Work Text:
Jack grinned as he rounded the corner to the small townhouse he shared with his husband and baby girl. It had been five years since Alex had finally agreed to marry him, and three since Jasey Rae had come into their lives. Jack considered himself one of the luckiest men on the planet. He had been terrified she would be stuck with his nose, but luckily she was the spitting image of Alex, all cute nose and wide eyes and a smile that melted Jack's heart. Alex swore she looked like Jack, but that could have just been their matching dark hair.
Jack had been gone far too long for his liking. Between a business trip to London and a trip up north to visit his parents, he'd been away from home for nearly two weeks. They'd Skype of course, but nothing could replace actually holding his family in his arms. He'd left his parents house just after dinner that evening, so it was barely past eight when he pulled into the driveway on their quiet street.
As he eased open the door, Jack could see the light from the TV flickering on in the living room. He crept in, hoping to surprise them, but the room was empty. Instead, Jack found Jasey coloring intently at the kitchen table. Alex was slumped over beside her, snoring softly.
"Daddy!" Jasey squealed when she caught sight of him. She ran towards Jack and hummed happily when he picked her up and squeezed her tight to his chest.
"Hey baby girl. What's going on?"
Jack asked, kissing her head and shifting Jasey to his hip as he made his way toward Alex.
"'I 'missed you. "
She mumbled into his shoulder. Jack felt his heart clench.
"I missed you too, baby."
"Dadddd," Jasey giggled, "I'm not a baby, I'm a big kid!"
"Oh!"
She realized, clapping her hands to her mouth,
"Hafta be quiet. Daddy's sleepin'."
"Oh can see that. " Jack stage whispered back.
"Do you think that means it's bed time?" Jack asked seriously.
"Not sleepy." Jasey said, because it was what she always said, but Jack saw her making rubby eyes with her fists.
"Course not. I am though. Do you think you could help get me to sleep, Jasey? "
Jasey wrinkled her nose and giggled again, nodding and letting Jack carry her upstairs. She was fast asleep in ten minutes.
Once Jasey was safely asleep in her "big girl bed" Jack snuck back .into the kitchen for Alex. Normally he would relish the chance to surprise his husband, but right now he just wanted to make sure he was okay.
“Alex? ‘Lex?” Jack shook his husband’s shoulder lightly and sleeping man turned and groaned.
“Hmghhh...Jasey? Jase?!”
Alex bolted straight up and looked around frantically.
“Shh, hey, she’s okay, it’s okay, I put her to bed.”
Jack spoke softly, trying to sooth his panicked husband.
Alex exhaled and slumped.
“Oh God, Jack, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, we were just coloring..”
Jack rubbed Alex’s tense shoulders and kissed his cheek. Which was radiating heat. Jack paused and pulled up a chair next to Alex. He was gray faced and his eyes were red-rimmed. Snot was glistening above his lip and his nose was irritated and red. Jack’s next question was more of a statement.
“‘Lex, why didn’t you tell me you were sick.”
Alex sniffled miserably.
“I didn’t want to worry you. There was nothing for you to do, and I didn’t want you to feel like you had to cut your trip short. It’s just a cold, Jack.”
Jack frowned deeply.
“Not to me it’s not. C’mere.” He pulled his sick partner into a tight hug.
Alex relaxed into his embrace but stiffened after a moment.
“I don’t want to get you sick!” He tried to pull away, but Jack kept him trapped.
“Shut-up. Right now. And tell me what hurts.”
“Nothing.” Alex mumbled.
“My nose is just stuffed. And my head is kind of pounding. Jack, I’m just so tired.”
Alex collapsed back into the taller man’s arms. Jack shushed him softly and pulled his chin up so he could look his love in the eye.
“I want you to go upstairs, take a shower, put on your comfy sweats, and get into bed. I’ll be right back.”
“No,” Alex protested, “I need to get you some dinner and I want to hear about your trip.”
“I ate at my parents, and I can tell you later.” Jack retorted. “But I want you in bed. Now.”
And Jack knew Alex must be feeling awful, because he didn’t even have a dirty comeback, just sighed and shuffled upstairs.
Once Jack heard the shower running, he grabbed his keys. He drove to the 24-hour CVS in town and stocked up on cough drops, NyQuil, Sudafed, tissues, a new thermometer (because they’d lost the old one ages ago and he’d been meaning to replace it), and a jar of Vic’s vapor rub, just in case.
Jack practically ran through the aisles, trying to beat Alex out of the shower. When he pushed the door in fourteen minutes later, the house was quiet. Jack brought his haul upstairs and opened the door to their bedroom. Alex was curled up under the blankets, sneezing pitifully and staring, dazed, at an episode of the Simpsons.
Jack sat down on the bed and pulled the covers off slowly.
“I brought presents, sickie.” He said, brandishing the bottle of bright green NyQuil.
“Jaaaack,” Alex whined, making a face, “the liquid stuff is disgusting.”
“Yeah, well, the liquid stuff is gonna help with your runny nose, headache, and knock you out so you can get some sleep.” Jack replied.
“But we can always use this instead.” He added, tossing Alex the vapor rub.
“Ughhh.” Alex mumbled, covering his head with with his pillow.
“I give up.”
“Oh shit! I forgot.” Jack talked over him as he rummaged through his bag.
“Open up.” He ripped the packaging off the thermometer.
“this’sgoinoberboard.” Alex muttered with the thermometer under his tongue, eyes downcast.
“No, it’s not. I need to know if I should be panicking.” Jack answered.
“And keep your mouth shut for a minute, or it won’t work.”
Alex rolled his eyes, but complied.
When Jack checked the numbers a moment later, the numbers read 103.
“Fuck, ‘Lex.”
Jack ran his hand over Alex’s too-warm forehead and flushed cheeks.
“Alright, NyQuil time.”
He hurried to measure out the correct dose and handed it to his feverish, far too feverish, husband.
Alex downed the green liquid like a shot and winced, gratefully accepting the water Jack offered him afterwards.
“I hate being sick.” Alex rambled, mostly to himself.
“I know babe, I know.”
Jack pulled his husband closer and kissed his head, the same way he’d done to his little girl a few hours earlier. Within the hour Alex was breathing heavily, arms curled around his pillow and Jack. Jack’s entire right side was going numb from Alex’s octopus grip, but when he looked over and saw the tired lines on the sleeping man’s face finally relax,Jack couldn’t say he cared much at all. Sick or not, he was glad to be home.