#eddiexvolt

“I’m fine.  A little tired, perhaps, but a good night of sleep will fix that.”

“You sound like me, back in the club.  And look where that got us both.  C’mon Volt, it’s been days.  You’re sleeping more than usual and still getting worse, not better.  Even she’s noticed.”

Being blunt was the one way to throw Volt off of his game, if only for an instant, and the comparison caused him to hesitate.  So far only two had managed to catch him out; Eddie was Eddie and knew Volt intimately.  While their chosen other, well, she was perceptive to say the least.  Especially when it came to adopting other people’s problems as her own. 

“No need to bring Live Wire into this, she doesn’t need to worry.  It’s just a cold!  Humans get them all the time!”

“Humans also rest to get over them,” Eddie argued.

“Not all of them.  I have seen many workers power through their days with a bit of a throat tickle.”

“Would you recommend it?”

Silence.  Because, no, he wouldn’t, and that was a weak argument at best.  Only further serving the belief that Volt wasn’t up to even half of his usual standard. 

“Speaking of powering through..” Eddie continued watching Volt’s shoulders tense with knowing at where this was heading.  “Are you sure this is a normal ‘human’ cold?  This all started the night of that storm, and you haven’t been yourself since.”

“Eddie…”

“What are you not telling me?”

Volt looked to his partner’s eyes.  Vitality had returned there after the reset, something not even Volt had ever seen before that moment.  But after realization, Eddie’s eyes positively glowed with life and vibrance.  The same old Eddie, but renewed.  Reborn.

“I just don’t want to leave you alone with all of this.”  Volt gestured vaguely to the office, the business.  “I need some time to ‘recharge’, yes, but I can just as easily sit at a desk as I can an armchair.”   

“You need rest, and being at a desk, answering phone calls, emails, marketing, working on the details is still work.  You need to clock off.  Just for a few days Volt.  I can handle it.”

The role reversal touched a little close to home for even Volt to talk his way out of.  That, or he had finally relented.  Breathing felt like he was dragging in air to his lungs through a nettle bush, while his eyes constantly wanted to close or water up.  The cough persisted, making his head pound, and all together his persona and decision making had been suffering for it.

“Alright, if you insist.  Just let me send these documents and you can do whatever you want with me.”   

Volt was an awful patient.  After days spent hiding the exhaustion in his eyes and forcing his back straight the second anyone entered the room Eddie had reached his own limit.  Despite taking on the challenge of forcing him away from work, work had followed Volt home.  Every time Eddie turned his back to attend something, he’d find Volt on a call, or tapping his temple while working on a spreadsheet – eyes half shut while the computer lit up his worn face. After implementing a ‘no screens’ policy and arguing Volt to bed, Eddie took out his own phone to call for reinforcements.   

“Please, could you watch him?  Just for a few hours, until I get back.”

“Are you sure?  I’m not saying no, of course I care about Volt, but that leaves you on your own.”

“I’ll manage,” Eddie sighed, looking through the open doorway to offer Volt a warning glare.  The lighter haired man lay back down in bed, very unhappy about doing so.  “I’ll get the delivery guys to help me out.”

This was always the chaotic part.  With a new property Eddie inevitably had to deal with this headache stage of deliveries, pick-ups and surveyors.  All to get ready for renovation to start.  Live Wire, and often Volt would typically help him, or hang around for moral support, but it was help he could live without as a one off.

“Alright.  Let me pack a few things and I’ll try to be there before you leave.”

“Great.  And, thanks.”

That, really, was the easy part of the plan.  The difficult part was going to be coaxing Volt to behave himself.  He looked miserable.  Inactivity never suited him, and the boredom brought a dullness to his eyes akin to the living dead.  It made Eddie feel wretched inside, and if he wasn’t so certain this was all for Volt’s own good, he knew he wouldn’t have the will power to insist he stay at home and rest. 

Pulling the wardrobe door open, Eddie picked out a work shirt.  All were stained with paint, plaster and marks of a tradesman, but he didn’t need to look presentable for a building site, just dressed and comfortable.  He used the wardrobe mirror to glace at Volt, who looked away when their eyes met. 

“Don’t be mad Volt..”

“I’m not mad, Eddie.”  His words sounded true, if not whole.  Through the rattle in his chest he wheezed out a tired reply that fell short of a sentence or two.  His chest heaved with struggling breaths, but for some reason, despite looking ready to drop, his eyes refused to close for sleep. 

“Then, what are you?” 

A silence stretched between them, broken only by the shifting of sheets and the barking air ripping through his partner’s windpipe.  Eddie moved to sit himself at the edge of the bed, looking over the parallel circuit to his life.  Volt had been there for him during the most difficult time of his own life, and Eddie wanted nothing more than to be there for him in return.  If they were still objects, a wire fix, a replacement of a few cables or screws; that he could handle.  But this was new, and it tormented him that he didn’t have the right answers. 

He was trying.  Storms know he was trying, but, desperate, he’d turned to the one who’d helped them out before.  If nothing else she understood human bodies better than either of them did.  He opened his mouth, needing to try and reach out again but Volt spoke first.  His head finally turning to look back at Eddie, heavy lines beneath his eyes. 

“Sick,” he answered simply.  “Bored.”  His chest heaved for another breath and for a moment it looked as though there would be a third answer, but it never came.  Instead, Volt tried to smile, swallowing around some lump in his throat he was trying to ignore. 

“I am sorry I won’t be there today.”

Eddie scoffed, in what he hoped was an affectionate tone.  “Not for a lack of trying.  I can handle it, and I’m sure you’ll have more fun with her around.  You two always find some way of entertaining yourselves.” 

Volt nodded, a slow and accepting kind of motion, while his eyes bored into Eddie seeking something he was unsure how to find.  What he did find was Eddie’s fingers lifting, calloused skin brushing his cheek as the man moved to brush some stray hairs behind his ear.  His head leaned into that touch. 

“Try to get some sleep Spark, and I’ll be home before you know I’m gone.”