#coldfuckery

When he finally pushes his body beyond its limits training outside in the cold, spitting rain, he ends up so dizzy and exhausted he has to plop down on the wet grass and just breathe for a while, holding his aching head in his hands and trying not to pass out.

Later that evening, he shows up at the door of Jonathan's trailer, arms hugging himself as he shivers miserably with the chill. The last few days have been busy and they've hardly seen each other, so they promised each other they'd have dinner and unwind together after he trained tonight. He's not breaking that promise.

A raindrop hits his unusually tickly nose, causing his presence to be announced with a pathetic sneeze before he even gets the chance to knock.

"Huh...HISSHHyuu!! Heh-ISSHH-yuhhh..."

A few moments later the door opens and Jonathan pokes his head out, visibly confused. "Hey. Was that you just now?"

"Hey," Seph feigns cluelessness, even though his eyes are watering. "Was what me?" He tries to make his voice sound normal but can't quite manage it.

Jonathan instantly clocks the croakiness. "You sound a little..." He frowns, then shakes his head. “Here, come in, you’re getting wet.” Seph mumbles in agreement and allows himself to be gently pulled inside by the elbow.

Inside, he's grateful to be out of the rain, but he has to focus on holding himself still so as not to keep shivering. Jonathan eyes him as he leans against the kitchenette counter.

"I made mac and cheese for us. Hope you don't mind. I figured you'd be in the mood for it after training?"

Normally he'd be ravenous, and Jon's mac and cheese is his favourite. But with how awful he feels right now, food is the last thing on his mind.

He forces a smile, nodding. "Yeah...sounds great."

Jonathan's gaze lingers on Seph as they both dish up the food, but he doesn't say anything. Once they've sat down Seph does his best to eat as much as he can, but his appetite is scarce. It's a struggle to keep any kind of distance from Jonathan since the table is so small, their legs entangling under it. Staring down at his plate, his gaze turns bleary as the steam rising from the hot food makes him even more congested.

"Seph?"

Seph weakly lifts his head, which is swimming. "Huh?"

"Did you um, hear me?"

"Uh..." He blinks slowly. His voice is thick when he speaks. "Yeah, I...sorry, what'd you say?"

Jonathan sets his fork down, furrowed eyebrows forming a little crease above the glasses that sit on his nose. Cute when he does that, Seph's feverish mind supplies.

"Alright, I can't take this anymore. You're not feeling well, are you?"

"What?" Seph shakes his head, braids flying. "No! ...I mean, yeah, I am. Feeling well."

His boyfriend rolls his eyes in fond exasperation and softly says, "You don't think I can tell when you're sick, dummy?"

"I'm fine."

Right after he says that he sneezes again, triggered by the steam.

Fed up, Jonathan leans over the tiny table towards him.

"Wait—" Seph tries to jerk away from his reach, but his reflexes aren't as quick as usual. Jonathan lays his hand on his forehead, and his eyes widen.

"Babe, you're burning up..."

"No, please...it's just...you've been cooking, it's hot in here..."

Jonathan's hand moves to his flushed cheek, stroking it with his thumb as he shakes his head, gaze full of concern. "Come on. We don't lie to each other, Seph."

That's what gets him to break, finally.

He lets out a crackly sigh of defeat, closing his eyes as he leans into his touch. "I know..."

Jonathan nods silently to tell him it's okay, keeps stroking his cheek for a few moments more.

"Sorry...I couldn't finish the food."

Jon smiles softly. "Hey, it's okay. I'm more worried about you right now." He gets up, circling around the table to help Seph stand. "C'mere..."

He resists for a moment, not meeting his boyfriend's eyes. "You don't need to take care of me," he murmurs thickly.

"Oh, sure, I'll just leave you to suffer," Jonathan scoffs as he gently pries Seph from his chair. "Maybe I'll even kick you back out into the rain, huh?"

"I mean it, Jonathan." Seph's voice is scratchy, but full of conviction. "You-you do too much for everyone already. I don't wanna add to that."

Now Jonathan turns serious, wrapping an arm around the small of his back as he leads him towards his bedroom. "Joseph, I want to." He places both hands on Seph's shoulders, firmly pressing him down onto the edge of the bed. "And you clearly need it." Placing a soft kiss on his forehead, he murmurs against it, "Now lie down."

For the first time, Seph manages a weak half-smirk as he looks up at him, rubbing at his nose. "So commanding."

Jonathan's mouth quirks up in response. "Don't you know it." He lightly pushes Seph down by the shoulder before backing out of the room momentarily.

Seph drags himself to the top of the bed and sighs into Jonathan's pillow, too tired to get under the covers.

After refrigerating their leftovers, Jonathan returns armed with a glass of water, painkillers, lozenges, tissues and a cold compress. Hearing him approach, Seph opens his eyes and suddenly chuckles deliriously at the sight of him somehow carrying all of that.

Jonathan looks up with a puzzled smile as he sets the water and various other items on his bedside table. "What's funny?"

"You." Seph lets out a little groan as he slowly sits back up.

Jon sits on the edge of the bed beside him. "Okay, well now I know you're really out of it," he jokes, handing him the glass of water and painkillers. Seph takes them gladly before lying down again. Taking off his glasses, Jonathan follows, curling his body around Seph's and holding the cold compress to his burning forehead.

Seph's eyes flutter closed on an exhale, much-needed relief hitting him at last. Jonathan just watches him, calm settling in his own chest now that he's able to take care of him properly. He's usually the one who needs taking care of, so it's really nice to be the one looking after Seph for once.

He wraps his free arm around him, pulling him in, and Seph snuggles into his chest, the tension mostly melting away from him.

Jonathan hums softly, rubbing his back as he holds him. "Feels better getting what you need, hm?" He whispers.

"Mmhm." Seph nods very slightly against his chest. This turns out to be a mistake because it stirs up his itchy nose again. "Tha—huh..ha.. ISSHyuh! Hah-ISSHHyuhh!! ...Hh-..HISSHHyuu!!" He muffles three overpowering sneezes into Jonathan's chest, shoulders shaking. "Aah.."

Jonathan holds him through each one, stroking the back of his neck. "Woah, three. Bless you a lot." He turns just enough to reach for a tissue, and Seph pulls back just enough to survey the mess he left on his chest with dread.

"Fuck, so sorry..." If it were the other way around he would've been pretty into it, but he can't help being grossed out by doing it to someone else. By accident. Even if it is Jonathan, someone he trusts deeply.

"Shh, it's okay." Jonathan wipes his T-shirt down with the retrieved tissue before pressing it to Seph's cherry-red nose, cleaning him up carefully so as not to irritate him further.

Seph blushes at the intimacy of the action, and then blows into the tissue which Jonathan is still holding for him. "Aughh...thanks...can't do anything without sneezing. Guess now I know how it feels for you all the time."

Jonathan discards the sodden tissue and chuckles. "Indeed."

Those sneezes took the last ounce of energy left in him. Officially unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Seph lays his head back on Jonathan's chest, worn out. Jonathan answers by curling around him once again, pressing his lips to the top of his head. They lie together, listening to the rain outside beating down on the roof of the trailer.

He thinks Seph's fallen asleep already, but after a minute or two comes a weak, whispered "...Thank you."