Title:  Damage Control

Author:  Angelee

Fandom:  The Sentinel

Pairing:  Jim/Blair, Steven/Michael, Rafe/Lee,(preslash) William/Daniel(slash)

Rating:  Adult

Summary:  Can they make Steven feel better?

Beta:  By my sister Ana.  All remaining errors are my own.

 

Damage Control

 

"Hmm,” Steven murmured softly, moved around slowly.  Wincing when he felt pain in his middle.  "Ow,” he said hazily.

 

"Come on, Steven-wake up."

 

"Hmm."

 

"Come on, Sweetie.  Wake-up."

 

Steven's eyes snapped open.  "W...What did you j...just call me?"

 

Jim gave him a sheepish grin.  "Mmm, I think I called you Sweetie?"

 

"Oh."  Steven's eyes closed again making himself comfortable against his Jim pillow. Only to reopen them moments later.  "Don't do that again or I will have to kill you, slowly.”

 

Jim chuckled. "Okay.  Are you feeling better?"

 

"Yeah.  Is Blair using my butt as a pillow?"

 

Jim gently stroked Steven's hair from his forehead, “Yup."

 

"Oh, okay."

 

“Are you hungry?”

 

Steven rubbed his face against Jim’s chest.  “Nope.”

 

“You’re not hungry?  That’s a first.  Not even for a cookie?  Maybe a glass of milk?”

 

Steven met his brother’s concerned eyes.  “I’m sorry, Jimmy.”

 

“Stevie…”

 

“I know you told me not to lift anything, but being the jerk that I am I tried it anyway.”

 

“Don’t do that.”

 

“What?”

 

“Call yourself a jerk.”  Jim growled softly.  “You’re not.”

 

“What am I then?  Stupid?  Egotistical?  A glutton for pain?”

 

 “None of those.  You’re my baby brother.” 

 

“Oh great.  Thanks, now I’m a baby.”  He laid his head back down against Jim’s chest.  “I guess it fits.  I was balling my eyes out like one.”

 

“You were in pain.”

 

“Like that’s an excuse.”

 

Jim gently resumed stroking Steven’s soft hair.  “Maybe not an excuse, but a reason.  A very good reason considering you rebroke your ribs.”

 

Steven sighed heavily.  “I thought I was getting all better.”

 

“You were, but it was too soon for you to be doing any heavy lifting.”

 

“It was just Blackie in his carrier.”

 

“Still it was too soon.”

 

Steven raised his head, blue eyes filled with tears.  “Do you hate me?”

 

Jim closed his eyes fighting his own wave of tears.  He bit his bottom lip hard before answering.  “I could never, ever hate you.”

 

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.  You told me not to and I did it anyway.”

 

Jim cupped Steven’s face in his hands.  “Never, do you hear me.  Not ever will I hate you.  You can call me all the names in the book.  Yell at me.  Throw things at me.  It will never be reason enough for me hate you.”  He watched Steven’s bottom lip begin to tremble.  “Not ever,” he whispered, softly.  “Don’t be sad.  I hate it when you’re sad.”

 

“I didn’t listen and now I hurt and it was all because I didn’t listen to you.  I though I knew better and now I’m paying the price.  I should have listened, I should have.”

 

Jim kissed the top of his brother’s head.  “It’s going to be okay.”

 

“You mad?”

 

“Nope,” Jim replied, gently, carefully running his hands over Steven’s back.

 

Tears streamed down Steven’s face.  “Why?  You should be.”

 

Jim brushed them away with his thumbs.  “Because you’re punishing yourself more than I ever could.”

 

Steven sighed unhappily.  “This is going to set me back some isn’t it?”

 

“Just a little.”  Jim smiled at him.  “But there are benefits.”

 

“Oh?  What?”

 

“Michael gets to help you with your baths again and I get to do the laying of the hands all I want.”

 

Steven snorted, wincing when it hurt his middle.  “Michael’s a pervert and you could always do that.”

 

“Yeah, but I’m going to do it more than before.”

 

“Oh.  Where’s Michael anyway?”

 

“He’s asleep on the floor.”

 

Steven lifted his head slightly to look, not to much, he didn’t want to wake Blair.  “What’s he doing there?”

 

“He was waiting for you to wake up, but he fell asleep first.”

 

“He’s going to be sore when he wakes up.”

 

Jim kissed Steven’s forehead again.  “We could ask him if he wants to sleep on the bed with us.”

 

“Is there room?”

 

“Plenty of room.  The beds Dad brought are huge. I think he brought them so big because he knew we’re always sharing.”

 

“Yup.  Is he mad at me?”

 

“Who Dad?”   Jim asked distractedly as he ran his hands over Steven’s back a little more firmly.  Closing his eyes as he went inward in his exploration of his brother’s body.

 

Steven sighed in exasperation.  “No, the Easter Bunny, duimbass.  Of course, Dad.  And stop that.”

 

Jim started slightly.  “Stop what?  I’m not doing anything.”

 

“You’re checking me out and you did it not even five minutes ago.”

 

“I worry.”

 

“I know you do and I am grateful.  But didn’t we have a talk about this?”

 

Jim gently caressed Steven’s hair.  “We did and you promised me.  Swore to me that I could touch you whenever I wanted,” He said, defensively.  “Didn’t you?”

 

Steven sighed.  “Yes I did.  It’s just that I’m a little testy is all.  I’m sorry.”

 

“That’s okay.  You have reason to be testy.”

 

“”So is he?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Dad?  Is he mad at me?  You never did answer.”

 

“No.  More worried than mad.”

 

“I ruined our first day in our new house.”

 

“No you didn’t.  And besides we’ll be here for a long time.”

 

Steven rubbed his face wearily against Jim chest.  That suppose to make me feel better?”

 

“Yup,” Jim replied, kissing Steven’s nose.  “Did it work?”

 

Steven went slightly crossed-eyed as he followed Jim’s decent.  “Not really and you sure are affectionate today.”

 

“Yup.”  Jim chuckled softly.  “I’m taking advantage of you since you’re still zonked on little Guide juice.  You won’t let me get this affectionate if you weren’t feeling sick.”

 

Steven kissed Jim on the cheek.  “Sure I would.  But not to often cause wouldn’t want anyone to think we’re a bunch of sissies.”

 

Jim buried his nose in Steven’s hair, breathing deep. “Heaven forbid.”

 

Steven sighed.  “I love you.”

 

Jim gave him a brilliant smile.  “I know.”

 

Steven rolled his eyes.  “Geez.  Sure of yourself much?”

 

“Not really.  That’s what you’re for.”

 

“What?”  Steven asked curiously.

 

“To make sure that I stay sure of myself and that I don’t ever get too sure.”

 

Steven shook his head as if to clear it.  “That made me kinda dizzy.”

 

Jim chuckled.  “Yup.”

 

“So should we ask him up?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Michael.  He’s still on the floor.”

 

Steven lifted his head lazily.  “Oops.  Kinda forgot about him.”

 

A heavy put upon sigh came form the floor.  “Story of my life.  Everyone forgets about me.”

 

“Oh, brother.  So do you want on the bed or not.”

 

Michael jumped up.  “You don’t have to ask me twice.  Is there going to be room for all of us?”  he asked skeptically.

 

“Sure.”  Steven replied softly.  “Just don’t do any jumping around. Nice and easy does it.”

 

Michael very carefully edged himself on the bed.  Laying down right next to Steven.  “Is this okay?”

 

“Fine.  Just don’t get any ideas.”

 

“As if,” Michael scoffed.

 

“If.”

 

“Well alright , maybe a little if, but I would never act on them.  You’re hurt.”

 

“Hmm,” Steven told him doubtfully.

 

“Oh, now that really wounds.”

 

“Not as much as a knee to you privates would.”

 

Michael laid his head on the pillow right next to Steven’s.  “Now is that anyway to talk to your intended?”

 

“Yup, to warn him off from getting frisky.”

 

“I’m not frisky.”

 

“Better not be.  Remember the knee.”

 

Michael smiled at him.  “You’re feeling better, huh?”

 

“Some.”

 

“Hungry?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Michael sighed unhappily.  “Then not feeling all that much better?”

 

“Hmm,” Steven replied, noncommittally.  “Are you going to yell at me for being stupid?”

 

“Nope,” Michael told him, moving closer.

 

“You’re not?  Why?”

 

“Because you don’t deserve to be yelled at.”

 

“I was stupid?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Dumb, really, really dumb?”

 

“Yup?”

 

“I should have listened to Jim.”

 

“Yup.”

 

Steven furrowed his brows in confusion.  “You sure you’re not going to yell at me?”

 

“Positive.  I am going to do something else though.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

“I’m going to show you how much I adore you.”

 

Steven smiled.  It didn’t quite clear away the pain that filled his eyes, but it came pretty close.  “That’s better than getting yelled at.”

 

Michael moved closer, kissing his nose gently.  “Love you, Steven.”

 

“Hmm, love you too, even if you are a dork.”

 

Michael chuckled.  “That’s the Steven I love and cherish with all my heart.”

 

Steven rolled his eyes.  “Sissy.”

 

Michael kissed his forehead.  “Only for you, my sweet, only for you.  Do you feel like eating something now?”

 

Steven thought about it for a moment.  “Yeah.  I think I could eat.”

 

Michael gently tweaked his nose.  “What would you like?”

 

“I wouldn’t say no to some milk and cookies.”

 

“You got it.  But how are you gonna eat with Blair using your butt as a pillow?”

 

“I’ll find a way.  Could you maybe add a turkey sandwich to the milk and cookies?  And I wouldn’t say no to a pickle and some Doritos either.”

 

Michael chuckled.  “You got it.”  He met Jim’s eyes, giving him a tiny smile. Who returned it, happily.  Mission accomplished.