"Red, I can't sleep in the same bed as you when you're sick," Liz stated, getting a slightly annoyed look from the criminal.
"Lizzie, we've been over this. I can't sleep without you," Red responded, nose stuffed up. "Besides, I'm not that sick."
"So, I guess you wanted to convert your nose into a sprinkler system?" Liz asked. He gave her a small glare and a defiant sniffle. "Just take some of that cough medicine and you'll go to sleep pretty quick."
"I hope you're right."
...
It would have been difficult for Liz to have been more wrong. Red had spent the last hour tossing and turning. Matters were only made worse by the fact that the cough medicine taste was still lingering in his mouth. Turning again offered no comfort. He had to do something.
Sitting up, he paused for his head to stop swimming. Once it had settled, he stood up and walked to Liz's room. She was sound asleep, sprawled out over the entire bed. He was sorely tempted to wake her up and ask to lay down. In her sleepy stupor, she'd probably agree. Of course, she'd be pissed off in the morning.
He shook her shoulder lightly but got no response. Trying a little harder offered nothing. He sighed in frustration. Why couldn't he just have the ability to sleep alone anymore?
He sat down on the foot of the bed before laying down across it. He curled up around Liz's feet and closed his eyes.
This felt humiliating. The concierge of crime reduced to laying at the foot of the bed like a dog. Given what he'd done over his life, he felt that he deserved it and worse. That was his last thought before he fell asleep.
It wasn't long before his snoring woke Liz up. It was slow. So, it took her a long moment to really even know that she was awake. Then, she heard the low rumble towards the end of the bed. What was that? It sounded like growling,
She listened for a little longer before she felt something brush her foot. Liz gasped before slamming her feet into what she thought was some creature in her room. When her foot collided, she heard the air getting knocked out of Red's lungs before he hit the floor.
"What the hell?" She asked as she flipped on the lamp beside her. Red laid on the floor, panting and wheezing. She waited for him to catch his breath, worried that she might have injured him. "What were you doing?"
"Couldn't sleep," he stated. His lungs and stomach still hurt a little, but he guessed that he deserved that.
"Seriously? Just go back to bed," She ordered. He wanted desperately to argue but decided that it was best if he didn't. Getting up, he gave her one last look. Liz had to admit that it made him look like a kicked puppy. Well... she had kicked him. The only thing that stopped her from letting him stay was that she didn't want to get sick.
...
Liz sat in the livingroom, sipping a drink. It was nearly noon, and Red hadn't gotten up yet. It was a little worrying. Usually, he was up at the crack of dawn.
She had just finished her drink when she heard him shuffling in. His eyes were barely open from how tired he was, and he looked like hell. Liz watched as he sat down next to her.
"Did you sleep any?" Liz asked. He shook his head before dissolving into a coughing fit. When it was over, he put his head in his hands. Liz watched him in pitty for a moment. She sat her drink down before touching his shoulder.
"You can lean against me to take a nap," she stated. If he didn't sleep, he wouldn't get better. That wasn't something she would let rest on her conscience. He looked at her for a moment as if making sure that she meant it.
Then, he layed down to where his head was resting in her lap and his arms were wrapped around her waist. Liz rubbed his back in soothing circles, drawing out small moans from him which slowly got quieter. Eventually, they became inaudible. Then, they were replaced by snores. Liz let her hand still on his back before shifting lightly.
"I really should have went and peed first."
...
Will get funnier. I just wanted to write this chapter.
