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Regulus woke up feeling like shit. His nose was stuffy, his body aced, and his head felt like it was splitting in two. He tried to sit up but the room spun so he flopped back down on his bed and buried his head into his pillow. He groaned as another wave of pain passed through him as he tried to move again. He tried to feel for James on his side of the bed only to find it empty. He shifted around in bed again, winching as the sunlight from the open curtains caused his headache to worsen.
“James,” he managed to groan, only to be left with silence. It wasn't unusual for Regulus to wake up without James, he didn’t work from home like he did and he was the one that got Harry up and ready for school most days. Regulus still whined at the unfairness of the situation, if James left to take Harry to school already, he would be left alone all day.
Regulus rubbed his eyes as he sat up, the room spun again but he managed to keep himself up this time. He looked down and saw he was only weaning one of James’ shirts, he should get changed but the thought of having to make it all the way over to the dresser to find something else to wear too much. He would just have to hope Harry was still asleep as he got out of bed.
Regulus managed to pull himself out of bed, wrapping one of his blankets around himself as he slowly made his way out of his bedroom. He headed towards his kitchen and spotted James making breakfast on the stove.
James turned around when he heard Regulus’ footsteps. He noticed something was wrong and he frowned when he saw him, “What wrong love?” James put the spoon he was using to mix pancake batter down and made his way over to Regulus.
Regulus happily allowed James to pull him into a hug as he mumbled against his chest, “don’t feel well.”
James ran his fingers through Regulus’ hair “I’m sorry love, do you want me to stay home with you today.”
Regulus nodded “please.”
James kissed his forehead, “ok, why don’t you go lay back down and i'll bring you some tea ok, I just have to finish breakfast for Harry and get him ready for school.”
Regulus pulled away from James letting him get back to making breakfast as he headed back to his and James’ room. He climbed into the bed and laid down on James’ side, breathing his scent from the pillows and shutting his eyes trying his best to make the neverending headaches stop.
He could hear a small child’s excited voice from the kitchen as Harry and James ate breakfast together. A few minutes later James entered the room carrying a cup of steaming tea.
“Feeling any better love?”
Regulus just groaned in response.
James set the tea down on the bedside table and sat down on the bed next to Regulus, he ran his hand along Regulus’ back “I made you some tea, do you want to tell me what hurts?”
Regulus lifted his head up, wincing as he did so “everything, I feel like I’m dying James.”
James brought his hand up to cup Regulus’ face, feeling his forehead, “you’re not dying love, you just have a fever.”
“Same thing.”
James smiled, “always the dramatic one.”
Regulus didn’t even have the energy to glare at James; he buried his head deeper in the pillows wishing the pain to go away.
“Dad!” Harry cried from behind the door, “we're going to be late!”
James sat up from the bed, giving Regulus a kiss on the forehead, “I’ll take Harry to school and then come straight back, I already took the day off from work.”
Regulus managed a quick, “thank you” before burning himself back under the soft warm covers, he heard James’ footsteps disappear and the door shutting as he was left alone in the house.
Regulus managed to fall asleep despite the constant pain. He luckily had no dreams. His dreams tended to be plagued with nightmares and the fact that he was sick never made things better. But he slept silently only waking when a warm body slid into the spot in bed next to him.
“James” Regulus didn’t open his eyes, but he felt warm arms wrap around him and pull him up into a seating position.
“Hey, I’m back. Can you open your eyes for a minute of love?”
Regulus rubbed his eyes, opening them to find James sitting in front of him holding a few pills and some water, “just take them and then you can go back to sleep.”
Regulus didn’t hesitate to quickly swallow the pills, not caring what they were. James set the glass of water next to the untouched tea from earlier. Regulus, now satisfied to have his husband back with him, was quick to wrap his arms around James using his chest as a pillow as he fell back asleep. James laid down on the bed, his arms wrapped around Regulus as he gently rubbed his back as he slept.
The two of them stayed like that for a little while, James silently watching Regulus as he slept, happy and content to have his husband in his arms. Harry was off at school and he had taken the day off, there really was nothing else to worry about except Regulus, and James was happy to take care of him. He would never admit it, but he loved it when Regulus was sick. He loved being able to tend and care for Regulus. He got all cute and needy and he tough exterior faded, very similar to a cat James thought.
Regulus woke a few hours later, he was clearly feeling better after the medicine and a nap and had immediately inside him and James get some work done. James had vetoed the idea that the last thing he wanted to do was grade a bunch of 7th graders history essays when he could be cuddling his husband. They had a small argument and James had won, Regulus giving up without much of a fight and complaining about a headache. So they cuddled up in bed together and James put the show they had been watching on.
They laid together and just enjoyed each other’s company when James got a phone call, he reached out to answer it when Regulus swatted his arm away, “no.”
James looked at the caller ID, “Reg I have to answer it, it's from the school.”
“I thought you took off today?”
“Harry’s school.”
Regulus’ heart sank, that was never good, there were only a few reasons why Harry’s school would be calling, “what's wrong with Harry?”
Instead of answering James held up a hand to be quiet as he answered. He litsted to the phone for a few minutes before frowning, “ok I’ll be right over to pick him up.” and he hung up the call.
“What's wrong?” Regulus asked as soon as James ended the call.
“Harry’s got a fever.”
Regulus groaned and dropped his head onto James’ chest. He loved Harry, he really did, but he had planned on spending the day curled up in James’ arms being miserable because he was sick. Having to deal with his sick son was not on the list of things he wanted to do.
“Im sorry, Love” James sat up and got out of bed, “I’ll be back quick ok, I’ll put Harry down for a nap as soon as he gets home ok?”
Regulus nodded as he buried himself back into the bed, already missing James’ warmth.
James rushed out the door but not before yelling a quick “love you” as he left.
Regulus went back to resting his head on the pillows and tried to go back to sleep, but unlike before the second he shut his eyes he saw flashes of his mother’s face, the way she would say ‘that’s not very ladylike’ and scold him for any mistakes in his appearance. So he opted for staring at the ceiling and thinking about how miserable his life was and how cruel the universe had decided to be to him today.
It wasn’t long before he heard the door open again and James stepped into the room carrying a sick Harry in his arms. Despite what Regulus has felt before about having a sick child around while also being sick, his heart melted at the sight of his son in pain. He opened his arms and James brought Harry over to him.
“Oh mon cœur, are you not feeling well?”
Harry didn’t say anything, but he nodded as Regulus held him tight against his chest.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel better, how about a nap with me and Dad?”
Harry looked up at Regulus, his big green eyes staring into Regulus’ “with you and Dad?”
“Yeah just the three of us, how does that sound?”
Harry smiled and looked over to where James was standing by the door. He held out a hand for him to come join him and Regulus.
James smiled, he took one look at the two most important people in the word before walking over and joining them in bed. “Go to sleep Harry, you need your rest. Me and Papa will be here ok?”
“Ok,” Harry closed his eyes and rested his head against Regulus’ chest.
Regulus turned to James after Harry had fallen asleep, “you’re probably going to end up sick too you know.”
James smiled, “I know”
Regulus rested his head on James’ shoulder, he knew later Harry would wake up and need medicine. And his headache was likely to come back soon. But he didn’t really care right now, he was with his husband and his son. All that really mattered was that they were ok, and they were. Regulus couldn't really ask for much more.