*Insert note about apologizing for long wait for next chapter* Anyway…

Chapter 14

Tulio sat up and spun around so fast that he got a head rush. He bit back a yelp as pain erupted in his chest and injured arm. He looked directly at Miguel, seeing that his eyes were still closed and he wasn't moving. Tulio frowned sadly, swearing he heard his partner say his name. I must be going crazy. He was about to lay back down when he heard it again.

"T-Tulio."

"Miguel?" Tulio asked hopefully, leaning towards the blonde. "Miguel, are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Miguel stirred lightly and slowly opened his eyes. "Tulio?"

Tulio nearly cried out with joy as he stared into Miguel's tired, green eyes. "I'm right here, sweetheart. It's okay, you're okay."

Miguel tilted his head a little and looked at Tulio, smiling weakly and trying to move. He suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and cried out. "H-Hurts."

"Don't try to move, Miguel," Tulio said, gently putting his hands on Miguel's shoulders. "You're hurt, you need to stay put."

"My lord, Miguel!" Thelina suddenly exclaimed, appearing from the back. "You're finally awake!" She noticed the pained expression on Miguel's face and the worried look on Tuio's. "Something is wrong?"

"He's in a lot of pain," Tulio answered, once again looking down at Miguel.

Thelina hastened over to Miguel. "I have something I can apply to the wound to lessen the pain." She gently began to remove the bandage from Miguel's stomach.

Tulio cringed when he saw the wound. It looked extremely painful, but Thelina had done an excellent job at patching it up. A quick thought of anger rushed through him as he remembered Chel stabbing Miguel. He looked back down at his friend, smiling when he saw him looking up at him. "Hey."

"You…okay?" Miguel asked weakly, coughing a little and whimpering in pain.

Tulio took his hand and squeezed gently. "I'm fine. I was worried about you." He noticed Miguel look at his injured arm and frowned. "Don't worry about me, I'm not going anywhere."

Thelina returned with a sort of cream that she began to apply to the wound. "It will numb the pain, but you shouldn't move for a while." She smiled down at Miguel. "Tulio has taken very good care of you."

Tulio blushed a little. "It was you who saved him," he admitted quietly.

"How so?" Thelina asked as she put a new bandage on Miguel's wound. "I was not the one who single-handedly defeated Tzekel-Kan."

Tulio frowned a little, knowing she was right. He looked down to see Miguel smiling tiredly at him. "Miguel saved all of us. He exposed Chel and Tzekel-Kan for who they really were."

"Didn't want…you to get…h-hurt," Miguel replied quietly.

"I didn't want you to get hurt either," Tulio said sadly. "I didn't do a very good job at protecting you, did I?" He looked up when Miguel squeezed his hand. "I never could keep you safe."

"Not…true," Miguel said. He coughed one again and winced, resting his hand on top of the new bandage. "Don't…feel good."

"You need to eat," Thelina said. "I can make you some soup." She looked at Tulio. "You have to eat too."

Tulio knew he shouldn't argue with her, so he simply nodded. He waited until she left again and he gently stroked Miguel's cheek. "I'm really proud of you, you know."

Miguel gazed at him sleepily. "For what?"

"Everything," Tulio answered gently. "You saved this city…you saved me. Who knows what would have happened if I'd married Chel." He bit back his anger at the thought of her. What would she have done? He remembered her telling him that she had plans to torture Miguel and make him watch. His heart dropped a little; seeing Miguel in this state was pure torture, and he was truly afraid to think of what Chel might have done. His thoughts were disrupted when he felt Miguel take his hand.

"Don't…look so..sad," Miguel said with a frown.

Tulio tightened his grip on his hand, twining their fingers together. "I'm sorry…I should have said that a long time ago." He looked intently at Miguel. "Why did you pick me?"

"What?" Miguel asked in confusion.

"Why did you pick me to be your partner?"

"You…saved me. Remember?"

"I know," Tulio said, remembering back to his dream. "But why did you decide to stay with me?"

"Because," Miguel began, "I…loved you…from the first day…I met you…still do."

Tulio but his lip and ran his free hand through Miguel's hair." "You could have done so much better than me."

"Didn't…want to," Miguel answered. "I wanted you…still do."

Tulio swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "I want you too, Miguel. You're the only one I've ever really wanted. I can't live without you." He finally broke, and he put his head down and started to cry.

"Tulio," Miguel said sadly, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Please…don't cry."

Tulio finally sat up and wiped his tears, still sniffling a little. "I love you, Miguel. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Miguel smiled. "I want the same thing."

Tulio returned the smile, resting his hand on Miguel's cheek. "I should have realized a long time ago that you were the only one for me."

Thelina peeked out at them from the back of the temple and smiled to herself. She finally emerged with two bowls of soup. "Time to eat, boys." She looked at Tulio and motioned to Miguel. "Can you sit him up, please? Be gentle."

Tulio carefully lifted Miguel into a sitting position and leaned him back on the pillows, frowning when he whimpered a little. "I'm sorry."

"I'm okay," Miguel reassured him, smiling a little.

Thelina handed them their bowls. "I'm going to tell the chief that you're awake, I'll be right back."

Miguel watched her leave before he spoke. "I'd be dead without her."

"You and me both," Tulio added, taking a sip of his soup. "I thought it was over when I fell down those temple stairs."

Miguel frowned and looked down at his bowl. "Tzekel-Kan made me think you and Thelina were dead," He said quietly. "He told me…that you were in his way and…" He stopped talking as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Hey," Tulio said reassuringly, setting his bowl down and moving to sit on the bed facing Miguel. "He was a liar. There was no way he was going to keep me from you."

"I was so scared," Miguel continued, looking up at Tulio. "I was so scared that I would never see you again. I…told him to kill me so I could be with you."

"Oh, Miguel," Tulio said sadly. He leaned forward and gently hugged his partner. "I'll never leave you alone again, I swear."

Miguel used what strength he had to hug Tulio back. "I need you," he cried lightly.

"I need you too. I'm going to right every wrong I ever did to you, I swear." He finally pulled back and looked at Miguel, noticing not only how worn out he was, but how sad he looked. His eyes didn't shine like they used to, and the frown on his face seemed to be a permanent fixture as of lately. It's my fault that he isn't happy. It's always been my fault.

"Tulio?" Miguel asked, looking questioningly at the expression on his face.

"You should eat now," Tulio said, motioning to the bowl in Miguel's lap. "It'll make you feel better."

"Are you okay?" Miguel asked, watching Tulio move away from him. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not," Tulio replied, smiling reassuringly at him. "I just want you to feel better."

Miguel sighed a little and picked up his bowl. He didn't feel like eating, but he knew he would get sick if he didn't. he occasionally peeked over at Tulio, who was quietly eating his own soup. He was finishing up as Thelina returned with the chief, and he smiled as the two of them entered. "Chief."

"Lord Miguel! It is so nice to see you awake," the chief exclaimed gleefully. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good thanks to her," Miguel answered, smiling towards Thelina.

Thelina blushed a little and smiled in return. "I've done everything I can." She looked over to Tulio. "Of course, Tulio has been a big help to us as well."

The chief chuckled a little when Tulio blushed. "It is good to see you both alive and well. Peace and happiness have been restored to this city, thanks to you. As tribute, we ask that you remain here with us in El Dorado."

Miguel looked happily towards Tulio, beaming when his partner smiled at him. "Really?"

Tulio nodded. "If it makes you happy, then it's what I want too."

Miguel was so happy he could cry. He smiled over at his partner. "I love you."

The chief grinned, taking Miguel's reaction as a 'yes.' "I will inform the city that you will be staying."

Miguel smiled at Tulio as the chief and Thelina left again. "You really mean it?"

Tulio once again moved to sit next to Miguel. "Anything for you," he answered, embracing him as tight as he could without hurting him. "I love you." He thought to himself as he held Miguel. I'll do anything, even if it's not exactly what I want.

TBC