05. Shiver

Enjoying one of his rare quiet evenings to Tseng meant reading his favorite book with a glass of wine, while sitting in his favorite chair next to the fireplace. Rufus always complained to him that this was something that was "too relaxing" for him to consider and left him alone to it. Rufus stayed in the living room with him, either watching TV or trying to get Tseng to drop the book and focus on him.

Tseng found it odd that tonight Rufus was not doing either one. He marked his page, put his book on the table then got up to search the apartment for his young lover.

'Rufus where are you?'

When silence was his only answer, he started to worry. Rufus wasn't the type to not answer when someone called for him, especially when it was Tseng. He searched throughout the apartment and finally found him in their bed, shivering from the non-existent cold with two comforters covering him.

'Rufus, what are you doing in here?'

Rufus lifted heavy-lidded eyes up to Tseng. 'I'm cold.'

'How can you be cold? You have two comforters over you and you're wearing my sweat shirt. You should be boiling, not freezing.'

'Maybe you turned down the heat so that I'd freeze.'

Tseng noticed the small beads of sweat on Rufus' forehead. Concern slowly crept into his voice. 'Are you feeling alright?'

Rufus nodded weakly. 'I'm fine. I'm just cold.'

Tseng knelt beside the head of the bed and put his hand on Rufus' head. Rufus began to shiver at his touch and tried to push Tseng's hand away.

'You're cold. Don't touch me.'

Tseng tried to suppress his worry. The last time he saw Rufus this ill and hot was when he had Geostigma. Not wanting to think about that time, he pushed the thought away and concentrated on trying to cool his partner down. He pulled away one of the comforters that Rufus had since it wasn't necessary.

'Hey! Give that back.'

'You don't need it.'

'I'm cold, of course I need it.'

'You have a fever, you don't need it.'

'I do? That explains why I'm so cold then.'

Tseng looked at him for a moment, then went to the washroom to wet a cloth with cold water. When he came back, Rufus had taken off the other comforter and was shivering.

'Why did you take it off?'

'I didn't want to overheat if I'm already hot.'

Tseng nodded and sat next to him on the bed to lay the cloth on Rufus' head. Another shiver escaped from his lover when the cold cloth touched his hot skin.

Tseng sat quietly at his side, trying to lower the fever. After a few minutes, a small, weak voice came from the bed. 'Tseng?'

'Yes Rufus?'

'I'm cold again.'

Tseng sighed, worried about his lover's health, hoping that the fever would go down quickly.

'I know you are. I'm doing all I can to get you to feel better as fast as possible.'

'Can you do me a favor?'

'Of course.'

Rufus slowly opened his eyes and gave Tseng a small smile. 'Could you lay down with me and keep me warm until I fall asleep?'

Tseng couldn't help but smile at the request. 'Alright, I'll do that for you Rufus. I promise that I'll be here when you wake up too.'

Tseng gently got into bed, putting his arm under his lover's neck and pulled him close. Rufus allowed Tseng to move him until Tseng was comfortable, then cozied himself up to his chest.

'Thank you, Tseng.'

Tseng smiled and lightly kissed his head. 'You're welcome Rufus.'