"Wilder," I heard my name faintly.
"Wild," Nico said and shook me lightly, but I can't open my eyes; I'm too tired. It feels like I have been hit by a truck. The pain in my throat that has bothered me the last week is starting to feel like someone is rubbing sandpaper down there.
"Number ten," She keeps on trying, but I turned to the side to avoid her. She is making too much noise.
"Baby?" She chuckled this time. I wrinkled my nose to that but couldn't care less at the moment.
"No, not even that," Nico laughed slightly.
"Stop moving," I mumbled in annoyance as she shook the bed.
"Hey," She said as she pulled me to the side to lay me on my back. I opened my eyes bearly, seeing a couple of worried eyes staring down at me.
"You are burning up, Wilder," She laid her arm on my forehead, and I closed my eyes again.
"And I don't mean like Wilder warm, but fever warm," She took her arm off me.
"You are sweating like crazy, don't you feel it?" Nico asked, caressing my cheek, and I nodded. My mouth is so dry, and it's intensely hot in here, or as Nico said, I'm the one that's overheating.
"Up," She said and pulled me up, seated. I watched her weirdly as she removed the duvet and sat on my lap, but then she started to push up my shirt, and I slapped her hands away.
"I know, but your shirt is all stuck to you, and your temperature is high; you need to cool off," She explained as I closed my eyes and leaned my head onto her shoulder.
"Wilder, you are crazy warm," She said, and I only nodded as I want to pass out again. Yet she pulled up the shirt once more and took it over my head; with a thud, I fell back down into the bed. That was defiantly better with the shirt off.
"Where do you have painkillers?" She asked.
"Somewhere in the kitchen," I mumbled as she placed her hand on my belly.
"Can't believe the first time I see you half-naked, you are sick," She chuckled, and with the bit of strength I had, I slapped her on the thigh.
"I will see if I find those painkillers and a bottle of water," Nico said as she went out of bed. I listen to her disappearing out of the room, and I kicked away the duvet from my legs. Turning around in the bed, the cool air on my back is soothing. I can hear Nico messing around downstairs but then hear my dad's voice eventually as well.
"Wilder," A cold hand on my back sent shivers up and down my body.
"Sorry," Nico said after she had startled me.
"I accidentally woke up your dad, but he helped me find the painkillers, and I got you water," She told me as I turned around in bed, feeling as if my bones would break at every move I make. Grabbing her shirt, I pulled myself up while she gave me the opened bottle along with the painkillers. Swallowing down the pills with the water, Nico placed her hand on the back of my neck.
"You are drenched, Wilder," She said worriedly as I drank the entire bottle of water, burning my throat on the way down. It felt more as if I was swallowing needles.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled as I laid back down.
"Why are you apologizing?" She wondered.
"I don't know, I feel like I have been run over," I said, closing my eyes as the tiredness is taking over me.
"If only," My eyes shot open as those two words left her mouth. She pressed her lips together and gazed away as if she was innocent.
"You said that out loud," I told her, but she kept avoiding looking at me.
"I don't know what you are talking about," She shrugged, and I rolled my eyes; of course, she doesn't.
"I'm going to get you a wet cloth," Nico left my side and into the bathroom. Considering how tired I am, what she blurted out seemed to be stuck in my mind. Was that some sort of hint? I'm not sure; perhaps the fever has gotten to me, or my brain is on the right track. I can't seem to come to another conclusion on why she would say that. Oh no, this is going to be on my mind for a while, isn't it?
"Here," She returned from the bathroom with a cloth in her hand and sat down next to me. Gently she passed it over my forehead and neck, the light coldness fees nice on my skin to the point where I close my eyes.
I'm not sure if I should take up the topic she is avoiding or not. It seems liked she doesn't want to bring it up, or maybe she is a bit too shy about it. Well, that is a first. Don't get me wrong; it's a subject that has been on my mind.
It might not be the right time to talk about it now, considering I'm lying in bed with a high fever and my body aching with every move I make. But I also know if I don't, my mind will go into dark and worried places if not. I'll overthink like I always do.
Slightly I gazed back at Nico as she laid the cloth onto my belly. Not realizing that I'm glancing at her, I found her looking at me, my lower body, in a way I have never seen before. The soft, relaxed tone in her eyes is something else as she smoothly runs the cloth on my skin.
"Is that something you want?" I wondered.
"What?" She said, narrowing her eyes as she leaned closer to me. My sore throat has made my voice sound weird, as if I am mumbling.
"Is that something you want?" I repeated myself.
"What do you mean with something I want?" She asked, and I rolled my eyes as I placed my hand over my face. Could this get any stranger?
"Oh," She chuckled nervously as she bit her lip, seeming to be lost in her thoughts.
"We can talk about that another time," She smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on my forehead. When her lips left my skin, I nodded to her words, not really the answer I wanted, but I'm too tired anyway.
***
Shivering, I clutched onto the duvet; when did it become so cold. Turning around, I'm met with closed eyes and mouth slightly open. Nico is cute when she is sleeping, at least when she isn't moving all around. Shaking rapidly, I laid further down and hid my face on the side of her belly underneath the duvet as I held onto her tightly; her skin is so warm.
"Wild?" She mumbled with an adorable sleepy voice.
"Y-yeah," I stammered, trembling like crazy and clutching onto her for dear life.
"What's wrong?" Nico questioned as she pulled up the duvet.
"I-it's so c-cold," I shook, bringing the duvet back down as she let in the cool air.
"Come here then," She took me by the arm and yanked me upon her naked skin. If I weren't feeling as if I was dying, I would have looked at this from a whole different perspective. Her bare soft skin colliding with my own, but her warmth is soothing. A kiss on my forehead head made me smile as she held me in her arms.
"Take a deep breath and relax," She told me and reached out for air and breathed back out as I tried to make my body stop shaking.
"There you go," She whispered into my ear when the trembling stopped.
"You are still burning up, and you are sticky," She chuckled yet placed a kiss on the top of my head. I smile as I have never felt more cared for in my entire life. Of course, I have my father, but it's definitely not the same. I feel wanted and needed, yet I think Nico is out of this world. I have never met someone like her, so selfless, hilarious, and she sees me for who I really am.
Placing my hands on her collarbones, I leaned up to look her in the eyes with the little light I have from the bathroom. She smiled at me with concerned eyes as she placed her hands onto my cheeks. I clenched my jaw, but as I swallowed, the pain burned in my throat. My mouth opened, yet only air came out as I tried to form the words I want to say.
"I think I love you," I said, and her whole face froze. Tilting my head, I wait patiently for her to unfreeze. It was not really the response I was hoping for; I can't read her mind, so I don't know what is going on there. Sometimes I wish I could like knock on people's heads to let me in. Imagine how easy it would have been for me to understand them then.
"Nico?" I whispered as it's been a little while now. People don't tend to use this long to say something when someone has said those words, but then again, I said, I think. Maybe that is where I went wrong.
"I'm sorry," I hid my face down on her collarbone, feeling the heat in my cheeks raise even more.
"No, Wilder," She lifted my head to make me look at her, and a tear fell down her cheek.
"I'm not sure if you are saying it because you have a high fever or because you actually mean it," She chuckled and dried away the tear with her shoulder.
"But I never expected you to say that to me, at least not now; I mean, it took you four months to ask me to be your girlfriend, and now you tell me that you think you love me," She rambled and shook her head in disbelieve.
"I'm sorry," I said, and she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Don't. You didn't do anything wrong. You are the sweetest person I have ever met, Wilder. You might think the things you say and do are wrong, but it's not. It's cute, and I absolutely love the way you are, how you act, and the words you say. Sometimes, like now, you surprise me, and it's a good thing," She grinned as she caressed my cheek.
"And since it's Wilder we are talking about here, I'll take it as you love me halfway, and I'll accept that because I know when you say these things you really mean it, and I love you just as much," She said and placed her lips on my forehead.
"God, you really are warm," She sounded worried.
"Try and get some sleep. Then we see how you are tomorrow," Nico kissed my forehead again.