Fin's Claim

Grey

Grey's POV

White sheets, sterile bed.

"If you hold your breath it's going to hurt more, Grey. Try just focusing on breathing in and out." Lana rips the dressing off my leg quickly while I struggle to pull in a breath. The intensity of pain is consuming on the most basic of levels my body shaking with the violence of it.

The axis of the world tilts.

The strain of flesh weaving itself back into place makes a fresh layer of sweat trickle off my forehead stinging into my eyes. 

My world is a constant production in agony.

Silent sobs straining to be released from a mouth that refuses to open. Gripping the bed sheets is all I can do to ground myself when she rips off another section of bandage that pulls good skin along with the bad away.

"Breathe Grey," Lana's voice sounding far away. A grunt falls out from the base of my throat because my jaw is locked shut.

A male doesn't cry because of pain.

Meela walking into the room carrying food for me because I can't get my own. Golden eyes hold for a fraction of a second on the site I have to offer her.

A male who can't even walk on his own two feet.

How will I provide for her now?

Golden eyes are taking that hard look at my leg, reminding me of molasses dripping from a spoon, it's a long slow view before her eyes fall away. I wish Lana would hurry up.

"I brought you some food." Her eyes back to my leg that Lana is wrapping back up in white gauze taping the ends, so it doesn't come apart. Lana gives Meela a soft touch to her cheek as she passes by her. She halts at the door before turning around looking at me.

"Same time tomorrow Grey." Nodding to her, closing my eyes because now I am only Grey to everyone, nothing else.

My place is gone.

Meela comes closer with the plate in her hand.

"I'm not very hungry but thank you." Looking away because I just can't face her right now with my own self-pity.

She's beside me instantly, "I love you." A quick whisper before she pulls away sitting on the edge of the bed. Just the vicinity of her gives me that familiar rush almost crippling at times the way she can make my body feel.

"Open your mouth, Northerner." There's a smile inside the tone of her voice that she's trying so hard to lighten the mood up with. A little joke that we have between us calling me Northerner when I'm misbehaving.

Letting her place a piece of food in my mouth I start chewing it as she watches.

"Good boy was that so hard, Grey?" She puts the tiniest kiss to my mouth, patting my head.

"You behave you get a treat if you don't behave no treats for you." Thick heavy syrupy voice promising more if I just behave and do what I'm told.

Grabbing her hand, kissing her fingers. I notice the trace of dirt that still clings underneath her fingernails.

"What have you been doing outside?" Her body stiffens a little sob escaping her throat.

"I was just visiting our male, Victoria and I planted some flowers that will come back every year, so he has something beautiful over top of him. It lets people know that something special is buried underneath them." Meela closing her eyes, jaw clenching trying so hard to not to cry. Taking the plate out of her hand, placing it on the bedside table I hold her to my chest while her tears wet my shirt.