The shuttle did come; and Lister and Rimmer boarded without any trouble. On the way up to the ship, Dave started shivering again. Rimmer took off his own jacket and wrapped it round him as an extra layer but it didn't do much good. By the time the shuttle docked, Rimmer was desperate to get him to the medi-bay. As soon as they'd been ticked off the register as having arrived, Rimmer marched him down to see the doctor.
They took his temperature, peered down his throat, felt his glands, prodded his joints and came to the conclusion that he was not in any danger of a relapse; he was just tired and needed a least one week's bed-rest before starting his duties. Rimmer was instructed to take him back to their quarters and make sure he drank lots of fluids, preferably hot lemon and things of that nature.
They took the lift back up to their floor and Rimmer showed him the way through the maze of corridors to their room. "Well, here it is," he said unnecessarily as they reached the door. It whooshed open and they stepped inside. Lister looked round and Rimmer suddenly felt embarrassed at how empty and spartan the place looked. Why hadn't he put up more photos? More posters? Hell, even a vase of flowers? He felt like he'd just walked in on a past life – a life where he'd had no happiness, no sense of comfort and worst of all no hope. Walking into this room and seeing how literally empty his life had been made him realise more than anything else just how much meeting Dave had changed him as a person.
"I'm sorry," he stammered, "It's a bit miserable, isn't it? We'll do the place up a bit one you're feeling up to it. Get some rugs or something..."
"Arn," Dave said with a wobbly smile, "I've spent the last three months sleeping in a dormitory with six other guys and the sounds of people fucking coming through floor, ceiling and all four damn walls! In comparison this is a palace!" He looked around again, "Fish would be nice though. We should get some fish."
"Whatever you want," Rimmer said, relieved. Dave turned round to look at him and Rimmer was alarmed to see his eyes were welling up. Before he could ask what was wrong, Dave had put his arms up around his neck and was weeping softly, "Thank you," he said, sniffling, "Thank you so much." And he kissed him.
The moment was so sweet, so wonderful, that for a moment Rimmer was lost. But eventually, he took Dave gently by the arms and reluctantly moved him away. "You don't have to do that," he said sadly, "I told you, remember? No funny business. I did all this because I wanted to. You don't have to pay me back; especially not like this. You're no-one's whore now."
"I know," Dave wiped his eyes, "But I want to. I know I told you I wasn't gay and everything but...n...n...nobody's ever been this kind to me." His voice wavered and he swallowed hard, "No-one's ever made me feel this special. And that means more to me than all the women I've ever been with in my life." Rimmer decided not to ask how many that was. "You told me the only reason you wouldn't sleep with me was because you knew I didn't want it. But I do want it now. Not as your rent-boy, or in return for anything, just as someone you care about. I want to be your boyfriend."
Rimmer couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "Dave," he said weakly, "That's a big decision to make for someone who's tired and ill and very, very emotional right now. I'd like to say yes, believe me; I'd like that more than anything. You know I'm crazy about you. But I don't want you to do anything you'll regret."
"I won't regret this. I've been thinking about it ever since you came to me at the hospital yesterday and I know what I want. I want for us to be together," Dave said resolutely.
Carefully, as though the world might shatter and break around them, Rimmer stepped forward and took Dave in his arms. "I want that too," he whispered to him, "I've wanted that from the moment I first laid eyes on you. But you know what?"
"What?" Dave asked, looking up at him.
"Don't get me wrong. I think you're gorgeous no matter what. But you need to put on some weight. That's the deal," he said as Dave laughed, "If we're going to do this, then you need to start eating properly again."
"You know, this is the thinnest I've ever been," Dave replied, mock-indignant, "I was quite proud of that!"
"To hell with thin," Rimmer replied defiantly, "You looked better before. What's your favourite food?"
"I quite like curry," Dave said hopefully.
"Then that's what we'll have tonight. As a celebration of your recovery."
"So...we're doing this then?" Dave asked hopefully. Rimmer kissed his nose,
"We're doing this. But if you change your mind...at any time..."
"I won't. I promise."
"Let me finish. I was going to say, if you change your mind, I'm going to kill you. I don't think I could handle it if you broke my heart." Dave smiled,
"So in summary – eat more, don't break heart. Right?"
"Right."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"I need to make up some rules for you."
"Okay."
"I think..." Dave pondered, "Yours should be to smile more. Other than that, same goes. Don't break my heart."
"I didn't know I could," Rimmer raised his eyebrows.
"You could," Dave said seriously.
"I won't."
"Neither will I."