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Paddys sick. It’s not the type of sick that was bought on by being in the cold water too long while the cold Irish wind howled, nor was it the type that could be fixed by your ma’s tea. No, this was a type of sickness Eoin had never seen Paddy become victim too. Even before the war Paddy rarely got sick, the most he got was a cold and he’d always be able to get things done even if he felt a bit under the weather. It must of been the man’s stubbornness or just perseverance. So, it was a surprise to Eoin when he found Blair curled up on his cot. Practically naked except for his boxers. His hair was stuck to his forehead from all the sweat and a beautiful shade of red was sprawled on his cheeks and chest. Eoin was dumbfounded and just stared at Blair for a while at the entrance of their tent.
Then Blair started coughing and Eoin had to snap back to reality (Eminem Voice) he shuffled over to paddys cot and loomed over paddy, not knowing whether to stand or sit until Blair coughed again, this time more violently and Eoins body had already decided that Eoin would be sitting next to Paddy, acting as his pillar. Blair managed to crack open his puffy blue eyes and his pupils dilated when he saw Eoin. His mouth moved but only a groan came out and then his eyes closed again, however his body was now leaning on Eoins frame.
Eoin could hardly contain his blush.
He snaked his hand towards Blair’s
forehead.
“Fuck blair You’re boiling”
Blair whined and moved away from Eoin, not fully completing what he wanted to do as Eoins Hand splayed over his stomach, pushing him back down to lay on top of Eoin.
“Don’t Move you Idjit, you could get hurt.”
Blair whines again and furrows his eyebrow, mumbling something before nuzzling closer to Eoin. Eoin Holds Blair close and combs his sweat soaked hair. He lulls Blair to sleep while also deciding that the moment it is okay to leave Blair alone he will go and fetch a doctor.
————
Eoin wants to actually bash his head in a wall when he finds out Blair has malaria. To think such a small blood sucking parasite could cause so much grief was really a mystery to the young man. Blair was also a sight. Eoin had never seen the man so… so needy. Shame, he tried to keep his resolve up, not asking for help from Eoin or not being whiny but after a while that soon also began to crumble and Blair was like a child again. He cried when it was too hot and they had done all they could, stripping Blair naked and pouring cold water on him. It got so bad that Blair once tried to force Eoin to take him outside during the night. Eoin didn’t let him, which just resulted in Blair being even more whiny. Blair also cried when it was too cold. When he was swaddled in blankets like a newborn baby and also Eoins clothes. When even Eoin was hugging Paddy and could literally see sweat drip down his face, Blair complained that he was cold.
Eoin would be lying if he said it wasn’t scary seeing Blair like that. The man was really a beast of his new found emotion and had no trouble expressing that to Eoin. He was whiny and needy. Pawing at Eoin to get his attention and then pushing him away when he was too hot. It was scary but also relieving in a way, to see Blair be a bit less loose, tense. It made Eoin happy to see the man he loved not be so wound up like a coil of a spring. He especially loved it when Blair in his hazed mind would call out for Eoin to come and be next to him, to hug and hold him, run his hands through Blair’s hair and sing or read to him. Blair even once prayed with Eoin.
Eoin was pretty sure that Blair had no idea what he was doing as the fever and cold had taken a toll on his body, but while Blair held one of the blue rosemary beads and slurred back the prayer Eoin was also saying , with his glassy eyes and pouty lips. Eoin didn’t mind if Blair would not remember the tender moment. It was enough for Eoin to see a version of Blair that no one else had or would ever see again.
————
Blair slowly gets better. That’s not too say he’s miraculously cured but rather he doesn’t cry anymore so much due to the temperature and the doctor has to keep on reassuring a stressed Eoin that everything is fine and that Blair would not die from the malaria.
It was a genuine fear of Eoins that he would lose Blair. He had thought about it on the nights where he was up till late with Blair, when his mind was all mush and all he could think about was waking up to see a dead Blair.
Needless to say Eoin cried a lot that night, curling up next to Blair like a cub seeking warmth from its mother.
Eoin shaked the memory away and focused once again on Blair. His face was still red and his eyes were all puffy from the crying. Eoin smiled at him and placed a quick little kiss on his forehead, he then wetted a rag and dapped it gently on Blair’s forehead.
“Eoinnn”
“Yes Blair?”
Blair cracks his eyes open and looks at Eoin, weakly snaking his hands towards Eoins back.
“I love you.”
Eoin snorts and nods, leaning down once again to kiss Paddy. This time he deceides to do so on the lips.
“I love you too Blair.”
Blair smiles and then a mischievous twinkle shines in his eyes. He pulls Eoin down to the bed and laughs at his flustered face, kissing it and Eoins neck.
The wet rag is discarded on the floor and Eoin is Seen cradling a happy and smiling Blair.
“You know. If you’re like this all the time when you are sick maybe you should get sick often.”
“Oh shut up you Idjit!”
Eoin snorts and Shakes his head no. “No… you’d miss my voice.”
Blair blushes and holds Eoins hands.
“Aye… aye i would.”
The pair look at each other with love and adoration in their eyes before they kiss again. Mumbling I love you’s into their skin, like a Tatoo, a reminder for life that Eoin Mcgonigal loves Robert Blair Mayne and Robert Blair Maybe loves Eoin Mcgonigal.