"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Declan sighed, holding his hand to my forehead, which was clammy and warm at the same time.

"This doesn't feel good," he informed the other guys, his gaze darting anxiously around the room. I was laid on the couch in the main room of the base, as usual.

Jordan was standing behind him, trying to peek over his broad shoulders. Bennett was kneeling in front of him.

"It doesn't look good, either," remarked Bennett, his icy eyes filled with worry. "Oh, Naomi."

"Poor, dearest Naomi," Jordan gasped, pushing the other two away and crouching at the side of the couch. "I fear your time is drawing to a close... it has been a wonderful few months in the presence of you—"

"Jordan," I snapped. "Snap out of it. It's just a cold. That's it." Speaking hurt my throat, though, and I coughed. My sudden movement brought the others back to my side.

Jordan flopped dramatically onto the floor. "Naomi, you're delusional... you're sick, you wouldn't be yelling at us—"

"Trust me. Nothing's changed."

They sat in silence for a while, just staring at me, until Bennett spoke. "She must have gotten the cold that's been going around... you know, the one I had a week ago when you went to buy me shoes."

Finally, someone who knows how to use their head. Unlike Jordan.

"Naomi, are you sure you're okay?" Declan asked. "You look really pale. Maybe you should go the do—"

"I'm fine," I repeated forcibly, trying to sit up. But talking loud hurt my throat, and I coughed, laying back down.

"I have a better idea," Declan announced.

Jordan snorted. "That's dangerous."

"We'll be your doctors, Naomi," Declan told me, taking his hand off of my forehead to put it on his hip. "Bennett can be the nurse, and I can be the doctor, and Jordan can be the annoying office attendant."

"Hey," Jordan grumped. "Why can't I be the doctor? Why's it always you?"

"Jordan—"

"I would be a great doctor," he insisted, standing up from the floor to look Declan in the eye.

"You would be a terrible doctor," Bennett objected. "You could look at someone the wrong way and they would die."

"Yeah," Jordan huffed. "Looks can kill... so I'd watch out if I were you." He gave Bennett the stink eye and then turned away.

"I swear, sometimes it's like babysitting," Bennett muttered to me as Declan left the couch to go and look through a cabinet.

"Do we even have any medicine?" I asked as he sat down on the couch next to me, curling his arm around my shoulders.

"We probably have something somewhere," he replied tightly. I leaned into his shoulder and we sat quietly as Jordan started to pace.

"Naomi, Naomi... why did you get sick?" he mused, his acid-green eyes glittering. "How did this happen?"

"Good question, Jordan," called Declan, his voice echoing because his head was submerged into a deep medicine cabinet. "We need to prevent this from ever happening again."

"Guys, I'm fine," I repeated, for what seemed like the millionth time. "It's just a cold. No one was fawning over Bennett when he had a cold."

"Pfft," Jordan rolled his eyes. "Who cares about him? You're the heart and soul of the group."

"HEY," Bennett grumbled. "I thought I was supposed to be the leader!"

"You clearly aren't a very good leader if your group members keep getting sick," Jordan pointed out.

Bennett gave Jordan a sour look, but he just stuck his tongue out in reply, running his hands through his golden hair. "Did you find any medicine yet?"

"Um," Declan responded. "Found some Tylenol... we probably have some DayQuil in here somewhere—"

"You're absolutely useless," Jordan informed him as Declan removed his head from the cabinet, clutching a small canister of Tylenol.

"Look who's talking," Declan retorted. "If you want to look in there, go right ahead. Bennett, can you help?"

Reluctantly, Bennett pulled his arm away from me and stood up. "What do you want?"

"Make me some water."

"I'm not making you water!" Bennett cried. "Go make your own stupid water and let me take care of my girlfriend!"

"Oooh," Jordan blathered. "Trouble in paradise? I'm still shipping Beclan."

"Shut up," Declan growled. "Bennett, I wanted you to make water for Naomi so she could take the Tylenol."

"Oh," he said, and in no time, he'd made the water. He brought it over to me and I hastily swallowed the disgusting pill, following it with a sip of water.

"Ugh," I groaned, falling back into the pillow and sniffling.

"Here," Bennett whispered, crouching next to my face again, his voice soft. "Will this make it feel better?" With those words, he brushed his lips against mine, quickly and gently.

"Bennett, don't," Declan warned. "You're going to get sick, too."

"I think I can handle it," he muttered softly, but he backed away. "I think it's no problem at all."

"Did you find the DayQuil yet?" Declan called to Jordan, who had taken up the job of searching the medicine cabinet.

"No," he admitted. "I found a little spider though. He needs a name."

"Are you really going to name the spider, Jordan?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Of course," he answered. "His name is Jack."

"Ooookay then," Bennett muttered to himself. "I am surrounded by idiots."

"We never figured out how Naomi got the cold," Declan said, ignoring Bennett's comment. "So..."

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked. "Clearly I got it from Bennett and it just took a few days to set in."

"Oh."

"OH NO OH NO OH NOOOOO!" Jordan screeched suddenly, deafening us all.

"What's wrong?" asked Declan quickly, running up to Jordan's side. "What happened?" It was clear that he was extremely worried for Jordan.

(yessss I ship them)

"I found the DayQuil," Jordan announced, turning back to look at us. I think I could see a tear in his eye.

"Is that a bad thing?" Declan asked, obviously confused.

"YES YES IT TOTALLY IS!"

"Why?"

"BECAUSE I WAS REACHING FOR IT AND I ACCIDENTALLY SQUISHED JACK THE SPIDER!" he sobbed, flopping back onto the floor like he always did.

Declan sighed. "Naomi."

"What?"

"Could you pass me the Tylenol? I think I need some right about now, after having to deal with this idiot for an extended period of time."

I snorted, but it hurt my throat so I simply handed him the Tylenol in exchange for the other medicine. Jordan had started to sob and Bennett just looked bored at this point.

"I grabbed a spoon when I went to go and get the water," he informed me, pouring me a spoonful of medicine. Gently, he slipped it into my mouth.

I swallowed, but almost gagged. "This stuff is even worse than Tylenol," I sputtered. Bennett tipped the remaining contents of the water cup into my mouth, but it didn't make it much better.

"Here," he said, putting his arms around me on the couch. His hoodie was warm and snuggly and I shivered into it. I closed my eyes sleepily, and I could feel the tufts of his raven-black hair on my face.

I smiled.

The last thing I felt was the soft touch of his lips against mine before I fell asleep on the couch, Bennett's arms wrapped around me.

•••

hey guys author-chan is finally back... it only took me two months... oh well...

the amazing idea for this one-shot was suggested by @Paris3497, much thanks

i still need suggestions! if anyone has an idea feel free to comment and I will credit you in the chapter's A/N

also, thanks for 2k reads! it means a lot!