His Comfort, Her Light

Early into the morning, she wakes to dress and is energized to work on her theory. Gathering all of the stashed stimpaks her mother had kept in the basement she clicks the light on the overhead of the operating table. Hearing his steps she eyes the stairs as he descends from the basement stairs.

"I believe this is the first time you have woken up before me," he says low and comes to her side still in his boxers he begins to undress them and the bandages. Keeping to her savory thoughts, she slowly looks to his eyes and notices his unharmed genitals. She turns a deep red.

"Pardon me...I just never seen su-" he lifts his unbandaged hand gently to her mouth clearly wanting to keep her to her professionality. He still eventually gives her a sly smile not before becoming serious.

"Would it repair the nerves?" he asks curiously.

"Yes, I am sure. What this medical item does is it acts as a steroid but for your cells and has them reproduce over and recycle dead cells to make hair in a fast time. Makes you like a super being. So I have water and food for after it is over with. You will feel exhausted for some hours. Till afterward eat, drink, and rest. For the time being, I will be administering it to just the surface of your skin like a tattoo so...it will hurt somewhat." she says low as he tosses his bandages to the table to his left before laying to the cold metal table. "So, for now, lay to one side It will take up to some hours. That is why I woke up early…" She shifts a hand along the front of her lab coat as he nods in understanding and she begins her long healing process.

For five long hours and of many slow insertions of stimpak needles and small dosages in every inch of skin she stands straight feeling small aches to her neck and hands. She looks about his face and sees the last inch of skin seem to loosen and tighten to its original skin color. Returning to what he once was atop of the Hoover Dam, he looked a bit older now yet his body was kept in good shape, his eyes were closed to withstand the many pinches. His pale color was refreshed and new to her eyes. Examining him more now she gulps and takes in a deep breath.

Hours passed as she had sweat drawing along her brow and jawline. She was nervous and knew the many sticks of the needles were felt and then healed over in a numb sensation. Over the almost frozen time of his slow regrowth, she examines him steadily. His eyes had a new look to them as if adjusting to a new face having the pale skin to match him.

"It is done…only twenty-five of these are gone. God…" she laughs a bit holding an empty stimpak surprised there was a case filled with them. It must have been years that her mother had stored them and surprisingly there was more along the shelves. She lifts up a stethoscope from the table listening to his breathing and heart to make sure he was not having complications with the repeated application.

His eyes open to the bright light above them. Having kept still and retained his jolting instinct from the repeated needle pricks, there were speckles of light fade from view. His vision was foggy and she quickly lifted a bottle of water to him after sliding away from the stethoscope back to her neck. She kept to his side for the few hours he was able to sit up and eat.

"I...I can feel things. With no pain, no agony." he says low as he takes the last bite on his third can of one of her steaks. His mouth now unscared and soft, she eyes him carefully drawing in every detail she had not seen. This was the side of him that did so much evil, it was something of the past to which he became born anew. This new start was something for him to look forward to feeling things without hesitation due to the pain.

"That is how it should be..." she smiles, keeping his water in her hand. They enjoyed each other's company in silence. They had always understood it well, especially when they had no other words to trade with each other. Just as he finished the water he grabbed another as she kept her eyes to his and along with his dark brown eyebrows, expressive, his eyes slowly returned the gaze after slowly lowering the bottle noticing her infatuation. "Are you ready to head out now? It is late in the afternoon...one forty-six to be exact and I am sure you'd like to be with your family." she smiles at him as he then finishes his fourth bottle of water.

"Not now...I want you to know you are mine, to lead, to protect, from here on out," he says deeply lifting himself up now sitting up and hunching over her. He slides off the table and stands to the front of her. Their hearts had quickened, with his overall rugged and strong features she grew even more fond of him.

"I am yours for as far as you go, I am at your side, Joshua…" her breath is warm and deep, morphing a feeling that she honestly finally found his belonging. He was family, a friend, her protector, and someone for her to love and be loved by, to never feel alone again.

"Susan…" he says low and hushed as his soft hands feel her warm skin for the first time. Without remorse or pain to his skin he feels her undress before him, bare-skinned, they were intertwined and in love. What the world had shaped them to be were to be survivors in a broken world but they found some way to mend their pasts before each other and lead it on to something that would be their own small flame to have.

He led her by the hand with a passionate smile and grabbed her clothing and his under his arm. Walking on two stories of stairs they soon trade gazes and smiles. In her room, they traded their insecurities with kisses over the inches of their soft skins. Joshua endured with such pleasure that it had mixed with all of her feelings for him and his skin felt free from the pain it had endured for years. She learned what true love felt like and there was not a doubt she would let go of it. It belonged to her and he was her only light at the end of the dark tunnel she had passed through only to end up finding him. He was the one to keep her safe and feel at home everywhere she went. That moment was how he could truly express himself without limitations, as a holy man she was his first and he enjoyed it. She was someone to call his own and someone he would choose to protect.