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Payton was nothing if not perhaps the most stubborn person alive.
That’s why it didn’t surprise River when not thirty seconds after hanging up with his mother, telling him he shouldn’t come by today because Payton was running a fever, he received a text telling him not to listen to her.
Georgina was privilege to Payton’s stubbornness on a daily basis, so seeing River at the front door despite their conversation wasn’t surprising either.
“Maybe you can talk some sense into him,” she suggested, moving aside to let River in. “He refuses to rest and I know from experience that nothing I say will change that.”
River nodded. It wouldn’t be the first time he was recruited to take care of Payton when he refused to take care of himself. “I’ll do my best, Mrs. Hobart.”
Making promises when it came to Payton’s legendary obstinance was never a good idea.
The hacking could be heard from down the hall. Not bothering to knock, River opened Payton’s bedroom door and walked in as casually as if it were his own. Payton let out an accidental squeal, pulling his blanket up to his chin.
“Don’t you know how to knock? I’m not decent!”
A smile tugged at the side of River’s mouth. “That’s funny, because I specifically remember you demanding me to come by as scheduled because, as you so eloquently put it, ‘I’m not fucking sick, okay?’”
Payton scowled. “Well I’m not. It’s just… I was warm. So I… took my shirt off.” Payton winced, knowing as he sat under his three layers of blankets that River wasn’t buying this story in a million years. The truth was embarrassing as hell, but the way River continued smirking at him… damn. How did he make it so impossible to not just spill his guts? “Okay so… Maybe I was throwing up and missed the trash can. I thought I could change before you got here.”
He was surprised to see the smile slide right off River’s face, replaced by a concerned frown as he sat on the edge of the bed and felt Payton’s forehead and cheeks with the back of his hand. Payton wished he wouldn’t do that… It made him feel like throwing up again. Albeit in a much more pleasant way, if vomiting could be pleasant.
“Geez Payton, you really are sick, huh?”
Payton made a face that River knew all too well by now; the slight tilt of his head and the soft focus in his eyes—Payton was concocting a distraction to avoid answering the question.
“My mom had an art show this morning, and do you know what she said?”
River couldn’t help smirking again, deciding to indulge him and come back to the question later. “No, what did she say?”
“She told Martin and Luther to please ‘watch me’. I’m not kidding, she said those exact words. ‘Watch Payton while I’m gone’. Like I’m a 4 year old.”
Indeed, the adorable pout on his lips and the way he folded his arms weren’t exactly making his case. River held back a chuckle. “Well, did they?”
Payton snorted. “Yea, sure. First they held me down and plugged my nose and shoved a spoonful of Benadryl in my mouth when I refused to take it because it knocks me out. I think that’s what they were hoping for. When I was puking my guts out an hour later they yelled at me to keep it down and ‘stop being gross’. And when I dumb enough later on to accept a cup of tea from them, I almost choked to death on the pepper they put in it.”
River winced. “Should I be grateful I’m an only child?”
“I’d tell you that you can have mine,” he responded without hesitation, “but I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.” An awkward pause ensued for a moment. Payton’s pouting was becoming less humorous and more upsetting. He hadn’t realized how much his brothers were bothering him. “…What was she thinking, huh?”
“Who?”
“My mom. What did she think was going to happen? She knows they don’t care about me.
River grimaced, not entirely sure how to answer that question. “I guess.. She had stuff to do and she knew you were sick. Maybe she hoped they’d take pity on you or something. I mean, you’re their little brother. I’m sure they care deep down, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”
Payton looked unconvinced. “When I was five they taped me inside a cardboard box and left me on the front doorstep with a note that said ‘please return to birth parents’. They’re not the brightest but… I think they made how they feel about me pretty clear."
He wasn’t entirely sure if that was funny or not, but decided not reacting was the better option here. “Brothers are just like that. I think… I mean I’m no expert, but…”
“Stop trying to see the good in everyone,” Payton grumbled. “It’s bugging me.”
That made him smile again. “Sorry, you’re right. They’re awful. To the dungeons with them.”
“Ha. So… can we start now please?”
River raised his eyebrow inquisitively before realizing what he meant.
“Payton, we’re not doing any Mandarin today. You’re burning up. I’m pretty sure if I put any strain on your brain right now you’ll pass out.”
Payton sat up as though trying to prove he weren’t sick by his outstanding ability to be upright. “It was just a little spell. I’m over it. Come on seriously, let’s get started.
Another playful smirk crept onto River’s face. “You have to wear a shirt when you’re learning Mandarin. I don’t make the rules.”
Payton quickly looked down, blushing like crazy as he remembered he still hadn’t grabbed another shirt. “You think you’re so funny, don’t you…” He started to get up when River placed a gentle hand on his chest, kindly but firmly laying him back down. The contact on his bare skin gave Payton goosebumps that he hoped weren’t visible.
“Don’t get up,” he commanded. “Don’t need you fainting. I’ll grab a shirt for you.”
A string of uncharacteristically whiny objections were ignored as River walked into Payton’s closet, scanning his wardrobe. The boy sure did love his sweater vests…
“Don’t you ever wear anything that isn’t ‘country club dress code casual’?”
“I am a well-dressed, clean-shaven, hygienic young man worthy of office, thank you very much,” Payton huffed, eliciting a chuckle from River.
His eyes finally landed on a very small stack of t-shirts, maybe about five or six in total. After flipping through them, he grabbed one out of the pile and walked out.
“’Pokémon trainer’ huh?” he asked with an amused smile. Payton’s face somehow managed to get even redder.
“That was a gift! I’ve never worn it. I don’t even like Pokémon.”
River wasn’t entirely sure if that was true or not, but still, the thought of seeing Payton in something so casual made him smile again. He sat down, once again ignoring Payton’s protests of his less than fashionable choice. He shut up immediately when River pulled the shirt over his head and tugged it down, helping him get his arms through the sleeves. He wasn’t exactly expecting help getting dressed.
“There, does that feel better?”
Another pout. “If I say yes, can we start the tutoring? Please?”
River sighed. The joke was wearing thin and if he continued to act playful about this, Payton was never going to give in.
“Payton,” he said in such a way that Payton actually tensed up slightly. “I told you, we’re not doing that today. You’re sick. You need to rest.” Payton opened his mouth, ready to protest when he was immediately cut off. “Did you eat yet today?”
The question threw him off slightly. “I—no? I’m not hungry.”
“Do you think you can keep some oatmeal down?”
Payton was ready to lie that he probably couldn’t keep anything down right now, but River was out the door before he could respond. He frowned and moved to get up, but River whirled around immediately.
“STAY.”
How did he do that? Payton was irritated. He hated this. He didn’t want to listen. And yet, he complied, sitting back down on his bed, continuing to pout. How did he have that effect on him?
River returned a few short moments later, sitting on the edge of his bed again, warm bowl of oatmeal in hand. “Your mom said I can use whatever force necessary to make sure you eat and go to sleep, just so you know,” he said with a grin. Payton rolled his eyes.
“That doesn’t scare me. Mom says stuff like that all the time, but she doesn’t mean it.” That was a bold-faced lie. Georgina packed a surprisingly harsh spank when he really messed up, but that was pretty rare.
“I’m sure,” he responded, sensing the lie. “Guess you’ll just have to trust me then.” He picked up a small spoonful of oatmeal, holding it up to Payton’s mouth. Scowling was becoming his default expression.
“I can feed myself.”
“But you won’t. I know you won’t. So open up."
Why did he feel the need to listen every time River told him to do something? He couldn’t quite explain it, but finally complied, albeit while glaring daggers at him.
River smiled gently in return. “Are you planning on being in a good mood today, Payton?”
“I would if we could just study,” he mumbled back, mouth still half full.
River sighed. “I’ll cut you a deal. You take a few more bites, have a nap, and when you wake up, we can do a little bit of studying. Alright?”
Payton was a master negotiator, but it just wasn’t in him to argue at the moment. Besides, he had a feeling it wouldn’t get him anywhere. “Fine... deal.”
A few more bites had him feeling a little sluggish anyway. Slumping down on the pillows, Payton blinked a few times, willing himself to stay awake a little longer out of stubbornness but knowing that wasn’t going to last long. After a long yawn, he turned his head and looked up at River.
“Wait, what are you going to do while I’m asleep?”
River shrugged. “Stay here and make sure you’re okay.”
He said it so casually like he didn’t just shake Payton’s entire world. He was certain all the blood in his body must have been in his face by now. Swallowing heavily, he nodded and laid his head back on the pillows. Goosebumps threatened to form again as River gently lifted his head, turning his pillow over to the cool side before gently placing it back down and pulling the covers up to his shoulders.
He and River had shared a few, somewhat awkward intimate moments together before; that wasn’t new. A shy kiss here and there, a hand on the knee… But it was commonplace to pretend none of those things had ever happened and start each visit like new. So when River stroked his cheek and placed a soft kiss on his forehead and then his lips, it felt like the first time they’d ever touched all over again.
He didn’t want to close his eyes, even though he felt sleep slowly winning the battle. He wanted to stay awake as long as possible and indulge in the feeling of River gently tangling his fingers in his hair and stroking his head.
Sleepiness got the better of him, and perhaps in a sleep-deprived moment of weakness, he whispered an impulsive “I love you”.
The last thing he heard before sleep finally overtook him was a content “I love you” in return.