I opened my eyes and immediately closed them with a groan when the sun that I usually enjoyed seeing in the morning burned against my retinas. When I tried to breath in the air refused to move through my nose, the familiar sniffling paired with my sore throat and aching head alerted me to one vital thing. I was sick.

Biting back a moan, I sat up only to immediately regret it when my stomach decided to roll. Laying back down, I took deep breaths and prayed I didn't throw up in Maximus's bed. Usually we slept in mine but he'd passed out last night in his while we were watching a movie and I hadn't had the heart to wake him.

The familiar feeling of my head being stuffed with cotton and my sinuses having more pressure than Niagara Falls made me groan out loud. If history was any indication, I would get a fever too, if I didn't already have one…

My muffled moan caught Maximus's attention from his place in the bathroom where he'd previously been showering. The sound of running water filled my head with images of Maximus wearing nothing but a smile while under the spray. Forcing my hormones back with a curse, I turned my focus to watch as Maximus poked his head out of the bathroom.

His blonde hair was plastered to his shoulders and his eyes were worried as they settled on me. "Are you alright? I thought I heard a groan."

Deciding to get it over with, I admitted. "I'm sick." My voice came out muffled from my clogged sinuses but he got the picture. His previous worry increased sharply as he walked over to the bed, completely ignoring the fact that he was naked as he kneeled next to me and put his hand against my head.

His mouth twisted into a scowl, to my confusion. "It's just a cold, you shouldn't be so worried. Once I get some medicine and sleep for the next few days I'll be fine."

My words didn't seem to help as his face darkened. "Yes, bed rest will most definitely help. I'll make some soup as well as water. You can't let yourself get dehydrated or it will make your condition worse."

Before I could tell him that right now I doubted I could keep water down, he had already disappeared back into the bathroom. Less than a minute later he came back out dressed with his hair still soaked. Why was he suddenly rushing? Today was his late start day so he could actually enjoy his morning.

"Where y'going?" Ugh, my voice was already starting to slur. Apparently that fever was here, earlier than I wanted but oh well. Not like there was anything I could do about it.

Maximus stopped momentarily in his flurry of motion to drop a kiss to my head. "To the kitchen to get water and food, but before that I'm going to Vlad to ask for the day off to attend to you."

I immediately tried to protest, sitting up only to clutch my stomach when it rolled again. Maximus was at my side in a blink, his hand rubbing my back as he eased me back against his bed. "Don't argue with me. You're not feeling well, that means the only place I should be is by your side. Besides, Vlad has been wanting me to take a break lately and this is the perfect opportunity, although I'd prefer you weren't feeling ill for it."

I gave a weak huff of exasperation but stopped trying to fight him. At least Maximus would finally get some rest now…

It was an hour later when I realized how wrong that statement was. Maximus hadn't stopped to rest for one second since he'd left. After getting permission from Vlad to take the day off, he'd been a blur of motion. I couldn't even raise a finger to do something without him jumping to do it for me, the attention making me uncomfortable as he fluffed my pillows for the hundredth time.

He also constantly asked if I was alright, the question had started to get on my nerves after the first few times but now I was ready to smother him with a pillow to make him stop. "Maximus, I'm fine! Please, just lay down with me and relax."

I had no idea what had gotten into him, but he was practically vibrating with energy. When he hesitated, I grabbed his hand and tugged with insistence until he finally sat down. His frame was still stiff but at least he wasn't up and moving anymore.

"Alright, now that you're not moving like the Flash, what's wrong?" Because there was no way after that display there wasn't something eating at him. He grimaced, but turned to face me as he replied.

"I told you my mother passed from illness, although I understand this illness is far less deadly and modern medicine has come a long way, I dislike not being able to simply heal you. If it were deadly I could give you my blood and you'd be fine but natural illnesses are something the human body has to go through on its own. I know I'm acting overbearing for what is most likely a small cold, but I can't-." He stopped to try to get his words straight, but I knew what he meant.

He was afraid of losing me as he lost his mother and now that he mentioned it, I felt bad for how irritated I was getting with him. He cared about me and the last time he cared like this it had been the very woman who had died from an illness. It was normal that he would freak with me being sick. While I didn't have to like his worry, I would tolerate it.

Cupping his face, I dropped a kiss against his forehead. "I know what you mean. How about we watch movies for a bit? I won't be up and moving, you get a chance to relax and we get cuddles." It was always amusing to use words like cuddle when referring to a giant Viking of a man, but to Maximus's credit he had never complained once.

He smiled before nodding, turning his mouth to kiss the palm of my hand. "Alright, I will still be checking your temperature every half an hour though. No arguments."

I held my hands up in a show of surrender as he moved to put the movie on. Once he laid back down, I wasted no time in draping myself over his chest. His chuckle brushed my hair as his hands moved up and down my back. This was where I wanted to be.

As the movie began I felt sleep drag me down. Reluctantly I allowed it to, hoping I would feel better when I woke up, but not holding my breath. Usually when I got sick it lasted for at least two days.

As I drifted off I felt Maximus shift me until my head rested against the base of his throat. My confusion was smothered as sleep pulled me into the blissful darkness.

Maximus looked down at Zelda's dozing face, now curled into the hollow of his throat. This was the easiest position where he could feel her breath and hear her heartbeat. He knew that he wasn't acting logically, but as memories flashed through his mind of his mother on her death bed with a racking cough and unable to keep anything down despite his desperate attempts to make something she could eat, he couldn't make himself stop.

Zelda had wound herself around his heart, making a permanent place for herself, and the thought of losing her was devastating. He'd known early on in their relationship he was going to fall hard, but he'd never could have predicted just how hard.

Without a shadow of a doubt he knew he loved her and the thought was as enticing as it was terrifying. He had no fear about her using him or attempting to harm him as past women had done, but did she return the feeling? She'd been betrayed by her own mother to her rapist, both people whom she had trusted implicitly before their betrayals.

Could she love him? And could he live with it if she didn't? Leila had walked away from Vlad when he'd made it clear he couldn't love her, but as Maximus watched Zelda doze, listening to her steady heart beat and congested puffs of air, he doubted he could find the strength to do the same.

Running his hand through her hair, he grimaced when he felt the sweat soaked into the roots and the heat practically pouring off of her. He wasn't sure what he'd do if she needed an emergency bath to cool her off. She already said she refused to have a stranger touching her, but would she accept it if it were him?

He'd have to ask her when she was lucid next. As of yet he'd managed to get her to drink water but anything heavier than that she couldn't hold down. Seeing her retching had flamed the fire of his worry and had tugged on his heart for how miserable she'd looked.

He loathed that the only thing he could do for her was holding her hair back and making sure she drank water. If he could take her illness from her he would in a heartbeat, but he knew that wasn't how things worked.

Curling her closer, he resolved to push his worries down to the best of his ability. He knew he'd been frustrating Zelda with his hovering, she didn't need any extra stress while she was recovering. Sighing, he relaxed as the sound of her heartbeat lulled in to sleep.

When Maximus next woke, the first thing he noticed was an odd warmth at his side. It wasn't the normal heat that naturally radiated from Zelda, no this was much hotter. Cracking an eye open, he sat up with a jolt at Zelda's flushed face. He didn't have to feel her forehead to know she was burning up with a fever.

Forcing his irrational panic down to the best of his ability, he pulled himself away from her side and breezed to the door. "Someone fetch a thermometer, more water, soup and fever medicine." His tone left no room for argument as he turned back around. He had no doubt that his order would be followed post haste as he returned to Zelda's side.

He could hear her heart beating frantically, while the pace wasn't dangerous yet it would be if it got any faster. Uncertainty chewed on his mind as he considered his options. He hadn't had the chance to discuss with Zelda about what she wanted him to do if she needed a bath to cool off, but if her fever was as high as he thought it was…

His thoughts were broken by the knock on the door. Opening it, he came face to face with Leila who wore a worried frown. "Is she alright?"

She held a tray covered with all the things he'd requested which he quickly took while gesturing her inside. "I'm not sure. She's burning up, but I've yet to check her temperature. If it's too high I'll have to cool her down…"

He didn't have to explain further, the look of sympathy Leila shot him broadcasted her understanding. Before she left again, she told him. "I'll mention to Vlad that you need another day to watch over her, possibly a week."

He nodded in gratitude, showing her out before refocusing on Zelda. Maybe he could rouse her long enough to get her permission?

As if in response to his thoughts, she stirred with a groan. Sitting next to her, he stroked his hand through her hair as she slowly came around. "Was going on?" The slur to her voice didn't help his worry but he pushed it to the side for now. There were more important things to focus on.

"I need to ask you something while you're somewhat lucid." She gave him an offended look as she replied.

"I'm perfectly lucid all the time, thank you very much." Her face scrunched up in offense when he chuckled at the pout on her mouth.

"Of course you are, but if your fever spikes any higher I'll need to bath you. I am uncomfortable doing so without your permission." He waited as she processed the words, the fever making her mind run slower.

He knew the second she understood, the pink flush lighting up her cheeks an even darker red than her fever accounted for as she open and closed her mouth. She looked away, mumbling under her breath. "I don't see why not, you've already seen me mostly naked."

He could tell she was uncomfortable with the thought despite her acceptance, so he offered an alternative. "Or if you'd prefer I could wash you with a bathing suit on and help you change out of them when you are lucid?"

She nodded with relief, "I know that you wouldn't do anything, but-." He dropped a kiss on her head to cut her off.

"It's understandable to not want anyone undressing you while you are unable to do so yourself. I don't hold it against you in the slightest."

She curled into his throat, relaxing into him as his arms brought their own form of comfort. This was just one of the reasons why she liked him. He could have just done it without asking her thoughts on the matter, most people would have, but he'd made a point of getting her permission and even when she'd given it, he could tell she wasn't comfortable and offered something else.

She still hoped her fever didn't reach that point, she was already enough trouble to him as it was, but she was glad that if it did get bad he would be there. She remembered many times over the years when fevers would strike and she had only herself for comfort. This was a massive improvement.

"Thank you, have I told you how much I appreciate you lately? I feel like I don't say it enough…" He tugged her more securely to his chest, the praise warming him as he responded in kind.

"You tell me that and more every day, in words and in actions. I never have to wonder where I stand with you, you make sure of it." She hummed happily when he started running his hand through her hair, the light massaging against her scalp making her lean in.

Comfort and exhaustion dragged her back into the abyss of sleep, but not before she muttered. "It's scary, you know."

She continued on, not hearing his question of what was scary. "You're perfect, and I'm already halfway in love with you. But there's no way you'll feel the same."

He stared in surprise as she dozed off, his hand freezing in her hair as he processed the words she'd said in her fever haze. Halfway to being in love with him. No one had ever loved him, not like this anyway. His mother had, of course, but this was different.

All good parents love their children, but for a person to develop such strong emotions for you that they'd be willing to do anything to keep you safe despite having no obligation to…that is love.

The thought that she was even halfway there was equally daunting and exciting. If it took root then there was always the chance it would grow even more and as he stared in wonderment down at the woman contently dozing on his chest, he realized just how much he wanted that.

After the centuries of women only wanting one thing from him, he'd assumed being alone was his punishment from God for his past crimes. But now as the words reverberated inside his head, a deep ache made its home in his chest.

He wanted her to love him, all of him, with nothing held back. And he wanted to adore her in the same all consuming way.

Taking a moment, he breathed in just how it would feel to have their lives so irrevocably connected that neither of them could go a day without the other. His ache grew until it was nearly physical, blinking back the tears of longing, he tightened his arms around her.

She hadn't meant to tell him that, but the fact that she did overjoyed him. He would continue to show her what she meant to him and maybe, if he was lucky, she would be his entirely.

The thought of belonging to her in return sent pleasant chills down his back. Hers. Yes, that fit perfectly…

He allowed himself to slip into sleep, the warm body on top of him reassurance enough that the woman who held his heart in her tiny hands was okay.