moments ♡

care ♡

She had never slept this much before. On the first day, he was worried. On the second day, he picked up dinner and flowers on the way home from work. On the third day, he finally jumped into caretaker mode because she didn't seem to be getting better.

He knelt beside the couch she was laying curled up beneath her favorite fleece blanket. His fingers lightly brushed her hair from her face, and his eyes studied hers. "Babe. You're scaring me. Are you okay?"

She opened her tired eyes. "I don't know."

"What's wrong?" He smoothed her hair back again, this time as a soothing gesture.

"My head hurts," she croaked in her sleepy voice. "And I feel weak and tired. My whole body aches. I just... I want to go to sleep."

"Do you need to go to the doctor? What do we need to do?"

She sat up weakly. "I should probably take a shower."

"Let me help," he insisted, scooping her into his arms and carrying her bridal style to their bathroom. He got bathwater started and grabbed the bath bomb she'd put away for a rainy day. "This will help," he murmured, turning to help her out of the sweats she'd had on too for many days. He helped her into the tub. "I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes, OK, Babe?"

She nodded. "OK. I love you."

"I love you."

It felt like a long time that he had been gone, but she knew it couldn't have been because the water was still pretty warm. "Babe?" he called quietly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said in barely more than a mumble.

He stepped into the bathroom. "Ready to wash your hair and head to bed?"

"Do I have to?" she half-whined, half-slurred.

He took off his shirt. "You'll feel better if you wash your hair and rinse your body. I'll help. All you have to do it stand. You can even lean on me if you need to."

She shook her head feebly. "No, Honey. You don't have to."

He slipped out of his jeans and boxers unplugged the drain before shielding her from the spray of the shower as it got to temperature. Her eyes stayed shut tight, even as he turned them where he could wet down the back of her hair and wash it well for her, even taking an extra minute to give her a scalp massage. She moaned a little. "Feels good," she murmured.

"Love you," he answered quietly, rinsing the suds from her hair before conditioning her hair and then rinsing that, too. "I've got you."

"Mmm." She pressed a lazy kiss on his collarbone. "I love you. You're so good to me."

"Shh," he quieted. "Here, let's rinse you off and get you to bed."

She turned to face the water and let the hot water rinse away the sick. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"It's nothing," he answered, reaching around to turn off the water. He stepped out of the shower and helped her to dry off. "Let's get you into a nightgown and into our bed. I know you feel awful."

"I do," she answered.

He kissed her forehead, supporting her weight and they waddled to the bedroom and he grabbed her favorite long nightshirt and underwear and helped her into them before tucking her in. "Need anything else?"

"Mhmm," she answered, her forehead all scrunched up.

He paused halfway to the door. "What can I do, my love?"

"Hold me?" She looked up into his eyes, and he saw more light and life than he'd seen from her in days.

He smiled at her. "Of course."

Author's Note: Sorry for slacking on this book for a bit. I was scrambling to finish Tied (I'd love if you read that btdubs) and then having some health stuff going on, but hopefully, I'm back! Love you!!