Work Text:
Sometimes, Suletta thinks Miorine is too caught up in her work to account for herself. Other times, Suletta is sure Miorine is purposefully ignoring her own needs to push herself just that bit harder. Today is the second, for sure.
Miorine, usually awake and ready to go by 8, is currently staring at her bowl of cereal with the dead-eyed look of someone whose sinuses are clogged with the most foul of substances. She looks like she’s not sure where she even is. Suletta watches her for a long time, mostly because Miorine isn’t moving and that makes it easy.
”You’re not going to work today.” Suletta says.
”I’m fine.” Miorine slurs out, the words barely able to leave her lips without an accompanying pool of drool. Suletta is both incredibly annoyed and very endeared.
”You’re obviously sick,” Suletta stands, using the back of the chair for assistance. She still doesn’t have full control over her body, and she might never get back to her teenage levels of freakish athleticism, but she’s adapted. “If you go to work, you’ll just spread the plague to everyone in the office.”
This crime against efficiency seems to catch Miorine’s attention. She barely moves her head to look up at Suletta.
“I’ll work from home.” Miorine says.
”Go lie down on the couch.” Suletta responds, with the tone of an annoyed wife, which she is.
It takes a bit more bickering to wrestle Miorine onto the couch, under the cozy blanket they keep draped over the back. It’s angora, a wedding gift someone from Miorine’s father’s side sent. Miorine is sure she’s never met the woman in her life, but the blanket is nice.
“I’m fine.” Miorine says, snot dripping over her lips. Suletta makes a face and reaches over to wipe her face.
”You’re sick. It’s the flu or something.”
”Run away then. You’re gonna get sick too.”
Suletta gives her a wry smirk. Between the two of them, Miorine gets sick the most, and she gets hit the hardest. Maybe it’s whatever genetic tampering Prospera did, maybe Suletta is just built differently, but she can get over the common cold no problem. Miorine, on the other hand, is currently staring slack-jawed because she can’t breathe through her nose.
”Miss Miorine,” Suletta says, her tone playful. Miorine’s face goes from mildly confused, to flustered, to annoyed. “If you won’t let me take care of you, I’ll simply do it anyway.”
Miorine groans.
”It’s hard on you.”
Suletta feels a pang of annoyance, but it melts away as she remembers all those long hours in the hospital and rehab. It’s unfair to blame Miorine for treating Suletta like she can’t take care of herself, when she really couldn’t take care of herself for a while.
”It’s our home, Miorine,” Suletta says softly “I’m used to walking around and doing stuff- What do you think I do all day while you’re at work?”
Miorine seems defeated. The snot returns. Suletta wipes her face again.
”I’ll have Sabina stop by the pharmacy.”
”Please don’t.” Miorine says, the shame of one of her employees getting her flu medicine stronger than any sniffles.
”Oh, for god’s- Chuchu, then.” Suletta’s lips purse into a fine line, her brows lowering.
Miorine looks away with a pout, and Suletta would find it cute if it wasn’t so aggravating.
”Chuchu, then.” Miorine mumbles.
Suletta shakes her head and tucks her in tighter.
A couple of hours later, a very annoyed Chuchu drops off a paper baggie with Suletta’s usual medication and a bonus dose of the strongest flu medicine the pharmacy carries.
”I don’t want it.” Miorine says as soon as she sees the package. She has managed to drag her laptop onto her lap when Suletta was talking to Chuchu.
”You can’t be serious.” Suletta stares at her with lowered brows and pursed lips. She’s frustrated in the way only a wife can be; endeared, irritated, and annoyed at herself, because she should have seen this coming.
”That’s the stuff that makes you loopy,” Miorine rolls her eyes “First of all, I’m perfectly capable of writing this report despite my current condition. Secondly, no way. I’m going to be really embarrassing.”
”I’ve seen you drunk.”
“Exactly.” Miorine gives her a look.
Suletta props her crutch against the wall, and she balances on her best leg, arms crossed over her chest as she stares down at Miorine.
”Your mother will be back tomorrow,” Miorine says, her gaze falling back to the laptop screen as she pointedly avoids Suletta’s frown “With Ericht. She emailed me earlier. Should we have Sabina pick her up?”
”Take the medicine.” Suletta says, her tone even.
”I’m fine. It’s just…” As if on cue, Miorine starts to zone out, her thoughts slowing to a crawl as the snot takes over her brain “I’m fine.”
”You look miserable. Just take the medicine and don’t argue with me.” Before Miorine can protest further, Suletta is already pouring a cap full of the flu medicine. Miorine, unwilling to argue against something that’s happening in front of her, sighs.
Miorine can hold her liqueur relatively well. Suletta has only seen her drunk a few times, usually after she’s crawled back home after a local business meeting that turned into after work drinks that turned into everyone getting shitfaced.
Flu medicine, on the other hand, manages to get Miorine so out of it she’s basically on another planet.
Suletta is doing her best to ignore the whining emanating from the living room. She’s in the kitchen, trying to prepare a meal according to recipe. This is easier when Ericht is home, Suletta thinks. Having to read through the recipe on her phone with greasy fingers isn’t easy.
”I want ramen…” Miorine whines. Again.
”You’re not getting ramen, you’re sick.” Suletta sighs.
”But I want ramen.”
”I’m making you food, be patient.”
More whining ensues, and Suletta rolls her eyes so hard she feels a twitch. A few more minutes, and she comes out with a bowl. Suletta elects to sit down on the floor next to Miorine on the couch, crossing her legs. Miorine looks at her with the look of the saddest, wettest kitty in the world. Her nose is still runny, and her eyes are red, though slightly glazed over. Suletta smiles and reaches out to brush her messy hair away from her face.
”You look beautiful.” Suletta says.
”You’re lying.” Miorine pouts.
”Yeah,” Suletta’s grin grows “You look terrible.”
Miorine whines and crosses her arms over her face, trying to hide. Suletta wraps her fingers around her wrist to pull one arm away.
“I made you lentil soup.”
”I don’t want lentil soup.”
Suletta takes a spoonful of the lentil soup and offers it to Miorine. Miorine accepts it without further protest.
”Ish good.” Miorine mumbles. Despite being sick, her appetite seems to be fine, and she makes quick work of the lentil soup. Suletta feels very proud of herself, until she gives it a taste as well, and quickly realizes the prominent flavors are salt and MSG. Suletta, in an attempt to save her own self-esteem, curses the store-bought spice blend.
”I need to clean the kitchen.” Suletta sighs. As she’s about to try the difficult task of getting up from the floor, Miorine’s small hand reaches out to grab her sleeve, like a shy child.
“Don’t go.” Miorine says.
”I’m just going to the kitchen.”
”Don’t leave me.” Miorine’s voice is small, but clear. She’s not slurring her words like before, the influence of the flu medicine having left her more than a little spacey. Instead, Miorine is looking directly into Suletta’s eyes, begging her not to go.
”I am literally just gonna be in the room over,” Suletta says “There’s not even a door.”
Miorine’s brow twists with need. She’s pouting, which would be adorable, if it didn’t look like she was about to cry as well.
”Miorine,” Suletta smiles and reaches out to set her hand on Miorine’s cheek “I won’t leave. I’ll be back before you know it.”
”Promise?”
“Promise.”
With Miorine soothed, Suletta tries to lift herself off the floor… Only to find her legs not working. The way she was sitting put too much strain on her body, and just trying to get herself to stand seems impossible. Cold sweat runs down Suletta’s back. Miorine lets out a weak protest as she realizes Suletta’s plight.
”It’s fine. I just-“ Suletta breathes in deeply. She looks at Miorine, who looks worried in a way she hasn’t in a long time. With a sigh, Suletta stretches her legs out to try and relax her nerves, and then she leans against the couch, her head against Miorine’s. “We’ll just hang out for a bit.”
”That sounds nice.” Miorine’s voice is tiny and adorable, and it tugs at Suletta’s heartstrings.
“Yeah,” Suletta sighs. “It does.”
Eventually, Suletta manages to get to her feet, after a few tries. By then, it’s far too late to clean up in the kitchen, so she simply swaddles Miorine in the angora blanket, and she helps her up as well. They might as well go to bed.
”You’ll get sick.” Miorine whines, and this time, she sounds sincere.
“I won’t get sick.” Suletta sighs as they stop halfway through the hall. Their one floor detached house was built with Suletta’s needs in mind. Right now, Suletta was holding onto a rail with one hand, and to Miorine with the other. Between the sickness and the flu medicine, which she had taken an extra shot of after dinner, Miorine is barely mobile. It’s exhausting to shepherd Miorine into their room, while also trying not to fall over. The sitting-on-the-floor incident has left Suletta exhausted, her nerves tingling.
”I’m sorry.” Miorine says quietly.
Suletta isn’t even going to try to assuage her right now, as she knows it will be a whole thing and they’re only two thirds of the way to the bedroom.
”Let’s just go lie down,” Suletta says “Get all tucked in.”
About ten minutes later, they’re finally in bed. Suletta hasn’t bothered with pajamas, simply kicking off her pants and leaving her sports bra on, and Miorine never changed into real clothes to start with. She’s also still wrapped in the angora blanket.
”I’m sorry.” Miorine repeats.
”You’re ridiculous.” Suletta says, and it strikes her as kind of funny. When she met Miorine, she never imagined she would talk to her like this “You take care of me all the time. Let me take care of you.”
”You’ve been taking care of me since we met,” Miorine mumbles, her red eyes getting watery “The duels, the greenhouse, cleaning my room.”
”Oh, Miorine…” Suletta sighs and reaches out to stroke her wife’s cheek “The flu medicine is really hitting you, huh?”
”I just love you so much.” Miorine sobs.
“I love you too.” Suletta pauses “Don’t wipe your nose on the expensive blanket.”
Miorine snorts, trying to keep herself from dripping on the blanket. Suletta grabs a tissue from the nightstand and wipes Miorine’s face.
”We take care of each other.” Suletta says, her voice gentle, as if soothing a child.
”Yeah…” Miorine says, quiet and soft.
”We’ve always had.” Suletta smiles, and she leans in to kiss her wife’s snotty face. Miorine makes a cute noise, somewhere between a whine and a hum.
”I think you like me like this,” she mumbles “Pervert.”
”You’re insufferable.” Suletta tucks Miorine in tighter, and she presses her body against hers.
”Mrrr…”
”You’ll feel better tomorrow, but you should still stay home from work.” Suletta sighs “I’ll ask Sabina, or, one of the other girls, to pick up mom and Ericht and…”
Suletta goes quiet. Miorine’s eyes are closed, and she’s snoring quietly. She’s far too out of it to be faking it, so Suletta is sure that she really did just fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. She smiles, and leans in to kiss her forehead.
”I do like you like this.” Suletta whispers “So needy…”
Suletta turns off the bedside lamp, and she wraps herself around Miorine, protecting her sick wife from everything bad in the world.
The next day, Miorine feels much better. Suletta, to her dismay, finds herself sniffling.