Chapter 25: Progress

“It’s amazing to be home again.” Jay says, coming to sit down on their couch, letting out a happy sign, turning to look at his smiling fiancé.

“I’m glad as fuck to have you home too.” Danial says, coming to sit on his lover's lap sideways, his legs hanging over Jay thighs, wrapping his arms carefully around the brunette’s neck. Jay chuckles, wrapping his arms around his smaller soulmate. “You are never allowed to leave me ever again, by the way Deku.”

“Good, because I never plan to leave your side ever again either, Danny.” They share a deep passionate kiss, trying once again to contain their desires to fuck the other senseless while enjoying finally being alone and home together.

It had been three weeks since Danial and Killian had saved Jay from the psycho duo. In those weeks, Danial had a sad awakening that Jay would never be 100 free of the torture he had endured.

The first time he realized it had affected his fiancé more than he thought was the first night in the hospital. Danial was sleeping on a roll out bed against the far wall, when Jay started screaming and crying in his sleep, thrashing around. The blonde had bolted awake, running to his lover's side as a team of nurses and doctors rushed into the room. Trying to figure out what was wrong.

When they finally got Jay to wake up, tears had soaked the brunette’s hospital gown, and his heart rate was at a dangerous level, it broke Danial’s heart to see the love of his life like this and he hoped the night terrors would lessen with time. He was right, to a degree.

The first week was definitely the worst by far. Every night Jay would refuse to close his eyes, worried that this was all a vivid dream and when he woke up again, he would be back in that cell, Gunderson standing over him with a new item to beat him with.

And Danial was there every second, reassuring him that he was safe and loved.

Jay still couldn’t believe he was finally back with his Danny and that they were getting married. They hadn’t talked much about their wedding, but both of them knew they would rather have a private wedding sooner than a huge wedding later.

As the days passed, many doctors came in to check on Jay and prepare him for his next surgeries. By the end of the second week, the brunette had gone through two more surgeries trying to correct the damage Gunderson had caused to his right arm and hand and left femur.

Just as promised, Margret was going to pay for everything, but someone beat her to the punch.

The second to last day Jay was in the hospital, Margret had gone to the billing department to pay the brunette’s hospital bills when she was told that wouldn’t be necessary, that someone else had already paid them. At first, she thought it was Edward, but when he denied it, they were both perplexed.

Jay and Danial were sitting in the brunette’s room when the door opened, revealing the last person Danial ever thought he would ever see in his fiancé’s hospital room. The All Might hero actor, John Williams, the star of the couple’s favorite movies series.

“Hello, Jay, I’m glad to see you are safe, my boy.” John said, walking over to stand at Jay's left side, Danial staring at him absolutely baffled.

“John! I didn’t know you were in town. How did you know I was here?” Jay asks, not noticing his lover's starry eyed and slack jawed expression.

“Edward has been keeping me posted through this entire horrible event. I was on my way here to help look for you actually when he called me letting me know that Danial here and a friend saved you. I got into town late last night but thought it would be best to just wait and come in this morning instead of waking you up in the middle of the night.” John said with a light chuckle, filling in the thrilled brunette who was staring up at his hero and adopted uncle.

“Thank you so much for flying in from Japan to help find me. Oh! This is Danny, he is a huge fan! I was planning on introducing you guys when you got done with your latest film.” Jay beams, a bright smile on his face as he finally turns to look at his still dazzled fiancé. Jay can’t help himself from breaking into a rib aching laugh. John smiles, eyes wrinkling at the corners from smiling so wide.

“Hello, Danial, it is an honor to meet you! Edward only has wonderful things to say about you, as does Jay here. We have been listening to him for YEARS talk about the beau-”

“That’s enough!” Jay interrupts, turning into a glowing strawberry, trying to silence his uncle. Sure, Danial already knew this, but that fact doesn’t stop him from getting embarrassed every time someone tells their side of the story about Jay’s nearly unhealthy obsession with the blonde across the hall.

Danial finally breaks out of his stupor, laughing at his Deku's flustered behavior. Laying a soft kiss on Jay’s cheek before reaching over the bed to shake John’s offered hand.

“The honor is mine, sir.” Danial said, grinning at the older blonde man.

“Please, call me John, Danial. Oh, are you two engaged?” John asks, noticing the elegant emerald engagement ring on Danial’s ring finger. That’s when it’s Jay’s turn to break from his embarrassed mess and smile lovingly at his Danny, hearts practically in his green eyes.

“Yes! I bought the ring before this nightmare and I asked him the first night we were here, and he said yes. Which I still can't believe and be more thankful for.” Jay beams at Danial, nearly making the blonde melt into a puddle on the floor from the intense affectionate look on his fiancé's face.

“Like I could say anything else but yes you Nerdy Deku.” Danial says, smirking at the shining brunette.

John smiles softly at the pair, seeing that they truly are the perfect match, but before he can say anything, the door bursts open and Edward and Margret come on, stopping in their tracks when they see the famous movie star standing at the green bean's bedside.

“Oh Edward! Great to see you, old friend!” John says, going over to the newcomers, giving Edward a big hug. Margret standing there, the same slacked jawed, dazzled look on her face that her son had earlier.

“John! Were you the one that paid for Jay’s hospital bills?” Edward asks, getting right to the point, shocked to see the older blonde male.

“Oh yes, that was me. It’s my way of apologizing for not being here sooner. Plus, it’s the least I could do for our favorite kiddo.” He says with his signature smile, making a slight smile break across Edward’s face as well. “Where is Skyler? I expected to see him here as well?”

“He’s on his way. He’s been taking care of things for us at the police station. Gunderson and Cody were caught trying to leave the country on a freight liner late last night.” This was new information to the engaged couple, who couldn’t believe their ears. Were they really caught? Did this mean they were safe?

Tears started to spill down Jay’s freckled cheeks before he even realized he was crying. Was it really over?

Danial snapped his attention to look at his lover, hearing the sniffling coming from Jay. Gently, he climbs into Jay’s bed, cradling the sobbing brunette to his chest.

“It’s over, Deku. You’re safe. We're safe.” Danial murmured, kissing the top of messy brown curls. The trio of older adults look at the pair, soft grins on their faces, before slowly surrounding the bed, leaning in for a group hug, trying their hardest to comfort the wounded brunette. “It’s over.”

The following day Jay was released from the hospital. He still had months of physical therapy, but at least he got to go home.

Just like at the hospital, the brunette continued to get night terrors, screaming and crying in his sleep. Danial didn’t know what else to do but hold him close and tell him he was safe.

It hurt him so much to see his love like this, so he did the only other thing he could think of, he went to the one person that knew them both the best, Simon.

~Three Days After Hospital Release~

“I don’t know what to do, Simon. I can hold him and tell him how much I love him, but he needs more.” Danial says, sitting down with Simon at his boutique. The redhead was sitting beside him on the loveseat in the blonde’s office.

“Maybe you guys should think about moving? Did Gunderson know where you guys live? Maybe he just doesn’t feel safe there anymore. Where is he right now anyways? I didn’t think you would come back to work so soon after Jay’s release from the hospital.” Simon says, sitting back on the sofa, closely watching the conflict within his best friend.

“He’s with Skyler right now, at his house. I needed to talk to you, so I asked if he could watch Deku… Maybe you’re right. Maybe we should move. She did know where we live. The bitch showed up at our apartment weeks before she kidnapped him. Do you think that will help? I know he is scared to go back to work too, even if he won't admit it.” Danial said, thinking about all the things that he knew now bothered Jay that didn't before.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was. What are you going to do? I mean, you guys don’t really need the money, but Izu likes to be useful.” Simon said, trying to come up with a solution himself.

“One problem at a time. Deku can’t go back to work for another two months, so we will worry about that later…” Danial said, before getting an idea. “Maybe Deku can go back to school? He wanted to be a doctor before his mom got sick.”

“That’s a great idea! It’s already August, still time to look into getting registered, if that’s what he would want.” The excited smile and hopeful look he were getting from his friend made Danial a little more hopeful for the future.

He had already planned on asking Deku if he wanted to buy their own place after they got married, but maybe that was something they should talk about sooner rather than later.

“Thanks for this Simon. I’ll talk to Deku about it when we get home.” Danial says, pulling out his phone, looking at the dark screen. “What do you…what do you think Jay would want in a house?” The question startled the redhead, but he couldn’t help but keep smiling. Taking a minute to think about it, remembering the time Jay had almost bought a house, just before he had met Danial. Simon recalled the brunette saying it was his dream house and would love to one day save enough money for it.

It was a little two-story cottage style house just on the outskirts of town, a light jade green with white shutters, and red tiled roof. The house even had a deep red door. With the inside all original hardwood, paired with a warm vibe. It even had a study for Jay and enough rooms for Danial to have a home office or sewing room and still have room to spare, with a large backyard. It was perfect.

“I think I know just the house you should look at.” Simon said, a knowing grin on his face. Danial raised a suspicious eyebrow at his friend, not knowing if he should be happy or not. “Don’t worry man, you’ll like it.” With that, the redhead got up off the couch, motioning for the blonde to follow him. With an annoyed sigh, Danial got up and followed his laughing best friend out to his car.