All She Can Take

F I F T Y - T H R E E

"Goddamn, Sid." Phil winced.

"I'm sorry. I'll stop. I can't." Sid stood back and wrung her hands together to get them to stop shaking.

"No, they need to be changed. Look, I'll just." Phil slowly reached to grab a pillow that was lying next to him on the bed. He slowly placed it over his face. "Go ahead." His muffled voice said from behind the soft fabric.

"No." Sid wouldn't come closer.

"It's fine, babe. I swear. Just do it...quick." After a few deep breaths, Sid approached Phil's bandaged ribs and started to undo the fabric. Phil groaned beneath the pillow and in spite of his obvious pain, Sid couldn't help to smile. It was just so comforting to have him here. Even if he was yelping and flexing in agony. It's just that for a while there she thought she may never be so close to him again. When he was finally released from the hospital this morning she made sure to be there to collect him. She wanted him with her and nowhere else. If it meant that she had to play nurse for a while then she was on board with it. They decided to go off the grid and hole up in Tomi's place while he healed and she waited for the other shoe to drop on the thing with Kru. All morning, in between Facetime's with Aiden and AJ, Sid and Phil lay in bed, watched old hood movies like Set It Off and Dead Presidents while Sid cooked for them and nursed him back to health. He was far from healed but the bruising in his face had subsided enough that she could see his beautiful eyes again and lose herself tracing her finger along his jaw. He was here. Finally just the two of them on this island.

She ignored the last of his groans as she peeled off the bandage covering his surgical incision exposing a neat row of stitches.

"I'm done." She placed the supplies in the nightstand while Phil removed the pillow and looked down at his stomach littered with bruising and stitches.

"I knew it felt like shit...but it looks like shit too. Won't be doing any cover shoots for a while." Sid offered a sad smile at his joke before sitting in the bed.

"It'll be all healed soon enough. Even with all this," She ran a gentle finger over the muscles of his stomach, "you'd still kill a cover shoot." The words felt silly coming from her mouth but it's something the old her would have said. It felt good to give a voice to that person again. To be light again and have someone who made her feel safe enough to do so.

"Word? I'll take that." He smiled at her and she didn't fight against the smile that spread on her lips. He cracked her wide open. If she didn't see then she saw it now.

"Want to get that shower in before we mummify you again?" Sid rose.

"Definitely. I haven't had a shower since..." Phil started. It had to be back at the hotel, Sid deduced. Before everything went fully to hell in a handbasket. Before his own brother beat him within an inch of his life. Sid jumped in to try and save Phil from the faraway look that was settling into his eyes. She headed to the bathroom that was just off of the living room.

"Well, Tomi's water pressure is better here than at the hotel anyway. And the bathroom is ten times more swanky. She's got a freaking bidet."

"Shoots water into your ass right?" Phil asked from the couch.

"Yeah. It's a weirdly satisfying feeling."

"Okay, Sid. Tell me more about your kinks."

"Shut up! Since when is enjoying a clean ass a kink?" Sid turned the ivory handles on the faucet and the shower sprang to life.

"Well, you said it's satisfying and you know I'm all about your satisfaction. So put me on."

Sid returned to the bedroom ready to give a smart reply but saw Phil trying unsuccessfully to pull himself into a seated position. She rushed to his side and placed his arm around her shoulders to help him up to standing.