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Thomas smoothed Emile’s hair back soothingly until Emile’s breathing slowed to a steady and methodical pace. Thomas smiled down at Emile’s feverish but serene face, feeling the washcloth as it probably needed to be redampened so it would help Emile’s fever go down. He gingerly plucked the washcloth from Emile’s head, holding out from his body as to not dampen his own clothes.
Luckily, the bathroom was right beside Emile’s bedroom, so Thomas took no time in moistening the cloth with cool water for Emile’s head. Swiftly Thomas was back and delicately placed the cloth back on Emile’s head. Emile sighed contentedly in his sleep, slightly leaning into the sensation of the cool cloth on his head.
Thomas took Emile’s hand as he sat beside him, hoping the sensation would help any delirium dreams Emile was having. He cupped Emile’s hand in his, staring at Emile’s face in concern, monitoring for any indication Emile was in distress.
He rested his head on the edge of the bed after a while, the sun hadn’t gone down yet, so he didn’t think he would...
It wasn’t until he felt and heard a loud buzzing that Thomas realized he had closed his eyes, fumbling for his phone with one hand, still lightly gripping Emile’s hand in the other. When he saw the time, he was confused for a long moment, as it was just about 5pm, but his phone said it was almost 8?!
Thomas nearly exclaimed What the fuck?!before he remembered Emile was sleeping and Thomas shouldn’t wake him. Instead, he remembered his own experiences with being sick and remembered the one thing he always wanted was water.
So Thomas gently placed Emile’s hand back onto the bed, wiping a bit of drool from his mouth from where he had been dozing on the bed. He padded softly to the door, slipping through the gap before closing it as much as he dared to create a barrier of soundproofing as the sink would be audible from Emile’s bedroom and Thomas did not want to wake Emile.
Trying to keep the quiet, Thomas slowly retrieved the glass, nearly dropping it at one point, Thomas’s heart pounding as he fumbled to catch it so it didn’t hit the ground. When he had done that, he finally stepped to the sink to do the dreaded task.
Thomas sighed, letting all the air out of his lungs as he filled the glass with water, the smooth metal of the sink feeling cool and nice on his palm. the sound was quiet as he turned it to the lightest trickle he could. He tapped his foot lightly, watching the faint and fleeting light through the blinds of the kitchen as the sunset turned the world to twilight.
“Emile, what am I going to do with you?” Thomas whispered aloud to no one in particular, shaking his head, cupping his hand under the cup as he pulled it to himself, turning away from the window with the full glass of water towards where Emilie’s bedroom was. Thomas loved his partner, but sometimes he was a little dense when it came to their relationship.
Thomas slowed his pace as he entered the Emile’s doorway, thanking any deity he could it didn’t creak like so many times before.
However, he stopped in his tracks when he saw Emile sitting up, head against the wall, tears running down his face. Thomas nearly dropped the glass in his scramble over to Emile.
“Emile? Whoa, hey! You have a nightmare? Please don’t cry, you’re safe and I love you. I promise I love you.” Thomas comforted Emile, gently wrapping his arms around him.
He became alarmed when Emile pushed Thomas off, tears not stopping as Emile flailed. Emile’s expression was angry as he half-yelled.
“You left me alone! You- you abandoned me!” Emile cried, curling into himself and shivering, his voice croaky and raw.
Thomas realized that Emile was at the very least slightly delirious, as though Emile’s emotions were definitely on high, Emile wasn’t one to assume anyone would disregard him so easily unless he wasn’t thinking with complete clarity.
“No, Em. Hey, look at me.” Thomas replied gently, getting as close as he dared under Emile’s harsh glares. Emile did what Thomas asked, staring at him, forcing Emile to take in Thomas’s posture and body language.
Thomas saw a little recognition in Emile as his body relaxed a little, though Emile didn’t seem consciously aware of it as he gazed glassy eyed into Thomas’s eyes. Thomas spoke again, tone still gentle, but with the slight hint of authority.
“Emile, I’m not going to ever abandon you. I was only getting you a glass of water. Are you thirsty?” Thomas continued, holding out the glass for Emile to take, though Thomas knew he would likely have to hold it for Emile as Emile’s hands were going to be too shaky to hold the glass without dropping or spilling it.
As expected, with a glare at Thomas that showed he still deliriously thought Thomas abandoned him, grabbed at the glass, hands shaking enough that the glass nearly spilled all over him. Thomas managed to save the glass at the last moment, but even still he got a glassy glare from Emile for invading Emile’s space. Emile didn’t seem to notice he almost spilled the glass, just registering Thomas’s movement to save it.
Emile muttered into the the glass as Thomas helped him tip the glass to pour into his mouth. Emile held his stare for a moment or two before Emile looked away, getting lost in the sensation of the cool water. When Thomas had to tip the glass back down, Emile made a sound of protest, desperately clinging to the glass with shaky hands, trying to bring the glass back up to drink more.
“No, Emile, you gotta slow down. I know you’re thirsty, but you could inhale some water if you go to fast, alright?” Thomas chastised Emile, ignoring the next glare Emile shot his way.
Thomas slowly helped Emile drain the glass, Emile whining desperately as he strained for more water from the empty glass. But when Thomas shifted to get up to refill the glass for Emile, Emile quickly shifted gears, whining even louder as he shakily grasped Thomas’s wrist, a small whimper of “No.” melting Thomas’s heart.
“You want me to stay? No more water?” Thomas asked, Emile whining and reaching for the glass again making Thomas bite back a chuckle at how adorable delirious Emile was.
“Which is it, you want me to stay or you want more water?” Thomas raised his eyebrow raised in question.
Emile shifted gears once again as he gripped Thomas’s wrist tight, Emile’s glassy and unfocused eyes finally focusing in on Thomas’s once again as Emile whined, single word croaked out.
“Nooooooo!”
Thomas couldn’t help but audibly laugh at the pathetic sound, again ignoring Emile’s glare.
“Okay, you want me to sleep in the bed with you or just be in the room with you? If I sleep in the bed I might get sick too-” Thomas was cut off as Emile yanked Thomas’s wrist towards him, nearly causing Thomas to knock foreheads with Emile, but Thomas had enough wherewithal to stay balanced.
“Alright! Okay! I’ll get in the bed with you.” Thomas relented, moving Emile just enough so Thomas could squeeze into the bed, Emile almost immediately wrapping around him like a koala.
“You’re adorable, Emi.” Thomas was greeted with a whine to that statement, Emile deliriously disagreeing.
Reaching to turn of the dim lamp by the bed, Thomas felt Emile already relaxing, the exhaustion of his sadness induced illness overwhelming Emile once again.
Thomas then left himself settle down into the comfy bed, his neck a little stiff from his previous sleeping position. But as he sat in the silence, his QPP safe and wrapping around him, he drifted off to the knowledge that everything was alright.