the time is now.

Ruben kept putting off the coffee shop for a long while now. He passed by the place everyday to go to work. He didn't want to cause any problems for Dorian, but it would have been so nice to see him. It wasn't that he wanted to keep it a secret. However, he wanted to do this the way Dorian wanted.

But he'd heard that cough. He hadn't even wanted him to go to work today. He could have stayed at his apartment. Of course, Dorian was nowhere in sight when he got there.

"Is Dorian here?" He ask the girl at the counter.

"He's in the back,"she said. Ruben was ready to find his way to the kitchen when she told him he couldn't do that. She made him sound like a terrorist.

"Well, can you, get him?" He winced as if he really wasn't fond of her. "Tell him, a friend is here." He supposed that was the term Dorian would be satisfied with.

She stepped back and called for him in the kitchen.

He heard coughing. Finally, Dorian appeared in the doorway. Honestly, anyone else would have thought him too ill to be here. He did look in bad shape.

"Why didn't you, see a doctor?" Ruben asked right away. He needed to get checked out as far as Ruben was concerned. Naturally, he felt his hot forehead. Dorian had chills.

"He really shouldn't be here." Ruben decided he was taking him to the campus clinic right now. "He's sick."

She winced as if she really didn't want to be alone. Just then the door jangled. There was a guy behind Ruben.

"Could you, help her out for a bit?" Ruben asked. He looked at the guy's badge. He was from the bookstore.

"What?" The guy told him he was on his lunch break.

"Maybe she'll give you a free lunch if you can stay the rest of the hour." He looked at his watch. The coffee shop closed at three.

"Really?" The guy grinned at the girl.

She glared at Ruben as if this was unheard of.

"Look, I have to get him to the clinic." He wasn't asking. He was going with Dorian. This time, he knew this was the right thing to do. She could close early, for all he cared.