Chapter Text
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Caitlyn is the most important person in the world to Vi, she loves her more than she thought was even humanly possible, and she’s the best part of her life.
And she is also driving Vi absolutely, batshit, crazy.
“Cait,” Vi says, keeping her voice soft and measured, despite her growing frustration. “Cupcake. Baby. We talked about this.”
“Mhm,” Caitlyn hums distractedly, not looking up from her laptop. She pauses her typing momentarily to cough into the crook of her arm and rub her red nose harshly into a crumpled tissue, then her fingers start flying across the keyboard again. “Just need to get a few things done, Vi. I have a conference call in 10.”
“A conference ca–!” Vi starts, stops, and closes her eyes to let out a heavy breath. This is what she gets for marrying the only person in the world almost as stubborn as she is.
Instead, she walks closer to the desk that Caitlyn’s hunched over in their home office, and starts rubbing her shoulders gently. Caitlyn’s muscles are tight, Vi notes with displeasure.
“Baby. Can you look at me for just a minute, please?” Vi asks, tipping Caitlyn’s face toward her with a tender thumb on her jaw.
Caitlyn sighs and reluctantly turns to face her, and Vi frowns when she takes in the dark circles under her wife’s eyes, her rubbed-raw nose, and the light sheen of sweat on her forehead.
“I know you have a ton of work, Cait,” Vi murmurs, brushing a hand over Caitlyn’s cheek. It’s too warm, as she predicted. “But you’re also sick, and need to rest. They can live without you for a few days.”
“I can work,” Caitlyn protests, her ocean-blue eyes shimmering with resolve. “It’s nothing, really. Some sniffles.”
Vi nods and crouches down, taking Caitlyn’s hands in her own. She starts rubbing them when she feels how cold they are. “ Can and should are two very different things, as you very well know, baby. I haven’t seen you this sick in a long time, and you’ve been running a fever for three days straight now. You’re not gonna get better until you actually rest . And no, working in bed doesn’t count as resting.”
Caitlyn’s expression softens a little when she sees the earnest, concerned look on Vi’s face, but she still looks determined.
So Vi tries a different tactic to preempt more arguing. “Do it for me? So I can stop worrying? Got my hands full with you and Powder, after all.”
A flash of affection washes over Caitlyn’s face. She turns away to blow her nose into a new tissue, sounding miserably congested, then sighs again as she faces Vi. “I suppose I could let the other partners handle the meeting. Although they’ll muck it up no doubt.”
Hallelujah. Vi gives silent thanks to her lucky stars. “I’m sure they will,” she chuckles, watching as Caitlyn shoots off a quick text to her colleagues and shuts her laptop. “But the world won’t end, and you can sort it all out when you’re better. Let them miss you a little, hell, maybe they’ll finally start appreciating you.”
“Not likely,” Caitlyn huffs, but allows Vi to help her up and walk her to their bedroom with a protective arm wrapped around her waist.
Vi pulls back the covers and settles Caitlyn in bed, grabbing a pillow and slapping it to fluff it up for her. Once she’s sufficiently propped up and comfortable, Vi sits on the edge of the bed, taking in her gorgeous and also miserably sick wife.
“Now,” she leans in to brush a kiss over Caitlyn’s forehead. “How are you feeling, really? Give it to me straight.”
“You? Straight?” Caitlyn smirks, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
“Damn, ladies and gents, cupcake’s got jokes ,” Vi teases, smiling. She tucks a strand of navy blue hair behind Caitlyn’s ear. “You must be on the mend already.”
“Hopefully,” Caitlyn crosses two elegant fingers.
“I hope so too,” Vi says sympathetically. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”
“Erm…” Caitlyn bites her lip. “Congested, I suppose. Bit of a headache, achy all over. Throat hurts, and I’m still freezing somehow.”
“That’ll be the fever,” Vi frowns, putting a hand to Caitlyn’s cheek. “Probably need to check your temp again. I’m sorry you feel so shitty, baby. What can I do to make you feel better? Tea? Soup? Maybe a warm bath with some of those fizzy things you like?”
“Bath bombs,” Caitlyn corrects, with a small smile. “No, just…could you just hold me, please?” she asks, a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
Vi wastes no time slipping under the covers and pulling the taller woman snugly into her arms, facing each other. “Always.”
Caitlyn hums in appreciation, and she relaxes into Vi’s hold, the tightness slowly ebbing from her muscles. Vi presses a kiss to her lips, germs be damned, and rubs comforting circles on her wife’s back with her free hand.
“I hate when you’re sick,” Vi admits quietly, gazing into Caitlyn’s impossibly blue eyes. “Makes me feel…” she trails off, searching for the word.
“Anxious?” Caitlyn guesses.
Vi scoffs instinctively. “I don’t get anxious.”
Caitlyn laughs, which quickly turns into a cough, and Vi moves to help her sit up against the pillows.
“Easy, breathe, baby,” Vi murmurs, rubbing Caitlyn’s back and handing over her glass of water. The coughing leads to her needing to blow her nose again, followed by a couple sneezes, and then more nose blowing. When she finally finishes, she slumps back against the pillows, clearly exhausted.
Vi frowns at her sympathetically. “Poor thing. Wish I could make you better already.”
“Ugh. I’ll live,” Caitlyn sighs, sniffling quietly. She takes Vi’s hand into her own, fixing her with a no-nonsense look. “Love, you’re allowed to be anxious. I know you always want to be the strong one for everyone around, but you don’t have to be. Not with me.”
Vi can feel heat rising in her cheeks, and her heart swells. “I know, Cait. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to be, though.”
“I know,” Caitlyn gives her a small smile, stroking her thumb over Vi’s cheek. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t. But I really will be fine, Violet. It’s just a cold.”
"A nasty one, though." Vi cups her wife’s hand and presses a kiss to the palm. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“How about you try to get a little shut eye?” Vi scoots down and tugs Caitlyn back into her arms. “Then I’ll get some soup going for you and Powder.”
“Mm…” Caitlyn hums, and Vi can already hear the sleepiness in her voice. “You’ll stay?”
Vi pulls her even closer. “Always, sweetheart.”
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