He was burning up. Artemis helplessly looked at his hoodie jumper and trousers fitting him loosely, his bare, fine athletic feet, and his pained expression as he lay on their bed half-asleep and with sweat dripping down his neck and forehead. She was doing all she could. She'd been at his bedside for the past 10 hours, monitoring his temperature, wiping his sweat, getting as much water in him as she could. The rest was up to Wally to beat this fever. But that was the part she couldn't stand. She just needed him to get better and was ready to do anything for it. But there is nothing she can do at this moment. She must wait.

It's the dead of the night and she feels neither sleep, tire or hunger. She watches his face. The face she loves. His fine eyebrows, his cute, handsome nose, his gorgeous, boyish jawline, his darling freckles, all framed by his untamed, childish red hair… She strokes his cheek softly. He's in so much pain. She wishes for the hundredth time that it should have been her that got it. Just yesterday he had been running laps around her, surrounding her in his laughs and jumping into the waves with her, the sun catching his wet hair. They had taken a big breath and submerged themselves underwater, further out where there weren't waves. They held each other underwater and kissed, feeling blindly for the other's face, neck, arms, body. When she opened her eyes a little to resurface, the surface from underwater was a mesmerising sight, glimmering and in constant change. It looked like she was about to fall upwards into water a second time. When they burst out of the water at the end of their breath they laughed together as if they had survived a dare. Together. It will always be this way, she vowed, together.

"Arty…" Wally croaked weakly. Artemis snapped to focus.
"I'm here, Wally." She held his hand with both her hands. "What is it? Would you like some more water?" He opened his eyes only half-way and tried to smile. But the wide, full face smile that is usually Wally's smile was now an exhausted half-smile. The sight of this put another stab of pain in her stomach. But she put on a light-hearted face for him.
"…Just." He breathed and closed his eyes again, still smiling weakly. Even in this state he's still trying to make her laugh! She watched the fever fade his smile away. His breathing was still as laboured as it was an hour ago. How long can a person keep this up?
"Hang in there, Wally. You can beat this, you know you can." She got the thermometer and checked his temperature. 38.7˚C. It's stopped climbing. But should she take him to the hospital? It's been so long…

"Mmm babe, do that again, it feels so good." He had managed to say after their beach trip. She stroked his hard-on teasingly through his shorts. He shuddered and groaned lightly. Then he opened his eyes, gripped her upper arm and kissed her passionately, the other hand on her neck. Then sliding down to her right breast. He squeezed it. She moaned. The clothes came off and were each tossed aside. The kissing was immediately resumed. His right hand crept between her legs and felt her in a light, up and down rubbing motion. She moaned like she was melting. Indeed, she felt her neck, arms and legs melt from his touch. His fingers slid easily from her wet. He raised his hand to her face again, but not before sucking his wet finger as he looked into her eyes. He began kissing her neck as he held her head under her ear.
"I love you" he breathed desperately.
"I love you, too." She said. And she couldn't mean it enough. The next moment, he entered her, making her vocalise an agonising pleasure, and he in turn moaned, like it hurts, from the effect the sound has on him, on top of the sensation of sliding inside her. His head spins. He closes his eyes to savour everything. But only for a brief moment. Then he thrusts. Another moan from Artemis. And another for each thrust. Her back arches. They're breathing fast, working for each breath…

As she watches over his fitful sleep, she sees him frown and grit his teeth. It upsets her.
"Oh Wally." She kisses the side of his mouth and then his forehead. "Please come back."