Anon sent a prompt saying they wanted: Shelby to have a nightmare, one of them to get sick, and for them to get a cat. Am I writing two fics in one day? Yes. Do I have a life? ...No. Enjoy!

The Blind Date AU pt. 17

"I'm not sick." Audrey said, although her blocked nose was audible as she spoke. It was still winter and Audrey and Shelby had gone shopping in the city. Shelby was certain Audrey had caught something from the person who had been behind them at the checkout.

"Audrey, please, just lay down. You need to rest." Shelby said, gently yet firmly laying Audrey on the bed.

"I'm not sick! You're being ridiculous. I can't even remember the last time I was sick." Audrey said, struggling to sit up since Shelby had laid her down. "Besides, you can hardly expect me to stay in bed all day. I'm dressed. I'm ready to go out. You promised we'd have lunch together. You can't break a promise!"

"I didn't say we had to go out." Shelby said with a smile. "Just relax, I'll look after you. I know hundreds of home remedies. Some of them are in my book."

"I'm not sick." Audrey repeated. "I'm completely fine. Let me get up."

"Fine. If you're not sick then I guess you'll let me kiss you." Shelby said, hiding a smirk.

Audrey paused for a moment. "Of course you can kiss me." she said hesitantly.

Shelby smiled, leaning in for a kiss with puckered lips. Audrey slowly leaned away the closer Shelby got. "Stop moving." Shelby said with a pout.

"I'm not moving."

"Yes you are." Shelby said, holding Audrey's face in her hands. She leaned in to kiss her again.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sick. Stop! Don't catch it." Audrey said, trying to push Shelby away.

Shelby giggled. "I knew it." she hummed, pulling away. "Now, don't move an inch. I'll do everything." she said, bringing out the warmest pyjamas and woolly socks. She slowly helped Audrey out of her clothes.

"I'm not a vegetable, you know. I can dress myself." Audrey said, still letting Shelby dress her.

Shelby hushed her, putting Audrey in the warm pyjamas and socks. When she was finished she covered Audrey with the sheets and quilts before putting her clothes away. She rushed away, coming back with several blankets and cushions. Audrey sighed dramatically as Shelby covered her with several blankets and positioned the cushions around her.

"And how exactly will a nest of cushions help me get better?" Audrey asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I can't let you spend all day in bed feeling uncomfortable." Shelby said with a smile. She went to peck Audrey on the cheek but quickly remembered that she couldn't.

Audrey whined loudly at this. "This is rubbish." she muttered.

"I can kiss you again soon... Or I could just risk it." Shelby said with a smile.

"Don't you dare. This is a terrible cold. I can hardly breathe. I have a headache. My nose is somehow running and dry."

"I know just how to fix that!" Shelby said before rushing away yet again. Audrey groaned softly.

Shelby made some tomato soup, using a range of ingredients that would help with Audrey's cold. She set it to boil before finding a cloth and filling a bowl with hot water. She found a humidifier and plugged it in beside Audrey's bed. Audrey watched helplessly from the bed as Shelby fussed over her. Shelby pressed the warm, damp cloth to Audrey's nose. "This will help unblock your nose and so will the humidifier." Shelby explained.

"Couldn't you choose just one out of the two?" Audrey asked.

"...No." Shelby replied. "Oh, and I made my own homemade version of VapoRub. I saw it on Pintrest. I'll go get it." she said, putting the cloth back in the warm water and scurrying away. Shelby came back with a small Mason jar which had her cream in it. She unbuttoned the top part of Audrey's shirt to apply it, rubbing it on her chest.

"Is all this really necessary?" Audrey asked, watching Shelby.

"Of course it is." Shelby said, buttoning Audrey's top up again and putting the jar on the bedside beside the humidifier and bowl of hot water. She rushed away again, pouring the hot (but not too hot) soup into a bowl. She set the kettle to boil. She was sure a herbal tea would help too. It definitely wouldn't hurt.

"Is that tomato soup?" Audrey asked from the bed. "My mother used to make that for me all the time when I got sick." she said with a reminiscent smile.

"I thought you couldn't remember the last time you got sick." Shelby said with a grin, setting the soup down on the side table and helping Audrey sit up properly. She set the tray down before putting the soup bowl on it along with a spoon. This would count as their lunch they were supposed to have together, Shelby decided.

"Thank you, Shelby." Audrey said, although her tone was definitely sarcastic.

"There's more." Shelby said, rushing away again. She brewed the tea nicely, bringing in the mug and putting it on the side table. "Is the soup any good?" she asked, pulling up a chair and sitting beside Audrey.

"It's delicious. Thank you." Audrey said with a smile. This time her words were more genuine. "It's almost as good as my mother's."

"Almost?"

"Almost. She uses a little less basil...and less garlic."

"I only added those because they're the ingredients you need." Shelby said with a smile. "I've never spoken to your mother. Or your father. Or any of your family, actually."

"We're...not exactly that close anymore. Not since I moved, at least. Well, they used to call and I did too, but..." Audrey bit the inside of her cheek. "Let's just say they're not nearly as accepting as your family."

"They...they don't like me?" Shelby asked softly. She looked as devastated as she felt.

"No, no. It's not that. I'm sure they would have loved you under any other circumstance... it's just that..." Audrey sighed. "They think love and marriage should be between a man and a woman."

Shelby was still devastated. She had dreamed of going on a trip to Europe with Audrey and meeting her parents in England. "I don't understand." Shelby said softly. She couldn't understand why her loving Audrey as much as she did was somehow viewed as wrong. She loved her. She would give her life for her. Wasn't that enough?

"They don't know any better." Audrey said, drinking her soup. She didn't know what else to say. There was nothing she could do but live her life how she wanted.

Shelby had been taken off guard by this new information. "You know I love you, don't you?" she asked quietly.

Audrey laughed softly. "Of course I know you love me. Look at me. I'm under at least ten blankets, I'm in a nest of cushions, you've used multiple home remedies on me, you made me soup, you made me tea, and, best of all, you made me happy." Audrey said with a smile. "Corny, I know." she said, putting the empty soup bowl on the beside table.

Shelby smiled, quickly snuggling up to Audrey. She kissed her collarbone and hugged the best she could through the blankets. "I love you so much." Shelby said into the blankets.

"I love you too." Audrey said, stroking Shelby's hair. "Now, I think a nap is in order." she said, scooting down to lie flat on her back. "You shouldn't lay so close. You'll get sick."

Shelby sighed, pulling away and sitting in her chair. She drank Audrey's tea since the other woman was busy sleeping. She didn't want it to go to waste. When Shelby had finished the warm tea and she was sure Audrey was asleep, she cuddled up beside her again. She couldn't help herself. The warm drink made her sleepy and she missed Audrey's touch.

The both of them slept easily, the smells of Shelby's home remedies filling the room. It was almost therapeutic.

...

Shelby and Audrey woke up some time later. The sun was setting and the day was over. Audrey took a deep breath through her nose before looking at Shelby. "I think you might have cured me." Audrey said with a smile. She paused a moment. "Hey, I said not to sleep near me."

"I couldn't help it! You were so soft and warm and I got sleepy." Shelby said, stretching and yawning.

"You're going to get sick." Audrey warned.

"It doesn't matter." Shelby said with a smile. "I know you'll take care of me."

"Not nearly as well as you've taken care of me."

"Still." Shelby said, leaning up to kiss Audrey's cheek.

Audrey sighed softly. "We couldn't last a day apart." Audrey said as she started stroking Shelby's hair. "I love you."

"I love you too, Audrey." Shelby said, cuddling Audrey a little closer. Shelby smiled as she rested against Audrey again. Everything was more comfortable with her.

...

I've got a couple more prompts left but I need more if you guys want me to keep going! Don't forget to follow and review for more updates!