Touch

63.

"How are you feeling?", Eddy asked a couple of days later, feeling Brett's clammy forehead with the back of his hand.
"Oh you know, perfectly fine", Brett responded flatly, turning to the side and curling up. The fever had only gotten worse despite taking some ibuprofen earlier, and he had been throwing up all morning.

"I'm sorry, love. Do you need anything? Water? Something to eat? Another pillow?" Eddy asked, not really sure what to do with himself. He wanted Brett to feel better, but nothing he did seemed to work.
"I kinda want you to cuddle with me, but I would hate it if you became sick too because of me", Brett mumbled, swallowing hard to deal with his nausea. Eddy had gotten him a trash can next to the bed, just in case.
"I can if it'll help you feel better", Eddy offered, carefully stroking his hair back. Brett sighed.
"You're just gonna get sick. Don't worry about it."

Eddy shrugged and crawled into bed with Brett anyway, wrapping his arms gently around him from behind. Brett sighed.
"Didn't I just tell you I don't want you sick too?" Brett asked, taking a deep breath in an attempt to ease the nausea.
"I already cleaned your sick this morning, so if that didn't already make me sick nothing will", Eddy said softly, kissing the back of his clammy neck gently. Brett sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, I want to take care of you."

They laid in silence for a while until Brett shifted slightly.
"You have to let go now", Brett mumbled, swallowing hard. Eddy could feel his breathing accelerate, and quickly let go.
"You okay?"
Brett didn't have time to repond before grabbing the trash can and retched into it. Eddy reached over and rubbed his back.

After a few more forced attempts of emptying his already empty stomach, Brett rolled back into bed. Eddy grabbed some tissues from the box he'd put on the bedside table and gently wiped the saliva that had gathered around Brett's mouth.
"I'm sorry", Brett half whispered, voice quivering. His forehead was still covered in sweat, but he didn't even acknowledge it. "You shouldn't have to see that."
"Don't apologize, of course I'm gonna take care of you."

Another few hours passed, and Brett had been in and out of sleep all day. He hadn't been sick since first falling asleep, thankfully, and was now resting his head on Eddy's chest.
"You should try and eat something", Eddy mumbled, stroking his hand over Brett's moist hair. Brett shook his head.
"I'm not hungry."
"I know, but you should still have something", Eddy mumbled, kissing his forehead gently. "I'll make you anything, what do you want?"
Brett shrugged.
"Maybe just a cookie or something? Do we have that?"
"Don't think we do, but I can go to the store and get you some if you want?"
Brett groaned.
"No, no, you don't have to do that. I'll figure something else out."
Eddy kissed the top of his head.
"I'll get what you want, love, it's no stress."

And after a bit back and forth, Eddy was on his way to the grocery store to get cookies while Brett stayed in bed. He wanted to be quick, to get home to Brett quickly in case he was needed for anything.
"Cookies, cookies, cookies..." he mumbled to himself as he quickly scanned the shelves as he walked past, looking for the shelf with the cookies on.
Once he found it, he grabbed a few different ones he knew Brett liked before heading to checkout. Brett deserved any cookies he wanted.

When he got back, Brett had fallen back asleep. Probably for the best, because Eddy was slowly starting to feel a bit out of it himself. He still made tea for both of them and brought the tea and cookies to the bedroom.
"I brought cookies and tea", Eddy said, feeling his stomach do a tumble. He knew what was coming based on what he had seen that morning, and set the teacups on the bedside table.
"I'll just head to the bathroom for a sec."

"I told you you'd become sick, idiot", Brett scolded, sipping his tea. Eddy groaned, the trashcan now moved to his side of the bed, but didn't reply. At least Brett seemed to be feeling better.