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Her hand raised, anda little when I felt her cold fingers onskin

“Maybe a couple days ago?” I muetting worse I thought I could handle it on my own”

She growled “Fuck, Howard! You had your front door open and you’re this bad! You live in a relatively safe neighborhood, but that was still reckless If someone had come in here, even if they were unarmed, they would have just walked ahat they wanted, and who knohat they would have done to you”

I looked up, blinking at her in confusion “What? It’s open? Since when”

Did I open ot sick I hadn’t left the apartot sick The last ti was lunch yesterday when I’d ordered food delivered fro Don’t tell me my door had been open since yesterday? I shuddered Zoe was right The area was pretty safe, or so definitely would have happened to ht anyone off

Zoe groaned “You’re hopeless It’s a good thing I came here, who knohat could have happened to you if left to your own devices for long? Anyway, if you’re done here, let’s get you back to the couch”

Her arms wrapped aroundht around her, burying my face in her shoulder She was stiff for a second before she relaxed

“Howard?” she said, voice soft

I buried my nose in her shoulder and breathed in her scent I felt terrible, but having her there withwith tears, and I squeezed them close so they wouldn’t spill When was the last ti I broke my arm,

It’s probably because I’m sick

“Sorry,” I , you can have a shower later, but let me hold you like this, just for a little bit”

It was delayed, but Zoe was finally here, of course I would feel happy My eyes stung, and I sniffled, but I refused to cry I didn’t want her to worry, and I didn’t want to appear so weak in front of her, though I had a feeling I’d already failed in that

Zoe sighed, and I felt her hand incircles into et you to the couch first? I’ll need to clean up in here, and you ht want some water”

With soot me to release her We walked over to the sink where I rinsed htly until I fell onto it, then she walked away I watched her, wanting to call her back, but I realized she was inas she didn’t walk out the front door, I would see her again

Feeling my body start to shiver, I pulled my blanket around me, and waited for her to come back I heard the toilet flush, then Zoe went into the kitchen and calass of water for me

“Here, drink this If you can keep the water down, I’ll see aboutto eat If you can’t keep even water down, then I should probably take you to a hospital”

“What time is it?” I asked

“It’s late, or I would have insisted on taking you to the hospital right now If your fever doesn’t go down, I’ll at least go to a pharet you some meds Now, come on, drink the water”