Title: Headache Cuddle
Author/pseudonym: Juli
Fandom: Diagnosis Murder
Pairing: Jesse/Steve
Rating: G
Status: New, Complete
Archive: Yes, to both DM archives
E-mail address for feedback: challisgal@yahoo.com
Series/Sequel: No
Other websites: None
Disclaimers: "Diagnosis Murder" and its characters belong to Viacom and CBS. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes. No money is being made from it and no copyright infringement is intended.
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"Hey, babe, I'm glad you're home. I've got…" Steve Sloan's cheerful greeting broke off when he got a good look at his lover. "Shit. Please tell me that you feel better than you look."

Jesse gave him a wan smile. "That good, huh?"

The older man finished wiping his hands on the dishtowel he was holding as he watched Jesse remove his sodden coat and hanging it on the doorknob. The doctor was missing his usual bounce and Steve could see that his face was unusually pale. Given how carefully Jesse was moving and how he winced at the light, the detective had a pretty good idea of what was wrong. "Headache again?"

"Yeah," his lover admitted, scrubbing at his face with his fingers. "My brain's throbbing and sunlight feels like knives stabbing into my eyes. I just feel…. ooky."

Despite himself, Steve lifted one eyebrow in amusement. Damn, if Jess wasn't cute when he was sick too. "'Ooky?' You spent how many years in medical school, survived your internship, and the best description you can come up with for how you feel is 'ooky?'"

Jesse was feeling too bad to mentally dig out some medical verbiage that would put Steve in his place. "Yeah."

Sloan took pity on him. "Well, it's just your luck that my dad taught me how to deal with 'ooky.'" Steve settled himself into the big recliner chair, then wiggled one finger at his lover in a gesture that was both a command and an invitation. "C'mere, babe."

The younger man crossed the room, smile ghosting across his face, subdued because of his headache but still enjoying himself. "Your dad, huh? Funny, he'd teach you a medical procedure but not teach me."

"Shush." By this time, Jesse had reached the chair and Steve reached out for him. Soon the smaller of the two men was straddling the other, facing the detective as he was perched on his lap. Steve started at Jesse's head, running his long fingers through Jesse's hair and down his neck, trailing his hands down the length of his lover's spine before finally ending by briefly cupping his fingers around both khaki-clad cheeks. Then, after a gentle squeeze of the firm flesh, Steve would start at the top again.

Soon, Jesse was a relaxed puddle of doctor, with barely the muscle control to softly murmur, "I have a hard time picturing Mark teaching you this."

The comment generated an equally quiet chuckle from his partner. "Quiet, you're ruining the mood." Affecting a doctor-like tone of voice, Steve went on to explain what he was doing. "You see, first you loosen the patient's muscles," Steve's large hands left off stroking his mate and one gently lifted Jesse's chin, "and then, you kiss the headache away."

And the detective proceeded to do just that.

"Wow," Jesse exclaimed in wonder when their lips finally parted. "I think you sucked the pain right out of my head."

"Yup," Steve was smug in satisfaction, but then became less full of himself when something occurred to him. "Now, just because I taught you that, doesn't mean I want to find out you've used it on any of your other patients."

"Nope," Jesse promised, snuggling down against Steve's chest. "Only you. Forever."

And there was no doubt in either man's mind that he wasn't referring only to his newly learned medical technique.

~the end~