Work Text:
Chamber didn't get sick. He had thrown up maybe six times in his life, four of which were the cause of alcohol, and he hadn't missed a day of work since he got out of the military. He took care of his body, eating well, and working out; when he had been in the military he had even been taking vitamins and such. Health was important to him, and he prided himself on just how healthy he was.
However, waking up, after a mission with Fade, who had recently recovered from being bedridden due to the flu, and feeling like he was dying, was not exactly what he'd consider healthy.
Vincent had woken up in a cold sweat, hair matting to his forehead and feeling disgusting. Immediately he had stood to go adjust his room's climate control and groaned when that left him with a pounding headache and roiling stomach. He sat back down and groped for his glasses on his bedside table, shoving them on, but squinting when he tried to turn on his bedside lamp, the light making his head throb even more. God, he felt atrocious.
Once his eyes and head adjusted to the light in the room he reached for his phone, sending a quick text to Sage asking if she had any painkillers before attempting to stand again, reeling at the sudden dizziness he felt. He rubbed his forehead gently and made his way over to his closet, picking out a slightly more casual shirt and pants, setting them on his bathroom counter and starting the shower, setting the temperature to colder than what he usually would. His shower took about twenty minutes longer than it usually would, he had to stop to take several breaks, leaning his forehead against the cold shower tiles.
Vincent didn't bother styling his hair, which really should have been his first sign that he was far more sick than he thought, before getting dressed and brushing his teeth, which also took far longer than it normally would. Just as he was finishing up with the latter there was a loud rapid knock at his door. He groaned at the noise, making his way to his door and only fumbling slightly with the keypad to open it. Standing on the other side, shifting slightly from foot to foot was Breach, a relieved look crossing his face when he saw Chamber.
"Vin,
älskling
, there you are," Erik said, pulling Vincent into a gentle hug, holding him by his shoulders when he pulled back.
"Ah,
mon cœur
, what's going on?" Chamber asked, brows furrowing, slightly surprised when his voice came out in a rather hoarse rasp. This little detail didn't slip by Breach either. The moment Vincent spoke he looked concerned, bringing his hands up behind Chamber's head and pulling his forehead to his cheek, and then his own forehead.
"Are you sick? Do you have a fever?" he asked, looking at Chamber like the answers to his questions were written in the lines by his eyes or the way his nose stuck out from one too many fights.
"I'll be fine mon cœur, do not worry about me," Chamber replied, resting his head on Erik's chest, shutting his eyes, enjoying the safety he felt in Breach's arms. Breach grumbled something and Vincent smiled softly at the way his chest rumbled. His bliss was short-lived however, as he felt Erik gently pushing him upright, still looking rather concerned.
“Are you sure?” He asked, gently brushing the hair out of Chamber's face, smiling fondly when Vincent leaned into his touch.
“
Oui
, I was just on my way to the workshop. I also have a mission report I have to finish,” Chamber leaned up and pressed a kiss to Breach’s cheek, before pulling back, giving him a pat on the shoulder, moving past Breach to walk and make some coffee, making a mental note to stop by Sage’s office and get some Tylenol for his headache.
Well, that was his plan, until he made it about five feet and the world started spinning again, and he put a hand out on the wall to steady himself. He took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself and finding that the pounding in his head was only getting worse. Distantly he heard Breach calling his name and felt a hand on his shoulder and waist, helping to steady him, and somewhere in the back of his mind he was really thankful that Breach was here as he fell to the ground, unconscious.
When he woke up he wasn't in his room, and after taking a look around, he wasn’t in the med bay either. He recognized Breach’s room well enough that he stopped being confused when he was there instead of his own room but being sick combined with having just woken up made his brain take a minute to catch up. Groaning at the bright light in the room, he pulled the thick black comforter up above his head, curling up underneath the blanket that smelt so much like Erik, stomach still aching, even more so now, after what he presumed was a few hours since he was supposed to have woken up and eaten.
He could have stayed there, curled up under the blankets, surrounded by the scent of his love if not for the rising fever, exacerbated by the thickness of the blankets. After about five more minutes under the blanket, sweating from the heat, he sat up, putting a hand to his forehead as his skull protested the rapid movement. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, pausing before slowly standing, giving his body time to adjust.
If this flu didn't kill him, he was gonna kill Fade.
He stood shakily, grabbing the folded blanket that Breach left on the back of his workstation chair, thankful for the weight and thickness of the chunky yarn it had been made of, wrapping it around his shoulders before making his way to the door, typing in the door code like it was second nature. The air in the hallway was warmer and that almost persuaded him to just stay in Erik’s room, but he remembered the work he had to do and began making his way to the workshop, hoping that he wouldn't run into anyone along the way.
He made it almost all the way when he was stopped, a gentle hand landing on his waist.
“ Älskling , what are you doing out here?” Breach asked, moving to stand in front of Chamber, putting his other hand on Vincent's cheek.
"I told you earlier, I have paperwork to do mon cœur ," Chamber replied, leaning into the cool metal of Erik's palm. He heard Breach let out a soft laugh, as if that was the most ridiculous thing he's ever heard.
"No," he said, taking his hand off of Vincent's face, who whined softly at the loss of contact, until he felt an arm come up around his shoulders and one beneath his knees, and before he knew it he was being lifted off the ground, yelping slightly at the suddenness of the action, hands coming up to wrap around Erik's neck. "What you have to do is rest, låt oss gå, älskling ."
Chamber thought briefly about arguing, telling his boyfriend to put him down, but he was so comfortable, and he really didn't want to do paperwork, so he sighed softly, shutting his eyes and resting his head on Breach's shoulder. He didn't even realize they had made it all the way back to Breach's room until he was being deposited into the bed, covers pulled up around him, and a soft kiss being planted on his forehead.
"I'll be right back Vin," Breach said, beginning to stand but stopping short when Chamber groaned and tried to pull him back down, frown on his face.
" Non, s'il te plaît reste avec moi," Vincent said, and Erik chuckled softly, he really was out of it. He wasn't sure if he would understand him if he tried English, so he paused for a moment, thinking back on what he had learned from Chamber.
" Je reviens tout de suite, mon chér."
He wasn't sure his pronunciation was right, but Chamber seemed to understand, nodding slightly and letting his arms drop, pulling the blanket up tight around his shoulders. Breach smiled to himself, finding the way his boyfriend seemed to drown in the large blanket and bed adorable, before turning to head to the kitchen, thinking about what he would make for Vincent.
He had texted Sage to see if she had any medicine leftover from when Fade was sick, but she apparently hadn't even known Fade was sick and said she'd see what she could find. In the meantime, some blåbärssoppa should help. He paused, grabbing a saucepan, unsure if maybe he should try making something Chamber would be used to, before ultimately deciding that familiarity would probably help, and after spending a little longer on the internet than he intended to, he decided on a chicken soup recipe he had found, having to take into account the limited ingredients available, and getting started.
Before he knew it the soup was ready and as he dished out a large bowl, adding a piece of toast on the side, rather proud of himself.
"Breach, I have the medicine you requested," Sage said as she opened the door, knocking Erik out of his thoughts.
" Tak tak . Y'know, this would be a whole lot easier if you'd just do your little-" he made a gesture similar to the one she did when she would heal agents-" thing ," Breach finished, taking the medicine she was holding out as she raised her eyebrow.
"You know the rules, Breach. I must save my healing orbs, I do not have an infinite supply of health and revival," she said, walking to the door before pausing, "and you never know when one of you may truly need them," she finished, walking out. He shook his head slightly, every time she talked like that he felt like she was trying to warn him of something, but he wasn't sure what. Erik shrugged, grabbing the bowl and plate and walking back to his room. He had been gone for about an hour and a half, so Vincent would probably be asleep.
This thought was proven true by the soft snoring coming from his bed when the door opened. He set the soup down on his bedside table, along with the medicine and sat on the edge of the bed, just taking in Chamber, asleep and at peace. Carefully, he reached a hand forward, brushing his hair back and resting his hand on the top of Vincent's head, rubbing gently with his thumb.
Moments like this he really wished he could feel the things he touched.
"Erik? Mon cœur?" Chamber asked, voice hoarse with sleep and sickness.
"I'm here liten kattunge, " Breach responded, speaking softly and slowly, knowing it would take Vincent a little longer to catch up.
" Je suis fatigué. Aussi ma tête me fait mal," he whined, reaching a hand up to pull Breach's hand down, planting a small kiss on his palm.
"I brought you some soup, and some meds. Sit up and I'll help you take them. S'il vous plaît mon chér, " Erik said, grabbing the medicine and getting two pills ready according to the instructions on the box, handing them to a now upright Chamber along with a glass of water he had put there earlier. The sick man took them gratefully, swallowing them in a few sips then pausing and drinking almost the entire glass, before setting it down, clearing his throat slightly, leading him into a coughing fit. Breach gently pat his back, whispering soothing nothings into his ear. Once the coughing had stopped and breathing normally, if a little wheezy, Breach sat next to Vincent with his back against his headboard, before pulling Vincent sideways into his lap.
Vincent hadn't been expecting the shift and groaned slightly, to which he received a soft chuckle and apology from Erik. He rested his head against Breach's chest, fatigue filling him to the core. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep right now, pressed against Erik, but he knew the other man would worry if he didn't at least eat a little, and food sounded amazing right now, so when Breach handed him the bowl he took it willingly, mumbling a thanks and digging in. What he could taste of the soup was rather good, he sometimes forgot Breach was capable of cooking things that weren't death threats to God.
After he had finished the soup and felt less like death incarnate, he leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to Erik's cheek.
" Tack tack, älskling, " Chamber said, not at all confident he was pronouncing that correctly, despite being assured for their entire relationship that he was. He shifted back down, resting his head again, and snaking his arms around Erik's waist, shutting his eyes and falling asleep.
The next day when he woke up, feeling infinitesimally better, he would thank Erik properly, taking him out for an off base night on the town complete with sneaking back on base to avoid Brimstone, despite him definitely knowing they were gone. But that was for tomorrow them to worry about.