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Wylan coughed again and this time Jesper couldn’t help it. His gaze switched to looking over his body, concerned at the miserable way that Wylan’s eyes were tinged slightly with red, his skin impossibly whiter than usual. The whole afternoon, Jesper had been tempted to say something, but knew well enough that it would only earn him a glare.
But when Wylan sniffed heavily, his breathing labored like he was running, Jesper put down the documents on the desk and turned in his chair. Wylan adamantly didn’t move a muscle.
Jesper opened his mouth, but Wylan spoke first, chin in his hands with his eyes slightly shut. ‘I’m fine. Just tired from work.’
He even yawned, but Jesper wasn’t sure if that was for effect or not. It was possible and believable that he was tired from work, as the two of them had been busy taking some of the funds out of foreign markets and investing in more domestic affairs. It bored Jesper just thinking about it, and it took up most of their time that week. When it was finally time to quit, the two of them barely had the energy to talk, just flopping into bed in their clothes and falling asleep at contact with the pillows. Jesper wasn’t too sure why Wylan wanted to change so much about his father’s investments, but he had some idea.
But this wasn’t just plain exhaustion. ‘Tired people don’t get pale and sweaty and cough all the time,’ Jesper replied, scooting his chair so it was closer to the big chair where Wylan was sat. As soon as he tried to put his hand up to Wylan’s forehead, his hand was batted away.
‘My throat is just a little tickly, and… my head aches but that’s only because I’m tired,’ Wylan said with his eyes now on Jesper. ‘I promise.’
Jesper felt his facial muscles pull his lips into an uncontrollable smile at Wylan’s face, the little worried divot in between his brow, the slight grin. ‘Okay, if you say so.’ But he chewed on the skin of his lip. ‘Look, I’m gonna make you some tea—‘
‘I told you I’m not sick, Jes.’
‘—just for your tickly throat, that’s all. Plus, tea is always nice. You deserve it for working so, so hard,’ Jesper argued, his voice soft as Wylan’s was hard and stubborn.
‘F-fine,’ Wylan grumbled before stifling another cough, putting his fingers onto his forehead and leaning onto them, looking down at what he was doing.
Jesper couldn’t help but laugh a little at Wylan’s frowning face. He rushed back round to him and gave him a little hug, whispering into his hair as he kissed it, ‘You’re being real cute right now, y’know.’
‘Shut it,’ Wylan muttered, but that was before he leaned into Jesper for a few seconds, hiding his smile.
When Jesper came back with the tea, he instantly saw Wylan sit up from having his face practically planted on the desk, a smaller paper stuck to his forehead before it fell off promptly. Wylan fixed his hair and smiled up at Jesper, but he could see his eyes glistening with water.
Jesper rushed over and put the tea down on the desk. ‘C’mon, Wy, you’re exhausted .’ When Wylan didn’t respond or even pick up the tea, eyelids opening and shutting slowly, Jesper frowned.
‘Wylan?’ Jesper prompted gently, making Wylan perk up a little, but he swayed. ‘Oh darling,’ he cooed, going round the desk again and sitting in his chair, which he brought even closer to Wylan’s.
‘I told you, I’m fine,’ Wylan said, voice garbled with the sound of a cold, sniffling before he tried and failed to suppress another cough.
Jesper raised his eyebrows incredulously and placed his hand over Wylan’s, bringing it to the mug’s handle. ‘Drink up, this will make my poorly guy feel better.’
Wylan rolled his eyes as he brought the tea to his lips. ‘You’re so dramatic,’ he drawled, but Jesper saw him smile a little, blush rising on his cheeks. After a couple sips, Wylan set it down and looked back at the sums he had been doing.
Jesper sighed, speaking gently. ‘Seriously, I think we should finish up now, get you into bed—‘
‘Just because I drank the tea doesn’t mean I am sick,’ Wylan said, not looking at him, sniffling. ‘Besides, we aren’t finished . If I don’t finish this today then…’ He trailed off to sneeze.
‘Bless you. But what will actually happen if you don’t finish? It’s fine.’ Jesper didn’t fully understand, looking at the papers piled up on the desk, and he himself could almost feel Wylan’s headache. His own hand was cramping from the writing, and that was enough for him to want to quit for the day, so why couldn’t Wylan?
‘I just- I just can’t.’
‘Well, maybe a full stomach would help? We could get some dinner, a drink perhaps, have a little break—‘
‘Jesper I don’t want to do that. I have to work,’ Wylan began quietly.
‘Just at least take a short break, maybe we could go for a walk—‘
‘I have to—‘
Jesper began to pull on Wylan’s arm, but he didn’t budge. ‘Wylan you need to rest.’
‘No! I don’t want to!’ Wylan said with his raspy voice raised, making Jesper drop his arm in shock. A second later, Wylan keeled over in a fit of coughs, seemingly not able to stop. Jesper’s instincts brought him over to him, kneeling down and quickly wrapping his arms around his shivering figure.
‘Hey, hey, it’s alright. Look at you,’ Jesper said softly, kissing Wylan on the temple and shushing him as the coughing fit subsided. Wylan whimpered quietly, before slowly relaxing in Jesper’s arms. ‘You’re burning up, too, I can feel it through my shirt.’
Wylan didn’t say anything, but he groaned a bit, taking his head from Jesper’s chest.
‘So darling, why do you wanna work so much, huh?’ Jesper kept his hand on Wylan’s cheek, rubbing his thumb slightly. It was extremely warm.
‘I don’t… know,’ Wylan tried to say, and Jesper could see how much effort it took him to speak, voice reedy and weak.
Jesper didn’t let up, keeping silent, but his thumb still stroked across Wylan’s reddened cheeks. He wasn’t sure if the blush was caused by him or the illness. Wylan broke and unbroke eye contact over and over again before he finally sighed and gave a little weak sound, like a half-sob.
‘Fine I just…’ Wylan slumped down in his chair again and put his warm face in his hands. ‘If I can’t finish this on time, then I’ve failed, and I’ll prove that everyone who didn’t believe in me was right, that they were correct, I’m just some lazy… good for nothing idi—‘
‘What did I tell you about calling yourself that?’ Jesper frowned, kneeling down so he could be on his level, swiveling the chair towards him. Wylan threw his hands down onto his knees.
‘It doesn’t matter, Jesper! I need to do this.’ He tried to turn back in his chair, but Jesper kept a hold of it.
‘Wylan.’ He ignored him, but coughed a little, and Jesper saw him give a shiver. ‘ Wy. You know… you have nothing to prove.’
‘Don’t I? You’re always saying that I’m the strongest person you’ve ever met.’
Jesper blew out a breath and swallowed. He shook Wylan’s chair a bit, not too much as to make him dizzy. ‘You are —‘
‘Oh come on—‘
‘ But. You can be weak sometimes.’ Wylan frowned.
‘Are you serious?’
‘Don’t you see? You’re allowed to be a little weak sometimes, take a break from being the strong, clever, ruthless Councilman Wylan Van Eck. And just be my kind, sweet boyfriend Wy for a bit,’ Jesper said carefully, smiling comfortingly. Wylan stared at him, and for a second, Jesper thought that he would start to cry. ‘You work so, so hard. And I’m proud of you.’
Then Wylan grinned, hiding his face slightly as he turned his head away, let out a little laugh, cheeks deepening in color. ‘You’re so sweet,’ he managed to get out before coughing a couple times.
Wylan finally let Jesper feel his forehead. ‘Saints, you’re hot. And I don’t mean that in the normal compliment way. You’re sick, darling, let me take care of you.’
Wylan groaned and leant his head against Jesper’s shoulder, sniffling. They kept silent for a few seconds, Jesper occasionally adding kisses to the top of his head. ‘Okay.’ Jesper grinned. ‘I am pretty sick, I guess.’
‘See? Now how do you feel?’ Jesper wrapped his arms properly around Wylan, bringing him close as the boy buried his face into Jesper’s chest, sniffling.
Wylan gave another half-sob. ‘It feels so terrible, like my throat is on fire, but I’m… cold at the same time? I hate it so much.’
‘I know, darling, I know,’ Jesper said, voice barely above a whisper. ‘I’ll get you some soup and medicine, okay?’ He stood up slowly, and pulled Wylan up with him.
‘You don’t… you…’ Wylan tried to say, attempting to stand up straight, but he stumbled and his knees gave out on him. Jesper caught him easily, having anticipated the collapse. ‘Sorry… just got a bit dizzy.’
Jesper didn’t like the glazed look in Wylan’s eyes, the labored breathing, the heat radiating from his sweaty skin. ‘It’s alright, I got ya. Let’s get into bed, hm?’
‘You don’t have to do all this for me,’ Wylan mumbled as he wiped his nose on his sleeve, leaning on Jesper. They walked out of the office and slowly, carefully up the stairs and down the hall to their bedroom.
‘Shh, I’m happy to do it,’ Jesper replied. He led Wylan over to the bed, who sat down slowly, eyes hooded with a mix of exhaustion and a raging headache. Jesper jumped up again and looked over him concernedly. ‘Okay, first let’s try and get a bit of food into you. I’ll make some broth and bread to eat something before you take the medicine. Then it’s bedtime.’
Wylan opened and closed his eyes repeatedly with exhaustion, as if his brain wasn’t able to process all the words at once. Soon enough, he nodded and said a small ‘okay’, letting Jesper know he could take off to the kitchen.
Once he had come back with a tray laden with a bowl of broth, bread and a bottle of general medicine, Jesper closed the door very slowly, smiling at the sleeping figure of Wylan lying deep in the sheets. He placed the tray down on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed, tempted to just lay down behind him and fall asleep too, but he knew what Wylan needed first.
Hesitantly, Jesper brushed the damp curls from Wylan’s forehead and felt himself grinning helplessly at the peacefulness on the boy’s face. But swiftly he frowned as Wylan whimpered a little in his sleep. Jesper felt his forehead. It was impossibly warm, and for a second he considered getting a medik.
Instead, Jesper leaned down and kissed his forehead a couple times, and Wylan’s eyes fluttered open, but he could tell it took him some effort to wake up. Instantly, he squinted at the light, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands.
‘Sorry about that,’ Jesper whispered, turning the light switch off and lighting the candles beside the bed, giving the room a warmer and less bright ambience. ‘Right, you need to eat and take off those clothes.’
Wylan raised his eyebrows as he sat up slowly. ‘I—‘
‘In moderation of course,’ Jesper interrupted, winking, which evidently made Wylan a little less miserable. He brought the bowl and the bread over to him.
Immediately, Wylan scrunched his nose. ‘Not hungry,’ he said with a shake of his head as Jesper put the bowl in his hands.
‘I know how you must feel, darling, but it’s very important that you eat a little bit,’ Jesper coaxed, putting his arm round Wylan and rubbing his shoulder. Thankfully, Wylan took a couple bites from the bread and a sip of the broth, not without a scowl, but it was something. ‘That’s good,’ Jesper said gently.
He then poured some of the medicine onto a spoon and then spooned it into Wylan’s mouth, keeping his palm underneath it so none would spill. Wylan swallowed and made a sour face.
‘That is…’ He coughed and sputtered, as Jesper pulled him close. ‘Absolutely vile.’ He wiped his mouth.
‘It helps though, right?’ Jesper replied, kissing his hot temple. ‘Right, sleepy head, it’s bedtime.’
‘Is this where you take my clothes off?’ Wylan mumbled, and Jesper could tell he was smiling. That was something.
‘Maybe,’ Jesper said, taking his arm off Wylan so he could undo his necktie and then Wylan’s outer-shirt, taking off his shoes and then trousers. Wylan settled back into the pillows with a tired sigh as Jesper brought the duvet and another blanket on top of him. He sat upright again however, when Jesper got under the covers too.
‘What are you doing?’ Wylan asked, before coughing.
Jesper smiled a little, puzzled. ‘I’m getting into bed with you.’
‘But you’ll— you’ll get sick! You need to stay away, I don’t want you to have this, it's horrible,’ Wylan demanded as Jesper tried to cuddle up to him, but he pushed him away slightly.
‘Grisha can’t get sick, sweetheart,’ he replied, brushing a curl from Wylan’s face. It took a couple seconds for the information to process in Wylan’s foggy mind before he muttered,
‘Oh yeah.’
‘So you can cuddle up and kiss me as much as you want,’ Jesper reminded him gently and slowly sidled up to Wylan. He didn’t need to be told twice, immediately curling onto his side and burying his head into Jesper’s chest, snuggling inwards so he could get comfortable. Jesper wrapped his arms around him with his fingers in his soft hair, stroking slowly and trying not to wince at the heat that came off him.
Jesper couldn’t get to sleep despite Wylan falling into a deep one in moments, his labored breathing going soft. Jesper often came to the brink of sleep, but as soon as he thought he could fall, Wylan would cough so hard he half-woke himself up or scrunched up his face in distress, squirming. He made the occasional groan or whimper and would start to wriggle in Jesper’s arms, but he quickly calmed down and fell back asleep with a kiss on the forehead and fingers stroking his hair.
Wylan actually woke up properly a few hours later, a coughing fit shuddering through his chest like an engine. Jesper brought him back down, shushing him and rubbing his back. He gave him some more broth which had grown cold and another spoonful of medicine, which Wylan was too tired to scorn at.
Wylan settled back down into Jesper’s arms, miserable and even more shivery than before. He wriggled around in the sheets. ‘It’s so cold in here, Jes,’ he mumbled, voice croaky.
‘Yeah I know, but I don’t want you to overheat while you have this fever,’ Jesper responded. Wylan only grunted and pressed himself tighter against Jesper for warmth. Hearing him make a soft little noise and his quick short breaths, Jesper felt a rush of protectiveness and affection for him. He pulled him impossibly closer, whispering in his ear, ‘You’re just so cuddly when you’re sick, aren’t you? It’s very cute, y’know.’
‘Don’t call me cute when I’m like this,’ Wylan responded with a small sniff. ‘Besides, you’re warm.’ Jesper felt Wylan wrap a leg around him.
Jesper cooed quietly and felt bad for what he said earlier, so he brought the blankets up higher so they covered Wylan’s shoulder and he was properly snuggled in.
‘Am I really warm?’
‘Yeah. It’s so nice.’
‘Okay, love.’
Wylan took a deep breath and relaxed, melting into Jesper’s embrace again. Jesper could even feel himself start to fall asleep, knowing that his boyfriend was happier now. He forced himself to wait until he knew for sure Wylan was asleep though, drawing and tracing squiggles into his arm. Once Wylan’s breath had evened out, Jesper shut his eyes.
But then came a little cough and a voice. ‘Jes?’
‘Mhm?’
‘Thank you…’ The rest of the words were mumbled very quietly and Jesper couldn’t make them out.
‘What was that?’
Wylan looked up at him with wide, red eyes, slightly watering from the fever. ‘Thank you for taking care of me. No one’s ever really done this for me before,’ he said weakly before burrowing back into Jesper’s chest.
Jesper’s breath caught a little, having many questions go through his mind, heart squeezing with the knowledge of what happened to the love of his life. It wasn’t fair. ‘I’ll always be there for you, Wy,’ he said softly but adamantly. He pressed multiple kisses on his head and then one larger one on his cheek. ‘Get some sleep.’
When Wylan’s breathing grew deeper, indicating he'd fallen asleep, Jesper held him a bit tighter, his thoughts spinning. He wanted to personally shoot each and every person who’d ever abandoned or hurt the beautiful man in his arms.