Love & Stitches at The Asylum: Part Thirty

 

Happy Sunday, Asylum Peeps!

We're bringing you part XXX today. Which, honestly, now that I look at it this way, should have had way more sex. But there's a cool flashback and a reveal on pieces of Rhodey and Jared's relationship that (if you're like me) you crave, so hopefully that'll make up for the oversight on the steam!

It's a very cold day here today in Anniston Falls, and there's the promise of snow in the air. Wherever you are, we hope you're cuddled up with a cup of your favorite beverage, a yummy treat at hand. 

Enjoy your day, and thanks for being part of ours. 

Happy reading!

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PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
PART 6  
PART 7
PART 8 
PART 9
PART 10 
PART 11
PART 12
PART 13 
PART 14
PART 15
PART 16
PART 17  
PART 18
PART 19
PART 20
PART 21
PART 22  
PART 23

PART 24

PART 25

PART 26  
PART 27

PART 28  
PART 29

*****

Too many mistakes.

Staring at the darkness beyond his bandaged eyelids, Jared listened to the beep-beep of his monitors. Attempts to move his arms resulted in a tug at his wrists that told him they were still tied to the bed rails in response to his attempts to rip out his IV and ventilator. The ventilator was gone now, but the IV remained a painful line to a life he no longer wanted to live.

With nothing else to look at but eternal darkness, the flash-bang and impact of debris played over and over in his mind, taking away those he loved. Men he’d been responsible for, and who’d looked up to him as someone who would see them through this war so they could hold their families again.

“Quint...” 

Voice painfully hoarse, he called out for one of those men now. A man whose smiling face he’d never see again, because it had been ripped from him. Blown to bits along with the rest of his Forward Surgical Unit. 

The one who answered him had his head jerking to the right, as if through sheer will alone he might see through the heavy bandages that covered his eyes to protect them from infection while they healed from the heat that had hit them with the blast.

“No, my man. Just me.” A familiar hand, slightly larger than his own, covered his. “Your doctor says you’re not doing too fucking great. Almost punched the fucker. He kept going on about you needing to fight to pull through, as if you wouldn’t. Like you’d ever ditch this place and leave me alone with that boy. You gonna do that, Jared? Because tell me now and I’ll stop wasting both our time. He wanted to make you proud when he was sure you were coming back. But he’s slipping more and more now that he doesn’t think you will. If you won’t hang on for me, do it for him.”

A harsh voice, which Jared hadn’t heard since before medical school, came from a bit further away. “He made his choices. You made yours. If you need someone to deal with the boy, I’ve already offered. The methods I suggested have worked so far, but I don’t have your...sentimental limits.” There was a soft, chilling laugh. “Something I can work on with you if necessary.”

“It’s not. Now get the fuck out of here. I’m still performing up to standard, and he’s not one of yours anymore.” Rhodey’s teeth audibly ground as he stood between Jared and someone who...shouldn’t be there. A ghost that should have remained in the past. “I won’t bore you with threats. You know what I do to my trainers when I’m done with them. The only reason that hasn’t included you is because you were staying the fuck away. Keep doing that.”

The silence stretched, the only thing telling Jared the other man was gone, the warmth of Rhodey’s hand in his, their fingers laced together as Rhodey sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m with you, my man. Whether you want me to be or not.” Rhodey sighed, stroking his thumb over Jared’s pulse. “I can’t have friends, but if I could...you’d still be my best one. For whatever it’s worth.”

Thoughts of Noah and Rhodey overlapped, the boy’s moments of hope-laced anger, like he dared Jared to walk him back from the edge of the dark chasm he stood on. Such a beautiful youth, whose heart was ten sizes too big for the spiked cage it had been shoved into. The wounded animal in Noah clawed at all who came close, as if he knew one more direct hit to that organ would do him in completely.

Jared licked lips that tasted of twisted metal and charred plastic, like the wreckage of the chopper had become part of his skin. “Not...giving up. Tell tiger.” He frowned, the pull at his bandaged skin making him wince as pain-fed light danced behind his eyes. Had he imagined the other voice, or had it only been part of the hallucinations that had dogged his waking moments since the blast? “Why...was he here? Am I dreaming you?”

Rhodey squeezed his hand. His version of light, which needed some serious work because he was about to add some fractured metacarpal bones to the mess. “Don’t worry about it, he won’t come back. What do you want me to tell Noah? He’s going to be tugging at that choke chain—no, not a literal one, I promised I wouldn’t do that again—until he can see you for himself. But...yeah, hearing from you might make a difference.”

The fucked up visual brought a small smile to Jared’s lips. There was something he could give the young man, no longer a boy in any real sense, that might help. Noah liked certainties, and loyalty. Knowing Jared had never lied to him, he’d believe what Rhodey would relate to him.

“Tell him, when I come home, I’m his. Not leaving...again. Ever.” They were going to discharge him, for sure. Of that much Jared was certain. “Don’t go.” He fought the sleep threatening to pull him under, the morphine machine’s ‘click’ a vague memory. “If I wake up...and...you’re not here...” Huffing a miniscule laugh, because it was all the air he could muster, Jared tried to squeeze Rhodey’s fingers. “You’re my best friend too.”

He left off the part about this being the first moment he’d stopped trying to let death pull him under. Its tattered shadow waited patiently, billowing in the cold wind that threatened to freeze his blood in his veins. He’d wanted it... God, how he’d wanted it.

Until now, when he’d realized... 

“I’m not alone.” Sleep crashed over him in a hard wave, and he gasped, fighting it. “Quint...they have to give him...purple heart. Tell them. My...boy. Fought.”

There was a very real possibility he was dreaming, because Rhodey had stopped being tender in any way early in their training as teens on the cusp of manhood. But even if he was imagining it, the kiss Rhodey pressed to his hair was a comfort. “You’re not alone. I’ll find a way to make sure you never are—that you’ll have that freaky home you always wanted to decorate with...tombstones or whatever. Fancy dead people stuff. And I’ll be here for a while, gotta make sure these docs know I ain’t joking about gutting them if they don’t treat you right. And Quint...yeah, I bet he fought. He was yours, how could he do any less?”

A blur of faces, places, and men superimposed over each other—Rhodey’s, then Noah’s, younger, then older, a few years and a lot of muscle added. Seth, Quint...the crinkles around their eyes...the blast echoing behind them both. Darker shadows emerged, a familiar hand outstretched, reaching for them all...

Reaching for Wren.

Whose face morphed into one with a pert nose and a shock of hair so white it was almost painful to look at first thing in the morning. Jared frowned up at Jamie, who stood over the bed like a worried version of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a cup of coffee in each hand. 

Jamie placed Jared’s cup on the nightstand, moving around the bed to wave Noah’s under his nose, the way he always did to wake him up on mornings when he was up first. Except today, he didn’t. Jared followed his sub with his gaze, watching as, coffee placed, Jamie sat gently on the side of the bed, petting Noah’s face with his bandaged fingertips, using soft strokes to ease him into consciousness. Humming a quiet, lullaby-like tune that was in a major rather than minor key, Jamie added to his tender good morning.

Stretching his back in a way that made him look like a large, sleepy cat, Noah rolled over, looping his arm around Jamie’s waist to lift him up and drop him between them. He let out a contented sigh, burying his face in Jamie’s hair. “Good morning, little cat. Mmm, you smell good. And you’re nice and warm.”

Jared rolled to his side, facing them both, sniffing the air. “Is Wren making bacon?”

The question elicited a quiet chuckle from Jamie. “Kir— I mean, Drew, made it. There’s plenty left...” Jamie cuddled into Noah, wiggling a little to burrow deeper into arms that engulfed him so thoroughly he almost disappeared. “‘m not as warm as you, Top Cat. Good morning.”

Alarm that they might have a guest of whom he was unaware had Jared automatically rolling to reach for his glasses. Which, he remembered only as his hand brushed the coffee mug instead, he no longer wore. Pushing up, he sat against the headboard to scrub his face with his hands. “That was my way of asking where he is, Jamie.”

“Drew’s downstairs with Stephan.” Noah’s chest muffled Jamie’s answer.

Useful, but... “Wren, Jamie.”

“Brushing his teeth after someone made him try bacon.”

Lifting his head, Noah frowned, giving Jamie a little nudge. “You left the loft? Fuck, how did I not notice…” He trailed off as though catching himself before he went overboard again with restricting their subs’ movements. “Not that there’s a problem with that. You going downstairs, I mean. But I should have noticed. And who made Wren try bacon? He hates greasy food.”

Jamie tipped his head back, a rueful expression on his face. “Me? It was candied, and so it tasted different. I thought... Yeah. I didn’t think.” He glanced over his shoulder at Jared, twisting a little in Noah’s hold, like he voiced what he believed Jared would be thinking. “And you don’t need to feel bad, sir, about not noticing. I didn’t even know I was out of bed until Avery put me on the landing by the dungeon.”

Eyes going wide, Noah sat up. “He did what?” Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he practically growled. “I am going to strangle Rhodey’s goddamn sub. My uncle needs to put a shorter leash on that boy.”

Lips parting, Jamie scrambled up to his knees, reaching for Noah. “It was a secret sub summit, sir. I’m sorry. Maybe you could come back to bed where it’s warm? Rhodey’s really not doing great and that’s why I came to get Jared, and I wanted to wake everyone up nice and calm. Dammit. I’m so flipping sorry.”

Jared frowned, first at the information about Rhodey, then at how much Jamie sounded like Noah. “Settle, please. Both of you. I have a headache.” 

And hurt in places I haven’t noticed I possessed in years.

Lowering his voice, Noah faced the bed, his fingers laced behind his neck as he visibly got a handle on his control. “It’s all right, Jamie. This isn’t your fault.” He sighed and sat on the edge of the mattress, shaking his head. “You should go back to sleep, Jared, you had a long night and...I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard. Do you want some pain killers? I’ll make you a tea and go handle...whatever this is.”

The dream of Rhodey coming to his side in the hospital bubbled up through the haze of wakefulness that had suppressed it. Jared shook his head, reaching for his coffee to take a sip. He swallowed the first—which Wren had made, because Jamie’s was always too acidic—humming into the cup. 

“No. Thank you. Please, sit.” Reaching out, Jared tugged Jamie back by the loop on his jeans so he folded back onto his heels. “Tell us what’s going on while we drink our coffee, Jamie.”

“Um...which part, sir?” Looking like he practiced meditation in the middle of the giant bed, Jamie didn’t change positions other than to glance over his shoulder at Jared.

Sliding up to sit with his back against the headboard, coffee in his hand and one knee bent, Noah gave Jamie an encouraging smile. “Whatever you feel is most important, my little love. Did something happen during the sub gathering?”

Jamie turned, sitting cross legged, fingers loosely laced together. Though his jaw flexed like he wanted to play with his tongue piercing, no telltale clicking sound emerged. After a moment, he shook his head slowly. 

“No. It was pretty calm. Calmest we ever had, mostly.” Glancing a little furtively around the room, Jamie appeared to be more worried than anything else. Not lying. “Rhodey left the clinic kinda ragey, like he was hurt by something Matt said and worried about Danny and overwhelmed by...” He shrugged a little, meeting Noah’s gaze. “Maybe by not being able to take care of everything?”

Brow furrowed, Noah took a sip of his coffee. “Rhodey doesn’t get overwhelmed. That’s...strange. Sometimes I wonder if he has any emotion at all, but he shows it in his own way. Nothing like this, though.”

“He was actually quite a good caretaker as a boy...” Jared’s lips lifted, his hands cradling his black coffee mug that revealed a skull and crossbones when hot—a present from Wren and further proof his boy had made his coffee. “Still gruff and full of sharpness, but our situation and our Dom...” Realizing he spoke his thoughts aloud, he shook his head. “Anyway, he has plenty of feelings, but he had to learn to hide them so they wouldn’t be used against us...against him.”

Noah made a thoughtful sound into his coffee, taking a longer sip before setting it on the nightstand. He motioned Jamie to him, pulling him in so his back was to his chest, arms wrapped around him. Lifting his hands gently, he inspected his bandaged knuckles. “What happened last night isn’t the kind of thing he usually deals with. He’d probably feel better if there was something to blow up or kill, but there isn’t. And nothing he does can erase what happened to Danny. He can’t even use it as part of his training like he might with Avery or Keiran. I can see how he’d find that frustrating.”

Wriggling in Noah’s lap, Jamie pulled his lip between his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut like he was willing words he thought not to come out of his mouth. Probably not realizing that the large dresser mirror that was so delightful during sex showed his expression to everyone on the bed.

“What is it, little cat?” Noah turned Jamie a bit, tipping his chin up with two fingers, his level gaze making it clear he expected a full and honest answer.

Eyes flying open at Noah’s question, Jamie turned pink. “Oh, no... I knew this was going to happen. Dammit. Why do people tell me things?” He sighed heavily, meeting Noah’s gaze. “Can we do a Pike? Where you get all impressed that I’m keeping secrets I was told not to tell? Or is this one of those times when you’re gonna go full-on-Dom and penny me if I don’t?”

Lips thinning, Noah didn’t answer for a minute. When he did, there was an edge to his tone. “Is Pike my sub? I wasn’t aware. I’ll have to have a chat with him and let him know there will be a lot of changes, because his behavior is not at all what I expect from my boys.”

Jamie sighed again, dropping his gaze. “That’s what I thought... Okay, but it’s a secret, so you don’t know it.” Pleading a little with his tone, Jamie launched into his answer. “We had a sub summit because we’re going to petition the board for Jared to run sub 101, so nothing like this happens again. And if you all get mean about it, we’re going to be intentionally bad, which was my idea, and drive you all crazy in a fun way. And what Matt said that Rhodey heard was that if he was upset it was because the sub he’d let himself care about got hurt, and he couldn’t with the others in case they bit it someday.”

Taking a sip of his own coffee, Jared nearly spat it onto the bedspread at the last bit. “What?”

“Jesus.” Noah’s face lost all color. He held Jamie a bit tighter, then moved like he was going to set him on the bed, shaking his head like he wasn’t sure what he should do. “That’s… If he’d said something like that to Rhodey a few years ago, my uncle would’ve fucking shot him. Lawson’s boy has...gotten bold.”

“I don’t think he knew Rhodey could hear him?” Searching Noah’s face, Jamie brushed his bandaged hands up and down his right biceps in a soothing motion. “Rhodey stormed out and Avery followed. I came to get Jared because Keiran said he should have a friend.”

Mug set on the nightstand, Jared threw off the down comforter to swing his legs off the bed. He breathed deeply a few times, bringing oxygen to his lungs like he had whenever he’d been awakened as an on-call surgical resident. The trick still worked, apparently. 

“I’ve got this.” He stood, crossing to the highboy dresser where he kept his clothes. “You stay with our boys... And I’m not opposed to sub 101, but let’s give them a chance to pitch it. I don’t want to steal anyone’s thunder.”

Noah inclined his head, then kissed Jamie’s cheek. “Snuggle under the covers while I go get Wren to join us. I’m not sure if he’s still trying to get rid of the taste or he’s gotten distracted by something. I’ll feel better having you both close. I still don’t like that I slept so deeply I didn’t catch either of you leaving...or being taken from the bed.”

“Chains would make it more difficult in the future.” Jared muttered the observation, more to himself, not loving the whole scenario either. Picking up his phone, he put it in his back pocket. “I’m proud of you all for getting along and not getting into trouble, though.”

“I kinda got into trouble, but it hasn’t manifested itself on my ass yet.” Jamie pulled the covers up to his chin, burrowing under them. “But I was the only one.”

Pausing in the doorway, Noah arched a brow at him. “Care to enlighten me? I don’t particularly enjoy dishing out punishments before breakfast, but I don’t want to be considered a slacker Dom either.”

“You’re totally not a slacker, sir.” Jamie shook his head, hair rustling against the pillow. “And you wouldn’t want to punish me for something Lawson’s probably gonna punish me for. Double taxation is against the Constitution.” Then, quieter, “I ruined his paddle...or Drew did after I put it in the kitchen, because he thought it was a pizza thing.”

That got Noah sighing and rubbing his hand over his face. “Why did you…? No. Don’t tell me yet. I need more coffee first. And breakfast. A shower. Maybe a Xanax.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I really wanted it to be a nice morning.” Jamie stared at his hands. “I already texted Lawson and told him. You don’t have to worry that it’s gonna be a whole explosion or anything.”

Nodding slowly, Noah lowered his hand. “That’s something at least. I’m happy that you immediately owned up to your...very bad judgment. Next time you have an idea like that, talk to Wren. And if he doesn’t tell you not to do it, talk to me. Or LD. Or whoever is available, until the urge passes.”

Jared snorted, stepping up to Noah to take him by the shoulders. Lips twitching with suppressed laughter, he pressed a kiss to Noah’s forehead. “Yes, because when subs are planning trouble, they never hide the implements most likely to be used against them. They ask first.”

“Hey, one can hope. Most of us have no issue improvising.” Noah blew out a breath. “I’m not sure what it says about the rest of us that his first concern was Lawson needing to punish anyone. He has some hard lines, but it takes a lot to cross them. I guess we’re lucky it didn’t get to that point.”

“And after what happened with Curtis and me last night, he’s likely to be on edge.” Sobering, Jared hugged Noah to himself. “It was astute. Very smart read on the person and the situation. But not so much on the solution. We’ll work on that with him.” Pulling back a little, Jared found a little humor again. “Besides, you’re the one who borrows it most often. It was bound to stand out to our boy.”

Lifting his shoulders, Noah sighed. “I suppose. It’s a handy tool and it suits the man. I’ll head over to see Blain myself and see if I can replace it with something even nicer. Avoid any hard feelings—and let him know I won’t try to stop him from punishing Jamie however he feels is fair. I know he won’t do anything either of us would object to.” He lowered his voice, likely to avoid adding to Jamie’s guilt. “It was the first tool he got himself after he started really owning his status as a Dom. The subs used to act up around him to get him to use it. He didn’t waste his time with them, but the ones he felt would actually benefit from some discipline? Do you remember how much they loved and hated the damn thing?” His lips curved slightly. “It was something else, watching him grow into his leathers.”

“It was...” Jared left off his with all of you, suddenly feeling ancient. “And the new one will mean a great deal to him because it will have come from you. To make new memories, which we are all going to start doing more of. Let’s begin today.”

Inclining his head, Noah smiled at him. “I like that idea.” He started toward the bathroom, then stopped, cocking his head and letting out a soft laugh. “I’m not sure whether or not I should apologize for those paintings. They keep stealing our little bird away. He can’t seem to get enough of them.”

“The forecast is for early snow tonight. Flurries only. Maybe telling him that will have him staring out the window instead.” Tugging on his boots, Jared glanced up at Noah, who stood outside his studio door. “I’ll see you for the Board meeting. Remember, good memories.”

That got him a soft smile. “How could I forget, my man? The most important ones will be between the four of us. And I’m looking forward to every single one.”

“Me too.” Hand on the doorknob, Jared paused. “Some of the best ones I have are with you. Those ones of watching you three, though—you with Lawson and Curtis—they healed something in me I thought was broken forever. I don’t ever want to lose that. It’s selfish, I know, but thank you for giving me that. For taking me in and giving me a home. It became...and is...everything to me.”

Crossing the loft, Noah stepped up to him, curving his hand around the side of Jared’s neck, leaning in to brush a kiss over his lips. “You are the reason I was able to give it at all. To you, our boys, those two men… I’ll always be so fucking grateful that you saw something in me worth saving. Don’t ever forget that. We might have built The Asylum, but the truth is, you laid the foundation before it was even a crazy dream I didn’t have the first clue how to make a reality.”

“Hmm...” Memories surfaced like so many beautiful bubbles, reminding Jared of the dream he’d had. Of the tender moments with men who most considered terrifying. If they only knew... “I didn’t see something, Noah. I saw you. From the first moment. You tried to hide from me, but you always shone so brightly. You couldn’t.” Gaze going soft, he smiled as he met Noah’s eyes. “I remember the first moment I looked into your face.” He trailed a finger along one sharp cheekbone. “These eyes. They were begging me to not give up, and I vowed right there I never would. You might think you had to be saved, but you didn’t. What you needed was a place to land.”

Eyes drifting shut, Noah shifted into his touch, as though absorbing the sensation, his tone quiet. Almost like he had drifted to those memories as well and didn’t want to leave them just yet. “Sometimes, I’m still not sure why he got you instead of just...getting rid of me. I’m glad he did, but he had no reason to. I could’ve still caused my mother more pain. It would’ve been so much easier to just make me disappear. I was ready for it, but then you walked in and…” He gave his head a little shake. “There was still a reason to fight. It took me a while to figure out I wasn’t fighting you. I was fighting for...an actual life, the one both you and he wanted for me. But you were the only one who knew how to point me in the right direction.”

Smoothing the pad of his thumb over Noah’s closed lid, then his eyebrow, Jared studied the most sublimely beautiful face he’d ever known until Wren. Different. Incomparable. Both men meant everything to him. They were his weakness, and he couldn’t have hidden it if he’d wanted to. Mostly because he’d never learned, never been forced to learn. Unlike Rhodey. Who’d given him that freedom at the cost of his own. Giving up on Noah had never been an option for all the reasons he’d stated, but also because it would’ve felt like giving up on a man who’d given everything to him.

“That soul of yours...Rhodey had to see it, because it is so similar to the one he has buried under all those boulders and steel. And because it’s the one your mother lets shine from her pores. We see her in you. He sees her and the man he is inside. It’s impossible not to recognize your goodness, Noah. For everyone but you.” Jared pressed a kiss to Noah’s forehead. “The greatest gift you could ever give me would be to find the love for yourself that I have for you.”

Opening his eyes, Noah met his with a slanted smile on his lips. “I’m still working on it. I’m a lot better than I used to be.” He glanced toward the door. “I think...he feels like his job is done when it comes to me, which is...good. But he’s left trying to keep us all safe and having some space to take something for himself. Something that doesn’t always fit in the life he assumed he’d be allowed to have. I’m not sure I’ll ever be the person who can tell him that he can, but...you already are. There’s no way to repay either of you for all you’ve given us, but your place here, the peace and love you get to have between these walls? We owe you both at least that much.”

“I’ll work on making sure he knows. And we’ll all work on making sure this is as safe a place as possible. I like that sub 101 idea. Let’s make sure everyone else does as well.” Jared stole another kiss from the upper curve of Noah’s lips. “He’ll always want to protect us, but maybe we can make sure he feels like he has a place to land too.”

“That’s a very good idea.” Noah took a step back. “I’ll see you at the meeting. And I’ll get our boys to redirect the energy from the other subs to something other than ‘fun naughtiness’. I don’t think they’d get quite the reaction they’re hoping for, not after last night. And hell, if the subs could manage a peaceful, productive meeting, the Doms should be able to do the same.”

Stepping into the outer hall, Jared glanced back at Noah’s last bit. “Miracles happen. Apparently.” 

With a wink, he let the door swing shut and headed left. To the roof. Because that was the place Rhodey would be most able to pace, and have the best opportunity to shoot someone if he felt like it. There were many more targets on the street, though perhaps not after last night.

They’d all been through the wringer in the past twelve hours—Danny and Rhodey most of all. Rhodey had never been one to ask for or seek comfort, but damn it would be nice to have some small moments of closeness with the man.

Rhodey’s words came back to him as he climbed each bunker like tread to the roof. “I can’t have friends, but if I could...you’d still be my best one. For whatever it’s worth.”

It was worth a lot. Damned near everything.

And it was time Rhodey knew it, too.

*****

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