I'll Take Care of You

I'll Take Care of You

Chapter 6

    The sky was dark and filling with diamond stars as he settled on the couch in the disgusting green hospital room. His mood was nearly as dark as the sky outside as he wallowed in self-pity. Oliver Wood couldn't ever remember feeling like this before. He didn't know what to do next. He put his earphones on and focused on the music. More and more stars dotted the sky. The CD was just about over and he got up to go to bed.

    'Bloody Hell, Percy! How long have you been standing there?' he yelled as he gripped for the couch back to keep himself on his feet.

    'A little while. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just watching you. What were you listening to?' Percy spoke quietly. He took Oliver's hand and with a tug they were both sitting. 'I'm glad Dr. Wolfe didn't transfigure this back. It's a nice place to sit.'

    'Yeah, I asked her to keep it. Listening to my old standby. The Beatles,' he admitted his like of Muggle music with a twinge of embarrassment. He disengaged his hand from Percy's and took a deep breath before speaking. 'Percy?'

    'Yes, Oliver?' Both men had realized that the time had come to have 'the talk'.

    'You and I have both said some things in the past couple days that we should discuss. Percy, when I said that I love you, well, I meant it. I meant it from the bottom of my heart. I do love you and I have since Hogwarts. I just, well, you dated Penny so I didn't think you were gay and I was afraid to tell you and lose you as a friend. You have been so wonderful to me. Maybe I'm reading things wrong, but you seemed interested in me the last few days. If I am wrong, I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone. If you are interested, well, Percy, I'm not very good at relationships, but if you want one with me, I will do my best.' The words gushed from Oliver's mouth; almost as if he was afraid that if he didn't say it all right then he would never get another opportunity. He had wanted to look Percy in the eye, but that stabbing fear of seeing rejection reflected kept his gaze on the floor.

    Percy reached forward and touched Oliver's chin. He tipped it upwards, forcing their eyes to meet. His touch was firm, but his words were gentle, whispered. 'You're right, Ol. I am interested. Very much so. I love you, too. As for the relationship, well, I'm not good at that either, but maybe we can work something out.'

    He dropped his hand to Oliver's shoulder and pulled him closer for a hug. Minutes ticked by as they held each other. It was Percy who broke the silence, speaking into Oliver's warm neck, 'Oliver?'

    'Hmm?'

    'That last day at Hogwarts. That kiss. That's when I fell for you. Thank you for that kiss. I never thanked you and it was the best kiss of my life,' Percy whispered in his ear, making Oliver's spine tingle. He pulled away from Percy with a grin.

    'The best, huh? I bet I can do it better.'

    Without giving Percy a chance to answer, Oliver leaned forward and caught Percy's mouth with his. Lips and tongues met. There was no hesitation from Percy this time. He responded to Oliver's kiss with fervor. A moan escaped Percy's throat as Oliver pulled him closer. Percy felt as if he could sit on this couch in this hospital room and kiss Oliver forever. His mouth was warm and wet and sweet. He tasted of peppermint. Percy knew that he would never again eat peppermint without thinking of this moment.

    A last nibble on his love's lower lip and Oliver pulled away. His eyes remained closed and he inhaled deeply, slowly. He was positive that that had been the best kiss of his life. He had been born to kiss Percy Weasley. That was his purpose in life. The reason he had been put on this planet. He was sure of it.

    His sweet fantasy moment was disturbed by the mocking tone in Percy's voice. 'Must everything be a competition with you?' he teased.

    Oliver opened his eyes and giggled at Percy. 'Yes,' he retorted, then blushed deeply.

    'What? Why are you blushing?' Insecure Percy had returned. Percy had no idea what he had done to embarrass Oliver. The knot of fear had started to tighten again.

    'Oh, Perce, you are so flushed. I had no idea I could have that kind of effect on someone with just a kiss,' Oliver whispered, blushing even deeper.

    Percy said nothing, just snuggled in close to Oliver, placing light, innocent kisses on his neck. Oliver leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of Percy Weasley's mouth on his neck.

    'When do you get out of the hospital, Ol?' a quiet voice asked from near the patient's collarbone.

    'About that. Well, Percy, can you stop kissing me and sit up for a minute. Lord knows I don't want you to stop, but I need to talk to you for a minute and I can't focus.'

    Percy pulled back and stared at Oliver questioningly. Oliver saw the pretty blue eyes flare with concern and the corners of his thin pink lips turn down.

    'I need to tell you something important, but it's hard to say, so please don't interrupt me. Just let me say it all first,' he said quickly before taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. 'Percy, when you were here yesterday I was upset and you need to know why, especially if we are going to be together.'

    Percy nodded his head, encouraging Oliver to keep going.

    'Well, for starters, it looks like I'm out of Quidditch for at least six months, maybe longer. And I have been stupid. I haven't saved much money and the rent on my house is huge. I can't afford it if I'm not playing and I don't think Puddlemere will compensate me for time lost. I thought that I could go live with my mum, but well...' he trailed off, blinking back a tear. He took another breath and started speaking again. 'My parents got divorced last year and my dad is hiding out somewhere in the states. Mum is still here, but. Hmmm. She is kind of reliving her youth, so to speak. She was here yesterday and told me that she doesn't want me to move back in with her. I...well; I don't really know what is going on. I haven't figured things out yet. Percy, I don't mean to burden you with this and I understand if you want nothing to do with someone who has so little going for him, but I needed you to know why I was, uh, crying, yesterday. I'm sorry you had to see that.'

    He turned his head and gazed out the window at the stars again. He couldn't look at Percy. He was afraid of what he might see. He listened to Percy's quiet breathing and waited for him to say or do something. His heart leapt into his throat when he felt Percy's long thin fingers twisting themselves into his own. The couch cushion under Oliver shifted as Percy moved his body back to where it had been before. A gasp escaped his lips as Percy took his earlobe in his lips and nibbled gently. He closed his eyes as Percy whispered softly in his ear.

    'Oh, Ol. I'm sorry. About Quidditch and your parents and everything. I am not sorry about you or about me. I'm not about to run away from you now, just because you are going through a rough time.'

    Percy slid off the couch and let go of the warm hand he was holding. Oliver looked up at him, questioningly. His soft fingers brushed against Oliver's cheek as he said, 'I'm not running away or leaving you. I'm stepping outside for a couple of minutes to figure something out. I'll be right back.'

    He waited for Oliver's nod, then headed out the door. Outside the hospital a cold wind was blowing, but Percy ignored it. He sat on a bench and stared up at the sky, just as his love was doing from his room. After a moment he fumbled in his pocket for a piece of parchment and a pen. His father had discovered Muggle pens a few years ago and most of the Weasleys agreed that they were easier to carry than quills and ink. He went to work scribbling the lyrics to a song he had heard once. It seemed perfect for the moment and by the time he had finished he was grinning widely, despite numb fingers and a frozen face. It was only too obvious to Percy what had to be done.

    As he re-entered the hospital he encountered, once again, the blonde nurse. It was too late, he knew. Visiting hours had been over for quite some time.

    'Hi, Mr. Weasley. My name is Emma. I keep an eye on this floor in the evening. Uh, you know that visiting hours are over?' Percy nodded slowly, but Emma continued to speak, 'but if you don't say anything, I won't. Oliver said you were coming back when I just checked on him. Just don't stay too late, please.' Her voice had dropped to a whisper so that no other patients would hear her breaking the rules and playing favorites with the celebrity.

    He whispered a grateful, 'Thank you,' and slipped down the hall. Oliver was already in his pajamas and settled in his bed when Percy arrived at his room. He was grimacing at the green and white striped, hospital issued garb.     

    'Nurse made me get ready for bed,' he grumbled.

    'Cute.'

    'What is? The pajamas? Or me?'

    'Sure,' Percy shrugged, as he crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. 'I'm sorry I left for a minute. I thought I needed to think about something for a second, though as soon as I left I realized that I didn't need to think about it, I just knew what I had to do, I hope you understand, but then I needed to. But then there was, well, okay I need to start over.'

    'Yeah,' was all Oliver could say. He was pretty sure Percy wasn't speaking plain English anymore.

    'Okay. Tomorrow I am moving out of my parent's house. I have a little flat in London that I'm moving to. Oliver, I know that this is sudden and probably moving faster than any relationship ever should, but if you want to, I want you to move in with me. You can have your own room. It'll just be us.'

    'Percy, you don't have to do this,' Oliver said quietly before closing his eyes and biting his lip. Tears were threatening to overtake him again.

    'I know I don't, Oliver, but I want to. Ol, you once told me that you'd take care of me. You probably don't remember that, but I do. It meant so much to me then. And now I can take care of you, if you'll let me.'

    The tears had won and were tracing small streams down Oliver's cheeks. He nodded. 'I remember that. And I meant it. I never imagined the situation being reversed, but here we are. Thank you, Percy.'

    'Are you accepting my offer?' Percy asked quietly, wiping away the tears with his own handkerchief.

    Oliver nodded his head again. His throat was too tight to speak. Looking into his love's blue eyes, so full of love and passion, there was no way he could have refused.

    'It's all settled then. We'll talk details later. Right now, you need to go to bed. And here, this is what I was doing when I left. It's a song that I heard on the Muggle radio. I thought it fit,' Percy pressed the parchment into Oliver's hand as he spoke. He leaned in to give him a goodnight kiss, this one sweet and tender. 'Night, Oliver,' he called as he left the room.

        Times are hard, and rents are high, what can a working guy do?

        But struggle through another day, then I'll take care of you.

        Nights are long and dreams are cold if they're all you wake up to.

        But should you rise those cryin' eyes, then I'll take care of you.

        So let them talk about us, let them call us funny things,

        People sometimes do. Oh I don't care as long as you know I love you,

        Oh and you know I do.

I'll be there but you might not see me.

It's never easy to get through

        But when the laughter dies away, then I'll take care of you.

    Emma read the parchment laying on Oliver's stomach. He had fallen asleep with Percy's note in his hands; tears still coursing down his cheeks. She laid the note to the side and tucked the blankets around her patient. She turned off the light and stood in the doorway for a moment, watching him sleep in the moonlight. 'You're a lucky man, Oliver Wood,' she whispered before closing the door for the evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Arthur Weasley was waiting up again. Percy was just about to hang up his cloak when his father's voice reached him, 'How's Oliver?'

    The cloak hit the floor and Percy turned slowly, wide-eyed to meet his father's gaze. He sat at the table with two cups of tea, but no magazine this time. Percy opened his mouth to speak, but there were no words. He was surprised that his father didn't look upset or even flustered in the least.

    'Percy, come sit down with me. That isn't an invitation this time. It's an order. Oh, close your mouth, you look like a fish.'

    Percy legs and mouth obeyed, even if the rest of him didn't know what was going on. How had his father known? He sat at the table, staring incredulously at Arthur Weasley, who looked as calm and rational, as he would have been if they were discussing the nutritional properties of green beans.

    'Perce? You still with me?'

    'Er, yeah. How did you know that I went to see Oliver?' Percy asked in a whisper, still not believing what was going on.

    'Percy, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Plus, I heard a rumor that you had been at the hospital a lot this week. Your secretary likes to talk,' he said with a smile. 'Really, Perce, it's okay. So, you're dating Oliver?'

    Percy closed his eyes and tried to will his hands to stop shaking. When he opened them his father was watching him expectantly. 'Well, er, I guess so. We haven't exactly defined our relationship, but that seems to be the case.' He paused, staring into his own tea. 'Dad, I, uh, I'm sorry.'

    'For what are you apologizing?' Arthur asked, almost sounding amused.

    'Well, you know, me, with Oliver,' was Percy's sheepish response. Although it was probably obvious, he still could not bring himself to tell his father that he was gay. The word just wouldn't come out.

    'Do you love him?'

    Percy's cheeks blushed a dark shade of pink. 'Yeah, I have since I left Hogwarts.'

    'I thought so. When you went to see him the other night I remembered that when I helped you pack up for the last time at school, Oliver just about ran me over in his haste to get out the door. You were nearly speechless at the time. It just occurred to me the other night that something must have happened that day.' Percy nodded silently and his father continued, 'Percy, if you love him, don't you ever apologize. You should never be sorry about love.'

    "I guess I need to tell the rest of the family. I hadn't planned on anyone finding out so soon. Dad, are you sure you aren't upset?' Percy was quiet and resigned. It had been a long and trying day and it wasn't looking like tomorrow was going to be much better.

    "Percy, can I ask you something personal?'

    'This entire conversation has been pretty personal, I guess one more question won't matter.' This remark came out more scathingly then Percy had intended. Arthur looked a bit putout until Percy realized how harsh he sounded. 'Sorry. Yes, you can ask me.'

    'How long have you known that you were gay?'

    The blush that had almost faded returned just as strong as ever. 'Since, well, to be honest, since Tuesday evening,' he whispered.

    His father nodded slowly, trying to decide exactly how to say what he had to say. Percy was looking at the floor. The older man gazed at his son before saying, 'It's kind of funny, Percy. You've only known for a few days and I think I figured it out when you were sixteen, but I just wasn't sure. Especially with Penelope and everything. And for a moment this week, we thought you might be dating your secretary, but that didn't seem to fit either. Don't worry about me being upset. Your mother and I are perfectly okay with whatever you want in your life, as long as it makes you happy.'

    Percy looked up in alarm. 'Mum knows?'

    'After you left this evening, we put our heads together. It didn't take us long to figure out where you had gone and whom you went to see. So, yes, your mother knows. So do Fred and George.'

    At that Percy's dropped his face into his hands and shook his head. The twins were going to make things difficult. This evening had gone so well for him and Oliver and now his brothers knew and had probably already taken out a full page ad in the Daily Prophet to out Percy to the world. Suddenly a chuckle rose up from his throat and before Percy knew it, he was roaring with laughter. Tears were sliding down his cheeks and he couldn't catch his breath.

    Arthur thought that that was it. Percy had finally snapped and lost his mind. 'Percy?' he asked gently, not sure what he should do. Percy forced himself to stop laughing and look up at his father. The older man looked puzzled and a bit scared.

    'Dad, I'm sorry, I'm fine, really. I was upset about the twins knowing, because I figured that they would tell everyone.'

    Arthur nodded, 'So you were laughing because...'

    'Then it occurred to me. I've been so worried about my family knowing that I didn't even realize that Wednesday afternoon, Oliver kinda outed me to an entire floor of the hospital. In fact, I'm surprised that that didn't make the Prophet.'

    'Percy, I'm glad you are happy. I really am. Don't worry about us. Even though the twins might not always show it, all of us love you very much. I know you probably don't want to tell the rest of your brothers and your sister right now, but you really should. I promise you that it'll be okay.'

    'Thanks, Dad. It might take me awhile to get used to all of this, but I appreciate your support. It means a lot to me,' Percy whispered softly. He felt calmer than he had all week. He picked up his tea and finished it, although it was quite cold by now.

    'So,' Arthur interrupted the silence a few minutes later.

    'Hmm?' Percy responded, starting to feel sleepy. As nice as this talk had been with his father, he really wanted to go to bed.

    Arthur knew he had to ask before this night was through, but he was a bit embarrassed. Accepting Percy's homosexuality was one thing, but this might be more awkward.

    'Are you moving out so that you can live with Oliver?' he asked quickly. To his amazement, Percy actually smiled. A true, genuine smile. He didn't appear embarrassed, ashamed or even upset that his father had asked.

    'No, not really. I decided to get my own place before I even knew if Oliver was interested in me. I just needed some freedom. However, Oliver and I talked for a long time tonight and, well, I'm not sure he would want me to tell you all the reasons why, but he will probably live there with me.'

    'Percy, honestly, I don't want to hear your reasons, same as I didn't want to hear the reasons that Angelina and Katie have to live with your brothers.' Arthur was blushing furiously by this point.

    Percy, realizing what his father meant, grinned in return. 'No, Dad. It's not that, really. Oliver is going to need a lot of help when he gets out of the hospital, he can't play Quidditch for awhile and he needs somewhere to go. I can give him that. So I will. Right now, though, it's very late and if it's okay with you, I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight.'

    Arthur knew Percy was being honest. He was helping a friend. Oliver had been his best friend in school. Percy probably would have let him move in regardless of their relationship. He beamed with pride at his tall, lanky son, so much like himself.

    'You are a good man, Percy Weasley. Oliver Wood is lucky to have you. Goodnight.'

    Percy had already started up the steps, so Arthur couldn't be positive, but he was pretty sure that the words, 'I think I'm the lucky one' floated back down to him.