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18. Character gets spoiled by caretaker
Nick woke to the sound of a key turning in the door of his and Charlie’s flat. He groggily pushed himself up on an elbow to see who was entering his home, flopping back down when he saw that it was Charlie home from the store.
“How are you feeling?” Charlie asked, setting the shopping bags he’d brought home on the kitchen counter. After kicking off his shoes he sat on the edge of the couch and felt Nick’s forehead, pleased to find no burning heat there.
“‘M fine, Char. It’s just a cold,” Nick replied, leaning into Charlie’s touch.
“Colds don’t usually keep you home from work, love.” Charlie stood and went to the kitchen to put groceries away. “I got you a few things at the store,” he called as he stacked cans of soup in the cupboard.
“Did you?” That got Nick’s attention and he hoisted himself off the couch to see what Charlie’d picked up for him.
“Just a few little things,” Charlie said as he lined the goodies up on the counter.
Nick’s eyes lit up. “Ice cream! Ginger chews! Sleepy tea! You didn’t have to do all this, Char. Thank you.”
Charlie wrapped his arms around Nick from behind and rested his cheek against Nick’s back. “Nonsense. I want you to feel better soon. Ice cream always makes you feel better.”
Nick spun around in Charlie’s arms and wrapped him up in a hug. “You’re the best, you know that?” He leaned in for a kiss and was pushed away by Charlie. “No, no kissing! I don’t particularly want your cold.” Charlie smiled at Nick and patted his cheek. “Go lie down, I’ll start making some dinner.”
Nick smiled back at Charlie dopily, letting him push him back towards the couch. He really was tired, and he didn’t regret staying home from work to nap on the couch all day. His clogged nose had kept him up for the past few nights and he needed to catch up on sleep before he turned into a complete zombie. Settling back in on the couch, Nick sighed, which turned into a cough before he could rein it in.
“Alright?” Charlie asked, whisking into the living room with a cup of tea that he seemed to pull out of thin air.
Nick nodded, coughing into his elbow, wincing as the motion scraped his raw throat. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely as he took the tea from Charlie. The heat of the tea helped his throat and he sipped at it until he felt like he didn’t need to cough anymore.
Charlie was frowning when Nick looked back up at his boyfriend.
“I’m fine, Char.” He offered Charlie a smile and sipped his tea again.
“That cough sounds worse than it did this morning.” Charlie felt Nick’s forehead again.
“I’m just clearing everything out, it’s good to cough it up.” Nick sniffled and tucked himself back in on the couch. “I’m alright, really.”
Charlie narrowed his eyes in doubt, but went back to the kitchen regardless. He’d called Sarah on his way home from work earlier to get her recipe for Nick’s favorite sick day soup, and he’d bought the ingredients at the store while he was out. Hopefully it turned out as well as Sarah’s soup, or else he would feel a little silly. While he chopped and boiled the soup, Charlie could hear Nick watching tv in the living room, coughing and sniffling as he drank his tea. A pit was forming in Charlie’s stomach—it wasn’t unheard of for Nick to stretch himself so thin while he had a cold that he ended up with bronchitis—and it seemed like that’s where the blond was headed from the sound of his cough.
“Here, see if this suits your fancy,” Charlie said as he carried a steaming bowl into the living room. Smiling, he handed it to Nick and sat next to him on the couch with his own bowl.
Nick slurped up some soup and moaned. “This tastes just like Mum’s. Did you call her?”
“I did. Is it good?” Charlie took a bite for himself and mentally patted himself on the back. It was delicious.
“It’s perfect. Thanks, Char.” Nick leaned over and kissed Charlie’s cheek.
It was 3am when Nick woke, coughing so hard he thought he might throw up. He pushed himself up so that he was sitting and struggled to breathe and not cough; he didn’t want to wake Charlie.
“Nick?”
“‘M okay,” Nick wheezed. If only he could just get a full breath in he could stop coughing.
Charlie felt Nick’s forehead and frowned. “You’ve got a temperature now,” he said quietly. “I’ll go get you some paracetamol.” Charlie got out of bed and padded to their bathroom, grabbing the thermometer while he was in there.
Nick had gotten himself under control by the time Charlie was back, and was wiping his eyes with the back of his hand when Charlie sat on his side of the bed.
“Here.” Charlie handed the thermometer to Nick and poured out a capful of liquid paracetamol while he waited for the little screen to light up. “38.”
“That’s barely even a fever,” Nick wheezed. His chest felt dreadfully tight, but he wasn’t about to tell Charlie that. The only thing open in the middle of the night was A&E, and Nick was not going there.
“It’s enough of one,” Charlie responded as he handed over the cap of medicine. “Think you can get back to sleep?”
Nick swallowed down the horrid tasting liquid and grimaced as he handed the cap back. “I’m sure I will.”
Charlie set the medicine bottle and thermometer on Nick’s nightstand and rounded the bed back to his side. “Good thing it’s the weekend, eh? I’ll be around to take care of you for two whole days.”
“You spoil me,” Nick said as he slid back down under the covers. Once Charlie was comfortable, Nick curled into his side and rested his head on Charlie’s chest, letting the steady beat of his heart lull him back to sleep.
The next morning, Nick was feeling a little better, though his fever was still present. Charlie only let him move to the couch and made him stay there no matter how many times he insisted that he was feeling okay, other than the fever and cough.
“Sit there and rest, Nick Nelson. Don’t make me call your mum,” Charlie threatened as he picked up a used tea cup to refill.
Nick coughed out a laugh. “You already did that, silly.”
Charlie blushed. “I suppose I did. But this time I’ll tell her what a terrible patient you’re being and you’ll be sorry.”
“You don’t need to call Mum. I promise I’ll behave.” Nick crossed his heart and smiled up at his boyfriend.
“Don’t look at me like that, you know I can’t resist you when you do that.” Charlie kissed Nick’s forehead and brought the tea cup to the kitchen. “Ginger tea this time?” Charlie called over his shoulder.
“Yes, please.” Nick fixed his blanket and turned the tv on to a replay of Captain America, happy to rewatch Marvel any chance he could.
Charlie carried the cup back and stopped in his tracks when he saw what was playing. He dropped his head back and groaned. “Not again. Please.”
“I’m sick, that means I get to pick what we watch.” Nick took the tea from his boyfriend and smiled at him again in that same way that always melted Charlie into giving in.
“Fine,” Charlie sighed. “But only this one. Then you have to pick something else.”
Nick held out his pinky. “You get the next one. Promise.”
Charlie sat next to Nick and moved the blanket so that he was covered, too, and draped an arm over Nick’s shoulder. He kissed the side of Nick’s head and leaned his head against Nick’s, watching the movie while Nick drank his tea and rested. “Love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too,” Nick replied, snuggling into Charlie’s side, glad that he was lucky enough to be spoiled by his favorite person in the whole world.