Injury

Neil got out of bed quietly and went into the shower room, it was unusual for Neil who normally thundered around making as much noise as possible. Saoirse stirred briefly then when she heard the shower she turned over, pulling the duvet over her head and sprawling herself out in the bed. She fell back into a light sleep until she heard Neil come out of the shower room. She waited for the smell of his shower gel and cologne to tickle her nostrils and her pussy tingled thinking how nice a lazy morning in bed would be. But there was no smell of shower gel or Neil's cologne. She turned over and blinked awake, expecting Neil to climb onto the bed and wake her up like they usually did to each other on lazy weekend mornings. Just as she opened her eyes, she saw him leaving the room. She felt disappointed and a bit annoyed but mostly puzzled because it wasn't like Neil. She got up, brushing her hands roughly through her hair, pulling on a sweatshirt and last night's pants and followed him into the living room.

"Morning Saoirse, alright?" Neil asked softly, turning his head slightly to see her as she came into the living room. He stood in the kitchen with his back to her waiting for the kettle to boil, wearing just his boxer shorts.

"Yeah, are you? You're up early." she said. He stood still with his back to her and said nothing. "How are you?" she asked, approaching the counter to his left-hand side and looking at him.

"My back's sore." he said, hesitantly, not turning his head to look at her.

"Oh right. Are you ok?" she asked.

He nodded and laughed awkwardly. Gesturing towards the kettle to ask if she wanted tea.

"Yes, please." Saoirse nodded at him. "Did you sleep in an awkward position?" she asked. Neil shook his head. "How did you hurt it?" she asked, expecting him to say it happened at work.

"I was riding my bike..." he said, putting tea bags in the cups. The kettle boiled and he poured water into the cups.

Saoirse frowned. "Now Neil were you riding your bike or were you hurtling down steep inclines on it?" she asked wryly, leaning on the counter.

Neil smirked to himself. "There may have been some step-ups and step-downs and hucking around berms through mountainous terrain on it." he said, glancing at her as he opened the fridge. "But it's a mountain bike, that's what it's made for!" he said defensively, struggling to lean down into the fridge for the milk.

"Yeah but is that what you're made for?" she asked playfully, raising her eyebrows.

"S'pose not at 42...I'm not as good as I was 20 years ago." he said disheartened, pouring the milk. He slid her cup across the counter to her.

Saoirse stepped forward, stroking the bare skin on his back and stood up on her tip toes, kissing his freckled shoulder. "I'm not trying to be a wet blanket, I didn't mean that in a discouraging way at all." she said softly, running her hand through his curly mop of hair still disheveled from bed.

"It's OK." Neil said in his calm tone, putting his arm around her. "I know you care." he smiled and kissed her. Saoirse hugged him tight and he flinched.

Saoirse let go and stood back a step. "Does it hurt that bad?" she asked concerned, looking at him.

"Like you wouldn't believe!" he winced and laughed nervously.

"Come over and sit down." She said, grasping his hand and trying to lead him over to the sofa.

"Saoirse!" he inhaled sharply, resisting her. She looked at him and his face was etched with pain. "I had to get out of bed cos it was so sore, I can't sit down on the sofa all day!" he hissed.

"Have you taken any painkillers yet this morning?" she asked.

"I haven't taken anything for it at all." he said with an embarrassed laugh.

Saoirse's eyes widened. "Any wonder you're in agony!" she said, guiding him to sit in a hard-backed chair at the dining table. "You need painkillers, stat!" she smiled. "Wait there," she said, going to the kitchen and returning with a glass of water fizzing with effervescent tablets and a tube of anti-inflammatory gel. "Down it." she instructed, setting the glass in front of Neil. He made a face then drank it down, scrunching up his nose as he swallowed the last of it. "You're so tense, make sure you're breathing properly." she said.

She tipped her head indicating for him to stand up and he pointed out to Saoirse where the pain was in his back. She rubbed the anti-inflammatory gel firmly into his lower back and across onto his hip. He hissed and then moved and stood with his arms against the kitchen counter and leaned forward to try and stretch his back. "I thought the heat from the shower might've helped a bit but..." he shrugged. "I was so sore I didn't even have a shower." he said.

Saoirse leaned against the table and folded her arms as she watched him. "Maybe a warm bath would be better?" Saoirse suggested. Neil stood up and turned to her, frowning. "I mean once the painkillers have kicked in a bit and you've had something to eat. I'll help you." she said, softly. Neil looked mortified. "Don't be embarrassed, you weirdo! I'm your girlfriend and I want to take care of you." she stressed, smiling. "Even though you insist on doing these crazy sports that injure you!" she giggled. Neil looked at her, annoyed, and she pursed her lips and smiled at him. She approached him, kissed him and stroked his back. "I'm only teasing, Neil. I know you love all those 'crazy sports' and you've been doing it your whole life." she said softly, looking at him. "I'm not judging you or telling you to stop. The way you're looking at me, I feel like I'm your mum scolding you!" she giggled. "Please just let me take care of you today." she smiled and stroked his arm, giving him a pleading look.

Neil sighed and shook his head slightly. "If you insist. I'll text Jay and tell him I'm not surfing today." he said, walking out into the hall.

"WHAT?!" Saoirse shouted. "Please don't tell me that until a second ago you were actually going surfing with your back like that?" she asked, following him into the bedroom.

"Saoirse, what did you JUST say?!" Neil laughed. "Yes, MUM, I was!" he teased, lifting his phone.

Saoirse blushed. "Ok, right, Ok!" she held her hands up, shaking her head. "I'm going to make us some breakfast." she said, turning back to the living room.

They ate breakfast and Saoirse ran a bath for Neil, filling it with muscle soak bubble bath. She perched on the side of the bath as Neil eased himself into the water. She washed his hair for him, rinsing it and squeezing the excess water from his curls. She sat with him and they talked while he tried to relax. When he was finished she held up his bath towel and wrapped it round him as he carefully stepped out of the bath. She quickly showered and washed her hair then pulled on clean clothes. She found Neil sitting on the sofa, propped up with cushions. "I made you another cup of tea," he said as she came in. "So you can get to drink it this time." She sat down beside him and lifted her tea. "Thank you for being bossy...I mean for taking care of me." he teased, softly. Saoirse leaned up to kiss him.

"So...looks like you're spending the day on the sofa after all?" she asked. Neil grumbled. "Good thing I've saved plenty of things on my Netflix watchlist that I thought you would be interested in seeing," she said. "even though 'Netflix is a waste of money, Saoirse!'" she said, impersonating him. He frowned at her and she giggled. "Before you start, They're actually about things you like, not things I want to force you to watch!" she said.

"I'll reserve judgement until later then, shall I?" he asked, stroking her thigh. "Seeing as you've thought about me even when I dismissed it all." he looked at her and smiled. "You're some woman!" he smiled, looking her in the eyes and kissing her. She nodded, smiled shyly and pulled her feet up under her, getting comfy beside him before pressing play on the first documentary of the day as Neil slid his hand into hers.