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Shane woke up with a scratchy throat. He didn’t thought much of it. Maybe he slept with his mouth open and therefore his throat was scratchy. He took the glass of water from the bedside table and drank all of it in one go. His throat still felt scratchy. Maybe it would go away over the day.
He stood up and followed his morning routine. Smoothie, breakfast, a short walk with Anya and then to the rink. At training everything felt fine.
He had a little less energy and got out of breath a little faster. But that might be because he hadn't slept well. Yes, that was the reason. Ilya had looked a little skeptical his way when he had to pause after a scrimmage. But Shane just held his thump up and Ilya nodded.
After training in the locker room Ilya knocked his shoulder into Shane’s.
“Are you ok?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Didn’t sleep well.”
“Okay. Then we can take a nap at home.”
“Yeah, we can do that.”
Once they got home and had eaten lunch they lay on the couch cuddling. Shane with his face pressed into Ilya’s pecks, arms around Ilya torso and legs tangled. Ilya was carding one hand through Shane’s hair and held him with the other arm. Shane fell instantly into a slumber.
He woke up abruptly, heart beating fast and sweating. He felt awful. Ilya’s hand was still carding through his hair.
“I think you are ill, Lyubimy.”
“I’m not…” Shane protested while having a coughing fit.
Ilya raised his eyebrows.
“You were restless in your sleep, you feel hot to the touch, you were out of breath really fast at training and now you are coughing. You are ill.”
Shane slumped back into Ilya’s chest and uttered a low “yeah…”.
“We are not going to training this evening. I’m gonna carry you into bed and watch over you. I’m gonna make you my mother’s soup and then you will be better in no time,” Ilya declared.
“Yes, okay.”
Ilya detangled his legs from Shane’s and extricated from under him. Then he stood up and scooped Shane into his arms bridal style. Shane would always protest when his husband picked him up that way but now he was grateful that he didn’t have to walk the way from the couch to the bed. He rested his head in the crook of Ilya’s neck and let him carry him upstairs. It really was impressive that his husband was strong enough to carry him up the stairs without breaking a sweat.
Ilya set Shane softly down on the bed and pulled the comforter from under him to wrap Shane up into it.
“I’ll bring you a glass of water and I will make you some tea. Then you will sleep. When you need anything send Anya. And I will check on you regularly while making the soup, okay?”
Ilya whistled and Anya came running through the bedroom door. She jumped up on the bed and cuddled up to Shane. Normally Shane wouldn’t let Anya sleep on the bed.
But he really felt sick and could use some support from her soft fur.
Shane cuddled a little closer around Anya. Meanwhile Ilya went into the bathroom and came back with a glass of water. He pressed it into Shane’s hands.
“Drink.”
Shane gulped the whole glass down and then slumped into the sheets. Ilya gave him a kiss on his forehead and left the room to make some tea. Shane fell asleep after a few minutes.
He woke to a cool hand on his forehead.
“I think you have a fever, sweetheart.”
“Oh…”
“Here drink some tea.”
Ilya pressed a cup of tea into his hand. It was not too hot. He could drink it without burning himself. He drank half the cup and gave it back to Ilya.
“Good boy,” Ilya praised and put the cup onto the nightstand. “Now you can sleep again.”
The next time he woke Ilya came into the room with a rattling tray.
“I made you some soup. I also have bread you could try to eat but you have to eat the soup. It will make you feel better.”
Shane slowly sat up and Anya jumped down from the bed. Ilya placed the tray on his lap and crawled in bed beside Shane. Shane ate the soup slowly and tried the bred but set it aside after one bite. The soup was warm and salty but not too intense. It made his tummy feel better.
Ilya watched him closely and gave him the tea to drink in between spoons full of soup. After Shane had finished almost all of the soup he felt exhausted. He wanted to sleep again.
Ilya saw his exhausted expression and took the tray from his lap.
“I will bring this back to the kitchen and then I will come back to cuddle you,” he said before leaving the room.
Shane snuggled deeper into the bed, pulled the comforter around him and closed his eyes. Before sleep caught up to him he felt his husband cuddling up to his back.
Shane woke to light streaming through the windows.
He could still feel his scratchy throat and the urge to cough was still there but he felt much better than the day before. He turned in his husband’s arms. Ilya was still asleep. He looked so peaceful. Shane caressed his golden locks and Ilya’s eyes fluttered open.
“How do you feel?”
“Better. Thank you for taking care for me.”
“Always, Lyubimy,” Ilya smiled.