jules

you don’t realize how bad you feel until you plop down on the edge of nancy’s bed, your head pounding itself inwards, and your vision darkening just a little. you feel incredibly dizzy— tired even, and you shift your weight around the mattress.

“hey,” nancy musters up when you move groggily on the bed. it feels like your bones are filled up with wet sand and it’s weighing you down like crazy.

“are you okay?” she asks and stands up from her desk, making her way up to the bed and kneeling down in front of you. you mumble out a quiet yeah, smaller and weaker than you expected it to be. “i’m good, just, really tired.”

and by the look on nancy’s face, you know she’s not buying into a single word you say. her hands come up to cup your cheeks, her touch cold and contrasting to the heat you’re starting to feel.

“your face is warm, like, more than it should be.” she whispers softly, not alarmed at all, but more concerned.

“how’d you end up like this anyway?”

“i- i dunno, it started this morning and i couldn’t get it to stop.” you shrug and wince a bit when you turn your head down. “i just feel kinda achey.”

you hear nancy hum out quietly under her breath as if to think and she brings her hands down to yours. “c’mon let’s get some rest.”

nance sighs and pulls you up slowly, bringing you down to the pillow. the relief hits you instantly, and you feel a little less like a bag of cement. “good, stay there.” she says and tucks a blanket over your body, her lips leaving a soft kiss against the temple of your forehead.

when she pulls away, she quickly moves around the room efficiently and gently, so she doesn’t startle you and makes you feel any worse. a cold feeling against your mouth stirs you awake and you make out nancy, her hand on your chin and a cold glass of water in the other.

“drink up, kay? you’ll feel a little better and i’ll take care of you all night if i have to.”

“i didn’t think it’d hit me this hard.” you laugh, your throat rejecting the idea of you even laughing and a couple coughs following after.

“how’d you end up like this anyway?”

nancy says, her voice starting to fill up with concern as she feels up your face again. “i’m not sure, i think i just- overworked myself, y’know? spent too much time around the kids and didn’t get much sleep. plus, you know how the weather gets ‘round this time of year..”

you grumble out, your voice much hoarser than it’s ever been. her head tilts and you hear her sigh.

“i know, but you shouldn’t have to work so hard.” she tsks and tucks a few loose strands of hair behind your ears. her touch is light, soft, and warm. everything that helps bring you some sense of peace despite the fact you feel like you’re on your deathbed.

“i don’t deserve you, nance.” you murmur out and inch your head away from her when she tries to feel your temp again. “yeah, too bad this isn’t about who deserves what.” she snickers and leans down to press another soft kiss to your forehead.

“you’re too good to me, that’s for sure.” you muse and smirk at her, just a little bit. your vision starts to blur again and you start to fall asleep, nancy sitting down on the edge watching you and making sure that you don’t get worse.

time barely registers as she dabs at your face with a cool cloth, suppressing the heat traveling up your neck, and you let out a raspy grunt.