Author's note: Sorry about my absence, I've been dealing with writer's block. To make up for it you guys get two chapters today :) This bit of fluff, and one revolving around New Year's Eve 🫶
Peppering kisses on my still stirring boyfriend's cheeks, lips, and collarbone, I'm urging him to get up, or he'll be late for work. Fifteen minutes ago his obnoxious alarm went off. No matter how many times I wake up to it, it's still terrifying. What's up with Apple's alarm sound being so traumatizing? I swear that whenever I hear it, I jump. But hey, at least it's effective? I mean, it does make me get up.
Pressing my mouth to his forehead, I take notice to how hot it is. Winter time, the worst season to work with children everyday. As a student teacher at an elementary school, he's especially susceptible to contracting germs during this time of the year. For the past few days he's been noticeably pale, but still went into work, refusing to admit that he may be getting sick. But today? Today he clearly can't deny it.
(Flashback to a few mornings ago)
Tiredly rubbing my eyes, I head down the staircase, my hands gripping the railing as I do. Sitting at our kitchen island, Nick is sipping on his daily cup of tea. Besides starting his day with a kiss of mine, (and some lengthy cuddles), he also kickstarts it with a cuppa. Steam is rising from the mug in his grip. With a bad case of bed head and a sloppily fixed collar, he looks handsome. Once I reach the kitchen I kiss his neck as a form of revenge. I typically wake up to him kissing me, or running a hand through my hair, but not this morning. This morning I was in and out of a state of sleep, hearing him rummage through his drawers for his typical teacher attire, and then setting them on our bed before going ahead and briskly showering.
"Good morning." I happily say, rounding the counter to look him in the eyes. He looks especially exhausted. Eye bags are sitting under his eyes as he struggles to keep them open. "Late night?" I ask, figuring that he stayed up to change something on his lesson plan. He simply shakes his head 'no' before taking yet another sip from his cup. The scent of herbal tea swirls around in the air around us.
Not wanting to let him go to work with a wonky collar, I make my way back over to him, and fix it. He leans against my chest for a moment or two, allowing his eyes to flutter shut. I run my hand through his hair, soothing him. He smiles, "I love you." I of course say 'I love you' back to him, though I'm distracted by how slightly pale he looks. After a few seconds of cuddling in the kitchen, Nick gets up, slowly shuffling over to where his car keys are.
Crossing my arms, feeling like something is up, I pipe up. "Are you okay?" Nick is quick to assure me that he's okay, just tired. His exhaustion just brought on a splitting headache, but he says that he'll be just fine, and to not worry. With that he tells me that he hopes I have a nice day at work, and heads out the door after petting Lily. I watch him pull out of the driveway and safely make it out of our neighborhood.
(End of flashback)
Nick lowly groans, whispering to me that he doesn't want to get up. Now knowing that he has a fever, I step out of the room and let his work know that he's sick, and can't come in today. Taking note of the time before I shut off my phone, I see that I have some more time before I also have to head into work. Slipping into our room, it's dark and comforting, allowing Nick to get the sleep that he needs.
Although his eyes are closed, Nick is still awake, just really drained. Despite his protests, I climb into bed, and spoon him. "I'm going to call out of work today, baby. That way I can take care of you." I smoothly say, holding him close to my body. Whining, he tells me that it's okay, that he'll be okay without me, but I don't listen. "Last time I was sick you stayed home, so this isn't negotiable, sweetheart." He knows that I'm stubborn, so I can't be coerced into not calling out. Right then and there I text my boss, letting him know that I can't come in because I'm sick. Yes, a white lie, I know. But how do you explain to your employer that you're calling out to care for your significant other, who's an adult?
"You're going to get yourself sick." Nick breathes against his pillow, slightly inching away from me. I smile to myself, my sweet boy, always putting others before himself, even when he's compromised. "So?" I reach over and grab a cold hand of his, "I'm not scared of any germs. Nothing can get between me and you, not even the threat of sickness."
Deep down I'm praying that he doesn't throw up though. I love Nick, deeply, but when someone throws up I also gag and then nearly throw up. Sometimes I actually do. Being an older sibling, I can handle blood like scraps and cuts, but regardless, whenever Ollie got sick I left the throwing up part of it to my sister and my parents.
Once I'm sure that he's asleep, I creep out of the room to head out and get cold and flu medicine. When I return I throw a favorite jumper of his in the dryer. That way when he takes a bath, (in hopes that it'll make him less congested), he can put it on and get all toasty. "Char?" A small voice says from above, at the top of the staircase. I look up, "How are you feeling? Any better?" He shrugs, unconsciously squinting his eyes. From there, he slowly walks down the stairs, sort of dragging his feet as he does. The moment that he's behind me, he wraps his arms around my shoulders, resting his head in the crook of my neck.
"Hungry?" There's a large pot on the stove, I'm making him chicken noodle soup. I may or may not have texted his mum to ask for her advice. I figured that some hints back to childhood would help him to feel better, literally and figuratively. The idea of eating causes Nick's eyes to light up. Okay, I'll take that as a 'yes'. Pouring both Nick and I a bowl of soup, he's attached to my hip, finding comfort in my presence. "I may hate seeing you miserable, but I do love that being ill makes you extra affectionate. You're so cute." Before setting our bowls of soup down and onto the kitchen island, I soak up the cuddles. Little moments like this one matter the most. At the end of the day, they're always what pop back into my mind and make what might've been a shitty day, a good one. "I love you," He groggily says, his voice kind of scratchy. "I love you too, Nick."
With our brunch scarfed down, I bring Nick back to bed. In order for him to get any better he needs to get as much rest as possible. But first, he needs to take some medicine. Even as an adult Nick hates taking medicine, (understandably so, it tastes abso-fucking-lutely rancid.) Right after downing the cold medicine like it's a shot of alcohol, Nick's head hits the pillow, wasting no time to get extra cozy under the layers upon layers of heavy blankets and fluffy sheets.
Sweating at the sight of him under a mountain of covers and a duvet, I choose to lay on top of all of it, per his request of course. As he scooped a spoonful of soup, he expressed that he wanted me to lay beside him as he napped. Obviously, I couldn't turn down such an offer. I've always loved napping with him. The fact that he's sick is just more of a reason to be by him. Today I'm his in-house nurse.
___________________________________
My eyes flutter open to the sight of a barren bed and no sight of Nick. I instantly shoot up and go to look for him, but stop when I spot him sitting on the floor in our bathroom. "Nick?" I crouch down beside him, 'concern' practically written on my forehead. "I know that with a cold I shouldn't throw up, but my head feels like it's splitting in half, so I feel like throwing up would bring me some relief." I slowly take in his words, taking his temperature with the back of my hand on his forehead. It feels like his fever is coming back. "Well, if you need to throw up then I'm not leaving."
Wait- what did I say? I know that love apparently makes people crazy, but I never thought that it would make me this crazy.
Weakly smiling, my fiancé shakes his head, "but Char, you can't stand it. I know that you can't." Putting my hands up in defeat I chuckle, staring deeply into his brown eyes. They're so..expressive, animated even. I know that the eyes can often tell a story, but Nick's eyes...they say everything and nothing at once. They're so mesmerizingly beautiful. "It's fine," I reach out to his face and then stroke his cheek before pressing my lips to his lips, "my love knows no bounds."
"Okay, that was corny. Congratulations, I think that you'll be why I finally throw up."
"Ouch."
"Kidding. But seriously, where did you get that? Pinterest?"
Sassily I get up, "okay I'm leaving, have fun on your own."
As soon as I manage to stand up, Nick grabs ahold of my sleeve, pulling me back down to his level. "No, I'm sorry, please stay."
"Now look at who's unnecessarily apologizing."
___________________________________
Finally getting past our daily dose of banter, we both decide that it's out of Nick's best interest that he takes a warm bath. Feeling clean sometimes helps me to feel better, plus hot steam engulfing the bathroom should hopefully open up his sinuses. "Okay, arms up." I demand, purposely babying Nick. Hah, now look at who's the sub.
Reluctantly complying, he does in fact lift his arms, allowing me to take off the shirt that he has on. It's plain white, and on the front it says 'my partner turned me gay' in bold. I bought it for him as a gag gift for Christmas last year. He has a love-hate relationship with it. One time we went out together for a late night grocery store fun, and he put it on without thinking. Obviously, because I'm such a great significant other, I said nothing and allowed him to casually trot around the store wearing it. We got some funny stares. Nick only understood the meaning behind those stranger's looks because on the way back home I burst out into a fit of explosive laughter.
Lathering his hair with soap, I'm careful to not let it trickle near or in his eyes. The last thing I want to do is blind him while he already can't smell. Though, I feel like he'd oddly be excited by it because he loves Marvel. He'd be able to temporarily experience what it's like being Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil. Nick happily hums the song 'I Want To Be With You', our song, to himself as he leans against the tub. This insignificant action, (at least in his eyes), makes me get all worked up and giddy on the inside.
"Do you want to go back to bed after this? Or do you want to maybe watch a movie?" I pipe up, breaking up the comfortable silence in the room. Nick takes a few seconds to think before he responds, "I'm up for a movie. I'll probably fall asleep during it anyways." Okay, that's true, fair enough. Nick grabs the shower head for me, so I thank him and then carefully rinse his head, not wanting to leave any suds behind..or y'know, get any in his eyes. Breathing a sigh of relief as soon as that stressful part is over, I move onto squirting some body soap onto a loofa. Not to my surprise, Nick insists that he can wash his body himself, and urges me to get off of my knees before I hurt myself.
Sitting on the toilet, (with the toilet seat obviously snapped shut), I watch as he scrubs his body. He's being as slow as a sloth. The sweet aroma of vanilla fills the room, it's a classic scent. His hair is sitting on his head like soaking wet, dark brown strings of yarn. It reminds me of when he showed up at my house after jogging in the rain the morning after we shared our first kiss at Harry Greene's sixteenth birthday party. Damn, that night was wild. But those two memories? Oh, they're priceless and forever ingrained in a special part of my mind, the one dedicated to Nick, my life with him in it; and now, my life with him in general.
"...in sickness and in health..."