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Urianger hummed. It was too quiet in the house. He placed his tome on his desk and stood up. He knew Amaya was here, but she was never this quiet. He checked every room and corner she tends to fit in. He sighed in relief as he found her in their room.
“My beloved, there thou are. It is late to be lying about even for thee.”
Amaya made no movements but whimpered softly.
“Mo Ghradh?”
He walked over to the unmoving Miqo’te and tried to turn her. This made her recoil and hide under the blankets as if a frightened child.
“Mo Ghradh…tis just me.” Urianger placed a hand on the covered body. “You have nothing to be afraid of.”
“Don’t come near…go away…”
There. In her voice. Urianger figured it out.
“Thou art unwell…why did thee not come get me?”
“Too dizzy to move…” Urianger removed the blanket off the mewling Miqo’te. He placed a hand on her forehead making her wince.
“By the Twelve, Amaya thou art burning up! How long have thy been like this?” Urianger asked as he rushed between their bathroom and the kitchen. Amaya watched, exhausted by his movements.
“I’m fine.”
Urianger came in the room with potions and hot water for tea. He hurried back to the kitchen only to return with some fruit. The sight and smell made Amaya whimper. Her nausea returning with a vengeance.
“I cannot Urianger…please…I just need a little more rest. You should stay away before you catch what I have.” Urianger placed a cool cloth on her forehead. He brushed her hair back and gave her a stern look.
“I shall do no such thing. I will not leave thee in thy time of need.” Amaya teared up. She was never sick like this and to be honest it scared her. “Please Urianger, I do not wish for you nor the others to get sick just because of me.”
“My love, if Thancred were to hear thee say that thy would get more than a scolding than I could give. How long have you been like this?”
“I’m not sure…I started to feel ill around a week ago.”
“Why did thy not speak sooner?” Urianger used the wet cloth to dab the sweat off her face making her shiver and whine. “I thought it was nothing. I see I was wrong now. Urianger, I just wish to rest.”
“Will thou allow me to at least get thee to drink some water? Perhaps half an orange.”
The Miqo’te hissed at her hated fruit. She looked up at Urianger and sighed softly seeing the silent begging in his eyes.
“Alright.” Amaya scooted up the bed with the little energy she had left. Urianger helped her sit up. His frown deepened as he felt her overheated body slump against him. He carefully placed the cup to her lips as she slowly drank the water. Her ears flicked his face as she whimpered. He pulled the cup away and placed it on the table.
“Hurts…”
“Forgive me my beloved heart.” Urianger whispered into her hair kissing her head. She teared up coughing, trying to move away from him. He held her steady as he felt her tremble. “Mayhap the orange could wait. It breaks mine heart to see thee like this.”
“I-“
“Rest mo ghraidh. I shall be here when thy wakes.” With little strength Amaya had left, she forced her body away from Urianger reluctantly curled up.
“I love you Urianger…”
Urianger stroked her hair as she slept.
“Rest easy…”
Urianger made a face. It’s fish soup, he could make this. He can make advanced potions and heal just fine. He learned to fend for himself on the First…sort of. He sighed placing the ingredients down. Amaya had been asleep all day, and while he has gone and checked on her it does not ease his worries. He’s sure Amaya has been sick before…surely she must have! Yet, he could not think of a time where he has seen or been around her while ill.
“What are you doing?” Urianger jumped as Thancred’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Thancred.” Urianger cleared his throat as his husband looked at him, eyes alit with curiosity and a small grin.
The children were behind him watching carefully. “I believe Amaya is the cook in the family I am sorry to say not all of us can live off archon loaf.”
The twins groaned and Thancred laughed as he placed the triplets down on their blanket in the front room.
“Both of you watch them. Make sure they do not crawl away before dinner.”
“Yes daddy.” Astrel responded.
Thancred went into the kitchen and noticed the stress lines on Urianger’s face. He frowned and placed a hand on his lover’s cheek. “Is aught amiss?”
“Hath thou ever seen Amaya ill?” Thancred blinked in confusion before it registered with him. “No, I do not believe I have. Is she ill?”
“Aye. I’ve managed to get water and some potion into her but not much else.”
Thancred glanced over the Elezen’s arm to see items for fish soup. He hummed.
“Soup is great, but if nothing else, I wouldn’t make it fish soup. You might offend her enough to assume she is a full cat-beast.”
The joke fell flat as Urianger turned red in embarrassment.
“’Twas not my intention…”
“I know Urianger. Forgive me.. Here, I shall cook dinner while you care for Amaya. Once the kids are settled I shall bring something she might be able to get down, even if it’s a little.”
Urianger bit his lip. As always, nothing misses Thancred’s gaze.
“What now?”
“Thancred…there is naught a time either of us have seen her ill. I fear she has been this ill before and hath never told us...worse kept it hidden.”
“You believe she hides away when she is sick?”
“I do not wish to think that I…we…hath made her so unwilling to trust us…”
“Urianger, do not overthink this. It is true, we have not seen much of a sick Amaya as we have seen wounded Amaya. That said she has a sister who’s potions and magicks are even beyond yours and everyone here on the star.”
Thancred reached up bending Urianger’s head down kissing his forehead.
“Now, go try to get Amaya up at least for a bit. Get her to take potions. I see you have already made her tea, so see if she can drink that. It’ll at least have more nutrients in it to help her should she be unable to eat.”
Urianger walked to their room as Thancred started on dinner. Amaya was spread out on the bed, covered in cold sweat. Tiny whimpers escaping her broke his heart. He took a wet towel and wiped her body down. She groaned and opened her eyes. He gave her a gentle smile and kissed her head.
“Urianger…”
“Mo ghraidh.”
She opened her mouth but he gently shushed her.
“Do not apologize for thou hath nothing to apologize for. Thou art mine wife, mine beloved heart. Thou know I would giveth my life for thee. Thee being ill is nothing that warrants an apology.” He murmured. He could here her purring pick up, along with her breathing. He took notice of her pain. He propped her up against him and picked up a potion.
“Drink.”
Amaya did not fight and drank the potion. Urianger placed the potion down and picked up green tea. “I made thee one of thy favorite teas.” Amaya grimaced giving him a small smile.
“Thank you.”
She softly spoke as she drank the warming tea. She leaned against happily.
“Dost thou think thy could handle some food?”
Amaya curled her mouth at the thought of food. Before she could speak however…
“Do not worry he did not cook it, though he gets an A for effort.”
Thancred gave a smile but glanced at Urianger. Both were unnerved by Amaya’s current state.
“Sweetheart, I made Broad Bean Soup. I may have borrowed your cookbook.”
“That…thank you…you both needn’t trouble yourselves over me…I shall be fine…” Thancred sighed softly and gave Urianger the soup and crossed his arms. “Will you at least try to eat a spoonful or two. Should we need more ingredients, we can get plenty.”
Her ears went down. She sniffled and nodded, feeling like a chided child who disappointed their parents. Urianger helped her get some soup down, before soon half of the small bowl was empty. Amaya made a face in discomfort.
“You did well.” Thancred sat on the bed and kissed her forehead. "Thal’s balls she is burning up!" he thought to himself. Thancred helped Urianger lay her back down.
“Amaya, be honest, how long have you been sick like this?”
Amaya, barely conscious, mumbled.
“Almost a moon. It was small at first, but caught up with me as of yesterday.” Thancred pinched the bridge of his nose trying not to chastise his sickly, yet reckless lover.
“Amaya…” Thancred started but stopped as he saw her tail curl around herself and her ears pinned down. “Please…I am sorry…I never wanted either of you to see me sick…I was never allowed to be sick…I couldn’t. I’m the Warrior of Light…I had no time to be sick.”
There it was. Urianger had the right of it. It was a pressure she placed on herself. They must have given the same implication to her, making the situation worse. Urianger held her close, feeling her muscles tighten.
“We had no idea thou felt this way.”
Amaya stayed quiet for a moment before speaking.
“No one was to know. R’Vanna always knew though…so she would deal with my illnesses first…as with injuries or infections from said injuries. But…I thought…I could rest easy…at least for a little bit.”
“You have pushed yourself too much Amaya.” Thancred said casting his jacket, armor and shoes off. Amaya curled tighter into herself. She felt Thancred wipe her tears away as she looked up.
“It is and never was okay to push yourself to the point of sickness. Please darling, we could not stand to lose you. If you are sick, then stay! Rest! We are here to care and love you, even when you are grumpy and sick. It does not matter; we are your husbands and you our wife. It is a demand our job requires and even if it did not, we love you too much to just let you stay sick and suffer alone. Urianger tried to make you fish soup he cares so much!”
Amaya gagged and whipped her tail around. Urianger became flustered as he was hit repeatedly.
“Well, I did not wish to force archon loaf or anything heavy on thee.”
Amaya coughed and held her chest. Urianger rubbed her back soothingly as Thancred helped her prop up once more as she wheezed.
“May…I ask a request?” she huffed out.
“Ask it and it shall be given.” Urianger used his healing to ease the pain in her ribs.
“It is selfish.”
“Nothing you could ever ask for is selfish. One day we hope to prove this to you. Now, what is it you need darling?” “Stay with me. I am scared this illness will actually be the death of me.” “Let me see the children to bed and I shall return anon.” Thancred brushed her hair back before he stood up to leave. Children whining and occasional baby babbling could be heard moving throughout the house. Urianger laid down and tucked Amaya into the blankets. He listened carefully to her wheezing. He will need to watch for that through the night.
“Prithee Amaya…I know I am not as skilled as thy sister in terms of alchemy or healing, yet I ask-“
“You are…you are Urianger…and I am so sorry I have made you feel this way.” Amaya turned as best she could and bunted him, laying her head on his chest. She listened carefully to his heartbeat. “For a while, it was out of habit. I did not wish to burden anyone…especially you.”
“Thou could never. Thou know this to be true now?” Amaya nuzzled into his chest.
“Yes.”
Urianger felt her relax and in turn caused him to relax. Thancred smiled as he entered the room. He carefully crawled into the bed and pressed his chest to her back, causing the sickly woman to groan. It was soothing for her physically and mentally and they all knew that.
“Children behaved?”
“For the most part. I believe Hades is missing his mother’s attention and Astrel started sneaking tomes into her room staying up past her bedtime…reminds me of someone I knew growing up.” Urianger turned his head as Amaya laughed, once more hacking up what felt like was a lung.
Both men smiled and held onto Amaya throughout the night. The next few days would be rough, until Amaya’s fever broke, but what else could they do but take care of her?
She was theirs and they were hers.