The sound of wretched coughing roused Brian from what was an otherwise peaceful sleep.  Justin had been complaining about a sore throat all night, and now he was coughing. Brian opened his eyes and saw that Justin wasn't in bed, but in the washroom. He stood and walked in there to find Justin sitting on the floor with a box of Kleenex next to him.

"Hey." Brian said softly.

"Oh, Brian, stay away." Justin's voice was scratchy and it sounded like he was really congested. "I'll make you sick."

"Justin." Brian sat next to the sick boy. "You were in bed with me and the things we were doing have probably already given me your cold." He said it lightly so as not to blame Justin.

"Oh, great." Justin grumbled. "We're both going to be sick." He felt Brian's arm come around him and he laid his head on Brian's shoulder.

"Don't worry. I never get sick." Brian chuckled. He helped Justin to his feet and brought him back to bed. "Can I get you anything?"

"Water?" Justin said sweetly. He didn’t like asking Brian to do things for him, but at this point felt like he didn’t have a choice. His muscles were aching and he was feeling hot. When Brian returned to the bedroom, he handed the glass to Justin.

:"You probably picked something up at Babylon. We'll all have it by morning." Brian said sweetly. "I brought you the aspirin and some Echinacea. I wasn't sure if you were allergic."

Justin smiled. As much as he had seen Brian be nurturing about his recovery, he had never seen him baby a sick person. "Aspirin and Echinacea are fine." He said. It hurt to talk, so he decided that he just wouldn’t.

"Do you want me to go sleep on the couch?" Brian offered.  Justin knew how much it took for Brian to give up his bed for the night, so Justin decided to decline. He simply shook his head. "You sure?" He nodded. "Can you sleep?" Justin shrugged. "It hurts to talk?" Brian had a look of amusement playing on his face when Justin nodded. "Do I have to ask you yes or no questions from now on?" Justin smiled, his smile made Brian feel more comfortable, and nodded.

Brian laid back and told Justin to get comfortable. Justin took advantage of Brian's willingness to do whatever he needed and curled up close to him. He was surprised when Brian's arms tightened and pulled him even closer.

"Goodnight, Angel." Brian breathed as he slipped into sleep with Justin in his arms.

***

"Morning." Brian said when he looked up from his paper the next morning to see Justin stumble out of the bedroom. "You look like shit." Justin groaned and gave Brian the finger.  "Still not talking, eh?"

"Need aspirin." Justin said hoarsely as he threw himself into a chair. Brian was surprised by the action, Justin rarely asked him to do things for him, and he quickly poured Justin some water and brought him two aspirin.

"Are you going to be okay here today?" Brian asked. Justin nodded. "If you need me, call the office. And I'm sure your mother would be all too willing to come and baby you." Justin groaned at that thought. 

"Please no." He said after swallowing the aspirin and leaning back with his eyes closed. Brian pressed a kiss to his forehead and found it warm. "Have a shower, Justin. A cool one." Justin opened his eyes.

"Do you have to go?" Justin asked. The words strained his throat and lungs enough that he started coughing. Brian was starting to get worried. He wasn't sure how being sick would effect Justin's recovery.

"I'll take the afternoon off and work from here." Brian said. He kissed Justin one more time. "If you need me, call. Cynthia knows to put you through."

"Go." Justin said. "I'm going back to bed." He stood and stumbled back towards the bedroom. Brian's brow furrowed with worry but he knew he had to go. He grabbed his briefcase and left.

***

"Justin!" Brian called. He found the boy asleep in the bed. He looked small in the king size bed. He call had woken Justin who turned and looked at Brian. He smiled and gestured for Brian to join him. Brian quickly slipped out of his clothes and pulled on a pair of cotton sweats before slipping into the bed and pulling Justin to him.

"Are you feeling any better?" He asked. Justin shrugged. "Throat still hurts?" Justin nodded. "Go back to sleep."  Brian had to admit to himself that he had no idea what to do with a sick person.  He hadn't been lying when he said he didn't get sick. Other than the frequent hangovers that he nursed, he hadn't been really sick in over three years.

As he thought about the boy lying in his arms, he smiled and then he scrunched up his face. No one in his life had the ability to make him smile just by their proximity. He had never known anyone who made him feel the way Justin did, like he knew the answers to the world's greatest questions. He had to admit to himself that Justin had probably taught Brian more than he had learned.

"Brian?" Justin said quietly.

"Hmmm?" Brian said as he was roused from his musings.

"There's one thing that I think would make me feel better." He said and Brian could hear the sneaky smile in his voice. He grinned as Justin wiggled against Brian's crotch.

"Thinking about sex even when you're sick?" Brian asked amused. Justin wiggled even more, harder.  Brian reached around and grasped Justin's cock.

"Go easy, though." Justin said quietly. "My lungs can't take too much." Brian smiled and began moving his hand gently, seductively up and down Justin's shaft.

"How's that?" He whispered in Justin's ear.

"Oohhhh." Justin jerked. Brian knew that the light touches were getting to him and he fought back a laugh. Sometimes he could bring Justin off just by talking.

"Come for me, baby." Brian kept his whispers seductive. "It will make you feel so much better." He began stroking just a touch faster and soon Justin bit back his breath, let out a little "ugh", and came. Brian smiled and reached behind him for the towel he kept in the nightstand.

"Oh, Brian." Justin said. He started to blush. He knew, even though Brian was never openly amused by Justin's teenaged come-quick moments, that he found it funny.

"Go to sleep, baby." Brian said. He wiped of his hand and pulled Justin snug against him so they could both nap together. 

"I love you, Brian..." The words slipped from Justin's mouth, as the often did, right before he lost himself to sleep. Brian closed his eyes and thought about those words, but quickly stopped himself. Love wasn't a word that he knew the meaning of, and he planned on keeping it that way.

HOME

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By HannahKelli
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, I am in no way associated to Queer As Folk... not even by Six Degrees of separation... I'm not making any money from these stories... please don't hurt me....

This story is for my girl Tiff who is all sick. Love to you, girl! Hope you feel better.
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