Page 23 of Falsifier

Things happen, I move, and the world spins. I can’t believe everyone seems fine with this plan. No one says anything about the fact they plan to kill me and take my heart after I’ve gotten better. I guess I'll just have to make an escape plan myself. Once this fog clears from my brain. My eyes become heavy, and my head drops to the side. Caeo’s scent drifts across my senses.

"I'll stay until the drip is finished, and I'll only charge Gladys' muffins for that." Michael’s voice rumbles nearby. "The best thing you can do is put his mind at rest. You say he is part of the family, but that comes with a cost. He’s not stupid, but he only knows the dark side. You must tell him what his value is to you in a way that he will understand."

"Isn't my guilt enough?" Knox mutters, closer to my head. "It took losing him for me to actually see him. I only thought about him when I saw him, the bright, bratty kid standing next to Gavriil. It's only a front. Gavriil was the closest thing he had to a parent, but he had nothing at Gavriil's place. No bed, no clothes, no toothbrush."

"Then you should have no trouble telling him the cost," Michael declares.

Knox's fingers rub against my chest, the weight of his sigh encourages my eyes to open enough to see his face.

He can take my heart if he needs it.

"I wanted to look after you when you lost your mum, but I was so angry about my sister. I thought you were happy with Gavriil. I should have cared enough to check."

"I was happy with Gavriil."

"You made do. I don’t even know where you sleep."

"I have bed." It feels like such a naughty confession.

"Is it at Gavriil's house."

"It is at my house." But my house isn't exactly a house as most people think of it.

"I want you to get better so I can put my demons to rest, and I want you to be Porter's friend. I want you to be happy."

Happy.

I always thought I was before now. I never questioned my life; I just lived it. I didn’t want anything I didn't have or couldn't do. Except sometimes when Gavriil had a lady or poker players around, and then I would avoid his house, but that only bothered me when it was frosty. But that was OK because I could use Gavriil's shower any other time I wanted. It was always warm and the sound of running water was…

Except the feelings of a nice shower are cold and tight, driving me to snatch my arm from the hand holding it.

"It's OK, Nico. You're doing great," Knox's voice reassures as my limb is recaptured in his grip. "Alexa, play classical music."

I like classical music, and it's just loud enough to chase the sound of water from my mind as my eyes drift closed again.

Chapter seventeen

Porter

Nicolooksassickas a dog. Doctor Michael gives us our orders while he runs a bag of fluid from a bag into the back of Nico's hand. Caeo slips out from under Nico so we can lay him down and goes about taking care of us while we take care of Nico. A cup of tea and a muffin doesn't help our medicine go down, but the gesture is greatly appreciated. Nico is ill and if we want him to live to see tomorrow, we have to look after him all night. Knox and I are both up for the challenge of staying with him for as long as he needs. For Nico, it's going to take a bit of time for recovery. We still don’t even know everything he went through for the few days they had him. Micheal wants us to wake him every couple of hours and try to get him up for the bathroom or to eat and drink. It's going to take blankets, popcorn and a good film library. Luckily, Knox has every subscription service on the planet, or at least more than I've ever heard of.

"I've got the spare blankets and stuff," Caeo calls. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather snuggle in bed upstairs? I could sit with him myself."

"No, no you have your hands full already. I promise we won’t leave him alone.” I give my best reassuring look. I've never had a sleepover and it's giving me excited shivers.

Knox sees Micheal out while I clear away ready for a night of no sleeping, although the blanket pile next to the sofa looks amazing to snuggle down in.

"Well, I'll head off." Caeo starts for the door. "I'll take care of things at the clubs in the morning. And then stop over after to figure out our next move."

"Thank you," Knox bids his friend goodbye, joining him to show him out.

Caeo pauses, looking back at the young man lying unconscious on the sofa as if he wants an excuse to stay, but doesn’t know how to say it. I'm just about to tell him to just stay, but Knox starts out and Caeo follows.

"Are you ready for this?" Knox asks as he re-enters the room. "I'm setting my alarm to go off hourly, so even if we do fall asleep, we'll wake up when Nico needs us."

"I'm more than ready," I smile broadly. This can be like practice for when we have the medical suite on the top floor of the dance studio. I can show off my nursing skills and convince Knox it’s the perfect solution. Nico stirs and slowly pushes himself up. His face is pale, his eyes are dark, and he looks done in.

"Don't worry, Nico. You can sleep. We'll wake you hourly to eat." Michael left us with strict instructions to give him a sugary drink with some toast and jam. Little and often, hourly through the night, increasing tomorrow if he can stomach it.

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