Alex (F)

"Maggie, babe, where are you?" I called into our seemingly empty apartment.

I had just gotten back from my pottery studio, which had been exhausting because I had a class to teach kids who mostly just wanted to lick the clay, so I wanted to see Magnus because he made everything better.

I was eventually responded to with the sound of vomiting and Magnus coughing.

"Shit," I whispered, running to our bathroom and seeing him hunched over the toilet.

His hair was drenched in sweat (along with the rest of him) and pulled back into a messy ponytail. He wore a baggy blue shirt (which he hated) and pajama pants and he was shaking a little.

"Honey, what happened?" I asked nervously, getting a washcloth to wipe the puke from his mouth.

He looked up and chuckled a bit "Perks of working at a shelter, you get all the bugs the kids have."

I forced a little smile, he probably hadn't left work until he couldn't move because he was puking so much, he was stubborn like that. I wiped his mouth and nose, which also had puke trickling from it, and eventually sat there rubbing his back.

"You need to take better care of yourself dummy, I don't want to come home one day and find out that you died at work because you ignored being sick."

He rested his head on my shoulder "O-okay Alex. I'll try to pay more attention from now-"

He was interrupted by suddenly having to lean over the toilet and puke. After a few minutes the bile had stopped coming so I flushed it for him, not wanting to have to smell it anymore.

"You aren't going to work tomorrow," I sighed "I won't let you. I'll take a sick day too so you don't have to be alone."

Magnus looked up at me in protest "But, you love your job."

"I love you more, dork."

He smiled a bit "I would totally kiss you but that would be gross right now."

I laughed, hugging him gently "Well, thanks for not making me sick."

I stood "I'm going to try and find you some meds and I'll ask Sam to come and bring some Gatorade and soup or something."

Magnus nodded and I went into the kitchen and called my sister.

"Hey Alex, you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, Magnus is sick though. Are you out right now?"

"Yeah, just at the grocery store with Amir, do you need something?"

Score! She wasn't busy.

"Could you buy some Gatorade and some soup or something, I'll pay you back when you get here, I just don't want to leave Magnus right now."

"Of course, good luck, I'll be there in fifteen minutes or so."

I hung up the phone and started going through our medical cabinet, setting things I didn't need on the counters. Kaopectate was the best I could find, which was for food poisoning, mainly at least.

I grabbed that and a box of small crackers for Magnus to nibble on, then went back to the bathroom. Magnus was puking again, violently.

After he finally stopped I wiped his face again. There were tears from his eyes.

"This really burns oh my god," he whispered.

"I'm sorry Magnus, don't worry, I'll take care of you."

I gave him the medicine and slowly had him eat one cracker. After a while our doorbell rang and I rushed to unlock it. Sam and Amir were standing there with bags in their hands.

"Come in! Come in! Uh, you can set anything down on the table I guess."

"Where's Mag-" Amir started, but was answered by Magnus puking again.

"Bathroom," I sighed.

Sam set down her bags and pursed her lips "How did he get it?"

I shrugged "Probably at the shelter. It's bad though, he couldn't even keep his medication down."

Amir put a hand on Sam's shoulder, something he was only just starting to do since their marriage. I found their relationship to be cute, they both waited so they could be together for the rest of their lives and because of that every moment could be precious. They loved each other so much.

Sam dug around and got out coconut water, Gatorade, three cans of soup, ginger and peppermint tea, and some new ice packs.

"We hope this all helps, I read that ginger is really good and also he should sit propped up," Amir said.

"Thanks Amir, Sam. Sorry for the trouble."

I handed Sam the money and they were off on their way.

Magnus was still puking. I made him some tea, got him some pillows, and made sure his hair stayed up. He felt so weak, it was weird.

I called in sick for the next day for both of us, I wasn't about to leave him alone, no mater how many times he told me he could take care of himself, he couldn't.

He eventually stopped puking, probably just because there was nothing left in his stomach, but I made him some soup anyways.

I held the spoon up to him "Don't make me feed this to you like you're a baby Magnus, you need to eat."

"I can do it," he muttered.

I shook my head "You've got shaky hands, I'd prefer not to have to clean soup off of both of us."

He smiled and shrugged "Fine."

I fed him like that, slowly, making sure he had a while between each bite. He fell asleep after he ate, resting on my shoulder.

I brushed his sweaty hair from his face and smiled, I was glad he was able to get some rest.

I drifted off, one of my hands laced in Magnus'.

I woke up to Magnus puking again, god he was so sick.

I cleaned his face up but he was drenched so I started the bath "We need to get you into something else."

He didn't argue so as the tub filled I got him some different pajamas and underwear, then came back to see him shaking by the toilet.

"Oh, honey," I muttered, hugging him.

"I can't stop shaking, god it's so pitiful," he laughed.

"No, you're sick. Let's get you in the tub," I said, motioning for him to put his arms up so I could take off his shirt.

As I was taking it off he laughed "Usually when you take my clothes off things go a bit differently."

I rolled my eyes, he was sick to the point where he could barely stand and he still had the energy to make jokes.

I helped him strip all he way, then get into the tub. I added some lavender oil and smiled at him "You smelled like shit babe."

He rolled his eyes "Thanks."

"No prob," I sighed, putting some water in his hair with my hand.

I gently rubbed him down with soap and rinsed him off. He was a lot calmer and didn't seem uncomfortable anymore.

"How you feeling?" I asked, kissing his cheek.

He shrugged "Better than earlier."

"Good."

He smirked at me and took my hand "I should get sick more often," he kissed my hand.

I rolled my eyes "Don't do that, we can't afford being sick all the time, also it's gross."

"There is that," he laughed.

"I'm gonna go make you some tea for you, don't puke in the tub."

"I'll try not to."

I stood up and headed back into the kitchen and put water into our kettle, then plugged it in. I never really drank tea, it was mostly Magnus, he liked the earthy smell and flavor. I liked coffee, which he drank too. After the water boiled I poured it into a mug and added some of the ginger tea. I brought it to him and set it on the counter, then helped him get dry and dressed.

"You wanna get in the bed?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm not feeling as crappy now," he muttered, laying his head on my shoulder.

I took him to our bed and put him under the covers, his hair got the pillows wet but it would be a waste to blow dry it, he was just gonna sweat to the point where it would be soaking again.

I gave him his tea and he eventually fell asleep again. Quietly, I laid next to him, lacing our finger together and drifting off once more.