** sniff **

“What was that?” Brian crossed from their bedroom at Britin into their huge walk-in closet.  He was draped in a towel hanging low on his hips, while he rubbed his hair with another.

Justin took a look at his husband and his tongue darted out to lick his lips.  Momentarily mesmerized by Brian he didn’t think – he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.  ** sniff **

Brian drew the towel back from his head.  “There it is, again!” Brian zeroed his gaze on Justin.

“It’s nothing,” Justin replied, sticking his head deeper into a drawer so Brian wouldn’t see his red nose. “Allergies.”

“It had better be fucking allergies…” Brian muttered as he began to lay out his suit for the day.  “I have the Tesla pitch in three days.  I can’t get a fucking cold!”

++++++++++++

“Brian?”  his secretary’s voice came over the speaker phone.

“Yes?”  He’d been in back-to-back meetings all morning; if it wasn’t a meeting, it was a conference call.

“Jennifer Taylor stopped by and wanted to know if you had a few minutes.”  Emma his most recent assistant wasn’t Cynthia – who was?  – but she seemed to have more sense than the last three.

“Do I have anything scheduled? Can it be moved?”

“You are free until noon, and you have lunch blocked until 12:45, when you have prep time for your 1pm with Liberty Air.”

“Do I have someone scheduled for lunch?”

“I think you were just planning on meeting Ted and Michael at the diner.”

“Right.  Send Jennifer in.  Let Ted know I won’t be at lunch – he can take care of telling Michael.”

++++++++++++

Jennifer whirled in after a light tap on his door.  Brian rose from behind his desk and crossed to press cheeks with her.

“How’s my favorite son-in-law?”

“You better not let Molly hear you, Lawrence will not be happy.” Brian grinned down at her good naturedly.

“What brings you by?”

“I wanted to bring you an update on Smallman Street warehouse property you had were interested in.”

“Perfect.  Can you stay and join me for lunch?”

Jennifer looked at her watch. “I can, but I have to be somewhere at 1…”

“That will work fine – I have a hard stop at 12:45.”

“Then I’d be delighted to join you.”

Brian pressed a button on his phone.  “Emma, would you call over to Emmett at The Market and see if he can send something over for myself and Jennifer for lunch?  He knows her preferences.  Have his send something for you as well.”

++++++++++++

Jennifer rose from the conference table that held the remnants of their lunch, sliding her iPad into her purse.  “I think that was a productive working lunch.” She smiled at Brian and lifted her cheek for a kiss.  “I’ll put in the offer tomorrow.  Would you and Justin like to join Tucker and I for brunch sometime soon – perhaps this weekend?”

Brian frowned, “Hmm, let’s get back to you.  I think he’s fighting off a cold, he says it’s allergies, but I think it’s more.  I have the pitch for Tesla in a couple of days, and I’m trying to ward off the germs in my own home.  If he breathes on me and I get sick, I may send him to you to recuperate.  I knew we should have never gotten rid of the loft.”

Jennifer smiled.  “Either way, just let me know.”  With a wave she exited his office.

++++++++++++

By the time Brian arrived home, Justin had graduated from sniffles to full blown sneezing and coughing.  Brian walked into the house to the sound of Justin honking as he blew his nose.

“You’re home early,” Justin’s voice was muffled by the mucus clogging his nose.  He made his way to Brian for a welcome home kiss.

Brian quickly sidestepped his spouse, holding up a hand. “No way!”

“Brian!”  Justin tried to speak without snot dripping out his nose.

“You are going to have to quarantine, I can’t be sick for the Tesla pitch.”

Justin’s face transformed into a pout, “I’m not that bad!”

“I can’t understand a word you are saying – it sounds like you’re speaking through a bunch of fog.”

“I said,” Justin annunciated each word, “It’s not that bad.”  Which would have been fine if he did follow his statement with a sneezing fit.

Brian fished in his pocket and held a linen handkerchief out to his husband at arm’s reach. “Quit rubbing your snot on your sleeves.  And please try to cover your face.”

Justin grabbed for the handkerchief. “You don’t love me anymore!”, he whined as he seized the cloth and blew hard.

Brian retreated two steps backwards.  “I don’t love you any less.  You know how important this pitch is.  I can’t be wheezing and hacking and expect to get this account.”

Justin hung his head. “I know, I know.”

Brian rolled his eyes and stifled back the words Drama Queen.

“Why don’t you go back to bed.  I’ll come up…”

Justin’s head popped up and a smile began to form.

“…with a bowl of soup for you.”

Justin’s face fell.

Brian gently took Justin’s arm and led him to the stairs, keeping as much distance between them as possible.  As Justin began to ascend the stairs, Brian let his hand slide down Justin’s back and squeeze his ass.

++++++++++++

While Justin slurped soup propped up by a pile of pillows on their bed, Brian detoured to their walk-in closet and began to collect his clothes for the next few days.  Coming out of the closet, he crossed the room and gently hung his suits over the back of the small sofa in their sitting area, before heading to the bathroom.

Justin watched him. “What are you doing?”

Brian turned and smiled, realizing the soup wasn’t enough to distract his husband.  “Think of it as me going on a business trip.”

“You’re leaving me? I’m sick.  I’m sure there was something in those wedding vows about in sickness and in health.”

Brian bit his lip and counted to ten.  “I’m not fucking leaving you. I’m merely moving down the hall a bit until after the pitch on Thursday.”

Tears began to well in the corners of Justin’s eyes as he tried to stifle the snot dripping out his left nostril.

Kill me now Brian was glad his back to was to Justin, he picked up speed heading into the primary bath. 

Grabbing his toiletry kit from the drawer and began to fill it.  I just need to get through three more days.

+++++++++++

Brian was jolted awake by ice cold feet on his legs and a blaring heat on his shoulder.  “Oh, for fuck’s sake!”

“Justin.”  He pushed his offending spouse away, trying to create some distance.  “You’re burning up!”

Eyes shut, mouth wide open, with congested breaths, Justin had sneaked down the hall at some point in the early hours of Tuesday and joined Brian in the guest room’s full-size bed.

“Justin.”  Brian gave him another poke, but other than the mucus laced snores, Justin wasn’t moving.

Brian debated whether to wake Justin up so he could get some fluids and aspirin in him.  He pressed a hand to Justin’s forehead.  Shit!. He headed to the primary bath and retrieved the aspirin and a bottle of Evian from the sitting area wine fridge.

He managed to get Justin to swallow the pills and some water before falling back into his congestion coma.  Closing the door as silently as possible, Brian moved another room down the corridor hoping Justin sleep walking would not follow him again.

Brian sat on the bed, placing his phone and watch phone on the night table when he remembered his clothes for the following day were in the guest bedroom with his germ ridden husband. Fuck! Brian back tracked to the primary bedroom and began to raid his closet.

His work clothes and back up toiletries settled in the room’s en suite, Brian headed back to bed, but not before he locked the door.

+++++++++++

“Brian!”  knock, knock, knock “Brian…” the second call came out bleak and pitiful.

Brian looked at his phone – 6:54 am.

“I’m coming…”

Rousting himself out from under the covers, Brian crossed to the door and opened it.

Justin looked pitiful. Where at one time, the tousled hair and pillow crease may have been cute, the red eyes and dripping nose ruined the look.

Brian signed and steered his husband back to the primary bedroom and into the bathroom.  Stripping Justin of his robe, he moved him into the shower and let the warm spray wash away the crusted snot and sweat of the night. 

Justin moaned appreciably.

Brian picked up Justin’s robe and other offending articles of clothing around the bedroom, depositing them into the hamper before striping and remaking the bed.  When he had finished his housekeeping, he made it back to the shower in time to catch Justin before he fell asleep standing up.  A quick towel dry and he had his mate back in bed, and thankfully asleep, before heading back to his past night’s accommodations for his own shower.

+++++++++++

“Go away, Brian!” Emmett answered his phone.

“Emmett, I need your skills.”

“It’s 8am on a Tuesday, what do you possibly need me to cater at this hour?”

“It’s Justin.”

“Baby? What did you do now?” Emmett’s accusatory tone set Brian’s teeth on edge.

“I didn’t do anything.  He has a cold.  I need to work.  Can you perhaps come over sometime today and bring him some food?  Maybe he’ll perk up with food and company.”

Emmett nodded, not thinking about the fact Brian couldn’t see him. “Of course, I’ll come by.  I don’t have much on my schedule today that I can’t get one of the staff to take over.”

“Great.”  Brian didn’t realize how relieved he was knowing someone would be watching over and entertaining Justin.  “I’ll leave you a key in the usual place.”

+++++++++++

“What did that little shit do now?” Mike had wandered up to the Diner’s register where Brian waited for his to go order.

“Mikey, what the fuck?”

“Emmett says Justin kicked you out of your bedroom.”

Deb crossed to the register with Brian’s order.  “You two have a fight? Have you been fucking around?”

“What?!” Brian stared at his oldest friend and then at Debbie. “No!” to Deb, then “Mikey, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Emmett says he’s been over at your place nursing Justin all day.  He said you moved out of the bedroom…”

Brian stared at his best friend.  “Think Mikey, is that what Emmett said or is that what you concluded?  I asked Emmett to stop by because Justin has a cold, and he could use some company.  I moved out of the bedroom to avoid picking up his cold.  I have a very important meeting on Thursday, and I can’t show up with a dripping nose looking like I have the plague.”

“Sunshine’s sick?”

“Yes, I asked Emmett to stop by and bring him something from The Market.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Debbie, I believe I just did.”

“I’ll be over tonight with soup and a casserole.”

“Actually Deb, maybe you could do that tomorrow.  I have an unusually busy week, and I’m sure Justin would enjoy visits spaced out a bit.  He needs to rest – interspersed with food and company.”

“Sure, sure, I’ll see if Kiki will swap shifts with me.”

“Thanks Deb.”  Brian handed her a twenty, leaned over the counter and brushed a kiss on her cheek before taking his lunch and heading for the door.

“But Brian…,” Michael watched his friend leave.

+++++++++++

Emmett’s SUV was still in the front drive when Brian returned home at 7:15pm.  He parked the Corvette in the garage before walking the short, covered walkway to the kitchen.

Justin was ensconced in a stool at the island laughing at some outrageous tale Emmett was spinning. He was still a bit flushed, but his voice didn’t seem to be as congested as it had been earlier in the day.

“All hail the king, home from his conquests!” Emmett gave him a quick salute before returning to whatever he was cooking on the stove.  “You are just in time for dinner.”

“No carbs…”

“After seven!” Emmett and Justin voiced in unison.

“Really Brian, we know the routine.” Emmett tutted. “Soup – freshly made Hot and Sour – full of protein, good broth and enough heat to open up the sinuses.”

“Sounds terrific.  I’m going to run up and change.  I’ll be down in five minutes.”

Justin, Emmett, and Brian had an enjoyable dinner.  Emmett had put together a vegetable stir fry to accompany the soup.  As usual, Emmett entertained them with stories.  It was a little after nine when Brian saw him out and locked up the house for the night. 

Justin was behind him in the hall.  Though he had appeared pretty clear-headed during dinner, Brian could hear a slight wheeze creeping back into Justin’s breathing, as well as a sniffle here and there.”

“C’mon, time for bed.  You look like you could fall asleep on your feet.  A couple good night’s rest and maybe you’ll be past the worst of this.”

“Are you going to sleep in the guest bedroom again tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to lock me out? Again?”

“Yes.”

“You ate dinner in the same room as me.”

“I kept myself socially distanced.  I may pull out my mask.”

Justin gave him a disgusted look before stomping up the stairs and slamming their bedroom door shut.

 +++++++++++

Justin didn’t bother to get up Wednesday morning, so Brian was able to escape to the office without an argument or confrontation about his sleeping arrangements.

Debbie called Brian around 9:30am to let him know she was heading out for “Sunshine duty”.  It seemed she had spent most of the previous evening laying in supplies.  Justin would have Chicken Soup, Lasagna, Baked Ziti and Tuna Noodle Casserole.  Brian cringed at the thought of all those carbs.  Justin had better get well soon; he’d need their usual daily workouts to burn off the fat.

+++++++++++

“I can’t believe you’d sic Debbie on me!” Justin bitched at Brian the moment he’d set foot through the door.  He was sounding better – only a touch of nasal congestion was apparent in his voice, his face didn’t have any flush.  The boy was definitely on the road to recovery.

Brian put his briefcase on the kitchen island and surveyed Justin’s hoard. There was a collection of aluminum containers stacked three and four high and two deep.

“Looks like you made out like a bandit.” Brian nodded to the containers and the Chocolate Cake on the cake stand that usually held fruit.

“Debbie was thoughtful.” Justin relented. “She made the same amount of food as normal but split it into smaller containers we can freeze.”

“Same amount as normal?  Like Sunday dinner?  She normally has 16 people at Sunday dinner – and she still sends home leftovers.”

Though Justin was stashing most of the containers in the freezer, there was a suspicious number of them still on the counter.

“What’s this?” Brian nodded at the single line of five containers.  “Did you run out of freezer space?”

“That’s my tasting menu.”

Brian shook his head. “As long as you don’t expect me to eat it.”

Justin smiled, “No, and with your germ-phobic tendencies about my cold, I don’t have to worry about you stealing from my plate.”  Justin went about making himself a plate of a sample from each container on the counter and popping it into the microwave. 

“You get soup and salad for dinner,” he announced to Brian.

+++++++++++

Thursday – T Day.

Brian was up and out the door by 7:30am.  He had arranged for Jennifer to have Justin duty today. 

Today was the Tesla pitch. Brian had four hours to ensure nothing was left to chance.

By 9:30am Brian had done a complete walk through of the planned presentation, sending one of the boards back to the art department for a minor change.

At eleven, Brian met with Ted and Cynthia.  All “t”s were crossed, all “i”s were dotted.

At 1:30pm the contingent from Tesla arrived. 

By three, the flawless presentation was over, and the team from Tesla had left with contracts to review with their lawyers and accountants.  It had been a stellar day!

++++++++++++

On his way home, Brian stopped a The Market to pick up the celebratory dinner he’d arranged ahead of time with Emmett.  Emmett had even wrangled a manly bouquet of flowers to accompany the meal. 

Brian set the dinner and flowers on the kitchen island before going off to find Justin.

He found Justin in his studio working. “Honey, I’m home!”

Justin smiled up.  “I’d ask you how it went, but you seem pretty happy, so I’m guessing it went well.”

“The pitch went off without a hitch! Their Marketing team has asked me to parent their next seven children, and no one quibbled over the cost.  Now all there is left is for their legal team and accountants to go over what our lawyers and accountants have put together.  Once we have the contracts signed, we can celebrate.  Maybe a quick trip to somewhere sunny.”

“Will we get to go to outer space?”

“The pitch was for Tesla, not SpaceX.  Have your sights set on being the first queer in space?”

“No.  Besides, everyone knows Sally Ride was the first gay astronaut.”

“That we know of…”

+++++++++++

“Are you coming to bed tonight?” Justin asked as they climbed the stairs to the second floor.

In front of their bedroom door, Brian stopped and cupped Justin’s head in his hands.  He smoothed his hands along Justin’s cheeks and buried them in the blond’s soft hair. Brian dropped his head to Justin’s, foreheads touching.

“No sign of fever.  I could be persuaded to shift my accommodations for the night.” He dropped a light kiss on Justin’s lips.

Justin pushed Brian. “Thanks a lot!”

Brian swept Justin up in his arms and strode into their bedroom before depositing his younger lover on the bed most unceremoniously.

“Ever the romantic.”

“You want romantic, you shouldn’t have married me.”

Justin propped himself up on his elbows, watching a Brian stripped out of his clothes before returning to the bed.

“You’re overdressed.”

+++++++++++

“I think we burned off the chocolate cake,” Justin said as he lazily drew circles along Brian’s vertebrae.

“You’re hot and sweaty, and thankfully not due to that fever.”  Brian leveraged himself off the bed, pulling Justin along with him. “Come!” he commanded.  “You have been grossly negligent in your spousal duties!  I’ve had to do without you scrubbing my back the last few days.”

Brian marched Justin into the bathroom and straight to the shower.

+++++++++++

The warmth of the shower, accompanied by another, slower session of lovemaking made both men ready for sleep.  Justin finished his nightly ablutions, so he left Brian brushing his teeth and made to the big bed.  He looked at the duvet cover and made a mental note to wash it in the morning.  Luckily, he’d changed the sheets earlier in the day.  He welcomed the crisp coolness of the linens as he slipped under the covers and asleep.

In the bathroom, Brian finished up brushing, but felt a tickle in his throat.  He took a measure of mouthwash and gargled.  As he spat out, the tickle seemed to have abated, so he didn’t think further.  He turned out the lights as he made his way to the bed; turning off the bedside lamp as he joined Justin under the sheets.

Justin rolled closer and snuggled into his chest.  Brian took a deep breath, ignoring the slight drip in his nose as he drifted off to sleep.

+++++++++++

What is that sound?! Justin was rudely awakened by what could only be described as a cat hissing.  He shifted away from Brian only to realize it was Brian who was making the noise.

Brian was asleep flat on his back, mouth open making a horrible noise as he breathed.  Accompanying the phlegm laden snore, Brian’s nose whistled a high-pitched squeak, each time the older man breathed in or out.

FUCK!  Groggily, Brian began to move.  What the hell did he drink last night?  His throat was sore and scratchy.  He sat up, trying to right himself so he could breathe easier.  All that seemed to do was to drain the mucus out of his nose and down the back of his throat.  He coughed and choked on his own congestion, temporarily unable to breathe.

“Kleenex!” He demanded, and Justin scrambled for a box of tissues.  Pulling a few, he handed them to Brian, who promptly expelled a wad of phlegm from his throat. “More!” he held out his hand and Justin quickly handed him three more tissues.  Brian blew his nose.

“Why don’t I go fix you a cup of that tea Emmett brought me – Throat Coat.  It will sooth your throat and help you breathe easier.”

Brian glared at his younger lover – his healthy, non-infected, easy breathing lover. “You!” he pointed at Justin.  “You’re to blame for this!”

+++++++++++

Justin managed to get some tea and dry wheat toast down Brian, while he changed the sheets and supervised a shower for Brian.  Except during his cancer treatments, he’d never really known Brian to be sick.  Brian seemed to be invincible. Brian didn’t really get sick.

Justin got Brian back in bed with a promise of some of Debbie’s Chicken Soup before beating a hasty retreat.

+++++++++++

“Turnabout’s fair play.” Jennifer commented.

“Mom! I can’t believe you are taking his side!”

“Oh, sweetheart, buck up.  How often has Brian taken care of you when you were sick?”

“I guess you’re right.  But he’s like a bear with a thorn in his paw.”

Jennifer chuckled at the description.  She could well imagine Brian not taking well to being sick. “Look at the bright side, it only took you three days to get over your cold.  Brian will scare the germs away.”

+++++++++++

Justin could hear Brian sneezing – and cursing – as he brought the tray with his soup into the bedroom.  He set Brian up to on the couch in their sitting area.  It would give him the opportunity to change the sheets and air out the room.

“I can’t fucking believe you made me sick!”

“It’s just a cold.”

“If I didn’t need you for sustenance…”

“Look at the bright side, Ted called - Tesla signed.”