#mandasaurus-rex

Ray doesn't want anyone waiting on him, but it's too late, and now Michael and Gavin are in his apartment, doing god knows what. Ray winces when he hears a crash and a distant, "Damn it, Gavin!"

He'd spent all of the previous day in the hospital, being treated for a godawful stomach flu. Michael and Gavin had insisted, almost immediately upon visiting him, that they were going to take care of him when he got home. Ray had hoped they were kidding, or that he'd been hallucinating due to fever or dehydration. Neither was true.

He sighs and curls up in bed. All he'd asked for was a glass of water. The loud noises coming from his kitchen do not sound like a glass being filled with water.

Gavin pokes his head into the room. "Hey," he says, "d'you like tomato soup?"

"Yeah, sure," Ray says. He wants to say, I don't care, just bringing me a goddamn glass of water, but god, they're being so nice, even if they are bad at playing nurse.

"Okay, good. 'Cause Michael might have spilled the chicken noodle soup. 'S okay, I cleaned it up."

"Yay," Ray mumbles.

"All right, should be done in a minute." Gavin disappears, then comes back. "Also, it's not exactly tomato soup, it's Spaghettios, but that's okay, right?"

"Yes, Gavin, that's okay."

"Great. Be right back."

Ray can't help but chuckle a little. He can't imagine either of them cooking anything more complicated than toast. Part of him pities his poor kitchen, but part of him really hopes they record some of the cooking process.

He's half-asleep when he hears the microwave ding. There's a quiet pause, and then, "How in the bloody hell did you burn Spaghettios?"

"They're not burnt! They're just...fuck. Did I just burn Spaghettios?"

Ray bursts into a helpless giggle fit.

"You burned them! How did you do that?"

"Shut up! This is kinda your fault, we wouldn't need Spaghettios if you didn't spill the chicken noodle soup!"

"Me? I did no such thing! You dropped it!"

"Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Did you miss that whole bit, 'oh, Mi-cool, I can carry the soup, I'm not an idiot child at all!'"

Ray snorts. He actually loves Michael's Gavin impression.

"Oh, shut up, that was absolutely your fault!"

"Was it? Was it, Gavin?"

"...Look, are the Spaghettios edible?"

"I'm sure they are, how the hell could I fuck up Spaghettios that bad..."

There's a sudden coughing from the kitchen.

"Yeah, okay, plan C. Jesus Christ, what the fuck."

Ray smiles and laughs quietly to himself. Even if they're shitty nurses, at least he's getting dinner and a show. He dozes off, hoping he'll eventually get his cup of water.

He wakes up to someone gently prodding his shoulder. "Heeey, buddy," Michael says. "Uh, we said we were gonna make you soup..."

"And it was gonna be top," Gavin adds.

"Yeah, it was. Well, that didn't go...exactly at planned. So, uh." Michael shifts from foot to foot. "Cereal and milk is kind of soup, right?"

"It's a liquid with floaty bits," Gavin says. "It's totally in the soup family."

Ray sits up and takes the bowl of Lucky Charms. "Thanks, guys," he says, grinning. "Y'know, I'm feeling better already."

"Yeah? That's great! Oh, almost forgot- somebody wanted to come see you." Michael pulls out an Applejack figurine and gently places her on the nightstand.

"Aw yeah, definitely gonna feel better with my girl Applejack lookin' out for me." Ray gives them a genuine smile. "You guys really are the best."

"No prob, X-Ray," Gavin says. "Now, if you'll excuse us, there...may be a bit of a mess we ought to sort out."