Work Text:
Really it was a just a cold for fucks sake; but then again Jim rarely got sick, let alone catch something as simple as a cold. However the fact remained Jim had caught a cold and he was miserable, which meant Sebastian was miserable. It had been four days since Jim got sick. Sebastian knew exactly how and when Jim had caught the cold; really it had been his own fault. Sebastian didn't dare tell him that though. The last time he had pointed out something had been Jim’s fault, he’d ended up with an ice pick in the back of his hand.
Sebastian had been out on a job and Jim had been having a clingy period, which meant he wanted to be by Sebastian’s side at all times. Sebastian didn't mind much when Jim was in that kind of mood, they were much nicer than Jim’s usual moods, which left Sebastian with new scars on occasion. But this particular day it had been raining and even with his fancy dome umbrella and expensive black coat, they still ended up waiting for 3 hours before the target appeared. By the time the man was dead and they were back in the car, both Sebastian and Jim were thoroughly soaked. Jim was even shivering a little, but only a trained eye like Sebastian could see it. They had gotten back to the flat and Sebastian had done what was needed to to warm Jim up a bit.
Sebastian hadn't been worried about his own health; he knew his immune system was stronger than Jim’s seeing as he was always out in all kinds of weather doing the work Jim ordered him to do. It was within 29 hours that Sebastian heard the first sneeze. He’d been in the sitting room, lacing up his boots, his duffle bag and plane ticket for a new job by the door when he’d heard it echo from down the hall. Shit; he thought to himself. He continued to lace his boots, wondering if he could slip out the door before Jim could hear him and get on the plane out of the country. Before he could get off the couch though, Jim’s voice came from behind him, rough and a bit froggy sounding.
“Where do you think you’re going?” it demanded. Damn Jim was a sneaky and quiet bastard.
“Siberia?” came the honest reply. There was a quick sound of buttons on a phone being pushed and then Jim spoke again.
“Oh look at that, your flight has been cancelled.” which was followed by another sneeze. Sebastian let out a quiet sigh. He took his boots off and stood to turn towards Jim. The man was wrapped up in the duvet from their bed and looking quite pale even for him. Sebastian frowned a little.
“Boss, do you think you should be up? Maybe you should lay down.” He said. Jim scowled a bit and moved carefully to make himself at home on the couch, which is where he had been for the last four days.
In less than 33 hours Sebastian had been reduced from sniper to nurse maid and was not allowed out of Jim’s sight for longer than 10 minutes tops and that was only to use the loo and even then Jim bitched.
The first day Sebastian had some medicine fetched for Jim; simple cough syrup that was supposed to help with all of Jim’s symptoms. Jim spat it back in his face the instant it was in his mouth and demanded to know why Sebastian was trying to poison him. Sebastian tried to get Jim to take a second dose a few hours later and barely got his hand back far enough to keep Jim from biting him hard and not in a good way. So it was on to plan B; Thai food. Sebastian ordered in several containers of the spiciest soup on the menu and gave Jim a bowl of it every few hours along with plenty of water. It seemed to work, helping to break up his congestion some, though he had now moved on into the phase of the cold to develop a wet, hacking cough as well as the occasional sneeze. Jim started to complain about the take out by the end of day two.
Day three Jim was achy, but refused any medicine Sebastian offered, even the paracetamols. He demanded his pillow be fluffed almost hourly. Sebastian was tempted to just suffocate him with the pillow and put Jim out of both of their miseries. By the time they reached day four, the sitting room in the flat was a mess, littered mainly with used tissues and some take out soup containers. Sebastian was sitting on the floor as Jim had kicked him off the couch when he first took it over what seemed like forever ago. His neck ached from sleeping at odd angles because Jim refused to move or be moved. The fact he'd gone days without sleep in the past help stave off some of the effects sleep deprivation as Jim would kick him away when he started to snore. Sebastian also had a headache from Jim kicking him in the back of the head to change the channel whenever he felt the show they were watching on the telly was getting too boring, which was every 15 minutes tops. However when an hour had passed and they were still watching the same cooking show, Sebastian cautiously muted the TV and listened carefully.
He heard the soft sounds of congested snoring behind him. Sebastian turned slowly and looked over his shoulder. Jim was nuzzled down in the duvet and finally asleep after fighting any type of decent rest since he got sick. Sebastian smiled softly to himself and carefully climbed to his feet. He let out a stretch and felt his back pop in several places. He let out a soft groan of appreciation and then carefully bent down and scooped Jim up in his arms bridal style. Having slept on the couch numerous times, Sebastian knew how very uncomfortable it could be.
He gently carried Jim down the hall and to their room and laid Jim in their bed. He stood and watched Jim sleep for a moment longer; that was one of Sebastian’s guilty pleasures. He could only imagine how Jim would react if he knew Sebastian liked to watch him sleep. Probably knife him in the gut. After a moment longer, Sebastian went and got a glass of water and a couple of decongestants and left them on the bedside table for Jim when he woke up. He doubted very much Jim would take them, but at least he kept making an effort to get the man well sooner. He then quietly left the room and closed the door behind him, making his way back to the sitting room.
He looked to his left at his duffle bag loaded with his rifle and the now useless plane ticket. Jim was going to be pissed when he got well that Sebastian hadn't done any work in several days. But if Sebastian left now to try and deal with things closer to home, Jim would be pissed he wasn't there to wait on him hand and foot. Sebastian sighed as it was a no win situation. Of course, with Jim, it rarely ever was.