Christmas Time

Sickness

London

10th December 1974

It was around 1am, and Brian was about to fall asleep. He was staring at the ceiling trying to get the tiredness reach his eyes. Roger was already asleep, but Brian had a bad feeling. The whole day before, Roger was acting weird

-He kept saying he was good, but his eyes told a different story... When we had to record he didn't even try to react or say something. He was too quite... Too quiet for Roger... It also seemed like he had a sore throat... And at some point, when the others and I went out for a walk in the park, He didn't come with us... There is defenetly something wrong-

Brian was genuinely concerned for his bestfriend... Roger didn't use to be as quiet as he was the day before... He couldn't be just Roger if he didn't make any kind of noise or something pretty stupid. But then, Brian's thoughts were interrupted; Roger fell from his bed "Oh my god Roger!" He whispered. He got up immediately and turned on the lamp on his besides table. He went to Roger and gave him an help "Are you ok?" Roger's eyes opened slightly. Roger felt his eyes burning and his brain was blowing up. His body was in complete pain and he felt like the room was too cold; that feeling gave him chills "No... I'm not ok. I feel so bad Brian" Roger said with a whisper. He could barely talk as his throat was aching so bad. Brian's eyes were filled with concern. He made Roger sit down on the bed "Wait here Roger, I'm coming in a bit" Roger nodded shaking from the coldness of the room. Brian went straight to the bathroom to search for the thermometer.

-I knew Roger was sick, but I didn't think he had flu. I think he has high fever... This will be a long night-

Brian told to himself while searching for the thermometer. He found it in the bathroom cabinet, and walked again in his and Roger's room. "Open your mouth" He aksed Roger, who instantly did what Brian asked him to. Brian put the thermometer in Roger's mouth "Just five minutes and I'll pull it off from your mouth

-I'd preferred something else in my mouth-
Roger thought grinning around the thermometer.

"I'm making you some tea, ok?" Roger nodded. Brian smiled softly and walked out the room. He went down the stairs and got into the kitchen. He put some water in a kettle to make the water boil. After two minutes, the water was ready, and he poured it in a cup where there was already a tea-bag. He put some sugar in it and took it upstairs; Roger was still on the bed. He looked exhausted; the lamp lighted his tired face and his baggy eyes. His cheeks were completely red and the poor blond was shaking. Brian walked towards him, gave him the cup and, before taking the thermometer off his mouth, he wrapped Roger in a pleid. Roger's sight looked empty; his baby blue eyes weren't as shining as usual, and his hair was a mess. Brian looked at the thermometer "You have high fever Roger... Drink the tea and then you must sleep" Roger tilted his head and took a sip of his drink "It is too hot Brian" Brian let out a sigh. It came to him how Roger could be problematic when he was sick... He raised his eyebrows "You now drink ok?" He commanded Roger, who was looking at him with pleading eyes "But it's too hot for me to drink it Brian..." He said whispering. Brian sighed again "If it's too hot you can wait a few minutes before drink it. Don't you?" Roger stopped complaining  as his body started to hurt more than before, and began to drink his tea silently. "Stay here and finish your tea. I'll be back in a moment" Brian exited the room, and as always, Roger tried to follow him with his eyes, but he just couldn't: he felt like they were on fire. He wanted to fall asleep, but he decided to wait for Brian, who came back in the room after a minute. He had a damp cloth in his hand and, when he was in front of Roger, he placed it on Roger's head gently "I think this will help you get the fever down" He then sat next to Roger, who was still drinking the warm tea. When he finished it, he handed the cup to Brian "I finished my tea" Brian took it and put it on the beside table, then he stood up "You must sleep now" Roger's baggy eyes were filled with tiredness; he slowly nodded at Brian. Brian smiled softly at him, and helped Roger lay down on the bed "Try to sleep ok?" Roger, when Brian covered him with the duvet, sighed happily and closed his eyes. Brian wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment, but he had to hide that feeling. He shut the lamp down, went on his bed and laid down as well. He tried to close his eyes an to fall asleep, but the anxiousness was eating him from the inside. He kept looking at Roger, who looked finally asleep, but he still wasn't sure if he wanted to close his eyes and sleep... After half an hour, the warm feeling of his bed got him asleep.