Bombs & Bullets | Cricky [C]

31 | Scents

| Ricky's POV |

We had only been in California about a day and a half, if that. However we got the call that the doctors were letting Shiloh go home. Chris took Bella to Ashley's, because Devin thought Shi was still too sick to be around her. Not that she would catch anything. He was worried about her seeing one of her parents deathly ill. That's not a good image to implant in a five year old's mind.

While Chris stayed with Ashley and Bella, I stayed at Devin and Shiloh's house, waiting on them to come home. Devin needed help taking care of Shiloh, and I was more than happy to give it. We are pretty similar, Shi and I. It just feels right to care for him like family.

The front door opened and Devin walked in, holding it open. I pushed me laptop off my legs and got off the couch as Shiloh walked in. Devin closed the door behind him and locked up the apartment. The poor thing was a bag of bones. His skin was practically translucent.

"Hey you." I smiled as I approached him for a huge.

"Hey." Shiloh softly replied.

He was a combination of tired, and zoned out on medication. Shiloh was still extremely sweet, as always. He did smell like a hospital. I hate that smell. It's giving me flashbacks... Bad flashbacks that caused me to pull away from him.

"Go rest, Babe." Devin told him as he ran his hand down Shiloh's back.

"I need a shower first. I can't stand to smell myself." He complained. "I hate hospital smell."

"Sweetheart, the doctor said you need to sleep as soon as you got home."

I sighed. "In his defense, I would rather smell like I was shit on by a cow than smell like a hospital. It's the worst smell in the world."

"Okay, fine. I'll meet you half way. Go rest for twenty minutes while Ricky and I have lunch. Once we're done, I'll help you shower. Does that sound good?" Devin offered.

"Fine." Shiloh huffed.

He walked towards the bedroom and Devin just shook his head. "I worry about him." He said as he moved over to the kitchen.

"You can't blame him for wanting to wash away the point in his life when he was at his worst. At least health wise." I replied, following him towards the counter.

"I know. He wants to be back to himself so badly that he's willing to push himself to do things he physically can't do. Even little things, like taking a shower, take a lot out of him." He said. Devin spoke as he walked around the kitchen, putting together some lunch for both of us. "He's on a liquid diet right now, because he's had such an inflamed throat."

"I'm sorry you guys have to go through this." I told him.

He pushed a bowl of chicken and rice across the counter to me. Devin leaned over the counter, picking at his own food. "We've been through worse. You know, right before he disappeared, we were thinking about adopting another baby. So Bella could have a sister or a brother. Damn am I glad we didn't."

"You've got a pull enough plate." I replied. "You can barely take care of Bella."

"I know. I feel so bad, bouncing her around from sitter to sitter like this. I'd rather have that though than have he see Shiloh this sick."

"Chris and I could take her for a while." I offered.

He chucked. "No offense, but you two are too horny all the time to take care of a child."

"We are not!" I protested.

"Really? What'd you do last night?"

"We um-" Shit. I sighed in defeat. "We had sex, but! It was make-up sex!"

"You two fuck like rabbits. Admit it." Devin teased. "What did you get in a fight about?"

"He was being kind of sneaky and mysterious for a while and I thought he was cheating on me. Turns out he was planning to purpose and I completely ruined the surprise."

"Chris knows you well enough to still be able to surprise you." He smiled as he grabbed out now empty dishes. "It doesn't matter, as long as you get engaged. You want to marry him, right?"

I blushed and grinned blissfully. "Of course I do. I love him."

"I better get suited for a tux soon." Devin laughed.