AN: So no real warning for this chapter... just a sick aren later...
The couple sat in silence as they ate dinner in the smaller more personal dining room rather than the larger formal dining hall. Since it was winter Aren had made them some nice warm chicken soup which somehow made her feel a lot better. After they ate Aren washed up the dishes before following Cross up to bed. Both changed in silence and got into bed without a word. It wasn't an awkward silence, there just wasn't anything to say and they both understood that.
In bed Aren laid on her side with her back to Cross as Cross laid behind her with his arm draped over her. It didnt take long for either of them to fall asleep. In the morning the alarm went off at about six. It took Cross a little bit before he actually woke up and shut the alarm off. Once awake he looked over at Aren who was sound asleep. It was unusual for her to not be up before him or to not hit him awake when the alarm went off and she didn't want to get up. Shrugging it off Cross got out of bed heading to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready to go meet Kanda at his office.
Even after his shower and he got dressed Cross was a little surprised to find Aren still fast asleep. Cross was actually starting to worry but the way he thought about it was that he had really only known her for a few months so maybe she just had lazy days. Deciding that maybe Aren had lazy days Cross let her sleep and left heading into the city to his office to meet Kanda. When Cross came back home he went back up to Aren's room to check on her since she hadn't answered any of his texts or calls.
"Aren. Hey Aren." Cross called as he gently shook Aren who was still asleep. Aren groaned rolling over so her back was to Cross.
"Five more minutes..." Aren mumbled half asleep as she hid her face in the pillow.
"You've slept through the whole day. It's literally been like twelve hours since I left this morning." Cross replied sitting on the edge of the bed reaching over placing his hand on Aren's forehead. Aren moaned softly as she placed her hand over Cross' hand which was cool to the touch.
"You have a fever." Cross commented feeling how warm Aren was to the touch. Aren simply grumbled something in response still holding Cross' cool hand to her forehead. It felt really good to have Cross' cool hand against her overly warm forehead. Cross sighed softly as he realized he was basically trapped by Aren since she was now hugging his arm with his hand still on her forehead. Carefully Cross climbed into the bed with Aren but sat with his back against the headboard letting Aren hold onto his arm.
A few hours later Aren's grandfather knocked on the door before walking into the room. Aren was still asleep but now had her head in Cross' lap as Cross sat on the bed reading silently. Since Cross was trapped by Aren he had decided to do some reading to pass the time. So he had a stack of books on the night stand which he had collected when he had left Aren for a few moments to also get her some medicine and water.
"Hey... How is she feeling?" Adam asked looking down at his granddaughter who was still asleep. Somehow even though she was sick Aren still looked peaceful and young even though she was already an adult who was married and living her own life now.
"Her fever has gone down some... But she's still sleeping a lot." Cross replied quietly so he wouldn't wake Aren up. Aren needed as much sleep as possible so she could get better sooner. Adam looked from Aren to Cross who was still reading his book holding the book in one hand while his other hand rest on Aren's side. Adam smiled softly when he saw the newly couple seeming to get along rather well. Adam knew Cross even before he had suggested that Cross and Aren get married, Cross was usually rather cold and distant but he seemed to be rather warm towards Aren. Or at least he was more gentle with her and willing to tend to her when she was sick.
"Okay. I'll leave you two alone. If you need anything let us know." Adam said softly before he left the room quietly closing the door behind him. Cross stopped reading to look down at Aren after Adam had left. Carefully with his free hand Cross gently brushed some of Aren's hair out of her face so he could see her better. Aren's cheeks weren't as red as they had been before and she wasn't breathing as heavily as when he had first seen her. Aren really seemed to be better now after so much sleep and some medication.
At about midnight Aren woke up curled up against Cross who was now asleep with his book on his chest. Though Cross was more laying now than sitting up like he had been before. Carefully Aren moved Cross so he was properly laying down and set his book down on the night stand before she got out of bed slowly so she wouldn't wake Cross up. First Aren went to the bathroom before she went down to the kitchen to get something to eat. She was starving since she hadn't eaten all day thanks to all of her sleeping. She was a little sluggish from over sleeping but managed to get downstairs to the kitchen with little trouble.
In the kitchen Aren heated up some soup that someone had made and left in the fridge for her. As Aren sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen eating her soup she was startled causing her to drop the spoon into the bowl. Cross had scared her by suddenly sitting beside her at the breakfast bar. She hadn't heard him come into the kitchen or seen him till he sat down beside her so of course she had been spooked. Sighing softly Aren picked her spoon up and started to eat again.
"If you're going to move someone, try to be more careful..." Cross commented half asleep. He had actually been up since Aren had moved him so he was laying down but had been too tired to really move at first.
"Sorry... You just didn't look comfortable the way you were sleeping... Were you watching over me?" Aren asked pausing her eating to glance over at Cross who said nothing. His silence was answer enough for Aren. Even though they hadn't been married long Aren was slowly learning how to interpret Cross even when he wouldn't say anything. "Thank you..." Aren said quietly with a soft smile before she started to eat again.
"Feeling better?" Cross asked as he stood up walking over to the fridge to find something to eat. He had missed dinner since he had still been trapped by Aren when it had been time to eat dinner.
"Yes. Sorry. I have a tendency to get sick but usually it doesn't last long." Aren replied before covering her mouth and nose with a napkin as she sneezed. Well she mostly felt better. For now. "Well... Sneezing is common..."
"Yes. Usually she goes from a high fever for a day, then sneezing and sniffling, and sometimes throwing up, for a week...or so..." Tyki commented as he walked into the kitchen with a smile. What, was everyone in the house awake at midnight?
"Its not always that bad..." Aren retorted before sneezing again and groaning. Cross wasn't surprised by the sneezing since she had actually done that a lot as she had been laying upstairs. He figured her fever had been too high for her to remember waking up often to have sneezing fits.
"You're right. Sometimes its worse. There are times you have a fever for days, throw up even water constantly and look a lot like Rudolph the red nose reindeer." Tyki replied with an amused grin making Aren scoff and roll her eyes.
"Why are you awake?" Aren asked to change the subject, she had a clearly annoyed tone when she spoke.
"Because I just got home from picking Sheryl up at the airport." Tyki answered sneaking a beer out of the fridge that Cross was still searching through for food. Cross grumbled at Tyki for getting in his way but didn't really do anything to stop Tyki.
"Oh. Does Sheryl really know about Road's new boyfriend?" Aren asked setting her spoon down in her bowl of half eaten soup since she couldn't eat anymore and because she was talking now.
"Yes... He's met Lavi...he doesn't really approve. But he knows if he tries to stop Road he runs the risk of her hating him or doing something rash. So he lets her date Lavi." Tyki replied leaning against the counter facing Aren before drinking some of his beer. Aren could never understand how Tyki could drink alcohol especially beer since it smelled so gross. Aren didn't even like kissing Cross after he had been drinking since she could taste it if they kissed deeply. Which Cross had actually been drinking less and Aren wondered if that had anything to do with truth he felt like an ass for having even considered asking Aren to make food for him right now.
"Aren..." Cross started but stopped when Aren sneezed again. After Aren recovered from her sneeze she lowered the napkin sniffling as she looked to Cross.
"Yes...?" Aren asked wondering what Cross wanted.
"Nothing... Forget it..." Cross replied shaking his head as he just pulled out a gallon of milk from the fridge closing the door. Since Aren was still clearly sick Cross wasn't going to ask her to make him anything to eat. One because it was fucked up to ask a sick person to make food, and two because... well... mainly he only had one reason since he couldn't use the whole not wanting to get sick too thing as an excuse to hide that he was a nice guy. If he was worried about getting sick he wouldn't have let her curl up on him earlier or even share the same bed as her. Aren watched confused as Cross made himself a bowl of cereal before giggling a little. It was amusing to watch Cross prepare his own food.
"Shut up. I can cook. I just don't want to." Cross huffed knowing why Aren was giggling.
"No... I imagine you can cook... Its just funny watching you make yourself a bowl of cereal. Its the most casual food making process ever." Aren replied still giggling. "It makes you seem so much more... well...casual... Like a normal person. Not the boss of the Irish mafia." Aren explained still giggling before she stopped to sneeze again.
"I'm just as human as you." Cross muttered as he put away the cereal and milk. Picking up his bowl and a spoon Cross sat back down next to Aren again at the breakfast bar.
"I know you are." Aren smiled at Cross. Since she couldn't explain her thinking of Cross she didn't say anything because she didn't want to say something wrong and him get the wrong idea. Till she thought of a way to at least convey some of what she thought. "You're my husband... So to me you seem... so much more than any other man. So I guess its easy to forget you are able to be so casual. To me you seem like you could do anything at all."
"Except eat cereal..." Cross retorted but not in a mean manner. Which of course made Aren laugh a little.
"Yes... except eat cereal..." Aren agreed though she was obviously kidding. After Cross finished eating he put their bowls in the sink. Tyki had left them alone some time ago when Aren had tried to explain how she viewed Cross since that seemed to be a personal moment. When Aren stood up Cross led her back up to her room and made her get into bed. Since she was still clearly sick she needed so sleep. As they laid in bed Cross handed her a tissue from off the nightstand when Aren started to sneeze again. Aren laughed a little and thanked Cross before she blew her nose and threw the tissue away in the small trash can by her bed. Even though she was sick Cross still held Aren close as they settled down for sleep.
Aren was still sick after they woke up in the morning but it wasn't so bad. She was still able to function normally, she just sneezed a lot and had a stuffy nose. So the entire week Cross carried around tissues in his pocket in case he was near her and she needed tissues. That one small act alone let everyone in Aren's family know that Cross really did care for her even if he himself didn't realize it.
