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“Morning love,” Hugh said softly as Paul began to stir beside him. “Feeling any better this morning?”
Paul groaned and nuzzled up closer to Hugh. “I feel worse,” he mumbled against Hugh's chest. His voice sounded congested and scratchy.
“I’m sorry you feel worse,” Hugh said softly, running his fingers through Paul’s hair. “You’re very hot,” he observed, feeling the heat coming off of Paul’s forehead and cheeks.
Paul hummed. “I know I’m hot, that’s why you fell for me.”
Hugh laughed softly. “You’re also delirious with a fever.”
“Mm no I’m not. I’m perfectly fine.” Paul sat up to prove that was fine, and Hugh saw the moment where Paul got very dizzy from sitting up too fast.
He wrapped supportive arms around Paul's waist and gently pulled him back down onto the bed. “How about none of that,” he said. “You’re sick and need to stay in bed.”
Paul let his head fall onto his pillow. “Fine.” He groaned and turned to look at Hugh. “I hate being sick.”
“I know you do. You’ll get better though.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Paul’s cheek. “It’s not forever.”
Paul hummed in response, then began to shiver. “I’m so cold,” he mumbled, stealing all of the blankets from Hugh.
“Hey!” Hugh protested. “I’m cold too!”
“Yeah but I’m the sick one,” Paul countered.
Hugh wrangled some of the blankets back from Paul, receiving little noises of protest. He wiggled up next to his partner so that they were nose to nose, then wrapped the blanket around both of them. “There. Now you can be doubly warm when we share body heat.”
Paul smiled lazily at Hugh. “You’re cute.”
“And you’re sleep deprived.” Paul rarely got sappy, but when he did he was usually sleep deprived or sick. Paul just happened to be both right now, meaning his sappiness would be amped up. “Please sleep, my love.”
Paul pouted. “No. I hate sleep.”
Hugh rolled his eyes. “Well you need it.”
“Yeah but if I sleep, I can’t cuddle with you.”
“Yes you can. You just won’t be awake for it is all,” Hugh pointed out.
Paul continued to pout and buried himself further in blankets. “I don’t want to sleep. Plus, you’re pretty and I want to look at you.” Hugh felt his cheeks grow warm as Paul booped him on the nose.
“Stop being adorable,” he jokingly chided. “Let me take care of you.”
“No,” Paul said with a smile. He tangled their legs together and rested a hand on Hugh’s chest, snuggling close to him. “I hope you know you’re adorable when you get flustered.”
“Uh huh. Now shush and go to sleep. You can fluster me all you like when you’re less sleep-deprived.”
Paul groaned dramatically. “Why do you hate me?”
“What?’” Hugh laughed.
“You’re making me sleep. Asshole,” he mumbled affectionately.
Hugh raised a hand and began to gently scratch Paul’s scalp. Paul let out a contented sigh and melted into Hugh’s embrace. “I’m making you sleep because I care about you.”
“I’m not even tired,” Paul said, hiding his yawn the best he could. Hugh gave him a look, and Paul glared back. “That was just poorly timed. I’m not tired.”
“Sleep,” Hugh said. “Or at the very least, just try to rest. You’re gonna make it worse for yourself if you don’t.”
Paul sighed. “Fine. I’ll rest.” He pressed a kiss to Hugh’s forehead. “Stay with me?”
“I called off my shift today. I’ll be here with you all day.”
Paul hummed in contentment. “Thank you. Night.”
“It’s morning actually,” Hugh teased, earning another indignant grumble from Paul.
“Time is a construct.”
“Coming from the man who exists outside of the normal time flow.”
Paul opened his eyes and smiled in amusement. “I thought you wanted me to sleep? You know you’re two seconds away from launching me into a ramble, right?”
Hugh laughed. “Alright, I’ll shut up now. Goodnight.”
“Night.”