Cherry Wine {lex luthor}

chapter twenty two

I spent the next day curled into Lex's side. He had, despite my insistence that I wasn't sick, refused to go to work, choosing instead to spend the day with me. I felt guilty for pulling him away from his company, but I was also glad he was with me. I felt like death warmed over.

Lex read to me. We finished the Old Man and the Sea, and moved on to  Rudyard Kipling's The White Seal. His voice lilted over the words, soft and sweet. Every so often, he would pause, and take my temperature, or force a few sips of water into me. I had a raging fever, and I couldn't stand shaking. The doctor Lex called reassured him it was nothing more than a common cold, but that didn't stop Lex fussing over me.

I didn't mind being fussed over. It was nice to have him to myself for a while, without competing with a laptop or ringing phone. I could have done without the sickly sweet cough syrup and the actual symptoms of the cold, though.

I was still in Lex's worn out white tshirt, but instead of my cardigan, I was swathed in a black fleece. My teeth still chattered despite it, and a fierce shiver wracked my body.

"Do you want another blanket?" Lex asked. "I can get another duvet from a guest room."

I shook my head, curling in closer to him, my head on his chest. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and kissed the top of my head.

"You're much cuddlier when you're sick." He mused.

"I'm always cuddly. It's a character flaw." I said into the fabric of his shirt.

"I wouldn't say a flaw." Lex laughed. "And you are not always cuddly. Not to this extent, anyways."

I huffed, and coughed as the rush of air irritated my already raw throat. My chest muscles contracted, and I winced as a sharp pain shot through them.

I knew that pain-I had felt it before. It almost always meant trouble. I tried to mask my whimper of pain with another cough, but nothing got by Lex.

"Are you in pain?" He asked immediately, sitting up. I sat up too, nearly blacking out again as my ribs spasmed.

"No." I lied through my teeth.

Lex looked at me, and raised an eyebrow, waiting. I tried to hold my breath, not wanting to display my discomfort. As soon as I let it out, though, my chest felt as though it was being hit with a cement truck. I cried out, clutching my sternum.

"Ruth." Lex said, and I looked up at him sheepishly.

"It happens sometimes, when I'm sick. It's just muscle spasms." I half-lied. The truth was that the spasms happened almost solely when my heart was under strain.

"What helps it?" Lex asked, rubbing my back over the fleece.

"My mumma used to rub a muscle relaxant over them." I said, a squeak escaping my lips as they tightened again.

Lex kissed my head again, and disappeared into the bathroom. He reappeared a moment later, holding a small glass jar. He unscrewed the metal lid, and a pungent, spicy smell filled the air.

"What is it?" I looked at the red goo inside the jar.

"Tiger Balm. The only thing that ever worked for me. It's strong." Lex explained. "Now, lay back. Tell me if I'm hurting you."

I lay back, staring at the white ceiling.

"Ruth, promise you'll tell me if I hurt you." Lex said again, insistent.

"I promise." I mumbled, and shivered as he lifted my shirt.

The balm felt like ice on my thin skin, burning as it sank in. Lex's long fingers massaged the knotted muscle. I squirmed as they found a particularly tender spot, hissing a breath.