"I told you it wasn't just a sneeze."
Willow just whimpered in response to her wife's words and clutched at her head. When she'd sneezed the afternoon before, she'd dismissed it as an isolated event and had to admit, didn't feel wonderful as she was going to sleep, but she wasn't worried – she never got sick.
Except apparently her immune system was to betray her for the first time as when she'd woken up that morning, she felt like her entire body had been run over by a truck and that every breath was like choking on air.
"Everything hurts," she whined, puffing a breath out in frustration.
"I know," Tara replied irately and nasally.
She was too still full of cold and Willow's constant whining since they'd woken up – both having stayed in bed, though Tara was now reconsidering moving to the sofa – was starting to make her headache even worse.
Willow didn't notice the annoyed tone, too consumed with the pounding of her own head, the ache all over her face and entire body and the constant nausea just sitting in her stomach.
"How do people stand this?" she asked, turning on her side away from the blonde, "This is awful. I feel like I'm dying."
Tara just stayed quiet, apart from a short series of sneezes, which made her scowl as her nose throbbed.
Willow reached out to try and grab a tissue to blow her own nose, but found she couldn't without moving. The mere thoughts of having to move her aching muscles made her wince and she felt herself start to become completely overwhelmed when she felt her nose begin to run on top of that.
"Tara..."
Tara's features instantly softened at the forlorn tone of her wife's voice and she felt awful for snapping when she heard the redhead start to sob quietly.
"Oh sweetheart, it's okay," she said, quickly turning and gathering the smaller girl in her arms – both of them lying on their sides with Willow's back to Tara's front – and slipped her hand under her wife's pyjama top, lightly patting her stomach in circles, "Look, tummy rubs. Tummy rubs always make you feel better. It's okay, honey, it's okay."
Willow started to quieten at the comforting touch before piping up softly.
"Will you sing to me?"
Tara moved to rest her head on the smaller girl's shoulder and took a deep breath. She was sure her voice was going to sound horrible since she was completely congested, but Willow had always been so loving and attentive and affectionate to her when she'd been sick and felt awful that so far she'd been nothing but grouchy when the roles were reversed, her own ill feeling no excuse in her opinion. And Willow wanted singing. So singing is what she would get.
Wise men say...
Only fools rush in...
But I can't help...
Falling in love with you...
Tara sang as best she could with her blocked nasal passages, choosing a song that she hoped would work with her gruff voice – Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling In Love'.
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin?
If I can't help...
Falling in love with you...
She continued to lightly rub her hand over Willow's stomach as she sang but the redhead was still sobbing so she squeezed their bodies tightly together.
Like a river flows,
Surely to the sea,
Darling so it goes,
Some things are meant to be.
Willow's sobs started to turn into quiet sniffles and Tara took a deep breath before continuing.
Take my hand,
Take my whole life too,
For I can't help,
Falling in love with you...
Tara felt like she was about to sneeze and sniffed it back so she could continue singing.
Like a river flows surely to the sea,
Darling so it goes,
Some things are meant to be.
Tara cleared her throat as a second sneeze threatened to erupt, effectively stopping it once again.
Take my hand,
Take my whole life too,
For I can't help,
Falling in love with you.
Willow moved to rest her hand over Tara's, the singing doing its job of comforting her completely.
Take my hand,
Take my whole life too,
For I can't help,
Falling in love with you.
For I can't help...
Falling in love...
With...
You...
She trailed off softly and Willow sniffled.
"That was really cheesy."
Tara smiled and placed a kiss on her wife's neck.
"I know."
Willow just sniffled again.
"You're voice is still really sexy even when you're all flu-y."
Tara squeezed the redhead's body tightly and kissed the top of her ear.
"Thank you."
Willow squeezed the hand beneath hers on her stomach.
"Sorry for being the world's worst patient."
"It's okay," Tara replied in a loving whisper, "'Cause you're the world's best wife."
Willow gently turned herself in her wife's arms and looked at her adoringly.
"Kiss, please."
Tara raised an eyebrow.
"That's how we got you into this flu mess in the first place."
"You already got me all germy," Willow protested, "You're not gonna give me more flu. And anyway it was worth getting it to get a smooch from you."
Tara smiled.
"Worth the 'worst headache you've ever had' and feeling like 'a car had slammed into you and that a 'cat was permanently sitting on your face'?"
"Yes," Willow replied before a small smirk played on her lips, "You know how I like having a pussy on my face."
Tara blushed and shook her head with a grin.
"Don't you try to start anything," she said jokingly, "If I tried to go down on you right now I'd probably choke with my blocked nose and that would just ruin our sex life."
Willow giggled and Tara smiled down at her.
"You feeling a little better?"
"I still feel like a cave of bats have set up home in my belly," Willow replied before smiling a grateful smile, "But tummy rubs helped."
Tara started moving her hand on the redhead's stomach.
"How about tummy rubs with a kiss?"
"Finally," Willow murmured playfully as Tara softly covered her lips with her own and gently moved them.
Willow responded softly and was about to push her tongue forwards to deepen the kiss – she may have been feeling like crap, but she was never able to resist smooching time with her wife before she felt a sudden fizzing feeling in the tip of her nose and before she could stop it, had pulled away from the kiss and sneezed.
On Tara.
"Oh baby, I'm so sorry," Willow said, covering her mouth and reaching for a tissue, "I'm so sorry."
Tara took the tissue and wiped her face before shaking her head with a small smile at her wife.
"It's okay," she said before repeating the words Willow had said to her the day before, "I married you, snots and all."
Willow went to lean up for another kiss but was stopped as she was suddenly plagued by a coughing fit.
"Hmmpph," Willow made a noise of disapproval, folding her arms over her chest and pouting, "One thing having the stupid flu make me feel like I've been in a car accident, but denying me Tara-smoochies is just not fair. I'm never gonna feel better and you won't ever kiss me 'cause you say 'snots and all' but-"
Willow cut herself off to take a deep breath, making her pout even more.
"And I can't even babble properly 'cause I can't breathe."
Tara cupped her wife's cheek and stroked the skin under her thumb.
"You're gonna feel better. I feel better today than I did yesterday which means tomorrow you'll feel better than you do today and I bet by the weekend we'll both be good as new. Back to full smooching and babbling health."
"Promise?" Willow asked in a small voice.
"I promise," Tara answered assuredly before lifting her hand and playful dotting a finger against the redhead's nose, "And I would never stop kissing you. In sickness and in health, remember?"
Willow gave a small smile.
"We wrote our own vows."
"Well it was understood," Tara replied, sticking her tongue out before slipping off the bed, "Think you'd be able to manage some toast?"
"But that means you leaving..." Willow replied, pouting again.
The flu was making her feel particularly needy.
"How about this?" Tara asked, perching on the side of the bed, "I'll go and quickly make us some toast and some honey and lemon drinks for our throats and then we can snuggle and maybe try and sleep off the rest of this cold?"
Willow contemplated the idea.
"You'll be really quick?"
"As quick as my ache-y body will move," Tara replied, holding her hand over her heart in promise, then grabbed the pillow she'd been lying on and thrust it into the redhead's hands, "You can cuddle that until I'm back."
Willow smiled as she rested her head on of the pillow.
"Smells like you."
Tara gave a small laugh and stood up.
"I much prefer this version of sick-you."
"I'll try and keep grumpy-Willow to a minimum," Willow replied seriously, "You'll have to accept needy-Willow in her place."
"Oh no, I have to give my wife kisses and cuddles?" Tara asked in mock-exasperation, "I suppose if I have to."
Willow rolled her eyes playfully.
"This flu clearly isn't affecting the sarcastic part of your brain."
Tara just leant down and placed a kiss against the redhead's temple.
"I'll be back in less than 10 minutes."
Willow watched as the blonde left the room and shuffled back down into a lying position, holding the pillow Tara had given her against her front. She closed her eyes and focused on her body for a moment, deciding she did feel a little better than she had when she had first woken up and put it down to the comfort she'd received from her wife.
The thought pleased her even more and she spent the next few minutes just resting until she heard a small clattering and sat up as she saw Tara re-entering the room carrying a small tray with a plate of toast and two mugs.
"Here you go, sweetheart. Careful, the mugs are hot."
Tara put the tray down on the nightstand and picked up one mug, handing the other to the smaller girl before climbing back into the bed.
"Mmhh, this really soothes your throat," Willow said as she took a sip of the honey and lemon drink, "Thanks, baby."
"You're welcome," Tara smiled, sipping her own drink.
They both quietly ate some of the toast and finished their drinks before Willow settled back into the bed and turned on her side, reaching behind and pulling Tara to her, indicating she wanted to be spooned. The blonde, of course, complied and rested her hand over her wife's stomach again, which made Willow sigh happily.
"Mmhh, Tara-snuggles. The only real cure for the common cold."