For Summer of Supergirl week 6, Prompt: In Sickness (and/or In Health)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl or any of its characters, this is for my own personal enjoyment or whatever blah blah blah.

…

"I didn't think Martians could get sick," Alex grumbled, pressing a cold rag to J'onn's forehead.

J'onn was laid out on her couch, covered with blankets, and surrounded by tissue boxes and things that Alex assumed would help him feel better.

He coughed, body wracked with shivers. "I didn't think it was possible while I was on Earth."

Alex honestly had no idea what to do for him. It wasn't like she was used to taking care of a sick person. Kara never got sick.

And Google wasn't going to tell her how to take care of a sick Martian. Or what was wrong with him.

She was worried. It didn't look like he was dying or anything. But also looked worse than the common cold. But how would she know?

Alex plied him with soup, tea, and water. She had also given him a double dose of medication but it didn't seem to be kicking in.

"You're looking green. Like, actually green."

J'onn glared balefully at her, but the heat was softened by another hacking cough.

"Would it be easier for you to turn into your native form?" Alex asked, the question taking a plaintive edge.

He coughed and sniffled, not giving her a response.

"Come on," Alex coaxed, "It might help."

J'onn sniffed again and a look of concentration crinkled his brow.

Hank Henshaw shifted and disappeared and J'onn J'onzz—the real J'onn J'onzz—took his place. Alex was used to seeing his native form, but seeing him like that in a position of vulnerability took her aback.

His bright red eyes were watery and his green skin had a grey-ish tint.

His native form was a couple inches taller than his human form, so his feet peeked out from the bottom of the blanket. It would've been hilarious to Alex if it weren't for the frankly pathetic coughing sounds he was making.

Alex grabbed another blanket and covered his feet, asking, "Is that better?"

He cleared his throat. "A little."

Alex handed him a glass of water, which he drained.

"Good thing we have Lucy to cover at the DEO," he said, "I'm probably going to be down and out for the next couple days."

She really didn't like the sound of that. She'd like her boyfriend to be healthy and not sick as soon as possible.

So she leaned down. She kissed his forehead and his cheek and the bridge of his nose.

His normally cool skin was hot and sweaty but shaking like he was freezing.

Affection mixed with worry again.

He shied away from her kisses, croaking, "You'll get sick."

"This is probably a Martian thing. So I'll be fine."

"And if it isn't? What if you get sick?" J'onn shook his head and moved to cover his face with the blanket.

She kissed his nose again. "Then we will be miserable together."

J'onn sighed.

"You've been babying me for hours. Sit down with me."

Alex nodded and he lifted his head. She sat down, letting his head rest in her lap. She turned on the television.

"Channel 48, please," J'onn croaked.

Women with too much plastic surgery appeared on the screen and Alex wasn't sure what it was or why J'onn would want to watch it. The title card played and Alex realized it was one of those crappy reality shows that she avoided watching.

Alex's face twisted in disgust, but J'onn was suddenly enraptured.

She shook her head in amazement. "You actually like this?"

"It's entertaining," he explained, "Shows me something about human nature."

Alex scoffed at that. 'Human nature'. Of course. Right. Only a non-native of Earth would think that this was indicative of human nature.

"You do realize a lot of this is scripted, right?"

J'onn glared at her. Alex patted his cheek.

"Alright. I won't ruin your fun, but try to get some sleep, J'onn."

So they watched two women scream at each other from across a dinner table as their friends-not-friends watched in equal amounts of horror and amusement.

An episode and a half later and J'onn was snoring.

It was a mucus-y, thoroughly unattractive sound. But Alex couldn't be irked about it because it was an indication that he was still breathing, that he was fixable.

Alex knew that she was in for several days of worrying. Not a lot of leaving his side.

He was eventually going to wake up and probably need more medicine and liquids, but Alex let him snore.

And she realized that she shouldn't have let him rest his head on her lap if she was planning on getting up.

But she supposed that was okay.

The show was kind of addictive.

…

Ta daaaa?

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Cheers!

~Tiara of Sapphires

PS, I don't know if Bravo is 48 in Los Angeles/National City. But it is where I live. So. There. Real Housewives. Pretty great. If you like middle-aged women screaming at each other. Something J'onn J'onzz would totally be into.