-6-

"It's karma, Andy. Fucking karma. You drag me around the whole goddamn yard when it's below freezing out, then poke fun at me when I naturally get sick- like that is some sort of unusual shit, and now you're sick too. You deserve it."

The young man commenced a protest on behalf of his defense, but it was interrupted by a hacking cough, which he promptly attempted to cover before it was spewed all over the doll. "Whatever," he mumbled finally, making a feeble movement towards the doll in an effort to hold him. "We'll just have to be sick together, then."

"Don't you be so fucking happy about it!" Chucky exclaimed in between his own violent coughing. "Do you think I want to spend all this time here sick?"

He'd gone off and almost lost himself to say I want our time to be special, but of course, his beloved arrogance caught him right on time to bring about a stop to all of that utter nonsense.

Andy rolled his eyes and sighed deeply. "Alright, alright," he submit, sufficing with merely stroking the deeply set frown that always seemed to grace Chucky's brows. He turned back closer towards the doll to lean over nearer and whisper into his ear, "I'd like it if you came closer."

"And just what makes you think you fucking deserve that?" Chucky near shouted, giving Andy the wildest, most incredulous expression. He crossed his arms in a reprimanding sort of manner, but it wasn't all too long before he relented and let the young man content himself by cradling the doll closely as if he were his favorite toy.

Chucky laughed at the irony of it, causing Andy to open his eyes to peek at him questioningly for just a moment before shutting them again and curling against him, emitting mumbles of bliss every now and then.

It wasn't so terribly awful to be indisposed, at least not when you weren't suffering it on your own, he realized. He glanced over at the young man, whose eyes were still shut and he was no doubt very near to falling into a deep sleep. He'd stayed at work the entire day- although when he came home, he was honest enough to admit he may have been feeling low by midday. Chucky could tell now just how poorly he was faring; his breath was lined with soft sniffles, and his nose and cheeks were tinted with a pink flush.

He swallowed the horrid pride for a long enough moment to run his fingers through Andy's hair. It wasn't as if Andy would ever really know, at any rate, he was fast asleep now. He smiled to himself whilst tracing the contour of Andy's face, secretly rejoicing inside when the response was a contented sigh from the young man.

"Don't let your damn nose drool one me, ya' hear?" he- in all respects, mind you- cooed at him, and I'll say, even I'm feeling a bit of second-hand embarrassment as I write this.

The moment wouldn't last for long, however- it never really did with them. The doorbell was ringing, and Andy awoke with a start, hardly noticing that the doll had been showering endearments on him as he slept. All of which was well, seeing as I'm quite sure Chucky had no intentions of him ever knowing.

"Oh, what now," Andy almost whimpered, and the look of despair and exhaustion on his face did it.

"Lay down, you little shit," he growled, half angry at whoever had the audacity to disturb whatever small time Andy had to rest, and half frustrated with himself for not having the courage to just be gentle for once. "You leave from here and I swear to god, I will break your legs."

Andy gave him a hazy look before nodding in a daze and almost immediately fell back against the pillow.

Chucky hopped down from the bed hastily, very near falling in his carelessness. He was already out the door when he heard Andy call out drowsily, "Be nice, please!"

The doll balled his hands into little fists and stomped his foot very much like a misbehaved child. "I will!" he shouted. "Now don't move!"

He skidded across the hall to the front door as quickly as his legs could carry him- and the socks across linoleum floor were quite a big help. Taking the ever helpful stool that was placed near the coat rack, he slid it up to the door and turned the knob very cautiously.

He was bombarded by a chorus of six overly cheery smiles- a group of teens with bright eyes and very rosy faces. Before he could even get a word out, they had already begun singing in a gay sing-song of familiar Christmas carols.

"Deck the halls…"

Chucky steeled himself and bit his tongue for Andy's sake.