Work Text:
Melanie was currently curled up in bed in her room. They woke up this morning feeling really ill. Her throat was sore and her nose was runny. They couldn't stop coughing and sneezing. The ferret was taken to the doctor and was diagnosed with the common cold. They were now trying her hardest to take a nap like Husk and their doctor insisted, but their coughing and sneezing was making it impossible.
Melanie heard a soft knock on the door.
"Come in..." she grumbled, their voice raspy as she sat up.
Husk opened the door, a non-contact thermometer and a gift bag in his hands. He also had a face mask on from earlier today to prevent himself from getting sick.
"Hey, kiddo. You’re still coughing?” Husk asked as he walked over to Melanie and placed the gift bag on the nightstand.
"Yeah..."
Husk held the thermometer up to the ferret's forehead and checked their temperature. The thermometer read: 100.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
"You poor thing," Husk clicked his tongue. "At least your fever's going down a bit."
Melanie sneezed loudly. It was also so powerful that they fell on her back on the mattress. When she sat back up, they let out a series of nasty coughs.
Husk patted their back. “Get it all out, kiddo.”
After a few more coughs, Melanie's eyes formed tears. Husk decided to sit on the bed and scoop the ferret up, giving them some cuddles. He rested his back on the headboard and began wiping Melanie's eyes with some Kleenex that was sitting on her nightstand.
"My poor grandbaby," Husk crooned. "I know it ain't fun being sick."
"It's not fair..." Melanie sniffled as Husk then wiped their nose with a fresh tissue. She blew into it the best she could.
"There we go, good job."
After throwing the tissues away in a nearby trash bin, Husk found the hand sanitizer sitting on the nightstand and washed his hands with it. He also washed Melanie's little paws.
"I got something for ya," the feline said as he grabbed the gift bag and pulled the present out. It was a soft, pastel pink blanket with red ladybugs on the fabric. "I threw it in the dryer so it can make you feel warm and toasty."
Melanie weakly gasped as the feline gave the blanket to her.
"Thanks, Grandad," she smiled, hugging the blanket tight.
Husk smiled back. “You’re welcome, baby. Maybe that’ll help you feel better.”
He then got an idea.
"What if I read to you until you fall asleep?" he suggested. "We need to catch up on Phoebe and Her Unicorn, don't we?"
Melanie nodded their head as Husk covered her up with the blanket. He got up and walked over to the bookshelf, carrying her in his arms.
Husk grabbed the Phoebe and Her Unicorn book, along with two more books – Ladybug Girl and Fancy Nancy Pajama Day – in case Melanie wasn't tired. He then walked back to the bed and tucked him and Melanie in.
"Alrighty, where did we end off last night?" Husk hummed as he flipped through the pages of Phoebe and Her Unicorn.
"I think we left off at Phoebe finding Dakota after her hair got zapped off," Melanie replied, fiddling with a corner of her new blanket and letting out a cough.
"Ah, yeah, now I remember."