Bed Rest

Connor was buried under his duvet when he heard a quiet knock on his bedroom door. “Come in,” he rasped, surprised when the person on the other side of the door heard him and the door opened slowly. He managed a weak smile when he saw Jacob standing in the doorway. “Hey,” he murmured.

“Hi,” Jacob answered as he moved so he was knelt next to the bed by Connor's head. “Your mum said you weren’t feeling to well.” He said as he ran he hand carefully through Connor's blonde hair, frowning slightly when he could feel the heat coming off of the other boy. He pressed the back of his hand to Connor’s forehead to check his temperature, smiling slightly when Connor leant into the light touch. “Do you want anything?”

“Can I have some water please?” he asked Jacob, nuzzling into the hand that was still on his face and pouting when Jacob stood and stepped toward the door.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Jacob said over his shoulder.

Connor wiggled under the covers so he was mostly sat upright and when the door opened again Jacob frowned at him.

“You should be lying down,” Jacob scolded gently as he placed a glass of water on the bedside table.

“It’s hard to drink lying down,” Connor pointed out to him letting out a weak chuckle when Jacob rolled his eyes at him.

“Well drink it and lie back down.”

Connor smiled again but did as he was told, looking up at Jacob from the pillow when he had lain down again. “Why did you come over?” he asked Jacob. “Not that I’m not happy to see you,” he added hastily with a weak grin.

Connor watched as the other boys shoulders dropped and he sat on the edge of the bed. “They fighting again?” he asked, reaching a hand out to touch Jacobs arm lightly. When Jacob nodded he gently tugged Jacobs’s wrist to pull him so he was lying next to him. Jacobs jaw was tight and Connor moved closer and nuzzled his nose against the other boys’ cheek. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Jacob shrugged slightly, “not your fault,” he muttered. He opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off as Connor started coughing violently. Jacob carefully sat him up and handed him the half empty glass of water when he had finished coughing. “You okay?” he asked as he placed the glass back on the table.

Connor nodded weakly and buried his face into Jacobs shoulder as they lay back down. “How long have you been feeling ill for?” he asked Connor, carding his fingers through the boys light hair.

“Since last night,” Connor answered.

“Do you want anything for it?”

Connor shook his head and curled further into Jacobs’s side. “Just want to sleep it off.”

Jacob smiled and leant down to press a kiss to Connors forehead before moving to stand up. “Where are you going?” Connor asked frowning as he gripped Jacobs’s wrist.

“Back home so you can sleep.”

Connor chuckled lowly and tugged Jacob back into his bed. “I sleep better when you’re here. Besides, you’re not going home if they’re still fighting.” He sighed and nuzzled into Jacobs shoulder, “you know that they’ll only drag you into the middle of it again.”

Jacob just nodded again as he wrapped his arms around Connors waist tightly. “Sing to me?” Connor asked quietly, laughing to himself when Jacob shot him an incredulous look.

“Why? You’ve heard me sing, it can’t exactly be described as soothing.”

Connor shrugged, “I just wanted to see what you’d say.”

Jacob sighed quietly to himself, “why is it I always get stuck with the strange ones?”

Connor playfully hit his chest before settling into his side more comfortably. “I’m not strange,” he muttered pouting slightly.

“Of course you’re not.” Jacob answered, “you’re meant to be sleeping by the way.”

“I am.”

“So why are you talking?”

Connor paused for a moment, “I’m not. This whole conversation was a figment of you imagination.”

Jacob laughed lightly before falling silent. He listened as Connor breathing evened out slowly, every now and then letting out a small cough in his sleep. When he was sure that Connor was asleep he placed a soft kiss on his forehead before closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him as well.