#noirearrowshoot

Anders worked. A lot. It was easy to text and call each other around (or during) work hours, say something nice, and carry on your day. Sure they’ve spent the night at each other’s often, but it was still not the same as…living together. 

Now there are fights over who gets access to the bathroom first, who was supposed to do dishes, who cleans what around the place, ‘that is mine’ that never even gets resolved half the time, who’s turn is it to do the dishes, who makes dinner today, and who was doing the dishes! Make up sex improved at least. 

After their lease ended they found another place that had two bathrooms. The pair vouched their relationship improved. Less make-up sex and more sex. Neither still liked doing the dishes though. Otherwise, Fenris noted it’s been three years and they’re still going strong. Fenris has heard far too many statements on when relationships start changing around when, one of the being the three year mark. But with a lack of experience…well, he found he could ride through it and see what happens. Sure life got a bit routinely but it wasn’t so bad. In fact, it came with perks! 

For one, living with Anders meant he got to make sure Anders slept. Or at least…more sleep than the mage used to. Fenris also got into the habit of laying out Anders’s medication for him every day on the kitchen counter. Anders used to miss them a lot as he often dashed out the door in a hurry. But upon being made aware of them, he rarely missed taking his pills. Fenris also found himself making sure Anders ate. The medication started being placed next to a sandwich or bagel.

In a strange twist, Fenris found he didn’t mind taking care of the mage. Someone had to. Maker knows Anders doesn’t. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. He waited for the first person to even attempt to tease him over it as it wasn’t a teasing matter: the choice to care for your loved one. If Fenris could find anything to pride himself in, it was that. Anders overall seemed to be improving in his health. He’d like to think that the comments and questions from their friends regarding the mage was a good sign. “He looks like he’s filled out his clothes!” “ Maker the bags under his eyes look a shade lighter.”

Anders’s health became a favorite thing to subtly gloat about at times. Then Anders sneezed. And coughed. Lots of coughing actually. Oh Maker…

Fenris didn’t hesitate to pull out medicine from their cabinet but Anders just waved it off. “I’m not getting sick, it’s just allergies! It’s spring!” 

Fenris didn’t wish to doubt him. After all, Anders rarely gets sick (being a spirit mage helped in that area) and no one would know their own body as well as the individual that owns it, right? Fenris himself rarely got sick as well (dating a spirit mage helped in this area), but he knew he’s become bedridden a couple of times in the past. Anders somehow always dodged the bedridden part when he got sick. A passing cold, nothing a couple of days of soup couldn’t fix, and the man just never stopped moving. 

Except Anders kept sneezing and coughing this time and it’s been three days now. He looked worn and acted as if he was tipsy with the way he tried to put his hand on the counter only to miss somehow. He used it to lean on while Fenris pressed his hand to his lover’s forehead. 

“…You have a fever,” Fenris stated dryly. 

“What, I do not,” Anders waved off but Fenris was already going to medicine cabinet. “Love, I’m not-ACHOO! Ugh…I’m not…I meant to say that you can’t tell with just the hand…!” Anders felt his throat. He put his hand down when Fenris returned with a small box in his hand. The elf reached up to feel Anders’s neck and pulled him down to touch his own forehead against the other’s. He released him before putting the container on the counter. “You’re not going to work today.” 

“Love, I was called in,” Anders ignored the the obvious medicine on the kitchen counter and reached for the nearby tissue box instead to wipe his nose. 

“Well call them back!” 

“I ca-ACHOO! Ack…can’t…” 

“Fine, then I shall call.” Fenris didn’t wait for a response or even tried to argue against the stubborn mage. 

Anders barley registered what was said before he realized Fenris was on the phone. Fenris kept knocking his lover’s hands away as he spoke. He further noticed Anders moving sluggishly with the way he barely kept up with Fenris’s swift turns around just the kitchen area. With a click on his phone, Fenris turned to Anders coughing into his arm again. “It is done. Now bed.” Fenris commanded. 

“Wh-ACHOO! What…about you? Don’t you have work?” Anders started into another string of coughs. Fenris folded his arms, waiting for Anders to just concede already. 

“You forget, Mage: Working from home means I have my own schedule. And I’m officially off as of this moment. Now bed.” 

Anders pouted as his arms dropped to his side. “Normally I like it when you command me to bed…” 

Fenris didn’t look amused and just pointed down their narrow hallway. Anders groaned before finally giving up and doing what he was told. 

“I don’t have an appetite…” Anders announced from the bed, though his back faced the entrance of their bedroom. Fenris only shook his head as he approached and put down a tray on the nearby desk. 

“That is fine. I brought tea. And some medicine. I will also restock the minifridge in here with some water so you will have better access to them.” 

Anders rolled over only to glare at the medicine box. “If I’m sick, I want to just heal naturally.”

Fenris rolled his eyes. “Not if you are sick, you are sick. And unfortunately for you, I do not wish to take that chance. So you will take it.”

“I hate the taste.”

“As we all. You’ll live.” 

Anders pouted again and rolled away. He pulled the blankets around himself and up close to his face. “You can’t make me.”

“Mage…” Fenris rubbed his temple, “Just take the medicine.”

“No.”

“Take your medicine.”

“We can do this all day you know.”

“I am aware. And if our bed activities says anything, I think we both know which of us has more willpower.” 

“What?!” Anders exclaimed and flung the blanket around just to roll back around. “That does no-ACHOO!” Anders sniffed only to immediately go into a short series of coughs again.  

“That’s your body telling you to stop arguing with me.” 

“Stupid body…it likes you too much,” Anders grumbled and his body fell limp. He groaned in pain as he laid unmoving. 

“Just your body?” Fenris questioned as he fixed the covers and laid it over Anders again. 

“Mmm…the rest of me does too. My head. My heart.” Anders smiled, slowly closing his eyes. 

“As does mine for you.” Fenris sat at the edge, just within arms reach of the desk. “Now be brave for me and drink the medicine. Just chug this water bottle right after.”

Anders groaned but remained unmoving until he had to. “Fine, I’ll take the stupid medicine. But if I’m sick, that means you’re doing the dishes this week.”