Syed fumbled about the darkened flat, the morning light blocked by the thick red curtains. He hoped he had put his T shirt on the right way round and that he was wearing matching shoes, but it was difficult for him to tell in the gloom.
Christian lay sleeping on his side, his breath rattling in his throat. Syed tried to slip the house keys from out of the bowl silently, but one jangled loudly against the ceramic edge. Cursing under his breath, Syed heard Christian stir and start coughing.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
A plaintive voice came from the bed.
"Why is it so dark Sy? Have I gone blind?"
Syed pulled the curtains back and they blinked at each other in the sunlight.
Christian noticed that Syed was dressed.
"Where are you going? You can't leave me like this. What if I die? And your T shirt is on inside out."
Syed quickly pulled it over his head and put it back on the right way round.
" Remember, I had this cold last week and I'm still here. We've run out of milk. I won't be long."
He made for the door and Christian heaved himself up on to the pillows.
"It's your fault I'm ill, and it isn't a cold, it's flu. I need medicine." He sniffed pathetically. "I need Tixylix cough syrup, or a linctus. What's the difference I wonder? Better get both. And paracetamols, industrial strength. And Olbas oil. Some Echinacea. Oh, and a magazine with pictures of naked men in it would be nice too."
Syed shook his head, exasperated.
"Is that a known cure for the common cold? Sorry, I mean Man flu."
"Should be available on prescription. I might need grapes too. And Lucozade."
Christian fished around under the duvet, trying to find a tissue. Failing, he sneezed loudly three times and flung himself back onto the bed, lying prone and groaning.
Syed started to laugh.
"Christian Clarke, you can be such a big girl's blouse. I managed to work when I had it."
Christian pulled the duvet up to his chin.
"It was all young and new when you had it, now it's mutated into a killer germ. I am so cold." His teeth chattered dramatically. " Please come and warm me up before I freeze. I am positively cryogenic. I shall wake in a hundred years time and the square will be full of squid people."
Syed sighed and kicked off his shoes. Throwing the house keys back into the bowl he pulled up the covers from the side of the bed and wriggled underneath. He wrapped his arms around Christian, hugging him tight.
Christian buried his head into Syed's collarbone and mumbled happily;
"I'm stealing your heat."
Syed stroked his hair.
"Well, you've already stolen my heart."
Christian glanced up and smiled.
"You soppy old romantic. Actually, I'm starting to feel a bit better."
Syed allowed him to edge even nearer.
"So you are Christian, and I can feel exactly which bit has made a miraculous recovery."