Sick Day:
AN: Kinda short, and kinda meh, but here ya go!
"I'm hooooommmmme!" Gajeel called as he threw his front door open.
There was no response.
"Huh," Gajeel arched an eyebrow as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He shed his winter coat, shaking off the snow before hanging it up. Usually by now Persephone and Koree would have tackled him and Levy would be following close behind them, smiling. But no such thing was happening.
Gajeel heard a loud crashing noise from the kitchen. He picked up the pace as he headed that way, brow furrowed. Something wasn't right, he could feel it. As he stepped through the kitchen door he found Levy, dressed in a crumpled set of pajamas that smelled like they'd been on her for two days straight. He hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush since then either. She had bags under her eyes. Her nose was red. She didn't even notice him as she groaned and bent over to clean up the shards of the dishes she'd apparently dropped and shattered.
"Lev?" Gajeel asked, taken a back at seeing his wife in this state.
Levy jumped and looked up, sighing in relief. "Oh, Gajeel! Thank Mavis!"
"What happened to you?" Gajeel exclaimed.
"Flu season," Levy grumbled horsely. "That's what happened."
"Oh," Gajeel nodded as he knelt down next to her and began helping her clean up the broken dishes. "Which kid got it?"
"Both of them!" Levy groaned. "They've been in bed three days str-" she suddenly began coughing.
Gajeel frowned as he pressed a hand to her forehead. "They ain't the only ones that got it."
"I'm fine," Levy waved his hand off, voice hoarse. "Just haven't slept since I don't know when. But I'm-"
"No, you're not," Gajeel grabbed her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.
"Gajeel, put me down!" Levy shouted, beating against his back.
"I will in a minute, geez," he rolled his eyes, opened the door to their bedroom, and set Levy onto their bed.
"Gajeel…" Levy frowned as she sat up and turned to face him, arms crossed.
"Don't 'Gajeel' me," he said, pulling the blankets back. "You're burning up with a fever shrimp, now lie down!"
He gently pushed her onto her back and tucked her in. "Now, you stay put. I'm gonna go check on the girls, clean up that mess in the kitchen, and I'll be right back."
"I said I was fin-"
"Stay. Put." Gajeel bopped her on the nose, a warning frown on his face.
Levy sighed, defeated, crossing her arms. "Fine. I'll stay. But only because I haven't slept in three days and I'm exhausted."
"Whatever you say, Lev," Gajeel sighed as he turned and exited their room, heading for the door at the other end of the hall. He pushed it open and found two tiny lumps curled up under the blankets of their beds on either side of the room.
"Rugrats?" he called softly, walking to the closest bed.
"Daddy?" Koree asked hoarsely, lifting her head.
"Hey, Koree," Gajeel knelt down next to her and gently pushed her hair out of her face. "Heard you and Sephy are sick."
"Mm-hmm," Koree groaned, shuddering as she drew her blankets closer around her. "My head hurts. And my throat hurts. And my chest hurts. And my-"
"Alright, I get the picture, kiddo," Gajeel gently patted her head.
"We're gonna die!" Persephone lamented from where she lay on the other bed.
"No you're not," Gajeel sighed as he walked over and knelt next to her. "You just might feel like it for a while."
"I can't even use my archive anymore I'm so sick," Persephone grumbled, shivering as she pulled her blanekts tighter.
"Well, good. You shouldn't use magic while sick," Gajeel said. "You'll use up too much energy you should use healing."
"What ener-?" Persephone began coughing, loud wracking coughs that shook her entire tiny body.
"Ugh," Gajeel sighed. "I bet a bit of chicken soup wil help with that."
"Uh-uh," Persephone shook her head, still shivering. "Not hungry."
"You gotta eat, Sephy," Gajeel said plainly as he stood up. "I'll be back in a minute. You two hold tight."
"I don't think we really have a choice," Koree grumbled.
"Heh, guess not, eh?" Gajeel asked as he stepped back into the hall and made his way to the kitchen. He swept up the broken dishes, then began rumaging through the freezer for some frozen chicken that he then put in a pot of water on the stove. As he worked the house's communication lacrima began to buzz.
"Yeah, who is it?" Gajeel asked as he activated it.
"Glad to see you're in a good mood!" Natsu's voice called as his face appeared.
"Whadda ya want, Salamander?"
"Heard you were back from a job."
"Yeah, what's it to you?"
"Well, Sting and Rogue are coming down for some kind of business, so Wendy and I were wondering if all us 1st and 3r generation dragon slayers-"
"Can't. I got three sick ladies to look after. Thanks for the invite anyways, though."
"Yeesh," Natsu's brow furrowed in concern. "Need any help? Need us to send anything?"
"Erm…" Gajeel scratched the back of his head. "I dunno. I'll get back with ya if I do, though."
"Alright, well, keep us posted."
"Will do. And tell ol'Rogue he still owes me a song!"
Natsu chuckled. "Will do!"
He signed off and Gajeel went back to fixing the soup. As he cooked he looked about for medicine and vitamins. He soon found what he was looking for and made up a tray with two small bowls of soup, two cups of hot tea, and two sets of vitamins. He carried the tray back to the twins room and sat down between the beds.
"Alright, here ya go," he said, setting the tea cups on both of the girls' nightstands. Koree slowly lifted her head and reached for the mug.
"Don't worry, I put an unholy amount of sugar in it, just for you," Gajeel assured her.
Koree smiled softly as she took a sip. "Thanks, Daddy."
"Here," Gajeel took Koree's hand and dropped the vitamins into it. "Take these."
Koree frowned in disgust, but did as she was told, grimacing at the taste.
"Atta girl," Gajeel patted her back as he reached for the bowl of soup. "Here, sit up o you can eat."
Koree did so, albeit slowly, and Gajeel set the bowl in her hands. She took a spoonful.
"I can't taste anything," she grumbled.
"Well, that happens when you're sick sometimes," Gajeel said, turning to his other daughter. "Sephy, you gotta eat and take your medicine too."
Persephone just groaned, pulling the blankets over her head.
"She's been sick longer than I have," Koree said hoarsely. "I think she's gotten worse today."
Gajeel's brow furrowed in worry as he walked over and set a hand on Persephone's head. Yikes! She was boiling.
"Hang on a mintute," he said as he left the room. He came back with a cold rag and set it on Persephone's forehead. She winced and hissed at the change in temperature, shivering.
"I know, I know, but we gotta get that fever down, kid," Gajeel crooned as he picked up Persephone's mug and held it to her lips. "Here, drink."
Persephone cracked one eye open as she took a sip.
"Good girl, now take this," Gajeel set the vitamins in her mouth and then held the cup back up for her to drink. She began coughing again, so Gajeel had to wait until she stopped to give her the rest of the vitamins. Once she reluctantly swallowed them down he began spoon feeding the soup to her. It was slow going, as she began coughing about every three bites, but somehow he managed to get her to eat the whole thing. Koree had already finished hers and had curled up to go back to sleep when he was done feeding Persephone.
"I think you better follow sis' example and try to sleep," Gajeel said as he stood up and began collecting the dishes. Persephone didn't say anything, or nod, she just closed her eyes. Gajeel put all the dishes in the kitchen sick, got two more cold rags, and set the on his sleeping daughter's heads, replacing the one he'd already put on Persephone. He smiled slightly at noticing the temperature drop on Persephone's brow. It wasn't much. She still had a fever, but she wasn't piping hot anymore.
The girls now taken care of, he began preparing another tray for Levy. She was sound asleep when he walked into their bedroom, snoring a bit because of her stopped up nose.
"Now that just aint fair," Gajeel whispered to himself. "No one should still look that cute while having the flu."
He hated to wake her. He knew she was tired. But there was no telling when the last time she had a decent meal was. And he'd almost bet his whole reward from his last job she hadn't taken any medicine, stubborn woman. He set the tray on the night stand and gently shook her shoulder.
"Lev?"
"Hm?" she asked, slowly opening her eyes.
"Here," Gajeel passed her the cup of tea. She sat up and began drinking it. Gajeel set the rest of the tray in her lap.
"Alright, you eat up and take your medicine while I run you a bath."
"Gajeel, you don't have t-"
"Eat your soup, Shrimp," he cut her off as he walked into their bathroom and turned the water on. She sighed as she did as she was told. She'd just finished off the last of the soup when he came back, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to the tub. He helped her wash, massaging her scalp as he worked the shampoo through her hair, doing wonders for the headache poudning behind her brow. He then got an already heated, fluffy towel for her, helped her step into a fresh set of pajamas, and carried her back to bed.
"If I didn't know any better I would think you're just using this cold as an excuse to baby me," Levy chuckled as he picked up her hair brush and sat down behind her.
"Cold? You got the flu, Shrimp," Gajeel said as he began to gently work out the knots and tangles. "And what if I am? You spent three days taking care of two sick kids by yourself while also being sick. I'd say you earned a bit of babying."
"Hm…" Lecy smiled, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of his fingers in her hair.
"Besides, I'm your husband, it's my job to baby you."
"If you say so."
"I do. Now get some rest. I'll be around if you need me," Gajeel set the brush back down and gave her a small peck on the cheek.
"Don't do that! You'll get sick too!" Levy scolded.
"Eh, I'll be fine," he shrugged as he began to walk to the hall.
"Thank you," Levy smiled as she closed her eyes to go to sleep.
"Just doin' my job, Lev. Ya don't have to thnk me."
"Yes I do. Just because 'it's your job' doesn't mean you shouldn't be appreciated for it."
"Whatever. Go to sleep you weirdo."
"Will do," she sighed, slumber quickly overtaking her.
Gajeel smiled as he leaned against their bedroom door frame, watching her sleep for a little while. He waited until she was good and asleep before walking back to her and giving her another peck on the cheek before heading into the hall.
"'Don't do that, you'll get sick too,'" he scoffed. "I'll kiss my wife whenever and however I want, thank you very much!"