Short stories!

"I'm dyin', sweetheart,"

Clifford look at Quinton with more passion than he'd admit to anyone besides Quin.

Quinton, Clifford's lover of over fifteen years, laid in the hospital bed. He seemed content there; head perched over a pillow, a book held weakly in between his frail, sickly hands, a soft cough on his tongue.

Quin closed the book abruptly, huffing as he turned to look at Clifford. Quin stared at Clifford with concern, worry and sadness, before sighing, "I'm dyin', sweetheart," His voice was raspy and hoarse- he barely whispered the words.

"Don't say that," Clifford pleaded, his eyes already wet with tears just from hearing the words ooze from Quin's mouth.

Quin rolled his eyes, for he already had accepted, and therefore didn't feel as strongly as Clifford, about his upcoming death. He took a sip of the water that sat on his bedside- which the nurses deemed too dangerous for them to touch.

"Oh, I said it. I'd scream it, if I could," Quin's voice came out clearer now, but obviously not better. "You gotta understand it, baby. I won't be here long enough to keep sayin' it."

Clifford's head was lowered, his chin sitting on Quin's pale blue bed sheets. He looked up at Quin as if he was a kicked puppy- biting on his bottom lip to keep the tears at bay. He couldn't summon enough strength to respond, even if he wasn't the one in the hospital bed.

Quin was quiet for a moment, watching Clifford deal with the words he said. Quinton looked at his hands for a minute- which were damaged from the chemo, before a light smile reached his lips.

"You remember my hair, doll? Them locks you used to love?"

Clifford sniffed, "Who said I still don't love 'em?"

"I think the doctors donated it. Probably to a girl with prettier looks than mine, y'know?"

"No one's prettier than you, Quin,"

"I'm flattered, but my hair was clearly my dominant feature,"

A light laugh fell from Clifford's lips- one that made Quinton's heart jump and the butterflies appear from his stomach- like they did when he first met Clifford. Clifford sniffled, starting to rub the tears away from his eyes as he sat up and leaned towards Quin with interest.

"That's not true. Your eyes are still as vibrant as ever," Clifford smiled, tilting his head to look at Quinton's light blue eyes.

Quin grinned, shaking his fist in the air with the little strength he had.

"Ah! That's right! These the only jewels no sickness can take from me, ya hear?!" Quin tried to shout, and it was going good until his voice cracked towards the end and sent him into a hearty coughing fit. For a minute there, he was too overcome with his old happiness to remember why he was in the hospital bed.

But, Clifford chuckled and laughed like it was the best joke he'd heard in a while. Cliff looked at Quinton with so much adoration, Quin felt like he was actually someone important.

"Yeah, you told them!" Cliff gasped between his laughter, before it died out with a small sigh. Clifford lowered his chin back to Quin's bedsheets, before muttering, "Quiet down before you wake up someone."

Quinton looked at Cliff. A thought that always reoccured to Quin struck him again, and carefully, he pulled the black ring that always sat on his middle finger off and sat it on the bed next to Clifford.

Quin took a breath, before smiling sadly, "Marry me?" He asked, watching Clifford's face twist from one of happiness, to shock, to confusion, and land on a mischievous grin as he picked up the ring.

"I thought your grandfather gave you this?" Clifford questioned, more concerned on how much the ring meant to Quin than what Quin said.

"Yeah, but I'm givin' it to you so I can marry ya,"

"That's not legal, is it?" Clifford asked, although he already knew the answer.

Quinton folded his arms, "It's gonna be,"

"But it's not right now? How are we gonna do this?"

"Dammit- just take the fuckin' ring before I die, Cliff!" Quinton shouted- actually shouted, even with his voice hoarse and raspy, he still bubbled over with frustration enough to shout.

Clifford tilted his head, looking up from the ring in his hands to Quinton's worried and frustrated pout. "That's what this is about? You want to marry me before you die?" Clifford asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Quinton couldn't find the motivation to answer. He knew he had to calm down if he didn't want to sob while finding his words.

Clifford was quiet, before whispering, "Premarital sex is no joke, Quinton,"

"AIDS is no joke, Clifford. I'm not dying without making this official,"

Clifford sighed- a mixture of defeat and endearing in his voice, before he smiled and slid the ring onto his ring finger, "...I like the thought, Thank you. I love you," Clifford reached for Quinton's hand, but the man flinched away.

"You can't touch me, you'll get sick," Quin warned, before folding his arms, "I know I'm super hot but you'll have to resist." He joked, though his eyes clearly conveyed that his own words hurt him.

Clifford stilled for only a moment, before slightly patting Quinton's shoulder. He slid his hand down his shoulder, slowly caressing Quinton's arm.

The motion made Quin's eyes go wide, and sent him into an even larger coughing fit than before. He hit Clifford's hand away, struggling to tell the man to stop.

But while Quin moved his hand to hit Clifford away, Clifford moved quick and took the chance to grab Quin's hand. He entwined their fingers, a grin on his lips as he presses them against Quin's hand. "I think I'm willing to take the chance if it's for you,"

"I'm not!" Quin forced out, his voice worse than when it started. He angrily sipped his water, before mumbling, "Geez, man. At least ask for consent.."

Clifford snickered at the joke, before running his thumb over Quin's hand. Clifford pressed small kisses on each of Quin's fingers, humming a small tune.

"I'm sharing my radiation with you," Quin whispered, as if he was saying something loving. Clifford giggled against Quin's fingertips, before tilting his head and gently rubbing his cheek against Quinton's hand.

"I'd take your radiation any day, baby," Clifford whispered seductively, before laughing against Quin's hand.