Ryder crawled into bed beside Aaron in the early morning hours, snuggling into the older man’s side clingingly. He whined, a low keening, and nuzzled the man’s chest. He was much too hot and achy all over and he didn’t know what to do. He knew Aaron was no doctor but the older man was forever taking care of Shiloh when he was sick and so Ryder assumed he’d be able to fix him in no time, too.
Aaron hooked the young man close in his sleep, hearing his distress. He woke slowly, stretching out beside Ryder and then scooping him close again, his hands moving on his sides.
“Hi tiger. You okay?” he asked, feeling his forehead. Ryder wasn’t his lover but Aaron had an innate Top-ish need to care for all the Brats in his life, and that included Ryder.
The younger man whined and pressed close. “Hot,” he said hoarsely, coughing exaggeratedly. Aaron nodded sadly and rubbed his back as he tugged his t-shirt up over his head. Ryder wriggled until his pajama bottoms rode low on his hips and Aaron smirked, tugging them off too.
“Sick!” he wailed. “I’m sick and hot and dying!” he informed him, squirming. Aaron hooked him back into the cool sheets, kissing his hair. Ryder clung to his neck until he patted his hip warningly and Ryder released him.
Aaron padded off to the bathroom. When he returned, Ryder was snuggled up with Shiloh, the two of them stretched out over the big bed, claimingly. Shiloh gave Aaron a little frown, rubbing his friend’s back.
“He’s dying, Aaron,” he whined. Ryder nodded sadly – clearly he had convinced the younger man of that in the time Aaron was in the washroom.
Aaron shifted Ryder over a bit and the man turned back for snuggles as Aaron ran a cool cloth over his too-hot skin. He hummed softly, watching the younger man’s face as he relaxed and closed his eyes, and Shiloh rubbed his arm.
“Is he okay?” he asked, concerned. Aaron nodded, soothing Ryder back into sleep. The younger man wouldn’t release his hold on Aaron’s shirtfront and Aaron simply snugged him close and rubbed his back.
Shiloh clambered over them, a little jealously, and snuggled into Aaron’s far side. Aaron smiled, turning onto his back to hook both boys close, and Shiloh yawned, playing with Ryder’s hair as he drifted back to sleep.
Aaron woke unable to breathe. He was used to Shiloh’s strange sleeping habits and he wasn’t surprised to find him stretched out over his chest as usual, but he was a little taken aback by Ryder’s upper half curled up over his stomach. He stroked Shiloh’s bum sleepily, his other hand falling to Ryder’s hair with a sigh.
“Shy, baby. Can you shift off?” he asked and Shiloh whined, snuggling closer. Ryder woke, stretching, and shifted out on his stomach beside Aaron, giving him a little more breathing room. Aaron rubbed his back lazily.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked him quietly.
Ryder sniffled, coughing miserably. “Still sick,” he informed him and turned to snuggle back into his side. “I’m still sick and achy and my nose is stuffed and my face hurts and I feel sick,” he whined.
Aaron nodded sadly, scooping Shiloh up to deposit him back into the sheets. The boys once more cuddled sleepily together, Shiloh more or less hooked in the curve of the older man’s body. He kissed both of their heads in turn.
“I’m going to shower, tiger, and then I’m going to get you some Tylenol and juice, okay? You sleep a bit more, Ryder,” he offered. Ryder reluctantly nodded and let Aaron go shower.
Aaron didn’t take long. Ryder watched him through sleepy eyes as the older man dressed and did his hair and he smiled appreciatively, ducking his head into Shiloh’s hair before Aaron saw him watching him, blushing. The older man was incredibly attractive.
Of all the guys he’d stayed with, Ryder loved Aaron and Shiloh the best. Duncan was his very very best friend in the whole wide world but living with him and Bo had been weird – Bo didn’t hide the fact that he punished Duncan and Duncan didn’t care to hide the fact that he was a horrible Brat.
Aaron on the other hand was quiet and discrete and overly sweet and Shy hardly misbehaved and was therefore hardly punished. Where Bo would have set strict guidelines to getting better, Aaron was letting him snuggle in their bed and was going to bring him juice and Tylenol and probably wouldn’t make him go back to the guest room if he didn’t want to.
He shifted when Aaron offered him the glass and pills and he obediently took them though he whined at the chalky taste. Aaron grinned, ruffling his hair as the man flopped back into the sheets and wriggled temptingly. Aaron shook his head at him, patting his thigh none-too-gently.
“Ryder, behave,” he warned softly and Ryder found himself settling next to Shiloh, nodding at the order.
“Okay, I’ve got to get to work, little tiger. You rest up and try to feel better, okay? I set the alarm so when it goes off, Shiloh has to get up and go to work. Don’t convince him to stay or he will be spanked tonight when I’m home and I don’t think you want to be the cause of his sore bottom,” he warned. Ryder nodded sleepily.
“When you get up, take more Tylenol and have some juice. If you feel up to it, make yourself some soup. I’ll try to come home at lunch; I’ll call if I can’t make it, okay?”
Ryder hummed. Aaron leaned down and kissed Shiloh’s temple, smoothing the man’s hair and Ryder jealously turned his face up expectantly. Aaron ran his thumb down the bridge of his nose, smiling faintly.
“Be good, Ryder. I’ll see you later.”
He waited until the younger man had resettled with Shiloh before he slipped off to work.
…
Shiloh woke to the alarm, rolling away from Ryder and then back as if he’d forgotten his friend was in bed with him at all. He nuzzled the sleeping man and Ryder moaned but otherwise made no move to consciousness. He grinned and slid out of bed to shower, dress and make breakfast.
Ryder didn’t wake. He pet his hair gently, watching him as he wolfed down a bagel, and then left for work knowing Aaron would not be pleased if he skipped work.
Ryder spent the day being lazy. He slept, took Tylenol, slept again. By noon, he was bored of sleeping but too tired and achy to do much else. He called Aaron to complain.
“Hi, tiger, what’s up?” Aaron greeted. Ryder smiled and wriggled back into the sheets. It was good to hear his voice, he decided happily.
“I’m sick,” he croaked. “I need you to come home and make me better, Aaron. You coming home to fix me and feed me lunch?” he asked quietly, hopeful. He coughed into the phone miserably.
“Sounds worse,” Aaron lamented. “I’ll come home for a bit, okay? You hold in there, tiger,” he ordered gently.
Ryder whined. “I dunno, Aaron. Kinda feel like I’m gunna just fade away pretty soon,” he teased, wriggling under the covers. “You come and save me. Make me yummy soup and rub my feet!” he demanded.
Aaron laughed softly. “I’ll be there soon, kiddo. Relax and I’ll be home in no time.”
Ryder curled up with the phone after Aaron had hung up, hugging it close in case Aaron called again. He must have fallen asleep; the next thing he remembered was Aaron moving around the bedroom quietly. He rolled over to whine to him and was met with a stuffed tiger, fluffy and warm, and he giggled and nestled into its fur.
Aaron stroked his side soothingly. “I’ll make some soup, kiddo. And I’m going to bring up some cough medicine, too,” he said, hugging Ryder when the man pouted and huffed. He rubbed his side. “Be good,” he ordered and left to make the aforementioned soup.
When he returned, Ryder was snuggling the tiger sleepily. Aaron fought cough syrup and half of the bowl of soup into him before the younger man flopped away miserably and whined until Aaron rubbed his feet. He fell asleep again and Aaron left once more.
…
Shiloh came home feeling sluggish and gross. He crawled into bed beside Ryder and snuggled him hopefully; Ryder nuzzled him.
“Sick, Shy,” Ryder pouted, and Shiloh nodded sadly. “Me too. I think you gotted me sick,” he whined. Ryder frowned, listening to his friend’s heavy breathing, and he scooped him close and they both slept.
When Aaron came home, he wasn’t surprised to find Shiloh curled up in bed with his friend. He was surprised to discover, however, that Shiloh was feeling sick to his stomach and Ryder’s fever had once more spiked. He hooked Shiloh into his arms as he settled on the bed to check Ryder’s temperature.
Ryder whined and buried into his side when Aaron was finished. “102,” he announced, shifting Shiloh up with him as he stood – his lover clung to him, arms and legs around him like a monkey, and refused to let go.
“I’m going to get some more Tylenol, Ryder. And gravol for you, Shy,” he said. Shiloh sucked his thumb, nodding obediently, and Aaron carried him to the bathroom to get the pills. Shiloh reluctantly took his, never moving from Aaron’s arms, and Ryder swallowed his tiredly, climbing into Aaron’s lap. Shiloh moved a little to let his friend cling with him, and Aaron sighed, shifting back against the headboard.
“I’m sick,” Ryder whimpered and Shiloh nodded, adding: “and frow uppy,” in a quiet voice, muffled around his thumb. Aaron frowned, rubbing their backs.
“I know, boys. We’ll just take it easy tonight, okay? Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
Ryder nodded, nuzzling his jaw. He felt better knowing Aaron was still going to look after him even though Shiloh was sick too. He didn’t even seem mad that he had gotten him sick! He snuggled him quietly, listening to his breathing until he drifted off to sleep once more. Shiloh followed not long after and Aaron somehow managed to move out of their strangle-hold on him to go eat a quick dinner. He returned with a mug of tea and settled in to read a book.
Neither of them woke again and by ten-thirty, Aaron decided to call it a night. He changed Shiloh into pajamas – his lover simply went limp and let him do the work – and changed himself before slipping into bed between them. Shiloh curled up half atop him and Ryder snuggled into his side.
He was granted a few hours sleep before Shiloh woke whining, pulling Ryder’s hair. He felt Ryder shift against him, heard him curse loudly, and he woke, separating them quickly.
“Tell him t’stop snoring!” Shiloh wailed. Ryder looked affronted, fixing his hair sadly. “M’not snoring’, Aaron. I’m just sniffling and stuffed up,” he whined back. Shiloh hiccupped and glared, kicking the sheets angrily as Aaron turned him back into the covers and soothed him to sleep. Ryder snuggled into him when Aaron collected him close.
“Just sleep, okay? I’ve got you both.”
The next couple of hours were rife with sleepy, whiny complaints. First it was Ryder, claiming it was too hot, then it was Shiloh asking for the window to be closed. Then Ryder wanted juice and Shiloh demanded some as well, and then Ryder begged for a freezie for his sore throat and Shiloh woke again feeling worse. Aaron tried to keep up with their demands, soothing one back to sleep only to have the other wake and bother him.
By four, Shiloh was throwing up and nothing Aaron did helped Ryder feel any less hot. He ran a tepid bath and guided the sleepy man into it but Ryder complained quietly while Aaron rubbed Shiloh’s back as he got sick. He wondered if curling up on the floor and sleeping was an option.
It was past five when Aaron got both men back to bed, Ryder snuggled into the sheets feeling blessedly cooler and Shiloh around a bucket just in case. He stretched out behind Ryder and rubbed his back gently, reaching across him to run his fingers through Shiloh’s hair.
He didn’t sleep much before his alarm woke him and he rolled out of bed to get on with his day. He couldn’t stay home, he knew, though he desperately wanted to – if only to sleep a little more.
He left the boys with a note, setting their alarm for ten to take medication.
…
When he came home, Ryder was sleeping on the couch and Shiloh was crying in bed. He scooped his lover close for a thorough – and vomit-tasting – kiss. Shiloh hiccupped and nuzzled Aaron’s shoulder.
“I don’t want him to gooo,” he whimpered. Aaron turned his chin up in confusion and Shiloh sniffled. He pointed out into the hall and Aaron scooped him up in his arms and carried him to the guest room. All of Ryder’s things were packed up and Aaron frowned, unsure.
“He’s planning on leaving?” he asked. Shiloh nuzzled him and slid down to stand beside him. “Yeeeeeees!” he wailed. “He said he can’t stay here anymore, Aaron, ‘cause he’s afraid of never leavin’ if he stays too long!” he whined. “But Aaron!”
Aaron sighed, kissing his nose. “Shh, baby, I know. Its okay, its his choice, remember.” He felt a sudden pang of upset at the thought of the man leaving. He’d been with them for over half a year now; they’d known him for years. It would be strange not having him here. His brow furrowed as Shiloh tugged on his sleeve.
“What?” he asked, nuzzling him. Shiloh sniffled and pressed into him.
“He can’t gooo!” he wailed. “’Cause Aaron, ‘cause,” he lowered his voice to a whisper and mumbled into his shirtfront: “’cause I /love/ him.”
Aaron hooked him close, his heart fluttering. He realized suddenly that so did he. Shiloh clung until Aaron scooped him back up and took him back to bed where he wriggled into the sheets and buried under the covers, crying.
Aaron rubbed his blanket-clad behind. “Okay, little boy. Okay. I’m gonna go talk to him, sweets. Shh. I’ll see if he’ll stay, Shy.”
Shiloh hiccupped and turned to cling to his neck. Aaron kissed him, smoothing his tears away. “He tol’ me he loves you, Aaron,” he whispered. “He said he’s falling in love and can’t stay ‘cause he’ll ruin everything but he wouldn’t, would he? He wouldn’t ruin anything, right?”
Aaron shushed him and Shiloh whined, wriggling again. “Aaron! You haffa make him stay,” he said sadly. “I want him to stay. I want him to stay, I do. I want him,” he ordered, and Aaron leaned down to kiss him again, long and slow.
Shiloh melted. “Okay, love. I’ll ask him to stay. I’ll ask him to consider us, okay?”
Shiloh nodded, letting him up sadly before he curled into the pillows and whined. Aaron patted his bum and left him there to speak with Ryder.
Ryder squirmed up when Aaron woke him. He frowned, rubbing his eyes and glanced at the clock. “I gotta run, Aaron,” he said, standing. Aaron caught his wrist and hauled him with force down into his lap as the younger man tried to hurry past him. He hooked his arms around the young man’s waist. Ryder squirmed.
“Lemme go, Aaron. I gotta go, my friend is gonna pick me up,” he whined.
Aaron turned his chin up, looking him steadily in the eyes. Ryder blushed at the look he got – a mix of upset and uncertainty and love. He frowned, stilling as Aaron stroked his hair.
“I gotta go,” he mumbled again.
Aaron smiled faintly, shaking his head. “Talk to me?” he urged. Ryder frowned, nuzzling into his arms sadly. Aaron rubbed his back, listening to the man’s breathing and for a while he thought he had resigned himself to simply leaving. But eventually, Ryder began to speak.
“I gotta go, Aaron. I can’t stay here anymore. I really really really like you,” he muttered. “I always knew I loved Shiloh and had you not been with him, I woulda prolly tried t’get with him when we first met but then you were there and it was always impossible but Aaron, I think I love you too? I think I love you a lot a lot and I /can’t/ ‘cause I can’t be with you /or/ Shiloh and so I haffa go! I haffa go and not see you or him until I’m over this,” he nodded decisively.
Aaron frowned, stroking his hand over his back. “You can’t be with me or Shiloh,” he said softly, and Ryder nodded dejectedly at the reminder. “But, Ryder, what do you say to being with /both/ Shiloh and me?” he asked softly.
Ryder hiccupped and looked up, pouting. “Huh?” he asked, coughing. Aaron smiled faintly, running a hand through his hair before he caught the younger man’s lips in a searing, possessive kiss. Ryder moved into the touch, moaning quietly, until Aaron lifted him – with some difficulty – and carried him up to bed, Ryder clinging the whole way.
Ryder looked uncertainly to Shiloh when he was deposited in bed, but Shiloh lunged for him and kissed him desperately. “Don’t go, please, please, please stay with us. I love you, we love you. We want you to stay,” he blurted and Ryder blushed, feeling warm again though he didn’t think it was from fever.
Aaron kissed him once more, deeply, opening his mouth to the kiss. Shiloh snuggled into Ryder’s side until Ryder turned and hugged him tightly and Aaron scooped them close, kissing them both. Ryder sighed shakily and gushed ‘thank yous’ and ‘I love you’s and ‘I want to stay’s until Aaron silenced him with a kiss and he whined until he slept.
…
Aaron coughed miserably, checking the thermometer. “101,” he muttered. Ryder snuggled into his side, kissing his jaw and Shiloh pushed him down into the sheets. “That’s your own fault for kissing a sicky,” he informed him, biting his nose. Aaron curled up with his Brats, letting the two of them fuss over him as he fell asleep.
Shiloh snuggled into his chest, nuzzling him gently, and Ryder shifted to curl up behind him, rubbing his back as Aaron slept.
Of all the guys he’d stayed with, Ryder loved Aaron and Shiloh the best.
