We'd like to thank Kathie and Nelson for their invaluable help and input.  And the L&M for making us think.

 

AJ

 

~~~~~

 

Nothing Else To Do

 

 

The Saturday afternoon rush in the emergency room was over. The strains and sprains from enthusiastic games of football or rugby were iced and bandaged, the contusions and lacerations from yard work and amateur construction projects were treated, the high blood pressure and upset stomachs from family picnics soothed.

 

Only two men remained in the waiting room. One, his right arm in a cast from shoulder to fingertips and his white t-shirt liberally splashed with blood, alternately tapped his fingers against his knee and his foot against the gray-tiled floor. The other, though just as concerned, had a quiet steadiness about him that contrasted sharply with his partner's anxious behavior.

His hand, strong and capable, came down on the rapidly bouncing knee, reassuring even as it prevented the agitated motion.

 

"Stop, Seb. He's going to be all right."

 

"Then why is it taking so long?" Seb demanded. "It shouldn't take this long!"

 

The door leading to the ER swung open before his companion could answer and a tall, blond man came through, holding it open for the dark-haired man following him. The second man, also wearing a blood-stained shirt, cradled a well-bandaged hand against his chest, guarding it against any chance contact.

 

"He's going to be fine," Greg answered Seb's unspoken question. "It's a deep cut but there's no tendon damage. They cleaned it and put a few stitches in it and gave him something for the pain. I'm afraid we won't be able to help you finish moving, though."

 

"No, of course not. We wouldn't expect you to," Adam replied. "Thank you for all the help you've given us already today. Is there anything we can do to give you a hand? What about dinner?"

 

"I think we're going to get takeout and have a quiet evening at home. But thanks for the offer."

 

"Thanks for driving me here," Josh told Seb tiredly. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, ok?"

 

"Sure. Thanks for shifting," Seb replied. "Give me a call. On Adam's phone," he added with a quick grin. "In case we don't get unpacked tonight."

 

They walked out to the parking lot together, then separated, Joshua and Greg going to Greg's car and Adam and Seb going to the black convertible parked near the door.

 

"You're mad at me, aren't you? Seb asked apprehensively as Adam backed out of the parking space.

 

"Why would I be mad at you, Sebastian?" 

 

Seb winced. He was mad, all right. Three syllables was *never* a good sign.

 

"You shouldn't be angry. There was nothing else I could do."

 

"We'll talk about it when we get home."

 

"But--"

 

"At *home*, Sebastian. I don't intend to have this discussion and watch traffic at the same time."

 

It wasn't fair, Seb thought rebelliously. Adam was judging him on circumstantial evidence, without even giving him a chance to explain! Not that he had a good explanation, he thought glumly.

 

For the first time, pulling into the driveway of their new house failed to arouse a feeling of thrill and pride. He was already biting his lip as they entered the house, not looking forward to the inquisition that he was sure would follow.

 

"I guess you want me to find a corner, huh?" He looked around the living room, cluttered with boxes and haphazardly-placed furniture, uncertain where to go. The study, maybe? He hadn't really expected to need a corner on the first day in their new home.

 

"No, I want you to go clean up the kitchen. Then you can pick out a corner."

 

"But my arm--" Seb waved it pathetically, hoping for a hint of softening in Adam's manner.  Seeing only firm resolution, he trudged into the kitchen. His eyes widened as he looked around. Intent on the emergency at hand, he hadn't even thought about the mess they had made. No wonder Greg and Adam had been so upset when they saw it and couldn't find their lovers. Splashes of blood streaked the sides of the sink and spattered the counter top. More droplets trailed across the floor, which was littered with crimson-soaked paper towels and blood-stained dish towels. A box cutter lying discarded on the floor next to a half-opened box bore mute testimony to the cause of the mayhem.

 

It wasn't fair, Seb thought again. He had done the best he could under the circumstances. He should be praised for his actions, not punished for them. He mentally rehearsed his explanation as he picked up paper towels, put dish towels to soak in cold water, cleaned the sink and counter and awkwardly mopped up the floor. It really wasn't his fault! If anyone was to blame, it was the guy who had opened his car door into a bike lane without looking, catapulting Seb over his handlebars and breaking his arm in two places. If that hadn't happened, he would have been able to help more with the heavy lifting. Adam wouldn't have suggested that he and Josh stay at the house and start unpacking, Josh wouldn't have been opening boxes, and the damned box cutter wouldn't have slipped and slashed his hand. No slashed hand, no emergency, no trouble.

 

"That's your excuse?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow when Seb earnestly explained why he didn't belong in the corner. "I cleared a spot in the study. Why don't you go stand in it and think some more while I find the linens and put the bed together?"

 

Seb waited until he was sure Adam had left the room, then dejectedly leaned his dark head against the wall. He knew Adam expected an admission of guilt from him, but why? It really wasn't his fault. His thoughts went back through the afternoon, playing it over and over as he tried to figure out where things had gone wrong. 

 

It had gone so well at first. They had started with the kitchen and quickly developed a routine. Josh would cut the packing tape and open a box, then start handing its contents to Seb to put away. They had filled the kitchen drawers and lower cupboards and were starting on the upper ones when the accident happened.

 

Seb was kneeling on the counter with his back to Josh, putting away glasses and arguing cheerfully about football when he heard a quick intake of breath followed by a sharp cry. He turned, then jumped from the counter as he saw Josh holding his hand out, blood running from the palm.

 

"Here, run cold water on it," he said, grabbing his friend's arm and hauling him over to the sink.

 

"Ouch! That hurts!" Josh jerked his hand away.

 

"Yeah, but the cold water is supposed to help." Holding the roll of paper towels under his arm, he ripped off a wad of them and shoved them at his friend. "Here, sit down and put pressure on it. And *don't* faint!" he added, aware of Josh's phobia about blood.

 

"It's still bleeding," Josh announced a few minutes later, cautiously removing the dish towel they had wrapped around the paper towels.

 

"But not as much as it was before. Keep pressure on it," Seb ordered, handing him more paper towels. "And put your head between your knees. You look like you're about to throw up."

 

"I think that only works for the fainting," Josh replied with a weak laugh.

 

"Well, don't do that either." Seb ordered, unsure whether the other man's pale color was due to the sight of blood or the loss of it.

 

It was still bleeding when they checked it again five minutes later.  "I think it should have stopped by now," Seb said doubtfully. "Maybe we should call Adam or Greg."

 

"Ok. Where's your phone?" Josh asked, more than willing to turn responsibility over to a higher authority.

 

"It's in one of the boxes in the living room. Or in the study." Seb tried to remember. "I don't *think* it's in any of the boxes in the bedroom, but it could be. Why don't you use your cell phone?"

 

"I left it in the truck. Where's yours?"

 

"The battery is dead. And the charger-"

 

"Is in one of the boxes in the living room. Or study. Or bedroom," Josh finished bitterly.

 

"Well, I was kind of stuffing things in any available corner toward the end!" Seb defended himself hotly. "How was I supposed to know we were going to need them?"

 

"I think we should go to the hospital," Josh suggested after another quick peek at his hand. "I think I might need stitches."

 

"Ok. I'll come along and call Adam from there."

 

"I don't think I can drive, Seb. You're going to have to take me."

 

"Excuse me?" Seb said blankly. "I can't drive. I only have one hand, remember?"

 

"You can drive one-handed."

 

"And what am I supposed to shift with? My teeth?" Seb struggled to keep his temper.

 

"Hell, I forgot you have a stick. Maybe we should call 911."

 

"Great idea," Seb told him acidly. "You want to go to the door and shout or should I?"

 

"Hell!" Josh repeated emphatically. "We can't just sit here! I could bleed to death before they get back."

 

"I don't think they'll be gone *that* long," Seb joked, but privately he was worried. Wasn't there some time limit on stitches or something? And he didn't think you could go into shock from a cut hand but Josh was looking a lot paler than usual. Wasn't he? He made a sudden decision. "I'll drive. You shift."

 

"Huh?"

 

"I'll drive," Seb repeated. "I can handle the steering wheel and you can shift when I tell you to."

 

"Adam will kill you," Josh said frankly. "And Greg isn't going to be too thrilled either."

 

"You want to go to the door and start shouting now?"

 

"Where are your keys?" Josh asked. "And *don't* tell me they're in a box somewhere!"

 

 

"Sebastian."

 

Seb jerked upright, guiltily aware that being found leaning against the wall wouldn't count in his favor. "I didn't mean to. I was just thinking and I didn't realize--"

 

"Come here, babe." Adam held his hand out.

 

To Seb's surprise, he wasn't led to the straight-backed desk chair they used for spanking. Instead, Adam sat in a more comfortable chair and pulled Seb down onto his lap.

 

"I couldn't help it. There wasn't anything else to do!"

 

"I know you were panicking, Seb," he said gently, "but your behavior was still unacceptable. There were other things you could have done."

 

"No, there wasn't!" Seb protested. "We didn't have a phone, we didn't know when you were going to be back.  What were we supposed to do?"

 

"Why didn't you have a phone?"

 

"Because-" Seb bit his lip. "Because I didn't think to mark the box when  I put the phone in it. Because I packed the charger without checking my phone battery first. But that shouldn't count, Adam! How was I supposed to know we would have an emergency? And it wasn't just me! Josh didn't have his either!"

 

"Josh isn't my responsibility. You are. And you still had other options. How many of the neighbors did you try?"

 

Seb winced. "None," he admitted slowly. "I didn't think about the neighbors."

 

"What about the convenience store? It's less than a mile away. Why didn't you stop there and use the pay phone?"

 

"We didn't think of it," Seb whispered.

 

"Why didn't you have Josh drive?"

 

"I didn't think he could do it. I was afraid he would pass out." His voice was lower still.

 

"What about leaving a note for us?"

 

"We didn't think about that, either." Seb's reply was barely audible.

 

"Do you see a pattern here, Seb? I know you were panicking and trying to help your friend, but you didn't stop and think. You didn't consider all of your options and the one you chose was dangerous. You could have been in an accident, Seb, and injured someone a lot more seriously than a cut hand. Did you think about that?"

 

"No."

 

Adam gently pushed Seb to his feet and stood up. "Let's get this over with, then."

 

~~~

 

"There," Adam said. "What do you think?"

 

Seb thought his nose was stuffed up, his head ached, and his butt was throbbing in time to his heartbeat. He was pretty sure that wasn't the answer Adam wanted, though.. "It looks good," he said instead, admiring his cast.

 

There, among the comments and signatures of his friends, Adam had printed in neat block letters, 'Think Before You Act'.  "Maybe seeing it every day will help you remember it.".

 

"Maybe," Seb sounded dubious. "Until I get the cast off."

 

"If you don't have it memorized by then, we'll tattoo it on your butt instead."

 

"Very funny," Seb said sourly. "I love you, Adam."

 

"I love you too, Sebastian."

 

 

The End