Illya wavered, spoon in hand. Napoleon was still far from one hundred
percent, and any movement of his arm would most likely result in a
stab of pain. On the other hand, he was certain to resent being
spoon-fed like a child. Illya knew that if things were the other way
around, he would rather undergo stabbing pain than be coddled. Though
maybe if the pain was bad enough, and as long as it was Napoleon doing
the coddling, he would be able to put up with it without hurling the
soup against the wall.

"Wasn't that soup going to get cold?" Napoleon prodded.

"Oh!" Illya fumbled slightly, but managed to avoid spilling. "Do you
want--"

"Here, I can--"

"Don't hurt yourself!"

"I can eat soup without-- Ow! Okay, apparently not..." Napoleon tried
to smile, despite the wince of pain. "Maybe I'd better try the other
hand."

Illya offered the spoon wordlessly, and Napoleon managed a few bites,
realizing just how famished he was. A quarter of the way through the
soup, he sagged back against the pillow, exhausted.

"Shall I set the rest aside for later?" Illya offered, voice soft. "If
you would rather get some rest..."

"I've been doing nothing but resting!" Napoleon sighed, disgusted.
"I'm not tired-- well, not sleepy, just..." Another deep sigh. "You
know what I mean?"

Illya nodded. "Recouperating can be more exhausting than it seems it
ought to be. I've been in hospital before."

"I'm starving, though... they couldn't even let me have crackers with
the soup?"

"I will ask about next time." Illya smiled, helping Napoleon to
support his head and bringing the spoon to his lips. "Here. Finish."

Napoleon ate complacently, too tired and hungry to argue, and if he
was quite honest with himself, he didn't find it entirely distasteful.
Normally, he hated being nursed-- even by the most attractive nurses--
He preferred to move at his own speed, not something imposed on him
'for his own good'. But Illya wasn't a nurse, he was an agent. He
understood that being nursed was not a great deal of fun, and he took
care of it with no added fuss.

With the soup gone, Napoleon wanted to just sit a while longer, maybe
get to know his partner a little better. Before he could speak a word,
he felt Illya's arm slide around his shoulders once more, the other
arm under the crook of his knees. Illya slid him back down into a
supine position, leaving Napoleon feeling somewhat bereft when he stood.

"You-- you don't have to leave, you know. If you... if you wanted to
stay a while. I've been pretty lonely, you know. Not everyone has your
tenacity when it comes to visits. Medical staff just turns most people
away."

Illya smiled faintly. The smile looked lost and hesitant on his face,
as if it was an expression he didn't wear nearly enough. Napoleon
decided that he wanted Illya to smile more often.

"If you like." He sat down next to the bed. "I am... relieved, to be
back at Headquarters. The hospital we were at before... something
happened there. I'm not sure..."

"What?" Napoleon tried to sit up, but another flash of pain sent him
back down to the mattress.

"Oh, careful! Maybe it was nothing... I was... rather exhausted, and
worried, it is quite possible-- But I shouldn't worry you with it now.
After all, we are here, and you need to rest, and-- I should not have
said anything just yet."

"Were you attacked?"

"Possibly. I don't know, I-- I was not harmed."

Napoleon nodded. "Good. Don't know what I--" He stopped.

"Sleep. You need it."

Napoleon sighed. Maybe he did, but he was so tired of sleeping. He was
tired of being tired. He wanted to be back in the saddle. Illya's hand
rested on his brow, cool and soft and comforting.

"If you like, I will be here when you wake."

"Yeah." Napoleon groaned, another spike in his pain level causing him
to wince.

Illya winced in sympathy, and he only sat back down when Napoleon
calmed. He would stay there until Napoleon woke up again.

---/-/---

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