HEMP ROPE

15.

"Pharm is sick?"

 

Win came to visit his university friend, who had a mean face, and wrapped his arm around him, patting his shoulder.

 

"Yeah, a cold. You're like a dog tick; Team's just visiting Pharm today."

 

Dean pushed the door in the house sternly. Pharm had had a fever since last night, probably from the rain.

 

"Dog tick is bad enough, but I'm a cat tick."

Dean glanced at him "What cat?"

 

"He's more like a cat than a dog." Win snickered with mischievous eyes. The kid bit and scratched, surely a cat.

 

The host rolled his eyes; he couldn't imagine that big lug of a junior as a cat. To Dean, Team was just a super-stubborn, hyper boy. They walked up to the second floor of the house, catching up after not seeing each other for a month. As soon as they opened the door, they froze.

 

Bedridden Pharm let his best friend's forehead touch his, almost intimate. Once parted, Team touched Pharm's cheeks and neck.

 

"You still have a fever. Have you taken meds? Want a tepid sponging sponge?"

 

"Mhm, I've taken meds. P' Dean just gave me a tepid sponging sponge." Sick Pharm snuggled into Team, who sat on the bed, letting Pharm wrap his arms around his waist and bury his face there.

 

"You're affectionate every time you're sick." Team patted Pharm's head with a soft smile.

 

"Mhm." Pharm buried his face deeper.

 

"Ahem." Dean could no longer take the sight; he had to break it to them. They were close friends, but that was too much for him.

 

"P'Dean, have you taken Pharm to the hospital yet? Oh, Hia, why are you here?" Team asked, noticing an unexpected visitor leaning against a door. A resigned look on his face.

 

"I do have friends, don't I?" He beckoned for Team. 

 

"You, come here. His owner's lover's here."

 

Team still looked confused, but once they saw Dean's unfriendly eyes, he smiled dryly.

 

"Ok, ok. Hey, let me go already. I'll get someone to replace me, cuddle you." Team removed his friend's hands and got up. But he quickly bent down to kiss his friend's heated forehead.

 

"Get well soon." With that, he rushed to grab Win and escaped the seniors' house in a flash.

 

"Later, P'Deannn!" Team yelled with laughter from a distance.

 

Win shook his head, thinking someday Dean might get to Team and break Team's neck. It dawned on him now why Dean said Team resembled a dog.

 

Team looked like a dog that might wolf down Pharm at any time.