Title: Pillow Talk (1/1)

Author: Tuuli

Pairing: Shawn/Jordan (of The 4400)

Rating: PG-13

Summary: There are new sides to Shawn's healing ability. Takes place at the time when Shawn and Jordan were both living in the 4400 Center.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. No money made, for entertainment only.
Author's notes: Written during the most boring ferry ride from Finland to Sweden ever. I meant for this to be lightly angsty, but Jordan just wouldn't agree! All his fault. Big thanks to charleyryan for the great beta!

Pillow Talk

It is with some alarm that Jordan notes he's incapable of letting go of Shawn.

Literally.

Shawn's skin seems to be radiating off some sort of healthy warmth. Touching him makes Jordan feel refreshed and peaceful; like he's just a bit more alive. It's addictive. So addictive that Jordan truly can't bring himself to take his hands off of Shawn's bare skin.

This is obviously some side effect of Shawn's healing ability. Jordan is sure that it wasn't there a few hours ago, when they first stumbled into bed. It might be some sort of afterglow thing – or has Jordan unwittingly awoken something new inside Shawn?

Jordan is somewhat tempted to call the doctors and physicists up immediately to run tests, but there is that problem that he can't actually let go of Shawn just now. Besides, he doesn't want to risk having every one of their doctors start hanging on to Shawn, too. That would be ridiculous, not to mention difficult to explain, and he doesn't think Shawn would appreciate that sort of physical attention.

Shawn, lying peacefully on his side with his back pressed against Jordan's chest, is already slipping into deep slumber, apparently not minding – or not noticing – that Jordan is using him as some sort of teddy bear. He probably just figures Jordan to be a possessive lover. Which Jordan really isn't.

Okay, well, maybe just a little bit possessive.

But only when it comes to Shawn.

It doesn't seem to be draining Shawn, either. It feels more like he's radiating off this healthy sort of energy for whatever reason and Jordan just happens to be tapping in.

"Shawn?" Jordan cringes a bit at how his voice comes out, raspy and oddly uncertain – he sounds mostly like a lovesick teenage girl, desperate for some pillow talk.

After a beat of silence Shawn's voice comes from where his face is buried in a pillow. "Hmm?" He sounds like he's somewhere far, far away.

"How do you feel?" Jordan cringes again; this isn't getting any better. He's letting himself slip in front of Shawn – or behind him, as it were – and that's not good. Worryingly, it's also been happening more and more often lately.

"Sleepy," mumbles Shawn's voice, sounding distantly amused. When Jordan keeps expectantly quiet, he adds almost reassuringly, "Relaxed."

"Not… strange, or anything? Different?" Jordan says, fully aware that he sounds like an idiot, and Shawn must think him crazy. Grown men shouldn't talk like this. Grown men, powerful and important in their field of business, with visions of a better future, definitely shouldn't talk like this. But then, they should never end up in bed with their second-in-command, either, especially if they're teenage boys.

"Not strange or different, Jordan," Shawn says, a note of laughter appearing in his voice. He turns his head enough for Jordan to see his face, but keeps his eyes closed. "Do people usually complain about feeling strange after they've had sex with you?"

"No, no," Jordan says, almost embarrassed now, but Shawn's mouth is smiling. Mercilessly, Jordan squashes the sudden impulse to kiss that mouth again. "It's just that… your healing ability, Shawn. It's somehow coming through. Are you sure you can't feel it?"

Shawn brings up his hand from where it's been hidden by the bed covers, and touches his own cheek gently. He lets his hand travel lightly over his neck, to his shoulder, down his own arm, lightly sweeping over his skin. Testing, searching. He presses his palm over his own heart, and keeps it there for a moment. Finally, he takes hold of Jordan's hand where it's resting on his side and brings it up to cover his heart.

Something warm and sweet and comforting starts immediately to climb up Jordan's arm. He lets out a breath, the very last remnants of tension draining out of his body, pushed away by the heavy, steady beat of Shawn's heart.

Shawn intertwines their fingers.

"Positive," he says quietly.

It takes Jordan a moment to connect that word with their conversation, and he realizes that his eyes have fallen closed.

"Really?" he mumbles, suddenly very sleepy.

"I think you're imagining things," Shawn says.

Jordan feels a bit indignant, and attempts to protest. He can feel his brain shutting down as he whispers, "I'm not imagining that touching you feels good."

Shawn chuckles warmly, and shifts, sneakily, so that even more of his glorious skin comes in contact with Jordan, and Jordan loses himself for good on a wave of peace and warmth.