Drew looked at May, concerned. " Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

May, her eyes red and skin palet than usual, sat up and nodded weakly. " Yeah. I'll be fine."

But Drew wasn't so sure. He felt her forehead and neck and shook his head. " May, you're not going anywhere."

" B... But why?!"

Drew glared at her. " Because you're sick, and you know it!"

" I am not!"

Drew chuckled faintly. " Sure."

He reached into his bag and pulled out medicine, pouring it into a spoon. " Here's some fever reliever. Then I'll give you Tylenol."

" Y... You don't have t-"

Drew put his hand under the spoon and brought it to May's mouth. " Drink."

May opened her mouth, and Drew put it in. She swallowed it and widened her eyes.

" It's bitter!"

Drew quickly grabbed some water and gave it to May, then took a syringe out of his bag and took the Tylenol bottle out, filling the syringe with the pink medication. " Here, May."

May looked at the syringe of pink liquid with a frown, her cheeks slightly puffed as she muttered, "Do I really have to take that, too?"

Drew gave her a gentle, but firm, look. "Yes, you do. It'll help bring your fever down faster."

May sighed, still looking reluctant, but she knew there was no point in arguing. "Fine," she grumbled. "Just... don't laugh if I make a face."

Drew smirked slightly, holding back a chuckle. "No promises."

He carefully held the syringe up to her mouth, and she opened reluctantly, her eyes narrowing at him as she took in the medicine. Immediately, her face scrunched up at the taste, and she almost gagged. "Ugh, Drew! This stuff is awful!"

Drew stifled a laugh, quickly handing her the water again. "I know, I know. But you'll feel better soon, I promise."

May gulped down the water, making a face and wiping her mouth. "I'd better. I don't want to go through that again!"

Drew raised an eyebrow, looking at her seriously. "Then no trying to sneak out or acting like you're okay when you're clearly not. Deal?"

May sighed, pulling her blanket up to her chin and giving him a small, defeated nod. "Fine. But only because you're being so bossy about it."

Drew chuckled, sitting down next to her. "I'm not bossy; I'm just looking out for you. And if that means being strict, then so be it."

She rolled her eyes playfully but felt a warm flutter in her chest at his words. She leaned back against her pillows, feeling a bit more comfortable now. "Thanks, Drew. I'm... actually glad you're here."

He softened, reaching over to brush a few stray hairs away from her face. "Anytime, May. Now get some rest, okay? I'll stay right here until you're feeling better."

May gave him a small, grateful smile and closed her eyes, her hand gently resting on his. For the first time all day, she felt safe and at ease, knowing Drew would be there to look after her.

When May woke up, she felt like a truck had hit her. Her head was pounding, her throat was scratchy, and her entire body ached. But she wasn't about to let that stop her. She sat up slowly, blinking away the fogginess, and forced a smile as she stretched. "Morning, Drew," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

Drew, who had been sitting nearby reading, lowered his book and narrowed his eyes at her. "Morning, May. And just where do you think you're going?"

She shrugged casually, trying to brush off his concern. "Oh, I just thought I'd...you know...go for a quick walk. Get some fresh air."

Drew raised an eyebrow, watching her every movement. "Right. A walk. With a fever and chills. Because that sounds like a great idea."

May gave him an innocent look, trying to keep up the act. "I'm fine, really. Besides, I can't spend all day in bed!"

Drew shook his head, giving her a knowing look as he stood up. "May, I know you better than that. You're not 'fine.' You're trying to play it cool, but I can see right through you." He gently placed a hand on her forehead, feeling the warmth radiating from her skin. "And you're still burning up."

She sighed, realizing her act wasn't fooling him. "I just hate being stuck inside," she muttered, pouting a bit. "I feel so...useless."

Drew softened, taking her hand and squeezing it. "You're not useless, May. Right now, the best thing you can do is rest and get better. There's no point in pushing yourself."

May sighed again, a bit of her stubbornness fading as she looked into his eyes. She could see the genuine concern there, and it made her heart skip a beat. "But what if I'm still sick tomorrow? And the next day? I don't want you to miss out on everything just because I'm lying around."

Drew shook his head and smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm exactly where I want to be. Besides, taking care of you is more important than anything else right now."

She blushed, feeling a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. "Fine," she mumbled. "I'll stay put. But only because you're being so sweet."

Drew chuckled and pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, tucking her in. "Good. Now, relax, and let me take care of you for once." He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

May settled back into the pillows, smiling softly. She felt awful, but with Drew by her side, she knew she was in good hands.

When May woke up from her nap, her body felt heavy, like she'd been sleeping for days. The light streaming through the window was softer now, casting a warm glow across the room. She tried to push herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, but before she could even get her feet on the floor, a firm hand gently pressed her shoulder back down.

"Hey, hey-what do you think you're doing?" Drew's voice was soft, but there was a hint of firmness in it, a tone that told her he wasn't going to budge.

May blinked up at him, trying to act as though she hadn't just been caught. "I... I was just going to get some water," she mumbled, hoping it sounded convincing.

Drew shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. "Nice try. There's a glass right here," he said, holding up a cup he'd placed on the bedside table just before she woke up. "You're not fooling me, May."

May sighed and leaned back into the pillows, crossing her arms. "Fine, but I don't want to stay in bed all day. I feel like I'm missing everything." She looked away, the frustration clear in her eyes.

Drew pulled a chair closer and sat beside her, his gaze softening. "I know it's hard for you to slow down, but you need to take it easy. Pushing yourself isn't going to help."

She pouted slightly, feeling restless and defeated. She hated being stuck here, unable to do anything. Drew watched her for a moment, as if trying to read her mind. Then he tilted his head and gave her a gentle smile. "Hey, how about this... would you like me to lie down next to you for a while?"

May looked up at him, her eyes widening a little. The suggestion was unexpected, but the thought was comforting. She nodded, the faintest of smiles tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah... I'd like that."

Without another word, Drew slipped off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, settling beside her. He reached over, adjusting the blanket around her shoulders and tucking her in before lying down beside her. He propped himself up slightly on one elbow, turning to face her, his other hand gently resting on top of hers.

May felt the warmth of his hand, and it soothed the restlessness that had been gnawing at her all day. Drew looked at her, a calm expression on his face, and gave her hand a little squeeze. "Better?"

She nodded, her voice soft. "Yeah, actually... this is nice."

They lay there in a comfortable silence for a few moments, the warmth between them easing her nerves. After a while, Drew lifted his hand and brushed a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. His fingers lingered for just a second, his touch tender and reassuring.

"You know," he said quietly, "you don't always have to be so tough. It's okay to let someone take care of you."

May looked away, a bit embarrassed. "I know... I just... I don't like feeling like this. Like I'm being a burden."

Drew shook his head. "You're never a burden, May. Not to me." He gave her a warm smile that made her heart flutter, and she felt her cheeks warm up.

She turned to look at him, her eyes meeting his. "Thanks, Drew. For... all of this."

"Anytime," he whispered, his voice soft and sincere. And as he settled down beside her, she felt the tension drain from her body, finally allowing herself to rest in the comfort of his presence.