Feeling Faint (BxB)

Chapter 19

Jay wakes again a few hours later; it's now late and I'm starting to feel the tug of my own exhaustion. I watch him carefully.

"Hey there, feeling any better?" I ask. "Tired." He mumbles.

"I'd better check your fever again. You got quite delirious." "Oh god." He groans, burying his face in the pillow. "I'm sorry." I make out from his muffled voice.

"You have nothing to apologize for." I tell him.

He flops over onto his back and covers his face with his hands. "Even if I did, I don't remember." He utters.

"You were quite interesting." I smirk amusedly. "Now sit up so I can take your temperature."

He sits up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?" He asks, voice still laced with sleep.

I glance at my phone. "Almost 1." I look down at the thermometer. "You've still got a fever but it's not horrible." I remark.

He blinks at me for a few moments. "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Oh, uh, I had things to work on. Plus I'm not really tired." I lie. He watches me and I avoid his gaze, pulling my computer back onto my lap. I start working again even though I can feel him burning holes in the side of my head with his stare.

He closes the lid of my laptop and I'm forced to meet his gaze. "Ben, I know you're lying." I open my mouth to protest but he cuts me off. "I already know that you have insomnia. Will you at least turn off the lights and lay with me? I'm cold."

I open and close my mouth a few times, and finally manage to speak. "Y-yeah. I can do that." My mind is still racing with the shock of finding out the degree of his knowledge.

I look him over again and realize he really must be quite cold; he's curled up in about three blankets. I flip off the lamp on the bedside table.

I stare into the darkness for a while, lost in thought. "Ben?" Comes a whisper. I hum in response.

"Scootch closer. I need more body heat but it'll jostle my head if I move." I wiggle over next to him so we're shoulder to shoulder and he lets out a sigh of contentment.

"Thanks." "Of course. How bad is your headache? Do you want more medicine?"

"As long as I can get to sleep I'll be fine." He comments. "Okay. If you need anything let me know, just wake me if I do fall asleep." "Kay."

He snuggles deeper into my side and I can't help but smile. He's quite tough and stubborn, but I enjoy the soft side of him too.

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I open my eyes blearily and stumble out of bed awkwardly to go to the bathroom. Me being me, I forget about my sprained ankle and grunt in pain, toppling to the floor.

I hear rustling of sheets and then Jay's sleepy voice. "Ben?" I grunt again and I hear him shifting around.

I blink when a lamp turns on and my eyes slowly readjust to find Jay peering over the side of the bed at me with a yawn.

"What are you doing? Why are you on the floor?" He asks with a confused expression.

"Got up to go to the bathroom and forgot about my stupid ankle." I grit my teeth and reach for my crutches as I try to ignore the pain.

Jay blinks at me a few times as he wakes up and things register in his mind. "Are you okay?" He asks, eyebrows furrowed.

I manage to rise off the floor with another grunt. "I'll be fine, just go back to sleep. Sorry for waking you, you need your rest if you're going to get better."