#xleonx

"I'll tell ya, Leon," he said, the exhaustion plain in his voice, "I'm just not havin' such a good day." He gave Leon a weak smile, gazing up at him from the office chair. Leon, who had stopped by his department to say hi on his way to the copier, gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. It was only a little after nine, but he knew whatever was bogging Shel down had likely started the night before. Maybe it was his knees, maybe a bad memory. Either way, he looked like he'd hardly slept, and Leon wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't eaten much either.

"I'm going to the copier," said Leon. "Can I get you somethin' while I'm down there? Coffee, water? You look like you could use something."

"I'm alright," said Shel, holding his thin hand over Leon's. Leon didn't look convinced. "Honest. Hey, listen, just seein' your pretty face brightens up my day."

Leon brought back a coffee anyway, and Shel held the paper cup to his chest like a wounded soldier trying to warm himself. Leon lingered with him for a few minutes, but they both had a lot on their plates today, and they soon had to part once more with a tight hug and a peck on the cheek.

Leon visited Shel a handful of times throughout the day, and each time Shel looked more tired and deflated than the last. The sight of him made Leon's heart ache. He knew Shel's physical and mental health both left a lot to be desired, but he at least presented himself as content and functional most of the time; for him to look this outwardly miserable, Leon knew, meant he was doing particularly badly. He also noticed that he didn't see Shel anywhere but at his desk. Often they would bump into each other around the office, and sometimes Shel would even come to visit Leon, but not today, and Leon suspected that meant he must have been hurting. He wondered whether he'd gotten anything to eat today. He didn't have the time to check up on him as often as he'd have liked, but he decided he was going to make him dinner that evening.

"Hey Shelly, come home with me today," said Leon, placing a hand on Shel's shoulder. Shel looked up and nodded. Leon thought he heard a faint grumble from his stomach under the chatter of the office, confirming his suspicion that his friend was going hungry. He glanced at the clock. It was almost five now; they'd be on their way soon, and he'd ensure that Shel was taken care of.

Shel was moving slower than usual when it came time to make the trek out to the car, and Leon could tell it was more than just his aching knees. He was tired, hungry, and miserable, and for a moment Leon wasn't convinced he was going to make it. The car was close, though, and once Leon helped him in, Shel practically dissolved into the seat, head laying back against the headrest with his eyes closed.

Leon's car was a piece of crap, and as much as Shel made sure he knew it, he felt comfortable there. The seats were worn and it smelled like smoke and spilled coffee, but to Shel, it was all Leon, and Leon was home. The rattly sounds of it were so familiar they were almost as soothing as they were nerve-wracking, and the tacky owl print duct tape--lent by one of their coworkers--holding the rear view mirror in place always made him smile. Thankful to be out of the office and on his way to somewhere he'd much rather be, Shel dozed off just a few minutes into the drive and didn't wake up until they were there.

Sleeping in the car left Shel stiffer than he already was, and getting out and up the little length of sidewalk to the door was a tremendous chore, but Leon helped him through it, staying by his side to hold him steady until they made it inside and Shel could finally sit down on the ugly-yet-cozy couch. Leon sat down too for a minute, both of them taking a moment to relax after the long day, but he had plans, and after a short breather he lifted himself from the couch once again.

"You stay there," he said with a stern finger but a soft smile.

"Huh? Where you goin'?"

"Don't worry about it," smiled Leon. He didn't want to tell Shel outright that he was making dinner; he knew he'd drag himself into the kitchen to come help, and Leon wanted him to rest. He gave Shel a fond pat on the shoulder and left for the kitchen.

Leon's house was not entirely unlike his car. It was dated and worn, with the smell of smoke lingering despite his best efforts, and while it wasn't in a state of total disrepair like his car, it could certainly have used a little touching up. It was comfortable, though, and as far as Shel was concerned, it was home. Leon had been gone a few minutes now, and ordinarily Shel might have wandered after him to see what he was doing, but right now he didn't think he could pry himself off the couch if his life depended on it. Resigning himself to a moment of rest, he leaned back against the soft cushion and closed his eyes.

When Leon peeked in on Shel, he was glad to see that his friend was fast asleep on the couch, and he set down the spoon he'd been stirring with to lay a blanket over him. He was putting together a pot of chicken noodle soup, simple yet delicious and hopefully just the kind of comforting meal Shel needed. He knew Shel's appetite tended to suffer when he wasn't feeling good--physically or mentally--but the soup would be easy on his touchy stomach, and filling too; the pot was positively cluttered with the amount of vegetables packed into it, in addition to the shredded chicken and the plentiful egg noodles. It didn't take long--he'd already been planning on making it, so most of the ingredients were already prepped--and with the pot simmering away on the stove and a loaf of bread warming up in the oven, Leon decided it was finally time to ease his friend back into consciousness.

"Hey, Shelly," he said softly, sitting down beside Shel and giving his shoulder a gentle shake. Shel sleepily turned and wrapped his arms around him, and Leon returned the hug, rubbing his back.

"Don't tell me it's morning," Shel mumbled, burying his face against Leon's shoulder.

"Not even close," chuckled Leon. "Are you hungry?" Before Shel could answer, his stomach let out a long, low growl.

Leon offered to bring the soup to the living room, but Shel wanted to sit at the kitchen table; he thought getting up and moving around a little would be good for him. The rickety old kitchen chairs weren't nearly as comfortable, but that was alright. Shel liked Leon's kitchen. It was small and cozy, if a little dingy, and right now it smelled heavenly. Leon brought a bowl of soup and a hunk of bread to the table for each of them, and Shel, already sitting, caught his arm after he set them down.

"You're an angel, Leon," he said, hugging Leon's arm. "Do you know that? I hope you know that. Because it's true."

The soup was, Leon was happy to confirm, fantastic. Not too rich but very hearty, it was indeed just what Shel needed, and he was glad to finally appease his hollow stomach. What had happened, he confessed as they ate, was that he'd been too achy to sleep last night and too exhausted (and achy) to bother putting together a breakfast or lunch in the morning. He'd hoped he might feel up to getting something during his lunch break, but he'd still been too sore and too tired to even think about leaving his desk. All he'd eaten since the night before was a granola bar that had been in one of his desk drawers. Leon nodded understandingly; he'd certainly been there. Minus the arthritis, of course, but he'd spent many a day too miserable and out of it to feed himself properly, and Shel knew it perfectly well. In fact, it was more common for Shel to be the one coming to Leon's rescue with a homemade meal. The tables turned every so often, though, and they were both thankful to have somebody to look after them when they weren't doing well.

Shel ate slowly, both because he was enjoying the soup and because he simply took his time with most things by nature. After napping a little and having a chance to stretch his legs, he already felt worlds better than he had earlier in the day, and the soup was only helping as the panging hunger in his belly finally faded away. He doubted he'd be able to finish the big bowl Leon had ladled out, but that was alright. He'd end the day with a full belly regardless, and he was thankful for it.

"You've been cookin' pretty often," Shel remarked.

"I've been trying to get back into the habit," Leon said with a shy smile.

"Hey, look at you go," Shel grinned. "You're comin' along, Leon." Leon laughed.

"One step at a time, I guess. How're you feelin'?"

"A lot better."

It didn't take long for Shel to start feeling full, but he ate a little bit past that point, until his belly felt taut and snug, though not uncomfortably so. He helped Leon clean up what little mess there was, and then they returned to the couch. Shel was more well-rested after having time to relax, but he felt sleepier than ever now, with the soft bread soaking up the hot broth in his stomach and the warmth of Leon by his side. He laid his head against Leon's shoulder with a contented sigh. Smiling, Leon rested a hand on Shel's belly. It felt tight, pushing out slightly against the waist of his pants, and Leon could feel it grumbling away gently under his palm.

"Thanks for takin' care of me, Leon," said Shel, his voice quiet with sleepiness. "I don't know what I'd do without you." His eyes were closed, and he felt a soft kiss on his forehead and the soothing sensation of Leon rubbing his belly.

"Hey, if you're gonna fall asleep, we should go to bed instead," Leon suggested. "Neither of us is gonna be able to move in the morning if we spend the night here."