Sigh of Heart

Noah threw back the medicine obediently, and Alice got up to go grab him a damp towel. It would be best to continue trying to lower his body temperature, and Alice looked at him before pointing to the closet. He watched her line of vision only to look over at her because he didn't get what she was saying.

"Change your clothes into thinner ones," Alice said. "You're fever may have broken, but let's just make sure."

Noah sighed. "As you wish."

Alice laughed lightly as she left the room. Coming back, she knocked on the door to give him some privacy. He called for her to come in before she carefully twisted the doorknob to crack the door open.

She didn't want to see anything that she shouldn't, but the coast was clear. Noah changed into a thin white long-sleeve, thin enough that she could see his skin underneath. He was wearing a tank layered underneath, and his navy shorts were of a breezy material.

She crossed the room to sit next to him. Passing him the damp towel, Noah laid back on his bed, and Alice did the same, her body immediately sinking into the extremely plush mattress. The soft blankets were also calling her name, but she put a stop to that train.

She turned her head to the side and found herself looking directly at Noah since he was already facing her. They had never been this close, face to face, and Alice could feel her cheeks start to heat. She couldn't believe that Noah got sick while being stuck out in the rain. In fact, there must be a bigger story behind it.

"Yesterday, how long were you in the rain?" she asked quietly.

"I walked all the way here," Noah answered. "I fell asleep in my wet clothes."

Alice smacked his shoulder. "Noah! What were you thinking? You also need to take care of yourself." 

Noah grimaced. "I was tired. I didn't know that I would crash."

"You didn't even realize until today?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night extremely uncomfortable."

"I bet."

"Still, it was too late at that point. I woke up so cold and so hot. I just slept the entire time. I haven't spoken a word to anyone this whole day."

"That explains your voice," Alice whispered. "I called you."

"I have no idea where my phone is."

Alice muffled her laugh with the back of her hand. "It's probably in the washer with your wet clothes."

"I have no idea."

"Still, no one came and checked in on you."

Noah closed his eyes for a moment. "My parents... our schedules don't match up." 

Alice sighed and rolled closer to him so that she could feel him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she pressed her nose to his neck. She preferred this position which she only discovered just now. They pressed so close to each other that there was no room in between each other with their legs woven together.

He moved them so that their heads were on the pillows, and Alice tucked her chin into his chest. His heartbeat was calming, steady, and going strong. In a moment like this, she did truly appreciate that he didn't say anything. Because he might ask questions that she didn't even have the answers to.

She breathed him in again, and he pushed her head back. "What a weirdo." 

Alice blushed. "You need to eat."

They sat up, against the headboard, and Alice was about to pass him the porridge bowl on the nearby table when she placed the bowl in her lap. He looked at her. "What? Didn't you say that I need to eat?"

She shushed him. "Don't ruin the mood."

"What mood? There wasn't one in the first place," Noah said teasingly.

"You're so mean."

"I'm kidding."

"I was going to feed you, you know."

"By all means, I'm not stopping you."

Alice laughed. "You're bad. Here. Feed yourself."

"Now you ruined the mood."

Alice rolled her eyes. "There was no mood in the first place."

Noah laughed, and Alice smiled to herself, happy that she was able to get him not to look so deathly. She wanted to open the blinds to the room, but she also got the gist that the room normally stayed dark for long periods of time judging by all the random things in his bedroom that glowed. 

He ate the porridge slowly with Alice's help, and it was tough since he didn't have an appetite. Still, he needed to eat since that was where his energy would come from. When she meandered to the fridge earlier, there was nothing in the refrigerator besides bottled water lined up perfectly on the beverage side.

It was no wonder that he had preferences for food because there literally weren't any. She didn't want to judge, so she moved away before she could go digging in all the drawers and pantry to see if there was anything edible.

But she won't say anything since it isn't her place. Noah likely knew and had known for a long time now.