Bear-(mxm rever series 2) (Free w/paid bonus chapter)

Bear 11

Too hot. 

Ranger rolled around beneath the smooth, soft blankets covering him. 

Too cold.

He felt like he was in an unending dream where the temperatures went up and down, but refused to stay at a tolerable level. 

"I'm sorry to call you over here so abruptly, but he's just not getting better."

He recognized that voice, but couldn't quite piece together the words or picture their owner. 

"Not a problem. I'm glad you called. I was worried when he didn't come down for breakfast," another, much more familiar voice replied as Ranger felt something damp press against his forehead, then wipe away sweat from his face and neck. 

"He never handled getting sick well. His brother can just laugh off a cold, but they hit Ranger really hard," the newer voice, which he could now tell was female, replied. 

There was a sound of understanding before the male voice responded. "He came over looking for his lasso that I had accidentally borrowed, but he wasn't dressed for the weather."

The woman chuckled quietly as Ranger felt a container holding some sort of warm liquid press against his lips. 

"He's a sweetheart, but definitely not the brightest. He's snuck out on plenty of occasions just like this when he was little. If he wanted to get a few more pebbles from the pond for his little rock collection but didn't want to wait until morning when the temperature was higher, he'd jump out of his window at night and come home the next day half-frozen. Or like when he was in high school and discovered girls. Oh boy, he would be sneaking out at least once a week, sometimes just in a pair of shorts, even when there was ice on the ground," the woman's voice chastised, and that's when he realized that his mother was there. In Heian's house. In his bedroom. Taking care of him. 

 Kill me now. 

"Do you  mind if I use your kitchen, Mr. Li?" his mother asked with an enthusiasm that made Ranger want to groan, but he didn't have the energy. 

"Of course not. Help yourself to whatever you need in the refrigerator and freezer, too," Heian replied as Ranger felt the side of the bed next to him depress. 

He could hear his mother run out of the room in less than a second. 

Don't leave me here with him!

Oh hush, you. Mr. Li has been treating you all night and all day. He hasn't even gone to sleep yet. You better thank him when you are feeling better!

Ranger bit his tongue on a response. What could he say? That the guy was after his ass and was probably just pretending to be nice? 

The faint tug against his hair that he hadn't noticed previously stopped abruptly, drawing his attention to the words that he knew he hadn't thought. 

"I'm sorry. I can't tell what you're thinking right now, but I can feel that I'm making you extremely uncomfortable. I'll excuse myself. I've got to get outside to take care of the morning chores," Heian said as the pressure on the bed beside him lifted away. 

Ranger felt his heart fidget nervously as he heard the man's footsteps head toward the bedroom door. Right before he stepped out Ranger managed to force one of his eyes to crack open. 

He changed his clothes but his hair is in a messy ponytail. 

Even without brushing it out or any product, it was still nearly to the bottom of his back.