“Eetciù!” 

“Bless you!” 

“Thank you.” Nick muttered as he tightened up the blanket around him. Still, it wasn’t enough to stop the shivering that had started to ramble inside him that morning. 

“I’ve told you that it wasn’t necessary to dance in the rain.” Brian whispered, putting aside some hairs with a caress. He couldn’t help but frown when his hand touched Nick’s forehead and realized how hot it seemed to be. When he started to get up, wanting to get a thermometer, a hand stopped him before he could put a foot on the floor. 

“Don’t... – Nick started to say but a cough interrupted him. - ...go away.” 

“I was just going to get a thermometer.” 

Nick, levering on the wrist he held tightly in his hand, pushed Brian with the result of having him falling on the bed against him. “There’s no need.” 

“Yes, there is. I need to know how high your fever is.” 

An arm twirled around Brian’s waist as Nick propped his head on his lap. “Doesn’t matter. – It was Nick’s reply, highlighted by a sneeze and a cough. – I’m not seeing pink elephants so I’m fairly certain that you don’t have to worry much.” 

Brian searched and found a much more comfortable position, surrendering and accepting that Nick wouldn’t let him get up.  “Pink elephants? Really?” 

“My mom said that I did an interesting conversation with them.” 

“This is something that I really need to hear. – Brian commented as he kept caressing his hair. – But only when you’ll be better. Try to rest a little.” 

Nick snuggled even closer to his boyfriend, though he made him feel warmer. He didn’t care; he hated being sick but how could he hate being so taken care of? Thus, among the rhythmic stroking and that soft humming of a melody he remembered he loved so much, Nick fell asleep. 

That night turned out to be troubled: chills had persecuted him, interrupted by the heat that arrived few seconds later; the cough had prevented him from sleeping peacefully for more than half an hour and some horrible headache also had seemed to reverberate in the room. Yet, for the first time, his timid complaints weren’t dispersed in the air but there had always been a voice, warm and reassuring, that had calmed him down and listened while careful hands had changed the cold compress on his forehead or had leaned a glass of water against his lips. 

Nick had wanted to apologize, it wasn’t up to Brian to stay up all night because of him. Perhaps, he had also murmured it but all that he had collected as a response had been a “Don’t be stupid.”. 

He hadn’t even expected to find the boy at his side the morning after, although Brian was concentrated on the book he had in his hands. As soon as he realized that he had woken up, Brian gave him one of those smiles that still made him melt. 

"Shouldn’t you be in class?" 

Brian raised his book. "Exams." 

"At work?" 

"Blaine is replacing me. – Brian answered as he leaned to leave a quick kiss on the forehead, fortunately no longer as hot as the night before. - I'm at your disposal. Consider me your personal automatic dispenser of cuddles. " 

Nick found himself out of breath, it was the first time someone changed all his plans just to stay with him. Almost like that few times that his mother had given up an appointment to treat him. With a small smile on his lips, Nick went back to sleep after a few seconds.

                                                                            ****

Brian opened the door of the museum and his eyes immediately began searching for the girl he had come to see. Mya was another of the inters, hired almost simultaneously with Nick. The two had became friends quickly, after that embarrassing moment when Mya had asked Nick out for a date and he had to inform her that he couldn’t accept as both of them were playing for the same team. From that moment, though, a great friendship was born and often the girl was at their house for a dinner or just for a coffee and little talks. Finally, he found her intent to move a thousand sheets from one desk to another. 

"Hey. -  He exclaimed, catching her by surprise. - I brought you the documents you asked Nick for. " 

"Is he still sick?" 

"On the road to recovery." 

"I bet he appreciates being coddled." 

"Who doesn't?" 

The girl laughed. "You're right. Want to go for a ride? There are missing still a few pieces but the show is almost complete. " 

"Oh, I get a preview!” 

Mya put her arm under Brian’s as she began to guide him to the corridors. "Well, after all your boyfriend is one of the organizers." 

"There is a reason why I’ve chosen him." 

"Always modest!"

The couple moved between the various pavilions with Mya explained to Brian the common thread that bound together every little piece, adding here and there some more frivolous notions. Arrived at the last painting, they remained a few minutes in silence to observe it. Mya was waiting for that opportunity for a long time, from the day when Nick had communicated his answer. She knew it was wrong but if there was one person who could change his mind that would be Brian. 

"Can I ask you a favor?" 

Brian looked away from the picture he was looking and turned to the girl. "Of course." 

"I know that is not my business but he has worked so hard and I don’t think it’s fair that He renounces to Europe..." 

"Wait. - He cut her off immediately. - Europe?" 

"He didn’t tell you?" 

"No." Brian replied in a whisper. 

"Maybe ... I should not ... " 

"What are you talking about?" 

"We were offered to go to Europe for six months to follow an exhibition. This exhibition. England, Spain, Italy ... " 

"And Nick said no?" 

Mya nodded. "I thought you knew. I thought you could change his mind. " 

But Brian wasn’t even listening. Nick had given up his dream, because for months he had done nothing but tell him how much he had wanted to travel and go there in the Old Continent, where art was born and flourished. Nick had given up on everything. It didn’t take to be a genius, nor a surprising intuition, to understand why. 

I promise you. You won’t be alone again. 

Without even saying goodbye, Brian turned around and almost ran from the museum. He didn’t know what he would do, he didn’t even know what he could think about everything. The only thing he was certain of was that he couldn’t let Nick commit that mistake, he couldn’t let him giving up his biggest dream only to keep a stupid promise. 

And there was only one solution, although the most terrible.