Day 5 – Alt. Prompt: "I could really use a hug right about now."

Moffitt's tall frame was slumped over his desk, unable to focus on anything in front of him. A steaming cup of tea was nearby, but he hadn't touched it. The only thing in use on the desk was a box of tissues. A trash can next to the desk was overflowing with tissues. Moffitt's head was aching and his body was racked with chills. He sighed, sniffed, and pulled another tissue from the box.

He didn't notice his wife, Vanora, coming into the room. "Jack, you need to be in bed resting."

"I'm too uncomfortable for bed," Moffitt murmured, struggling to muster the strength to talk normally. He rubbed under his eyes, wincing at the immense pressure pulsing from his sinuses.

"You'll still feel better lying down instead of staring at your work. Come on, love."

"It's too cold."

"That's your fever, Jack." Vanora stepped over to gently place her hand on Moffitt's forehead. "You're still warm. You really need to go rest."

"I want to keep myself occupied. I can't just lie in bed all day."

"Your tea will help you sleep."

Moffitt sighed again. "You know, you didn't have to take the day off for me."

"You're sick, and I never would have found out if your father didn't call me. Honestly, I'm glad he did. I didn't want to prepare a presentation for the children visiting the university today."

"I thought you enjoyed working with children."

"Oh, I do, but writing out something catered to them?" Vanora shook her head. "Someone else can do it. I'm much better at working with them directly. Now, I don't have to worry about it, because I have you to take care of." Vanora started rubbing Moffitt's shoulders. "Does this help at all, love?"

"It does." Moffitt couldn't help but moan with pleasure.

"You're very tense, Jack."

"That's because I've been shivering all bloody day." Moffitt welcomed the pressure Vanora was applying to the muscles in his shoulders. They were indeed tight and badly knotted from his stiff posture. "Could you just do this until I get better?"

"I wish. You need to sleep."

"I'm tired, but I can't sleep. I tried taking a nap on the couch after coming home, but… just couldn't, for some reason."

"So now you're grumpy because you can't rest."

"Yes." Moffitt looked down at the desk again. "I am so tired that I can't even properly form thoughts." He closed his eyes when he felt Vanora stop rubbing his shoulders and start massaging his head, running her fingers through his soft, short, dark hair. She gently pressed his scalp and the back and sides of his head, sending feelings of pleasure just short of euphoria through his entire body. "I'm already a very weak man, darling," Moffitt sighed. "You don't need to make me weaker."

"Weak? I thought this would give you a little strength, love," Vanora said, smirking.

"Oh, the strength will come later." For the first time that day, Moffitt smiled. "You've always had such a fantastic way with me. You've tickled me academically, emotionally, and physically."

"Well, I doubt physically tickling you now is a good idea."

"You could still humor me intellectually. What was your presentation supposed to be about?"

"Nothing special, that's for sure. A brief history of magic, I think."

"Ah, so surface-level stuff."

"Yes. There is, however, a presentation for the grown-ups scheduled for this coming Friday about the gold wands that were found in Romania a few months ago."

"Now there's something a bit more specific, and it's new and exciting."

"Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to work with them."

"Oh, that is a pity. Are you going to that presentation?"

"As long as you're feeling better by then."

"If you want to go, you can go. Don't let me hold you back from your passion, darling."

"You are one of my passions, Jack. Besides, I doubt I'm as riveting as the Egyptian or Roman artifacts you get to handle all day."

"Nonsense, my darling. You are every bit as riveting as a vizier's staff, or a Roman centurion's armor. Perhaps even more so—ohh…" Moffitt's grin widened and allowed his muscles to slacken when Vanora squeezed and massaged his head a little harder. "Please, keep going." He didn't want this utter bliss to end, and he couldn't remember the last time he felt this good.

"Is this helping you feel ready to sleep?"

Moffitt was afraid that if Vanora stopped, he would be back to square one as far as sleep went. The bliss—that wonderful, heavenly bliss—quickly faded.

"Uh-oh, you have that worried face, love."

"I still don't want to go to bed. I'm greatly enjoying this. Just having you here in general… it helps."

"Is there anything else I can do to help?"

Moffitt thought for a moment, then looked up at Vanora as she continued to massage his head. He fell silent, allowing the bliss to come back. "I… could use a hug."

"Can you even stand?"

"If I can stand, a hug. If not, perhaps a combination of a hug and cuddle on the couch will suffice."

"Alright." Vanora stopped the massage to let her husband stand.

Moffitt braced himself against the back of his chair as he tried to stand. A somewhat light feeling was beginning to swell behind his eyes, and nausea slowly began working its way up his throat. He paused, trying to let both unpleasant feelings pass. Instead, it persisted as he remained upright. "You'll have to lead me to the couch, darling." He didn't particularly enjoy the lightheadedness or the nausea, but at least that meant he was getting snuggled. Really anything where he could just enjoy the feeling of his wife with him would work wonders at helping him feel better.

Vanora struggled a bit with the much taller Moffitt leaning against her, but she managed to help him sit on the couch. Once he was seated, Moffitt put his arms around Vanora, hugging her tightly. She hugged him back, and neither of them wanted to let go any time soon.

Moffitt let out a contented sigh once the lightheadedness and nausea finally began to subside. "I love you so much, Vanora. Since the day we met, I've been very grateful that you developed a rather fierce crush on me during that presentation at the university."

"I remember I was afraid that was all it would ever be," Vanora replied, looking up at him. "You poor thing. You're all flushed, your nose is nearly raw from all the tissues, your eyes are horribly bloodshot, what isn't flushed is awfully pale, and you're very feverish, but you're still as handsome as the day I first saw you."

"Oh, darling, you needn't be so kind when it sounds like I look like death right now."

"No, you don't look like death." Vanora moved her arms around Moffitt's neck. "I do still want you to get some sleep eventually."

Moffitt lay down on the couch—and took Vanora with him, pressing her tightly against him. "Only if I can sleep with you."

"I have things to do around the house, Jack."

"Anah can do them when she gets back from the store. She'd probably insist on doing them herself anyway."

"Oh, alright." Vanora sighed, then shifted to get comfortable next to Moffitt. "I love you, too."

Moffitt smiled again, resting his head on top of hers. He kept his arms around his wife, and finally fell asleep.