Work Text:
When Neil wakes up, he realises something is not right.
His legs feel like lead and weigh him down as he swings them off the side of his bed. As he moves, he feels himself go slightly lightheaded and grabs onto the edge of his small bed,
“Woah,” he says to himself, and slowly rubs his fingers against his temple, trying to subside the pain he feels.
He can hear a low gurgle from the kitchen and the slight smell of roasted coffee beans; Andrew was awake then. Strange, Neil thought, for the other man to be awake before him. He moves his head to the side to find his phone and see what time it is, which he instantly regrets from the pain in his head and the light from the window making his eyes sore. There is a pounding basically taking over his whole face and his ears feel like they might explode if he were to make any sudden movements right now.
“He’s alive.”
Neil didn’t even hear the other man enter the room, who is now leaning against the doorframe, dressed in comfy plaid pyjama bottoms and one of Neil’s faded grey, oversized sweatshirts on, his hair all ruffled which pulls at Neil’s chest, a sudden urge to drag his hands through it. Andrew has two mugs of coffee in his hands. A plain black mug with a small picture of a cat on it and the other bright orange with foxes paws all over it. Neil smiles, that’s his favourite mug.
“What time is it?” Neil finally responds, realising it comes out muffled and congested, motioning grabby hands towards Andrew for the coffee, he keeps his eyes closed and breathes heavily through his dry mouth, his nose completely stuffed up and sore.
“Just gone half past 10,” The other man replies as he makes his way over to Neil and passes the mug over to his open hands, “Your snoring is not one of your most attractive traits, junkie.”
Neil huffs out a short laugh and raises his eyebrow, finally looking up at Andrew who stands between his legs at the edge of the bed. He takes a sip of his black coffee before he replies, “that would suggest that you think that I have some attractive traits.” Giving Andrew a small smile, who in response, rolls his eyes.
“I hate everything about you, you know this.”
Neil slowly places his mug to the side and raises his hand palm up, a silent yes or no? on his face as he looks up at the other man. Andrew of course takes his hand and must notice how clammy Neil’s hands are and furrows his brow.
“You are sick,” Andrew says bluntly, but slowly raises his other hand towards Neil’s forehead to check if he has a fever. Neil leans into the touch and closes his eyes.
“I’m fine.”
At that, Andrew growls deep in his chest and pushes Neil backwards against the bed and steps away to see how he reacts. Neil opens his eyes in shock and groans when he falls onto his back, pain shooting all over, as a whole body ache takes over him. Raising his hands to his head and putting his fingers over his eyes to cover them, coughing as he does so.
“Yes,” Andrew says, “you look perfectly fine to me.” Sarcasm dripping from his voice.
For a moment, Neil hears Andrew leave the room and runs the tap in their shared bathroom, he quickly returns with a wet washcloth and gently moves Neil’s hands from his head and asks a quiet, “Yes or no?”
Neil just nods in response as his throat feels like a razor. He feels Andrew place the damp washcloth on his forehead and slowly push some of his curls out the way, scratching at Neil’s scalp as he does so. Neil makes an appreciative sound and turns his head to kiss Andrew’s wrist and look into the other man’s eyes.
“Okay, maybe I'm a little under the weather.”
“No shit,” Andrew replies, fixing a hard stare on Neil, “was that so hard to say?”
Anyone else would think he was being harsh but Neil could see right through it, from the small twitch at the corner of his hazel eyes which reflects a flicker of concern, the tiny frown playing on his lips as he looks down at him. Others would think Andrew doesn’t care if Neil lived or died, but Neil knew better; the small touches and gestures were his way of showing he did care.
“Lay with me, yes or no?” Neil asks, looking up at Andrew with nothing but admiration and softness in his eyes.
“If it makes you stop looking at me like that, then yes.”
Neil chuckles but shuffled back to his side of the bed so Andrew could crawl over, he feels himself be pulled against Andrew’s chest, the weight of him behind his back and the feeling of the other man’s slow and steady breaths making Neil feel automatically sleepy again. He sighs contentedly.
“You are a mess,” Andrew whispers into Neil’s neck and gives him a gentle kiss. A silent show of I’m here for you and you can relax now. Neil tangles his hand with the other man's which hangs around his side, he squeezes and rubs a finger against Andrew’s knuckles. A silent response that says, Thank you and I appreciate you.
“You like it.” Neil sleepily whispers in response.
“Go to sleep, rabbit.”
Before Andrew can even get the words out, Neil can feel himself slowly drifting off with the comfortable and steadying weight of his…his Andrew behind him.