A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! Sorry this is so late, but I'm not getting a lot of writing done with my new job. Sorry also for any OOC-ness and if it's crappy. Let me know what y'all think pretty please.
26: Magnus
I hate seeing Alec sick. He can't eat anything without puking it back up. He's thrown up on me twice.
At least he's finally sleeping, I think, stroking his sweat-dampened hair gently.
He whines in his sleep and kicks at the blankets.
"I know you're hot, baby. We gotta get your fever to break," I murmur, rubbing his back.
He had a fever of 102 last time we checked. He has me scared. I'm not sure what to do to help him; Ragnor shipped me off to someone else whenever he got sick. Jace and Izzy went to get him 7Up from the vending machine in the lobby.
He jerks awake when Izzy and Jace come back. He's soaked with sweat.
"You're okay. Did you have a bad dream? Are you still running a fever?" I murmur.
"Magnus, I have a headache," he replies.
He looks miserable. He leans his head weakly against my shoulder.
"I love you, gorgeous. Do you hurt anywhere?" I whisper.
"Everywhere. Am I bothering you? You don't have to hold me," he murmurs.
"I love holding you. Would a warm bath help?"
He seems surprised when I run the bath water for him. I'm not doing it because he's asking or because I think he'll hurt me if I don't. I'm doing it because I love him and I want him to know it.
"Do you want a 7Up?" I ask.
"Please. Will you stay with me so I don't fall asleep?" he replies.
"Of course."
He's already in the water when I come back with his drink.
"Do you want me to get you clean clothes?" I offer.
"Magnus, you don't have to wait on me. I can get my own clothes," he replies.
"I'm not really sure what to do with sick people."
"What you're doing is fine. Thank you for staying with me."
"You're welcome."
This is the longest he's gone without puking. I'm glad he's not puking.
"You don't have to help me with the towel. Thanks for helping me, but you didn't have to. I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you. Plus, I don't like being taken care of that much," he murmurs.
"Alec, the only way I've ever been taken advantage of is a way I know you'll never do. I want to take care of you. Before you, I never had that. I'm glad you're trying not to freak me out," I reply.
I still haven't looked at my wonderful boyfriend's naked body. I love him, but I want to respect him in ways I never had before now.
He pukes five seconds after he gets out of the bathtub. His blue eyes are bloodshot from where he's busted some of the veins trying to puke.
"I'm sorry," he mumbles, staring at the mess he made on the floor.
"It's fine. Let's get you dressed and warmed up, okay? I don't really want an Alec-sicle," I reply, helping him to our room.
He curls in on himself the moment he sits on the bed.
"Stomachache? Do you need help dressing when you're ready?" I ask, stroking his hair gently.
"It hurts to move," he replies.
Alec never complains about how he feels, so I know he's very miserable.
"When you're ready, I'll help you, okay? Do you want me to rub your stomach?" I offer.
"Stomach rub sounds okay if you don't press hard," he murmurs.
He whimpers softly when he lies on his back. I hate the small noise of pain.
I never really paid attention to how firm and nice the muscles in Alec's toned stomach feel. He has really soft skin.
"Do you bathe in lotion or something?" I ask.
He shakes his head. He's clenching his jaw tightly as he swallows spastically. I grab him the trashcan without being asked. He can't get anything up.
"Do you need anything?" I ask once he's done.
"Can I just lay here for a while?" he replies.
"Yeah, sure."
He's curled up on his side in the fetal position when I come back from putting the trashcan in the bathroom.
"You okay? Besides puking up your liver," I say, stroking his arm gently.
"I've had the flu before. I'll be fine," he mumbles.
"Do you need anything? I could read to you if you wanted."
"I need to get dressed. If you want, you can."
"Do you need help?"
He lets me help him. I can see the surprise in his eyes at my offer. It isn't weird or awkward to help him like this.
He doesn't feel like going in the living room, so I lie on the bed with him.
"Did you have any happy memories before I adopted you?" he asks.
"Not really. I never saw my mother after I was five. She didn't like me anyway. I was a symbol of her suffering," I reply.
"So you never had anyone love you?"
"Nope. Everything I have with you is new to me."
"I'm sorry. Are you happy with me?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I'm not gonna latch onto the first person that gives a crap about me. I love you."
"I thought maybe you were faking."
"Nope. I'm not a liar. Or a fake. I am, however, irrevocably and unconditionally in love with you."
I might have never had love, unconditional or otherwise, but I'm determined to love him the way I never had.
"You realize you basically quoted Twilight?" he asks.
"You're hotter than Edward Cullen could ever dream of being," I reply, rubbing his back gently.
He snuggles closer to me before he finally drifts off. I stay awake and watch him sleep. Even sick, he's the most beautiful person I've ever met. I don't understand why everyone else goes for Izzy and Jace when Alec is better than either of them. He's the picture of innocence.
He whines when I start to move and scoots against me. Smiling, I wrap my arms around him.
I sneak out in the morning to make him breakfast in bed. He might not want spoiled, but he's getting it anyway. I make him fruity oatmeal and orange juice.
He's sitting up in bed when I walk in with our breakfast. He looks less crappy.
"Good morning, gorgeous. I made you oatmeal," I tell him, smiling.
"Thanks. You didn't have to do this," he replies.
"I know. Power's back on."
"Good. Did you sleep at all?"
"Some. You feel better?"
"A lot. Thanks for taking care of me. I'm sorry you had to."
"Alexander, how many times have you had to take care of me?"
He strokes my face gently. I lean into his light touch.
"If you didn't go with the vet job, what are you wanting to do?" I ask.
"I thought about going for creative writing," he replies.
"I think you'd be really good at it."
"Did you ever have a dream job?"
"Yeah, but there was never a point in pursuing it."
"What was it?"
"I wanted to work with hybrids like me. Rehabbing them."
Anyone else would call my dreams stupid.
"That would be really great. If it's something you really wanna do, go for it," he tells me.
"Thank you," I murmur.
"I'll always support you, baby. It's nice to eat without puking."
"How'd you get over it so fast?"
"I think it's the 24-hour flu. You're not feeling sick, are you?"
"No, I'm fine."
I kiss his forehead gently. He smiles at the caress.
He feels well enough he's able to go in the living room. He's still in his pajamas.
"Hey, Puke Machine," Jace calls from the couch.
"Ugh. I feel like all my guts are gone," Alec replies, plopping down on the couch.
"Felt like they were all there when I was rubbing your stomach," I tell him.
Alec rests his head on my shoulder. He still doesn't look like he feels incredible.
"Can I put my head in your lap? It's okay if you're not comfortable," he murmurs.
"Of course you can, darling. Are you cold? I really don't want an Alec-sicle for a boyfriend," I reply, rubbing his back gently when he lies down.
"Yeah. You sure you're okay with this?"
He rests his hand on my knee. He's making me far from uncomfortable.
"I'm perfectly fine with this," I assure him.
"I'll get him a blanket," Jace offers.
"Thanks. Baby, you want me to read to you or anything?"
"No, it's okay. Just cuddles."
He sighs happily when I wrap the fleecy blanket around him.
"Where's Izzy?" Alec asks.
"She found out Clary lives in this building, so she went to visit. I wasn't invited," Jace replies.
"When has being uninvited ever stopped you? Don't go to the apartment; I really don't need anyone getting arrested for trespassing."
"You have a very good point. Remember when I got grounded for crashing Sebastian's party?"
"You should not find that amusing."
"It was hilarious."
"No, Jace, it wasn't. You threw up everywhere. You tried making out with your reflection."
"It's still funny. The hangover sucked."
"And I refused to feel sorry for you."
"Have you ever been drunk, cat?"
"No. It's not really on my to-do list."
"Hybrids can drink, right?"
"Jace, don't get him drunk. Please. One person puking is enough," Alec tells him.
"Dude, I think he'd be a blast! True love is sharing the toilet while you both puke."
"If Magnus wants to try it, that's his choice. But I hold you responsible for giving it to him."
"I don't wanna try it," I tell them.
The last thing I want is to get drunk and have Alec angry with me for something I don't even remember. Or for him to hate me. We've had discussions about things, but we've never gotten into a yelling or screaming fight over stuff. I really don't want us to ever be that angry with each other. I mean, yeah, we've walked away from each other until we could talk it over like adults, but we never raised our voices. I never want to raise my voice to him, and I'll probably have an anxiety attack if he yells at me. Plus, I know how mean drunks can get and I don't want to ever treat Alec cruelly.
"Not everyone turns into a rapist drunk," Jace reminds me.
"I don't wanna do anything to ever hurt Alec," I reply, trailing my hand down his side.
Smiling, I think back to when he was holding almost the same way. I never thought we'd end up here, but I'm very glad we did.
"Alec, what're the marriage laws for hybrids?" I ask.