Synopsis: My take on the "caring for you when you're sick" genre. When Ayato wants to feed Thoma his latest concoction, you take the brunt of it for your boyfriend. Needless to say, it doesn't end well and Thoma ends up looking after you.

Theme(s): Fluff, Comfort.

Relationship: Dating

Trigger Warnings: Vomiting. Also, I don't like Ayato . . . ^^;

Word Count: 2425

Enjoy! ;)

Sick With Worry

"Okay!" Thoma sprinkled some seasoning into the simmering pot, popped a lid over and skipped over to you. "That's dinner underway! Should take a couple of hours- that gives us some plenty of time together, wouldn't you say?"

You nodded. Your stomach churned. Not at the thought of quality time. But more the thought of what you might do during the quality time. You slid your arms around your stomach. Oh Archons, the nausea was getting worse. You tried to smile as Thoma plopped down on the couch beside you and pulled you in for a cuddle.

"Oh wow, you're warm today!" he laughed. "So . . ." He smiled sweetly at you. "How about a movie?"

"Okay." You forced a nod. "What kind would you like?"

"Ahhhh, I got to pick last time. You choose."

You gulped back the nausea and tried to decide on a genre.

Horror? What if it scared the sick out of you? (or the other, even more embarrassing option?)

Romance? What if it got too mushy? You liked a good kissing scene but unlike making out with Thoma yourself, watching and hearing people make out was so gross . . . You struggled to fight a gag.

Comedy? Definitely not. If a joke was too funny or a scene was too gross, that could be a disaster.

"M'love? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" You glanced over, gulping when you saw the look on Thoma's face. "Ye- yeah, I'm fi- I'm alright." Your gurgling stomach said otherwise.

"You sure? You're very tensed up there."

"Really?" You haven't even noticed that you'd brough your knees and feet up, hunching over them, gripping onto your worsening stomach.

Thoma cocked his head. "Are you on your period?"

"No . . ." You didn't mind him asking. But you still winced, silently cursing yourself for not fibbing with him.

"Did something happen at work? No, you had today off, didn't you?"

You nodded shakily, feeling your cheeks starting to flush hotter. They were probably turning red because Thoma narrowed his eyes and reached up to gently feel your forehead. It made you notice the warm sweat beginning to form.

"M'love, you're really hot . . . Did you do a commission in Dragonspine?"

"No I didn't."

"Did you do one in Tatarasuna? I- I'm sorry for prying but you really don't look well."

"Th- Thoma, I'm alright, really I am," you lied. "Could we put on an action film or something?"

Thoma's face crumpled slightly. He really looked so worried. His hand slid down your forehead to caress your cheek.

"Sweetie, if you're feeling sick, you can just tell me."

No you couldn't. He'd been looking forward to this quality time all week. It was why you'd taken the day off. You didn't want to ruin it by worrying him more than he already was.

"Did . . . something happen?"

'Yes,' you thought. 'Yes it did . . .'

A Few Hours Earlier . . .

Knock-knock.

'Who could that be?' you wondered as you strolled over to answer the door. You nearly died when you saw who it was: the head of the Yashiro Commission himself, Kamisato Ayato. And he was holding a big steaming bowl in his hands.

"Hi . . ."

"Good afternoon, Y/N!" Ayato smiled. "Is Thoma home?"

Your face immediately dropped. You eyed the goopy lumpy smelly brown stuff in that bowl.

"No."

"Oh." Ayato blinked with a lightheartedness about him that made you uncomfortable. "Well, would you happen to know where he is?"

"No!" you lied, suspicious eyes locked on that bowl. "What is that?"

"Ahhh, this? "I just made it. I thought Thoma would like to try it."

"Okay, but what IS it?" You struggled to hide the worry building up inside you. Meanwhile, Ayato beamed proudly at his disgusting looking concoction.

"This is my attempt at a shrimp yakisoba!"

"Sh- shrimp?!" Your heart dropped. That bowl already smelled bad enough and now that he'd just mentioned shrimp . . .

Oh Archons. You'd seen him feed Thoma weird stuff before. When your poor boyfriend hadn't been hiding away in the bathroom, he would end up either complaining about stomach cramps or a bad taste in his mouth.

Your first thought was that he was not going to survive this.

So in a panic, you did the first thing your gut (ironically) urged you to.

"I love shrimp yakisoba!" you declared, forcing a smile and snatching the bowl off of him. Ayato raised his eyebrows but barely resisted.

"Oh really?" He still had that almost nonchalant smile on his face that made your insides shiver.

"Mm- hm! I've got to try some of this!" You grabbed a prawn. Even in the hot soup, it felt cold and slimy. It definitely wasn't cooked right.

You stared at the prawn. You glanced at Ayato. He folded his arms. His small smile shifted into a subtle smirk. He knew what you were doing. He wanted to see if you were gonna go ahead with it.

You took a deep breath. If you didn't do it, poor Thoma would have to. So you silently apologized to your stomach and popped the shrimp in your mouth.

OH WOW. You didn't know how to describe the taste, but it made you want to cough it right back up at Ayato's smug little face. But you couldn't give him any more satisfaction. So you bravely gulped it down.

"Mmm, delicious! I've got to have more!"

With a pained forced smile on your face, you shut your eyes, raised the heavy bowl and downed as much of the stuff as you could. The shrimp were like slimy little bullets. The noodles that didn't crunch were like worms. And it was all smothered in a sauce that tasted like mud.

Ayato looked so proud of it too. Even more proud that you'd (barely) managed to eat it all.

"My, my . . ."

"Oh no!" you gasped (and you genuinely were gasping for breath). "I didn't mean to eat it all like that! Now there's no more for Thoma . . . whoops!"

"Whoops indeed," said Ayato, taking the bowl back. "So I take it you're adamant there's nothing I should change about it?" He beamed again. "I'll definitely have to make one for Thoma now!"

'Honestly, screw this guy.'

"Uhhh, maybe tomorrow?" you'd cried, grabbing your stomach. "I think, uh, he's . . . a bit too busy today? And if he eats it like I did, he'll have no room for dinner!" You certainly didn't after that ordeal.

"Is that so? Oh dear." Ayato "pouted" and whipped around with his empty bowl. "Well, take care, Y/N! Be sure to mind yourself now!" he said teasingly as he sauntered away.

The fact that you hadn't thrown it back up in his face was a miracle. You squeezed your gurgling hurting stomach.

Oh Archons, what had you done?

What had you done?

What have you done . . .?

A shot of nausea brought you straight back to the couch next to Thoma who jumped up when you gagged.

. . .

"M'love? Are you gonna be sick?"

As soon as you went to shake your head, you felt something shoot up your throat. You clasped your hand to your mouth as you heaved heavily.

"M'love-" Thoma grabbed your hand and yanked you to your feet. "Go to the bathroom! Go!"

You were already racing down the living room, towards the bathroom, cheeks bulging, stomach churning. You collapsed to your knees and released it in the toilet just in time. One heavy load . . . Then another . . . As you leaned over the seat, coughing and sniffing, Thoma appeared behind you and gently pulled your hair back.

"You alright, m'love?"

A third wave of vomit answered his question for you.

"Oh Archons . . ."

"Okay, m'love, you're okay. You're okay, m'love, just let it all out- there you go." You sensed him turn away as you threw up a fourth time, his grip tightening on your hair.

You coughed and spluttered, spitting out the last traces, tears trickling down your cheeks. Thoma helped you sit up as you raised a heavy hand to flush.

"You feel better?"

You didn't feel like you were about to throw up again. But the nausea still churned in your stomach. So you sniffed and shook your head.

"No? Okay, m'love." Thoma took you in his arms and gently guided you out. "Let's get you back on the couch. I'll get you some nice blankets, and I'll grab you a bucket in case you feel sick again, okay?"

You nodded. You sensed more tears beginning to trickle and you knew it wasn't from the sickness.

"I'm sorry . . ."

"Nonononono, don't apologise." Thoma gave you a reassuring squeeze. "This isn't your fault. People get sick all the time. It's probably the flu. You just need to take a few days off, stay nice and warm. If you can't stomach dinner, I can make you some tea. Or I picked up a really good consommé recipe from Fontaine . . ."

You shivered as Thoma sat you down on the couch. He gave you a quick forehead kiss before rushing off to grab some things. You wiped your eyes and hugged your knees. On one hand, you felt terrible busying him like this. But when your stomach churned, it reminded you:

This could have been him.

"Okay, there you go." Thoma appeared to drop a big bucket by your feet and wrap a big red wooly blanket around you. "That nice?" He pouted a little when you shivered again. "Awww . . . my poor baby girl . . ." He sat down beside you to give you a big hug.

"Thoma . . ." You sniffed and gulped. "I don't think this is the flu."

"Huh?" He cocked his head. "What do you mean?" He suddenly grabbed both of your hands. "You didn't get in a fight, did you?"

"No." You spluttered, dabbing the blanket over your streaming eyes. When they were dry enough, you gazed over at Thoma and admitted:

"Ayato was over."

"M'lord was over?" Thoma lowered his eyebrows. He took a moment to process what you meant. It didn't take long for him to put two and two together. When he did, he let out a big gasp, body stiffening, eyes widening.

"Y/N, you didn't . . ."

"He was gonna make you eat it!"

"What even was it?!"

"He said it was his attempt at a shrimp yakisoba."

"Shrimp?" Thoma brought a hand over his mouth. "Not bad shrimp . . . Oh no, m'love, why would you eat it?"

"Because if I didn't, he'd make you eat it!" you cried. "He does it all the time! Even Hiratsuka said you get nervous when you hang out because he feeds you weird stuff!" You glanced up at him with teary pleading eyes.

"Why do you let him treat you like that?"

"Treat me like what?"

"He shouldn't be allowed to feed you stuff like that!" The thought of it sent a wave of nausea creeping up your throat. You grabbed the bucket at your feet just in case.

"Well yes, m'lord's food is never pleasant, but-" Thoma held the bucket steady for you because your hands were shaking so much from sickness and anger. "The worst I've gotten out of it is a few stomach cramps. Sometimes I feel like I come out better from it. But I've never seen his food have this bad an effect . . ."

"Last time you went to the headquarters, you ended up bedridden! And you were comparing the stomach pains to a freaking fireworks display!"

"Huh?" Thoma took a moment to recall. "Oh, that wasn't m'lord's food; I felt like playing the hotpot game."

He let out a small chuckle. But it only made you feel worse. The sickness was really building up again.

"You can't keep letting him feed you like that! I saw him smirking at me when I ate it! He's making a mockery out of you!"

"He simply sees it as lighthearted fun, that's all."

What?

"Making you sick is lighthearted fun?!" You gagged over the bucket.

Thoma heaved a heavy sigh. He shuffled closer to you and placed a comforting arm over your shoulder.

"M'love, you have to understand that while yes, m'lord can be prankish, he would never act with malicious intent. I've known him for a lot longer than you have, okay? We have each other's backs."

"Then where was he when you were tied up at that damn Vision Hunt-"

The vomit cut you off. And it was the worst one yet.

"Why?!"

"Shhhhh, shh-shh-shh-shh-shh . . ." With his arm still around your shoulders, Thoma gently pulled your body into his. "Don't fixate so much on this . . . You'll only make yourself worse."

"I don't care."

"M'love-"

"If you're eating Ayato's weird food, I'm eating it too! You jump, I- BLEUGH!" Out went a fifth load into the bucket.

"M'love, please." Thoma squeezed you tight. "Please just rest. You're sick enough as it is. I don't want you to get worse. If it makes you feel better, I'll talk to m'lord about this."

You sniffed, dropping your head on his shoulder. Just the mention of it made your stomach settle a little.

"Promise?"

"I promise, m'love." He placed a gentle kiss on your temple and wrapped the blanket more around you. And then he let out a small chuckle.

"What?" you frowned.

"I think you underestimate the connection m'lord and I have. There was a time where people thought we were dating before I met you!"

"WHAT?" Your eyes widened. You sat straight back up, your grip tightening on the bucket.

"I know!" Thoma laughed. "Sounds a bit strange, doesn't it? Awww," he went when you threw up in response.

"Okay, m'love- No more talking about m'lord until you're all better. This is our quality time now. You relax, I look after you. Just like we planned." He couldn't help but smirk a little. "Except with a sick bucket."

You curled up to him and dropped your head back on his shoulder, feeling a little better already.

"I love you . . ."

"Awww." Thoma beamed and kissed your temple once more. "I love you too. Now . . . shall we put on a movie?"

You nodded and pointed to the one you fancied. Thoma smiled and put it straight on.

"There we go. I take it we should hold the popcorn?"

You nodded, placing the sick bucket on the ground. You wrapped the blanket further around you and lay your head on Thoma's lap. Thoma beamed and began happily stroking your hair as the movie started to play.

"Such a sweet girl . . . It'll all be better soon, alright?"

You nodded, settling further down into the couch, in his lap. Even with sickness still swarming in your stomach, you still felt warm and very comfortable. A small smile spread across your face. You trusted that Thoma was going to make things better very soon . . .


Well I hope you guys liked that! I will admit, there was a bit of Ayato dislike- I do have to say, he's not my cup of tea. Also, putting it lightly: I'm less than happy with the Kamisatos for not taking Thoma out to places with them. First the Lantern Rite, now this upcoming Fontaine event. I'll definitely be writing a story addressing that because I am not a happy Thoma fan :')

So I beg you guys to please vote on this story. And if you know anyone who likes Thoma or is looking for some comfort fics, PLEASE share this with them. We seriously need to start sharing more love for him if he's gonna be seen in another event.

And if you haven't seen something you like here, you can request it, or better, maybe you can try and write your own Thoma centred story! Let's bulk his tag and build his fanbase! I can't preach enough how much this guy deserves. But I can do it more with your help!

See you soon, and PLEASE start spreading more Thoma love!