Prompt 2: Contagious
Rating: K

Cynthia clutched her head and let out a grunt of pain. She had been feeling progressively worse by the hour. Her body ached, her stomach was churning, and she was simultaneously so hot and cold that she didn't know whether to put on a parka or jump into an ice bath. She gripped her silk bedsheets and pulled them over her face in hopes that the darkness would lull her back to sleep, but she knew it was futile. Dismayed, she turned to the alarm clock by her bedside and found that it was already 6AM. It would be light soon, and she was never able to sleep during the daytime.

The Champion rolled out of bed cautiously, careful not to wake her girlfriend in the process. She made her way into the bathroom and pulled a thermometer from the sink, inserting it under her tongue. A minute later, she pulled it out to find her fever had climbed to 103.

"Great," she thought distastefully. "Probably influenza…"

While Cynthia was pondering which aspirin to take, she heard a shuffling sound come from the bedroom. Her morning person of a girlfriend sprung out of bed and noticed her standing in the connecting bathroom. With a huge grin, she bounded over to the blonde, tackling her in a huge hug.

"Good morning, beautiful!" Dawn exclaimed cheerfully, which sounded like a jackhammer on concrete to Cynthia's tired ears. The black-haired girl spun around and attempted to plant a kiss on Cynthia's lips, but the latter moved left to dodge it, effectively causing Dawn to trip and fall on her face.

"I'm sorry," Cynthia muttered sheepishly, pulling the smaller girl to her feet. Dawn contorted her features into an unhappy expression, folding her arms over her chest and pouting angrily. Even in her sorry state, Cynthia almost laughed. She did look adorable like that.

"I think I have the flu," the Champion explained. "I just don't want you to catch it from me."

Dawn's expression softened. She raised a hand to her lover's forehead, immediately recoiling at how hot it was.

"You're burning up!" she cried. "We need to get you to a doctor now!"

The younger girl ran back to the bedroom and pulled a Pokéball from the dresser drawer. She was about to release Cynthia's Togekiss and have it fly them to the hospital in Sunyshore City, but the Champion put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Calm down, Dawn," she said with a weary smile. The younger girl's concern was endearing. "We don't need to be so hasty. I've had the flu before, and I've survived."

"But Cynthia! We n—"

"Dawn, please lower the volume. I have a headache."

Dawn nodded embarrassedly. She took her girlfriend's hand and held it, looking worriedly into her light amber eyes.

"Just promise me if it gets worse, you'll let me take you to the emergency room," she said quietly, handing Cynthia a bottle of painkillers.

Cynthia smiled and popped the lid off the container. "I promise, Princess." She downed three pills and stretched tiredly. She hadn't managed to sleep at all the previous night.

Dawn noticed her exhaustion and motioned toward the bedroom with her head. "You should try to rest."

The Champion shrugged gloomily. "I'll lay down, but you know I can't sleep after sunrise."

Dawn put a hand on her chin and thought for a moment. Meanwhile, Cynthia eyed the label on the bottle of pills, double-checking the instructions to see when the medicine should kick in. She was brought out of her reverie, however, by a loud expression of realization from her girlfriend.

"I know what to do!" Dawn chirped. She took Cynthia's hand and led her back into the bedroom.

"Lie down and turn onto your side," she instructed. The Champion obeyed a little reluctantly, as she knew how fruitless attempts at naps had been in the past.

To her surprise, Dawn lay down next to her on her side and wrapped her arms around Cynthia's waist, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I always sleep so well when you hold me this way," the younger Trainer whispered, burrowing her face into the back of Cynthia's hair. The Champion immediately saw why. The warmth definitely had a soporific effect, and she could feel herself getting drowsy.

"Are you sure about this though?" she asked her girlfriend sleepily. "I might be contagious…"

Dawn smiled and kissed the older girl's shoulder.

"Yeah, but I don't care."