Joe guides Don’s hand away from his shirt and strokes his back one more time before getting into place to help him move his leg. Don brushes his fingers over the soft fur of Joe’s tail again to try to calm himself. He leans over to lay his head on Marvelous’s shoulder, so that he can hide his face if he needs to.
“I’m ready,” he says, and shuts his eyes tight.
Someone lifts the makeshift ice pack off his ankle, and Don lifts his leg up from the cushion, trying not to aggravate his ankle, which is already starting to throb again. He feels Joe’s hands move to brace his leg at his thigh and calf, so that the touch isn’t too close to his swollen ankle. Don bites back a whimper as Joe helps him elevate his leg further, and he hears Doctor Sid pick up the cushion and scoot over. Joe guides his leg back down, moving it slowly, until Don feels the cushion beneath it again. He gasps sharply at the pain of laying his ankle down, and clings tighter to Marvelous for comfort. Marvelous holds him close like he’d done earlier, and Don is able to relax and exhale again, the pain fading as the ice pack is put back on his ankle.
Don opens his eyes again, peering up from Marvelous’s shoulder, and sees that his foot is now resting in Doctor Sid’s lap, with the cushion beneath it. Doctor Sid smiles that gentle smile at him again. “You’re doing really well,” he says. “Do you want to rest a minute before I start?”
Don bites his lip and nods. “Yes, please.” He needs to have Joe pressed right beside him again before he’ll be ready for the worst of it, after all, and he could use a moment to catch his breath. He rubs Marvelous’s shoulder with his cheek a little, holding his hand tightly in one of his own while reaching back for Joe with the other.
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“I’m ready,” he says, and shuts his eyes tight.
Someone lifts the makeshift ice pack off his ankle, and Don lifts his leg up from the cushion, trying not to aggravate his ankle, which is already starting to throb again. He feels Joe’s hands move to brace his leg at his thigh and calf, so that the touch isn’t too close to his swollen ankle. Don bites back a whimper as Joe helps him elevate his leg further, and he hears Doctor Sid pick up the cushion and scoot over. Joe guides his leg back down, moving it slowly, until Don feels the cushion beneath it again. He gasps sharply at the pain of laying his ankle down, and clings tighter to Marvelous for comfort. Marvelous holds him close like he’d done earlier, and Don is able to relax and exhale again, the pain fading as the ice pack is put back on his ankle.
Don opens his eyes again, peering up from Marvelous’s shoulder, and sees that his foot is now resting in Doctor Sid’s lap, with the cushion beneath it. Doctor Sid smiles that gentle smile at him again. “You’re doing really well,” he says. “Do you want to rest a minute before I start?”
Don bites his lip and nods. “Yes, please.” He needs to have Joe pressed right beside him again before he’ll be ready for the worst of it, after all, and he could use a moment to catch his breath. He rubs Marvelous’s shoulder with his cheek a little, holding his hand tightly in one of his own while reaching back for Joe with the other.