Recovery: Part 12

Part 12: Caught

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
~Mother Teresa

Jason gently shook Dick’s shoulder the next morning, “Dick?”

Dick jumped, but relaxed when his eyes rested on Jason, “What time is it?”

“Noon.”

Dick sighed, rolling his face into his pillow, “Do I have another appointment?”

“Not today,” Jason climbed in beside Dick. He sat propped up on one elbow and rubbed Dick’s arm, “I have some good news.”

Dick mumbled a response into the pillow, “What’s that?”

“They found the guy who hit you.”

Dick tensed under Jason’s hand before scrambling up into a seated position, “What?”

Jason helped Dick sit up, “The guy who hit you was found last night. There was a kid nearly beaten to death. The cops saw it and chased down the assailant. They chased him back to a black B.M.W. the same one that hit you.”

“How do they know that?”

“Apparently this guy is out committing hate crimes. Victims describe his car, just like I did. Apparently he wasn’t a class mate of yours, he was just some guy who saw us holding hands and decided to hit you.”

“Asshole.”

Jason smiled, “They’re having a hearing tomorrow. Any victims are allowed to testify.”

“I don’t remember anything.”

“I can testify. Did you want to go?”

Dick nodded, “I want to be there in person to see this guy get put behind bars.”

Jason nodded, “I thought so.”

“I’m sorry about last night,” Dick said after sitting in silence for several moments.

“What’s there to be sorry for?”

“You tried to comfort me, and I wouldn’t let you.”

Jason shrugged, “I wouldn’t have wanted anyone to even look at me. It’s okay,” Jason kissed Dick’s temple. “I was thinking that when you can walk on your own, we could walk around the city, reintroduce you to people.”

“I don’t know, Jay.”

“You can’t be afraid of people forever. You’re a performer; you live off of people looking at you.”

“Not when I’m being pushed around in a wheelchair or leaning on you for support.”

“That’s why I said when you can walk again. Don’t you want to be able to engage with people? You love people, that’s what I love about you.”

Dick gave a weak smiled and rested his head on Jason’s shoulder, “Whisper to me?”

Jason smiled, running his fingers through Dick’s hair. “I love how strong you are. I love how you made it through hell. I love how inspiring you’ve been to me, working your ass off to get better. I love how the smallest things make you happy, like a book or a movie. I love how you continue to smile even though hell seems to linger around you.” Jason pinched Dick’s chin and made Dick look at him, “I could go on for hours and hours about the things I love about you. I could write a book, if I wasn’t failing English.”

Dick laughed, gently holding Jason’s wrist.

“I won’t write a book or talk for hours, because every minute there’d be something new to say. I love everything you do. I love who you are. There is no one else in the entire world, past, present, or future, that I’d rather be with.”

Dick smiled and leaned forward to kiss Jason. Dick’s mind seemed to clear itself of the pain, the embarrassment. All he felt were Jason’s warm lips on his, and his gentle touches. Dick made a happy sound against Jason’s lips. He relished in the feel of Jason’s lips pressing a smile against his. No matter what happened to him in his lifetime, Jason seemed to make everything all right again.