[While Cisco buries his face into his chest, pressing into it, tucking himself against him as if for support, Eddie just keeps holding him, stroking his hair, kissing his head, letting him catch his center of balance before he pulls away. And when Cisco does, looks up at him and then his eyes go wide and his breath catches in his throat with a gasp that sounds almost like a sob before squeezing his eyes closed and covering them with a hand, reeling back from him, it almost physically hurts.]

Okay, just...let me give you a hand, okay...?

[His voice is quiet, and he reaches out as Cisco reaches out and grabs at the banister, starts stumbling his way up the steps, still unsteady on his feet with fever.]

Hey, hey, slow down babe, let me help you, please?

[Eddie's quiet as he goes up behind the stairs, gets up a few before he looks so unsteady that Eddie presses in up behind him.]

Cisco, I'm gonna...I'm gonna just pick you up, okay?

[He gives Cisco a moment to respond, to formulate a disagreement if he wants to, but when he gets none, Eddie reaches out, gathers Cisco against himself, and lifts him off the ground into a bridal-style carry, with a little grunt of effort. It only takes a minute or two to get the rest of the way into the bedroom, and Eddie sits down with Cisco still cradled in his arms, sitting in his lap now. For a few moments, he doesn't move, just holds his feverish, half-in-tears boyfriend against himself and buries his face into his warm hair.]

It's gonna be okay baby, I promise. I'm gonna take care of you. Nothing's gonna hurt you while I'm here...

[His voice goes a bit softer, after a moment, and he asks quietly.]

How can I make you feel safer, baby?