Don't Be Stupid

Tommy-

Unbelievable. That's exactly what Tommy was thinking when he awoke to Christopher asleep in his arms. He shut his eyes quickly, only to blink them open again a minute later and realize that he wasn't dreaming. His chest ached from sleeping on his side, but he couldn't even consider turning back over.

Christopher is sleeping. In my arms! He wanted to lean over and pepper kisses all over the man's face and neck. Run his fingers through his messy blond hair. Hug him closer and refuse to let him go.

Of course, he knew that none of those things were plausible. So, instead, he glanced over the man's shoulder to note the time, which was nearly eight in the morning. They'd slept in, at least according to Chris's schedule. Tommy was about to unwrap his arms from the other man, so that when he awoke, he wouldn't know the position they'd been in, when he heard a quiet bark by the bedroom door.

Skipper sat near the doorjamb, panting quietly. Crap, we forgot all about him! Tommy realized as he forced himself to sit up, then carefully begin sliding from the bed. He wanted to stay cuddled up with Chris, but Skipper needed tended to.

When he finally had both of his feet on the floor, Tommy pursed his lips, looking down at the dog that had moved to sit beside the bed. "I see you, buddy. Give me just a minute and I'll get my legs working, alright?" He told it as he carefully began pushing his weight off of the mattress.

It took a good deal of effort, and pain, but he managed to stand up with the help of the wall directly in front of him to lean against. "Not too bad," he panted as he focused on just staying upright.

Tommy waited an extra few minutes before he felt comfortable trying to get to the kitchen. He swayed several times as he made his way out of the bedroom, but with his weight against the wall, he was able to keep from falling.

"I don't remember this walking thing being so darn hard." He joked as he finally made it from the room, then began carefully traversing the short hallway.

Skipper disappeared for a moment and Tommy could hear him behind him in the bedroom for a few seconds, before the dog reappeared by his feet. It was pacing around his ankles, but Tommy just figured that it was ready to eat, and probably go out.

"Boy, you must have to go terribly... or already went somewhere in here." Tommy said as he finally made it into the kitchen and leaned back against the counter with an exhausted sigh.

"That was a workout, but we're finally here." He said as he looked around, noticing a pee pad, refillable bowl of food, and a refillable container of water.

"I'm impressed, though I probably shouldn't be."

The bowl of food looked like it had been finished off recently, but the container for the water bowl was still half full. The potty pad, though, was definitely used.

"Okay, let's get that pee pad thrown out first. I know Christopher won't want it smelling up the kitchen." Tommy said as he carefully used the counter to lower himself to his knees, then crawl over to the dirty pad. He was just reaching for it when two large hands appeared in front of him and picked it up.

Jerking his head up, Tommy felt himself shrink slightly under Christopher's glare as the man balled up the potty pad, then tossed it in the covered garbage can. When he returned his stare to Tommy, it wasn't one that any submissive would want from their dominant. He knew that he'd done something stupid getting himself up out of bed. Especially since he hadn't even bothered to wake Chris up or use his wheelchair, but it was too late for apologies.

Christopher went about refilling the food dispenser, then rinsed and refilled the one for water, before replacing them both on the floor with a clean pee pad for Skipper. That's when his attention returned to Tommy again. Disappointment was clear in the man's eyes as he reached down and carefully helped Tommy back to his feet.

Instead of just letting him grab the counter and find a place to sit until he was ready to be chastised, Christopher leaned over and easily scooped Tommy up into his arms, then calmly carried him back to the bathroom connected to his room.

"I have to go back to work tomorrow. I can't have you doing stupid things." Chris stated as he set Tommy down in the tub and walked out to retrieve some clothing and a clean towel. While he was gone, Tommy solemnly removed his sweats and boxers, then got the water started after plugging the drain.

When Christopher returned, he checked the water temperature, then carefully unwound the bandages from around Tommy's chest. After only a moment eyeing the injury, and a few brief touches, Christopher nodded and set the dirty bandages in the small garbage can behind him.

"Here," he said as he grabbed the bottle of shampoo from the side of the tub.

Knowing that he couldn't lift his arms comfortably to apply the soap, Tommy turned and gave Chris his back so that the man could begin massaging the shampoo into his messy hair. It felt great, just like each time he was rewarded with a full bath, but he knew that he wasn't being rewarded right then, but likely just needed to get clean.

When the shampoo had been rinsed, and the conditioner was sitting, Tommy carefully turned around until he was leaning back against the shower wall and he could see Chris.

He was wandering about in the bathroom, cleaning up small bits of trash from having re-bandaged Tommy's injury several times over the past few days, as well as recapping the toothpaste, cleaning the sink, and putting away whatever else had been left out to be put back at a later date and time.

"Christopher?" Tommy tried in a quiet voice.

Christopher glanced sideways at him, but that was all Tommy got out of his hesitant effort to draw the man's attention back to him. He no longer felt embarrassed... much, when the other man was there while he was naked, but it did sting to be ignored.

"I acted like a fool getting out of bed on my own, without bothering to wake you up, sir." He said as he hung his head, staring down at the soapy water floating around his crossed legs.

Silence stretched between them as Tommy heard Christopher continue to move about the room. After a minute the other man returned to the edge of the tub and helped him rinse out his hair, then soaped his hands up and began scrubbing his body for him.

Tommy would normally close his eyes and relax as Christopher took care of him in such a way, but he just couldn't get himself to keep from stealing glances as the man's hands moved quickly over his warm skin. Right as Christopher was leaning back, having rinsed his hands in the water already built up in the tub, his eyes met Tommy's.

"You might call yourself a dominant, but I only saw the behavior of a very childish submissive this morning. You might want to walk and take care of things yourself, but you can't, and you need to get over your stubbornness until you safely can, or you're going to make this situation even more troublesome."

With a knot in his stomach, Tommy sat silently as Christopher helped him rinse off his body, then pulled the drain plug so that he could get himself dried off. When he was content that he'd gotten most of the water wiped from his hair and body, Tommy waited for Chris to help him up and out of the bathtub, and into his waiting wheelchair.

From there it was a simple game of shifting and lifting his legs to get the pair of grey sweatpants Christopher had gotten for him, on. He added a dark blue shirt to finish the look, then carefully wheeled himself out of the small bathroom and headed back toward the kitchen.

Christopher was already there, a frying pan in his hand as he flipped a pancake in the air. Tommy felt his belly rumble at the thought of real food. He'd been forced to eat mainly simple things like bland pasta or oatmeal since sustaining his injury. His eyes followed the pancake until it was settled on a plate with a small bit of syrup poured over it.

"You don't deserve it," Christopher said in a matter-o-fact tone.

Tommy knew that, but he couldn't help staring longingly at the single pancake as Christopher got another started in the hot pan. Feeling a nudge at his feet, Tommy looked down at the same time Skipper hopped up onto his lap, then curled up for some attention.

"I guess you've been really good these past few days, not bothering your dad or I." Tommy said as he scratched the dog behind its ears and gave it a good petting.

"He got really lucky with you." Tommy cooed to the little dog as it rolled over in his lap, offering a plump belly that he just had to rub.

"He has an appointment at the humane society later this week to be taken in for adoption."

Tommy's jaw fell open as he glared up at Christopher, who just ignore him as he set another finished pancake down on the plate beside the stove. He seemed to know that he was being stared at, however, because he turned after starting a third pancake.

"I don't want to hear it. He will be much better off with someone who has the time for him, or really, cares about him in general. I never wanted a dog." Christopher said as he met Tommy's glare with a strong one of his own.

He knew what Christopher said made some sense, but Tommy would fight the man tooth and nail to keep Skipper out of the shelter. Even one as good as the humane society. Skipper was a gift from his little brother and even if Chris didn't see it, he needed the dog as much as Skipper needed him.

Now how the hell do I make him see that?