And once again, I always forget to update my account while I'm updating my AO3 account.
Dirk awoke with a start, a nightmare still dancing in the forefront of his mind. Trapped in a thick mass, barely able to move, sinking down into its depths as he called out for Jake. No one came. Shaking the heavy feeling from his head and limbs, he climbed out of bed. Taking a few deep breaths, he paced around the room, figuring out how he was going to handle the day. Stony silence? Icy politeness and civility? ….Warmth and friendliness so maybe they could cuddle on the couch and he could feel Jake near him and think about the kiss; maybe he could pretend they were a couple?
His hand rested on the doorknob as he considered his options. His gut felt heavy and his limbs felt like lead, bingeing on junk food did not agree with him. He should have at least eaten some of the dinner Jake had made. Trudging into the kitchen, Dirk was shaken by the piercing silence. "Jake?" No answer. He felt along the countertops for any sign of use, but found them clear. Worried, he made his way back to the hall and found his way to Jake's room.
Knocking, he pressed his ear against the door, waiting for any signal that Jake was in there. "Come in." A soft, weak, and raspy reply. Opening the door, Dirk was struck by the scent of menthol and moist air hitting his skin. Jake whined and Dirk could hear the shuffling of blankets and a small puff as if someone had lost their balance and fell a short distance. Dirk made his way to the bed, his hand brushing the scorching skin of Jake's arm as he felt his caretaker flinch at the contact. "Sorry, I'm just achy."
Shifting his weight from foot to foot, and using his free hand to play with his hair, Dirk tried to lighten the mood. "So you're sick. Way to do the opposite of your job, Jake." The brunette began to laugh before devolving into a coughing fit. Dirk outstretched his arms, waving his hands a little, "What can I do?"
"There's some Advil in the bathroom, second cabinet, it will be the smallest bottle."
Dirk returned quickly from his venture, bottle in hand. "Here."
"That's shampoo."
"Oh." Returning to the bathroom, a prickling rose underneath his skin and an awkward sense of urgency engulfed his chest. He tripped on a mat by the sink, his sight stick sent flying and his hands reaching out, just catching himself on the edge of the counter. The momentum propelling him further and his other arm stretched out, scrambling for further purchase on the surface, resulting in many containers shoved over the edge. A sharp sound of glass breaking echoed in the small room and after a little more wavering, Dirk finally regained his balance.
"Dirk?!" He whipped around to call out the door, taking a step outward, only for his foot to slide on one of the casualties on the floor, his arms bring more items with him as he fell. "DIRK!?"
"Uh… sorry. I'm okay." He heard haggard footsteps reaching the doorway and a soft laugh followed by another coughing fit. Guilt was biting at the back of his mind. He had every right to be angry. He had every right to take one listen to Jake's cold and turn away. Something felt intrinsically wrong that option. Standing up, he reached out, probing. Jake took his hand, guiding him out of the bathroom and presenting him with his sight stick. The sound of items skidding across the floor, the creak of the cabinet door, and the gentle pop of an open pill bottle.
"Come along, let's get you breakfast."
"Dude, you're not up for that."
"Well, you're not capable of it." Dirk flinched at the statement. "I meant only that I haven't trained you in dealing with the potentially dangerous appliances."
"We'll eat out then."
Jake was quiet for a moment, the only sound in the room was his gentle wheezing. "Alright."
"I want you in my bed too."
"What?!" Dirk did his best to stifle a smirk, although he felt heat rise on his neck.
"It's bigger and there's an easy button nearby that calls 911. Just in case."
"Dirk, it's just a co-" Jake's rebuttal was cut off with a great hacking cough that sounded like pneumonia taking root.
"C'mon. It doesn't have to be anything romantic. I just, want to-" He stopped himself, biting his lip and trying his best to think of something less corny. "People have been taking care of me all my life. I'd like to at least TRY and return the favor."
Jake sniffled and sneezed, and with the sound of a nasally voice unable to take a proper breath, he replied. "Fine. But I'm answering the door for the pizza and you have to be careful. I don't want you getting hurt."
"Fine." The two made their way to Dirk's bedroom, where Jake collapsed onto the bed, breathing heavy. The rustling of the blankets and a few weak whines peppered the air until he was situated. Dirk grabbed his phone, dialing the number based as the phone told him what numbers he pressed, ordering their pizza. "I should've ordered you soup now that I think about it. Your stomach okay?"
"Mm-hmm." Long and drawn out, but weak. Dirk crawled in bed with him, Jake's body was clammy.
"How're you feeling?"
"Better, think the Advil helped the fever." He coughed into the tissues in his hands. "Will you be okay if I doze for a while?"
"Yeah, I'm an adult Jake."
"Right….don't forget to wake me." Jake's body slowly relaxed into a completely limp state, Dirk had no plans of waking him. Instead he relaxed next to Jake, he should be angry. He shouldn't be this happy to lay next to the brunette. Yet, when his caretaker rolled in his sleep, an arm slung around the blind male's waist, he felt a tremulous frisson course through him. He spent a great deal of time considering what it meant, his reaction, his feelings. And as he listened to the sick male breathe through his mouth in a steady relaxed way of sleep, he realized he was doomed.
When the doorbell rang, Dirk slipped out of bed and grabbed the cash by the door, quickly scanning it with a gadget his brother surprised him with a few years ago, to determine the value of the bills. Taking what he needed, he paid for the delivery guy and took the pizza. Fixing himself a plate, he filled his belly while listening to the Supernatural marathon on TV, falling asleep sometime during season five.
He awoke sometime later to Jake plopping down next to him. "I know you can't see it, but I'm glaring at you."
"Why?"
"You were supposed to wake me to get the pizza."
"You were asleep, besides I made sure he got the right amount of money."
"What if he had tried to overpower you?"
Dirk let out an exasperated sigh, "Don't turn into Roxy on me. I can take care of myself."
"…"
"I'm serious dude, I can handle a fucking delivery boy."
He heard Jake shift in his seat. "I'm sorry. Perhaps my cold has made me a bit neurotic." Dirk felt a hand pat his shoulder as the nasally voice said in a moment of emotional exposure. "I just don't like the feeling of leaving you vulnerable."
"Jake, a cold is hardly 'leaving me vulnerable'. I'm not an infant. It's you who has the cold." Dirk reached out and Jake close to him, "I want to take care of you."
"You just squished my pizza into your shirt."
"…Way to ruin the moment dick waffle."
"What the hell is a dick waffle?"
"You, you are a dick waffle."
"Go change your shirt, I'll treat it and get the stain out."
"You are fucking sick. You will sit on this fucking couch and do nothing but eat pizza and sleep until you feel better."
"….Okay, I'll stop acting like Roxy if you stop acting like my grandmother."
"I'm not sure what that means, but deal."
The rest of the night passed quietly. Dirk helped Jake back to bed and the two slept next to each other.
When Dirk awoke the next morning, he felt the telltale tickle in the back of his throat, the mild headache, and the foreboding chill down his spine. He was sick. This was not the first thing that caught his attention, instead, it was Jake's arm draped across his torso and his chest against the blonde's back. The warmth of Jake's body helped the ice he felt in his bones. He felt like a he was floating in a perfectly still pond. Jake curled tighter around him and he felt something hard against his ass. His heartbeat in his ears and he ignored the growing desire in his gut. Morning wood was hardly a sign that Jake wanted anything more, he made it quite clear this was a platonic relationship. He shouldn't think of the dick against him or what it would feel like in his mouth.
After a few moments, Jake began to stir, rolling away and stretching with a satisfied yawn. "Mmm….? How did I get in your bed?!" a stressed and mortified tone.
"You were sick, I wanted you close by, so I made you share mine."
Jake groaned, "Yesterday's a blur."
"How do you feel?"
"…Pretty good actually." Dirk relaxed and felt the heaviness of illness wash over him. "How about we go out for breakfast?" The idea of eggs and bacon or pancakes, or anything else breakfast related made the blonde's stomach curl and plop in his abdomen.
"No thanks."
"…You look pale." A cool hand met his sweating forehead and the cupped his face. "Shit," Jake's weight disappeared from the bed and returned in moments, coaxing Dirk onto his back. "Put this under your tongue." A small thin device with a cold metal tip was pressed to Dirk's lips, he did as he was told.
A few moments later the thermometer beeped, "101.3," Jake muttered before disappearing again, longer this time and his blood freezing underneath his skin, his mind was clouding more and he felt disembodied; simultaneously weightless and weighed down all in one heavy head. Jake returned and placed pills in his hand and a cup to his lips. "I want you to push fluids."
"Aye aye captain." His caretakers touch was gentle and comforting, a feather of an angel brushing against his cheek and the divine light of heaven shone through his blind eyes. Every minute he felt worse. He could hear Jake pacing about the room, some incomprehensible whispers falling into the otherwise silent air.
"Is there anything I can get you?"
"Mm-mm." He felt the tug of sleep pull at his conscious. The desire for Jake to be near him and hold him, hold his hand, hold his face, kiss his cheek, it was overwhelming.
"I'll be right back." a distant alarm bell rang as Dirk fought to stay awake, the feel of the sheets against his skin fell away, the subtle scent of menthol disappeared, and the bell broke into nothingness.
The blonde awoke a little while later, the sound of pages turning and a gentle, nearly imperceptible, bounce to his bed told him Jake was reading and incredibly anxious. He groaned and turned over, a hand immediately on his forehead, feeling like ice. "Shit."
Body heat faded away and left the blonde shivering until he was presented with frozen caplets and ice water. "I'm going to get you some soup." Dirk reached out, managing to grasp the tail of Jake's shirt.
"Not hungry." He croaked.
"You should eat."
Dirk whined, in pain and his stomach clenched at the thought of food. "No. Come back to bed. You're warm." He felt a moment's pause in his caretaker before the brunette relented and climbed back into bed. Dirk buried himself into Jake's warm and comforting chest, while the brunette stroked his hair and tried not to let affection resonate in his core.
Dirk's fever finally broke a few hours later. Jake doted on him, bringing him soup, changing his sheets, and keeping his water constantly filled. As night fell, they decided it would be best for Jake to sleep in Dirk's bed once more, to keep an eye on Dirk's condition.