That's Sweet...Really

"N'Aim, where is N'Kongpob?" Arthit folded his arms across his chest and gave the younger guy his best head hazer glare.

"He's in his dorm, P'." Aim fidgeted with the white strings on his right wrist.

Arthit felt anger bubbling inside his belly. "So he just skipped Capture the Flag day? To hide in his room?"

"P'Arthit, he has his reasons. He's not just skipping to skip." With a quick glance around, Aim caught P'Bright's attention. "Excuse me, P'. P'Bright wants something." He wai'ed and hurried away, knowing full well Bright was just waving in acknowledgment.

Arthit barely noticed Aim's escape as anger drove him towards Kongpob's dorm. How dare he miss such an important day? After all the shit he'd caused, all the hell he'd put Arthit through, Kongpob had the nerve to not show up at a vital SOTUS activity.

Minutes later he banged his fist against Kongpob's door. "Open the fucking door, Kongpob!" After a minute or two, he heard rustling sounds, very much like sheets moving. The little fucker skipped the event to laze around. "Open the door or I'm gonna break it down." He pounded both fists into the wood. At that moment he felt powerful to actually break it down.

Just as he was aiming a kick, the door swung open. "P'Arthit?" Kongpob stared at him through dazed, fever-bright eyes.

Taking in the messy hair, hunched posture, and sweat-filmed skin, Arthit felt his anger fizzle, replaced by concern. "Holy shit, Kongpob." He placed a hand on the younger man's forehead and watched a shiver wrack his entire body. "I'll take you to the hospital." The fever burned against his hand.

"No need, P'." Kong moved away from Arthit's touch so he could hobble back to bed.

Deciding that was his invitation, Arthit entered the room and shut the door. As he toed off his shoes, he glanced around Kongpob's dorm. It didn't surprise him to find it fastidiously neat. The man was just as fastidious about his appearance. Except in his current condition. Arthit stared in shock at the box of pill bottles on Kongpob's desk. There had to be at least eight bottles and most of them appeared to be prescription.

"Kongpob, are you addicted to prescription pain meds? I can find help for you. You don't have to live like this." He sat in the desk chair and watched a bundled Kongpob shiver under the covers.

A twisted smile crossed Kongpob's face. "That's sweet, P'. Really." With a sigh, Kongpob closed his eyes. "I'm not a druggie by choice. You're wrong about me not having to live like this. This," he nodded towards his toes and then towards the box of pills. "This is part of my life. Until a cure for my illnesses are found, I will deal with this, P'. I'll deal with this for the rest of my life."

Arthit glanced at the labels on the pill bottles. He didn't know what most of them were. Only one appeared to be an opioid. "That's...tragic." He glared at Kongpob. "Why didn't you mention you were ill? I would've gone easier on you during hazing. What the hell were you thinking?"

Shifting into a sitting position, Kong trembled from the fever for a moment. The blankets slid off his shoulders, exposing his chest. Arthit almost choked. He hadn't realized how built Kongpob was. It wasn't thick muscles like Knott but it was appealing. Abruptly realizing he was fantasizing about tracing those muscles with his tongue until he got to Kongpob's nipples, Arthit mentally smacked himself. The other man was ill and he was sitting here being pervy. What a responsible and caring P'.

"I wanted the full experience, P'Arthit. I didn't want you or anybody else to give me special treatment because I have some annoying ass chronic illnesses." He tilted his head back against the headboard, exposing his throat.

Arthit wondered if Kongpob was trying to kill him with lust. When had this happened? When had he developed this physical attraction to the other man? "What if something had happened to you during one of the activities? Or because of one of them? And the way you kept challenging me." The thought of being the cause of serious physical distressed to another person nauseated Arthit.

"There were consequences to my actions. To my bravado, sometimes. They were my consequences, P'. Don't take on a responsibility that isn't yours." Kongpob flashed a shadow of his usual sly grin. "Unless you really want to take responsibility for me."

"Kongpob!" But his heart wasn't in the reprimand. In that moment he realized he wanted to do exactly that. Somewhere along the way, Kongpob had captured his heart as well as his attention. But what if he didn't feel the same? "How can I not feel responsible? I made you push yourself physically on a regular basis."

Sitting on the bed next to Kongpob, he braced his hands on either side of the younger man's head. Dark eyes stared into his, still fever-bright but also surprised. Good. He didn't get to surprise Kongpob very often. "How dare you not tell me you are ill? How dare you not consider the impact it would have on me considering all the flirting you've done? Did you consider those consequences? Are you prepared to take responsibility for your actions?"

The air between them sang with tension for too long, in Arthit's opinion, before Kongpob spoke. "What are you saying?" His voice trembled just a bit at the end. His breathing hitched as Arthit leaned closer.

"Your actions of flirting with me lead to the consequences of me caring about you. Even being very, very attracted to you. Are you prepared to take responsibility for my body? And my heart?" He knew his face was flaming red but he didn't care. All that mattered was the look in Kongpob's soul-stealing eyes, the expression on his beautiful face.

Kongpob shivered. "Yes, P'. Absolutely yes." He tilted his head forward until his lips were a whisper away from Arthit's.

Arthit smiled. "Good. And once you're in better condition, I'm going to punish you for hiding this from me."

Kongpob's sigh slid across Arthit's lips. "Yes, P'." Both of them knew the punishment wouldn't be laps around the track.

Straightening, Arthit ruffled Kongpob's already messy hair. "So, my sweet boy, what can I do to help you feel better?"