abrightboy | The Adventure Continues

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."

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From:

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."

From:

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."

From:

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."

From:

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."

From:

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.

From:

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."

From:

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.

From:

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.

From:

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.

From:

thatsfascinating

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

From:

abrightboy

"Oh." He gestured vaguely towards the other end of the house. "The dinner. I had this whole private chef dinner thing planned. Music. Dancing." He paused. "That part was supposed to be right now while he was cooking. And I think the rest of it has probably become sweatpants dinner in thing now." He lifted his head and looked at her dubiously. "At least the food will be good?" He looked down at his hands in his lap. "It's farm to plate," he added glumly.

From:

thatsfascinating

"We can still do all that! He hasn't been here long. We have time."

She stood and turned to him, holding out her hand, nodding encouragingly.

"We have time," she repeated.

From:

abrightboy

He looked at her for a moment, like he had to absorb that this was real and she meant it. The moment his heart burst was marked by his expression, still vulnerable, warming visibly. He took her hand eagerly by then, getting to his feet to take the lead. He'd already scoped out the record player he'd ensured was provided in the lounge next to the dining room. Operating it with his casted hand was only a little bit awkward, so he didn't let go of her before setting the needle on the record and letting it play, before using the hand he clasped to whisk her into a dancing stance.

From:

thatsfascinating

She followed him, her hand tight on his, and smiled wide with delight when he started the music. It was so perfectly French. She laughed in surprise when he pulled her into a dancing position, and clasped his hand while settling her other hand on his shoulder blade. She did have at least some experience with formal dancing.

From:

abrightboy

He pressed his temple to hers, letting his eyes close, letting the slow fluid movements and the scene of her hair and the warmth of her touch still the last buzzing of his mind. His breathing evened out.

From:

thatsfascinating

She sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing against him, moving slowly with the music and with his body, her heart so full of love for the man in her arms. It was beautiful.

From:

abrightboy

He felt as much at peace as it was possible for him to feel, especially without a case to occupy his brain. He lifted his head to look at her face.

"This is going better now," he noted. "What with you being alive and me not hallucinating," he joked weakly. He took a breath. "Dinner smells good."

From:

thatsfascinating

"It's wonderful," she breathed. "All of it. Thank you so much."

He had done all of this for her, and she was so grateful.

She took a breath as well. "It really does! What are we having?"

From:

abrightboy

It was all for her and it still didn't feel like enough to him.

"It's supposed to be bouillabaisse," he told her. "With creme brulee for dessert."

From:

thatsfascinating

In her opinion it was more than enough. It was more than anybody had ever done for her. But he mattered most of all. She would be completely happy even if it was just them in his apartment in New York, eating dinner together in his living room. All of this was bonus on top of bonus.

"That sounds amazing! I've never had bouillabaisse before. That's a sort of fish stew, right?"

From:

abrightboy

He nodded. Of all the things that might be called 'meat', he found fish and seafood easiest to stomach and red meat the hardest.

"Are you okay with seafood?" he asked. He hadn't thought to ask.