The Adventure Continues

[abrightboy]

For thatsfascinating.



The villa Malcolm rented was in the Languedoc, not far from Marseilles, south of Avignon. It was a very historic region, though Malcolm was particularly not interested in visiting Marseilles again. There was a charming village nearby the villa and if they were going to go to an historic city for a day, he'd rather make the trip over to Montpellier, where he'd never been at all, much less with Dr Whitly.

The villa had six bedrooms. As the driver brought their luggage inside the bright and spacious main room, Malcolm handed him some folded Euros and thanked him and shut the door behind him.

"First choice of a room is yours," he told Edrisa with a smile. "But you might want to explore first."

Comments

[thatsfascinating]

She rushed into his arms, wrapping her own around him and holding on tight.

"It's okay," she repeated in a whisper that was heavy with her worry for him. She wished he didn't have to go through this, that she could ease his fears, but she knew the only thing she could do was be there for him.

"Was it the same as that time in the shower?" she murmured.

[abrightboy]

He nodded, burying his face in her neck to breathe in the scent of her skin and to feel its warmth.

"I'm sorry. I..."

The doorbell rang and he jumped, lifting his head.

"Ooh, the chef," he said with a wince. "C-can you let him in?" he asked. He didn't want to be separated from her at the moment, but his hand was shaking and he felt like maybe the rest of him still was, too, and he was in no condition to greet someone that hadn't met them yet.

[thatsfascinating]

She stroked his hair, trying to soothe him...then jumped a little herself when the bell rang. When Malcolm told her it was the chef she nodded.

"Ah, right, gotcha. Yeah, sure, totally." She didn't want to be separated from him either, but she could be really quick. She frowned. "Does he speak English?"

[abrightboy]

"Oh. Oh. I... I don't.... I mean. He does this for tourists? But I don't-I don't know."

He pushed himself to his feet, clenching his hand into a fist while he tried to take a deep breath. "I-I'll do it. Just have to show him where the kitchen is."

At least he had some practice pretending he was okay when he wasn't. He stumbled slightly as he stood, but flexed and clenched his hand one more time and took a deep breath and nodded resolutely to nobody.

"I can do it."

[thatsfascinating]

She got to her feet and moved to intercept him, shaking her head and holding out her hands. "No no no! It's okay, I'll figure it out. Just sit down, okay? I'll be right back."

[abrightboy]

He opened and then closed his mouth twice, like he wanted to protest, but he had no argument that was reasonable. Or even unreasonable.

He nodded and sunk back down onto the floor.

[thatsfascinating]

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head, then left the room.

The chef only spoke a tiny bit of English, but he was good spirited about it. He followed Edrisa to the kitchen and got started while she returned to Malcolm.

[abrightboy]

He looked up when she came in.

"I'm so sorry. Did it go okay?" he asked anxiously.

[thatsfascinating]

"It's fine!" she assured, sitting down next to him. "He's in the kitchen, got started right away."

She took his hand, threading her fingers with his.

"Are you okay?"

[abrightboy]

He slid down a bit, so he could rest his cheek on her shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm okay now. It... passed."

[thatsfascinating]

She leaned her head against his.

"Is there anything we can do to to make this better? Or is it something that we just have to endure?"

[abrightboy]

He huffed a sad laugh. "I don't know. A frontal lobotomy?" He gave her a watery smile. "You're qualified, right?"

[thatsfascinating]

"Oh Bright..." She turned and took his head in her hands, tilting it down to press a kiss to his forehead.

"I am never, ever going to let anyone hurt that amazing brain," she murmured.

[abrightboy]

A tear slipped down his cheek and he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck.

"Thank you," he murmured.

[thatsfascinating]

That tear just broke Edrisa's heart, and she swallowed as he wrapped his arms around her, her eyes beginning to well up. "Always," she murmured back, wrapping her arms around him in turn, holding him tightly and cradling the back of his head. "I love you, Bright."

[abrightboy]

"I wish I had more to offer you than... shattered pieces," he said sadly. "I know you love me for what I am, I just... want to not do this to you. I want... I want to not do this at all and I don't know how."

[thatsfascinating]

"You're not doing anything to me," she murmured. "We're in this together. No matter what happens. I'm here for you, and I'm going to always be here for you. And you've given me so, so much."

[abrightboy]

"I-I try to," he said softly. "But I know that it's in between panic attacks and hallucinations and screaming nightmares and it's all too much for me sometimes...I can't imagine what it's like for you."

[thatsfascinating]

"I'm happy to be here," she answered, just as softly. "I'm able to hold you and soothe you and be here for you. I know what it's like. I've been here through some pretty difficult stuff. And I'm not going anywhere. I want to be here."

[abrightboy]

"I want to stop being a burden." He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes still watery with unshed tears. "I don't want people to look at you like you're married to an invalid..." He pressed he fingertips of his free hand, in its cast, against his forehead and then shook his head. "I'm spiraling. I'm just... spiraling. I need to take some pills," he said, getting up. He was still holding her hand. He looked at her. "...And I want you to come with me?" he said weakly.

[thatsfascinating]

"You're not a burden," she insisted. "And O don't care what other people think."

Taking some meds would probably be a good idea, and Edrisa stood when he asked her to.

"Of course! I'm going anywhere you go."

[abrightboy]

Meds was definitely the way to go. She'd largely calmed him out of the hallucination-induced panic attack, but his brain wouldn't fucking stop. Still clutching her hand, he headed into his own room, but he had to let go once they were in there. He could barely open his bag with one and a half hands. He needed the good one to manage the zipper.

Once he had pull out one of his anti-anxiety meds, he handed the bottle to Edrisa to open. It was easier for her. He grabbed a bottle of water from his bedside table while she got the pill out for him. He tossed it back with practiced ease and sat on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath and putting the water back on the table.

He was going to focus on his breathing for a moment and pretend the word 'married' didn't slip out while he was rambling.

[thatsfascinating]

When they entered the room, she sat on the bed, ready to do whatever he needed, including opening the bottle and handing him the pill. When he sat down Edrisa moved closer and leaned her head against his.

She had noticed he said married, but didn't think much of it. He had assured her earlier that it wasn't a matter of if but when, so it made sense.

[abrightboy]

It was definitely a not if but when situation. He needed her. He'd make it official.

He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"I'm sorry," he told her, as he leaned his head back against hers. "That's the second time it's struck while I was trying to make a grand romantic gesture, but let's not dig too deep into that," he noted with a sigh, scrubbing his good hand over his face.

[thatsfascinating]

She frowned faintly. "You were?" She tried to think back to the moment it happened. "Huh. What were you trying to do?"