#thread: duke x finley 02

[writermuses]

"Hey, don't put that on me, Sunshine. I've got an immune system made of steal." Duke was simply trying to talk that into reality. He knew how precarious even one urgent care visit could be for their strained budget. He'd splurged at the store and grabbed the brand-name version of emergen-c tablets just for this scenario. "C'mere, let me get the Vicks on you and then I'll climb in." Her feet brushed his hands over her icy feet, massaging in the ointment before covering them in thick fuzzy socks. Climbing into bed with Finley, Duke wrapped his arms around her shivering frame. "Feeling any better yet?"

Finley can only nod. It's hard to think beyond the chatter of her teeth or the aches beginning to settle as the cold is neutralized by the warm towel. "Deal," she says because at least the pause is long enough to ease his frantic movement. "Don't worry. If you keep not sleeping and staying around me while I'm still contagious, that time is going to come soon enough." Still, she reaches for his hand and tugs him along to the bedroom, only letting him go long enough for her to crawl back into the nest of blankets where she can beckon him closer. "I can admit that the warm towel was a really nice touch. Thank you."

[writermuses]

Duke paused at the firm she gave him. "You're sick and you don't have to tell me you're okay when I'm sure you feel miserable." His hands smoothed over her damp hair and he sighed. The last thing he wanted was to worry or bother her with his own health. "If you want me to slow down and let you walk, I will, but only if you promise to let me take care of you, Sunshine. We've got a long life ahead of us. I'm sure there will be times when I'm too sick to wipe my own ass, think of this as my penance for whatever ass hole things come out of my mouth when I'm in even a fraction of illness or distress." He gave her a big, pleading smile, then gestured toward their room. "C'mon, please? Your heated throne awaits."

Finley hardly has a chance to consider her answer before Duke is up again, his mind racing faster than her thoughts have a chance to process. Before she knows it, she is up and surrounded by warm towels while her husband outlines the rest of his plan.

How long did she sleep for him to have thought everything out? She still feels like she is struggling just to keep herself steady. "Duke, Hun--I'm okay," she says, teeth chattering even with the fluffy towels pulled up to her ears. "Hang on. Wait." There is more weight in her words as her hands extend from beneath the towel in hopes of stilling his. "Slow down. You're going to worry yourself sick. Breathe." One of her hands, still cold and clammy from her bath, is raised to his cheek. "I can walk. I can even put the Vicks on myself. Why don't you worry about getting some rest yourself?"

[writermuses]

"Fiji, Hawaii, or Brazil. I like all of these options, but could you handle all the hiking I'm going to want to do?" Duke teased her as he jogged back. He'd laid out toasty towels on her side of the bed and come in with her heated towels and bath robe. "Up, Babygirl," His voice was an octave deeper in that soft but commanding tone. He was waiting with a towel spread out, quickly wrapping her up. "Think you can keep standing while I dry your legs or do you want to sit on the toilet?" The lid was down for her already- he wasn't a monster, and then he was coming toward her with an smaller towel, wrapping up her long dark hair so the damp ends didn't make her more sick. "I'll brush your hair for you once you're back in bed." Duke moved around their small bathroom with purpose and was soon on his knees drying of her legs. "You want me to put some lotion on for you, Sunshine? I could put it on before the Vicks and socks." Then he was up again, Holding up the bathrobe. "Okay, Let's get that wet towel off of you and get you back to bed. Want me to carry you?"

"Top three places?" Since there was no question about a lavish honeymoon being out of the question with the current state of their finances, Finley agreed that it was best to delay any plans. A house felt like a better investment anyway. There would be plenty of time for vacations later, and all that she really wanted was to spend time with her husband. Whether on a beach or in a resort or in the comfort of their bedroom with bare furniture, they would be together. "I don't know. Maybe we should go somewhere warm. Fiji or Hawaii or... Brazil?" Images of palm trees and clear water send another shiver up her back, and for a moment, the cold doesn't seem to bother her until, "What?" Her eyes shift toward the dryer, but Duke is up before she can question anything else.

"Oh, thank God. You're... amazing." While he is gone, she pulls her legs back up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them for a moment before reaching across the tub and draining the cold water. Finally. "I'll be here," she says, even though he is already gone to retrieve the warm towels.

[writermuses]

Duke hadn't been the best student in school. He had a hard time remembering things he didn't care about. That had never been the case with Finley, he'd remembered everything they'd talked about, done, every little detail of her body to the micro-expression. To this day he still loved learning new little things about her. In school, he'd learned to take decent notes to remember the things that didn't seem to stick. With that habit, he'd also started writing her notes to slip in her locker or, now, her lunch, purse, and coat pockets. As Finley laid out a plan for their next snowy adventure, he made a mental note of everything. "The inflatables are definitely underrated. Given that it's winter, though, I can definitely make sure we have all of the staples: ice cream, candy canes, hot chocolate. What else? Oh, gingerbread cookies or sugar cookies? Definitely cookies."

"Well, I do owe you a honeymoon." Duke chuckled but it was a softer sound as he leaned in and kissed the top of her head. "If we could go anywhere, what are your top three places? I'm curious if we've got some overlap and if we do if we want to do some of the same things." His hand brushed over the top of her head, gently trying to help her relax in the cold bath. "I know we've sort of avoided the topic as a 'once we're settled in our careers' thing, but I'd still like to know what's going on in my beautiful wife's head." Just then the dryer beeped and he popped up. "All right, I'll be right back. I threw like all the towels in there so I'm going to put a few on the bed and then I'm going to burrito you and we're going to put some Vics on your feet with those fuzzy socks and you're going to kick this bug's ass."

"I couldn't hate you." Finley stretches her legs along the length of the tub as his fingers push her damp hair away from her face. Her arms rest against either side as she listens. Having one thing to focus all of her attention on makes it easier not to think about how intensely she is shaking. Instead, she forces every fiber to cling to Duke's response. "Camping gear is probably the most realistic. A rug wouldn't hurt either." The one in their living room might be too big, but she is willing to try if it means more time in their fort. "We might not even freeze that way, but... I liked our inflatable furniture," she says, smiling at the memory. Cold fingers and whispers freezing in the air, making sure the moment stayed just for the two of them. "Both, maybe. And since we're already cold, we might as well lean into it. Ice cream, of course." She pauses just long enough for the reality of her current cold to seep back in, and she shivers again. "Or we could always just go somewhere cold. Just because most people prefer the warmth for a vacation doesn't mean we have to." Just because they had to put off their honeymoon doesn't mean she hasn't thought about it.

[writermuses]

Duke felt absolutely horrible seeing his wife curled in on herself and shivering. It went against every instinct to not pull her out and hug her. Instead, he sat next to the tub and brushed his fingers over the top of her head. "I love you too, Sunshine. For what it's worth, I kind of really fucking hate myself, too." Rather than having her focus on the present, he tried to encourage her to focus on anything else. "I promise that the next big snow I'm all yours. What do you want in our fort dream house? What snacks are we packing in there with us? Are we doing rugs, camping gear, or going full nostalgia and getting the inflatable furniture from the dollar store again?"

By the time that Duke returns, Finley's forehead is resting atop her knees which are pulled up to her chest. Her shoulders are slumped forward, both arms secured around her legs as the fatigue hits all at once, wishing for nothing more than their warm bed and his solid arms around her. Instead, she watches as the water ripples around her as a result of her shivering.

The sound of his footsteps is enough for her to peek her eyes out, and as soon as his hands are on her, she is leaning into his touch, into the warmth and comfort of it all. With the tiredness and the fever and the cold all battling for her attention, his words take a moment to register, but one answer is immediate: "I love you. I don't... necessarily like you right now, but." She chuckles, or maybe that is just a deeper shiver. Either way, her eyes shut as Duke continues. Finley doesn't notice the tears forming in the corners of her eyes, the way they gather before falling down her clammy face. "Hm... I'm okay. Just tired. And you still worry too much," she says. "I would give anything to be back there instead of here. That was our own doing. And it was fun." The thought does bring forth a smile. Even if snow is perhaps the very last thing she would wish for at the moment. "It was a pretty good fort except for the almost freezing part... Next time it snows we need a part two."

[writermuses]

Duke's jaw was tight, hands out and ready to catch Finley as she undressed and stepped up to the bath. His eyes stung with tears, but he swallowed down his feelings. "I know. I know, Sunshine. Just a few minutes okay." He set a timer on his watch, vision blurring as he watched her shake. With gravel in his voice, Duke bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I'll be right back, okay?" Not giving her a chance to say yes or no, he stepped out of the bathroom and into the hall, taking calming breaths as he pulled open the closet that housed their noisy washer and dryer, as well as shelves with their linens. Pulling down three towels, he threw them in on high and started the thumping machine before heading back.

Crouching down next to the tub, Duke cupped her cheek. The worry was written on his face: What if this didn't work? What if this makes her worse? "I love you. You're going to be okay. It just sucks right now." With an apologetic smile, he pushed her hair from her sticky forehead. "Need anything, a tissue or reminder that you've been in colder longer? Like snowmageddon in seventh grade when we could've gotten frostbite because we were trying to make an igloo fort."

It takes the length of his explanation for the situation to sink in, and then Finley is nodding along. Truthfully, with the warmth radiating from him, it is hard to disagree with much of anything he is saying. Still, as concern colors his expression, she is awake enough to lift her thumb to smooth out the space between his brows. "I'm okay." Her words are surely of little reassurance considering her current state, but she meant what she said earlier: she hates to see him worry. As much as she loves him and their life together, it feels like he spends so much time trying to prove himself to her when all she has ever needed is him. "A bath sounds much more appealing. Don't apologize, baby. I'm—" His hand is lifted to her lips for a kiss before she steps back to begin undressing. "If it makes you feel better, then I'll do it." There is no ignoring her headache or the worsening of her chills. Maybe it will help.

Pulling away from his grasp, she begins peeling off her clothes, shivering as the cold cuts deeper with each removed layer. When everything is tossed aside, she reaches back for Duke's hands and slowly steps into the water. "Ooh, cold!"

[writermuses]

"When I was a kid my mom would do this to get my fever down." Cupping her face, he brushed her hair from the heat of her forehead and looked at his wife with worry. "It's going to suck, but it could help. I'm really worried about how high it is, Finley." With a huff of concern, Duke swallowed, feeling both helpless and uncertain about what his options were or how to help without dragging her to an Urgent Care center. "If you really don't want to get in then are we going to cover you in cold towels in bed for a bit? I can't watch it getting worse." His eyes studied her, nervously waiting for Finley's decision with an expression that could only be described as a wounded puppy. Leaning on the bathroom sink, Duke held her waist in case she became too tired to keep standing. "I love you. I'm sorry I'm fussin' over you so much."

Sleep finds her with a smile and a blanket up to her chin to counter the relentless chills. Maybe it's Duke's warmth or the steady sound of the movie, but it is the most peaceful rest that she has gotten since the cold first took her out. Then he gets up to retrieve the thermometer, and between the movement, the lack of body heat, and the feeling of the thermometer on her forehead, she begins to stir. "Hm?" Still cocooned in the blankets, her eyes open and she blinks at her husband, letting his words sink in. "I... what?" She says, confusion mixing with fatigue as she rubs her eyes and props herself against the pillow. "Okay. I'm—no, I'm fine. I can walk." She reaches for his hand, though, letting him lead her as she crawls off of the bed and comes to a stop in front of the bath tub. "Why are we... Why are we doing this?"

[writermuses]

In true Duke fashion, a dopey grin spread across his face as he watched Finley burrow into the blankets. "Oh, were those our vows? I could've sworn it was something like I solemnly swear to never assume that back rubs are invitations to butt rubs... No? Could've fooled me." His chuckled made the small bed shake a bit, but he settled in by her side cautiously. "I promise, Sunshine. If you fall asleep and I get uncomfortable, I'll extricate myself and get some things done. I'm betting money though, that I'll be asleep right with you."

Duke did, in fact, fall asleep shortly after Finley, but awoke shortly thereafter to extreme heat and a wet spot on his arm. Slipping out of bed, he plucked the thermometer from the first aid kid and ran it across her forehead. Wincing at the beep of the reading, he immediately frowned at how high her fever had become. "Upswing my ass." Immediately he over-worried, thinking of dying patients rallying before they crashed and he went to the bathroom and filled the tub with cool water. Kissing her forehead, he gentle brushed her hair from her face. "Hey, you're too hot, Finley. You think you can walk to the tub? We need to get your fever down. Want me to carry you?"

The tissue is taken without comment, and Finley wipes her nose before balling the paper in her fist and leaning her head against Duke. "What do you mean?" She hums, pushing her elbow back to nudge his stomach. "Pretty sure our vows went something like 'I vow cuddles in sickness and in health, before fire academy and after...'" Her eyes shut as she focuses on the sound from the computer, but in case her answer wasn't direct enough, "Always." This time, her voice is muffled against the blanket as it is pulled up to her chin. "Okay, but you're saying this now. You might regret that an hour into the movie, when I'm asleep and you haven't moved at all," she says. It takes too much effort to turn her head, but it is worth it when their eyes meet and she offers him a smile. "If I wake up and you're not still in bed with me, that's okay. You should take advantage of a day off and take care of anything else you need. I promise I'm on the upswing. I just need... a nap."

[writermuses]

At the sound of a sniffle, Duke was passing Finley another tissue with a smile. He was confident that he had a solid enough immune system to not catch the bug, but even if he did, Duke knew it was already too late to do anything about it. "I'm warm? You just like cuddles and I love that you like that." With a laugh, he ran his fingers through her hair with his free hand, grinning as she squeezed his fingers on the other. "Will I still get cuddles when I'm not a doughboy anymore?" He'd already lost some weight since joining the fire academy and between that and their tight budget, there were definitely more calories being burned than he took in on most days. "Nope, I'm great. Unexpected bonus time with my Sunshine? Pssh. This is the life!"

The chills haven't subsided, even with the medication currently making its way through her system, but the warmth that fills her as Duke pulls her close is almost enough to make her forget about it. It radiates from every direction, sending a shiver down her spine, and she turns her head to burrow her face in the crook of his neck, distracted as the beginning of the movie streams from his laptop. "So comfy. Thank you," she says with a sniffle, squeezing his fingers with the hand still holding his. "You're warm. See? I'm feeling better already." Tugging the blanket closer around them both, Finley lets her eyes shut, the sound of the movie falling into the background as she feels her breath grow more even against him. "No, it's perfect. Are you sure you're okay? Not too uncomfortable?" By now her voice is barely a mumble.

[writermuses]

Duke didn't need to be asked twice to cuddle Finley. "You're not being a worrywart. That's just your big heart. I promise, I'm fine and just want to take care of my girl." He'd always loved how she'd fit so easily into his arms. Now that he was working out more consistently, pushing his body to its limits for the firefighting academy, he was starting to loose his youthful "chunk" and look less like a teenager. That physical change only made him worry that Finley wouldn't be comfortable with her aches from being sick. With a hand wrapped around her, thumb brushing her waist, he let the warmth radiating from his chest hit her back, ignoring the ache of her wiggling bottom into his pelvis. "You comfy, Sunflower?" His lips pressed to the back of his head, and he used his other arm to reach over and click play on the laptop. Pushing Daisies started to play and Duke's warm breath his her ear. "Too loud?"

Finley can see the worry in his brow, the concern in his eyes. Maybe their life together hasn't gone off to a perfect start, but she can see the vision. As long as they both have that much, then she knows they'll be okay. If only her head was clear enough to tell him so. To ease his mind.

The rest of the tray is set aside after another spoonful of soup, and Finley sniffles as she settles beside him again, this time close enough to tuck her head into the crook of his arm as her arms come around herself. "Hm. Just... hold me. You're warm," she says, pulling the blanket up to her shoulders. "Trust me. This is all I need." Not just now with her cold, but Finley hopes the rest goes unsaid. "Are you sure you're comfortable? While I'm being a worrywart, you should be resting up, too. I don't want you to be sick. Then we'll both be down."

[writermuses]

"It'll be everything you dreamt up, promise. You just keep on dreaming, Sunshine." Duke leaned in and kissed her forehead before settling back in next to her on their bed. He was exactly the kind of person to take things in stride and hope for the best, but also the kind of person that kept their promises. It didn't matter if it would take years to get their fixer upper exactly how Finley wanted, Duke was determined to do so. He'd kept a detailed notebook of little comments and thoughts, taken the napkins from restaurants when she'd scribbled a choppy doodle on one side to explain something. A part of him didn't really mind that she may even change her mind about some of the renovations after they were done.

"Aww, you worrying about me? I bet you'd be cute with wrinkles." He teased, his laughter shaking the bed again as he cracked open the laptop and signed into Netflix. "What are you in the mood for? There's How I Live Now for drama, Safe Haven for Romance, anddddd Jack Reacher for Action." Duke's tone was clearly more interested in the action, but it was Finley who was sick. "Or we could keep going with out Psych or Once Upon a Time marathon?"

In her foggy mind, not everything he says seems to register, but Finley nods, sniffling as she reaches for another tissue. It's his apology that manages to pull her all the way back, and she leans away enough to properly meet Duke's eyes. All she can manage is a shake of her head. "We knew what we were getting into when we bought it. I just keep thinking about how beautiful it's going to be when it's done." However long that may be, it's a nice thought. "So what you're saying is that we should make the most of the time we have now before you have to work extra next week? I guess it really takes getting sick for us to take some time off." She chuckles, but there is no ignoring the worry on his face. Finley only wishes there were more she could do to counter it.

"Hey." She says, tucking herself against his side and lifting a hand to cup his cheek. "The only thing I'm worried about is you taking care of me and not yourself. I know we'll be fine." Though maybe that's the fogginess talking once again. Either way, the smile on her face suggests she believes it. "Now, I believe I was promised a movie with you, right?" She says, lifting the spoon from the bowl. "Have you eaten?"

[writermuses]

"You're welcome, Sunshine. I hope it makes you feel better." With a stretch, he rolled onto his side and looked into Finley's eyes, a little line of worry for her creased between his eyebrows. "Well, whenever you feel up for it, I'm going to clean the sheets and swap out the blankets once you take a shower. I'm sorry we don't have a bath yet. Maybe we should reno the bathroom first instead of the kitchen." Duke chewed on his bottom lip, feeling like he was disappointing her. "Chief understands, just said I have to make up the hours for the guy covering my shifts, so once you're feeling better I'll be a little more scarce the week after. We'll make it work, don't worry." He rubbed his eyes and smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. There were few things he hated more than making Finley worry.

There isn't any point in arguing with him, and anyway, as his warmth draws her from the other side of the bed, Finley doesn't think she wants to. Instead, she curls her fingers around his arm, shivering as the heat sends shivers up her side. "Thank you," she says, voice muffled by the blanket that is pulled up to her chin. "To be honest, I haven't really thought that far ahead--" His chuckle sends another shock of warmth through her system. Luckily, she has a box of tissues close enough to clean up with spill before it drips onto the bed. "No, don't worry about it. Easily the least messy thing on this bed right now." It is her turn to laugh now, the weight of which is almost enough to cause another spill on the tray, but this time, Finley settles it easily. "Anything. I almost hate to sleep through the first day we've had together in a while, but you need to rest, so... maybe a movie? What did the chief say when you called him?"

[writermuses]

"I'll be fine, Sunshine. Maybe I'll have symptoms in two or three days or maybe I'll be fine, but I could never live with myself if I just left you here at home sick and no one taking care of you. You're my person, I'm taking care of you, babygirl." Not taking no for an answer, Duke didn't leave and simply nodded when she said he looked tired. Climbing gently onto the bed, Duke sprawled out next to her. Propped up on his elbow, he gave her a glowing smile, "So do you want quiet back rubs, a book read to you, maybe a movie on the laptop? You're stuck with me now." His deep chuckle shook the bed a little, her soup sloshing on the tray, "Oh shit, sorry, Sunshine."

After tossing and turning all night, Finley had not even stirred when Duke got up for work. She only has a vague memory of waking up to the sun forcing its way through a crack in the blinds and realizing that the bed beside her was cold, but with the fatigue racking her body, she hadn't been able to drag herself up to check. "Maybe exposed, but you don't have it yet. I don't want you to risk it," she says, but it's hard to argue with the concern on his face or the food and medicine he comes bearing.

The steam hits her face, providing the barest relief to her stuffed nose. Without disrupting the rest of the bed, which is a mess of blankets and tissue boxes, the tray is pulled onto her lap, and she lifts the spoon to stir the soup before taking a tentative sip of the broth. It's warmer than she expects, helping to wake the rest of her senses as he leans forward to smooth her hair. "No, believe me--this is more than enough." The spoon makes a sound against the bowl as she drops it in favor of reaching her hand to Duke's wrist. "You look exhausted." No doubt that her difficulty sleeping didn't help him get any rest either. "You should take advantage of being here and rest."

[writermuses]

Calling out of work was a no brainer. Duke could feel the heat radiating off of Finley all night, her tossing and turning had even periodically woken him up. It was a damned near impossible feat given that his training at the station typically wore him out that he was falling asleep at the dinner every night. When he'd woken up sluggish, he'd still kept an eye on her as he moved around the room in a towel post-shower, worrying about what could happen if she was alone and if he'd be able to stop by between training and calls to check on her. Ultimately, he didn't like the what ifs, and stood by his decision. Slipping into the basic and sparse kitchen to make her soup and buttered toast, calling the station to let them know the house Logans were down with a bug. The chief agreed it was best to not drag those germs into the place.

He hadn't expected her to wake up when he knocked, food on a tray with orange juice, gatorade, and over the counter cold medicine he was grateful hadn't expired. "This is the boring version of playing doctor." Duke chuckled, his boyish face looking all the more youthful with the banter and grin as he set the tray down next to Finley. "Trust me, whatever you've got I'm probably already exposed. Until I'm playing Rudolph, just let me take care of you, Sunflower, okay?" Brushing her hair from her face, he sighed. "You're still burning up. What should I get at the store? You think we should go to one of those Urgent Care things?"

@erstwhles

♨ — Finley and Duke

fall & autumn prompts / ♨ — [receiver] tastes soup that [sender] has made

Finley sniffles, struggling to keep her eyes open even after she hears the knock at the door. "No, no—Duke, don't come in here! I'm not—" And maybe the cold has her feeling sluggish, or maybe he is too stubborn to listen, but as he pushes through the door, balancing a tray in his hands, he does not seem to hear.

Finley sits up, pulling the blanket over her nose in an attempt to keep the sick germs to herself, but the tray catches her attention. Her brow furrows as she sits up and leans against the bedframe. The blanket slips from in front of her face. "What's this? Aren't you...? What time is it? I thought you were working late tonight." Has she really been this out of it?

As he approaches, she can't help smiling. The steam coming from the bowl wafts across as she takes hold of the tray. "You didn't have to do this," she says, leaning forward, shivering as the warmth washes over her. "Thank you."

[writermuses]

"Well, you're the cutest worrywart I've ever seen, but it's my turn to take care of you, Mrs. Logan." Duke leaned over and kissed Finley's temple before clicking through their options. He settled on a romcom hoping it would lift her spirits and not be too noisy. "Do you want me to hold you, tuck you in, give you a back rub or something?" There was no real way of knowing what got her sick, but Duke wondered if it was how hard she was working rather than just coming in contact with someone with a cold. He knew that starting their life together was going to be a tight financial squeeze, but Duke didn't measure wealth in money, he measured it in happiness. Seeing her like this made him feel like a failure as her husband and friend, but he tried to keep a smile on his face, not seeing the point in bringing negative thoughts to a situation that was already happening.

"I always worry about you." Finley scoffs, but purposefully deepens the furrow in her brow at his comment, unable to keep the smile off her face for longer than a moment. Excessive worry comes with the nature of his job, so despite her cold, she is more than happy to have him warm and safe in her arms--even just for a day. "I'm going to be honest, there's no way I'm going to stay awake for the whole thing, so I think we should pause Psych and Once Upon a Time." Too much time has been invested into both for her to risk missing out on something important. "And if we have the whole day ahead of us, then you should pick first. Plus, I kept you awake and made you miss work, so giving you TV rights is the least I can do," she says, sniffling as she takes another spoonful of soup. "So what do you say? I'm sure I could guess, but what are we watching first?"