“I ate already, don’t worry.” Stepping back, Felix moved back towards the bed. Reaching up, he grabbed the edge of Luca’s bedding and began to remove it from the bed. Bringing the blankets and sheets down, Felix balled up the bedding and turned back to Luca, who had already started to eat with a tired expression. “While you’re eating, I’m going to go wash your bedding. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Luca swallowed the soup in his mouth and wanted to stop him, but Felix was quick on his feet and soon left the room, leaving Luca to sit in silence and finish his bowl of warm soup. Biting into one of the saltine crackers, he thought to himself, Whenever I used to get sick, Felix would always act like this. With his weakened immune system, most likely caused by his exposure to the cold as a young child, he would often fall sick quickly when exposed to cold weather. When it snowed, it would take extra care to dress warm, wearing more than two layers all over his body to keep out the biting chill of the air.  

It was not uncommon for Luca to fall sick quickly with a light fever or cold, especially after playing outside during recess with Felix. When Luca would fall ill, Felix would nurse Luca to health as much as he could, giving him extra food at mealtimes, making sure he took his medication, and even padding his bed with extra blankets to keep him warm as he slept at night. Like a loyal dog, Felix would not leave Luca’s side even for a moment. 

It made Luca feel weak at times, knowing he could take care of himself, even now. But he knew that Felix’s behaviour was related to his own childhood, what had happened to him before he had met Luca at the orphanage. It made Luca feel even more obligated to accept his care.

Ah, I feel so dizzy. Luca shook his head, returning from his thoughts as he scooped the last bit of soup into his mouth, swallowing down the warm liquid as his head swam, taunted by the burning fever. With the food in his stomach, he felt some strength come back to his limbs. All that was left was to take the medicine and he could lay down and rest. If I take some medicine now, the fever should break by tomorrow morning. The water bottle on the tray had already been opened, the cap resting next to the full bottle,  the pill resting on the tray between the two.

Pinching his fingers, Luca took the pill and held it up to his lips, opening his mouth slowly as he placed the medicine on the top of his tongue. Holding the pill in place, he raised the open water bottle and raised it to his lips, drinking a large mouthful of water to wash down the pill down his throat. It was not hard to swallow, but the sensation of the pill trailing down his oesophagus was uncomfortable. 

After he had swallowed the pill and set the glass down, Felix returned and walked to Luca’s side. He leaned on Luca’s left, grabbing the thermometer in his hand as he said, “Put this in your mouth for a moment, Luca.” He held up the thermometer to Luca’s mouth, pointing the tip towards his lips.

Luca waved his hand, moving the thermometer back, “I don’t need it. I already know I have a fever anyway.” His cheeks were flushed red as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. He was in no condition to refuse, but he still stubbornly fought Felix.

Sighing, Felix tried to coax the stubborn Luca, saying in a pacifying tone, “It’ll only take a moment, Luca.” He held the thermometer back up, “Come on.”

More words were shared between the two before Luca finally relented, taking the thermometer out of Felix’s hand with a quiet sigh. He opened his mouth and placed the tip under his tongue, closing his mouth with pursed lips, appearing like a pouting child. With his current state, however, he looked like a sickly child attempting to fight their doctor. No words were shared as the thermometer read his temperature. 

There was a short, shrill beep after the reading had been taken, and Luca pulled out the thermometer. Felix looked over his shoulder and to the small screen, where the temperature was displayed. 

“39 degrees (~102 degrees fahrenheit).” Felix said aloud, as if he were speaking to himself, “It’s definitely a fever. If it gets any higher, it could be dangerous.”

It’s not that high, Luca thought to himself, setting down the thermometer on the table. 

After the tray of food had been placed aside, Felix grabbed a cooling pad from his first aid kit and handed it to Luca. “Once you put this on your forehead, you can lay down on my bed. Your bedding will be done later, so you can just sleep on my bed for tonight.” Felix said, watching Luca place the cooling pad on his forehead. 

“Where will you sleep?” Luca asked, patting the pad’s adhesive onto his forehead. 

Felix smiled, “I’ll sleep with you. It’s not like we haven’t before.” 

“It’s a twin bed, Felix. I barely fit as it is.” Luca’s brows furrowed as he frowned. “Besides that, we’re adults now. That’s weird.”

“How else will I make sure you’re still breathing through the night?” Felix shot him a look of concern, as if he were trying to give Luca advice. “It’s just for tonight, Luca. If your fever gets worse, I’ll wake you up and take you to the hospital.”

Luca chuckled, annoyed as he said, “Like you’ll be awake for that long.” 

Felix did not respond, instead, he patted Luca’s shoulder and had him get up, walking him to the bed as Luca pulled back the quilt and sat down on the bed. After he had drilled into the blankets, he laid down his head on the pillow, beads of sweat lining his brow. His eyes were misty, dizzy from the heat of the fever. Luca was in no condition to be moving around, but like he had in the past, he would push himself to do more and more until he collapsed. 

Even now, it was the same. If he was not here to care for him, would Luca have let himself become even more ill? Felix could not stand the thought.

After some time had passed, Luca had finally closed his eyes and his breath had become even. His bangs had been pushed aside off of his forehead, exposing the cooling pad still stuck to his forehead as he laid on his left side, facing towards Felix as he laid his back against the wall, cocooned within the soft fabric of the quilt. His mid-length black hair rested against the white pillow, showing how pale his face had become. Only his cheeks retained a rosy glow, carrying a misty glow that Felix could not look away from. 

Watching the young man rest peacefully in his bed, a wave of ease rushed over Felix, bringing a sense of calmness that he had not felt in almost ten years. Slowly, he walked to the side of the bed, carefully lowering himself until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, only a foot away from the sleeping Luca. 

His fingers lifted from his sides and moved towards Luca. The tip of his fingers brushed against the side of Luca’s face, starting at his temple as his fingers drifted down to Luca’s lips and chin. His lips were warm and moist, and his lips were slightly parted as he quietly slept. Felix’s thumb rested on Luca’s bottom lip, still and stiff, as if he were afraid to be caught.  

Reluctantly, he moved his hand, trailing the backs of his fingers across Luca’s flushed cheeks, wiping away beads of sweat as he moved his gaze.

Felix patted the bed, moving Luca aside with a gentle push of his hand as he laid down on the bed, grabbing the extra quilt to cover over himself. As he laid on his side, his head cushioned by the corner of the pillow, Felix looked at Luca’s sleeping face. His left hand rested on top of Luca’s blanket cocoon and he moved further onto the bed, moving Luca back against the wall, leaving a small space between the two.

“Get some rest, Luca. I’ll be here.” Felix patted the quilt cocoon, smiling gently. 

Luca did not respond, quietly panting in his sleep.

…