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“Hey Pears, is everything okay?” Jakob asks, sitting next to Corey at the hotel bar.
“Yeah,” Corey nods, sipping on his drink.
“There’s not a problem with Tanner or you and Tanner is there?” Jakob persists.
“No, everything’s fine. I’m only drinking Coke,” Corey laughs. “I was just calming down after the game and thinking.”
“Oh cool,” Jakob says, ordering a Coke for himself. “Where is everybody else?” Jakob asks, looking around where there would usually be a guy or two getting a beer after the game. There was nobody in sight but the two of them.
“Sami and Clayton are cuddling on the couch in the private lounge, probably in front of the fireplace, knowing Sami. He’s worried that Clayton is playing more hurt than he’s letting on, which he probably is. Kes has some of the younger guys playing poker, or trying to. The ‘boyfriends’ are doing who knows what, I don’t even want to think about it. Freddie is doing his weird goalie thing alone, and the others are in their rooms probably talking to significant others,” Corey lists.
“Oh. Well then.Why aren’t you in the ‘other’ category? You’re usually always talking to Baby Pears.”
“You’re using it too? Tanner is going to kill Clayton. But he’s having a ‘boy’s night’ with Tyler, Martin, Jeff, and some of the others. So they took his phone away from him for the weekend. Tyler did text me to say that they watched the games, so I can’t say anything.”
“That team is seriously crazy. They put our ‘codependent’ to shame,”Jakob comments.
“Which is impressive, considering how many more couples we have,” Corey agrees,
“Jakob, Pears! Have you seen the doc or one of the trainers?” Gibby asks when he sees them.
“No,”they both shake their heads. “What’s wrong?”Jakob asks.
“Manso has been sick all day and he can’t stop throwing up and I think his fever just spiked. He’s like cold but sweating and I don’t know what to do for him,” Gibby gushes, clearly stressed out.
“It’s okay. Just go find the doc’s room. Or just call him. It’s probably the flu, it’s been going around,” Corey tries to calm him. “Josh will be fine.”
“Okay. I’m just going to call the doctor now,” Gibby walks off, pulling out his phone.
“Poor kid,” Jakob comments.
“Kid? You’re just like a year older than him,” Corey laughs.
“Shut up. Coming from the guy who calls everybody a kid, including his boyfriend.”
“Tanner is still a kid,” Corey shrugs.
“You’re weird. I’m going to get some tea for Josh. I always like that when I’m sick. It has to suck to be sick during the playoffs and away from home.”
~!~
“Hey Jakob, what’s up?” Sami asks when he opens Clayton’s hotel room door.
“Is Clayton here?”
“He’s in the shower. Can I help you with something?”
"Umm, Josh is really sick and I know Clayton always has really good tea so I was going to ask if I could take some to him,” Jakob explains.
“Of course. He won’t mind. I’ll get some for you,” Sami closes the door, awkwardly leaving Jakob standing in the hallway.
“Here you go,” Sami opens the door and pushes a box of teabags into his hands.
“Sami, I didn’t need this much,” Jakob protests.
“Eh,” he shrugs.. “Clayton has like ten more boxes of each at home. It’s a long trip and Manso needs to get better in case we need him.”
“Let’s hope we don’t, though,” Jakob says.
“Of course, but still. Tell him I said ‘get well soon’ and let me know if he needs anything.”
“Will do. You’re a good man, Sami,” Jakob tells him honestly. Sami smiles at him as he closes the door.
“Who was that?” Clayton asks, coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. “Jakob,” Sami says, walking up to Clayton and wrapping his arms around his waist, sucking lightly on the bigger man’s damp chest.
“Oh God, Sami baby,” Clayton groans, threading his fingers through Sami’s hair. Sami pulls away and rests his head on Clayton’s chest. “What did Jakob want?”
“He was asking for some of your tea for Josh because he’s apparently really sick.”
“Jakob isn’t Josh’s roommate, Gibby is,” Clayton comments.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think they’re together?” Clayton asks, eyes wide.
“I don’t know Clayton, and I really don’t care. They’ll tell us if they want to,” Sami sighs.
“You’re usually nosey with me. What’s up baby?”
“It’s just weird for me, yeah? Josh and Jakob and then William.”
“Love you,” Clayton says, not knowing what else to say.
“Love you too,” Sami murmurs.
~!~
“Josh?” Jakob asks, knocking on the cracked open door. He hears someone say something so he slowly opens the door more. The team doctor is standing over Josh who’s buried under a mountain of covers in the bed.
“I brought you some of Clayton’s tea,” Jakob explains when the doctor stops talking.
“That’ll help,” the doctor notes. “I think he has strep, so if you have your tonsils, I wouldn’t stay around,” he warns.
“I’ll be fine,” Jakob waves him off.
“Okay. If you’re sure. Call me if it seems like he’s any worse,” the doctor walks off, leaving Jakob with Josh.
“Hey,” Josh says weakly, glazed eyes following Jakob.
“Hey kiddo,” Jakob says, sitting on the edge of the bed. He leans over and brushes some hair off Josh’s sweaty forehead. “I would ask how you’re feeling, but I feel like that’s a little stupid,” Jakob smiles.
“I’ll survive,” Josh whispers. Jakob grins and stretches out on the bed next to Josh.“Ummm…” Josh says. It’s not like they’ve never talked to each other before, but they weren’t exactly super close either.
“I figure you could use some company. And someone to tell you to drink your tea and take your meds.”
“Yes mom,” Josh tries to smile. “You got the tea from Clayton?”
“Well technically Sami, but yeah.”
“I feel like he should hate me, but he doesn’t. He’s so nice to me.”
“Why would he hate you?”
“Because of William,” Josh says like it should be obvious. Which, yeah, it should’ve been.
“William,” Jakob sighs.Josh makes an agreeing noise. “I loved that kid, I really did, and still maybe do a little, but he sure knew how to complicate things.”
“Sami should probably hate me just as much, then,” Jakob says.
“But you didn’t actually do anything. I actually went out with William. And he basically destroyed Sami in the process.”
“I’m sure William didn’t exactly tell you everything. Not that I’m saying he’s a bad person or anything. I guess, if you really think about it, what was there to tell? He was in love with someone who flat out turned him down and a poor kid who was in love with him who he didn’t like. You never need to tell anybody that. It’s just a bad situation.”
“And now look where we are. The loved one with the kinda-consolation ex-boyfriend,” Josh murmurs, snuggling more into Jakob’s arms.
“Funny how life works out sometimes,” Jakob kisses Josh’s hair.
“Yeah,” Josh sighs. “Thanks for checking up on me.”
“Always,” Jakob murmurs. Josh brushes his lips to Jakob’s collarbone.
“You’re easy to fall in love with,” Josh says before he drifts off.
“You too,” Jakob says, pulling the man closer to him.
-
“Manso?” Gibby pokes his head in the door some time later.
“Sleeping,” Jakob says quietly, stroking his fingers through the man’s hair.
“Oh hey Jakob, I didn’t know you’d be here,” Gibby says, looking strangely at the two of them lying together cuddled up.
“If you want, you can take my key and stay in my room tonight. I’ll stay here with Josh.”
“You sure? I can stay here.”
“Yeah go ahead. We’re pretty comfortable here,” Jakob smiles and kisses Josh’s overwarm shoulder. “My key is on the sink. Room 406. I’ll just come in the morning and get ready.”
“Okay. Have a good night, Jakob.”
“You too.”
“Who was that?” Josh murmurs groggily, waking up slightly.
“Just Gibby. He’s going to sleep in my room and I’m going to stay here with you.”
“Okay. Thank you,” Josh whispers, voice raw. He tilts his head up expectantly.
“You’re welcome,” Jakob says, voice thick. Jakob tilts his head down and gently covers Josh’s lips with his own. Josh sighs and then pulls back to cough in his arm.“When you feel better, yeah?” Jakob asks, holding Josh’s trembling body in his arms.
“Promise?” Josh croaks.
“I promise. Now go to sleep. I’ll still be here in the morning.” Josh again falls asleep, warm in Jakob’s arms.
-
“Mmm.. So that wasn’t just a dream?” Josh rasps early the next morning. His head is resting on Jakob’s chest, their arms and legs completely entangled. Jakob is eyeing him, eyes bright and blonde hair going in every direction.
“No, not a dream,” Jakob says, his English slow and heavily accented this early in the morning.
“That’s nice. Does that mean you’ll kiss me?”
“Yeah, I could do that,” Jakob rolls them over and straddles Josh, kissing him firmly, but chastely.
When Josh whines Jakob pulls away. “I’m not going to stick my tongue down your throat when you’re still sick,” Jakob says. He crawls off of Josh to reach for the medication sitting on the side table. Once he watches Josh take the pills and drink a bottle of gatorade Jakob kisses him again gently and leaves to his room to change and get ready.
“What am I doing?” Josh says once he’s in his room alone. He knows he shouldn’t get involved with Josh- there’s so much against them: his recently broken engagement, Josh’s recent breakup with William, the possibility that Josh probably won’t start the season with the Ducks and could even get traded, the fact that his contract is up and there’s not been much talk to resign him yet. But it all felt worth it with the man warm in his arms. It had felt natural to hold him, comfort him, and take care of him. All the thoughts that had been troubling him the last year had disappeared and he felt that everything had fallen into place last night when he kissed Josh.