Jay's P. O. V.
I open my eyes blearily as fingers run up and down my arm. I turn my head to find Ben smiling gently at me. "Hey sleepy head. Let's get inside and I'll draw you a bath to warm up."
I nod tiredly and stretch as Ben turns to the backseat and pulls out a pair of crutches.
I look at him incredulously. "What did you do?"
He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Oh... I sprained my ankle pretty badly. Don't worry about it." He turns to open the car door, but I put a hand on his arm to stop him.
I open my mouth to speak but a wave of dizziness overtakes me and I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for it to pass.
"Jay?" I open my eyes and the swimming feeling slowly fades, replaced with a vision of Ben's currently seaweed green eyes. I snap myself out of a trance-like state when another shiver runs through my body.
"Jay?" Ben asks again, putting a hand on my shoulder and searching my eyes.
"Sorry... Sorry. I forgot what I was going to say." "Are you alright though?" He asks.
"Just dizzy." I say, blinking a few times. "Stay here, I'll come around." He tells me. I open my mouth to protest but he's already ventured into the freezing rain.
He opens my car door and I stand slowly. "Now we'll both be soaked." I comment. He chuckles. "Oh well. I'll just change clothes."
Thunder rumbles in the distance and Ben tenses up. "Let's go inside." I rush in with Ben crutching along beside me.
We open up the apartment and he shakes his head, sending water droplets flying everywhere. "You look like a dog." I tell him and laugh. "Maybe I am one." He grins and winks at me. "Go in my room and find some clothes while I start a bath for you. Try the top dresser drawer; there should be some hoodies and pajama pants there." He tells me.
I hesitate. "Are you sure you don't want any help?" He waves me away. "I didn't die, I just sprained my ankle. I'll sit on the side of the tub if it makes you happy." I nod and wander down the hall to find clothes.
As I dig through the drawer everything starts to really set in. My hands lie still as I realize... my family has disowned me. There's no one to turn back to now. I've only got my friends.
Ben's P. O. V.
I fill up the bath and try to ignore the thunder that's getting louder and closer. The adrenaline of worry for Jay has ceased, but a tension of anxiety is rooting itself in my bones.
I take a deep breath and crutch to my room to check on Jay. I peek around the door frame to find him standing listlessly in front of the open dresser drawer.
"Jay, the bath is ready." I say gently. He seems to snap out of a stupor and grabs a hoodie and pants. "Right. Sorry, I'm coming." He says distractedly.
I keep a watchful eye on him as he heads to the bathroom. I can tell something's wrong, but he's not ready to talk yet.
I go to the kitchen and start up the coffee maker, even though it's nearly supper time. A clap of thunder booms closer than before and makes my body freeze up. I try to shake it off and continue making my coffee.
The coffee maker beeps and I flinch. I pour a cup and lean against the counter.
I try to avoid looking outside but my eyes seem to be drawn to the window. The rain from the dark sky slaps the window and I suddenly feel very alone, even though logic tells me Jay is just down the hall.
Jay's P. O. V.
I go through the motions of washing myself and pull on Ben's clothes to warm up. The sound of my pounding head echoes through my ears as my dizziness fades in and out.
I walk unsteadily to the kitchen to find Ben leaning against the kitchen counter facing away from me and drinking a cup of coffee.
"Hey." I say. He jumps and turns around. "Oh hey. I didn't hear you come out."
I smile softly and go sit on the couch. My eyes easily wander to him and run over his features. His normally bright green eyes are distant, and the dark circles under his eyes have deepened since I last saw him. His arms are tense and rigid, his fingers curled tightly around his coffee mug.
"Ben?" I mumble. His eyes stare blankly ahead. "Ben?" I repeat a little louder. He jumps. "Sorry. What?"
"Come sit by me?" I mumble. He nods and joins me on the couch. I lean on his shoulder and close my eyes, dispelling all thoughts and trying to focus only on him and his warmth.
I shiver and scoot closer. "You have a blanket?" I ask sleepily.
He doesn't answer and I crack an eye open to see him frowning down at me. He puts a hand on the side of my face and pulls it back again. "I think you've got a fever." He tells me.
I sigh and bury my face in his chest. It's then I realize how rapidly his heart is beating.
I look up at him and find him staring out the window again. I can feel the tense placement of his upper body.
"Ben?" I whisper, trying not to aggravate my pounding head. He hums in response. "Are you okay?" I ask. He smiles sadly. "I should be asking you that." He remarks. I look away.
His fingers move to my hair and gently run through it. We sit in silence, the only sound being the drumming of the rain on the window and the roaring of the wind. A clap of thunder booms through the room and makes us jump. The lights flicker and die out.
"Well crap." I whisper in the darkness. I can feel Ben's heart rate skyrocketing. "Ben?" I whisper.
A bolt of lightning lights up the room momentarily and I catch sight of his face. He lets out a shaky breath. "Y-yeah?"
"Do you have candles?" I ask. "In the bathroom cabinet." He whispers.
I stand. "I'll be right back, I'm going to go find them." I say. "Okay." He responds, but I can tell he's trying not to let his voice crack.
I go down the hall and dig through the cabinet using the flashlight on my phone. I find a few candles and a lighter and head back to the living room.
It's pitch black but I'm holding too many things to use my flashlight, resulting in me nearly tripping over the coffee table.
I realize heavy breathing is coming from the couch. I quick put the things on the coffee table and scramble to pull my phone out.
"Ben?" I say, turning on my flashlight and pointing it to the couch. He looks completely out of it. His hands are shaking and breathing rapid.
I rush over to the couch and gently place a hand on his leg. "Hey hey hey. Look at me." His eyes turn slowly to me but flick away again.
I reach out and pull him gently into my arms as sobs begin to rack his body. "It's alright, I'm here." I rock him silently as his cries slowly turn into whimpering. Soon even those fade and we just sit together in silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask gently. His head slides off my chest and rests on my shoulder. "Light the candles?" He asks.
I fumble in the darkness and find my phone then light each. "Better?" I ask.
He nods and closes his eyes. He breaks a period of silence with his voice that's rough from crying. "Storms make my anxiety spike;" he mumbles, "I have meds in the bedroom. Can you go get them? They're on the nightstand."
I let my fingers linger on his arm for a moment longer before getting up. "Yeah, I'll be right back." I put him on the couch and go to the bedroom.
I step over a pile of clothes to get to the nightstand and am shocked to find about 8 bottles of medications, each labeled differently. I find the one labeled anxiety and bring it back to Ben, who looks exhausted.
"Thanks." He smiles tiredly. I snuggle back up next to him and rest my eyes for a bit. "It's almost supper time. What should we get?" He asks, breaking the silence.
"I'm not really hungry." I mumble. I can feel his eyes on me so I crack an eye open to find a frown.
"Hmm?" I ask. "When was the last time you ate?" He asks. "Yesterday." I mumble, avoiding his gaze. His frown deepens, but he stays silent.
"How bout we nap for a bit? Maybe I'll be hungry when we wake up." I suggest.
I can read the look of internal struggle on his face, but exhaustion must win over because after hesitating he nods. I snuggle back to his side and close my eyes.
Ben's P.O.V
Knowing that he's not hungry increases my worry. He's probably coming down with something. After all, he's got a fever and has lost his appetite, not to mention the fact that he was sitting out in the freezing rain for who knows how long.
He suggests sleep and I give in, knowing that tiredness is about to take over my own body. The sounds of the storm still run rampant outside, but the lighting has gone and my meds have begun to kick in.
I allow myself to settle into a comfortable position curled up beside him and close my eyes.
Just before I drift off, I hear him slur sleepily, "Ben, I do forgive you." It takes me a second to process what he's talking about before I remember our previous fight. I peek open an eye, looking down at him with a fond smile and pulling him closer before falling asleep.
----------------------------------------------
I open my eyes to find Jay asleep across my lap. I gently lay my fingers on his arm and find his skin to be much warmer than before. I frown and gently shake him to wake him.
He blinks sleepily and a confused expression takes over his face. "What?" He mumbles, closing his eyes again.
"You've got to wake up and get some food in your system. It's..." I pause to check my phone, "already 6:45."
"'m not hungry." He mutters. I trace my fingers across the warm skin of his bare arm.
"I know, but you need to eat something and hydrate." I comment.
He rolls onto his side to bury his face in my stomach. "You go eat. I don't want anything." He says, muffled by my shirt.
"Are you feeling okay?" I ask softly, rubbing his back. He releases a deep sigh and doesn't answer.
"Jay if you want me to help you, you have to tell me what's wrong." I say lightly. "'m fine." He mumbles.
I frown, knowing he's lying. "Well, I'm going to get something to eat then. Call me if you need anything." I say, carefully sliding off the couch.
I go to the kitchen to make a sandwich, but thoughts of him drive me crazy so I peek back around the corner to check on him. He's curled up on the couch, and though he's started sweating he's shivering as if he's cold.
I frown and hurriedly find a bottle of water, bringing it out to him. "Jay." I say gently, rubbing his shoulder. His dazed eyes blink open slowly and he hums in response before his lids start to droop again.
"Hey hey. Stay awake for just a minute. Can you sit up and drink this?"
His expression drops further and he groans before sitting up. He holds his head with a hand and sways slightly. I'm quick to stabilize him with a hand on his chest.
He takes a few small sips before handing it back. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" I ask. "I'll be fine." He mumbles.
I frown, noting his word choice as I go back to the kitchen. As soon as he thinks I'm out of view he lets out a rattling cough and I grimace at how painful it sounds. This boy is going to be the death of me.