A/N: I had something like this in mind for Femslash February, but ended up doing other stuff instead. Today, I was overcome by the urge to finally write it– and I actually did! Neat! Doesn't quite slot anywhere into canon, but then I frankly didn't try to make it; all you really need to know is that Steph and Cass live together because of reasons. I've read far from either lady's every appearance, so sorry if I messed anything up.

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"Cass?" Stephanie called, rapping her knuckles quickly against the door. She was answered by rustling bedding and something between a growl and a whine.

Balancing the tray she carried carefully in one hand, she cracked the door open just enough to peer inside. The light from the hallway cut through the dark of the bedroom to stretch across the veritable fortress of blankets that Cass had cocooned herself in; despite this formidable protection, Cass responded to the sliver of light by snarling and curling away, bedding pulled in close and covering.

"Cass, hey," Stephanie said, voice lowered; she slipped in, closing the door quickly and quietly behind her while Cass was still turned away. After a second to allow her eyes to adjust to the dark, she padded towards the bed, trusting her senses to guide her. "I brought you some lunch and."

More rustling and a squeak of bed springs. Despite the dark, Stephanie was aware that Cass had pulled the blankets aside just enough to look out of them towards Stephanie. She was also aware that the look was not a friendly one, which was about what she had expected. Cass was no fan of her cooking at the best of times, and a sick Cass had so far been shown to be a very surly Cass indeed.

Sure enough, when Cass deemed to rasp out a verbal response, it was, "Already sick. Don't need… that."

Stephanie huffed, muttering a short, "Yeah, yeah," as she finally made it to the edge of the bed. She warned, "I'm gonna turn on the lamp," and waited for the telltale sounds of Cass retreating back into the blankets before reaching to do as she said.

Cass made a wounded sort of noise when the light came up despite the warning and the layers of bedding she'd pulled over her head in anticipation. Dimming the lamp had no noticeable effect on Cass, who continued to moan, growl and whimper in turns as though Stephanie was shining a spotlight into her unprotected eyes. While Stephanie wouldn't be wholly surprised to know that Cass was that sensitive to the light, she was beginning to suspect that Cass was playing up the role of helpless flu sufferer. Still, she kept her suspicions close to her chest and gave Cass a moment to adjust before setting the tray on the bedside table and reaching to gently but firmly help Cass into a sitting position.

"You need to eat," she said, trying to sound authoritative. She thought that authority was probably undermined when she immediately added, "Stoplooking at me like that," but no one who looked as sick and pathetic as Cass did just then should be able to look as intimidating as Cass also did just then. It wasn't fair.

For her part, Cass didn't deem to answer Stephanie's assertion, just flopped back against the headboard and snuffled at her blanket the way she'd been told not to. Definitely an undermining of authority. The reluctant patient stretched her legs out under the blanket and stared up at Stephanie in unspoken defiance.

"Come on, here we go," Stephanie coaxed as she folded out the legs of the tray and held it out towards Cass as though to prove it wasn't going to hurt her. When Cass continued to sit with her arms stubbornly crossed, making no move to settle the tray across her lap herself, Stephanie sighed under her breath and did it for her. Cass made no move on the food, continuing to stare. Stephanie stared back, refusing to back down. She repeated, "Youneed to eat."

More staring. Another sigh.

"Look, it's just soup, okay?" she said, almost pleading. "I opened a can, I heated what was inside. It's hardly like I cooked at all. And, look– I even brought tea, so you can wash the taste away after."

She'd hoped that last bit would at least get a smile, but Cass just curled her chapped lip at the attempt at brevity, somehow contriving to look condescending even with watery eyes and snot dribbling from her nose.

"What will wash away the taste of your tea?"

Stephanie bit her tongue on her first three responses; she'd have liked if it was because they were unnecessarily mean things to say to someone so flattened by flu, but it was actually because they simply weren't very good comebacks. Finally, she settled on straightening up in another bid for authority and answered in clipped tones, "We have orange juice if it comes to that. Eat."

Cass made another sick person noise, this one sounding decidedly dismissive, but she finally broke away from their staring contest (score one for Steph) and took up the bowl of soup to slurp from it (score two for Steph). Stephanie watched her for a few seconds before leaning in to push sweat-soaked bangs from a clammy forehead, sympathy smoothing her ruffled feathers.

"Hey, careful," she said, voice gentle as she continued to pet Cass in what she hoped was a soothing and reassuring way, over her scalp and down her back and then over again, "if you drink it too fast, you'll give yourself a stomach ache."

Pausing but not taking the bowl from her lips or looking up at Stephanie, Cass said, "Stomach… hurts already," she murmured between gulps. Stephanie barely had time to made a sympathetic noise before Cass went on, "Besides… this way… I hardly… taste it."

And that was it. Stephanie was sorry that Cass was sick, she really was, and not just because she'd been dealing with the bad mood that came with the sickness all day. But, well, she had been dealing with the bad mood that came along with the sickness all day. The alternative was leaving Cass to suffer both alone in the dark– something which seemed a lot more appealing just then than it had. Stephanie straightened and backed away, intent on leaving Cass be until she fell asleep and Stephanie could collect the tray and dishes in peace.

A hand caught tight around her wrist, stopping her short, but it was the quiet, almost timid, "Hey," that got her to turn back around.

Cass was staring up at her again, but this time with her every edge worn down and Stephanie could see the full scope of the vulnerability that Cass had been trying to hide since the first sniffle.

"I'm… sorry," Cass said; she was almost whispering, not out of pride or contrariness but out of a timidness that Stephanie wouldn't normally associate with her. What weak grasp Stephanie had managed to maintain on her anger loosened and let go. Cass went on, "I… didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah, you did," Stephanie grumbled, trying and failing to make a good show of the anger she no longer felt. A twicth of her wrist bought her freedom, but instead of walking out, she plopped down beside Cass, careful not to overbalance the tray as she slung an arm around her and cuddled close. "I get it, your misery wants my company– not that I blame it, but better put a cork in that. I'm only here for you."

This time, Cass did offer a smile, weak but genuine. Even as she leaned into Stephanie's side, she pointed out, "I'm contagious."

"It'll be okay," Stephanie said, making herself comfortable. "I won't stay long and it's not like I'm asking for a kiss." Saying as much as though it were a grave inconvenience for her earned another smile. "Besides, if I come down with your flu, you can return the favor and take care of me."

"Wouldn't be so bad," Cass said, taking up the mug of tea and sniffing it; Stephanie was certain that she couldn't actually smell well enough to justify making the face she did, but said nothing. "At least I can cook– sort of. Better than you."

A grin and a mischievous twinkle in her bloodshot eyes soothed the sting of the words, and Stephanie barely managed to cover her answering laugh with an indignant huff.

"Just drink you tea," she commanded with a playful nudge, and Cass did.

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Thanks for reading~