Pride came before a fall, and Joy learned that the hard way. She was hit, and hit hard, by the flu, proving her invincibility was nothing but a castle made of sand.
Joy, who usually boasted a constitution as robust as a lion, was reduced to a sick dog when illness struck.
Austin had no choice but to nurse her back to health, timing her meals and medication with the precision of a watch, ensuring she consumed everything even in her near-comatose state.
Takeout was an unhealthy option, laden with grease and salt, so Austin decided to cook despite his basic culinary skills. Luckily, Joy wasn't picky. She ate without looking at her plate, trusting whatever was for her before returning to sleep.
She crashed at Austin's place for two days, finally waking up as her fever receded, ready to face the world again.
Austin brought her medicine, accompanying it with a glass of water beside her bed.
Slightly more spirited but still feeling the aftermath of her fever, Joy wrapped herself in blankets, not reaching out to grab the glass but sticking her head out just enough to drink. Austin had to feed her the water, after which she took her medicine and laid back down, her fingers peeking out from the blanket to wave him off dismissively. "That will be all, Jeeves." She certainly had the air of a queen about her.
Austin couldn't help but retort, "Am I here to take care of you, or are you here to be served?"
Her voice heavy with nasal congestion, Joy countered, "Who got me sick in the first place? I was fine hanging out with Anne, but I caught this bug when I was with you. It's your fault." "Did you go around kissing her, too?" Austin challenged.
"Oh, as if you didn't lead me on," Joy fired back, her voice a mix of anger and jest, "How could I resist your charm?"
Austin set the glass aside, moving closer to the bed, leaning in as if to kiss her.
Their relationship had just
progressed from flirting to officially dating. Still clinging to a shred of modesty, Joy was mortified at the thought of Austin seeing her unwashed face and greasy hair.
"Wait!" She quickly covered her face. "Can you close your eyes first?"
Austin kissed her fingers instead, asking, "Why?"
Joy squirmed, "A lady needs her moment for image management."
Austin chuckled. "You don't have to play the lady with me. I like you just the way you are."
"Men's sweet nothings," Joy scoffed, not buying his charm, "You're so enchanted now. You'd find even my sneeze adorable." Austin commented, "Well, I wouldn't say that."
Joy pushed his head aside, making a beeline for the bathroom to salvage her dignity and appearance.
When Frank dropped by to deliver some 'get well soon' cheer, Austin met him at the door, clearly not in the mood for visitors. "What's up?" asked Austin.
"Brought you some flu meds. Heard
bu
you caught the bug," Frank said, seeking praise for his effort. "Got them from a buddy of mine at the hospital."
Austin replied, "Save yourself the trouble next time and wait to attend my funeral."
A bit stunned, Frank tried to lighten
the mood "Come on, the girl I pursued got sick too and was aff tears over the phone. You know, I had to prioritize. A big guy like you can handle a little fever." S
Frank tried to step inside, but Austin stopped him. "Not a good time."
"What's the big deal? Are you hiding a woman in there?" Frank joked just as someone appeared behind Austin, revealing the truth behind the jest.
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