Teach You How To Love

Sick Baby

Mark woke up to the sound of coughing. Turning, he saw Scott curled up on the bed, coughing repeatedly.

"Baby!" he cried. "What's wrong?"

Scott managed to stop coughing. "I feel terrible," he whined.

Mark sighed, bringing his boyfriend's head to his shoulder. "You okay?" he whispered. "Are you sick?"

"Yeah," Scott said. "I think so."

Mark got out of bed. His alarm clock hadn't gone off yet, so he was pretty sure it was some detestable time of day. He tried very hard not to look at the clock.

Mark walked into the bathroom, and came back with a thermometer. "Baby," he said, and Scott opened his mouth. Mark put the thermometer in his mouth, and Scott curled up against him.

The thermometer beeped, and Mark took it. Scott immediately buried his face in his chest. "My poor baby," Mark whispered, stroking his boyfriend's hair. Scott looked up.

"What's my temperature?"

"102," Mark replied. "You've got a fever, love."

Scott groaned. "I'm not surprised, honestly," he said softly.

Mark smiled at him. "Go to sleep, darling," he whispered. "Now, I have to go back to sleep as well. Before I leave for work, I want you to call both Kirstin and the principal. She can teach the class for today, right?" Scott nodded. "Okay," Mark continued. "I'll also want you to test your temperature. Can you do that, my sweet baby?"

Scott nodded again, lying down. Mark cuddled with him. "Good boy," he whispered, but the blond boy was already asleep.

_

A couple of hours later, both of them were roused by their alarm clock. Scott groaned, and Mark hurriedly turned it off. "You okay?" he asked.

"I have a headache," Scott whimpered.

Mark sighed. "The thermometer is on the bedside table, check your temperature, then make the phone calls I told you to make."

"Okay," Scott said.

Mark took a shower, then returned to their bedroom. Scott was on the phone, explaining that he had to be out. He was clearly talking to Kirstie, because he was saying that either she needed to find a sub, or teach the class herself.

Mark got dressed quietly, trying not to disturb their conversation.

He left the room to have breakfast, and came back with a tray and a bowl of cereal for Scott. He set the tray on the ground, and left again. He listened to music for a few minutes, then left.

When he got to the school, Kirstin was waiting by the entrance.

"Mark!" she said, walking behind him. "Scott called and said he was sick. Is he okay?"

"He's sick," Mark said confused as to what her question was.

"How sick?" Kirstin asked.

"He was coughing a lot," Mark began. "He said that he felt terrible. When the alarm clock went off, he groaned and complained of a headache."

"Poor thing," Kirstie murmured. "Could you not stay with him?"

"I could never get a good sub on such short notice," Mark told her. "Anyway, he's the one that's sick. If I'm careful, then there's nothing to stop me from working."

"Oh, okay," Kirstie said. "That makes sense."

_

When Mark's planning period came, he called Scott. "Hey, sweetie," he said. "How are you?"