Redemption

He tried to raise himself up in the bed, the sheets falling down around his chest a bit. His nose was still a bright red, though at least the breathing through his nose was less pronounced, and the coughing had subsided. Blinking his bleary eyes, he looked around, as if trying to figure out where he was, before looking down and realizing he was

not

outside. "Ummb… Bhere ab I…?" He blinked a few more times as the previous night returned to him, and he gave a slight smile before wrinkling his stuffed up nose slightly.

Hearing something in a dream, something about a Bear Rabbi, Natalie's eyes fluttered open in confusion, and she realized it was Justin beside her. Wait. What? Oh. Yes, last night. The memory came rushing back and she bit her lip, noticing that her leg was twined around his. Carefully extracting herself from that position, she sat up and looked at him, almost apologetically. "Good morning," she offered, the stuffiness completely gone from her voice, which only served to emphasize the clogged sound of his. "How are you feeling?"

Not noticing her leg until she moved it, he found himself thankful that she had managed to avoid the sore spot that had originated… around three days ago, then? Had it been that long? "I'b feeding a bid bedder," he replied, giving her a soft smile, his nose still fighting an unseen assailant as he talked. She matched his smile with one of her own as she heard him try to answer her question, then focused on his breathing and halted speech as she saw that he was battling with a sneeze. "De cough's gone, ad leasd, but I sdill hab do snee… sneeze… HISSHUUU!!" He turned his face down a bit, and though it wasn't an overly powerful sneeze, it had still managed to rock his head slightly. For some reason, he almost seemed embarrassed by himself. "I'b sorry…."

A flush rose to her face and she braced herself, then shivered involuntarily at his release, her hand instinctively creeping up her thigh. "Ooh, bless you," she managed to choke out, feeling almost drowned by waves of passion. From the way he had tried to talk through it, to the particular sound of it, she felt almost paralyzed. "Don't be sorry, she insisted, her voice quavering.

"Bud I'b beed spending your boney… tagging ub your dime… I beel bad aboud id," he replied, scowling slightly at the sound of his own voice. "Dab dis stubby dose… habn'd beed like dis in dwo years." He sighed softly through his mouth, as his nasal passages were completely blocked. He then looked over to her and tilted his head slightly. "Dadalie, are you okay? You soud bedder bud you don'd loog so good."

She shook her head as he spoke, hearing his objections about putting her out, but finding it very hard not to take him into her arms at the adorable sound of his stuffy nose. "I'm fine, really," she said with a slight nod. It was the truth. She was fine. She was more than fine, between the sweet sniffly-ness and the delicious sneezes. Not to mention the idea of having him helpless. She dragged her thoughts out of the proverbial gutter and nodded again. "Really, don't worry about me. I'm more concerned about you. I know you sound a bit better, and the coughing seems to have tapered off a bit, but that sneeze… it sounded pretty intense. How is your nose feeling?" she asked, feeling a bit evil, but trying not to dwell on it.

"Nod a bid bedder," he answered, frowning lightly. "I think id's godden worse, id facg. I can'd eben breathe in de least through by dose... bud it hurds like crazy when I sneeze. I don'd know how I god dis bad, really. I jus… heh... HEHTCHOO! HISSHUUU!!" He shuddered, and was thrown forward by the force of his sneezes, his eyes watering badly. "Oww... dad really hurd.…" He leaned over and grabbed some Kleenexes off of the nightstand, blowing his nose loudly before tossing the now-soaked tissues into a wastebasket.

She trembled at the sound of his sneezes and moaned ever so softly, though the sound was all but obscured because of his nose blowing. Her hand crept a bit further up her thigh, still hidden by the bedcovers, and she mentally chastised herself for taking pleasure in his pain. She really couldn't help it, though. Swallowing hard, she brought her free hand to his back and rubbed gently. "Blessings, Justin. Those sounded really wet. At least maybe your nose won't be quite so clogged."

Shaking his head a bit in protest to her logic, he explained. "No... dese sneezes aren'd like dat. When I sneeze, by dose geds MORE plogged... sabe wid blowing by nose. Id doesn'd helb... or if id does, id only helbs for a minute before id gets plogged again." He sniffled slightly, as if proving his point, and rubbed his eyes with the back of one bare arm - and then realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. An embarrassed grin crept over his face, contrasting with the tired look in his eyes, though he didn't bother trying to cover himself.

Listening to him try to describe the nature of the cold to her, she nodded quietly, as if to say she understood. The sniffle sent shivers down her spine and she felt the presence of goose bumps on her torso. Watching him rub his eyes, her mind again registered the fact that he was shirtless, before a rush of heat testified that her body had noticed, as well. "Maybe a hot shower would help?" she suggested, wondering if he could manage a trip to the bathroom without falling over, and, furthermore, if he could stand up long enough to shower. A thought passed through her head and she smiled slightly.

He blinked a few times at the idea of a hot shower - a novelty to him, really, considering. Though honestly, the idea of letting her see the wound on his leg didn't seem too great, as he felt he had already caused enough trouble. As such, he shook his head slowly, wiping his nose a bit more with the Kleenex. "No... Nod ride now, ad leasd. Bud I do abreciate the offer." He smiled slightly, though his nose seemed to be giving him not a single break, not even when he blew it.

Watching him consider her proposal, she then sighed imperceptibly at his refusal. His smile did comfort her a little bit, and she hoped he would keep the shower idea in mind. "There's always time for that later," she said with a nod, not knowing his reasons for refusing, but understanding he was still very weak, and probably shouldn't move around too much. Eyeing his use of the tissue, she took a fresh one and pressed it into his hand. "Is your nose still all stuffy?" she asked innocently, rubbing her index finger across the tip, as if that would tell her.

Justin pulled away slightly, not letting the tissue get soaked as it was likely to do at the moment. "Yeah, id's preddy bad," he explained, dabbing his own nose a bit, the reason that he didn't let her touch becoming obvious as the tissue was really wet. "I hade gedding sig. Id sucks." He pouted slightly, adorably, before laughing at his own expression. Natalie listened to his talking and shivered slightly at the cute stuffiness in his voice. Before she could say anything, he continued, and she bit down on her lip at the sound of his sniffle. "I'b sorry," he mumbled. The pout he gave was nothing short of adorable, and she smiled, then began to shake her head at yet another apology from him, though he continued to speak. "I jusd..." he began, then paused, sniffling slightly, his nose wrinkling. "Jusd…."

Sensing that he needed to sneeze, she inched a bit closer to him, placing a few fresh tissues in his hand, in case he needed them. Her fingers returned to her lap, beneath the covers and she tensed expectantly. His voice was considerably stuffed as he tried to finish his thought despite the blossoming sneeze. "I jusd

hade

being a both… HISSHUUUU!! Heh-ACHHOO! KISHUU!" He held the tissue to his nose as he sneezed, his eyes closing tight and watering, the tissue soaked through by the time he finished. She lightly stroked the inside of her thigh as she listened to your sneezes, her fingers cold against the fiery warmth of her legs. Half-closing her eyes in obvious pleasure, she opened them again almost immediately, reminding herself that it was not the time or the place. Or wasn't it?

"I hade being a bother," he sighed, wiping the tears away with the back of his arm and scowling. "Dis is disgusding. I HADE BEING SIG!!!" He shook his head violently, as if trying to force the sickness out that way. "I hade nod being able do dalk ride, I hade nod being able to breade ride, and mosd of all I hade habbing beoble hab do dake care of be. I'b sure you'b god someding bedder to be doing dan watching be." Just the stuffiness of his voice sent shivers down her spine and her entire body was covered in goose bumps. Suddenly realizing just how thin the fabric of her nightgown was, she crossed one arm over her chest, her face flushing. "Bless you," she whispered after his brief tirade. "I

want

to be here, I

want

to be taking care of you," she insisted, gazing at him and willing the goose bumps to fade.

Justin sighed, his chin resting on his chest slightly. "Bud I don'd wand to be a burden. I'b

subbosed

to be a ban, able to dake care of byself... leasd, if you beliebe what beoble say." Here he gave a slight smirk. "Dough dey were wrong mosd de time. Don'd know why I beliebed dem. I jusd... I don'd know any bore. Dis cold is messing wid my mind, and dese damned VOICES aren'd helping ad all. Dey don'd eben helb be heal fasd enough do tag care of dis damned leg," he finished with a cough, he tone still adorably stuffy as he rubbed his fingers across his nose in an irresistible manner.

She slid her hand out from her lap and began to rub his back gently, hoping he would not shy away from her touch. "You're not a burden. I… I enjoy taking care of you. It makes me feel good." There she stopped and considered that, then realized that he would probably take it to mean that she derived emotional satisfaction from getting him well. Relieved, she continued. "You need to rest. You're sick, and you're weak, and you're virtually helpless. Don't try to fight it." Kissing his forehead lightly, to take his temperature, she pursed her lips, then shook her head. "Cooler, but not as good as I would like." Grabbing a few more tissues, she wiped his nose, as though he was a little kid, but her manner was not condescending. If anything, it looked as though she truly did enjoy doing this.

Frowning slightly, he felt oddly comforted, though at the mention of helpless, he froze for a moment, his breath catching, before he forced himself to relax. "I… Thanks, Dadalie. I appreciate it." He did not shy away from her touch at all, noting that his fever had indeed almost broken, letting himself be fretted over against his better judgment. "I don'd know what I'd be doing ride now if you hadn'd came and helbed me, though. I'd probably be downstairs, laying on de couch wid my bag stolen." He turned his head, his tired but appreciative eyes meeting hers for a moment. "I owe you one."

Natalie smiled and gently, carefully gave him a hug. "You're welcome, Justin. But you don't owe me anything. You helped me when I was sick, and couldn't move or take care of myself. It is my turn now, and I want to stay with you, to be here." Pulling out of the hug slightly, she studied his face, searching his eyes, then softly kissed his nose. She smiled and stroked his hair. "Maybe that will help it not be so stuffy," she commented, still smiling, her fingers running through his locks.

He gave a stuffy laugh. "I doubd it. Id's a nice thoughd, though. Ummmb," he started, blinking a couple times and considering the pros and cons of showing his leg to her. He moved his legs to the side of the bed, slipping them out from under the covers, then turning his body so that his legs lay the same way they did before. Pulling up the right pant leg to the knee, he revealed the wound from three days ago, a rather jagged wound, as though an animal had bitten him. Even then, it looked like it would be painful to walk, let alone when it had originally been made. "You wouldn'd habben to know how do deal wid dis, would you?" he asked, sniffling a little more and wriggling his nose.

Eyeing the wound, Natalie winced, trying to hide her reaction. It looked more painful than she could imagine, and she felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over her as she remembered how she'd rubbed his legs through the blanket the previous night. "How… what… Yes, actually. When I was looking in the bathroom cabinet, I found a first aid kit that might help, and… well… I am a Goddess, and I do have certain healing powers. I'm not sure if you'd let me use magick, but it is an option." There she paused and looked up at him, as if trying to decide what he would choose, if anything. She did have considerable skill with first aid, though she was trained to give it to other Goddesses, not necessarily humans. He did seem rather similar, in body tissues and such, so she was not too worried.

"Id's ub do you," he answered, giving her a slight smirk. "Thangfully, it was my other leg thad you were touching last nide; that could hab hurt. I'd be habby wid anyding ride now, though. Id's decided dat id wands to bodder me, id seems." He blinked a few times, as though realizing something. "Agtually, Id hasn't been cleaned in a few days. Dat could be pard of de problem," he reasoned, a slight, embarrassed smirk on his face at having overlooked such a simple necessity.

She shook her head slightly and refrained from lecturing him. She was surprised that it looked as good as it did, for not having been cleaned in a few days. Once having treated a very bad wound of a friend's that had not been cleaned in three days, she could hardly believe the reddish-purple tint to the skin and the white liquid gushing from the wound. The thought made her sick and she rose to get the first aid kit, trying to distract herself. "I'll try a simple healing procedure first," she called as she rummaged around in the cabinets, "and then, if there is a problem with that, or just for good measure, I'll try some old-fashioned healing methods." Returning with the first aid kit and her staff, she gave him an odd sort of smile.

Justin nodded slightly and sighed quietly. "I can'd BELIEVE I led someding lige dat go for so.. soo.... HAASSCHOOOO!!" he sneezed very wetly, cupping his hands over his mouth and nose to catch it, then wiping his hands on the bedcovers and sniffling. Natalie bit down hard on her lip and shivered a little at the sound of his delicious sneeze. Using every single ounce of her willpower, she kept herself from making a sound, and even managed to keep from closing her eyes with pleasure as she handed him a tissue. He blew his nose loudly and continued. "So long. I don'd thingk it helbed much wid dis cold, either. Maybe if I'd taggen care of myself bedder I wouldn'd hab to be boddering you lige dis. I'b subbosed to be a 'sabiour ob humanidy,' and I'm stug to bed wid a cold." Laughing slightly at this, he added, "And dey sdill wand be do by 'job'. Can you beliebe dat?"

"No, the cold and the injury are not the best combination," she agreed. "But once I clean and heal the wound, you will only have to worry about the cold. Now, this might hurt a bit, but you seem to have a high tolerance for pain," she remarked. Setting the first kit on the chair and climbing carefully onto the bed, she eyed him, then paused. "You know, this is going to hurt a lot, but you can't move while I'm doing this…. It might be good if…" she trailed off, not wanting to suggest restraints.

He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Id mide be good if what? I can probably hold byself still... I think. Though I'b neber had a wound like this." He looked at it for a moment, and winced, realizing for the first time that it was actually fairly bad. "You're ride, I hab a bery high tolerance, but I don'd know how buch dis will hurd. Whad were you going to suggest?" He seemed almost clueless as he spoke, truly unsure of what she was going to mention, though still somewhat comfortable despite everything.

She nodded quietly. "I know you have a high tolerance, but this is going to hurt. A lot… and… I can't afford to have you move. It might be a good idea if I tied you… to the bed." Her voice was somewhat uncertain, hoping he was not offended or upset at her suggestion, but knowing practicality was important. She waited for his reaction, a few random thoughts running through her head. Justin. Tied up. Justin, tied up. With the sniffles. Helpless. She could… Her thoughts paused and she shivered, realizing just how tempting it would be.

Justin gave a shiver of his own as he thought about being tied up by her. He seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded slowly, thankful that the voices had decided to take this time to shut up for a while - the more will he had to control his body at the moment, the better. "I subbose. I jusd hobe it doesn'd hurd

dooo

much," he smiled softly and continued, "Bud if id'll mage me heal fas… fas… heh… Heh… HEHSHHOOO!! Ehh-SHHOOO!!" He took a moment after the wet sneezes and wiped his nose with the back of his arm, not caring that he had no sleeve there. After recovering, his body having shot forward with the force, sending a fine mist spraying over the end of the bed, he spoke again, a slight scowl on his face. "Helb be heal fasder, I guess id's worth it."

Natalie felt her body flush at the sight of his sneeze, a torrent of pleasure and warmth seeming to drown her. Crossing one arm over her breasts to hide her nipples, which started to push through the thin fabric of her nightgown, she swallowed hard and nodded quietly, managing a soft whisper of "Blessings." Eyeing the four corners of the bed, she mentally calculated the distance and the length of his arms and legs, then opened the first aid kit, setting her staff against the dresser. She found four strips of cloth and pulled them each taught between her hands, as if testing their strength. Her courage faltered and she wondered if she would be able to hold back once she had him tied up, but she pushed the thought aside and motioned to him. "You'll need to take those pants off," she instructed, her cheeks flushing a bit.

Justin blinked a few times, shuddering slightly for a moment, but barely managed a slight nod. Carefully, and visibly much slower than necessary due to the extreme amount of mental effort being exerted to control his body, he did as asked, his face flushing a bright red as he was left in his boxers only. His own nipples stood out slightly, presumably at the cold against the skin of his legs. His body still shivered, again presumably at the cold as he laid down and closed his eyes, focusing his entire will on self-control.

Trying not to stare as he slid off his pants, she noticed the flush that crept to his face. She nodded as if to give her approval, then took the strips of fabric and climbed onto the bed, taking his right hand in her own. "This will only hurt a bit," she murmured, knowing it would hurt more than a bit, but hoping her words sounded genuine and calming as she secured his wrist to the bedpost using the strip of cloth. Doing the same with his left wrist, she paused. "Pull on it a bit; I need to see how well it will hold up," she instructed him, taking great care to control her breathing. She was half-leaning over him, her legs tucked under her and the braid of her hair having fallen over one shoulder.

He nodded and instead of simply pulling, he yanked hard on the cloth; it looked as though he was trying to pull with all of his might to get it off, though it was more an attempt to focus his attention on something else rather than controlling himself. His eyes followed her braid as it swung slightly, his nose wrinkling a bit as though in preparation for another sneeze.

Natalie smiled her satisfaction, her eyes taking in the pull of his muscles as he tried to resist against the cloth. Watching him lay there, helpless, she licked her lips and voiced her approval. "Good. That will work nicely. Now for your feet." Turning, she took the remaining two strips of cloth and bound both of his feet to the posts, respectively, then surveyed her handiwork. It looked as though he was quite immobile. "Pull a bit," she instructed again, "I need to know that you are indeed completely helpless." Wincing slightly at her choice of words, she wondered if he would notice and remark, but she did not bother to correct herself.