Work Text:
You have no idea when you had woken up, it could have been five minutes, or half an hour, time passed like that when you had someone to look at beside you, someone who had put her wing around your sleeping form, keeping you warm in this cold room, she knew that, so she took it upon herself to keep you warm in her little ways she only showed in her discreet manners. You sighed into her chest, silent, your eyes still closed. She would probably have to wake soon, but it was odd for you to awake earlier than her, a nice odity though, so you`d use it to your advantage, just for the memory, you would most likely fall asleep soon anyways, your heartbeat already slowing down. You pulled her closer to you, hiding from the small sliver of ligth.
Ligth?
Ligth!?
You shock up from your half sleep and there was, indeed ligth, shining rigth onto her face. Her eyes were closed shut and she was biting her lips.
„Huh.“ your hand brushed her bangs away. „Even in sleep, you can not find peace.“ you watch her as she does not move then eye the clock. Your eyes go wide.
„Arlecchino?“ you shake her shoulder. She did not even notice. You knew having her go to sleep with a fever was a bad idea! „Arlecchino are you dead?“ you nearly shout, still shaking her. Oh you knew something was wrong after yesterday!
***
You stand in front of a hearth, watching the Keetle, waiting for its familiar screeching sound, waiting for the door to slam. You stretch a bit and your back cracks, the maid behind you cringes.
Arlecchino had sent you a messenger yesterday evening, telling you not to wait and that the meeting would go a bit longer than planned. A bit was a codeword for `the whole nigth` from now on apparently. You weren`t happy waking to a cold place next to you, but you knew she`d be even more unhappy standing around a whole night with coleuges that she despised. You just got done pouring the tea when the slam came. Perfect timing. You waited a few seconds, but only the clicking of high heels sounded in your ears.
„Jules, do go out and take a break.“ you say to the very maid that cringed as she cleaned some counter tops. She dissapeard as Arlecchino entered the room, a big thundercloud above her head.
„Only thinking of themselves, aren`t they?“ she asked, trying to reach the tea, but you take her hand before she could.
„It is not finished yet.“ you tell her and she presses her hands against the counter.
„It is just rediculess, they are throwing ideas at eachothers heads and see what will stick since half a year now! As if this isn`t the biggest project of the Fatui yet!“
You have your hand slide to hers. She looks at it, then at you. „No one is here?“
„We are alone.“
She pulls you into her strong arms rigth away, hugging you tigth, hiding her face in your neck. Her rather hot face, you notice now. She mutered insults into your neck, directed at her colleagues.
„The outside wasn`t able to calm you.“
She shock her head, and abandond her place in your neck in favor of looking into your eyes, or trying to. „The palace is colder than the outside, staying in there for so long with nothing but my coat...“ you saw her go over the meeting in her mind, pick it apart, seeth.
„Do you think that you catched something?“ you put your hand against her forehead.
„Mayhabs, what do you think, dear?“
She couldn`t have had a better timing for cough.
You removed your hand and checked the tea. „I think you`re sick.“
She shrugged.“It`s just an itch., nothing a little tea can`t fix.“
You sqeeze both bags out. „Sure.“ You had to go shoping anyways, maybe you could get some vitamine pills.
She takes the tea from your hand, leaving the kitchen. „I will see you at the orphanage then?“
„Arlecchino.“ she turned at your tone.“Didn`t you forget something?“
She stared at you, she rolled her eyes when it clicked. „You are too corny for me.“ she pulled you close, kissing your temple, before making her way to the office.
„I will see you at the house, do try to get some sleep!“
„Yeah, yeah.“
***
She had indeed joined you later when you were at the playground close by, looking less elegant than usuall, wearing her coat. She had hid herself in your neck, telling you how she was even more tired after her nap. You had added candles to your shopping list and more tea.
„Arlecchino!“ you said one last time and she woke up in a coughing fit. You fall around her arms rigth away. „Oh thank the archons you aren`t dead!“
„Of course I am not dead you fool! Get off me!“ you do so, helping her sit up, getting her water. She was boiling when you touched her hand. „Archons I am cold...what time is it.“
„Nine.“ you say.
She curses in fontanian while jumping out of the bed, having her hair cascade down. She had to stabilize herself. You tried to form a coherent argument as to why she should stay home as she gets dressed.
You follow her to the vanity as she gets her jacket. „You are sick!“
„Yes I know.“ she brushed through her hair, styling it, coughing in between.
„There was already a meeting last nigth! Why would you have to go again?“
She fastened the winged accesoire in her hair. „It will be short this time and it is only between the top five.“
You crossed your arms in front of your chest. „Arlecchino.“ she stood up, looking ready, but you knew her well enough.“You will call in sick.“
„I am afraid that won`t work, my love.“
You sighed as she took out her coat. „Do you really want your co-workers to notice your weakness?“
„They cough themselves at the cold, it won`t be much of an issue.“
You put yourself in front of the door, blocking her way. „I do not want you to go. You are sick and need to be taken care of.“
She moved up to you, slowly, nearly like a predator, shoes clicking on the floor. „Dear.“ she said with a sligth edge.
„How dare you trying to threathen me!“ you nearly shout. She isn`t faced by it, remaining in her calm demeanor, putting her hands on your shoulders, pulling you aside.
„I need to get to work, dear.“ there is an urge in her eyes. „How about a comprimise? I will go to this meeting, get home and will take a much needed break. I will take the weekend off too.“
You thougth about it, watched the clock, then at her. This was a good deal, even if it felt like the ilusion of a comprimise. „Ok, but you will get home rigth after it is over.“
She pressed her hot lips against your forehead. „I will see you later.“
You whisper an „I love you.“, watching her get away, hurying through the front door.
You always fell for her ways.
***
You sit on a sofa close to the front door, a small table with a lamp on it next to you. You had just returned from shopping and Jules was stacking everything up in the kitchen. You had also made a short trip to the House, to say hello to the children and to inform them that their „Father“ would be gone for the weekend. They had been sad, but there was nothing to do about it, they shouldn`t get sick to, you yourself had avoided the Infants because of that reason, considering everything, you migth get sick to, or were already and just didn`t notice it.
It was then that the door opened, it made you look up to the pale figure entering the house. She was coughing rigth away. You watched in silence. She looked up, towards you. „Hello Honey.“ she said, weirdly soft.
„Bed.“ you just said and she put her hands up as if she were a criminal that was just caugth.
„Whatever you want.“
When she was gone you went into the next room, telling Jules to warm up some water to put the Vitamins in. Then you went up yourself.
She was sitting in front of the vanity, removingher make up, earrings and what not. You leaned against the closed door, watching untill she was finished. She then watched you, proping her head up on her hands. How can she look so sick but so elegant at the same time?
A smile then crocked at her lips. „No kiss?“
„You-“ you take a breath before shouting. Control your emotions. „Just get to bed, I will check on Jules.“
She already moved to the bed. „Of course dear.“
You tch`d, moving out of the room to lean over the railing. „How is it going Jules?“
„It is all well! The water is already boiling.“
„Perfect, please do start on some chicken soup, and do not forget to kock.“
„Of course and I´d never!“
You nod, thinking a bit, before getting back to an Arlecchino that was sitting in bed properly, with the blanket covering her legs, her hand were folded above her lap and she wore the pink pyjamas you picked out. It was just that...you snickered, moving towards to sit on her lap.
„You need to button it, get all warmed up.“ you get your fingers on the top one while she is chuckling.
„Oh, I know.“ she pulls you closer by the waist, having her sharp nails scrape the fabric covering your skin, trying to get her hands under it.
„Getting clingy, eh?“ you ask, finishing up on the buttons.
She only shrugged, her other hand moving over to your thigh. „What will be your way to heal me?“
You shake your head, smiling. „My mom used to give me these vitamine pills when I was younger. Put them in some warm water, had them resolve? I got better in a day. Also some chicken soup.“
She nodded, acknowledgment in her eyes. „The same method you use on the children?“
You nod, hands moving towards her long silky hair to play with it. „You will be back to your feet in no time...how has the meeting been?“
„More civiliced, but I still felt as if I entered a circus. I am glad that you never have to meet them in such a setting.“
Her hands start kneading, nails carefully scraping your skin untill a knock is heard. You try to get up, but she holds you down. „Come in Jules.“
You blush, stopping in your actions, trying to find something else to do as she came in, look somewhere else. You could already feel the faint blush on your cheeks. You felt childish for it, youhad been married for about three years, she had kissed you in front of others. But this was way different. You looked back up at her when Jules was gone, as she took the tea. She crocked a brow, then smiled.
„I could have taken it.“
„I like you better here. Do you want some?“
She refered to the Tea, but you were sure you`d straigth up die if you`d drink it, it was that bitter indeed. So you took the glass with the vitamins, ony now noticing the thermometer. Smart Jules.
You simply hand it to Arlecchino with a „Check it?“ before having the taste of oranges fill your mouth. It was more amplified though, artificial, of course. Her hands and body had been more warm than the ussuall, you`d even compare her to a scorching sun rigth now. The thermometer beeped and you take it out before she can move her hand.
Forty two celcius. You bite your lip. „This is the highest fever I have ever seen personally.“
„I have had higher.“ she shrugged it off.
You look at her, an unspoken question in your face.
„Long story, I will tell you some other time.“
You nod, deciding that she`d go to the hospital if that high fever would accure. She then shooed you of her lap in favor of the soup. Of course she would take her end of the comprimise. She was your Peruere, after all. You had the name turn in your mind. It was still odd to you. Her name, how soft it sounded from her newer one that you had grown accostumed to. But sometimes it still fit her, like now, the Woman sitting in front of you, eating soup? Puruere. The „Father“ teaching a child? Puruere. Your Husband? Well, there it got complicated.
When she finished her soup, you lowered your head onto her lap, grabing the water with the vitamines. Arlecchino watched you, curious as you hum at the taste.
„Is it good?“
„Sweet.“
You smiled when she pulled a face, knowing that she`d still drink it. You put the cup back to the plate, deciding that this would be the place to lounge, rigth on her lap. Your scary wolf. She started to have her hand rake through your hair, over your head soon after, leaning back while in thougth. You meanwhile leaned into her touch, closing your eyes, getting the occasional snicker as she deepend her thougths. You eventually dooze of, not noticing when Arlecchino calls Jules in to ask for documents. She arranged them neatly next to her, her other hand still tied to your hair. You wake up only when a paper brushes your side and she stops. You look up, suprised, then at the papers.
„Arlecchino-“ there is a sharp edge to your voice.
„I am only reading, dear.“
You crock a brow, look at the empty nigthstand. „You drank it all up?“
She nodded, slowly, then took a tissue. You only noticed the shadow under her eyes now and you squint your eyes. „Did you sleep enough.“
She pushes some of her hair to the side. „I sadly could not make enough time, I know, it is foolish.“
A crease appears between your eyebrows as you sit up, take her head between your hands. „What is this project?“ you look towards the folder on her side, a big red CONFIDENTIAL is written on it. She puts the papers inside.
„Nothing you should be worried about yet.“ she then takes some other papers from her nigthstand. „Can you read these to me?“
„It has to do with the Gnoses rigth?“ you ask, crocking your head. „You mumbled about it while I was in your office. and just now.“
It only takes seconds for her to build her composure back up. „It is. But you will get to those meetings to once it is all confirmed, you will play as much a part of this as me.“
You hesitate before taking the papers. „Please, we are married now, stop keeping your work from me...it is like you said.“ You interupt her as she opend her mouth. „Now lie down. I will read to you and you will get enough sleep.“
She sighs, but does as you say, her head on the pillows, completly tugged in. She looked almost cute. You took the place beside her, proping her head up on your arm while simultaneously cuddling her closer. She was so close rigth now, you were actually able to count her eyelashes. You smile, looking back down at the papers and read them to her. They were about legends of the gods. It was weird, considering your wifes...believes, or lack of them therefore. But considering her new mission, it migth make sense. It did not take long until you noticed how her eyelids grew heavy, you in turn started to speak a bit more quiet while gently rubbing circles into her back untill she was asleep.