Ant and Dec OneShots

Special - Sick

"You're burning up."
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It was a normal October evening in London; the rain that had fallen all day had finally stopped for a while and left nothing but a grey, wet, cold atmosphere.

Ant and Dec, both sitting in Dec's big living room, were watching something in the telly because they hadn't got anything better to do.

Cuddled up next to each other they enjoyed one of the rare moments where they only had themselves and nobody else to worry about.
Occasions like this had become rare when thijgs had happened and lives had changed.

Not that they had changed their lives against their will, no, they were happy with how it had all turned out. But sometimes they both missed good old times, where they could simply walk across the street to meet each other.

Ant's attention was taken from the screen when he felt Dec starting to tremble under his arm.

The worry formed a frown on Ant's face as he looked at his small friend. "You okay?", he asked quietly.
"Cold", Dec replied and immediately, the concern clouded his friend's eyes.

It wasn't cold in the room, it was actually pretty warm.

"Are you coming down with something, kidda?" Dec shook his head, stubbornness written over his face. "Just cold", he answered, but a cough cut him off.

Ant rolled his eyes and pulled away so he could feel Dec's forehead.

"You're burning up!", he said, voice soft, as his hand met the hot skin of his best friend.

"Your hand is just cold", Dec mumbled and flinched a bit at the touch of his friend.

Ant sighed. "No. My hand is normal. You've got a fever, Dec. Lie down, will ya?"

Dec tried to protest, but as Ant gently pushed him down and his head met the softness of the couch, he quickly gave in.

"I'll be right back", Ant reassured affectionately and made sure to cover Dec with a fluffy, warm blanket.

Then, he hurried into the kitchen, where he quickly filled a bottle with water and put the kettle on. For a split second he was tempted to ask Dec across the rooms which tea he'd like to drink, but Dec would probably just not care.

Ant picked something quite randomly, it wasn't too much that he could choose from.

The tea prepared, Ant went back to his friend with the water bottle and carefully sat down on the edge of the sofa.

"Drink something", he said gently, but Dec shook his head. "Don't want to", he mumbled and pressed his face to Ant's side.

A wave of affection washed over Ant as he caressed Dec's hair with one hand. But he didn't leave him be.

"Come on, pal, you need to drink something. Otherwise the fever will never go back. C'mere, I'll help you sitting up."

As soon as Dec needed to move under the warm blanket, he started to shiver again and cuddled even closer to Ant.

"Ant, I'm cold.", he said in miserable, rough voice.

A sympathetic smile appeared on Ant's face. "Your tea needs a few minutes longer. Please, two sips of water, do that for me, okay? One sip for me, one for you. Come on."

Dec smiled half-heartedly. "Alright, alright", he whispered and let Ant help him because his hands were shaking with every shiver of his body.

When he had finished, he quickly lowered himself down onto the sofa again, but he couldn't find the comfortable warmth anymore.

"Can I have another blanket?", he asked and his small, quivering voice all but broke Ant's heart.
"I'm so sorry", he said sympathetically, "but your temperature is way too high already."

Dec opened the mouth to protest or maybe to beg, but he was cut off by an awful cough.

Sighing, Ant ran a hand through Dec's hair. "I'll go and get your tea", he said and attempted to get up, but a sweaty hand on his wrist held him back.

"Stay, please." Dec's voice trembled and his eyes were only half opened, but he yet managed it to look like a kicked puppy. "It's cold without you."

Ant could feel tears of sympathy in his eyes. "Oh kidda, I know. I know. But it won't be long, I promise."

Carefully but firmly, he removed Dec's hand and got up. "I'm back in the blink of an eye", he whispered and kissed Dec's forehead.

He quickly removed the teabag from the mug and carried the cup and a bowl into the living room. After that, he hurried outside again, only to return with a bowl of water and a washcloth.

"See, I'm already ba- oh, Dec." Ant set the water and the cloth on the coffee table and rushed to the sofa.

He cupped Dec's cheek with his hand and wiped away the few burning hot tears that had made their way down Dec's face.

"Shhhh", Ant whispered and helped Dec sitting up again. It was scary to see: Dec's whole body shivered and he did his best to huddle under the blanket but meanwhile his face was hot and covered in sweat.

"Still cold?", Ant asked and handed the mug to Dec, who nodded. The hot fluid felt comforting in his throat and for a split second, Dec honestly felt a bit warmer.

"What's that for?", he wanted to know, reffering to the empty bowl.

"That's in case you feel like being sick", he explained softly and got a silent nod in response.

That was suspicious. Ant had expected Dec to maybe roll his eyes or to protest or to tease him about being overly protective at least. But nothing.

That either meant that he was really, really feeling bad, or... "Do you feel like being sick?"

Ant was already reaching for the bowl and not a second too late. Because before Dec was able to say whether he felt like being sick or not, his body answered the question for him.

Ant rubbed his best friend's back until he was done, whispering reassuring phrases and loving words.

"Shhhh. It's okay. Everything's okay", he whispered and squeezed Dec's shoulders.

"I'll clean that up and then I'm back, okay?"

Dec felt too weak to protest again and Ant really hurried to be back as quick as possible.

"Here. Take that." He offered a pill to Dec. "It should help against your fever and make you tired. Sleep is the best medicine you can get right now."

"How do you know where you get that?", Dec mumbled and pointed to the pill. He was in a state of fever where he would mumble and ramble on and on non-stop.

Ant chuckled lovingly. "I know your household better than mine I guess", he replied and handed Dec the water bottle.

"Mouth open now", he ordered and helped his friend to swallow the pill. Then he dipped the washcloth into the bowl with the cold water and placed it on Dec's forehead.

Even though he was still freezing, Dec sighed appreciatively.

Automatically, he slipped a bit aside and pulled weakly on Ant's sleeve. "Please?"

Ant smiled softly and lay down next to him. The couch wasn't that big and Dec was literally squeezed between Ant and the backrest, but he was so cold that he welcomed that with open arms.

It didn't take long until the pill started to show effect. Dec's eyelids drooped more and more, but he was still fighting against the sleep.

Ant nudged hik in the side. "Go to sleep, Dec. You'll feel better."

Dec's face snuggled into Ant's side as he finally was welcomed by the sleep.