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Lights and sounds filtered through Luis’s awareness before fading from memory as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He heard voices, most of which he didn’t recognize. Though, there was one of them that he did. He wasn’t cognizant enough to know who it was, but he felt safe whenever he heard them.
Unlike his surroundings, however, the pain echoing throughout his body was impossible to miss. He felt every little twist of his back as burning sparks danced along his spine, every little tug on his arms as his shoulders pulled at the flaming void nestled between them. His body seemed to be moving without his guidance, twisting and tugging and burning endlessly as his mind tried to fight out of the all encompassing darkness that held it.
Then, blessedly, there was stillness, and he floated away to full sleep once more, the sound of that familiar voice fading with him.
Movement brought Luis closer to consciousness once more. It was gentle at first, but then turned painful as he was rolled over, sending bright sparks of pain to stab into his back. He groaned, feeling the vibrations in his throat. That was a first.
Something cool draped across his skin, soothing the throbbing burn that radiated from between his shoulders as whoever was moving him left him be for a short time. He drifted off again.
Then there was a sharp pinprick, followed by agony as inflamed flesh was tugged. Luis flinched at the sudden sensation, drawing in a sharp breath as his eyes struggled to open. There was another sharp stab followed by even more tugging, finally waking him up fully.
“¿Qué coño? [What the fuck?]” he groaned, trying and failing to move arms made of jelly. He needed to get up—
“Of course you’d wake up now.” That familiar voice.
“Ada?” Luis tried to look for her, eventually finding her when she leaned over from somewhere behind him. Dark eyes met his, and relief wrapped around him.
“The one and only,” the woman replied before disappearing again. “Now stop moving.”
Another stab, another wave of searing agony. Luis’s arms finally obeyed his commands, and he started to push himself up.
“Wait,” he gasped. “Where’s Leon and Ashley?”
“Luis, what did I just say?” Ada asked, a scowl in her voice as she began to push him back down. It made the pain pulsating across his back all the louder, and Luis gasped as he fell down onto something surprisingly soft. He grit his teeth and tried to turn onto his side.
“But Leon—”
“—Hello?” Another voice, shaky and soft, muffled enough that Luis barely heard her. It was followed by a gentle knock. Ada growled in frustration before leaning forward to glare at Luis.
“Pretend you’re my husband,” she hissed under her breath, expression deadly serious. A door opened, and she looked away with a smile as she tossed a damp towel over his back.
“Is he awake?” An old woman shuffled through a wooden door, arms ladened with a tray holding two steaming bowls and a handful of cups. Luis finally looked around and saw that they appeared to be in a dusty but cozy bedroom.
“Yes, finally!” Ada replied, voice so soft and full of relief that Luis had to do a double take. He met her eyes and was stupified by the sheer love that he saw on her face. She held his gaze for a moment before looking back at the woman.
“I’m tending to his injury,” she explained. “I’m not surprised that’s what finally woke him.”
“Oh poor dear,” the old woman replied with sympathy as she set the tray on a bedside table. “Are you in much pain?”
Right. Luis was Ada’s husband. How does one act like Ada’s husband?!
“Only a little,” he answered with a weak smile. “Though feeling much better now, thanks to my lovely wife.” Maybe that was a bit much, but the old woman smiled widely.
“That’s so good to hear!” she said with a pleased nod. “And hopefully this will help as well! I’ve made you both some pastina and herbal tea. It’s an old family recipe, and it’s perfect for soothing pain.”
“That’s so kind of you,” Ada replied, gratitude filling her voice. “You’ve been so good to us, Nonna [Grandma].”
The old woman just shook her head with a smile. “It’s nothing, really. Now, is there anything else I can get you before I leave you two alone? Some more towels, or perhaps a warm blanket?”
“Thank you, but I think I have everything,” Ada answered. “But I’ll definitely let you know if something comes up.”
Nonna, apparently, nodded her head with another wrinkly smile before finally turning to leave, shutting the door behind her. Ada sighed heavily before looking at Luis again, her expression back to what could only be described as ‘annoyed but hiding it’.
“Thanks for not blowing our cover,” she said, quieter than before. “Now lay down and stop moving around. I’m trying to stitch you up.”
Luis lowered himself back onto his belly but turned his attention back to what was more important, as far as he was concerned. “Leon and Ashley. Are they okay?”
Ada huffed. “They’re better off than we are,” she answered dryly. “Safe and sound back in America.”
“And the plaga?” Luis asked, needing to hear the answer explicitly. Ada’s scoff sounded more exasperated now, and almost amused.
“Removed and gone,” she replied with a stiff pat to his arm. “Your fancy surgery worked. You saved the day. Congrats.”
Despite her slightly condescending tone, Luis couldn’t help but laugh, his overwhelming relief somehow managing to keep him smiling even as the movement jostled his wound and made his back burn. He couldn’t stop, continuing to laugh almost manically as he moved to hug himself, back bowing in an attempt to minimize the movement. It was the most he could do to ease the throbbing ache as he shuddered, elation drowning out all reason.
It worked! It actually worked! There were so many things that could have gone wrong with such an untested procedure, but it worked and Leon and Ashley were free! After years of contributing to nothing but pain and suffering, he had finally managed to actually help someone!
As his manic laughter finally began to die down, the burning became too intense to ignore. Even then, he still smiled as he let out a weak “Ow” through tense jaws.
Ada sighed, drawing his attention just fast enough to see her roll her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Are you done now?”
Luis let out one final huff of a laugh before rolling back onto his stomach, burying his face in the thin quilt covering the bed. He felt a bit like a fool, smiling like an idiot despite the gaping wound burning a hole in his back, but he couldn’t stop himself.
Leon and Ashley had been cured! That was all that mattered.
Ada watched as the partial stitch she had been working on steadily pulled apart as Luis laughed. She should have been angry. She certainly had plenty of anger and frustration built up over the last day or so.
Hours of trudging through back country wilderness with an unconscious man on her back, trying to find someone to hitchhike with who wasn’t going to snitch on them the moment they saw Luis, trying to convince ‘Nonna’ that he absolutely could not go to a hospital— It had been a very long day, and she knew that the days to come would be just as long.
She had started to doubt her choice, after about an hour of hiking with Luis on her back. She had wondered if she had gone insane, inviting all this trouble and effort and risk. Hell, it probably wouldn’t even work. It could all be for nothing.
And yet, as Luis laughed like a mad man, so overcome with joy that he had to have been ignoring agonizing pain just to laugh... All because he had helped Leon and Ashley?
Maybe it was worth it after all.