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It couldn’t be less than sixty degrees out, but Kyle still shivered as he walked back to the apartment he and Stan stayed in, just on the edge of campus. Thank god classes were done for the week. He was exhausted.
The walk home seemed to take longer than usual, too, body aching and head pounding as Kyle dragged himself down the sidewalk. Maybe he should take a nap before starting on his assignments. No doubt Stan would be on his way out the door in a little while anyway, off to jam with Kenny after he got done with his shift.
After trudging up the stairs, Kyle unlocked the door and plopped his bag on the counter, not bothering to announce his presence. Talking seemed like too much work.
Stan’s voice floated from down the hall.
“Hey, Ky, that you?”
“No, it’s Dracula.” He cringed at the scratchy way his voice came out.
Emerging from the bathroom with damp hair, Stan gave him a dimpled grin. “How was class, dude?”
“Same old same old.” Kyle dropped onto the couch, pulling a blanket around himself.
Stan’s smile fell as he joined him.
“You okay? You’re really pale.”
“‘M always pale.” Kyle leaned into his boyfriend’s side, thankful for the warmth. “Just tired.”
“Need to take a nap?” He did, but he wanted to change clothes first. Get into something warmer.
“Gonna go pajama mode.” Kyle mumbled, standing up and stumbling to the bedroom. Jesus Christ, he felt like shit. Probably just needed to sleep it off.
Rifling through the drawers, he settled on a thick pair of pants and one of Stan’s old hoodies. Just holding it, Kyle was immediately comforted.
“See, you’re fine.” He murmured to himself. “Just a quick nap and you’ll be right as rain.”
——-
Kyle woke up trembling less than an hour later.
Fuck, why was it so cold in this apartment? Rubbing a hand over tired eyes, he listened for any sign of movement from the living room. Nothing. Stan must’ve gone to Kenny’s while he was asleep.
Slowly, he sat up, blinking away the spots that appeared at the edge of his vision. Sleep hadn’t helped; in fact, Kyle felt even worse than before. First priority: turn the fucking heat on.
Shaky legs carried him to the doorway, where he was surprised to see a very shirtless Stan scrolling through his phone on the couch. His super best boyfriend looked up at him with a soft expression.
“Hey, dude. How you feeling?”
Kyle gripped the doorframe to steady himself, choosing not to answer that question.
“Thought you were going to Kenny’s?”
Stan shrugged. “You were acting weird, man. I didn’t want to leave you alone.”
Kyle shut his eyes momentarily against a wave of nausea before cracking one back open. “How are you not wearing a shirt right now, dude? It’s fucking freezing.”
Something between concern and confusion crossed Stan’s face. “It’s really… not. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Will you stop asking me that?” Kyle spat. “I’m turning the heat up.”
He started for the thermostat, making it a handful of steps before his ears started ringing, vision blurring. He had just enough time to think “fuck” before he was collapsing against the wall.
Kyle was vaguely aware of a familiar pair of arms around him, but he couldn’t make out what Stan was saying for a moment. He could feel himself shaking. Finally his vision cleared. He was on the ground, Stan kneeling beside him, hands on his shoulders to hold him steady.
“Can you hear me, baby?” Came Stan’s frantic voice. “Say something, Kyle!”
“It’s okay, ‘m okay.” He managed, despite feeling very much not okay. He looked up into those worried blue eyes, his own heavy.
Stan shook his head. “You’re not okay, Ky. You’re shaking like crazy, and you just passed out on me!”
Kyle felt a cool hand on his forehead, then heard a string of curses. “You’re fucking burning up, dude.”
He responded by burying his head into Stan’s chest.
“Kyle, look at me.” He let Stan tilt his face up. “When did you start feeling bad, babe?”
“Mm, this morning. Thought it was fine.” He was interrupted by the obnoxious ass beeping of his dexcom. Damn. That made sense, he supposed.
Stan chewed his bottom lip. “You’re low, aren’t you? That’s why you fainted?”
Geez, make me sound like a damsel in distress, why don’t you? Kyle thought. Stan reached over to tuck a stray curl behind his ear.
“When’s the last time you ate?”
Damn, when did he last eat? He knew he didn’t have breakfast, and had felt too queasy for lunch. “Last night, I think.”
Eyes wide, Stan gasped. “Dude! You know you can’t be doing that!”
Dear God. He knew Stan worried way too much about his eating habits on the best of days, and yeah, he was justified in that, but still.
Kyle slumped back into his arms. So warm…
“Hey. Stay awake for me, okay baby? Just until we get some food and medicine into you, yeah?”
“‘S okay. Not sick.”
Stan sighed. “Don’t make me call your mom, dude.”
Shit. Kyle was seriously not in the mood for one of Sheila’s lectures. “Fine. I’m really not hungry, though.”
Making sure Kyle was securely leaning against the wall, Stan stood. “Stay there. Let’s start with some juice so you’re at least stable.”
“Mmm.”
Admittedly, halfway through a tall glass of orange juice, Kyle started to feel a lot more human. He leaned into his boyfriend’s side, enjoying the soothing motion of Stan’s fingers running through his hair.
“Sorry.”
“Hey,” Stan said softly. “None of that. It’s not your fault you caught the frat flu.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “Don’t you have to like, actually go to parties for it to be considered the frat flu?”
Squeezing him tighter, Stan grinned. “That’s a common misconception, my darling. If you get any kind of plague while in college, it’s the frat flu.”
Taking another sip of his juice, Kyle chuckled weakly. “I’m too tired to argue with you, dude.”
“You feel any better, though? Think you could take something to bring that fever down?”
He nodded. “I think we still have cold meds in the cabinet.”
Stan kissed him softly on the forehead. “Gotcha. You wanna lie back down?”
“Yeah.” He didn’t protest as Stan scooped him up, carrying him bridal style. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of admitting how much he loved being carried this way. It made Kyle feel safe, all wrapped up in those strong arms. It also really didn’t hurt that Stan still wasn’t wearing a shirt, gorgeous rounded muscles on full display as he easily took him to bed.
Setting him down, Stan ran a gentle hand over Kyle’s cheek.
“All good?”
“Mmhm. All good.”
“Okay baby. I’ll be right back with some medicine, and then you’re gonna get some rest, yeah? I’ll wake you up in a little while for food.”
Kyle managed a smile at his sweet, beautiful Stan, his knight in shining armor. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
“You don’t have to do anything, Ky, just let me take care of you.”
——-
It was dark by the time Kyle was pulled from sleep again, this time by Stan’s hushed voice from the other room.
He sat up groggily. “Sweetheart?”
A now fully clothed Stan entered the room, phone pressed to his ear. “He just woke up. Yes ma’am. I think so. You want to talk to him?”
Kyle narrowed his eyes as Stan handed him the phone. His suspicions were confirmed when his boyfriend mouthed “your mom”. Kyle sighed and put the call on speaker.
“Hi, Ma.”
“Kyle!” The booming voice of his mother pierced his eardrums. “How are you feeling, bubbie?”
“I’m okay.”
“Stan said you were sick, that you passed out! What on earth happened?”
Jesus Christ. This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted his mom to know. She had a tendency to overreact.
“It’s just a cold, Ma. I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t eat breakfast, and I got a little dizzy, that’s all.”
Beside him, Stan raised an eyebrow, arms crossed over his broad chest.
“You need to be more careful, bubbie! You know how hard getting sick hits you! Not to mention your health problems growing up, and the whole food issue in high school!”
Another sigh. “I know, Ma. Stan didn’t need to call you.”
“I’m glad he did. We both get so worried! Is Stanley still there?”
Stan leaned in. “Yes ma’am, I’m here.”
“Good. You boys take it easy this weekend, both of you drink plenty of water and eat something that isn’t instant noodles. And Kyle?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re going to let Stan take care of you. None of that “I’m a grown ass man I can take care of myself” rubbish. Got it?”
He rolled his eyes at Stan’s smug expression. “Yes, Ma.”
“Good. I love you boys.”
“We love you too. Talk to you soon.”
With the call ended, Kyle flopped back into the pillows. “Dude. Did you really have to call my mom?”
Stan crawled onto the bed with him, lazily draping an arm over Kyle’s chest.
“I was worried about you, baby. You passing out like that was scary.”
Kyle ran a hand through Stan’s hair. “That wasn’t the first time my sugar dropped like that. I’m okay now.”
“I still don’t like it. Speaking of, you think you could eat something now? I’ve got soup on the stove.”
Nodding, he pushed himself up. “I think so.”
“Couch or bed?”
“Ugh. Couch. You know I hate eating in bed.”
Stan chuckled. “I know, just thought I’d check.” He pressed the back of his hand to Kyle’s forehead. “You’re still running a fever, it feels like. Are you still cold?”
He shrugged. “Not as much.”
“Good.” Stan planted a quick kiss to his cheek before picking him up again.
“Stan. If you keep doing that shit you’re gonna get sick too.”
“Hey, I’m not the one with the shitty immune system. Plus, I like carrying you.” He was grinning like a dumbass. A very cute dumbass.
“I’m not gonna keel over if I walk on my own, you know.”
Stan set him on the couch, tucking a blanket around him. “I’m not taking the chance.” He pulled back, smiling, staring for just a second too long.
Kyle raised an eyebrow. “What are you looking at?”
“You’re cute.”
“Shut up, I’m gross right now.”
“Nuh uh. You have that whole fever flush thing going on, and you’re all bundled up in my sweatshirt. You look pretty.”
Kyle scoffed. Stan was one to talk, all gorgeous in that blue henley that he knew brought out his eyes and accentuated his broad shoulders.
“Oh, please. You knew exactly what you were doing when you put on that shirt.”
Stan smirked. “Is it working?”
“You know it is, asshole. If I didn’t feel like shit right now I’d be climbing you like a tree.”
Laughing, Stan planted a few tender kisses to his face.
“Well, then we’d better get you feeling better, huh?”