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Sarad nodded, "you're right, it's always good." the waiter came by and he ordered, thanking him before sitting back. bad idea. bad, bad idea. Sarad quickly straightened his spine as pain shot through him. he grimaced slightly and gave Dale a small smile, "how is your project coming along? have you worked on it in the least since last weekend?" he wanted to quickly change the subject to distract Dale.

Dale had seen and was worrying, which meant he wasn't focusing on his own victory. "no, it's fine, really. i've settled," he smiled to reassure Dale. "you should hang your ribbons up in the room when we get back. you could color code them, maybe make a column of each color. or you could just line each meet up in rows and have a variegated pattern. that could also track your progress, if you wanted to do something like that." their food arrived and Sarad was thankful for the distraction, "let's eat!"

Sarad found himself forgetting about earlier and just enjoying the meal. even the pain faded away as he started to laugh with Dale. they walked home, left overs in hand, and Sarad knew it was a good ending to a pretty s**t day. he put the food in their mini fridge and turned back around, only to stop when he saw Dale across his bed. "sleeping with me, then?" he asked, smiling as he got his sleeping clothing. he needed to change his bandages and didn't want to do it where Dale could see. things were good right now, he didn't want to revert to earlier. he slipped the bandages under his sleeping clothing, hiding them from sight before turning back around. "i'm going to change, don't take all the covers while i'm gone."

Sarad paused when Dale told him he could stay, that he wouldn't look. Dale curled up in the blankets and Sarad lowered his eyes, flushing with shame. "sorry and-thank you-i will hurry," he promised, stripping quickly and using the small mirror in their room to check his back once the bandages were off. they wounds weren't bleeding anymore, but he'd wrap up just in case. he didn't want to get blood on his sheets and have to get it out unseen. he finished quickly, as he'd promised, and moved to the bed, "i hope you plan on helping me remake that now you've messed it up so badly." he smiled a little and sat down, "i'm done. you can come out. sorry, again."

Sarad kept the blanket over his head as Dale changed, not looking like Dale hadn't looked. he actually surprised himself by feeling a little disappointed when Dale said he wasn't going to sleep beside him. Sarad had felt comfortable beside Dale, safe, even and he knew that he was going to have a hard time sleeping tonight,. his nightmares were going to be back with full force. "you're welcome if you wish it. i'm going to be sleeping on my stomach, so i might take up a lot of room, though." he stood and lay his blanket out before turning off the main light, leaving the small nightlight to see by as he got into bed. "goodnight, Dale." he lay down, face first, and turned his head to the wall, hoping he wouldn't make noice in his sleep and wake Dale.

Sarad turned his head back toward Dale as he said it was just because Sarad had slept with him. he smiled and moved over so he was right next to the wall, giving Dale more room, "thank you." it really was kind of Dale to do so, and Sarad appreciated not having to sleep alone. it took a little while for him to fall asleep, but his body was exhausted and needed the rest. as predicted, his nightmares returned. these were of being held down and having to hold perfectly still. he was being hurt, but if he moved he was hurt worse so he had to lay there. he whimpered in his sleep, but that was the only outward sign of what was happening in his head.

he woke up the next morning, stiff and sore, unsure if he was going to be able to move or not. the muscles of his back and thighs had seized up to the point of being rigid, he was going to have to take some medication to get them to relax before he'd be able to move. maybe Dale would get it for him...speaking of Dale. Sarad seemed to have somehow migrated in his sleep and ended up more on his roommate than not. his head was on Dale's chest and his stomach on Dale's, practically using him as a bed himself. Sarad blushed, but literally could not move from that spot. even the slightest shift was agony and he was far enough on Dale that there was no way he could subtly wiggle his way off without embarrassing himself and waking up Dale. he scrambled for some way to get off before Dale woke up and saw him.

Sarad flushed and hid his face when Dale woke up, "Sorry-" he said quickly, but Dale was asking if it was time for class. "um, it's sunday. we don't have class." Sarad glanced up at him and was relieved to see that Dale didn't seem to mind being slept on. "i'm sorry, i'd get off but-" he blushed deeper red, "i can't move. if-if you could go to my closet and get me one of the pain killers, i'd be greatful. please? i should be ok once it kicks in. everything's tightened up." he gave a tiny smile and started trying to shift off of Dale, ignoring the pain it caused.