‘Dan.’

Daniel stirred in the chair where he had fallen asleep. Darren was taking an afternoon nap and Dan had been sitting in the chair reading to keep him company. Somewhere along the line he must have nodded off as well.

‘What is it honey?’ he asked stretching his legs out, trying to restore some semblance of circulation.

‘I’m sorry, it’s happened again.’

‘No problem.’ Getting up he went over to the bed and pulled back the bedclothes. ‘Come on let’s get you cleaned up.’

Slipping his hands under Darren he lifted him from the bed and carried him into the bathroom.

Stripping off his soiled clothing, he held Darren steady whilst he turned on the bath taps and put the plug in. When the water was the right temperature he gently lowered Darren in and started to tenderly wash him.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Darren kept repeating, ‘you shouldn’t have to do this.’

‘Ssssh,’ Daniel kissed away his dry tears. ‘it’s ok. I’ve told you I don’t mind. I love you Doze. So just let me do this for you.’

When Darren was all sweet-smelling and clean again, Daniel helped him out, wrapping him in a large bath towel and drying him off.

‘More sleep?’ he enquired.

‘Nah, what I want, what I really really want is some ICE-CREAM!’

Daniel smiled at Darren’s weak attempt at humour. His appetite was patchy at the best of times so if ice-cream was what he fancied ice-cream he would get.

‘Ok, just let me stick the sheets in the laundry and we’ll go get you some ice-cream. Think you can manage to get yourself dressed?’

‘Dan, I may be a bit unsteady on my feet when I first wake up but I’m not a bloody invalid.’

‘Ok, ok...’ Dan held up his hands in surrender. ‘Just try and get your trainers on the right feet this time.’

‘Fuck the trainers. You know you’re going to have to do that bit.’

The insistent bleeping of their bedside alarm clock cut into their conversation.

‘Oh goody.’ Darren said with extreme sarcasm. ‘Drug time.’

‘I’ll get them for you. Where’d you leave your blue bag?’

Half an hour later and they were walking hand in hand in the park, Darren licking happily on the largest ’99 cornet that the ice-cream vendor had had to offer.

He was like a child again, snaking his tongue out to catch the falling drips, only to end up with ice-cream all over his mouth and chin.

‘Honestly, I can’t take you anywhere.’ Daniel exclaimed in mock indignation.

Silently Darren submitted to Daniel taking out his handkerchief and cleaning his face for him.

‘So what do you want to do now? Go and walk down by the lake?’

‘Actually do you mind if I sit down for a while? I’m feeling a bit tired again.’

‘No, of course not.’ And slipping an arm round his waist Daniel led Darren over to a nearby bench.

‘Mmmmm, just let me rest for five minutes and then we’ll go down to the lakeside.’ Darren snuggled his head up against Daniel’s shoulder, Daniel raising his arm and rearranging it so that Darren could snuggle closer.

‘Danny,’ a small voice said a few minutes later, ‘I don’t feel so good after all, mind if we give the lake a miss and just go home.’

‘No problem at all.’

Daniel got up and pulled a very pale Darren to his feet.

‘Jo…’ Darren lurched forward grabbing for Daniel’s support.

‘Darren you ok?’

Darren’s eyes rolled back in his head and he started to convulse.

Frantically Daniel looked around him. Darren now a dead weight in his arms.

‘Darren, Darren! Baby please talk to me. Somebody help us. Somebody, anybody. Will somebody please FUCKING help us!’