Kyungsoo watches with mild interest as Joonmyun pads back and fourth from their bedroom to the couch in the living room where he’s currently sitting and back against with a stuffed owl in his arms. It’s the sixth round when he finally stops and meets his eyes, holds them, and then retreats back to the bedroom. “You’re pacing,” Kyungsoo says, and Joonmyun pauses to glance over his shoulder, an “I’m not” spilling from his lips and he’s back in the room, door closed behind him. He doesn’t come back out and Kyungsoo finally decides to investigate what’s wrong with his kitty.

  In the room, Kyungsoo finds him in childs pose, legs bent under him, forehead pressed to the mattress and arms stretched out in front of him. “Is there something you need?” Kyungsoo questions, sitting on the bed next to him. He rests his hand on the back of his neck. The skin feels warm to the touch and Kyungsoo knows. “Your fever is starting,” he deadpans, his hand through his hair. Joonmyun nods into the pillow. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You looked buys,” Joonmyun replies, voice muffled.

  “I’m never too busy for you,” he lifts him into a sitting position, brushing his hair off his forehead. “Now, let me look at you.” He cradles his face, Joonmyun’s skin heated under his cool hands. “You’re burning up.” Joonmyun sniffles, and then there’s silent tears falling down his cheeks, and Kyungsoo wipes them away with gentle thumbs. “Why are you crying?”

  “I don’t feel good,” Joonmyun’s quiet even as he hiccups though his tears, hanging his head.

  Kyungsoo pulls his head up to meet his gaze, nimble fingers across his already reddening cheeks. “Shh, I’ll take care of you, baby,” he coos, pulling him closer to kiss his forehead. “I’ve always taken care of you.” Joonmyun latches onto him, burrowing his head under his chin. “I’ll take care of you.”

  Joonmyun falls asleep in his arms and Kyungsoo gently lays him back on the bed, pulling the comforter over him and placing his stuffed owl next to him before going to the kitchen. He calls in to work for the week, not knowing how long his kitty’s fever would last but knowing It would be at least three days until he felt a little better. He knows Joonmyun’s fevers can vary between chills to vomiting to passing out everytime he tries to stand up.

  The smell of clam chowder wafts through the kitchen as Kyungsoo stirs the soup on the stove, keeping the flame down low enough to not scald him when he tries a sip. It’s Joonmyun’s favorite when he’s sick, preferring to take small sips of it throughout the day instead of eating a fish fillet only to vomit it up an hour later. Kyungsoo has to admit that he prefers it when he ears the soup, too.

 There’s a whine behind him and he turns around just in time to catch Joonmyun as he stumbles, owl falling out of his grip. “What are you doing out of bed?” Kyungsoo leads him to a chair, scooping up his stuffed animal to place back in his waiting arms. “All you had to do was holler and I’d have been there.” He smoothes down his bed head, eliciting a purr from the cat. “How are you feeling; can you eat anything?”

  “I don’t think so,” Joonmyun leans into his touch, purring.

  “Why don’t you try, hmm?” Kyungsoo tries, walking back to the stove to turn the heat off.

  Joonmyun shakes his head, face a darker shade of red than before that stands out against his stark black hair. “Nu-huh.”

  “Okay,” Kyungsoo sighs, moving the soup off the burner and putting the lid on the pot. “Do your gums hurt yet?” Joonmyun nods as Kyungsoo helps him to his feet, walking him to the couch. “Pick a movie, I’ll be right back, okay?” A weak hand grabs at his wrist and Kyungsoo assures him, “I’m going to get ice chips.” He slinks back to the kitchen, pulling open the freezer to get a few ice chips and goes back to his kitty. Joonmyun opens his mouth and Kyungsoo places a piece of ice in the back of his mouth, over his gums. They don’t know why, but the fever always makes his teeth hurt, another reason why he eats soup instead of fish. Fish is soft, but anything hurts his mouth. A content noise passes Joonmyun’s lips when Kyungsoo pulls him into his lap, Joonmyun’s back against his chest as his arms wrap snug around his waist. “How do you feel?” he hums into his ear, thumbs trailing lightly around his hip bones.

  “Bad enough,” and Joonmyun’s voice is raspy now, sore. “I’m sorry for bothering you,” he mumbles, playing with the owl in his hands.

  “You’re never a bother, Joonmyun,” Kyungsoo shushes him, grabbing onto his hands to hold in his. “Never, baby.”

  Joonmyun gets horribly depressed during his fever, Kyungsoo learned, thinking of himself as a bother and sometimes convincing himself that Kyungsoo doesn’t really care, only pities him. It’s another reason why Kyungsoo takes off work when he’s like this, to assure him that he really loves him. Also because one time after work he found Joonmyun curled up in a corner of their room, sobbing, and no amount of comfort Kyungsoo could give could calm him out of hysterics.

  He presses a kiss to the back of his neck, light and sweet, before pressing one onto his shoulder. It’s with reluctance that he pulls his lips away from his skin, because a kitty during fever is never good and it’s still so easy to turn him on.

  Peter pan plays in the background as Joonmyun begins to hiccup through tears. Kyungsoo pulls him closer, down further in his lip until he’s almost laying down with just his shoulder and head leaning against his chest. He cards fingers through his hair, some strands damp with sweat as they stick to his forehead and Kyungsoo makes a mental note to grab a cool wash cloth once he falls asleep again and maybe put him back in bed because the couch is barley big enough to fit both their bodies horizontally. Joonmyun falls asleep with swollen eyes and splotchy pink skin and Kyungsoo almost thinks he has a rash.

  “My poor baby,” Kyungsoo coos as he carries him to their room, laying him down gently in the middle before going to the bathroom. He returns with a wet wash cloth and he dabs it across his forehead, cheeks, and collar bone. Joonmyun huffs, a cry in the back of his throat as he opens his eyes. “I got you. It’s okay, I got you.”

  “Hurts,” is all Joonmyun mumbles out, “My gums. Hurt.”

  “Open for me, let me see,” Joonmyun opens his mouth and Kyungsoo pokes his finger at one of his gums. Joonmyun pulls away from him, glaring through tears. “Look,” Kyungsoo holds up his finger. “Your guns are bleeding. I’ll be right back. Bite down on this, I’ll help.” He presses the cloth to his lips and disappears into the bathroom. He comes back with a tube. “Open. It won’t hurt this time, I promise.” Kyungsoo gently rubs the gel onto his gums with his pinky, being cautious of all the sensitive parts of his mouth. He wipes his hand off on the sheets and pets him, scratching behind his ear to elicit weak purrs from the feline. “You’re okay,” he soothes him, peppering kisses across his temple and down to his chin. Joonmyun whines under him. “I know, baby. I know.” He comforts.

  Joonmyun passes out at some point from crying too much without his owl because Kyungsoo forgot to grab it.

  In two hours, Kyungsoo wakes him to stomach a bowl of soup, keeping him up long enough for it to settle in his tummy instead of throwing it up.

  He makes sure he’s up before noon the next day, because Joonmyun gets crankly when he sleeps through the day even when he’s on his fever.

 

  With his kitty gathered in his arms in the bath tub, the water warm because Joonmyun’s fever is still really high, Kyungsoo carefully washes around his ears, being gentle and going slow because getting water in his ears only causes irritation for Joonmyun. With two bowls of soup and a glass of ginger ale successfully stomached, Joonmyun purrs, leaning back against him. “Are you starting to feel a little better?” Kyungsoo drains the tub as he carefully washes his ears.

  “A little more relaxed, maybe.” Joonmyun lets him wrap him in a towel.

 

  Two days later and Joonmyun’s gums have stopped bleeding and he moves onto toast and milk, stomach craving the chocolate syrup that will flavour his milk to his liking. Kyungsoo still makes sure he eats at least half a bowl of soup with each meal, and after wards Joonmyun purrs in contentment on the couch with a full belly.

  Another three days and Joonmyun bounces into the kitchen with a smile on his face, owl left in the bed room. Kyungsoo laughs, turning off the burner on the stove before pulling his kitty into his arms. “Are you feeling better?” he asks, kissing his nose.

  Joonmyun hums, nodding, and he kisses him, leaning a little too into it because Kyungsoo has to steady them with a few steps. “Thank you,” he mumbles against his lips. He wraps arms around his neck and pulls him closer.

  “Uh-huh,” Kyungsoo scolds, resting hands on his hips to push him away. “You’re still a little warm.” Joonmyun pouts. “Don’t give me that look, baby, you remember what happened last time we had when you were getting over your fever. Not again.”

  “But I feel better,” Joonmyun whines, and Kyungsoo sits him at the table so he can finish making breakfast.