Snow Lodge
Chapter 20
Brian awoke several hours later, feeling much better. He wasn't cold anymore, in fact, if anything he was hot.
AJ lay beside him, and Brian looked over and frowned, AJ's skin was pale, making the bruises stand out in stark contrast, and he was shaking lightly. What worried Brian more was the rattling sound he could hear each time AJ took a breath.
Brian reached out a hand to touch AJ's shoulder, surprised to find AJ's skin hot and clammy.
"Shit." Brian cursed, as he gently rolled AJ over onto his back.
He cursed again as he saw AJ's face. His olive skin was now a pasty white, which made the dark circles under his eyes stand out all the more clearly. His skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and his cheeks were flushed red from the fever that was ravaging his body.
"AJ...Wake up." He called, shaking him gently.
AJ moaned softly, before falling silent again. This encouraged Brian a little, so he tried again.
"Alex. C'mon, wake up, please." Brian pleaded, shaking AJ with more force this time.
AJ moaned, his eyes scrunching up as the pain once again invaded his senses. He didn't want to wake up because it hurt too much. He just wanted to stay asleep, where the pain couldn't get to him.
But someone was calling his name, pleading with him to open his eyes. It was Brian, and he sounded scared. He didn't like it when Brian was scared; it made him upset too. He needed to wake up and tell Brian not to be scared. Everything was going to be fine.
AJ fought his way back to consciousness, moaning in as the pain assaulted him. Brian watched the struggle, silently willing AJ to open his eyes. Eventually his eyes fluttered open, blinking a few times before managing to keep them open for long. Brian bit back a gasp as he looked down at him. AJ's eyes were normally the most beautiful he knew, but at the moment they were clouded with pain, and glassy from the fever. The normally deep brown eyes seemed washed out, almost faded and Brian knew then that AJ was seriously in need of help.
"Alex?" Brian called softly, hoping for a response. AJ may have had his eyes open, but it was obvious he was not entirely with it. He reached over and grabbed the First-Aid kit, grabbing the thermometer and some aspirin. He popped the thermometer into AJ's mouth and gently stroked his forehead as he waited for the reading.
"Bri-Bri?" AJ whispered, the words distorted by the thermometer between his lips.
"Shhhh." Brian calmed him. "It's okay, I just need to take your temperature okay?"
AJ frowned a little, trying to digest the words, before nodding slightly. The thermometer beeped, and Brian eased it out of AJ's mouth so that he could read it.
