I slip comfortably into conscientiousness as i wake the next morning, mid-morning light glaring behind the shield of the cream bedroom curtains. Silently, i utter thanks that i managed to sleep through and roll sleepily onto my back. My attention shifts when i hear the disgruntled hiccup in Garys throat when i elbow him in the neck. I curse quietly, settling back down as quickly as possible so as not to disturb him further. Craning my neck, i note that its twenty two past ten by the clock at the bedside and cant hide the element of surprise. Normally Gary is up with Ethan long before nine. A comforting hum from the baby monitor tells me that my son is also still fast asleep, a blessing, yet equally as unusual. However, i decide to take full advantage of the peace as i prop myself up on one elbow and gaze down at my sleeping husband. The beard, after a late night pleading on my part, has gone and Gary lies clean shaven and invitingly smooth as he snores softly, mouth open, eye lashes fanned across his cheeks. My eyes follow the strong square line of his jaw, and slight hallowing of his cheeks under the perfectly structured cheekbones, all of it more obvious now his jaw is unveiled from the coating of hair. His lips, now on full view and not detracted from by the overhang of stubble, part further, his head shuffling forwards on the pillow, coming to rest against my chest. I sigh happily, warmed by the affectionate gesture, and ease myself back to stare at the ceiling.
Gary mutters something, nuzzling my chest through the thin cotton of one of his t-shirts and for a moment i think he might awaken.
But he doesnt. And soon the sound of his deep and slumbered breaths fill the room once more. His breath is warm against my chest as i pull my left hand up to cup the back of his head, absent mindedly scraping my nails against the short hairs at the cap of his neck. A strand of sleep tousled hair flops against his eyebrow, and i move an index finger to brush it back out of the way. Gary stirs; shifting the arm, that lies limp against his side, over my stomach, his legs mimicking his arms until he is wrapped around me like ivy.
"Gary?" I muse gently when his nose wrinkles and his eyes screw shut in defence to the bright light of the morning. Gary doesnt open his eyes, but i know hes awake when his left hand moves from my hip and slips under my t-shirt, resting tenderly against my stomach. I relax against the warmth of his fingers, curving my hand around the back of his head to drag the sleep rumpled hair further back. "Youre very tired." My brows meet, my forefinger tracing the frown of Garys eyebrows when he works on the swallow that ripples through my chest.
"Fee like shit." He croaks. Yeah, you sound it too.
"Hmm?" I try and move to get a better look at him, but Gary is insistent on using my chest as a pillow, moving his right arms to hook underneath my shoulder when i make an attempt to move. I relent, relaxing back into the warmth of the mattress and gazing down at the man wrapped around my body. "How do you feel?"
"Like shit." Gary repeats, and i half want to laugh.
"No i mean, did you drink too much last night?"
"I didnt drink anything." His left hand moves from my stomach momentarily to scrub at his stubbly free cheek. He still hasnt opened his eyes. "I didnt feel right last night. Now i feel worse."
"Babe.." I breathe, wrapping both arms around his shoulders and hugging him too me. "Are you okay? You dont get ill much."
Gary merely grunts in response. Pressing the backs of my knuckles against his forehead, i feel the spike of his temperature.
"Babe, youre boiling.." I mutter, trying to shift my legs from under Garys to kick the duvet off, but the meek whimper of protest from Gary stops me in my tracks.
"Im cold." He croaks, hugging me tighter, and when his nose Eskimo kisses my nipple through the cotton of the t-shirt, he hums appreciatively.
Rolling my eyes, i scold softly. "Gary.. Let me get you some paracetamol." I stir again, but he only tightens his already impossible grip, holding me like a child may clutch a comfort blanket.
"No, dont go." He pleads quietly, a sincerity to his voice.
I run a finger through the fringe of hair dropping against his forehead. "Gary i need to go and check on Ethan anyway."
"He'll still be asleep. We were up in the night."
"What?"
"Ethan woke up and i couldnt sleep, i decided that both of us could do with a lie in so i kept him up for a couple of hours." Gary breaths the latter part of the sentence as if it were too much energy to speak. I nod, accepting the explanation for my sons continued peace.
"I still want to get you some paracetamol." I Grumble, shaking him gently by the shoulder. "Promise it'll make you feel better."
Slowly, Gary slackens his hold, only managing his drop his head onto the mattress next to my chest by way of letting me go. "Id kill for a cuppa."
As i make my way back upstairs with a tray ladled with tea, paracetamol and toast, i take a peep behind Ethans door. Smiling at the sight of the toddler sat contently in his cot, muttering a patchwork sentence to his favourite blue bunny, i set the tray down on his chest of drawers.
"Hello Gorgeous."
He turns his head instantly at the sound of my voice, mindlessly abandoning whatever it was he was doing, and stretching two tiny arms out in my direction. "Mumma!" He squeals, delighted.
"Hey baby!" I coo, lifting him from the cot into my arms, "Are you going to stay with Clara today?" I brush a lock of curly copper hair out of the way of his frown.
"Lara?" He repeats, always his inquisitive self.
"M-h." I nod, trying to hide the element of melancholy from my tone that i wont get to spend my Saturday with my little man, but after weighing out the pros and cons i decided that it would definitely be better for Ethan if he wasnt around Gary, and given the state that Gary was in, it would appear the he too would be requiring as much attention as Ethan does. "Daddys poorly today and i dont want to catching the bug."
"Bug?!" Ethan gasps, clutching onto my shoulders. "Like a 'adybird?"
I dont try to stifle the laugh, "No Ethe, not that kind of bug, a bug that makes you feel poorly."
"Oh." The toddler pouts, both clearly confused, and therefore bored. "Mumma?" Ethan moves his hands to my cheeks, holding my face at an angle of his choosing.
"Yes baby?"
"You make 'addy better?"
"I'll certainly try to." I stick my tongue out, blowing a kiss against Ethans cheek before he falls away giggling. "Come on gorgeous boy; lets get you ready."
When i finally make it back into our bedroom all of three quarters of an hour later, Gary is sleeping soundly once more, i place the fresh tea and toast down on the bedside table as i perch on the small amount of mattress left on my side of the bed.
"That brew best not be cold." Gary mutters, though no element of his face would have suggested there way any element of life to him.
Chuckling lightly, i reach for the packet of paracetamol. "Sorry, i had Clara come and take Ethan for the day. You seem to need full time care." Gary doesnt argue and i dont know whether or not i should be concerned. "Come on," I urge. "Sit up for me?"
"Lib i cant." Gary presses his face further into the pillow, reaching forward and winding an arm over my thigh.
"Gary please." I pull the covers back, hoping the act will cause him enough discomfort to move. It does, and reluctantly, Gary heaves himself up and against the headboard. When he open his eyes, my heart almost caves. His face is washed of all colour, his eyes cloudy, heavy and red.
"Oh babe." I lean forwards running a hand along his perfectly defined jaw. "You look dreadful."
Gary almost smiles. "Thank you."
"No, i didnt mean it like that, come on." I push the mug of tea into one hand and two paracetamol into the other. "Knock them back."
Gary does as requested, as well as glugging the tea in five seconds flat. I smile. "You hungry?"
Glancing at the toast, Gary draws in a deep breath as if trying to figure it out, before decisively shaking his head. "No. I feel sick."
Nodding, i pull the covers back over his legs. "Still cold."
Shutting his eyes again, Gary shakes his head. "
"Do you want me to get you anything? More tea? Lemsip?" I watch as Garys lips quip into a smile, despite the dreary face its still infectious.
"Just come and lie with me please." Groaning, he slips back down until he is curled around himself under the covers, I gaze at him for a second. He looks so venerable and weak that he alms reminds me of Ethan, a human being, for admittedly only a day or two, would be totally reliant on my comfort and nurture, and without contemplating the risk of catching it myself, i curl up against him and intend to stay for the rest of the day.
Gary mutters something, nuzzling my chest through the thin cotton of one of his t-shirts and for a moment i think he might awaken.
But he doesnt. And soon the sound of his deep and slumbered breaths fill the room once more. His breath is warm against my chest as i pull my left hand up to cup the back of his head, absent mindedly scraping my nails against the short hairs at the cap of his neck. A strand of sleep tousled hair flops against his eyebrow, and i move an index finger to brush it back out of the way. Gary stirs; shifting the arm, that lies limp against his side, over my stomach, his legs mimicking his arms until he is wrapped around me like ivy.
"Gary?" I muse gently when his nose wrinkles and his eyes screw shut in defence to the bright light of the morning. Gary doesnt open his eyes, but i know hes awake when his left hand moves from my hip and slips under my t-shirt, resting tenderly against my stomach. I relax against the warmth of his fingers, curving my hand around the back of his head to drag the sleep rumpled hair further back. "Youre very tired." My brows meet, my forefinger tracing the frown of Garys eyebrows when he works on the swallow that ripples through my chest.
"Fee like shit." He croaks. Yeah, you sound it too.
"Hmm?" I try and move to get a better look at him, but Gary is insistent on using my chest as a pillow, moving his right arms to hook underneath my shoulder when i make an attempt to move. I relent, relaxing back into the warmth of the mattress and gazing down at the man wrapped around my body. "How do you feel?"
"Like shit." Gary repeats, and i half want to laugh.
"No i mean, did you drink too much last night?"
"I didnt drink anything." His left hand moves from my stomach momentarily to scrub at his stubbly free cheek. He still hasnt opened his eyes. "I didnt feel right last night. Now i feel worse."
"Babe.." I breathe, wrapping both arms around his shoulders and hugging him too me. "Are you okay? You dont get ill much."
Gary merely grunts in response. Pressing the backs of my knuckles against his forehead, i feel the spike of his temperature.
"Babe, youre boiling.." I mutter, trying to shift my legs from under Garys to kick the duvet off, but the meek whimper of protest from Gary stops me in my tracks.
"Im cold." He croaks, hugging me tighter, and when his nose Eskimo kisses my nipple through the cotton of the t-shirt, he hums appreciatively.
Rolling my eyes, i scold softly. "Gary.. Let me get you some paracetamol." I stir again, but he only tightens his already impossible grip, holding me like a child may clutch a comfort blanket.
"No, dont go." He pleads quietly, a sincerity to his voice.
I run a finger through the fringe of hair dropping against his forehead. "Gary i need to go and check on Ethan anyway."
"He'll still be asleep. We were up in the night."
"What?"
"Ethan woke up and i couldnt sleep, i decided that both of us could do with a lie in so i kept him up for a couple of hours." Gary breaths the latter part of the sentence as if it were too much energy to speak. I nod, accepting the explanation for my sons continued peace.
"I still want to get you some paracetamol." I Grumble, shaking him gently by the shoulder. "Promise it'll make you feel better."
Slowly, Gary slackens his hold, only managing his drop his head onto the mattress next to my chest by way of letting me go. "Id kill for a cuppa."
As i make my way back upstairs with a tray ladled with tea, paracetamol and toast, i take a peep behind Ethans door. Smiling at the sight of the toddler sat contently in his cot, muttering a patchwork sentence to his favourite blue bunny, i set the tray down on his chest of drawers.
"Hello Gorgeous."
He turns his head instantly at the sound of my voice, mindlessly abandoning whatever it was he was doing, and stretching two tiny arms out in my direction. "Mumma!" He squeals, delighted.
"Hey baby!" I coo, lifting him from the cot into my arms, "Are you going to stay with Clara today?" I brush a lock of curly copper hair out of the way of his frown.
"Lara?" He repeats, always his inquisitive self.
"M-h." I nod, trying to hide the element of melancholy from my tone that i wont get to spend my Saturday with my little man, but after weighing out the pros and cons i decided that it would definitely be better for Ethan if he wasnt around Gary, and given the state that Gary was in, it would appear the he too would be requiring as much attention as Ethan does. "Daddys poorly today and i dont want to catching the bug."
"Bug?!" Ethan gasps, clutching onto my shoulders. "Like a 'adybird?"
I dont try to stifle the laugh, "No Ethe, not that kind of bug, a bug that makes you feel poorly."
"Oh." The toddler pouts, both clearly confused, and therefore bored. "Mumma?" Ethan moves his hands to my cheeks, holding my face at an angle of his choosing.
"Yes baby?"
"You make 'addy better?"
"I'll certainly try to." I stick my tongue out, blowing a kiss against Ethans cheek before he falls away giggling. "Come on gorgeous boy; lets get you ready."
When i finally make it back into our bedroom all of three quarters of an hour later, Gary is sleeping soundly once more, i place the fresh tea and toast down on the bedside table as i perch on the small amount of mattress left on my side of the bed.
"That brew best not be cold." Gary mutters, though no element of his face would have suggested there way any element of life to him.
Chuckling lightly, i reach for the packet of paracetamol. "Sorry, i had Clara come and take Ethan for the day. You seem to need full time care." Gary doesnt argue and i dont know whether or not i should be concerned. "Come on," I urge. "Sit up for me?"
"Lib i cant." Gary presses his face further into the pillow, reaching forward and winding an arm over my thigh.
"Gary please." I pull the covers back, hoping the act will cause him enough discomfort to move. It does, and reluctantly, Gary heaves himself up and against the headboard. When he open his eyes, my heart almost caves. His face is washed of all colour, his eyes cloudy, heavy and red.
"Oh babe." I lean forwards running a hand along his perfectly defined jaw. "You look dreadful."
Gary almost smiles. "Thank you."
"No, i didnt mean it like that, come on." I push the mug of tea into one hand and two paracetamol into the other. "Knock them back."
Gary does as requested, as well as glugging the tea in five seconds flat. I smile. "You hungry?"
Glancing at the toast, Gary draws in a deep breath as if trying to figure it out, before decisively shaking his head. "No. I feel sick."
Nodding, i pull the covers back over his legs. "Still cold."
Shutting his eyes again, Gary shakes his head. "
"Do you want me to get you anything? More tea? Lemsip?" I watch as Garys lips quip into a smile, despite the dreary face its still infectious.
"Just come and lie with me please." Groaning, he slips back down until he is curled around himself under the covers, I gaze at him for a second. He looks so venerable and weak that he alms reminds me of Ethan, a human being, for admittedly only a day or two, would be totally reliant on my comfort and nurture, and without contemplating the risk of catching it myself, i curl up against him and intend to stay for the rest of the day.
oooh so sweet update soon
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