Sick

While Alex was in his bunk asleep, everyone else was in the front lounge messing around. Jack was telling dick jokes and making fun of Rian, who told him to fuck off and laughed. Oh the fun they had on tour. They continued to mess around for a while before they heard loud choking and coughing. Jack jumped up, practically running toward the bunks. He found Alex sitting up, leaning over the side of the bunk, dry heaving. He sat down on the bunk, rubbing soothing circles on Alex's back.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, you're okay." Jack cooed. Alex collapsed into Jack snuggling into him.
"H-hurts" Alex cried
"What hurts, Lex?"
"Tummy" Alex said as more tears ran down his face.
"Aw baby. I'm sorry." Jack could feel the heat radiating off of Alex. He pressed a kiss to Alex's increasingly hot forehead.
"Alex, you're burning up."
Alex just whinned.
"Babe, can I go find a thermometer so I can take your temperature?"
"N-n-no. Don't leave me!" Alex gripped Jack's shirt and shoved his his face into the crook of Jack's neck, refusing to let him go. He just wanted to be held close. He didn't feel well and all he wanted was to be cuddled.
"Okay, it's okay. I'm not leaving." Jack reassured. Jack reached for his phone and called Rian.
"Jack, why are you calling me? You're just in the other room."
"Can you find a thermometer please? Alex is burning up and won't let me leave him."
"Oh, uh sure."
"Can you bring a cold water bottle for Lex, too?"
"Sure, that it?"
"Can you look and see if we have any tylenol or motrin to bring his fever down?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks so much Ri."
"No problem"
Rian walked in the bunk area a couple minutes later, setting the water on the nightstand and handing Jack the thermometer. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Alex. Rian doesn't think he's ever seen Alex look so bad. He was so pale and looked so weak. He was just a pitiful sight. Rian doesn't think he's ever seen any of his friends this ill. He listened as the thermometer beeped.
"Shit, Lex, that's fucking terrible!"
"What's it at?" Rian questioned.
"Almost 104. It's like 103.8. Did you find anything to bring it down?"
"No, I didn't. Sorry" Rian apologized.
"Shit, no it's okay. Can you sit with him while I go figure something out?"
"Yeah, of course." Rian layed in the bunk, letting Alex leach onto him. He held him close, feeling the heat radiate off of him.
"Hey Lex. How ya doing buddy?" Rian pushed the bangs off Alex's forehead.
"Don't feel good" came the hoarse response.
"I know, Lex, I know." Rian frowned. He watched a few tears slide down Alex's face. Yeah, that one got to him. He wrapped Alex in a comforting hug and wiped the tears away.
"Please don't cry. It'll be okay, it's okay."
Alex snuggled deeper into his embrace. Rian was always one of his favorite people be around and cuddle when he was ill. Rian was like a Teddy bear.
-&-
Jack returned with cold, wet cloth and pressed it to his boyfriend's forehead.
"We're stopping at the next pharmacy to get some tylenol and motrin, would you mind running in and grabbing it for me?" Jack asked.
"Not at all. I can do that."
"Thanks. Oh, and thanks for staying with him. That's all he wants right now is to be held close." Jack laughed a bit. It was true, taking care of a sick Alex is like taking care of a little baby. He just wants to be held close and cuddled, and he sometimes cries, and he sleeps a lot. It's kind of cute though, the vulnerable side of Alex. Jack climbs into the bunk and tangles himself in Alex, holding the ill boy as close as humanly possible. Alex lays his head in the crook of Jack's neck and Jack leans his head on the top of Alex's. They wrappped their arms around each other. Within a matter of five minutes, Alex was sleeping peacefully. Jack smiled, happy he'd finally gotten back to sleep. He definitely needed it. He placed a kiss on the sleeping boy's forehead and closed his eyes. He whispered an "I love you" before drifting off himself.