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Robin felt like the world was upon her shoulders as she laid in her bed. Her head pounded from the headache that plagued her alongside the many muscle aches that gnawed at every inch of her body. Unfortunately, the Halovian had gotten sick while being outdoors. Specifically, at the concert she had attended and performed at. Since it was getting to the point of the year where many individuals would get sick, Robin was no exception to it. She wasn’t immune to the respiratory illnesses that spread like wildfire on a blazing summer’s day. Granted, Robin was aware of the first few symptoms that would flare up that would signal her mind in knowing that she had become ill.
The Halovian’s wings would fray whenever she could get sick which meant she had to take time to preen them when she was feeling better. Her nasal cavities would clog up due to congestion and her body became febrile as a result of her sickness. Robin coughed into her sleeve, and she groaned out in slight agony as her head hit the pillow back to rest. It hurts to just move.
“Robin?” Firefly’s voice was what Robin had heard and one of her wings twitched in response.
“Yes?” Robin answered back, her voice stuffy and raspy from the scratchiness of her throat.
“I got you your medicine.” Firefly placed the medication onto the night able and she held a spoon. “It’s about time to take it.”
Robin sighed softly as she forced herself to sit up, her pastel-purple locks of hair cascaded down her shoulders and back messily. “Thanks for doing this, Cuddlebug.”
A small smile from the other woman. The vanilla-blonde woman used the spoon in her hand to hold a spoonful of the bitter medication before guiding the spoon to the Halovian’s mouth. Robin obliged, opening her mouth to take the silverware into her mouth holding the syrup and she swallowed, shuddering and grimacing from the bitterness that plagued her taste buds. Firefly giggled slightly at the sight. It was uncommon to see the cosmic superstar shudder from the nasty bitter flavors commonly found in medicine.
The Halovian pouted before she laid back down. “I can never get used to that taste.” Robin stated quietly, “it’s disgusting.”
“It is,” Firefly agreed, “but it’ll help with your symptoms as you recover.”
That was true. Bitter medication often helped with symptoms. Even if they were not the best tasting things in the world. Robin wasn’t complaining though. The medication given every four to six hours helped with her symptoms and provided better comfort for her. Her muscle aches would be relieved which allowed her to get up and mobilize whenever she felt like it. Her headaches would diminish and her fever would die down. Still, it didn’t mean she had to like taking her medication.
Robin was fortunate to marry a woman as kind, perceptive and attentive as Firefly. It made her heart swell with joy from the mere thought of it. “You shouldn’t stay around me for too long…” Robin stated after some time, “you’ll get sick because of me.”
Firefly shrugged. “Taking care of you is a pleasure of mine. I wouldn’t mind getting sick.”
The Halovian flicked her finger at Firefly. “None of that. We can’t be both sick at the same time.”
Firefly pouted. “But it’s true. I wouldn’t mind if it’s you.”
Rolling her eyes, Robin sighed in defeat. “Once you set your mind to something, you hardly change from it. But, it’s likely you won’t get sick from me…”
“Huh?” Firefly raised her brow at this. “How so?”
“Well…” Robin wasn’t sure how to proceed with this.
What she had was the Avian Influenza. Flu for birds essentially. It was almost ironic knowing that Halovians had bird-like wings and features despite being human-like. Humanoids are susceptible to all kinds of conditions even if they aren't directly related to other creatures. Halovians certainly are not birds. At least, that was what genetics said. Though, humans and humanoids contracting the avian influenza was rare, but possible.
“Unless you’re a bird or a Halovian, I have the avian flu. I don’t think you’re getting that from me.” Robin coughed into her sleeve again, feeling the scratchiness at the back of her throat.
Firefly’s face changed to an expression of utter confusion. “Huh? Isn’t that the flu for birds? Isn’t it incredibly rare for humans?”
“I’m not exactly human.” Robin answered back, “and I’m not sure how I got it. I wasn’t around birds. Unless my brother had it–”
“So are you saying you’re related to birds?” A harmless question from Firefly, but a silly one nonetheless.
“Absolutely not. ” Robin pouted. “Am I a bird person to you, Firefly?”
“K-Kinda?” Firefly wasn’t sure if her answer was appropriate when it came to her wife. “I mean, Halovians have wings–”
“And that automatically makes me a bird?”
“Yes? Kinda…?”
Robin groaned. Her wife was so darn silly that it was adorable as it was dumb. Not that the Halovian could do much about it. She fell in love with Firefly and married her no less. Though, she couldn’t fault the other woman for thinking she had connections to birds. Wings definitely belonged to birds. “You’re silly, you know this?” Robin chuckled dryly at Firefly. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Firefly smiled, and her sunrise-colored eyes peered at the wings.
Robin noticed the way her wife had peered at her and she blinked. “Something wrong, love?”
Firefly shook her head. “It’s just…your wings. Your feathers always get frayed whenever you get sick…do you want me to preen them?”
Preening was an intimate thing. Robin’s face heated up slightly. “You don’t have to. But…” her lips formed a soft, gentle smile. “I wouldn’t mind if you do. I like it when you preen my wings.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
Firefly was always ever so gentle when it came to her wings. The way her fingers would gently brush through each feather to rid of dirt and any debris. The way her fingers would gently massage the oil gland to then help distribute the oils over the contour of each feather. Each motion lulled Robin to the point that it was a struggle to keep awake–especially due to her sickened state. Robin could tell that Firefly was focused from the way her expression would harden to focus onto the art of preening, and the way she would make sure the frayed feathers were groomed and aligned properly.
Preening would take a while, but it meant that they would get the time to be in each other’s presence. Even though they never talked for long, the silence between them both was comfortable. Robin would never trade it in the world. “You’re really good at this.” Robin commented after some time to break the silence in the shared space. “It feels nice and I can tell you’re taking the time and effort to make sure each feather is done properly.”
Firefly paused. “Well, you are the one to teach me how to preen…remember the first time?” The vanilla-blonde haired woman continued her efforts in preening her wife’s wings.
Robin chuckled. “How could I forget?”
The first time Firefly offered to preen her wings, it was when they were early in their years of dating. Robin had always preened her own wings. At least, when she was old enough to do so. Her brother and her mother would do them for her as special treatment as she was their “special princess.” Robin had to teach Firefly how to preen her wings, but the other woman would haphazardly trace over the contours of each other without proper grooming and cleaning of the feather which resulted in messy feathers and misalignment. Not that Robin was upset. She found it amusing more than anything. Robin remembered when Firefly was ashamed of the result, apologizing profusely. Of course, she teased her at the time and they went out for ice cream and Oak Cake Rolls after the preening was done. A small date.
“You’d used to be so scared of preening my wings after the first time.” Robin mused from the pleasant memory, “it took a while for you to learn how to properly do it.”
Firefly chuckled sheepishly. “W-Well…I’m just a human after all. Of course I’ve never owned birds or knew any other Halovians besides you and Sunday…I went to Sunday to ask about preening too! Since I know he does it and I wanted to make sure I do it right next time–”
“Aeons, you’re adorable. ” Robin giggled before feeling her chest heave a bit which forced another cough out into her sleeve. “Ugh…” That cough hurt.
Firefly rubbed and patted Robin’s back. “The coughs still hurt?” A frown upon her countenance.
“Unfortunately.” The Halovian cleared her throat afterwards. “But it’s not as bad as yesterday where I felt like everything hurt.”
“That’s good.” Firefly was relieved to know that her wife wasn’t suffering like she was previously. “You were really struggling yesterday…”
“Well, it’s all thanks to you that I’m feeling much better.” Robin stated, “I wish I could kiss you, but I’ll do this instead.”
Robin placed her hand on her lips before winking and blowing a kiss out and towards her wife. She loved Firefly beyond anything else. She was lucky to have met her. Firefly, however, flustered from the act, blushed from how sudden it was. “That’s the first time you did that–” Firefly was clearly flustered from it.
Well, Robin would do anything to show her love to her cute little bug anyway.
“Well, I love you and you deserve all the love in the world~” The Halovian smiled and winked again.
Firefly huffed. “W-Well, just know I love you more.”
“No, I love you more~”
“No, I do–”
“No, me. I love you the most–”
“Are we really going to bicker on who loves the other more?” Firefly pouted, her cheek bubbling up from the air pressed against the inside of her cheek.
“And who started it?” Robin teased.
Firefly sighed, knowing it was her fault for starting the silly debate. Though, it was moments like these that made life so much brighter and happier. “Fine.” Firefly admitted defeat. “It’s my fault that I started it, but…it’s your fault for being so wonderful.”
Robin giggled. “I’ll take all the blame from you, Little Bug. It’s not my fault you’re so cute and wonderful.”
“Oh hush. I’m not as wonderful as you.” Firefly muttered as she finished up preening the wings. “I’m lucky to have met you…to have gotten to know you more and to have fallen in love with you.”
Robin’s smile remained on her expression. She felt at peace now that the medication had kicked in and her muscle aches and febrile state is better. “I’m luckier.” Robin said, and she reached forward to caress Firefly’s cheek with the palm of her hand. “Even though I have status, wealth and some sort of power…I’m fortunate to have met you. You’re someone who saw me…for me. Not as some pretty idol on the stage.”
Firefly nuzzled into her wife’s hand, feeling the warmth. “I admit, I did see you as a wonderful singer on stage, but getting to know you? You’re the strongest woman I know. Someone who would continue fighting for the world even if everything went against you. It’s admirable, really. And I am so lucky to have you in my life.”
It was intimate, sappy moments like these that made Robin’s heart melt from joy. “I love you, Firefly. I love you oh so very much.”
Firefly’s body tensed when Robin leaned forward to tightly embrace her with her arms. The heat from her wife’s body made her soften and she could tell that her wife was warmer than usual. Not like that was a bad thing. “I love you too, Robin. And I always will.”
Once the embrace had broken off, Robin had sneezed into her sleeve next. Firefly chuckled. Robin’s sneezes were equivalent to “kitten sneezes.” Quiet and gentle sounding. It made the vanilla blonde-haired woman want to squeeze her wife’s cheeks. Though, she refrained. “Robin, does soup sound good for dinner? Some bread as well to go with it? I know yesterday you got nauseated from the usual meal, so I’m just wondering if something lighter sounded good for you?” Firefly inquired.
Firefly was always good at clarifying. She was as wise as she was perceptive.
“That sounds good, Firefly. Thank you.”
“Then I’ll start cooking.”
“Will you feed me too just like you did for my medicine?” Robin teased again.
Firefly groaned. “Spoiled aren’t you?”
“But what if I want to be spoiled by you? ” Robin pouted playfully in return.
“Fine. Only because I love you.” Firefly laughed. “ Only because I love you.”