-- Disclaimer: NO I don't own it, just the fanfic --
Tell Me How Much You Love Me
Night had fallen fully by the time they got back to the ranch and a cold chill had set in quickly. Part way home Ennis had felt Jack shivering in his arms and stopped for a moment, putting him down long enough to take off his own coat and wrap it around his love before lifting him back into his arms like a child and carrying him the rest of the way home, despite Jack's concerns that he would get sick. By the time they got inside however, Ennis was so cold that it was all he could do to stop himself from shivering madly as he lay Jack down on the bed and took the two coats from him to go hang them up. Only out of his sight did he finally let the cold take him over and he leaned into the still warm jackets, his teeth chattering and his fingers feeling as if he were holding them under boiling water as he tried to regain some warmth.
After a few minutes he let himself fall away from the jackets, which had lost their warmth anyway and wandered into the kitchen, his fingers still trembling as he pulled some canned soup from the cabinet and put it into a large bowl which they shared from everytime they ate something like this. He stuck it into the microwave, half wishing there was a way to stick himself in with the soup as he sat in a chair, shaking slightly. A sneeze suddenly rocked his body and he grabbed a tissue from nearby to blow his nose, only to be caught up in a fit of sneezes that lasted 4...5...6... 7 sneezes long.
"Damn allergies..." He muttered, though he knew damn well it wasn't his allergies... Not in this weather. No... He was getting sick. The microwave beeped signaling itself done heating the soup and Ennis jumped, staring at the machine for a moment as if wondering what it was before standing up and retrieving the bowl of hot soup and some spoons. Grabbing a hot pad to protect his still sensitive fingers from the burn of the soup, he carried it and the spoons up to the room and placed them on the night table quickly, pulling out another tissue as he sneezed again and shook his head slightly.
"Ya'right Ennis?" Jack asked when the other was done sneezing and sat up on the bed, his head tilted alittle in worry.
"I'm fine rodeo... Jus' somethin' irratatin' my nose..." Ennis replied then blew his nose again and sat down by his mate, bringing the bowl with him and handing him a spoon. "Eat up... It'll do us both some good."
Jack nodded as he took the spoon and niether said anything for awhile as they ate, though Ennis did sneeze a few more times and Jack had to resist asking him again if he was alright. Only when he accidentally brushed against the other's hand and felt the icyness of it did he finally take the bowl from him and put it back on the table, ignoring Ennis' confused look and protests as he took his hands into his own.
"Damn cowboy, why yer hands so cold?" He asked and Ennis shivered from chills from the warmth of the other.
"Jus' cold is all rodeo... Nothin' ta worry bout." He responded but Jack shook his head and placed one palm on the others forehead.
"Yer burnin' up cowboy... Get yourself inta your pajamas an' I'ma go get ya some medicine for tha' fever..." He said and got off the bed, pulling Ennis up gently with him to help him into his pajama pants. "I knew ya shouldn'ta gone withou' tha' coat'a yours..."
"I had ta... keep you warm..." Ennis protested in between his chills and sneezed again, groaning softly. "Damn I feel like shit..."
Jack caressed his stomach gently as he finished helping him into his pants then led him back to the bed and covered him up.
"Stay here while I go get ya some medicine."
"Bu' I don' wan' no medicine... And these blankets are too hot..." Ennis protested again then shivered again and closed his eyes as Jack ran a hand slowly down the side of his face.
"Don' worry cowboy... I'll take care o'you... Jus' like ya did for me so many years ago..." He whispered and Ennis opened his eyes again, reaching a slightly trembling hand up to caress the side of his mates face as well.
"I love you rodeo..." He whispered and Jack reached up to hug his hand against his own face.
"I love you too cowboy... Lemme go get your medicine so you c'n sleep, a'right?"
Ennis nodded and let his hand drop back down to burrow under the covers. Jack stood slowly after making sure he was tucked back in then went off to the bathroom and got some fever medicine. After measuring it out and putting the bottle back in the cabinet, he went back in their room where Ennis lay with his eyes closed, his face flushed and sweaty.
"Here Ennis... take this so your fever'll go down..." He said and Ennis opened his mouth alittle, his eyes remaining shut. Jack slowly poured the medicine into his mouth, stopping the flow when the other gagged slightly then poured the rest in and watched to make sure he swallowed it. He then put the little cup on the table next to the bowl before going around to the other side of the bed and sitting on his side, sliding his legs under the covers so he could be warm as he sat next to his mate.
"Ain't you gonna sleep boy...?" Ennis asked sleepily when he felt Jack next to him and the other shook his head slightly.
"I'm gonna stay up wi'you cowboy 'n' make sure ya don' get no worse durin' the night."
Ennis seemed to accept this, though most likely it was the fever because Jack knew he'd never agree in his normal state and cuddled back against Jack's legs. The latter reached one hand under the covers slowly and, after making sure no draft was getting through as well, began softly caressing Ennis' side with his fingers. The other shivered slightly and sneezed again then fell silent, the medicine taking effect quickly to somewhat break his fever and pull him down into a much needed sleep.
Jack stayed there, leaned against the backboard of the bed, one hand mindlessly caressing his mate for comfort as he stared off into space, hoping the medicine would work and that Ennis would be better tomorrow, though as the sun began to rise several hours later and the other was still shivering with cold sweats from the fever that had returned after a few hours, he began to worry whether his mate really was sicker then he first had seemed to be...
-- Do I even need to ask? Please review! --
