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It was a breezy autumn night. The cafe was closing and the cats grew sleepy after all their exhausting efforts of entertaining customers for the day.
Lynx was wiping down some tables till he brought the last couple of cups to the kitchen for Tiger to clean, however, he accidentally releases a few sneezes and coughs along the way.
“are you okay?” Tiger asked immediately as he took his hands out of the soapy water loaded in the sink.
“mhm, just seasonal allergies.” Lynx reassured, up until he entered a coughing fit that he tried to downplay, but it felt like something was jabbing his throat till it coughed itself back up.
Tiger quickly found a cloth and dried his hands; later placing the back of his fingers against Lynx’s flushed forehead.
Lynx winced at the sudden cold sensation, even though he felt like a marshmallow melting against an open fire.
“you’re burning up..” The sound of panic that Tiger tried to suppress could be heard, slowly creeping into his voice.
“i’ll be fine.” Lynx replied as he slowly placed Tiger’s hand back down by his side, giving it a little reassuring squeeze.
Not long later, Lynx was walking out of the kitchen but of course Tiger had to follow him. It was practically his duty at this point.
“i’m fine really, it’s just-“ Lynx spoke but as he turned around to face Tiger again, he felt a sharp throbbing pain stab through his head.
“ow, fuck.” He massaged his temple and rested a hand on the counter to support himself, still feeling a little unsteady.
“sit down Lynx, please.”
Tiger kept his arm around Lynx’s waist the whole time he was redirecting him up to his room, just in case he ‘tripped’, according to Tiger.
Once they finally got up to Lynx’s room, he practically crashed down onto his bed. Lynx crawled, or stumbled, under the covers before being wrapped underneath them with the help of Tiger.
“i’ll go get you some medicine and water, i’ll be right back.” Tiger rushed his words out just so he could return quicker with the antibiotics. And that’s exactly what he did.
He darted back into the room and sat on the edge of the bed with the small pills in one hand, and a glass of water in the other. Lynx found his protective antics absolutely adorable.
“thank you.” Lynx managed to push out before coughing again. He swallowed the pills and took a few sips of water, then leaned back against his pillows.
“it’s okay, try get some rest.” Tiger replied as he attempted to stand up and head back downstairs to close up the rest of the shop, but before he could register his next thought, Lynx wrapped a hand around his wrist.
“please stay.”
Lynx’s inner monologue tensed up once it realised how awkward and clingy that sounded. Tiger just smiled and sat back down, taking his own hand in his. Lynx could feel his cheeks heating up slightly, but Tiger just passed it off as his fever.
Tiger sat right beside him until Lynx started to doze off, letting out some occasional soft snores as his chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm. Tiger just watched, his eyes glistening with awe at the sleeping being beside him. Lynx resembled a stubborn cat that had finally softened up once it received attention like this, maybe that was why he was so drawn to him.
Once Lynx had finally started to stir from his short slumber, he looked around but couldn’t spot Tiger. The sudden feeling of his empty hand clutched around the air as he sat up with slight disappointment circling around him. Why would Tiger leave after he asked him to stay?
But just as the thought entered his mind, it was quickly pushed aside as his gaze averted to the door gently opening.
“oh you’re awake, just in time.” Tiger stated in a gentle tone and he walked over to him with a bowl in his hand. Lynx’s eyes never left Tiger’s path but he was curious about what was in his hand, so he left some silence between them in hopes for an answer.
“i made you some soup.” Tiger asserted, recognising Lynx’s responses a little too easily. He sat beside the bed, exactly where he was before; he knew it was stupid, but while doing some research he came across a fact about cats feeling more comfortable when they recognise familiarity, and at times he struggled to see a difference between Lynx and a cat, so he thought he would try it out. His hand slowly raised the spoon of warm vegetable soup to Lynx’s soft lips but they didn’t seem to budge, not until he spoke up,
“i can do it myself.”
Lynx couldn’t deny he loved the attention from Tiger and his extra unrequited gestures, but Lynx was so used to independency and a lack of comfort that he usually freezes and rejects these kind of offers.
“please, eat it for me? i just want you to get better.” Tiger gently jolted the spoon as a way to ask Lynx to let him feed him.
Lynx hesitantly eyed the spoon up and down one more time before reluctantly opening his mouth and letting the steamy flavours melt onto his tongue.
He couldn’t stop the corner of his lips perking up into a smile as he recognised the nostalgic taste.
“it tastes like the soup mom used to make for me when i was sick.”
Tiger returned the smile back and gave his cheek a little pinch with adoration before scooping another spoonful of the creamy soup mixed with vegetables.
“Je Meow taught me many of her secret cooking recipes.”
“i wish i was around to learn them, before she…” He swallowed another mouthful of soup, hard.
“she doesn’t resent you for it.”
Instead of trying to argue his case on something he couldn’t change the outcome of, he decided to keep his mouth shut and only let the taste of warm soup and bitter regret burn the inside of his throat instead, it’s not like he had the energy to talk much anyways.
After he finished the entire bowl, he rested back against the headboard and let out a small sigh, alongside with a small cough.
“feeling any better?” Tiger out the bowl on the night-stand beside the bed and refocused his gaze back onto Lynx, carefully reaching out to place his hand in his again.
“mhm, just a little tired.” Lynx reciprocated his gaze, feeling the same lingering intimacy that Tiger felt every time he saw those ravishing hazel eyes.
“try get some rest, you need it.”
“you won’t leave this time, will you?”
Tiger couldn’t contain himself from smiling so he sheepishly looked down before looking back at Lynx and clearing his worries.
“no, i’ll stay right beside you. I promise.”
Lynx smiled back and dragged him beside him into the middle of the bed.
“Can you sleep here tonight?”
“well, i was going to go to my par-“
“please?” Lynx gave him those undeniably pleasing eyes that Tiger just couldn’t say no to.
“fine, i’ll stay the night.” Tiger chuckled at his own simple compliance whenever it came to Lynx; he knew he had him wrapped around his finger, but he also knew that was exactly where he wanted to be.
They both snuggled up under the covers as Lynx conveniently ‘found his way’ clung close to Tiger, he stated. He sunk his head onto his shoulder and his face into the nape of his neck, releasing small and synced breathes onto Tiger’s smooth, glowy skin.
As they laid there in silence, cuddling up and slowly dozing off, Tiger felt his own feverish temperature coming on, but he knew he wasn’t ill, just lovesick at the absolute sickeningly adorable cat he was lucky enough to be holding right now, only nuzzling into his soft fur deeper as he joined him in his well-deserved slumber.