4. River

"Stay here," Skye demanded, putting the car in park and turning to River. "I'll get the crutches out of the back seat and bring them to you.

"River, I mean it," he added, when River opened the passenger door and shoved it open even further with his foot, putting his good ankle on the ground. "You take one more step and I'm spitting in your dinner."

River sighed and rested his head against the back of the seat as Skye came around to the passenger side with the crutches. He set them against the car and wrapped his arm around River's torso. River could tell how careful Skye was being, trying not to touch his cracked ribs as he lifted him out of the car and then handed him the crutches. Using them was painful, just like the doctor said it would be, and River had to keep from grunting and hissing as he made his way up the pathway to the front door, Skye right beside him the entire time like he was afraid River would trip and faceplant. It was driving River nuts how much his roommate was fussing over him and how attentive he was being, but he knew it came from a place of love, so he didn't say anything.

Seriously, though, River was going to go crazy if Skye hovered over him like this for the next six weeks. It was bad enough that he'd needed his help getting dressed before they left the hospital. Skye had taken it in stride but River knew it was awkward for him, too. He'd seen the blush creep up the other man's cheeks as he'd helped slide River's pants on, and River had been wondering if he could possibly get away with staying in the same clothes for the next six weeks to avoid that embarrassment all over again.

Skye unlocked the door and they stepped inside. "Let's get you comfortable and then I'm gonna make a run to the store for some ice packs and to pick up your meds."

River sighed. He hated the idea of Skye picking up anything for him. He hated feeling this helpless and needy. But what choice did he have? Gritting through the pain of using the crutches to get around was one thing, but he literally couldn"t drive, so he had to depend on Skye, and he'd have to depend on him for a while.

Damn it.

"Where do you want to be? Couch? Bed?" Skye asked.

"Couch, I guess." River made his way over, very slowly, on his crutches. His ribs were throbbing with every movement but he tried not to show it. He didn't want Skye babying him any more than he already was.

He realized once he got to the couch that he wasn't sure where to put the crutches while he sat down, but Skye was right there and River reluctantly handed the crutches to him, then slowly settled onto the sofa. He sat on the left side and propped up his ankle using the recliner.

"If I put these on the coffee table does that work?" Skye asked, lowering the crutches as he did, and River nodded. "You need anything else before I go?"

River patted his pockets to make sure he had his phone and looked around to make sure the remote was within reaching distance. "I think I'm good."

"K. Text me if you think of anything else you need while I'm out. If you want to, you can invite Anna over for dinner. She'd probably like to see you, know you're okay."

"Yeah," River said. "I'll call her." Honestly he wasn't up for a bunch of company. He felt like he'd been run over by a bulldozer, and he just wanted to eat something and then rest, but he knew Anna would want to see him after what happened, and it was really sweet of Skye to think of her.

"See you in a bit."

Skye was out of the room in a few strides. River heard the door closing behind him as he put the phone to his ear.

The phone rang twice before River heard the soft feminine voice of his girlfriend on the other end. "River? Are you home?"

"Hey. Yeah, just got settled on the sofa while Skye plays errand boy."

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You sound exhausted."

"I'm fine. Just tired, in pain, and hungry."

Anna lets out a soft chuckle. "Just that, huh?" He heard the genuine concern in her voice when she spoke again. "Gosh, River, getting that text from you really scared me. I'm glad Skye was there with you. And I'm glad you're okay."

He gave a soft smile, though she couldn"t see it. "Skye wanted to see if you wanted to come for dinner tonight."

"Oh, that's really nice of him. I'd love to come if you're sure you are up for it."

"I think so, just a quick visit should be okay. I'd like to see you."

"Okay. I'll stop and get Chinese on the way so Skye doesn't have to cook. I'm sure he's tired, too."

"Yeah, sure." River rubbed a hand across his forehead. The headache he'd had in the hospital was starting to get worse and he needed his pain meds. "Thanks, Anna. See you in a bit, okay?"

"Okay, bye."

He hung up and set his phone down, resting his head against the back of the couch, and then groaned when it started to ring. Seriously? But he smiled when he picked it up and saw that it was his aunt.

"Hi, Aunt Jodi," he answered.

"River," she said, sounding relieved. "It's so good to hear your voice, sweetheart. You about gave me a heart attack today." Then he was bombarded with all the questions. How are you? Is Skye taking good care of you? How long until you can get back to work? Can I do anything?

"I haven't really talked to Skye about anything yet," he admitted once he'd fielded all of the other questions. "We haven't really had the time. I know he can't take off weeks to take care of me, though, and I wouldn't want him to. I'll manage on my own."

"Uh, yeah, no," Aunt Jodi said on the other line. "Talk with Skye and see what he can swing and then call me and I'll see what I can do on my end. I'm two hours away, River. I can afford to take some time off. Not a lot, but some. I'm not leaving you there to fend for yourself with a broken ankle and three cracked ribs. You are like a son to me."

"I know," he said, smiling slightly.

"Then you also know that if I don't hear from you in the next couple of days about what the plan is, I'll be calling Skye or just showing up on your doorstep. So call me, okay?"

River smiled again. He hated inconveniencing anyone, but Aunt Jodi was not someone to be trifled with and if he was going to be cared for by anyone other than Skye, he would want it to be her.

"Okay."

"Okay," she said, sounding appeased. "I'll talk to you soon, kiddo. Say hi to Skye for me. Take care of yourself."

"Bye, Aunt Jodi." He hung up the phone for the second time as Skye walked in the door with bags labeled Walgreens.

"So I wasn't sure what kind of ice packs to get you, so I kind of just went nuts and got a couple of each," Skye said, giving him a dopey grin. "I figure you'll be using them for a while with your ankle and your ribs. They'll have to be in the freezer for a couple of hours before they are cold enough but I got a couple of the ones you can break and use instantly too. Want me to bring you one?"

"Can you bring two?" River asked, shifting himself on the couch slightly. He winced at the pain in his ribs. "And can you wrap them in towels?"

"Sure," Skye said. A minute later he was at River's side with the ice packs, pain meds, and a glass of water. River took the meds and chugged the water. Then he took the ice packs and attempted to reach down and rest one on his injured ankle. But when he cried out in pain and grabbed his side, Skye yanked the ice pack back and scowled at him. "Dumbass. I'm here to help you, Riv. You didn't have to hurt yourself. Just communicate, okay?"

River returned his friend's glare, then held the ice pack he still had against his ribs and rested back, frowning.

"Look, I know you don't like being taken care of, okay?" Skye said, his green eyes narrowed at River and his golden hair falling into his eyes, "but suck it up, buttercup. This is the way it's going to be for a while so you might as well get used to it. Now where do you want this?" He held up the ice pack he'd snatched from River.

"How about up your?—"

"Riv," Skye cut him off. A small smile formed on his lips. "There's only a handful of things I'm willing to stick up there and none of them are shaped like this. And you might want to be nice to me because I am in charge of your pain meds." He smirked and River furrowed his eyebrows. "Now where do you want this? It's freezing my hand off."

"On my ankle," River huffed.

"Yeah, I got that much, Einstein. Where?" Skye snarked back. He placed the ice pack over River's ankle and looked back at him. "Communicate," he said again.

River glared at him. "A little lower," he mumbled, and Skye shifted the icepack a little.

"Better?"

"Yes."

"Did you call Anna?"

River nodded. "She's on her way with dinner."

"Oh, cool." Skye ran a hand through his waves and they flopped right back over his forehead and into his eyes. "You want a pillow for your ribs?" he asked. "For those breathing exercises they were talking about?"

"Yeah, I guess," River said. "And because my hand is freezing holding on to this ice pack."

Skye smiled at him, then left the room and returned a second later with a pillow, placing it on River's lap.

"Thanks," River said. He hated to admit it but it was definitely helping his fingers not go numb and the weight of it was perfect against his ribs. There was a moment of silence before he said, "Skye, my Aunt Jodi called, too. She wants to come help out."

"That's nice of her." Skye slumped down on the other side of the couch, head resting back, eyes closed, and he yawned. "I gotta call Mr. Richards and let him know what's going on and that I'll be out for the next few days." He pulled out his phone.

"Skye—"

"Shut up, Riv. I'm taking off work to take care of you, and that's that."

River sighed. He wanted to protest, but he knew he would lose and he felt too crappy to argue. He listened as Skye talked with his boss and then hung up the phone.

"Everything okay?" he asked, still feeling guilty that Skye was taking off work to look after him. With the pain he was in, though, he knew he needed help. He just didn't want to need it.

"No, they fired me," Skye said, looking down and frowning.

River gaped, his eyes wide, then glared the second he realized Skye was jerking his chain. "Dick."

Skye laughed. "They're giving me the rest of the week. Everything's fine. I just have to get plans ready for a sub before tomorrow morning." He rubbed his eyes with his hands and yawned again.

River frowned. Skye looked so exhausted and now he had more work to do thanks to him. "Skye, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Yes, what were you thinking, getting in an accident and ending up in the hospital?" He chuckled and slapped River's thigh playfully. "Come on, Riv, don't worry about it, it's fine."

Skye

"Ahh, dinner," Skye said, his stomach growling when a knock sounded on the door. He stood and crossed the room, opening the door and inviting Anna inside. He thanked her for the food, taking the bags of Chinese from her and bringing them into the kitchen, and he didn"t miss how quickly she hurried over to River.

He should have been smiling when he saw her plant a kiss on his roommate's forehead and sit just next to him, taking his hand in hers. It should have warmed his heart to see someone caring for him so much, making him happy. He should have been happy for River, so why was his jaw clenched, and why was he gripping the take out container so hard his knuckles were turning white.

What the fuck? She makes him happy. He deserves to be happy. If anyone deserves to be happy, he does. Get over yourself, you selfish dick.

"River, you look awful," Anna said as her gaze roamed over him, taking in his scrapes and bandages. "In the best way, I mean." She flushed and gave him a soft smile before leaning in and pecking him on the lips, and Skye had to look away.

She brushed her hand over River's forehead, coming into contact with the bandage that was still on the side of his head. "Does it hurt?"

He nodded. "I have a mild concussion." She frowned and then Skye heard her voice carrying across the open space as he finished unpacking the takeout and got plates from the cabinet.

"Thanks for being there for him, Skye," she said.

Skye wanted to snarl, but he didn't. "Yeah, no problem." She's his girlfriend, you idiot, get over it. But Skye couldn't get over it, couldn't get that tiny little kiss out of his mind, couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Anna got to kiss River whenever she wanted.

"Let me help you," Anna said, moving into the kitchen. She opened the different containers filled with rice, noodles, chicken and vegetables, and different sauces. It smelled amazing and Skye's stomach growled again.

Anna grabbed a plate. "River, what do you want?" she asked.

"Some of everything," he replied.

She nodded and filled his plate up before taking it over to the couch. Skye did the same with his, and although he felt a bit awkward about being the third wheel, took a seat across from River and Anna on the chair. They didn't seem to mind him being there and he relaxed. Anna even asked him about how work was going and seemed genuinely interested in his answer, which sucked because it just made it that much harder to dislike her.

"Guess we won't be seeing you at Bible study or church for a while, huh?" Anna said, sounding deflated as she addressed River.

"Yeah, guess not," River replied. "I'm gonna be a hermit for a while, it looks like. You'll come visit me though, right?"

Anna smiled at him. "Of course."

Skye felt like he was going crazy. This girl was perfect for River. She was kind, generous, and thoughtful. She obviously cared about River. They shared the same beliefs. So why was he so…so…

Jealous. Jenna's words came back to him, hitting him so hard he swallowed his food down the wrong pipe, and had to pat his chest to get it down.

"You okay?" River asked. Skye nodded and took a sip of his water. That wasn't embarrassing at all.

I am not fucking jealous, he had to keep himself from growling out loud as he tried to convince himself that his feelings for River were strictly platonic.

That he absolutely was not falling in love with his best friend.