“Okay... can you take this now? It’ll help with the fever,” he said, offering the pills and glass of water.
Without complaint, Dylan propped on one elbow and gulped it down, going to sleep right after.
Jared smiled to himself while looking at him, caressing his clammy, hot cheek with the back of his hand before hestood up again. He rummaged through Dylan’s bedroom and bathroom, searching for a flannel. He needed something he could dampen with tepid water and put over his forehead. That fever had to go.
When he finally found it and made sure his friend was all set, he let out a sigh and sat criss-cross on the floor with his laptop.
Time to work.
“Have you been there all this time?” Dylan’s husky voice startled Jared.
“Jesus! Fuck. Yeah,” he said, turning his head to look at him.
“You could have gone to my office or something.” Dylan yawned and rubbed a palm over his face.
“Someone had to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m sure your ass is hurting like a bitch from sitting on the floor.”
“I can barely feel it anymore, yeah.”
“You’re such an idiot... But thanks.”
Lifting a shoulder while fighting a cheesy grin, Jared closed his laptop and turned to face Dylan. “How are you feeling?”
“Still weak, but better than this morning.”
“That’s good.” Jared offered a smile. “Promise you will take care of yourself even if I’m not around?” he said as he stood, his back and ass definitely hurting.
“I’ll survive without you.”
Not wanting to read between the lines, Jared nodded, thankful when Ian texted him, telling him the building’s door was open and he was already coming up.
“Ian’s already here. You sure you’re gonna be fine?”
“I’m not a baby.”
“Well, you were acting like one before, so I don’t knowanymore.”
“Sit and spin.” Dylan flipped him off.
“Okay, okay, you’re good enough, I guess.”
The doorbell rang, and after a brief chit-chat, Ian and Jared walked out of the apartment.
“Talk to you tomorrow.”
Two weeks had gone by since Dylan’s feverish rambling and everything had fallen back into place.
They were their usual snarky selves again, no awkwardness or discomfort. The kiss that disoriented them like a change in the magnetism of the poles was nothing but a distant memory.
Sure, the sadness of that unexplored paradise was still there, pulsing in Jared’s rib cage from time to time. But he didn’t regret his decision. Sex and his physical urges when he wasn’t getting his fix were no excuse to cheat on his boyfriend and ruin everything they’d built over the past six years.
Paul was the one. Jared had known from the first day he saw his ginger hair and bright green eyes from across the university café. Even when he was at his lowest moments, that man radiated a light that made Jared’s heart sing like no one ever had.
He rushed up the last flight of stairs, excited to see Paul and squeeze the shit out of his tiny frame. After working overtime the day before and things going smoothly today at work, Jared had snuck out earlier than usual. He wanted to surprise him. Felt like going on a trip, just the two of them. And not to visit either of their families like the last few times they'd gone away.
But then he heard it.
