Work Text:
Aleksander Morozova woke up feeling drained. That wasn't unusual for him, considering his work schedule, but the sheer level of lethargy was slightly concerning. He'd been up relatively late the night before looking over proposals for a merger, but not late enough to explain how run-down he felt. He ran a hand over his face, wincing at the feeling of his slightly overgrown beard. He'd have to take care of that if he wanted to look decent for his daily meetings.
He dragged himself out of bed, grimacing. His entire body ached as though he'd spent too long at the gym, despite the fact that he'd missed his workouts due to how damn busy he had been over the past week. He stumbled into the bathroom, pouring himself into the shower with a groan. He stayed longer than he typically would, leaning against the tiled wall as he allowed the hot water to soothe his sore muscles and unclog his sinuses.
Damn allergies.
It took longer than normal to get dressed, though Aleksander thought nothing of it. He'd clearly slept poorly, and he would be fine once he got some caffeine into his system. So he ignored the queasy feeling in his stomach and the ache behind his eyes, bypassing the fridge and his overnight oats in favour of strong black coffee. He gagged at the taste and the uncomfortable way it sat in his stomach, feeling betrayed that coffee of all things would make him feel even worse.
He set the still full mug down on the counter, sighing to himself, then pulled out his phone: texts from Zoya, Genya, and Ivan, and an email from David that he couldn't even begin to decipher. He looked at his calendar instead, dreading the day ahead.
His phone pinged, indicating an incoming text. Zoya always called him old for even having sound on his phone, but Aleksander liked it, especially when it meant an incoming text from Alina.
Morning babe!
He opened the message, smiling. They'd only been dating for four months (and six days), but Aleksander loved her with a desperation that still surprised him sometimes. She was wonderful, and Aleksander could not imagine his life without her.
His thumbs hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he shook his head and called her instead. He wanted to hear Alina's beautiful voice.
"Hey!" She said, picking up on the second ring. She sounded busy but happy. "How are you?"
Aleksander smiled softly, forgetting about all of his morning woes now that he could hear Alina's voice. "I'm good," he said. "Better now that I can hear your voice."
Alina chuckled into the phone. "You're a sap, you know," she teased. "Everyone thinks you're this cold and tough CEO, but you're just a big old sap."
"Only for you," he said honestly before violently sneezing into the crook of his arm.
"Bless you," she said immediately. "You good?"
"Fine," he responded, eyes watering. "Just allergies. What are you up to today?"
Alina was silent for a moment, as though considering if she wanted to interrogate him on his definition of fine, but eventually answered, talking about the class she would be teaching, the students she hated, and the meeting she had planned with her thesis advisor. Aleksander only understood about three words in ten when she talked about her thesis on helioseismology, but he adored hearing her talk about something she was so passionate about.
"Dinner tonight, though?" she finally asked, the sounds of the university echoing oddly through the phone as she made it to campus. "I should be done here by six or so."
"I'd love that," Aleksander said immediately. "Shall I have Ivan pick you up?"
Alina laughed out loud, and the sound warmed his heart like nothing else. "As much as I like Ivan, he has more important things to do than ferry me around, Aleks," she chuckled. "I like the walk to your place. I'll let myself up if you're not home yet!"
Aleksander grinned, feeling as though he could walk on air just from the sound of her laughter. "See you tonight," he said, fighting the urge to add an I love you . He didn't want to break that out over the phone while she was rushing around. Or break it out after only four months (and six days).
"See you!" she said back before handing up. Aleksander stood in the kitchen for another minute, grinning like a fool and thinking about how damn lucky he was to have met someone as amazing as Alina.
He felt less cheerful when he finally made it down to the street, having given in and called Ivan to pick him up. He, like Alina, typically liked to walk everywhere, but he was already running late, and the idea of trekking through crowds of people made him cringe.
"Boss," Ivan said with a nod when he slid into the backseat of the sleek Bently.
Aleksander hummed back, leaning his head against the leather seats. He should be looking through his emails, but the thought of looking at a screen while navigating through the morning traffic made his stomach roil. He settled for looking out the window, watching as people walked by, going about their daily lives.
"Sir?"
Aleksander looked up to find Ivan looking at him in the rearview mirror, brow furrowed. "Yes, Ivan?" he asked tiredly.
Ivan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Are you alright?"
Aleksander raised an eyebrow. Ivan was getting bold. That would be Alina and Fedyor's influence, he assumed. Those two together were a hazard to society.
Ivan, apparently sensing his boss' irritation, looked away first, mumbling something likely unflattering under his breath. Aleksander ignored him, settling back in his seat and fighting the urge to close his eyes.
He nearly wept with relief when Ivan parked the sleek vehicle fifteen minutes later. Typically he was not prone to car sickness, and Ivan was an incredibly smooth driver, but this morning seemed to be the exception to the rule. He was out of the car before Ivan had even turned off the ignition, breathing in the crisp morning air methodically, trying to push any lingering feeling of sickness away.
"Coming, Ivan?" he asked, voice purposefully calm and collected.
His bodyguard narrowed his eyes, looking him up and down. "Are you alright?" he repeated. "Sir."
Aleksander narrowed his eyes in return. The motion hurt his head, much to his annoyance. He hadn't had a headache (minus the odd hangover) in years. "I'm perfectly fine, Ivan," he said coldly. Ivan just blinked impassively.
They walked into the building together, Aleksander fighting the urge to cover his eyes at the bright lights in the modern building. He'd designed it with a team of top architects and normally felt nothing but pride when he saw it. Right now, however, he just wanted to tear it down. They entered the elevator together, and Aleksander took the opportunity to lean against the metal wall, exhausted and feeling oddly shaky.
Ivan was on his phone, idly texting. Aleksander assumed he was messaging Fedyor - those two were attached at the hip.
"Fedyor will bring you schchi for lunch," Ivan declared, pocketing his device and looking up to see what floor they were on.
Alek closed his eyes, fighting the urge to sigh. Or sneeze. "I don't need Fedyor to bring me soup, Ivan," he said slowly. Fedyor was a genuinely phenomenal cook. Aleksander had given him the money to start his restaurant himself, a decision that had paid for itself five times over, but Aleks had absolutely no appetite right now. Even the thought of food turned his stomach. He swallowed down the sick feeling, purposefully not meeting Ivan's shrewd gaze.
"Of course, Sir," was all the other man said in return.
The elevator stopped at the next floor, letting in Zoya. Aleksander couldn't decide whether to be thankful for her presence or dread it. She was one of his oldest friends - the daughter of one of his mother's few companions - and could read him like an open book. She was also, much to his unending amusement, an unrepentant bitch and proud of it.
She looked him up and down, one perfectly groomed eyebrow raised in derision. "You look terrible," she said bluntly.
He rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to wince when the motion just made his headache worse. "Lovely to see you, as always, Zoya."
She just snorted elegantly, pressing the button for the floor she needed.
"How's Nikolai?" he asked.
She laughed out loud, though it was not a particularly kind sound. "You never ask about my personal life," Zoya said wryly. "You're trying to distract me."
He looked down his nose at her, trying not to smile. "Can I not be nice to you?"
She gave him a look of disbelief as the elevator stopped at her floor. "I want to take the meeting with Van Eck," she said, keeping the door open with the toe of her wickedly high stiletto. "He's been pissing me off lately."
Aleksander narrowed his eyes at his childhood friend, not trusting the scheming look in her eyes.
Zoya spoke again before he could even open his mouth. "I'll take the meeting with Brekker as well," she continued. "It’ll help me calm down."
At his side, Ivan stifled a snort. Aleksander ignored his bodyguard, starting Zoya down for several moments before sighing. "Fine," he snapped. "But don't scare them off. We need the deal with Van Eck, and I don't need you alienating Brekker."
Zoya grinned. It was not a kind expression, and even Aleksander half wanted to shrink back from her, but he held his ground. "Brekker and I have an understanding," she said. Aleksander noticed she made no mention of Van Eck. "I'll catch you up later!"
She was gone in a flash of blue blouse and silky hair, her heels clicking on the floor.
Ivan snorted again, pressing the button for the top floor. Aleksander closed his eyes for the remainder of the journey, wanting nothing more than to be back in bed in his blessedly dark room.
"Is there anything you need, Sir?" Ivan asked once they made it to his office.
Alexander looked at him curiously. Ivan knew his routine inside and out by now and didn't tend to ask questions. "No," he finally replied. "You're dismissed."
Ivan nodded, and Aleksander purposefully ignored the way his bodyguard (and sometimes friend) watched him with narrowed eyes, a thoughtful expression on his normally stoic face.
Several hours later, Aleksander was almost ready to admit defeat. He'd been through nearly an entire box of tissues, was coughing almost constantly, and the leaden feeling in his gut had only grown worse as the day dragged on. His head felt like it weighed a ton, and all he wanted to do was lie down. Even his skin hurt. He hadn't even realised that was possible.
He stared blankly at his computer screen, the lines of text blurring in front of his eyes. He abruptly stood, wavering slightly, and picked up the soup Fedyor had brought him, tossing it in the bin, the very smell making him feel ill. He'd appreciated the sentiment but had absolutely no interest in food. He made his way over to the window, rubbing his temples and attempting to ignore how wretched he felt.
His phone rang, startling him from his thoughts.
"Yes?"
"Zoya was right," came Genya's voice, awash with amusement. "You sound terrible."
"Aren't you supposed to be on maternity leave?" he snapped, wondering why she was calling when she had a four-month-old to care for.
Genya chucked, her voice low and oddly comforting. "You're an idiot when you're sick," she chastised. "Zoya's taking the rest of your meetings for the week, and I've switched around your business trip. You're flying to London on the 14th now, rather than the 8th."
"Genya…" he warned, frustration and relief warning in his gut. A coughing fit cut off his next sentence. He stumbled over to his desk, falling heavily into his chair.
"Relax," she continued. "I've smoothed everything over. Everyone thinks moving the meetings was their idea, not mine. So now," she continued, tone switching from teasing to downright intimidating. Aleksander wondered when he'd surrounded himself with such terrifying women. "Ivan is going to bring the car around, and you're to head straight home, do you understand me?"
Aleksander groaned. "Genya -"
She cut him off with a tsk . "No, Aleksander," she said firmly. "You can't work like this. Even David noticed you were off this morning. David! He texted me to say you looked poorly."
Aleksander winced, his resolve crumbling. David was a genius, to say the least, and a huge asset to the company, but he tended to get extremely absorbed in his work and only paid close attention to Genya and his new daughter. Aleksander and Zoya had once had a screaming match over something (he didn't care to remember what - they yelled at each other constantly) right next to the young man's office, and he hadn't even noticed. If David, of all people, was noticing that Aleksander wasn't at his best…
"Fine," he gave in, shoulders slumping. "When?"
Genya sounded smug when she answered, and Aleksander could easily imagine the look of victory on her face. "Now," she said immediately. "Ivan's waiting. And Aleks?"
He ran a hand over his face, shutting off his computer with a quick motion. "Hmmm?"
"Don't come back until you're better," she ordered. "You're no use to anyone if you're this sick."
She hung up before he could answer. Aleksander remained seated for several more minutes, trying to gather up the desire to move. Now that he'd mentally permitted himself to stop working and trying to pretend he was fine, he felt infinitely worse. All he wanted was his bed.
His phone dinged with an incoming text, and he whimpered at the sound.
Car's here.
He groaned into his hands, swallowing down his nausea, and made his way down to meet Ivan.
The other man did not comment on his being ill or on his short day, much to Aleksander's relief. He didn't think he would be able to cope with Ivan being sympathetic on top of how awful he felt. That would simply be too out of character.
"Straight home, Sir?" Was all Ivan said, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror once Aleksander had slid onto the seat. Aleksander nodded, too exhausted to properly reply. And, he was reasonably sure that Ivan would report back to Genya if he made any stops on the way back to his penthouse, and that was the last thing he needed.
He dozed lightly as they drove through the city streets, one hand at his temple while the other wrapped tightly around his stomach. He hated being ill. It made him feel useless and helpless, and he had gone to great effort never to feel that way again.
"Here, Sir," Ivan said nearly half an hour later, thanks to the afternoon traffic, pulling into the parking garage underneath his building. Aleksander took a deep breath, gathering himself for the final leg of his journey home. Ivan walked around and opened the door for him, something he hadn't done in years, and offered his hand. Aleksander stared at it for a long moment before taking it, mentally resigning himself to his fate.
"I'll walk you up."
"Ivan," he said, eyes slipping closed. "I hardly need you following after me like I'm a child."
Ivan's expression did not change when he opened his eyes. "Fedyor will know if I don't, and he will tell Genya. I am not risking that woman's wrath. Sir," he tacked on at the end, face impassive.
Aleksander considered, briefly, arguing. He could easily push the issue and get his way, but Fedyor would find out, and the other man would definitely tell Genya, who would then tell Zoya, who would inevitably tell Alina (he was still terrified that they had made friends). It wasn't worth the potential fallout, especially not when he felt so terrible.
"Fine," he growled. "Come on."
Ivan just nodded, taking his briefcase for him. Aleksander wanted to snap that he was fully capable of carrying it himself but decided not to when he saw the determined glint in his bodyguard's eyes.
Some battles simply were not worth it.
They rode up the elevator in silence, echoing their morning, though Aleksander felt far worse now. Maybe Genya had been right to order him home. There was no way he'd be able to work like this.
"Is there anything else, Sir?" Ivan asked once the elevator dinged to indicate they had (finally) made it to Aleksander's floor.
Aleksander didn't even bother looking at Ivan, too intent on getting to his bed and falling face-first on the plush surface. "No, thank you, Ivan."
He didn't wait for the other man to reply and made his way into his bedroom with relief, barely managing to take off his tie and jacket before falling into bed.
He woke up violently shivering, lying on a surprisingly hard surface. Hands were running through his hair, and he could smell something beloved and familiar despite his horrible congestion. "What…"
"Shhhh," a soft voice said. "We need to get your fever down, alright?"
Aleksander forced his eyes open, realising with a start that he was sitting in lukewarm water. He looked to his side next, meeting his girlfriend's eyes. She smiled kindly when she saw him looking at her, though Aleksander noticed she seemed oddly frightened. He frowned, hating to see that look on her face. Alina should never have reason to fear.
"There you are," she said, dipping a cloth into the water and running it over his upper chest. "I've been worried about you."
He reached up a hand, frowning when it shook. Alina grabbed it, pushing it back down. "Just relax, alright?"
He nodded, closing his eyes when the motion made him feel, somehow, ever dizzier. "We were supposed to have dinner," he remembered, feeling suddenly guilty.
She cut him off with a kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry about dinner," she ordered, blowing a stray strand of hair off her face. That beautiful smile was still on her face, and Aleksander's heart melted at the sight. She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead, muttering under her breath. "I think your fever's finally down a bit," she told him, sounding incredibly relieved. She reached for a thermometer, turning it on with a frown. Aleksander wanted to kiss it away but was too exhausted to even consider moving.
"Open up?" she said, raising her eyebrows.
He obeyed without question, allowing her to slip the thermometer under his tongue. He wondered if it was hers or if she had bought one. He didn't think he even owned a thermometer.
She took it out when it beeped, flashing him a smile before checking the reading, shoulders slumping in obvious relief. "I think you're safe to get out now," she told him, bringing up their still joined hands to kiss his knuckles.
"When did you get here?" he asked instead of responding to her actual words, realising with a start that he didn't remember her coming over.
She didn't answer. "Come one," she ordered. "Up you get. You need to be back in bed."
He allowed her to help him, feeling as weak as a newborn kitten. Alina, thankfully, was far stronger than she looked and supported his weight with ease, helping him sit on the side of the large bathtub as she towelled him off.
"Bedroom?"
He managed a small chuckle. "Always with you," he answered honestly, standing with Alina's help. The motion made his stomach churn uncomfortable, and he wrinkled his nose.
She laughed. "This time just for sleeping," she teased. Then, "Aleks?"
He swallowed hard. "I need…"
"Oh, darling," she sighed. "Come on then."
She somehow got him safely to his knees in front of the toilet as he gagged, gentle and blessedly cool hands on his forehead. "Get it all out," she said gently. "Then you get to lie down."
"You shouldn't be here," he panted, fighting the urge to curl up on the floor in abject misery. He couldn't remember the last time he was so ill. "You'll get sick."
Alina wiped his mouth with a tissue. "I have a good immune system," she retorted distractedly. "Think you're done?"
He nodded, panting. Alina pulled him to his feet, dragging one of his arms over her shoulders and wrapped her own arm around his waist, bodily dragging him into his bedroom. She pulled out pyjamas and helped him dress, ignoring his protests that he could do it himself, and tucked him efficiently into bed.
"Be right back," she said, darting out of the room. Aleksander could hear her moving around and could not help but find the domestic sounds incredibly comforting. He dozed off, maybe, or fell asleep, shivering slightly.
When he next opened his eyes, Alina was back at his side. "You need to take something," she said. "I don't want your fever getting that high again."
Aleksander gave his girlfriend what he hoped was a pleading look, the very idea of taking anything making his stomach clench. "Alina, please," he begged.
She kissed his forehead, running her fingers through his lank hair. "I know," she soothed. "But I don't want to see you hurting," she admitted. "Take something for me?"
Aleksander managed a small chuckle. "That's a low blow," he teased. Alina was well aware that he would do anything to see her happy.
She grinned, though Aleksander could tell she was still worried. There was a crease between her brows that he hated to see and a tightness to her eyes. "It is low," she agreed. "But I have no shame. Take something, please?"
He nodded after several moments, knowing that she was right and knowing that he could not resist her. He had loved her since the first time they had met and had known he would do anything to see her smile from their first date. He had not believed in love, not believed that there was anyone who could possibly love someone as broken as him until he had met her. Alina was the most incredible person he had ever met, and he was thankful each and every day that she chose to be with him in return.
She helped him swallow some medication, smiling like the sun when he kept it down. She kissed him on the forehead. "I'm going to steal some of your pyjamas, alright?" She said, then stood, stepping away from the bed.
Aleksander whined softly, hating having her out of his sight. Alina was back in a flash. "Hey," she said. "Aleks, I'm just putting on something more comfortable, alright? I'm not leaving you."
He studied her expression for a long moment, some distant part of his brain knowing he was being ridiculously clingy, but he could not stop himself. He blamed his fever. He finally nodded, swallowing down a spike of nausea the movement caused. She smiled down at him, beautiful, kind, and oh so perfect, and disappeared from view again. Aleksander fought the urge to whine.
She came back in moments, wearing one of his old t-shirts and nothing else. She had never looked so beautiful.
"Come on," she said, climbing into bed and taking him into her arms. He was reminded again that she was far stronger than she looked. He rested his head on her chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, feeling more relaxed than he had all day within her warm embrace.
"I love you," he murmured, nuzzling closer. Alina froze in his grasp for a brief moment, though quickly recovered, rubbing one hand over his back.
"Sleep," she said. "I'll be here when you wake up."
He woke up still feeling positively wretched but more like himself overall. His head was no longer quite so foggy, at least. He vaguely remembered getting sick again, as well as Alina's constant comforting presence, but not much else.
Alina's arms tightened around him. "Hey," she said, voice low and cautious. "You with me now?"
He burrowed closer, pushing his face into her neck. He was incredibly sore and felt altogether terrible, but he suspected she was asking about his mental state more than anything. "I'm with you," he mumbled, wincing at the sound of his voice. Hers did not bother him, but hearing his hoarse tones made him cringe.
She kissed the top of his head. "I'm going to check your temperature," she said, sounding like she was talking to herself more than anything. He allowed her to push the thermometer under his tongue, eyes drifting closed as he waited for it to beep. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this exhausted.
She let out a relieved breath, kissing the top of his head. “It’s finally down, baby,” she said. She pulled him closer. “You scared me.”
Aleksander pulled back enough to look at her, studying her slightly pale face. Tears were pooling in the corners of her eyes, and Aleksander felt a wave of guilt for being the reason she was crying.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, laying his head back on her shoulder, feeling too weak to keep it up.
She laughed slightly. “You’re not well; it was hardly your fault,” she pointed out. “And you went downhill fast. You were sick but mostly fine when Ivan dropped you off the other day. By the time I got here, you were nearly unconscious and basically delirious.” She sighed, sounding exhausted herself. “I got you to drink something and take meds, but your fever kept rising.” She sniffled slightly, and Aleksander hugged her closer.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, though she’d told him it wasn’t his fault. He still hated to be the reason for her tears.
She moved suddenly, putting the thermometer down on his bedside table before climbing out of the large bed. Aleksander shivered violently, huddling down into the spot still warmed by Alina’s body heat. He felt terrible still and desperately wanted to shower but wanted to be close to his girlfriend more. He had vague memories of her holding him as he shook, of her helping him into the bath to get his fever down, of him saying that he loved her…
“Woah, hey!” she said when she saw him pushing himself weakly into a sitting position, gently easing him back down. She knelt on the bed, holding two pills and a glass of water. “You’re not getting up anytime soon,” she smiled. “At least, not without my help.”
Aleksander took the pills she held out without question, swallowing them down with a wince. His throat was annoyingly sore. “What day is it,” he asked, feeling like he was waking up from a long sleep. He supposed that was somewhat true. He wanted to ask her if he’d really confessed his love when he was half-conscious but didn’t know how to bring it up.
“It’s Thursday,” she replied, taking the water from him and set it on the bedside table. “You’ve been out of it since Tuesday.” She swallowed, expression crumbling for a moment. “You scared me, Aleks. I was this close,” she continued, pinching a thumb and finger together, so they were nearly touching, “to dragging you to the hospital. I’ve never seen anyone get so sick so quickly.”
He raised a shaking hand, brushing his fingers over her cheek. She tangled their fingers together, manoeuvring them down, so she was spooning behind him. It wasn’t their normal sleeping position, but Aleksander found it utterly perfect. He felt safe and whole when he was with her, and the position only helped.
“You’d better not get sick,” he murmured, his stomach clenching in fear at the thought. He hated that he had made Alina worry for him, but he would much rather that than see her suffer through anything.
She snorted. “I worked at a university campus,” she said. “And teach first-year classes—they’re literal vectors for disease. I have an amazing immune system, thank you very much. You’re the one working in an office on your own most of the time.”
Aleksander cuddled closer to her, knowing Alina was right, as per usual. Then: “Alina,” he said, voice wavering to his own ears. He’d love once before, what seemed like a lifetime ago, and lost. He had not imagined he would be able to love again, but Alina had proved him wrong. “I…” he trailed off, freezing before he could continue.
She chuckled into his ear, her arms wrapped tightening around his chest, and she slung one leg over his hips, wrapping him entirely in her warm embrace. Aleksander had never considered himself a cuddler or even someone who liked human touch, but Alina was the exception. Alina was always the exception. He wanted to stay wrapped in her arms or hold her in his for the rest of his life.
“What are you laughing at?” he asked, feeling well enough to tease.
She sat up on one elbow, gazing down at him with warm brown eyes. “I love you too,” she said, a smile on her lips. “You told me seven times over the past few days. But I’m pretty sure you always forgot.”
Aleksander felt himself blush but smiled back at her. “Well, apparently, my ill mind knew it was high time to let you know.”
She kissed him on the lips and lay back down, holding him close once again. “An ill mind speaks a sober heart?” she teased.
He laughed tiredly. “I suppose so,” he yawned.
She pulled him, somehow, even closer. “Sleep,” she ordered. “We can talk more when you wake up. “I love you, Aleks.”
Even half asleep and ill, Aleksander smiled, feeling truly happy. “I love you too.”