24. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

U lises didn't realize he had fallen asleep, but what woke him was a combination of two things. The first was he couldn't breathe through his nose. The second was Izzy kneeling next to the tub.

It startled Ulises when he saw him there. The water splashed as he jerked away.

"Easy, sweetheart. You're safe." Izzy didn't reach for him, but he held a soapy washcloth.

"How…" He almost asked how Izzy got inside but he already knew. Izzy might not make his living breaking into people's homes and stealing from them, but he knew how to pick a lock. He also had zero scruples. So how wasn't the right question. "Why are you here?"

"You said you were sick." Izzy began rubbing the washcloth across his neck and chest. "I brought some VapoRub and Todd is getting groceries to make you soup."

"But why, Izzy?" When Ulises spoke his stuffed nose made him sound as though he had a lisp.

Izzy rubbed Ulises’ body with the cloth in gentle strokes. "Because I want to take care of you."

And that was when it hit Ulises. "You don't want to want to, though."

Izzy sighed. "Not true."

Ulises shook his head because they both knew that was a lie. He shut his eyes again. He didn't drift off, but he relaxed enough to where everything came to him from a distance. The soft cloth moving over his skin and the slight movement of the water relaxed him.

But then his throat started hurting from having to breathe through his mouth all the time. His head was so stuffy it felt as though it weighed ten times more than it had yesterday. And he had a headache. A bad one.

"Head hurts."

"I'll fix it, boy." The cloth disappeared and then Izzy pulled the plug on the water. As the water rushed out, Ulises' body felt heavier. "I'm going to lift you out of the tub."

Izzy slid his strong arms underneath Ulises, lifting him out of the tub.

Ulises wrapped his arms around Izzy and leaned against him.

Izzy's cinnamon scent was the most comforting smell in the entire world. It hadn't been at first, back when it had been just fucking for fucking's sake. The scent had been pleasant, but it hadn't made him want to cuddle into Izzy. Then fucking had turned into making love. At least for Ulises it had. He didn't want to admit it, but a bond had formed as though they were mates.

He would have left his mark on Izzy if the connection had gone both ways, but Izzy hadn't felt anything at all. Ulises was starting to suspect maybe a bond had started with Izzy too and Izzy had pulled away because he hadn't wanted to feel it.

"You're making my headache worse."

"I'll make it better for you, sweetheart. I promise." Of course, Izzy misunderstood Ulises’ meaning.

Izzy grabbed a towel from the rack and carried Ulises into the bedroom. He laid him on the bed and proceeded to dry Ulises off, even his naked cock. It was very nonsexual but caring.

"Why are you partially shifted?" Izzy's T-shirt was wet where Ulises' body had been against him.

Izzy put the towel back into the bathroom before coming into the room. "Underwear and pajamas?"

"Top and middle drawer." Ulises didn't bother to move. Izzy would have growled and told him to stay put if he did. But he was starting to get chilled. "Why are your eyes shifted? Todd isn't here."

"I'll answer when you’re feeling better and ready to talk about it." Izzy carried Ulises' clothes to the bed and laid them beside Ulises.

"I can dress myself." It was a little head cold. He wasn't losing his faculties. Sheesh.

"Let me take care of you." Izzy had never been so attentive before.

Ulises didn't respond except to let Izzy dress him. He should have felt like a child with the way Izzy pulled on his underwear and then his pants. He felt cared-for in a way he never had before.

"Can you sit up?" Izzy wrapped his arms around Ulises and helped him. And then he helped Ulises put his shirt on. "Do you need anything from in here?"

Ulises shook his head and then held on when Izzy lifted him again. They went into the living room and to the couch. He expected Izzy to put him down but he sat instead, still holding Ulises.

Izzy grabbed Ulises' blanket and put it over him. And they settled into the position with Ulises on Izzy's lap. Ulises laid his head against Izzy's chest and closed his eyes.

He was drifting off when he heard the door open and close.

Todd entered carrying a sack from the grocery store. He put the sack on the kitchen counter and came over, sitting beside them. Todd brushed Ulises’ hair off his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." He sounded like shit too.

The empathy was clear. "I bought cough drops and tea. Would you like either of those things?"

Ulises smiled. It was difficult to be indifferent toward him, even though a part of Ulises wanted to. He was so pretty and seemed innocent. The scars on his neck told a different story about how hard his life had been but it didn’t seem to matter. "Thank you. Tea sounds good."

Todd touched his forehead with the back of his hand. He leaned in and kissed his cheek. And then he kissed Izzy. "Can you take something for your fever, Ully?"

Ulises shrugged. He wasn't aware he had one. "I'll have to call Easton and find out."

"I'll do it," Izzy used his own phone.

Todd went into the kitchen.

Ulises shut his eyes. It didn't take him long to drift off to sleep.