The Beach (Mimmy)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Feeling Down

“I don’t care if you’re sick, I don’t care if you’re contagious. I would kiss you even if you were dead.”

-          Pierce the Veil, I Don’t Care If You’re Contagious

The next morning, Matt awoke sick. He had a fever, spells of chills, a pounding headache, a horrible cough, and was sick in the bathroom. He felt completely and utterly miserable.

He lay in bed that morning, curled up in the blankets and trying to stop shivering. Jimmy was somewhere in the house, probably letting the dog out. Matt groaned, which ended in a hacking cough, causing his head to pound even harder.

“Oh, baby…” Jimmy crooned from the doorway, and Matt looked up to see him standing there with a glass of water and some pills. “I brought you some antibiotics. I think they might help you feel better.”

Matt managed a small, grateful smile as he sat up, accepting the medicine and glass. “Thank you, Jimmy.” He murmured, taking the pills and washing them down. “I’m sorry I’m so sick, I hate it that I can’t spend this time with you…”

“Quit that, you can’t help that you’re sick.” Jimmy crawled into bed at Matt’s side. “You just settle down and let me kiss you.”

He leaned in, but Matt pulled away. “Wait, let me brush my teeth first.” He mumbled, sliding out of bed and making his way to the bathroom.

He came back and climbed into bed, cuddling up close to his husband. “I-I’m gonna get you sick.” He murmured, pressing his face into Jimmy’s neck, finding relief in the cool of his skin.

“No, you won't.” Jimmy assured, cupping Matt’s face in his hands and tilting his head up so he could look at the vocalist. “I’ll take my chances.”

They met in a gentle, chaste kiss, hot, feverish lips against fresh, pink ones. Matt pulled away after awhile, smiling weakly at Jimmy. “Babe… I don’t want to get you sick.”

“I can’t. I’ve already died, so now things like that can’t affect me.”

Matt frowned. “Don’t talk like that…”

“What do you mean?” asked Jimmy, peering down at his lover through loving blue eyes.

Matt squirmed about uncomfortably. “You know… like you’re dead and stuff. I-I don’t like to think about that. I like to pretend that you never left, and you’ll be here forever.”

Jimmy sighed softly, kissing a trail along Matt’s jaw and nipping softly at the flesh under his neck. “I can’t just pretend though, Mattie. Because I am going to have to leave again. It’s inevitable. And I really did die. But I want to spend every single moment I have left with you, okay? We can’t escape the fact that I’ve passed away, but we don’t have to dwell on it.” He kissed Matt’s nose and smiled softly. “I love you, baby.”

Matt closed his eyes, tucking himself into Jimmy’s side. “I love you too.” He whispered, “I love you so much.”

Jimmy ran his fingers through Matt’s hair soothingly and began to hum softly, lulling the vocalist closer and closer to sleep. Matt curled the front of Jimmy’s shirt in his fingers and laid his head on the older man’s chest, listening to his heart beat.

“I know you and Arin kissed.” Jimmy said suddenly, causing Matt’s eyes to snap open and his headache to return.

“W-What do you mean?” he asked, and Jimmy laughed.

“Don’t be a fucking idiot, Mattie, it was sooo obvious.” He stated, kissing Matt’s temple and continuing to stroke his hair.

Matt’s frown deepened as he regarded the smirking drummer. “He kissed me.” He defended himself. “Not the other way around.”

“A kiss is a kiss, Matt, it requires two participants.” He grinned. “Fucking finally, too.”

Matt looked down at the rumpled duvet, pondering, “You’re not mad? You were expecting that?”

“I’m happy that he’s going to help you move on.” Jimmy smiled softly, kissing Matt’s cheek.

“B-But… I don’t like him like that.” Matt objected.

Jimmy shook his head, grin widening. “I never said you did. But if you ever decided you do… I won’t be mad. And I won’t say I told you so.”

Matt smiled a weak smile, shoving away the churning of nausea in his stomach. “Okay.” He sighed, returning to his original position.

He shivered with chills, pressing his hot face into Jimmy’s neck, and the drummer wrapped his arms around his husband, holding him close. “My birthday is coming up.”

“I hope I fucking don’t feel like this.” Matt whined, “I want to be well on your birthday.”

“So we can have awesome birthday sex!” Jimmy cheered and Matt groaned.

“Nooo I don’t even want to think about that right now.” He mumbled, even though he was looking forward to it. He grunted in protest as Jimmy rolled out from under him, straddling his thighs and leaning down so his face was inches from Matt’s, holding his weight up on his forearms on Matt’s sides.

“And why not?” he breathed, minty hot breath hitting Matt’s face.

“Because I’m fucking sick and I’m not up for it.” Matt grumbled. A different kind of shiver went up his spine as Jimmy’s tongue traced down his neck. “James…”

He felt Jimmy’s lips quirk up in a smirk against his flesh. “You don’t sound like you’re not up for it.” He observed, nipping softly at Matt’s collarbone.

The vocalist tried to hold back a shiver, but it wasn’t that hard with the ever present waves of nausea crashing in his stomach. “I’m gonna puke all over you, Jimmy.”

At this, the older man scrunched up his face, moving so he was lying at Matt’s side and pulled the vocalist close to him. “How unattractive that would be.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck about being attractive right now.” Matt paused to cough, which rattled his insides and left him feeling even more drained than he had felt before. “I just want to sleep.”

Jimmy looked at Matt, concern shining clearly in his sapphire eyes. “Okay.” He said quietly, kissing Matt’s forehead. He nestled down in the blankets and continued to run his hand through Matt’s hair, humming quietly, soothing the younger man into an ill, restless slumber. “You’re perfect.” He whispered in the vocalist’s ear. “And I love you. No matter what happens, I will always, always love you.”