Top and Tail [boyxboy] [slash]

Chapter 17: You Never Think!

Turns out my parents obviously didn't think anything was out of the ordinary when they came in, because when I woke up the next morning I was still sprawled across Jay, the duvet sticking to me with sweat. A loud yawn escaped my mouth and I accompanied it with a stretch, accidentally thwacking Jay in the process.

"Oh shit, sorry dude!"

Jay groaned and squeezed me tightly, imitating my yawn.

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled, burying his face in the back of my hair while I writhed uncomfortably.

"Jay?"

"Hm?"

"I can't breathe."

Jay let out a small, disappointed sigh but slackened his death grip all the same. "Sorry."

I didn't respond, instead let my eyes fall closed and slumped against his shoulder. The incessant scratching at the back of my throat hadn't let up at all, and my voice sounded croaky like one of those witches in the Halloween movies. I spluttered another throaty cough, completely killing the moment.

"What time is it?" I asked, peering at the still closed blinds. Moaning, Jay squirmed around a little under the covers until he reached into his jeans pocket and produced his mobile phone.

"Just left twelve," he answered sleepily, balancing the mobile on the arm of the sofa. I raised an eyebrow.

"Damn."

"Yup."

I exhaled again, my breath still sounding scratchy. My still half closed eyes scanned the room for a note, some evidence that my parents had actually returned home the previous night. It was highly unlikely they'd have let me stay off school otherwise...

Then my gaze fell upon a small, slightly crumpled sheet of lined paper taped to the back of the door. I frowned at it for a moment, trying to decide if it was worth the effort to get up and leave Jay's secure, warm hold.

"Hey Jay?" I asked, biting back a yawn. He smiled lazily at me, only just waking up.

"Yeah?"

"Know how I'm sick and everything?" I gave a meek cough just to spice it up a bit, but the feeble splutter sounded nothing like the violent chain-saw like noises tearing themselves from my throat earlier. Jay immediately saw through the lie, but kept quiet all the same.

"Yeah...?"

"Can you be, like, my super supportive boyfriend and everything, and get that note for me?" I asked sweetly. "Seeing as I'm sick and all..."

"Faker," Jay coughed, his false stutter much more convincing than mine. I fluttered my eyes playfully.

"Oh come on," I begged, curling up against him like a lost puppy. "Please...?"

"Fine," he grumbled, giving me one last squeeze before peeling back to duvet (drowning me in the process) and standing up. He walked over and gently tugged the note from its proud place on the back of the door, completely disregarding the tails of clear plastic tape left over. Squinting at the paper, he wandered back to the couch and sat down beside me.

"Let's see it then," I prompted, holding out a sweaty palm. Jay rolled his eyes and slunk an arm around my waist, sneakily pulling me closer. I couldn't help but grin when I noted how neatly my chin fit into his shoulder.

The note, which had obviously been scrawled in a hurry, was signed by my mother;

Boys, you both looked exhausted so I thought you could do with the day off school. There's some money on the mantelpiece – don't spend it all, Ash. I'll explain the whole Linda situation when I get back from the hospital tonight. – Mum.