I'm using a list of '100 Ways to Say I Love You' as a prompt for a bunch of fanfictions. Some will be used together but if anyone wants to use the list or read what may be coming up, I'll put the list in my bio on my profile. Just a warning, they will all be from different fandoms!
64. "It's two sugars, right?"
Tea and Trust
Cath was worried and it wasn't getting any better. Levi had helped for a while but the minute he left to drive back to Arnold, she felt the worry creep back up on her. It wasn't anything that could particularly be helped, Cath was a worrier after all. She'd just prefer not to have her mind filled with worrying when it should be focused on other and significantly more important things, namely, Wren.
When they'd gotten in from the hospital, Wren had gone straight for a shower and finally ridden herself of the vile puke smell that had filled the rental car all the way home. Cath was trying to persuade her dad to go next but he wasn't interested in showering, he was only interested in going back to sleep having driven seven hours – seven – from Tulsa the previous day.
Cath had placed herself on her bed and had opened her dad's laptop to improve the end of the last chapter she had written for Carry On, Simon. The word count was already pretty high but she just needed to tweak the end section because she couldn't leave it at Simon and Baz glaring into each other's eyes (not again anyway). She had just made a start at rewriting the final paragraph of the chapter when Wren walked in, her hair still damp from the shower and her eyes ringed in red as she had obviously been crying in the comfort of the warm water. Cath, ceasing typing for the moment, watched closely as Wren lifted her comforter and climbed in next to her, sniffling slightly. Wren leaned her head on Cath's shoulder.
"Can I get you anything?" Cath murmured.
"No," Wren sniffed.
"Not even tea?"
"Maybe some tea…"
"I'll be right back," Cath smiled, climbing out of the bed as Wren took the laptop from her beginning to look over what had already been written, just like she used to.
Cath stuck her head back around the door.
"It's two sugars, right?"
Wren nodded.
Cath nodded and smiled again.
Five minutes later, Cath came back with a tea for Wren and a coffee for herself. Her dad was still asleep thankfully and from what Cath could tell, she reckoned he needed it. He hadn't been sleeping well at Thanksgiving nor Christmas and since he had been in Tulsa, Cath knew he had been up late probably nearly every night, worrying about the presentation. She loved her dad and she knew he loved her and Wren too but Cath knew that he didn't understand how much his lack of sleep worried her. Worried them.
Wren took the tea from Cath gratefully.
"Your phone rang while you were gone. I was gonna pick it up but I thought you might not want me to…because…you know…" Wren trailed off looking down at her fingers on the keyboard, embarrassed.
"I wouldn't have minded. I already told you, we're sisters no matter what. I trust you and I always have. Who was it anyway?"
"Levi."
Levi.
"Okay, thanks. I'll call him back in a bit," Cath breathed, taking the laptop from Wren and beginning to type again.
"I can text him and let him know while you carry on writing if you want me to…?" Wren put forward.
Cath thought for a second and then said, "Yeah, that'd be great thanks." She smiled over at her sister.
Wren composed a text.
To: Levi
Hey, Cath's writing Simon atm. She'll call you back at the end of the chapter. Not far, just the last few paragraphs…~Wren x
Cath carried on writing silently. Wren watched and read every word she wrote over her shoulder while nursing her tea and her hangover. Wren enjoyed the moments she was able to spend with her sister after drifting so far apart over the past few months. She revelled in being able to spend time just being with Cath.
The phone buzzed next to her and Wren glanced at Cath to see her deep in the World of Mages so checked it herself.
From: Levi
FOR CATH - No worries sweetheart, I'll call before bed xx
FOR WREN - Hope you're okay too, Wren. Drink lots of fluids, yeah? It hurts to see Cather so worried about you and your dad all the time x
"You were worried about me?" Wren blurted, shocked.
"Of course, I worry about you," Cath responded instantly, "You're my sister and I love you. Even if you can be a pain in the ass sometimes," Cath grinned and her heart leapt when she saw Wren grin back at her.
By the time Cath had finished on her Simon chapter for the night, Wren had fallen asleep beside her. Cath saved the chapter and uploaded it to . She logged out of her account before anyone was able to get the notification for the new chapter. If she got caught up in the comments now, she'd be there 'til morning and she knew she needed to call Levi. Not just because she'd promised but because she needed to hear his voice. She shut down the laptop and closed the lid, plunging the bedroom into darkness. Slipping out of the bed, Cath pulled the covers back up around Wren, picked up the now empty mugs and padded downstairs.
Cath completed her normal rituals of checking the front door was locked, checking her dad was asleep and then checking the back door was locked before moving through to the dining room where she dialled Levi's number. Her heart sped while the dial tone sounded.
"Cather," he picked up almost instantly. "How are you and Simon on this fine, fine evening?"
Cath giggled, "We are very well thank you."
"And Wren?"
"Okay, I think. I think it's given her a bit more of a shock than she's letting on. Hopefully she'll stop being so stupid now and realise that she needs to look after herself. How are you?"
"All the better for hearing your voice, if I'm honest."
"You made it back to Arnold okay?"
"No problems whatsoever. I have to admit though, I'm very glad to hear your voice,"
"You already said that," She laughed again.
"It's true though. And I don't believe I say it enough. I really like you, Cather."
"I really like you too."
Cath heard him yawn on the other end of the line and the noise made her yawn too. She heard him chuckle. Her heart leapt at the sound.
"It's late, you need to sleep."
"I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm not having you worry about me too."
"I always worry about you. Are you in bed?"
"Yeah, are you?"
"No, I'm in the dining room. Wren is asleep in our room and I didn't want to disturb her but I'm not sure I want to sleep anyway,"
"Why not?"
"I keep picturing Wren completely broken in that hospital bed. I don't like it. It scares me tothink we might have lost her."
"You wouldn't have lost her, Cather. She may be able to drink herself under the table to the point of alcohol poisoning but she would never go that far."
"I hope you're right," Cath yawned again.
"Cather, go upstairs and get into bed. I'll stay on the line until you fall asleep if it'll help you,"
Cath hummed her agreement and made her way back upstairs. When she got to the room, she realised that Wren must have gotten up as she was now in her own bed. Cath climbed into hers and told Levi.
"I'm in bed so talk about anything you like,"
"Anything?"
"Well, okay maybe not. Tell me about your weekend. What's going to happen for your sister's birthday?"
And so, Levi did. He talked quietly and softly. So softly that it reminded her of the time she read him The Outsiders. Cath fell asleep to the memories of that night and hoped that the night could be replicated under different circumstances sometime soon.
Levi did as he promised and stayed on the line until he heard Cath's breathing level out and become deeper. Then and only then, did he finally hang up the phone and fall asleep to the thoughts of Cath.