"Anders, you need to eat this." Nathaniel held a spoonful of cabbage soup to his companion's tightly pressed together lips, letting out a groan when the mage showed no signs of budging. "Why must you be so difficult? You know we need you. You're the only good healer we have."
Anders eyes narrowed, his lips still closed shut.
"Fine. You're the best healer we have and you know it. Furthermore, we need you."
Nathaniel was worried. It had been days since he had seen Anders eat anything, his body wrecked with illness almost overnight. He was paler than usual, his eyes dark with a lack of sleep and his face seemed a little bit thinner than normal. He was even quieter, and the lovable, excitable mage that held a special place in Nathaniel's heart was fighting him when all he wanted was to make this man feel better. It was infuriating. He placed the spoon back in the bowl of soup, setting it on the nightstand and placing a hand on Anders' forehead. He was burning up.
"Stubborn fool. Please. Eat the soup. I'm begging you. I -" Nathaniel swallowed, his eyes piercing Anders and holding him to the spot.
"Maker, I hate seeing you like this. Damn everyone else in this place, if not for yourself, eat for me. You're about all the family I have left and I can't see you like this. It kills me." Nathaniel turned his head, the tears burning in his eyes. Why was the mage doing this to him? Didn't he understand what he meant to him by now? How it killed him to see the man that stood so confident, so strong and tall so weak and fragile?
Obviously not.
Nathaniel got up from the bed, wiping the tears that threatened to fall from his face and walking briskly to the door. He lingered there for a moment, hearing the frantic rustling from behind him that normally meant Anders was fixing whatever it was he did to piss him off. "I'm sorry!" Anders called out frantically. "Come back. I need you, too Nathaniel."
Nathaniel turned to his man, who had quickly taken the soup and began to slurp it down, looking up apologetically at his lover.
"You are always forgiven." Nathaniel shook his head and chuckled, opening the door and shutting it behind him, grateful to hear the slurps continuing from the mage inside.
His man needed poultices, fresh linens and a bath if he was to get better, and now that he was cooperating, Nathaniel was all too happy to be the one to nurse him back to health.