Eternal Blossom

The next morning, Aiyana woke up with her head on Brian’s chest, and her arm curled over his waist. His unique scent hit her, and she thought back to the previous night as she moved her head to his shoulder so that she could look at his face. His arm was wrapped around her waist, his back flush with the floor.

He’d been so funny, caring, and intelligently conversed that she had a wonderful time. She was amazed that other than their small conversation about Matt, that the other man hadn’t entered her thoughts at all.

Brian was handsome, and looked absolutely boyish when he slept, she decided as she gazed at his strong features. His chiseled cheeks, buttonish nose, and cupid bow lips made her want to run her fingertips over them so that she could memorize them just like this.

“You know, it’s pretty rude to stare,” he commented with a smirk, his eyes still shut.

She shoved at his shoulder playfully as she sat up, groaning at how tight and sore her body was this morning. Closing her eyes for the will power, she forced herself to get up after a moment.

He watched her grimace of pain as she got up, and moved a hand behind his head as he studied her movements on her way to the kitchen.

When she finally returned with a glass of orange juice, she threw a pill into her mouth and washed it down quickly. She sat back down with him, crossing her legs indian style, and held out the orange juice in a silent invitation.

Arching an eyebrow, he took the glass after he sat up. “So, what’s with all the faces? We didn’t drink, so I know it’s not a hangover,” he said with a soft and fake chuckle. He was a little worried about her, but trying not to show it too much.

Her eyes widened in surprise at his question, but quickly turned into a sheepish look. “I’m just hurting today. It’s nothing new, and nothing to worry yourself over,” she said in a morning voice as she reached over to pat his knee reassuringly.

He just shook his head and handed her the OJ back. “No, you’re not getting away with vague answers today,” he told her matter-of-factly.

“Brian, please. We had such a good time last night. Can’t we just not do this today? I’m really not in the mood to argue,” she responded.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said as he put his hands on her thighs, “you can come sit on the stool in the kitchen and I’ll cook us some breakfast while you tell me what has you hurting so much.”

She sighed, and shook her head, not really seeing a way out of this other than kicking him out. Not wanting to just give him the boot before breakfast like a grumpy asshole, she finally spoke up.

“Fine, but you have got to understand that I’m doing this against my will.”

He gave her his infamous smirk and rose to his feet. “Alright, Aiya, come on.” Brian held his hands out to her so he could help her up.

She took his proffered hands, and felt the tug as he helped her up. It didn’t stop the grimace as she felt all of her joints yelling loudly at her to lay back down.

“Wait a minute, mister,” she spoke softly, trailing her eyes up to his beautiful brown’s. “I thought you didn’t cook.”

He laughed loudly, and laced his fingers with hers before he pulled her gently into him for a kiss. “I don’t, for the most part. For you though, I’m willing to make an exception.”

She laughed softly, and followed him to the kitchen, hoping he wouldn’t burn her house down.

Planting herself on a stool, she laid her head on the island, and grumbled half-heartedly against it’s surface, “I really like this house. Don’t kill it with your cooking skills or lack thereof.”

He shook his head, laughing a little at her dramatization as he started opening cabinets in search of something to cook eggs and bacon in. He wasn’t a wiz in the kitchen, but he could at least make the basics without destroying her hopes and dreams, he thought to himself.

Once he found two pans, he turned to the fridge and spoke over his shoulder as he looked at the contents, “I’m still waiting for that explanation. Don’t think you can escape it now. I’ve lured you in with food.”

She giggled lightly and sat up although it hurt her back and hips to do so. “Fine. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning. I was born on a cold autumn night in Los Angeles. My dad and his friend James were in the waiting room,”

“Alright, smart ass,” he interrupted her with a laugh, “I’m serious. Tell me what’s going on that you’ve got a whole pharmacy up there.”

Her face turned crimson at his words, and her eyes darted to the cabinet in question. Well no shit he would have seen them, she thought, he was just rooting around for things to cook in.

Seeing no way out of the inevitable, she cleared her throat to try again.
“I have Ehlers-Danlos, the Hypermobile type, Brian. And before you ask, no you can’t catch it, it’s not a cancer, and I’m not dying,” she stated without looking at him. “Although, it does feel like I’m dying right now.”

He looked at her as his eyebrows drew together, “Well that made it about as clear as mud. What is it then? It sounds Swedish, and I thought you weren’t Swedish.”

Laughing a little at his small joke, she shrugged before continuing, “It’s a genetic disorder that just means my joints suck at staying together, and I’m super bendy. You saw my shoulder when Lance grabbed me?” She waited for him to nod before continuing.

“Well, that shit happens all the time, but with all of my joints. I just pop them back into place and go about my day.” She shrugged as much as her stiff body would let her, and finally really looked at him to gauge his reaction.

He looked deep in thought for a moment as he put bacon into one of the pans. She sat there patiently, knowing there would be a flurry of questions coming now that she’d told him her issues.

“Doesn’t that hurt, though,” he asked as he looked up from the pan, worry written all over his face.

“Yeah,” she stated as if she was talking about the sky being blue, “but it’s something I can’t change. And, the more you do something, the more you get used to it. Didn’t it hurt to learn guitar? Soon you developed calluses, though, and it didn’t hurt as much anymore.”

Listening to her, he cracked eggs into a bowl and started to whisk them together.

“I get it. So it hurts, but it’s part of your normal, so you get used to it and accept it.”

“Pretty much,” she nodded. “And yes, I hurt every day. Today is just one of my flare days when I hurt worse than usual.”

His eyes widened at this and he flipped the bacon, trying to take it all in. It was a lot of information being thrown at him, and he was more than a little concerned about her at this point.

“So is that it, then,” he asked, his voice a little hopeful that the bad news was over.

She laughed wryly, and shook her head no. “With the pain comes depression and anxiety because you hurt all the damn time. Then, you top it off with intermittent fatigue or insomnia.
So, there you have it. I’m one walking ball of fucked up.” She huffed out the last bit, and stared at his back as he cooked, afraid of what he was going to say.

He turned off the stove since breakfast was done, and walked around the island to hug her super gently from behind, “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Do you need a pillow to sit on, or some pot to relax you, or”

She hooked her hands over her arms, and cut him off, as she could hear him worrying over her, “No, Brian. I’m fine. Or…well… I’ll be fine.” Aiyana looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. “I don’t need to be babied or anything even though I appreciate you caring like this. I just want to be treated like a normal functioning person. That’s why I don’t tell people.”

Sighing, she turned around in his loose embrace and took his face in her hands so that she could look in his brown eyes as she spoke.

“I don’t want people worrying over me and treating me like I’m this fragile china doll when I’m not. I don’t want you to think you can break me. You can’t. Besides,” she smiled a genuine smile, “I know how to put Barbie’s legs back on when they fall off.”

He chuckled at her joke, and pecked her lips softly before speaking up again, “Do you want me to get out of your hair?” He didn’t want to be around adding to her pain, but he didn’t really want to leave, so he was putting the choice on her.

She took a deep breath at his question, and bit her bottom lip nervously. Really, she just wanted him to stay with her for the day, and treat her like he had last night. She didn’t want him to go, but the last time she’d given one of the A7X guys their chance to leave, Matt had run out of her house.

He looked at her lips and growled playfully. “Didn’t I tell you to stop that?” He kissed her again, and this time not softly.

She rest her forehead against his after the kiss was over, and spoke softly. “You can stay or go. It’s up to you, but if you stay, you have to treat me like you did before I told you about my disorder.”

He thought about that a moment, not sure if he could do as she asked with her in so much obvious pain. His arms tightened around her, and he stood up all the way, holding her against his chest in a warm hug as he tried to make up his mind.

Aiyana rest her cheek on his chest and closed her eyes as she waited for his answer. For the second time in 18 hours she had put herself in that position to be left, but she didn’t want pity either. Besides, if he left, she could always call Rayne. She knew her best friend had spent the previous night with Zacky, and she was curious as to how their new little romance was going.

She took a deep breath as she prepared for the worst, enjoying his masculine scent while she could.

Notes

@Mama.llama18
There you go. I told you it was coming. ;) Glad I could inspire sexy time with the hubs. ;)

@AGirlIKnowNamedLarisa
Thank you so much for your continued feedback!

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