe it's not you who's the problem. It's me." he confessed, looking into the lycan's hazel eyes, shifting between them. "... I am the one doubting that you wouldnt budge at whatever vile lies they have to throw at you."

It seemed that Eden was pretty stuck in his ways, but couldn't he see that this relationship went both ways? The vampyre wanted to protect the lycan and the lycan wanted to protect the vampyre. It was just how things were, and it seemed that Eden soon realized that too. He just shook his head, leaning in to press their foreheads together. "Honesty," he just spoke their promise in a soft tone, having his eyes closed as he took his time to think his words through. He loved this man. Loved him more than what words could ever describe, and now they weren't two separates; they were one union. And while the world could throw all the things at them that it wished, Romeo deep down knew that they would always find a solution. Sure, there might be doubts and tumbles along the way, but it had already been proven that nothing could keep them apart. Not even their nature.
"We speak only truth to one another .. and then the lies won't matter," he said, pulling away to look at his face. The features beautiful and chiseled. The lips inviting and cold to the touch. And those blue-green eyes that always brought him so much calm. That was the Eden he knew, and he refused to let him leave without him. "For better or for worse, right?" He couldn't help but smile a little.