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"Achooo!!"
Varian flopped his head back onto the pillow with a groan.
"It says here you're running a fever." Rapunzel said as she read the thermometer. She reached out and laid a cool, soothing hand on his forehead.
"It's… sniff … it's just ah coold. A'll be alright." Was his stuffy reply as he tried to sit up.
"Still I think you should get some rest." She said as she gently pushed him back down. "The plumbing project can wait. Why don't you stay here for a few days and give yourself time to recover? I can make you some of my special hazelnut soup!"
Rapunzel flashed him a huge grin before petting the chameleon on her shoulder. "That always made me feel better whenever I was sick in bed. Right Pascal?"
The chameleon didn't answer but only returned her smile, before beaming back at Varian as if to offer silent encouragement.
Varian sighed. "Fane."
He was too tired to argue.
Then came a knock at the door.
"Soooo how's the patient?" Eugene asked as he poked his head around the other side.
"He's running a fever." Rapunzel explained. "I told him he should spend the night here instead of heading back to Old Corona. If he's not feeling better by tomorrow we'll call for the medic."
"But really A'm fane…"
"You don't sound fine." Eugene said. "I agree with Rapunzel. You should stay here and get some rest. Old Corona won't fall apart without you."
He gave a wink and then wrapped an arm around his wife. "And speaking of leadership, the ambassador from Hervan just arrived."
Rapunzel gave a little gasp. "Oh, that was today? I almost forgot."
She hurried over to Varian's bedside and pulled the covers up to his chin.
"Try and get some sleep. I'll send someone up with the soup."
And with a final smile, and a "Feel better soon," from Eugene, they both left.
" O sole, o sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te! "
Varian awoke with a sudden start as the door to the guest room slammed open and Lance waltzed in singing at the top of his lungs.
"Haha, so you're awake!" He grinned as he sat a tray down on the nightstand next to his bed. There was a steaming bowl of what must have been the hazelnut soup on top of it.
"Well, A'm noow." Varian responded deadpan.
If Lance noticed his irritation he didn't show it, as he tucked a napkin into Varian's shirt.
"I got this recipe for parsnip and hazelnut soup from Rapunzel. She said you wanted some."
Varian would have liked to explain that the soup was Rapunzel's idea, not his, and that he would have preferred an unbroken nap over Lance's well meaning charity, but as soon as he had opened his mouth Lance shoved a spoonful of the soup into it.
Varian coughed and sputtered as the hot liquid went down the wrong tube.
For the first time, Lance frowned. "I'm sorry, is it too hot? Oh, I know, I'll blow on it for you."
His grin immediately returned as he blew onto another spoonful before trying to feed it to Varian.
"Nooo…" Varian horsley croaked as he shoved the spoon out of his face. "Will you get that thang ooout of my face!? A'm not a baby, Lance."
Lance seemed surprised by this outburst, but only momentarily. "Ah-ahh-ah, looks like someone is being a Mr Grumpy face today."
"What are yoou talking aboout?"
"I know just the thing to cheer you up!"
Lance placed the bowl of soup back down and then pulled a book from his back pocket. "Who wants to hear the tale about Flynn Rider and the Lost Isle of Tyre?"
"A'm too old for Flynn Rader." Varian muttered.
Lance gasped and hugged the book close to him. "Too old!? No one is too old for Flynn Rider books! Don't worry he didn't mean it." He whispered to the book. " He's just delirious."
"And tired." Varian moaned and flopped back into the bed, pulling the covers over his head.
He hoped Lance would take the hint. He did not.
"Fine, then how about a game of checkers?"
"No."
"Cards?"
"No."
"Noughts and Crosses?"
"No."
"Tiddly winks?"
"No-- did you just say 'taddly wanks'?" Varian finally looked up from under the covers to give his friend and confused and exasperated look.
Lance didn't once again didn't seem to notice his irritation.
"Oh you've never played before? It's easy, first to take some jacks and a ball, and yo-"
"Ah know how to play taddly wanks, Lance." Varian interrupted. "A'm too old for jacks as well. I thank you for the soup, but ah just want to rest raght now, alraght?"
Lance frowned again and Varian could almost see the trickle of a tear in the corner of his eye.
"Okay." He said, in his most subdued manner as he watched his toes. "I get it, you're too old for bedtime stories, and jacks, and letting me do your hair, or kiss you goodnight. Just like Catalina, just like Angry."
"Did you just compare me to the girls?" Varian asked, not giving into Lance's pathetic pout.
"They're growing up too fast! Bahahawa!" Lance suddenly wailed. "Yesterday Catliana said she rather go to some fancy dinner that she was invited too than have family game night. You know what she said, she said 'I'm too old for silly games. All because she wanted to hang out with that kid she has a crush on."
"Well she is almost f-"
"She's still just a baby! My baby! She's too young for crushes!"
Varian only returned this outburst with the most judgemental of stares but Lance carried on.
"And the night before, Angry said she was too old for bedtime stories! She didn't even want me to kiss her goodnight, just shook my hand."
Varian shrugged. "Well... people do grow up..."
"Bawahaha"
"Lance..."
"Wahahahha."
"Lance..."
"Wahhahaaaa!"
"It's probably just a phase... "
Lance sniffled and looked at Varian expantingly
"... They'll... grow out of it too..?" He hesdentily finished.
"Oh, just like how they'll grow up, get job, get married, and leave me the old folks home." With this notion Lance began to cry again.
Varian rolled his eyes. "No one's leaving you, Lance."
His words of reason were ignored, as Lance began to blaw into a handkerchief. He blew his nose loudly and then, to Varian's surprise, turned to leave.
"I won't bother you any longer." He moaned. "I'll just... I'll just head to the museum."
"Museum?"
"Uh-huh and lay myself down with the rest of the old fossils." He whimpered and clutched the Flynn Rider book close to his chest.
Varian let out a long sigh as he watched his friend go.
"Lance?"
Lance stuck his head back through the door hopefully.
"Maybe... you could read me one chapter... it.. it's one of mah favorites."
Lance's face lit up as he pulled up a seat beside the bed and opened the book. Varian picked up the bowl of soup and started to eat it as Lance launch into the first chapter.
"Oh, Varian?" Rapunzel whispered gently as she softly opened the door to the guest room.
She found both Varian and Lance fast asleep, snoring soundly. Lance was splayed out on a chair next to the bed with a Flynn Rider book resting on his chest. Meanwhile Varian was leaning his head on Lance's shoulder and using him as a pillow.
Rapunzel silently felt his forehead. There was no fever. She sighed with relief and gave Pascal a smile.
"I knew the soup would help." She whispered as she grabbed the now empty bowl off the nightstand. Then without another word she hurried out of the room and left the boys to sleep.