Work Text:
"Here you go, Ruskin. I hope this will make you feel better."
Ruskin, who was lying sick with a flu since yesterday evening, looked at his employer, Charles Augustus Milverton who was standing in front of him with a bowl in his hands. Ruskin's first thought was joy over the care that the other man he was deeply in love with showed towards him, then the worry and the panic flooded him.
"You shouldn't be here, sir." He said and gestured at Mr. Milverton to leave fast. "I told you to not visit me. You know that you can't catch my illness. It would be bad for your health and our baby."
"Well, I can't let you lie sick alone either." Complained Mr. Milverton excessively. "You need to be taken care of."
"I can take care of myself well, Mr. Milverton." Ruskin tried to calm his employer down. "It is just a light flue, remember? The doctor said that there is nothing to be worried about and I will completely recover in a few days. On the other hand, if you catch it, it can lead to crucial circumstances - like a miscarriage."
"But if it's just a flu, then I don't need to stay away from you." Mr. Milverton opposed. "It is not a serious illness so it will not be dangerous."
"You are still in an early phase of the pregnancy!" Ruskin cried out. Mr. Milverton is so forgetful, he thought while he watched his employer with a concerned look in his eyes. Neither of them had an idea how could Mr. Milverton even got pregnant when he was a man, but Ruskin became overprotective for him ever since, making sure that his employer won't eat or do anything that can be harmful for him, or interact with dangerous elements, which was currently Ruskin. Mr. Milverton needed to leave the room quickly before Ruskin accidentally infects him, but he could be so stubborn when he got something into his head! And it seemed, now he wanted to nurse around Ruskin. He sighed. Maybe if he eats the food he brought for him, he can convince Mr. Milverton to go away afterwards.
"Fine, sir." Ruskin nodded. "I will eat what you brought, but please, leave after that."
Mr. Milverton put down the bowl in front of him and stepped back. While he was close, Ruskin didn't even dare to breathe, he was so afraid of infecting his pregnant beloved. Then when Mr. Milverton was at a reasonable distance, he looked at the bowl and his eyes got widened from the sight. It was a horrible-looking liquid and Ruskin was unable to recognize what was in it.
"What is this, sir?" He asked, carefully phrasing the question. His employer smiled.
"Bouillon. It is good for curing the flu. I made it for you myself." He added cheerfully.
"You made it on your own?" Ruskin got surprised even more - Mr. Milverton never set foot in the kitchen other than the reason to check what Ruskin was making. How could the servants even let him in? He could have harmed himself!
"Well, I admit that one of the maids helped." Mr. Milverton chuckled and Ruskin let out a relieved sigh. So Mr. Milverton was not in danger and the food might be even edible - if it was his employer's own cooking, Ruskin would have been suspicious of it. However, he still didn't understand that if it was mostly cooked by a maid, how can it look so... strange. It didn't remind him of a bouillon at all.
"The seasoning was made by me." Mr. Milverton stated proudly. "I tasted it to check as well. It was delicious."
What his employer said, confused Ruskin again. He knew well that Mr. Milverton was really picky about food and he couldn't eat everything - so the food he brought to Ruskin needed to be good. But he still couldn't comprehend how it could look so weird. Despite that, he didn't hesitate for too long - Mr. Milverton should leave soon - if the food fits to his employer's liking, it will be good for Ruskin, too. He picked up the spoon and started to eat - then the coughing took over him, he placed his palm in front of his mouth to not spit the food back.
The soup was incredibly salty.
"Is everything alright, Ruskin? Should I call the doctor? Or is the soup bad?"
Mr. Milverton was ready to step closer but Ruskin stopped him with his hand.
"It is just my flu. I am fine, you don't need to worry."
As he looked at Mr. Milverton's growing belly, he finally realized what happened. One of the symptoms of pregnancy was the change of taste and this must have been the reason that Mr. Milverton didn't stop the seasoning in time and he was unable to feel that he ruined the food. Ruskin watched his employer with love and a smile appeared on his face. Mr. Milverton's pregnancy was beautiful even with the mistakes he made thanks to it and the bad food also didn't change the fact that Mr. Milverton made it because he genuinely wanted to make him feel better.
"Your soup is delicious. Thank you for making it." He said gently. And he continued eating it like it was the best soup in the world.