A medical emergency

[fadingworld]

A deep navy cloak hides his features and the more ornate tunic the courtesan usually wears to greet his clients. Mal hunches his shoulders and slides through the crowds hoping to avoid notice. He keeps his head down until he reaches the home of the doctor and wraps smartly on the door. "Open up," he calls in a voice that expects to be listened to.

How much time did he have? He could not have a client bleeding out. Not this one. Not one who had come to him for help, to be treated privately.

Comments

[fadingworld]

A soft laugh escapes Mal as he works. He leans in close as he passes the bandages around Regis' back. "I think you may be enjoying playing the patient a little," he teases gently.

[mandragoraspiritus]

"It as a rare event," Regis says as a halfhearted explanation. Rare, but not unheard of, and not even so recent, but that is a story for some other time. In this moment Regis practically feels a pull to lean forward, in against Mal, though he does resist. He can smell the scent of the man's skin, lavender, soap, just slight hints of clean sweat. All good smells. And the sounds, of air in Mal's lungs, going in and out, the whisper of the blood flowing in his veins.

[fadingworld]

Mal hums to himself. He doesn't quite believe that. It pleases him that Regis isn't quite immune to him. What he will do about it, he isn't quite sure yet. He triple checks the bandage before he steps back, his heart racing a little.

"Check it. Please."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis wouldn't believe himself either, and like Mal he is wondering what to do about this.

But, lessons first. He straightens up a bit and checks Mal's work. He can't help but to look somewhat amused. "This time you erred a bit too far on the side of caution. Too loose." Indeed, after just a few movements there are signs of the bandages slipping.

[fadingworld]

Mal makes a faint noise of frustration at himself. "You are starting to look like some lopsided creature," he agrees. He blows out a breath of air and sets a hand on Regis' thigh to still him again.

He sets to work removing the bandages. "Perhaps you could demonstrate on me how tight they should feel?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

It is a very reasonable request, one Regis can't find an excuse to refuse, even if the hand on his thigh makes him think he really should. Surely, Mal has to be aware of what he's doing.

"I can, yes," he agrees, and once Mal has unwrapped the bandage from him he stands to retrieve his shirt, pulling it on and buttoning it down.

[fadingworld]

Mal unbuttons his shirt slowly and pushes it off his shoulders. "Thank you," he says as he sinks gracefully unto the stool. He knows Regis has seen him naked when he was a real patient but this is different. There is a different atmosphere in the room, a slight tension.

He looks up at Regis. "I am ready when you are."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Yes, Regis has seen Mal naked and during Mal's illness Regis touched practically every inch of his body. But this is different.

Still, he sticks to a professional approach. Rather than placing himself between Mal's legs, as Mal had done with him, he kneels at his side and with practiced ease starts wrapping the bandages around Mal's ribscage firmly but not overly tight, checking as he goes. But even when sticking to his task is is acutely aware of Mal's skin under his hands, of the warmth of him.

[fadingworld]

Mal's lips part as he tries to stay perfectly still. Regis hands set his skin tingling. "It feels," he pauses and runs the tip of his tongue over dry lips. "Like a supportive cage."

[mandragoraspiritus]

"Which is very much what it is supposed to be," Regis says, tucking the end of the bandage in under the lengths wrapped around Mal's chest. It doesn't seem like he's being overly careful with his sharps nails, but even so not even once does a sharp point so much as prick Mal's skin.

"Try moving so you get a better feel of it."

[fadingworld]

Mal stands, and his body sways in a few swift movements of a dance. "Yes, I think I am getting it," he smiles and brushes his fingers over the bandages himself. "I think I could replicate it."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis almost sighs. Mal truly is beautiful, in hos appearance, in his form, in his movement. While is does know it, he can't not know it with the life he's led, there are times like this when he doesn't actually seem aware of it. And that only make shim all the more striking.

"Good. As, of course, you should." Regis goes to help him get the bandages back off, rolling them up as he goes. Once they are off, it's his turn to again remove his short and take his place on that stool to be the practice dummy.

[fadingworld]

Mal doesn't bother putting his shirt back on, he simply returns to the work. He takes up the same position he had before. As he concentrates he bites at the corner of his lip. A hand stays resting against Regis' back as he brings the bandages around ensuring the tension remains.

He tilts his head close to Regis' just before he finishes. "Does it feel right or should I unwind and begin again?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

This time, with how Mal places himself, with how he moves, how he touches his teacher, Regis becomes convinced that Mal is very much aware of what it is he's doing and of the effect he's having. Still Regis can' help but to wonder why. He doesn't at all think that Mal is only doing it to play with him. So there is an interest there, then? Pairing this with so many other moments, Regis would say so. What he does wonder about then is the cause for this interest.

This time he hasn't closed his eyes. Even now with Mal so close as if inviting him to touch, perhaps to kiss, Regis only watches him steadily. "No, you have it right," Regis says, but he answered without moving an inch.

[fadingworld]

"Thank you," Mal says very softly. He dips his head and brushes a kiss over the corner of Regis' lip as if he is aiming for his cheek. He starts to straighten.

"What next?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis isn't fooled. That was no mistake fo Mal's, Mal knows his movements with precision. It was intentional, a teasing little kiss, temping with the smallest taste.

Regis could ignore it, but at the same time he knows that sooner or later it will dome to a head. He would rather not wait for there to be misunderstandings between them.

Mal's question as for what next os one he ignores in place of one of his own. He speaks calmly, softly, and he hasn't moved so much as an inch.

"What are you doing, Mal?"

[fadingworld]

Mal's eyes flicker to Regis and hold them for a moment. "Kissing you," he says softly. He searches Regis' eyes. "Do you mind?" Do you want more? Or have I got this wrong? This thoughts spin around his head, making him a little shyer.

[mandragoraspiritus]

There isn't anything rejecting about Regis but he is apprehensive. Cautious and wondering why, what this is and where it is going. And, if allowed to go anywhere, how healthy it could ever really be.

"Mal..." His hands goes up, cupping Mal's face for a moment then settling on Mal's shoulders, pressing down gently to make Mal kneel at his feet, having them both stay rooted in this spot rather than standing up and moving on with things. This needs to be addressed.

"Why do you want to?"

[fadingworld]

Mal folds gracefully down, his face still upturned. "Because it feels good and right with you," he says very softly. For years he has been good at uttering the right words. He knew every step of the dance and where he could make it lead. This time he is all at sea.

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis smiles softly but it is that sad and tired smile. "There are others for you out there," he says gently. "Others that would be better suited. Do not get yourself so attached to me."

[fadingworld]

Mal cocks his head on one side. Very tentatively he touches Regis' cheek. "Is that you do not want me or that you are scared to want something?"

[mandragoraspiritus]

"It is that I think you would fare better with someone else," he tries to explain, and then because he's him he falls into a lecture. "I can understand the attachment. From all that you have told me, it seems that I have been the first to treat you with kindness. In such circumstances it isn't so strange if certain feelings may arise. But that does not necessarily make it, well... Wise. It doesn't account for compatibility, that we would be at all suited, and that isn't even taking into consideration that we are ultimately different species altogether."

[fadingworld]

Mal just puts a finger on Regis' lip. "That did not answer my question," he points out softly. "Do not try to explain my feelings away or tell me what suits. Do you not think I am capable of knowing for myself? I care not for species, I care about the person."

He takes his finger away. "Kiss me, or push me away. By your actions, I will know what you want. I have made own wishes clear."

[mandragoraspiritus]

Regis sighs, slumping where he sits with his hands still resting on Mal's shoulders. "You insist on trying to make the world simpler than it actually is," he says softly. "With no more than two options. Do or not. Yes or no."

For a moment it seems like he would push Mal away but then he leans forward, his hands come back up to cup Mal's face and he does kiss him, not at all tentatively, with no hesitation, and without hurry.

"You have become dear to me, Mal," he says once he leans back somewhat again. "More so by the day. No, I would not wish to push you away."

[fadingworld]

Mal's face flushes with pleasure that he can count as his first kiss that he has ever wanted. The world is that simple to him. A choice is made fully with mind and heart, one way of the other. "Then I could ask for no more." He takes Regis' hand between his. "I will not push for more than you are willing to give at a time. I only hope I continue to become dearer to you."