Title: Out Cold

Author/Artist: theablackthorn

Rating: PG

Warnings: Boy's kissing

Watanuki woke slowly, his body aching all over and he felt hot and sticky, mind muzzy from sleep. As he lay in his futon, not knowing how he had gotten to the comfortable mattress, he could only remember opening the door to his small one room apartment after working late at Yuuko's but then – nothing.

He opened heavy eyelids slowly, the room seemed dark to his blurry sight, and it appeared that somewhere along the way he had removed his glasses. He reached out slowly to where he usually deposited his glasses before bed, his fingers grasping and only finding air and the coarse reeds of the tatami flooring; but not the elusive metal and glass.

He could feel a deep ache building in his shoulder as he searched the ground with his outstretched fingers, slowly shifting back into the futon as the pain increased and he felt a deep frown break across his brow. He heard a quiet rustling above his head and tipped his face back to look for what had caused the sound, forgetting that he couldn't see whatever it was anyway.

He felt something being moved from his forehead and then being replaced with something that felt blissfully cool against his flushed skin, he sighed at the chill that the damp material emitted, mismatched eyes fluttering closed for a moment. When he opened his eyes once again he stared up at the darkness hovering over his features, trying to figure out who was there with him.

Watanuki felt rough fingertips brush across his temples as cold metal slipped behind his ears and over the bridge of his nose, remembering the cool touch of his own glasses as he shut his eyes automatically as they where placed back on his face.

When he opened them again, it took him a few moments to register just who it was that had invaded his home. He sat bolt upright, the cool cloth falling to dampen the coverlet as he gesticulated wildly at the other man, fever forgotten for a few minutes, "I ...you...what are ...you ... Idiot! What are you doing in here? I can't believe you would just turn up and help yourself to everything! What were you thinking! "

Watanuki fumed at the ever silent man, but as he quieted trying to figure out just what he was doing here he felt what little strength he had had leave him. He groaned quietly at the weak and achy feeling that suffused his body, he felt a weight come to rest on his shoulders, holding and then pressing him gently back down into the soft mattress.

"You shouldn't do that." That voice felt like a soothing brush across his frazzled nerves, as much as the other man annoyed him, he loved to listen to him; there was something about that voice.

Watanuki felt the gentle brush of fingertips pushing his ebony locks from his face before the cold compress was smoothed back across his forehead. He felt his cheeks heat at the tender gesture; it had been many years since someone had taken care of him when he had been sick – and he was pleasantly surprised that the older man was doing so.

He remained silent for a few minutes as the other man fussed over him in his usual emotionless manner, adjusting his duvet and making sure he was tucked inside the warm material.

"Doumeki ...why are you here? He could feel his eyes drooping and the need to sleep blanketing him in its soothing arms.

"You went missing and Yuuko told me to come." The seer listened to that velvety voice state the obvious and logical facts of the situation and yet it left him feeling cold. After everything they had been through was that all he was – a job?

He turned his face away from the stoic man, not letting him see the expression that was plastered across his face, "You can go now – I can take care of myself." He felt his heart squeeze at his own words, but he didn't want the other man staying around him out of pity or some misplaced sense of duty.

"Oi!

"What you overgrown pain in my ass!"

Watanuki glared up at the stoic man hovering over him so carefully. But that glare turned to shock as Doumeki blurred, his face descended until he hovered above Watanuki's face. "I came for you."

Watanuki's lips parted, his tongue brushing across dry lips, but before he could speak Doumeki's hands gently cradled either side of his face warm, slightly chapped lips pressed to his own. As his cheeks heated, eyelids sliding shut, his own lips hesitantly responded, Doumeki's warmth seeping across his skin.

When the other man pulled away Watanuki's eyes remained closed for a moment before heavy lids opened with difficulty. He looked up at the blank face of the man who'd just kissed and then he looked further, the slight pinch of brow and the directness of that gaze made heat pool low and fast and Watanuki couldn't help but scold the archer, "Why didn't you say so idiot!"

His eyes grew heavy, the pull of warmth and comfort drawing him down into his embrace. Through heavy lid's he looked up one last time and saw the smallest curl of lip and he smiled as eyes slid closed and he felt gentle hands calloused from long hours of archery training slide his glasses off.

"Because you were flailing."

And Watanuki slept.