Gift for LemonKiwiCandy

Gift from ????

Title of the gift: Cold

Pairing: Jinyoung x Mark

How many words: 2586

Rating:  U

Warnings: None

Note to my giftee: Merry Christmas! This was a lot of fun to write. I hope it's what you wanted.

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Cold

When Mark had come to Jinyoung the day before, all smiles because the snow that had been falling since breakfast had settled and was blanketing their garden in white, he’d reminded him gently that he was only just getting over what Jinyoung was sure had been the flu but what Mark had insisted was just a nasty cold. Either way though going out in the snow probably wasn’t the best idea when only yesterday he’d spent most of the day in bed, complaining that his nose was all stuffed up and that was making it hard for him to breathe and therefore to sleep.

“Maybe not…” Mark had conceded, “… but we were so busy with our tour last winter that we barely got a chance to go outside never mind outside in the snow. And it’s so pretty. Please… it doesn’t have to be for long.”

This argument had come complete with puppy dog eyes and the hint of a pout. Jinyoung had tried not to let this get to him. He was stronger than that, it would take more than a little cute to break him. “Okay, snow is pretty.” There was no arguing that, it was a fact. “But I think you’re forgetting that it’s also wet and cold. You don’t need that right now, if we go outside, you’re only going to end up wet and cold too. Then you’ll end up ill again and neither of us want that.” Mark had been miserable the last few days and Jinyoung had been miserable right along with him.

But Mark hadn’t backed down. “I’ll be fine. I feel so much better now, and I’ll make sure I wrap up warm.” He’d assured him. “And like I said, we don’t have to stay outside for long. Ten… fifteen minutes… that isn’t going to hurt, is it?”

And he’d looked so hopeful, eyes wide and beseeching, that Jinyoung’s resolve had crumbled. He was right, ten or fifteen minutes wouldn’t hurt. And if he went with him then he could make sure they stuck to that time limit and got back inside before they both ended up frozen.

At least that had been the plan. Get out, make some footprints in the snow, maybe build a small snowman then it would be back inside to get warm. But Mark had looked so happy out there that Jinyoung hadn’t had it in him to say no when he’d asked for five more minutes. And that five minutes had stretched on a little longer than intended as Mark’s childish enthusiasm had infected him too. They’d ended up building a full-sized snowman complete with hat and scarf and when Jinyoung had told Mark that the face he’d given it using pebbles and sticks had looked more creepy than cute it had sparked a ten-minute snowball fight as well. By the time they’d both made it inside they’d both been rosy cheeked and chilled to the bone. But they’d both been happy. It had been a lot of fun and curling up on the sofa afterwards, Christmas jumpers on and mugs of hot chocolate in hand had been pretty nice too.

And Mark had been right. Being outside in the snow hadn’t hampered his recovery at all. It was twenty-four hours later and he was just fine. His nose was no longer stuffed up, he hadn’t coughed or sneezed since before it had started to snow and he’d had a proper night’s sleep for the first time in days. He was back to his normal self, no harm done by his afternoon spent outside in the wet and the cold.

Jinyoung though… well Jinyoung hadn’t been so lucky. He was currently sitting in front of his computer, pretending to work and trying to avoid his boyfriend. Everything hurt, his head was pounding, his throat felt scratchy and raw and his joints were aching. All he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and feel sorry for himself. But he couldn’t do that because then Mark would know he was ill. And the last thing he wanted was him to feel guilty. Mark had been worried the whole time that he’d been ill that Jinyoung would catch whatever bug it was he had. And Jinyoung had kept telling him not to be so stupid. If he was going to catch it from him, he’d have caught it already, that was what he’d kept telling him. And Mark had finally relented and given in to his mothering. If he found out he really had passed on his cold, then he was only going to feel bad for not insisting he keep his distance.

So yes, Jinyoung was planning on sitting in the study for the rest of the day on the pretence that he had work to do. Mark had already come in to check on him once but when he’d told him his agent had sent him some work proposals and a script for a potential role to read over, he’d seemed to buy it, telling him not to forget to eat and to shout him if he wanted anything.

Or maybe he hadn’t bought it at all because ten minutes later a mug was being set down on his desk and Jinyoung looked up to see Mark standing over him, a crease between his eyebrows and a blanket draped over one arm.

“What’s this?” Jinyoung asked, wondering how it was he hadn’t heard him. But then one of his ears was starting to throb too he supposed, a hand subconsciously going to rub at his right earlobe. When he’d been little any cold he’d picked up had usually been followed by an ear infection too much to his mother’s annoyance. Pre-schooler Jinyoung with a cold had been bad enough but pre-schooler Jinyoung with an ear infection had been insufferable. Or so she’d told him anyway. So yes, maybe he was getting an ear infection too and that was messing with his hearing. That would be just great.

“Hot water, honey and lemon.” Mark told him. “My mum makes it for me when I’m home if I’m ever ill. It might help your sore throat.”

“My throat’s fine.” Jinyoung wasn’t sure why he was bothering to argue. Mark wasn’t an idiot and if he’d already taken it upon himself to bust out the cold remedies then he probably looked terrible. But he couldn’t help it. If he was ill then it was own fault for not listening to Mark in the first place and he didn’t want him fussing over him when it was caused by his own stupidity.

Unsurprisingly Mark didn’t buy it. “Is that why you sound like you’ve been gargling rocks?”

“I… it’s just… It’s not been long since I woke up.” Jinyoung argued feebly, trying to explain away his rough voice. Whenever he swallowed it did feel like he was swallowing razorblades, but he hadn’t realised his voice sounded so hoarse.

“It’s been hours.” Mark said, clearly not in the mood to put up with his crap. “And I’m sure it’s not just your throat. If I was to shove a hand over your mouth right now, you’d probably suffocate, you sound that stuffed up.”

“Okay…” Jinyoung said reluctantly, “… I might have a bit of a cold but it’s really not that bad. My throat hurts a bit and my nose is kind of blocked but other than that I feel perfectly fine. So I’ll drink your honey and lemon drink if it’ll make you happy. I’m sure it will work wonders and clear my airways and then I can get the rest of my work done.”

Mark didn’t look convinced, but he knew Jinyoung well enough not to argue. He knew how stubborn he could be and that pushing him just made it worse. So he didn’t press him or insist he felt worse than he was letting on. He nodded and said “Okay, if you say so. But if you feel any worse come and tell me, okay? Suffering in silence to spare my feelings isn’t being a thoughtful boyfriend you know, it’s just stupid.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.” Jinyoung told him, even though it one hundred per cent was.

“Good. Because I mean it. It’s stupid.” Mark insisted. And with that he placed the blanket he’d brought on the back of Jinyoung’s computer chair. “Here,” he said, “if you’ve got what I’ve had you’re going to be shivering most of the day. So yeah, if you get cold make sure you use it.”

“I don’t have what you had.” Jinyoung protested, never one to give up but Mark wasn’t listening. He was already out the study door and closing it behind him.

______ ______

An hour later and Jinyoung was venturing out into the hallway, blanket wrapped around his shoulders and empty mug in his hands. Mark had been right, he was now shivering. The central heating was on, he knew because he could hear it, but that wasn’t making him feel any warmer. Nothing was, not even the blanket he’d wrapped himself up in. But maybe another hot drink would. So that was where he was going now, to the kitchen to make himself something warm to drink. To get there though he would need to pass through the sitting room and he was dreading it. Because passing through the sitting room meant passing by Mark and if he passed by Mark wrapped in his blanket then Mark would know he’d been right. And there was nothing Jinyoung hated more than arguing with his boyfriend and then having to admit he’d been the one who was wrong.

He'd considered leaving the blanket, so he wouldn’t have to do any such thing but had discarded the idea almost immediately. If he was shivering now it was going to be ten times worse without the blanket. If it was choice between protecting his pride and stabilising his body temperature, then he should probably go with the latter.

And sure enough the first thing Mark said to him when he entered the room was “Yeah, you look perfectly fine,” voice dripping sarcasm.

“I’m okay.” Jinyoung told him, the defence automatic. “Just a bit cold. After something hot to drink I’ll feel a lot better.”

“I think it might take more than a hot drink.” Mark disagreed, getting up from the couch and making his way over to stand in front of his boyfriend. “You look awful.”

“Thanks.” Jinyoung mumbled, feeling a little put out. Yes, he felt like death but he didn’t need Mark to point out he looked like death too. It wasn’t making him feel any better. “But I told you, it’s not that bad. I’ll get over it.”

“Jinyoung…” Mark said slowly, “… you’re as pale as a ghost right now, one of your ears has turned fire engine red and just listening to you talk is enough to make my own throat hurt in sympathy. Anyone can see that you feel like crap. So just admit it and let me look after you.”

Jinyoung thought about arguing some more. Thought about telling Mark that he didn’t feel as bad as he looked. But thankfully the part of his brain that was still thinking logically piped up and told him to stop being so stupid. He really did feel awful. The throbbing in his ear had become a constant piercing pain, it hurt to talk way more than he would like to admit and he was pretty sure he had a fever. If the fact he couldn’t keep warm wasn’t enough of a clue then the fact that he was aching all over was. “Okay..” he sighed, “… fine. I caught your germs and now I feel like I’m dying. But you really don’t have to start fussing. I can look after myself.”

“Are you sure about that?” Mark asked, quirking an eyebrow. Offended, Jinyoung opened his mouth for an angry retort but Mark didn’t let him argue, he carried right on. “Look…” he said, cutting Jinyoung off before he could get started, “… I know you don’t like admitting weakness but being ill, it isn’t a weakness. It happens to everyone. And it’s not like you let me look after myself when I was ill, did you?”

No, Jinyoung supposed he hadn’t. He’d hovered around him the whole time making sure he was okay, bringing him fluids and medicines and making sure he was warm enough. So telling Mark not to fuss over him… well it was double standards, wasn’t it? “I didn’t like seeing you ill.” He admitted, pulling his blanket more tightly around him. “I just wanted to make you feel better.”

“And I just want to make you feel better.” Mark informed him. “So come on…” he added, taking Jinyoung by the elbow and towing him towards the couch, “… let me look after you.”

And without further complaint Jinyoung let Mark lead him to the sofa and took a seat, drawing his legs up and curling up in the corner. He felt a little better already he decided. It was warmer in the sitting room than it was in the office.

“What do you want?” Mark asked next, taking the empty mug he’d brought from his hands, “… honey and lemon or hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate.” Jinyoung rasped. Honey and lemon would probably be better for his throat, but hot chocolate was his go to comfort drink.

“Hot chocolate it is.” Mark confirmed with a nod. “And I’ll bring you some painkillers too.”

“Thank you.” Jinyoung called as he walked away, wincing. The more he spoke the more it hurt. The sooner Mark brought him those painkillers the better.

______ ______

The hot chocolate was gone, the mug on the coffee table and the painkillers Mark had brought him were finally starting to kick in. His nose was still blocked, and it still hurt to talk but his head had stopped throbbing and his earache was no longer constant. He still didn’t feel well but he didn’t feel like death anymore and that was a huge improvement.

The fact he was now stretched out on the couch, his head resting on Mark’s chest as Mark ran a hand through his hair was definitely helping. It was soothing and a distraction from the flu symptoms that the painkillers hadn’t been able to completely dull. The blanket was covering both of them now and the TV had been switched to the twenty four hour Christmas channel. And despite all his still lingering aches and pains he felt warm and sleepy and content. “I love you.” He found himself mumbling, as he fiddled idly with one of the buttons on Mark’s shirt, his eyelids getting heavy.

“I love you too.” He felt more than heard Mark say, the words vibrating through his chest. “Even if you are an idiot. Next time you’re ill, just tell me. Okay?”

“Okay.” Jinyoung agreed, too tired to argue. And anyway, Mark was probably right. If he’d admitted he felt ill earlier and taken something for it then, then maybe he wouldn’t feel as bad as he did now. But then if he had maybe he wouldn’t be curled up on the couch right now either, his boyfriend playing with his hair as they watched cheesy Christmas films. Being ill wasn’t ideal, he’d much rather be well than full of the cold but there much worse ways to spend a winter afternoon.