Dante grasped Sid’s wrists and brought his hands to his face. “I’m okay. It’s over. I’m okay.”
Sid held his gaze for a long moment, then he nodded and reached for the shampoo. “You’re gonna tell me what happened, all of it, but let’s get you warm first.”
He washed Dante’s hair and body with gentle fingers, then held Dante under the steaming spray until the hot water began to run out.
There were no towels in the bathroom. Sid left Dante propped against the wall and padded away, but he was back before Dante could panic again. He dried them both off and helped Dante dress in dry sweats.
“Come on,” he said for what felt like the thousandth time. “Bed.”
Dante squinted at the faint light filtering through the half-closed blind in the hallway. “Isn’t it morning?”
“Who the fuck cares?”
Sid yanked the blind all the way down and steered Dante to his bedroom. The bed was rumpled and smelled of both of them. Of sex, maybe? Dante couldn’t tell. He sat on the edge, too tired to even lie down. Sid took pity on him and eased him onto his back, then he straightened and stepped away.
Dante caught his wrist. “Don’t go.”
“I’m not. I’ll be back in a sec.”
Sid left the room. Dante shivered and curled onto his side, watching the door as he listened to Sid move around the bungalow. Kitchen cupboards opened and shut. Then Sid was back, a plastic bottle in one hand, his phone in the other. He held out the bottle. “Drink this, if you can keep it down.”
“What is it?”
“Meal replacement. I use it when I’m too fucked up to eat.”
Dante took the bottle. His stomach was already rebelling, but he trusted Sid and tipped the contents down his throat without even looking at it.
He set the empty bottle aside.
Sid was texting on his phone.
Dante didn’t ask who or what or why. It wasn’t his business.
Sid dropped his phone on the bedside table. Somewhere along the line, he’d dressed in faded sweats too, and he slid into bed beside Dante, facing him, cupping Dante’s jaw as he ran his dissecting gaze all over him. “You’re not bleeding anymore.”
“Good. I don’t want to make a mess in your bed.”
“I liked the mess we made last time you were here.”
Dante smiled and warmth finally penetrated his chest. “So did I. Can I tell you something?”
“You can tell me anything.”
“I love you.”
Sid’s wildflower eyes widened. “Really?”
“You don’t believe me?”
Sid smiled, soft and sweet. “It’s not that, I just... fuck, I’ve spent the whole time you’ve been gone telling myself how I feel about you is unrequited.”
“Unrequited?”
“Yeah. As in,Iloveyou, and I never fucking dreamed you’d feel the same.”
“Why?”
Sid leaned forward and kissed Dante’s cheek, his warm hand still wrapped around the other. “Because you kept telling me what a shit person you were. I didn’t think you were ready to feel that way about anyone while you were so down on yourself.”