Caleb seemed to realize, too, that words were surplus to requirement right now. They weren't needed, and he didn't feel the need to pour them on, either. All that was going to help right now was time... showing Zed that he meant what he said... that this wasn't a joke to him by any stretch of the imagination. "Okay," he replied softly, putting out his own cigarette and standing before turning to try and help Zed up with his hand. "You look like you need to rest," he agreed, following Zed back into the apartment, the feverish warmth of the other man's body palpable against Caleb's side. While Zed was searching for pajama's, Caleb was shedding his hoodie and jeans, sitting down on the side of the bed in a loose white t-shirt and his boxers. Zed was changing into the Batman onesie, and Caleb had to smile at that... even as his eyes filled with tears again. When they were kids, they'd both loved Batman, and having been the best of friends, they'd decided that they needed to take turns being Batman and Robin. It had all been a well thought out process back then.
Once Zed was changed, Caleb shifted so that Zed could lie down. He'd grabbed the water bottle when they came back in, and he put it on the bedside table within Zed's reach before moving to the other side of the bed. Crawling in behind him, Caleb put his arm protectively around Zed's waist. He couldn't explain it, but this felt right. He was supposed to care for Zed and be here with him when he needed not to feel alone. This was all scary. HIV was nothing to fuck around with, and he knew that the stress Zoran's body was going through would be heavy and hard on him. And it didn't help that Caleb had shown up, and he was clearly still carrying a hell of a lot of pain from his past with him. Caleb couldn't take the pain away, and he couldn't fix any of this, but he was certainly going to try to be here, and to make Zoran feel loved... the way he should've all along. His fingers gently brushed against the soft fabric over Zoran's stomach and he gently leaned over him to kiss his temple softly before settling back into the pillows. "Is there anything else you need?" he asked him softly. "I mean, before you go to sleep?"
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Once Zed was changed, Caleb shifted so that Zed could lie down. He'd grabbed the water bottle when they came back in, and he put it on the bedside table within Zed's reach before moving to the other side of the bed. Crawling in behind him, Caleb put his arm protectively around Zed's waist. He couldn't explain it, but this felt right. He was supposed to care for Zed and be here with him when he needed not to feel alone. This was all scary. HIV was nothing to fuck around with, and he knew that the stress Zoran's body was going through would be heavy and hard on him. And it didn't help that Caleb had shown up, and he was clearly still carrying a hell of a lot of pain from his past with him. Caleb couldn't take the pain away, and he couldn't fix any of this, but he was certainly going to try to be here, and to make Zoran feel loved... the way he should've all along. His fingers gently brushed against the soft fabric over Zoran's stomach and he gently leaned over him to kiss his temple softly before settling back into the pillows. "Is there anything else you need?" he asked him softly. "I mean, before you go to sleep?"