Work Text:
The night sky shined into the dark room as the rain over head timed in like cat meowing for food, the soft warm bedding hold the old vampire in a warm hug, not wanting to get up as he sneezed himself awake in a shiver of a light, he hates being sick, always has, always reminding him of before he had friends or a house that's warm, but as much as he hates being sick, he appreciates the perspective it gives, the humanity.
The moment where nothing tastes as good, as unsweetened mint tea as the one thing that does not make him sick to his empty stomach, the cold skin on his body freezes up more in a way that makes him uncomfortable but slowly relaxed to see it's just Kevin.
"Hey man," Kevin said at the door, tilting his head to the side into Dan's room, oversized sweatpants and sweater and all, and a small concerned look on his face.
Dan tried to talk but only got a rough cough out of his dry throat, trying again but in a harsh whisper, "sa..sick," looking at Kevin with a bit of tears in his eyes, he wished for it to be over and done with.
"Ah! Right hmm tea? Or maybe something to help with the throat," Kevin asked him, and he nodded trying to respond but sighing instead, almost angry with himself.
" Mint right," he asked and Dan nodded, then he clarified, "unsweetened one?."
Dan nodded again and soon Kevin walked off to get him some tea which was kind, sighing himself more into his bed, comfortable, his brain however wasn't so kind to his sick self,"you sometimes feel emotionless connected to people… right… Merely through Habit…Merely through 'Might as well' doesn't make you a freak."
He felt like his own brain was against him, as he thought back if he replied to himself, "Maybe there are a few exceptions to this rule but even so, far less than I'd like to admit."
"Like the men in your house?" The twisted thoughts talked back to him as the bed felt more warm to be in, almost slipping back into a deep death sleep.
"Because who'd come out and say that they are but a shell…. Approximation...Of a faulty definition….Of what makes you be….so.... I'm not saying that it's all an act nor I'm not saying it's a lie but I'm just saying that I see people around me as merely a habit," it wanted to make him feel depressed or cry, he wouldn't say any of his friends are a habit.
"Liar," he whimpered out in a soft hurt voice, feeling the tears dawn on him like a wet flood, shaking in his bed, wanting to feel okay but not knowing how to.
"I'm your brain idiot," it joked at him, teasing him in a bullying sort of way, he tried to block it out by hiding under the covers as he shaked more.
"Dan?" Kevin slowly said from behind the door, Dan sobbed a bit more and couldn't stop shaking, he heard a soft cink onto the bedside table next to him and Kevin softly sitting next to him.
"What's going on?" Kevin asked as Dan shakely pulled his covers off his eyes, looking at him with a soft hurt look on his face, looking at the cloth over Kevin's face.
"Hm hug?" Kevin asked and Dan nodded, moving slowly over to him, getting engulfed by Kevin and rubbing his back in a soft way, softly humming a song as Dan listened and hummed along.
He felt like he was home that nothing could hurt him, the softness of the sweater, the feeling of fabric as well as the warmness from Kevin himself, the breathing and heartbeat in time with his own in a soft tune.
"Drink?" Kevin asked, holding him gently in his lap as Dan leaned his head on his shoulder, trying out his voice from crying and being sick, not being able to say yes without a sort of hurt in his voice, leaning off the shoulder.
"Don't stress man here," Kevin said gently, grabbing the cup in a soft way to not spill anything, passing it over to Dan.
The warm, relaxing teacup held in his hands, he slowly takes a small sip and in this exact moment, they are the food of the gods, or him at least, basking in the love of it all.
A selfish part of him slightly wished this comfort would always be an always moment not just now, not just when he was sick or fell asleep on the couch but a thing he could comfortably ask but a deep part of him said horrible things like sending feelings he hated as he sipped on his tea.
The sick feeling settled in an odd way, as Kevin softly hummed comfortably wrapping his arms around Dan's waist, soon he asked if Dan felt better or at least comfortable and Dan just froze realizing in his nearly two hundred years of living he has never been asked this question or ask about how he feels in the moment.
He felt like a deer in headlights, frozen in what felt like soft hell, the type of hell he would love to get comfortable in but the type to backfire in an instant, he breathed slowly in and out for a few minutes, and shakely said in a soft voice, "yes… to both."
"That's good to hear," Kevin said softly, relaxed, breathing out a breath he was holding in, "you haven't sneezed in a while… hm am I allowed to touch your he… forehead to check something," he asked smiling with a soft look to his eyes.
Dan nodded, sipping his semi cold tea, trying to chill his awkwardness and heart as Kevin checked his forehead with his hand touching it for a moment before humming to himself in a confused tone before asking "Have you had blood lately?"
"No…" Dan said trailing off with his word, as Kevin slowly put back his head to wrap around Dan as he sighed and said, "You dumb old man that's why you're sick."
Dan shrugged putting the cup back on the table, soon getting comfort in Kevin's arms and whispered, "later," leaning more into the warmth as Kevin just giggled and said in a playful manner, "why not just take some of mine."
"Not a bad idea but tired," Dan said slowly, falling asleep again, his voice felt better after the tea thankfully, and in a soft whisper said, "thank you."