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perfectworrytitle: Tender Loving Care
verse: Cactus Flower: Jazz Remix
community:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
writerverse + runaway_tales
prompt: Phase #08: Challenge #02: Monthly/Mini Table (follow your heart) + poached pear #11: in sickness & in health
word count: 674
rating: G
pairing: Mariel/Aya
summary: Mariel gets sick, and Aya takes care of her. (3) Mariel is on the edge of an existential crisis, but Aya helps her calm down and rest.
notes: I'm still sick, so here's a bonus sickfic for your enjoyment.
Aya hummed as she ran her fingers through Mariel's hair, sitting upright in bed with Mariel curled up beside her. She could feel Mariel's nose pressed against the swell of her hip, which made her smile at the comfortable, easy intimacy. She turned the page of the book open in her lap, content except for knowing her sweetheart was still unwell, and still refusing to see a doctor - the stubborn, prideful thing. It made Aya smile; Mariel had, after some token reluctance, allowed herself to be tucked into bed and taken care of, and Aya felt it was a turning point in their relationship.
Mariel shifted beside her, tugging Aya's nightdress askew, for she had one hand loosely wrapped in a corner of the fabric as she slept. If she had woken, she gave no indication, so Aya let her continue to sleep, or at least pretend, in peace. After the first few hours, when Mariel had slept like the dead, she had tossed and turned most of the night, only settling into a restless, thin sleep when the early morning sunlight began to peek in through the curtains. Only in the late afternoon did she finally settle into a real and restful sleep.
Mariel woke up with her head in Aya's lap and Aya's fingers running idly through her hair. She kicked at the sheets tangled around her feet and frowned. Aya's affection did little to soothe her now that she was awake enough to consider it. It was one thing, perhaps, for Aya to take her in as a friend while she was unwell, but something about waking up in Aya's bed, curled up halfway in Aya's lap, with Aya humming and playing with her hair felt like crossing a line between acquaintance and something else.
Aya, sensing Mariel's distress, smoothed her hair back from her face comfortingly.
"I didn't want to do this again," said Mariel, her voice muffled as much by shyness as much as the heavy blankets.
"I know, dear," said Aya. "Nobody likes to be sick. You should listen to me. Stay here with me until you're all better. I'm sure Mr. Vallas will understand."
She knew perfectly well that wasn't what Mariel was talking about, but Aya wanted to hear her say it out loud. Mariel hid her face in the fabric of Aya's nightgown.
"Not what I meant," she mumbled.
Aya pursed her lips and tipped Mariel's chin back with a finger under her chin. "You'll need to speak up, sheik. I can barely hear you."
Mariel turned away, embarrassed. Aya let her. She traced her finger along Mariel's jaw, down her neck to her collarbone, exposed with her too big pajama shirt half unbuttoned. Mariel didn't shrug her off, but instead leaned into Aya's embrace. Aya rested her chin on top of Mariel's head and hugged her tightly.
"This," whispered Mariel, her voice barely audible, cracked with illness as much as emotion. "I didn't want to do this again."
She made no move to extract herself from Aya's embrace, and ran her thumb idly over the back of Aya's hand. Aya smiled. She kissed Mariel's cheek, still clammy from illness and she frowned. Aya narrowed her eyes and pressed the inside of her wrist to Mariel's forehead. Her frowned deepened. Mariel blinked up at her. "You should get some rest, darling," she said, pushing Mariel's damp hair back from her face.
Mariel shifted her weight away from Aya, but Aya shook her head and pulled her back in again, twisting around and levering herself up so Mariel's head rested against her bosom. Aya pulled the blankets up around her shoulders. Mariel closed her eyes, despite herself; her throat felt like nettles and her limbs felt like lead. Mariel fought a losing battle against falling asleep, but drifted off before long with Aya's arms wrapped around her shoulders, soothed by the steady rhythm of Aya's heartbeat.
The last thing she heard was Aya saying, "at least let me take care of you just for now."
verse: Cactus Flower: Jazz Remix
community:
writerverse + runaway_tales prompt: Phase #08: Challenge #02: Monthly/Mini Table (follow your heart) + poached pear #11: in sickness & in health
word count: 674
rating: G
pairing: Mariel/Aya
summary: Mariel gets sick, and Aya takes care of her. (3) Mariel is on the edge of an existential crisis, but Aya helps her calm down and rest.
notes: I'm still sick, so here's a bonus sickfic for your enjoyment.
Aya hummed as she ran her fingers through Mariel's hair, sitting upright in bed with Mariel curled up beside her. She could feel Mariel's nose pressed against the swell of her hip, which made her smile at the comfortable, easy intimacy. She turned the page of the book open in her lap, content except for knowing her sweetheart was still unwell, and still refusing to see a doctor - the stubborn, prideful thing. It made Aya smile; Mariel had, after some token reluctance, allowed herself to be tucked into bed and taken care of, and Aya felt it was a turning point in their relationship.
Mariel shifted beside her, tugging Aya's nightdress askew, for she had one hand loosely wrapped in a corner of the fabric as she slept. If she had woken, she gave no indication, so Aya let her continue to sleep, or at least pretend, in peace. After the first few hours, when Mariel had slept like the dead, she had tossed and turned most of the night, only settling into a restless, thin sleep when the early morning sunlight began to peek in through the curtains. Only in the late afternoon did she finally settle into a real and restful sleep.
Mariel woke up with her head in Aya's lap and Aya's fingers running idly through her hair. She kicked at the sheets tangled around her feet and frowned. Aya's affection did little to soothe her now that she was awake enough to consider it. It was one thing, perhaps, for Aya to take her in as a friend while she was unwell, but something about waking up in Aya's bed, curled up halfway in Aya's lap, with Aya humming and playing with her hair felt like crossing a line between acquaintance and something else.
Aya, sensing Mariel's distress, smoothed her hair back from her face comfortingly.
"I didn't want to do this again," said Mariel, her voice muffled as much by shyness as much as the heavy blankets.
"I know, dear," said Aya. "Nobody likes to be sick. You should listen to me. Stay here with me until you're all better. I'm sure Mr. Vallas will understand."
She knew perfectly well that wasn't what Mariel was talking about, but Aya wanted to hear her say it out loud. Mariel hid her face in the fabric of Aya's nightgown.
"Not what I meant," she mumbled.
Aya pursed her lips and tipped Mariel's chin back with a finger under her chin. "You'll need to speak up, sheik. I can barely hear you."
Mariel turned away, embarrassed. Aya let her. She traced her finger along Mariel's jaw, down her neck to her collarbone, exposed with her too big pajama shirt half unbuttoned. Mariel didn't shrug her off, but instead leaned into Aya's embrace. Aya rested her chin on top of Mariel's head and hugged her tightly.
"This," whispered Mariel, her voice barely audible, cracked with illness as much as emotion. "I didn't want to do this again."
She made no move to extract herself from Aya's embrace, and ran her thumb idly over the back of Aya's hand. Aya smiled. She kissed Mariel's cheek, still clammy from illness and she frowned. Aya narrowed her eyes and pressed the inside of her wrist to Mariel's forehead. Her frowned deepened. Mariel blinked up at her. "You should get some rest, darling," she said, pushing Mariel's damp hair back from her face.
Mariel shifted her weight away from Aya, but Aya shook her head and pulled her back in again, twisting around and levering herself up so Mariel's head rested against her bosom. Aya pulled the blankets up around her shoulders. Mariel closed her eyes, despite herself; her throat felt like nettles and her limbs felt like lead. Mariel fought a losing battle against falling asleep, but drifted off before long with Aya's arms wrapped around her shoulders, soothed by the steady rhythm of Aya's heartbeat.
The last thing she heard was Aya saying, "at least let me take care of you just for now."
