Another time and space - Part three; please stay

a Final Fantasy IV fanfiction (Edge x Cecil)

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"I'm sorry."

For a moment Edge just stood there, wanting to push the other away from him, but suddenly he realized it was getting too warm to be normal. Carefully, he moved his arm to feel Cecil's forehead, but as he touched his skin, he quickly pulled back.

"You're on fire!" He shouted before steadying the other's body against the wall. Almost in panic, he looked around for help, but as he saw no one, he took the man in his arms and carried him to their rooms.

Edge looked at Cecil's sweaty face as he carried him to bed. The young man was a lot lighter than he would've thought and it took him less effort than he'd been expecting. His face was white and sweat covered his skin. His clothes stuck to his body and it felt like he was literally on fire.

Carefully he laid his friend on the bed and stripped him of his shoes. As he continued to open his pants, he suddenly hesitated and looked at the man's face again. He was still unconscious. But still Edge didn't know what to do.

Of course he wanted to take care of his friend, even if he was still kind of mad at him, he knew he was sorry also. And after all, hadn't Cecil said he was sorry? The prince swallowed as he sat down on the bed, his hand still on the other man's stomach.

"What should I do.." his voice was shaking and his eyes looked sad. Slowly he reached out and placed his hand on Cecil's forehead. He really was burning. He slid his fingers slowly over the other man's skin and touched his temple, his cheek and finally his lips.

"I'm helpless when you don't help me.." Slowly he placed his own forehead on that of Cecil, his eyes closed and softly sliding his hand over his throat, to his chest. He just sat there like that for a moment, when finally he sighed and sat up again.

Cecil was looking at him. Edge saw him smile at him, the same gentleness in his eyes that he was used to. For a moment it stayed silent as they simply looked at each other, when Cecil eventually placed his hand on his chest, on top of Edge's.

"You can't leave now, Edge, you're in bed because you have a fever you know?" Cecil looked at him and frowned at the young prince. The young man had been whining on how he wanted to train all day, but as usual he forgot to think of his own health.

"I know that! But can't I at least train for half an hour?" the prince looked at him hopefully, but he knew it wasn't going to work. If anything, he'd never been able to get his way with his friend when he'd made up his mind.

"Edge, no matter what you say, I'm not letting you leave." Cecil chuckled as he saw the hopeful look disappear and wanted to walk away. Edge suddenly tried to sit up, so the young man turned back at him and pushed him down under the sheets.

"I told you to stay put." He looked the prince in his eyes and made it clear to him he wasn't in the mood to repeat it any more that day. Edge just slumped down in his bed and sighed. He looked at Cecil and then took his hand as the other wanted to leave again.

"Then at least tell me if you know of any way that might make me better a bit sooner?" His eyes almost begged him to tell him something and finally his friend sighed and sat down at the edge of the bed with a gentle smile.

"I'm not sure if this really helps, but some say it does.." Edge told him to not talk, but just do it and Cecil sighed and told him to be a bit less eager. Finally he placed his hand on the other's forehead and slid his fingers slowly over the other man's skin. First he touched his temple then his cheek and finally his lips.

As his fingers gently touched the young prince's skin, he heard him slightly gasp under the touch. Vaguely he realized he smiled about it, but then he continued the remedy he'd heard about. Slowly he placed his own forehead on that of Edge, his eyes closed and softly sliding his hand over his throat, to his chest. He just sat there like that for a moment, when finally he sighed and sat up again.

He looked at the prince, lying in his bed and smiled. Edge asked him what it was he had done and with a slight blush he explained to him it was a remedy an old woman had once told him about.

"That's all I know." Was what he said as Edge asked him what it all meant and did, but Edge's eyes didn't weaver when he asked him again. "You'll understand when you get older" Cecil had wanted to say, but instead he told him again that this was all he knew.

With a sigh Edge gave in and let the subject go, but inside the young prince felt Cecil hadn't spoken the truth. For a moment they just sat there, when finally the young prince's friend wanted to stand up, but once again a hand caught his wrist and pulled him back.

"Please stay.."

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