<i>"Blue."</i><br/><br/>The sound of Eivind's voice speaking his name crept into Blue's ears, causing the boy's eyes to flutter open in response. Blue hadn't been sleeping, not really. The young man had woken up about twenty minutes prior to the rousing of his mate, though he was unwilling to remove himself from the bed and the warmth of Eivind's arms.<i>I should just lie here forever. Or at least until he wakes up</i>, Blue had thought, ignoring the slight grumbling in his belly. He could wait a bit longer for food if it meant he got to waste away in his mate's adoring hold.<br/><br/>Thankfully, Eivind didn't make Blue wait long. Their morning greeting was ameliorated by the feeling of Eivind's lips against his own; Blue melted into the embrace easily, having greatly missed the taste of his lover's tongue. "Mmmm," he purred, tossing a lean leg over Eivind's healthy limb, pressing himself close. He wasn't expecting Eivind to speak, only to keep kissing. When the wolf pulled away and words began to tumble from his lips, Blue opened his silvery eyes and blinked, letting his eyes readjust to Eivind's handsome face.<br/><br/>"You would have made it back to me," Blue said, though he was sure they both knew how unlikely that result would have been. Though the danger had already passed, Blue still didn't like to think about what would have happened if he hadn't been a stubborn brat, if he hadn't had Sig on his side. Eivind slowing dying of dehydration, hunger, infection, whatever got to him first... Blue didn't want to consider it. He didn't like the images forming in his mind's eye of Eivind's deteriorating, rotting corpse, thin and ragged because he had just stayed home.<br/><br/>"You don't have to thank me. I know you would have done the same for me. Fuck, you probably would have come running for me if I were an hour late coming home." He laughed, his voice ringing happily as he nuzzled against Eivind's neck. "Vin, trouble came for me the moment you walked into that filthy little cabin and found me half dead on a bed. It was unavoidable. I don't regret it."<br/><br/>Blue was nibbling and licking happily at Eivind's throat when Alaric intruded upon them, but the human quickly decided he didn't mind. The wolf was just doing his job, and he had already seen enough naked Blue to last him a lifetime and rid Blue of any shame he might have felt at his own exposure.<br/><br/>He did his best to keep his mate calm while Alaric cleaned Eivind's wound, lying across the wolf's chest and distracting him with kisses. This seemed to help, and Alaric didn't appear to mind the displays of affection if it made his work easier. "I'll take care of him, don't worry," Blue reiterated once Alaric had completed his tasks, nodding in understanding at the wolf's instructions. "Please let me know if I need to do anything else. Thanks, Alaric."<br/><br/>After helping Eivind keep steady while he relieved himself, Blue allowed Eivind to lean upon him while they made their way back to bed. Putting weight on his injured leg wasn't an option for the moment, and until the wolf's strength began to come back it looked as though he would be spending a lot of time lying in their bed.<i>He's gonna go crazy, </i>Blue thought mildly, settling himself against his mate's good thigh.<br/><br/>"I'll give you a few options, Vin," he began, running his fingers along the inside of Eivind's leg, stroking the soft hair covering his skin. "I can either go downstairs and make you some breakfast, or I can waste a little more time here with you." His talented digits pirouetted their way to Eivind's balls, caressing the delicate skin. "And we can spend that time doing<i>whatever </i>you want." He grinned, looking to his attractive wolf. There was no way Eivind could have sex in his condition, but perhaps a little playing couldn't hurt. Alaric hadn't said anything about it, anyway, and Blue wasn't about to ask.<br/><br/>"I promise, Vin, I'll be the best nurse you could hope for."