A/N: Hello Friends!
I'm sorry for the delay in uploading, I was hospitalized for a week and am still working on sorting myself out. Things have been tough, and I'm not even back at work yet... Anyhow, I know this is nothing really but I wanted to give you all ~something~ for the time being. More will be coming.
"Okay my loves," Olivia addresses both Rafael and Noah at once, "I have to go to work for a few hours so you two are on your own for a bit." The sympathy and pity mixed on her face gives her an almost pained looked.
Rafael and Noah have both managed to contract a stomach bug simultaneously and would be staying home together hoping to get better. Rafael is convinced that they got the bug from when the two of them were at the grocery store last night and there seemed to be a gaggle of children who, to Raf, looked unnaturally pale, not to mention the clerk who herself had some sort of infection, Rafael would swear to it.
Mumbling to himself Rafael shuffles his way around Olivia back to their bedroom, "I am never doing the grocery shopping again."
But, because he is sick, and can't quite hear properly Rafa's words are louder than he intends them to be. Olivia hears but decides to ignore the sentiment, she thinks she would feel the same way if she were in his place.
Shrugging her bag onto her shoulder Olivia exits the apartment to go to the precinct for some paperwork that the brass has been waiting on. If it were up to her Olivia would be staying home to help nurse her boys back to health, but it isn't so she steps out into the hot Spring day that has fallen over the city.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Raf and Noah are moaning in their joint discomfort.
From inside the bathroom Raf hears the weak voice of his son, "Papí? Will you help me get back in bed?"
Rafael feels awful himself, but, knowing that his son is feeling this way is definitely worse. Shuffling his feet to the bathroom Raf makes his way over to Noah where he opens up the blanket that he wrapped around his body earlier and raises Noah into his arms.
"Let's lay down in in Mamí y Papí's bed together and try to get some sleep, okay?" Rafael suggests, already moving in that direction. Raf feels Noah's head shift once in what he assumes no be an agreement.
Setting Noah on the bed Rafael presses his lips to Noah's forehead before shuffling away to fetch each of them a glass of ginger ale. When Rafael finally returns he is exhausted from all the movement. The two of them had been up multiple times during the night vomiting which had carried through this morning and now both are worn out and still queasy. Raf sets the glasses on his bedside table only to crawl into bed behind Noah. The young man had already selected a show for them to have on while they fell asleep, Planet Earth.
"I like the way his voice sounds," explains Noah as Rafael makes himself comfortable in his big spoon position.
All the response Rafael gives in return is an agreeable hum. It only takes minutes for both sets of eyes to slip closed and sleep to pull them under with the soothing sound of David Attenborough's soft whispering tones gliding easily to their ears. Snuggled close together as they are Rafael and Noah's feverish bodies quickly begin to sweat. Before long, however, the fevers break and start to sweat out.
Waking 90 minutes later Rafael is blinking awake and finds that he still has Noah in a strong grasp in the circle of his arms and that both of them have sweat so much that their clothes are sticking to them.
Regretfully he shakes Noah awake, "Noh, mi amor, wake up for a minute, we have to change."
Moaning, and with bleary eyes Noah blinks awake and looks to his father, "m'kay Papí." Though he makes no movements right away.
Eventually both of them push themselves upright. Rafael shivers as he peels his now sticky sweat pants and t-shirt from his body and replaces them with the first two comfortable things his hands land on. Once he redresses himself Raf moves back over to the bed and to Noah who sits patiently waiting with his arms raised.
When Noah is in his dad's arms he clings to him like a barnacle with all four limbs. Noah and Rafael quickly repeat the process of changing clothes.
"How is your tummy feeling hijo?" Raf softly inquires.
"It's okay, I'm mostly just tired now." Noah let's Raf know with his head dropped onto his shoulder.
Sharing the feeling Raf nods and rubs his cheek on Noah's, earning a tiny giggle, as he brings them back to bed. "Let's get some more rest," Raf suggests, depositing Noah onto the bed and crawling in behind him once again. Planet Earth is still streaming on the television and both easily fall asleep again.
After being in the office for four hours Olivia rolls her shoulders and packs her things and go home. She makes her way home blessedly quickly, which she won't question the circumstances leading to her luck. It is a short twenty minutes after leaving the 1-6 that Olivia is letting herself into the apartment. Things are quiet when she steps inside, but that is to be expected with sick housemates. Shedding her shoes, jacket, and bag Olivia moves around unhurried.
Eventually she finds the sleeping figures of Noah and Rafael where they are lying in Raf and Liv's bed. They are adorably spooned together underneath the comforter on Raf's side of the bed. The television is on but Netflix is asking whether they are still there, rather than playing a video. Liv can feel a tug of her heartstrings at the sight of them. There was a time in Olivia's life where a happiness like what she is feeling now even existed, let alone felt obtainable. She slips her phone's camera on with a swipe of her thumb and snaps a lovely, cuddly, pic of her family knowing that the image will always contain this warm pleasant feeling she holds in her belly. Liv's eyes flick over the shot and determine it worthy of keeping before she replaces her phone in her pants once more.
With a soundless laugh Olivia switches the television off and pads her way into the living room. On her way there Liv makes a detour to the kitchen to grab a snack and a water bottle. She settles herself on the couch with her kindle and gets comfortable to begin to read.
About 150 pages later Olivia hears some gruff rumbles from the bedroom followed shortly by slow shuffling sounds of Raf coming Liv's way. Twisting her torso Olivia looks over the back of the couch and spots Raf and Noah looking endearingly ruffled.
Upon seeing his mother Noah perks up, to the extent that he can, "hello Momma!" He does managed a tone of excitement.
"Hello my sweet boys," Liv greets the two of them, standing up and going to them.
Raf gives her a weak smile and a, "hey," before he sets Noah on the counter. "We're both feeling a little hungry -"
"That's great!" Liv injects.
"Yeah," Rafael continues, "so we are going to make some toast, and even try our luck with some cream cheese."
Olivia stands at the counter, next to where Noah is seated, leaning on her hip. She reaches out for Noah, who goes readily into her arms. Pressing her lips to Noah's forward Liv feels his temperature has dropped.
"Would you like some apple slices while you eat your toast?" Liv asks. Both boys answer in the affirmative so Olivia obliges them.
On her way to the fridge for an apple Olivia hooks a hand into the bend of Rafael's elbow and tugs until is facing her. The smile she receives is very tired but his eyes are as loving as ever.
Stepping close Liv whispers, "have you brushed your teeth?"
With furrowed brows Rafael simply nods his answer to her. Giggling at his confusion Olivia presses her lips to his, hoping the action will make clear why she asked. A squeaky moan emtis from Raf's throat and then Liv feels his smile and knows he understands now, and he kisses her once in return before they both move on.
Their small family munches in near silence, happy to simply be together, and with considerably less vomit than 12 hours prior. Olivia decides she will have some toast alongside them, so that she will not cause any stomach upset with anything more daring, or aromatic. She suggests they both shower, rightfully assuming that being clean would help them feel better still. They spend the rest of the day relaxing to get to feeling completely better.
Neither Rafael or Olivia, if they were to think about it, could really believe that there was a time this wasn't their norm, things felt so right, so natural and all three family members, and Lucy, easily fell back into routine after the sick day.
A/N: Thanks, as ever, for reading!
xx