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