Self Sacrifice

They agreed to stay in Andy's flat just for that night before travelling to L.A. They were both exhausted. Austin slept with Andy, he woke them both up several times with nightmares, but in between, they slept like logs.

"Sorry about the food..tell you what, I'll put it in the freezer." Andy suggested after they'd eaten breakfast and rushed to do it. Austin watched, lightly amused.

"As if that matters. Anyway, stop trying to distract me from your dressings, you need help with a lot of them because you can't reach. The doctor gave me strict instructions, and I plan to stick to them if it means getting you recovered quicker." Andy sighed and walked off for a shower.

"Only lukewarm!! And don't take your dressings off before you go in there!"

"Ok.." Austin laughed quietly and began checked his emails, wincing mentally at the work that was piling up quickly. He'd replied to several when he heard Andy's voice.

"I'm done.." Andy mumbled, walking out of the bathroom wrapped up in a towel.

"Ok, I'll get the dressings." Austin fetched a bowl of warm water, flannels, and the bag the doctor had given him before pulling up a chair next to Andy who looked embarrassed.

"Believe it or not, I have seen you naked, Andy."

"I know but this is different." Austin laughed at him quietly and shook his head.

"How?"

"You're like...focusing now."

"Believe me, I'm focusing on you when we have sex." Andy's cheeks turned a little red.

"That's not what I mean, and you're like...looking after me now, and they're really horrible....I don't want you to see me like this."

"I don't care. I can promise you that I've seen worse at some point, and besides, you can't physically do it yourself. So drop that towel." He winked and Andy laughed, dropping the towel shyly. Austin's humour instantly parted when he saw the dark bruising covering Andy's body like clothes.

"See? You're upset, and I hate it when you get angry-" Austin pulled him back to him and kissed his hands - one of the only parts of his body not littered in dark patches or bandages.

"I'm not angry, I'm sad. Now let me do it." He gently peeled off the first large dressing on Andy's side and began dabbing at the hideous wounds there with the warm flannel, making Andy suck in a sharp breath.

"Sorry." He continued until it looked clean and was less painful before applying disinfectant cream - which made Andy curse - and a clean bandage. Austin repeated the process with his other side before moving onto his arms.

"Y'know I can do these ones..."

"I know." He replied, looking up at Andy for a moment before returning to what he was doing.

"Sit here and lean forwards." Austin refreshed the water whilst Andy did as instructed, waiting for Austin to refresh the bandages on his back.

Austin bit back his anger and sadness as he peeled the two long dressings away to reveal intricate carvings of angel wings on Andy's back.
"What?"

"Nothing." Austin looked for a few more moments before starting the whole process again.

An hour later they were getting onto a plane to Los Angeles.
Andy was quiet, so Austin decided to continue replying to emails and began making calls, trying to catch up with the work that he'd been missing.

"I'm sorry, I've made you fall behind with your work, haven't I?"

"Well..that's the advantage of being the head of the company - you can get everyone else to catch up for you." Andy tilted his head, silently asking for Austin to be serious.

"Ok, I've missed a little, but it doesn't matter. S-.....helping you was..more important." Austin said quietly, looking out the window. Andy leant back in his seat and didn't reply.

When they arrived in L.A and completed the drive to Austin's house. Austin watched Andy sideways, watched him taking the sight of the vast, modern house before them in.
"Oh my god. And this is only one of your houses?!"

"Well...they're not all like this. This is the biggest one, I spend most of my time here so.."

"Yeah but..isn't it just you?" Austin tried not to laugh.

"No, actually. I brought you here to meet my wife and twin girls, baby boy on the way." Andy shook his head gently.

"I have to hold lots of conferences and meetings here, so it's good to keep up appearances."

"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Andy asked. Austin raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Keeping up appearances." He looked at the shorter man for a moment before unlocking the door and letting them inside.

It was two hours later when Austin walked into the lounge that he scolded Andy.
"You bought your laptop? I hope you know that you're not doing work on my watch." Andy sighed and begrudgingly turned the device off as Austin sat next to him.

"And what about you then?" Andy asked as Ausin's phone began to ring, shrill against the relaxed atmosphere.
Austin raised his eyebrows and shrugged, turning it off.

"There, now, I'm going to introduce you to my ridiculous movie collection that I've only looked through a handful of times, you're going to pick one and we're going to watch it and...chill out."

"Chill out? How many times have you said that in your life?" Austin smiled.

"Ok...it's been a few years." A small screen lit up and a mans face flickered onto it, making Andy jump slightly.

"Carlile?" He turned sharply to the side and Andy noticed his whole demeanour return to that of the man he'd first met; the stiffened shoulders, slick, mysterious appearance with ruthless eyes behind it. It sent a shiver down Andy's spine.

"Ah, Mr Sienson. How are you?"

"Well, thank you. H..ah, I do apologise, if I'd've known you had...company, I wouldn't have called." Andy wanted to shrivel back, feeling intimidated and exposed as the older mans eyes moved to him as he spoke.

"Not at all. This is Andrew Biersack, a friend and colleague of mine..Andrew this is one of my oldest friends and colleagues Mr Conrad Sienson." Andy stood up - albeit a little shakily - and nodded to the man on the screen who did the same.

"Andrew Biersack...where have I- oh yes, you're the famous young journalist. Wonderful work."

"Thank you."

"So what can I help you with?" The grey-haired man turned slowly back to Austin, relieving Andy of his piercing stare.

"I won't bore you with it now, we'll talk when you're less...occupied. Have a good day, pleasure meeting you Mr Biersack." Andy smiled...somewhat grimly.

"Likewise." With that he left, and Andy looked to Austin for an explanation.

"That...is a long story."

"We've got all night."