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Then it registered. Jem took an experimental sniff.
“I brought you something,” Tean said. Paper rustled.
“Is that sausage?”
Tean laughed again.
“Is that a sausage biscuit?” Sniff, sniff. “And hash browns.” Sniff. “God bless you, and coffee?”
“I guess you’ll have to open your eyes to find out.”
“Never,” Jem said in his most imperious voice, which was kind of groggy and raspy and all-around sleepyish still. But there was definitely coffee out there. And carbs, so many carbs. And sausage. So, Jem pulled the pillow off his head and blinked a few times. The McDonald’s bag swam into view. Then Tean’s worried face behind those big, dark glasses. Always so worried. “I changed my mind. I decided I’m alive.”
A small smile tugged at the corners of Tean’s mouth. “I’m happy to hear it.”
“Did you get—”
“Yes.”
“No, did you get—”
“Yes.”
Jem let out an exasperated noise and made a gimme motion for the bag. “You won’t even let me finish. What about—”
“I got all of it, Jem. I told the lady I’d give her a hundred bucks if she’d make every breakfast sandwich on the menu for me, even though it’s not breakfast time, plus some hash browns.” Tean shrugged, and suddenly he couldn’t seem to meet Jem’s eyes. “I know you like options.”
For a moment, Jem stared at him. Then he said, “Come here.”
“No.”
“I want to kiss you one hundred and forty-eight times.”
“I’d better not. I might have mono.”
“I love you so much.”
“You should love me a normal amount.”
“I love you more than anyone in the whole world.”
“What about Scipio?”
“I love you more than anything.”
“What about McDonald’s?”
“Your ass, right here.” Jem pointed to a spot on the mattress. “Kiss. Here.” He pointed to his lips.
Tean made a face, but he shuffled over to the bed. He sat. He kissed Jem once, and then he held still, his whole body stiff, as Jem bore him down onto the bed and covered him with kisses. He probably didn’t get all the way to a hundred and forty-eight, but then, he had other things on his mind.
When Jem pulled back, Tean’s glasses were crooked, and his hair was even more of a mess than usual, and he was breathing in a way that Jem found immensely satisfying. He brushed some of the hair down, but it sprang right back up again. He tried to smooth Tean’s eyebrows, but they were back to ka-chow status. He smiled, and it was a question, and Tean gave him the old, familiar, worried smile back.
“Hi,” Jem said.
“Hi.”
“What’s going on?”
