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tummysick · 1 day ago

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Quarantine

Heads up for the people who are avoiding the Wendy Relapse Arc; We see Wendy "sick" at the start and Max, wrongly, assumes is because of the flu. It's only the first half of the fic, so I'd still recommend reading it, just skip a little bit. It's Max's POV and not detailed at all.

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They sat in the bathroom for the longest time, as Vince continued to try and turn inside out. It was already dark outside as they managed to convince him that he was truly empty and relocated him to bed, shivering under covers and with a bucket on the ground next to him.

Max's heart squeezed with worry and sympathy as he watched the other man sleep, the fever leaving a permanent red mark in the middle of his cheek, the sweat glistening all over his face despite the fact Wendy was consistently wiping it off with her cold washcloth.

Vaguely he could overhear Wen down the hall, talking on the phone with Jonah, saying they'd be quarantine and that no, he didn't have to worry and yes, they had everything in the house. It was probably a twenty four hour bug and Vin would be fine in the morning.

Vince squirmed, turning on his side just enough he could hang his head out of the mattress and Max fully entered the room, holding up the bucket under his friend's mouth. An empty heave shook Vin's frame, bringing up nothing but a string of frothy burps and a whine.

"Shhh," Max sighed, pushing back Vin's curls and grabbing his shoulder, pushing him against the pillows, "you're empty, you're done."

Vin's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, dangerously, eyes squeezed shut and a dark frown between his brows. Max softly ran his fingers over Vince's wrinkles, smoothing the frown away, scratching his scalp, "relax, man. Try to catch some sleep."

"Max...?" Vince sounded absolutely lost, "don't- You'll get sick..."

"Pffft," Max snorted, rolling his eyes, "too little, too late. Get some sleep, Vin."

Vince frowned at him, but he was clearly too tired to fight it any longer and very quickly his eyes rolled back, whole body going slack. Max grimaced, since it looked more like a fainting spell than falling asleep, but then a soft snore followed and he relaxed.

Nevertheless, he didn't move. Much like he had seen Wendy do before, he stayed sat on the bed, petting away Vin's curls. He understood entirely why she hadn't been able to move. There was just something about seeing Vince, big and strong, so vulnerable that made him not want to look away.

"He's asleep?" Wendy whispered from the doorway, startling Max. His cheeks caught on fire, as if he had just been caught red handed doing something he shouldn't.

"Yeah," Max whispered, carefully getting up from the bed and tiptoeing back to the door. He winced at the door creaked slightly, scared it might wake him up.

"Come have dinner," Wendy tugged on his arm, keeping her voice low, "c'mon..."

Once they were out of the hallway and back into the kitchen, Max felt like he could breathe. He rolled his shoulders, "was Jonah too mad?"

"Not mad, just concerned," Wendy answered, opening the fridge and then letting out a sigh, "I don't feel like cooking, how about we order in?"

Food was the last thing in his mind, which was weird considering he had thrown up his lunch and should've been famished by now. Max shrugged, leaning against the fridge, "sure, what do you have in mind?"

In true womanly fashion, Wendy didn't know what she wanted, but she sure as hell knew what she didn't want, shooting down all of his options. Eventually they settled on Hawaiian food, back in the living room.

Max pushed around the bits and pieces of his salad with his fork, happily opting to paying more attention to Wen as she started to tell him all about her and Vin's food adventures, instead of his own meal.

He wasn't sure when he started to drift off, but suddenly Wendy's giggling was jostling him awake, her hands on his arm.

"Hey," her face was much closer than before and he realized she was in completely different clothes, a pink robe wrapped around her form, stuffed bunny slippers, "you dozed off, Max."

"Shit," he wiped at his face, cringing as he realized he had drooled in his slip, "shit, I'm- I'm sorry..."

"No," Wendy shook her head, ushering him up, "don't apologize. Go change while I fix the couch for you, alright?"

He nodded, stumbling up and struggling to piece things together. His backpack was across the room, with his change of clothes and toiletries.

Max was yawning as he changed into his sweatpants and long sleeved shirt combo, now with his teeth brushed, and found that Wendy had already pulled out the couch and fixed it up with blankets and a pillow at lightspeed.

"Thank you, Wen," he yawned and leaned in, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she passed him by in the hallway.

"Just call if you need anything," she squeezed his arm, "goodnight Max."

"Goodnight," he smiled, then walked to the couch and fell against the cushions with a pleased sigh. His whole body was aching, be it because of the drive between in Doveport and Welton when he wasn't used to riding a bike or because of manhandling Vince around.

He never quite fell asleep, but instead dozed in and out of consciousness many times. Wendy's pullout couch was very comfy, but the apartment was weird, not bad, just... Different. Every time Max closed his eyes, his sleepy brain latched on a different corner of her living room. The rounded rectangle table with a big flower pot sitting in the middle, the books under her TV rack, the paintings littering the walls...

He curled up further under the blankets, feeling like he was freezing, despite the fact it was quite a warm night. So warm that her A/C was on and eventually Max stumbled up and rummaged near the front door in order to find the remote and turn it off. He fell back into the blankets, rolling himself up in them like a burrito and pressing his nose to the dusty pink cushions.

His teeth were chattering and Max was debating getting up and bothering the couple down the hall to ask for an extra blanket when he actually heard the bedroom door open.

For one second he laid still, scared that somehow he had woken them up by freezing to death, but then the footsteps came down the hall, all the way to the guest bathroom — too soft to be Vince's — and the light spilled out, vanished again as the door closed and Max sat up as he heard Wendy retching.

Oh no.

He needed to brace against the couch as he jumped up in a hurry, a wave of vertigo nearly sending him flat on his back. Max frowned at his own faulty body, then stumbled to the guest bathroom and knocked softly, keeping his voice low, "Wen? Wen, are you okay?"

Obviously it wasn't. Of course she'd get the damn bug, she was sleeping with the walking petri dish that was Vin at this moment. And of course she was hurrying down the hall to be sick, because her boyfriend woke up at any sound. Ridiculously selfless.

"Go'way!" Wendy groaned and Max sighed, resting his forehead to the door with a yawn.

"M'fraid I can't-" he yawned again, "can't do that, gorgeous."

"I'm fine!" Wendy's voice wasn't a yell, but it was raspy and loaded with embarrassment. He hated it, he wanted to make her feel better, not the opposite.

Max moved away from the door, only so he could go to the kitchen and grab Wendy comically large water bottle, as well as a bowl. He looked around, but try as he might he couldn't find a washcloth, so he settled for a clean dishcloth, running it under the tap and praying she wouldn't be too mad about it.

Then he walked back to the bathroom and knocked once more, "just let me take a look at you?" he offered and heard a sniffle.

That did it. Without thinking, Max turned the doorhandle and found out Wendy hadn't locked the door. She was crumpled on the floor, away from the toilet, hugging her knees and resting her back on the bathtub, crying.

"Oh, Wendy," Max groaned, sinking to his knees, "of course you got it," he planted the water bottle next to her foot and crawled closer, unsure of what he should or could do. He wanted to scoop her up, she was so tiny and vulnerable, it made his heart ache, but at the same time, he wasn't sure if he was crossing some sort of boundary...

"Here," Max opted for saying, offering her the humid cloth, "wipe your face, it'll help you feel better."

Wendy's frame shook with a sob at his words, as if the prospect she deserved to feel better was a bad thing or something beyond her sight. He understood, the flu was the worst. His own stomach wasn't feeling too hot at the moment, sympathy nausea he apparently got now causing things to swirl away.

When she made no movement to get the dishcloth, Max moved even closer and cupped her chin with his hand, starting to do it for her. She was cool to the touch, which was a good sign, right? No fever...?

Wendy's chin wobbled in his hold, green eyes filled with tears, "I'm sorry..."

"What for?" Max rolled his eyes, then winced as it caused an annoying throbbing to spring up behind his right away, "c'mere-" he closed the small distance between them, wrapping his arms around her and Wendy promptly collapsed against him.

She pressed her face to his chest, shaking like a newborn puppy and Max rubbed his chin over the top of her head, instinctually, "shhh, you'll feel better soon," he promised and that seemed to cause a fresh batch of tears.

His eyes were burning with the effort of staying open and his back aching, begging him to go back to bed, but Wendy was still clinging to him and he had no intentions of moving away.

It seemed like it took forever, Max drifting in and out of consciousness as he continued to hold her, when Wendy finally stirred in his arms.

"You're warm," she whispered, her voice raspy, face slightly swollen from all the crying. Max frowned, he didn't feel like he was warm at all.

"No, I'm freezing my ass off here," he scoffed at her, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "how are you feeling?"

A sniffle answered him, as Wendy averted her eyes and shut the toilet. He hadn't glanced at it, it hadn't occurred him to, but now Max wondered if she had puked at all, given she didn't press the flush. Better this way.

Maybe she was one of those people who just really really hated feeling sick.

"I'm fine," Wendy's hands suddenly were on his face, causing him to flinch. They were like ice cubes, "you need to lie down, I think you have a fever."

"That's one- One hell of a plague," Max grumbled, using the wall to hoist himself up, "took all three of us down in less than twenty hours."

Wendy wrapped an arm around his waist, guiding him back to the living room, humming in agreement with him.

As soon as he was lying on the couch, exhaustion came crashing down like a ton of bricks. Every little bit of his body ached, his head was throbbing and he was shivering. His stomach felt overly full and sour, despite the fact he had only nibbled at dinner, and there was a crampy sensation deep in his gut.

"Take these, Max," Wendy's voice was soft, breathy, head hovering over his face and delicate fingers pressing a couple pills to his mouth. There was a halo around her head, bouncing on her chocolate hair, and Max couldn't pinpoint if it was the overhead lights, the sun, or if she had turned on the television.

He gulped down the meds, obediently, then shivered violently as he pressed his face to the pillow, curling up so much he was turning into an origami.

Next time he opened his eyes, it was definitely bright out. The sun was filtering through the cream curtains in a peachy haze, but still Max groaned at the brightness and moved his arm to cover his eyes. Immediately there were fingers in his hair, too big to be Wen's, too certain too.

"How are you?" Vince's voice was shot, as if he had gargled with glass shards and Max dared to lift his head from his dark cocoon to look at the other man. Vin looked like the picture of misery, in grey oversized sweats, his curls sticking out everywhere and gluing to his clammy face, complexion all waxy and eyes sunken into their sockets.

He looked just like Max felt.

"Gross," the blonde groaned, refusing to sit up. His stomach was churning and he could feel acid tickling the back of his throat, if he moved he was going to be sick, "I hate you."

"I hate me too," Vince sat down on the opposite end of the couch, causing the structure to groan. He wrapped an arm around his stomach, staring at a spot in the large daisy rug.

"Vince," Max kicked the other man's thigh, gulping down the nausea that the movement caused, "if you're gonna hurl, move."

Vince shook his head, rubbing his face in an exhausted manner, "nothing else to-" he muffled a burp in his hand, "-to bring up."

"Great," Max closed his eyes again, trying to urge his headache to vanish, "where's Wendy?"

"Asleep," Vince yawned, "she was up all night between you and me-"

"She's sick too," Max warned him, "she was throwing up yesterday."

Even without opening his eyes, Max knew he had revealed new information, because Vince's mouth snapped shut and a tense silence followed.

"She was...?"

"Yeah," Max forced his eyes open, "I guess she didn't want to wake you, she went to the hallway bathroom."

Immediately he knew he had said the wrong thing. Vince's dark brows met in an upset frown, his lips turned down at the corners.

"Vin?"

"Get some sleep," Vince moved up, not as quick as he clearly wanted, but quick enough Max could tell he was annoyed, "I got you-" he stumbled around, then held out a Gatorade bottle for the blonde. When Max didn't move to get it, Vin dropped it in the space between Max's stomach and his curled up legs, "hydrate and try to get some rest, I'll wake you for meds soon-"

"Where- Where are you going?" Max felt beyond puzzled, even a little wounded. Clearly he had gotten used to being babied by Vin, because he expected a lot more care than he was receiving and it stung. Not only that, but he had the distinct sensation that Vin was mad at him, but Max had no idea why.

"To check on our girl," Vince scoffed, "if she's been sick all night, she's probably dehydrated as hell. Get some sleep."

Ah.

Our girl?

Max didn't have any time to retort, as Vince moved out of the living room, way too quickly for someone who was recovering from a brutal round of the flu.

Our girl.

It was obviously an accusation, thinly veiled jealousy that Max didn't think Vin was capable to feel, but was clear as a bell. Nevertheless, those two words caused a new shiver to go down Max's spine

He let out a groan, burying his head in the cushions and closing his eyes once more, hoping the flu would do its job and knock him out before his brain started to chew on that new piece of information, that weird tingling emotion he couldn't place. Guilt. Elation.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Wen whispered, touching his bicep and Max refused to open his eyes or change his breathing pattern. He didn't want to deal with reality just yet, not with the mess he was digging himself in, not with how achy and weak his body felt.

"I can tell you're awake," Wendy chuckled, pushing his hair back, thumb stroking his cheek, "how does some soup sound?"

Awful.

"Vin's just been able to stomach some, you think you could try?"

Nope.

His stomach felt like a bubbling cauldron, full to the brim with hot acid. The nausea that had been present since he had started to feel chilly was more strong than ever, causing his mouth to water and his stomach to churn. The organ let out an upset whine.

"How is it?" Wendy asked and Max knew it wasn't directed at him, because her voice was louder.

"It's great," Vince answered, causing his girlfriend to let out an amused huff and get up from her spot in the couch.

"You can't taste it, can you?" Wendy teased and Max cracked an eye open, seeing her drape herself over Vin's back and plant a kiss on his cheek. He was sitting by the dinner table, still looking like death warmed over, but significantly better from that morning.

"Nope," Vince leaned his head back, grinning at Wendy, "but I'm sure it's great. I trust your cooking skills."

"I'm moved," she ran her fingers through her boyfriend's curls, then widened her eyes at Max as she caught him watching them, "you're awake, uh?"

Max offered them a tight lipped smile, slowly sitting up. Even moving as slow as he could, his stomach seemed to churn even harder. His hair was down from his manbun, sticking to his clammy face and falling like a curtain around his face as he hung forward, planting his elbows on his knees. It made him feel claustrophobic and antsy.

"Guys?"

"Yeah? What do you need?" Much to his surprise, it was Vin who asked, sounding concerned. So at least he didn't hate Max just yet. Our girl.

"Uhm, can you- Can you tie my hair?" if he moved his arms up in order to try, Max just knew he was gonna be sick all over his lap. It was taking all of his will power at the moment to speak and not throw up.

"Uh, sure, yeah-" he heard the noise of the chair sliding on wooden floors, Wendy's feet down the hall and then a big hand cupped his forehead, pulling away the blonde strands.

"Are you too warm? Maybe your fever finally broke..." Vince said and Max shook his head, unable to answer.

"Got it!" Wendy squealed, rushing back into the room, with what he assumed was the hair tie. Vince combed all of his hair back and tied it, just as Max gagged and Wen let out a squeal.

"Oh, okay- Okay, hold on just a second! Just a sec!" She urged him and Max snapped his mouth shut, swallowing the disgusting warm saliva and trying not to breathe at all. His body was covered in goosebumps and the stomach acid was flooding his mouth-

He retched, just as Wendy skipped back in the room and all but threw the bowl to Vin, who caught it in the air and pushed it under Max's chin just in time to catch a dribble of sick.

The blonde let out a humiliated groan, reaching with shaky hands to take the bowl from Vince. He probably had pissed someone up there really badly, because why the hell he was being sick of both his crushes. A particular circle of hell.

He lurched forward with a much more violent heave, a large gush of liquid and chunks falling into the bowl and causing his eyes to water and his nose to run as stomach acid got into it.

"That's alright, get it up," Wendy cooed, planting a hand on his back and rubbing up and down, "you'll feel better soon, it's not- Shit, Vin, get out of here, honey."

Max didn't have any energy to turn his head. It felt like it weighted a thousand pounds and he was breathing shallowly through his mouth, a line of thick saliva hanging from his bottom lip and keeping him tied to the bowl like an umbilical cord. He tried to gulp down, only for a thick belch to come up from the depths of his stomach, bringing another wave at its tail-end.

His ears went deaf and Max let out a whimper, one hand letting go of the bowl, feverish brain clumsily trying to find any comfort as he wrapped his arm around his stomach and squeezed, trying to keep the contents down.

"I got you, I got you," Wendy planted a hand on the bowl, steading it and brushed her knuckles against his cheek, "take a breath, love."

Fuck.

Max gagged up another watery stream, then dry heaved, loudly and violently, whole body shaking with effort. His stomach muscles spasmed, trying to bring up anything else, but he had barely eaten dinner and thrown up lunch, there really wasn't much to puke.

Wendy thumped his back, with just enough force he rocked forward with yet another heave and managed to bring up a stream of bright orange bile, before panting for several minutes.

Slowly Max lowered the bowl away from his face, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him.

"Are you done?" Wendy asked and he waited a minute, before nodding. She sprung up, "let me take this then-"

Max let out a loud groan at the embarrassment of not being able to clean up after himself, only to feel Vince's hands on his shoulders, pulling him back against the couch.

"Relax," Vin squeezed his nape, thumbs rubbing in little gentle circles, "relax."

It was not so much cooing as it was an order and Max melted under the massage, breathing out. His stomach was still aching and he was still freezing, but at least Vince wasn't mad at him and Wendy didn't seem to think he was gross.

He let out a yawn, then heard Wendy giggle, blankets being tucked around him and then her voice as she said, "I got him, you go lie down, honey. You're looking just as pale as he is."

"Uhmmm," was Vince's answer, followed by a tired sigh and a poke to Max's shoulder, "let's bring you to bed, it's comfier than the couch."

The blonde felt like he was drunk as Vince ushered him up, exchanging quiet words with Wen and knowing glances that seemed like they were having a silent conversation. He stumbled ahead, then fell face first against a pillow.

The bed dipped as Vin laid down right next to him and then even more as Wendy threw a blanket over them and snuggled up so she was lying half on top of Vince, her cheek pressed to his chest in a way that made her whole face squish and made Max snort.

At least they didn't have to worry about infecting her...?

His stomach let out an upset whine and Max cringed, curling up and scooting on the bed so he could press his forehead to Vin's bicep and try to steal a bit of his warmth.

Vin's hand was in Wendy's hair, fiddling with the waves and wrapping them around his fingers. She turned her face slightly, pressing a kiss to her boyfriend's stomach, then reached out and cupped Max's face, stroking his prickly cheek, sort of combing his auburn beard.

"Sleep now," she whispered, "we got you."

#you're killing me here soup #sickfic #stomach flu #emetophilia #emeto #caretaking #a beloved sickfic

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tummysick · 1 day ago

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Caretakers making their sickee drink water to help them throw up is one of my favorite things in the whole world I'm kicking my feet this was SO GOOD 💖

Congratulations

This comes directly after this fic, where Max got sick from his lunch around Leo.

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"Oh no," Wendy giggled, curled up next to Max on the couch, her head thrown back and a blush devouring her cheeks, climbing up from her blouse's cleavage, kissing her neck and ears.

He felt proud of himself for making her laugh like that, even if it was at his expense.

Max was sitting next to her, Wendy's heat pad pressed to his stomach, having just told her with no shortage of expletives just how awesome lunch had been.

"You've got the worst luck known to man, Max," Wendy's shoulders continued to shake and she dug her feet on the cushion, hiding them under his thigh to warm them up, "I can't believe Leo threatened to uninvite you."

"Right?" He scoffed, resting his elbow on her knee, "but he didn't, so you'll just have to put up with me at the wedding."

"I bet you're an obnoxious drunk," Wendy rolled her eyes, "loud and full of horrible ideas."

"I'm an angel," he grinned at her, "have I told you about the first time I got wasted and how I was arrested for the first tim-"

"Aw, I owe Bella twenty bucks," Wendy interrupted him with a pout and Max looked at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Pardon me?"

"Bell bet you had done time before," Wendy's nose wrinkled in an adorable manner and he turned fully on his side so he could plant his other arm also on top her knee, his chin resting on his crossed forearms, "I said you were all bark, but no bite."

"Rude?!" Max chuckled, pinching her calf and making Wendy squeal and try to move away, but his arm on top of her knee kept her put, "what the fuck, Wendy! Well, I didn't do time, so I guess you were both wrong."

"You didn't?" She perked up, curiosity coloring her words, "...So? Are you gonna tell me?!"

"First time I got arrested I was drunk and I got a little too in the face of a cop, who got called at a house party I was at. It was during college, I was just old enough to drink, dude didn't believe my ID and I already didn't like cops, so-" Max shrugged, smiling as he reminisced on the memory, "second time was political. I was part of a group protesting for the environment, while I was on work break, in Portland. I got held for two days, though, that was all. I don't think you need to pay Bell up."

Wendy's face was clouded with curiosity, but instead of asking anything else, she leaned in and poked his belly, "how's your stomach?"

In truth, Max had been feeling better from the minute the finished getting sick. His gut might hate him, but at least it wasn't vicious, only wanted the offending items out. Nevertheless, Wendy had been so quick to baby him when he got to her building, he had leaned on it more than he should've.

"I'm fine," he squeezed her hand, pressing the heat pad further to his belly, "just allergic to fun, it seems."

"Or to Leo. I wouldn't blame you," Wendy teased, then sprung up from the couch as if she had been tasered as the front door opened. Max snorted at that, figuring Wen had forgotten for a split second Vince was coming home.

As soon as he turned his head to look at the other man, Max's eyebrows jumped up.

Vince's usual easy going smile was gone, instead replaced by a purposeful frown. Not the occasional resting bitch face that his dark strong brows could cause, but a real frown.

Max's smile fell as he wondered if maybe his presence there, alone with Vin's girlfriend, was the cause behind such a mean mug.

Wendy looked just as confused as Max, "uh... Hello?"

"Hi," Vince's voice was gruff as he removed his jacket and kicked off his boots. Wendy looked over her shoulder, confused, and Max shrugged.

"Everything okay...?" Max gauged, biting nervously on the skin of his thumb. At the same time as he said that, Wendy asked:

"How was the evening with the guys?"

Vin shrugged, "fine," he rubbed his face, squinting at the entry rug, "I don't feel well, I'm gonna lie down."

Oh.

Relief washed over Max. That explained it, at least Vin wasn't mad at him, just sick. Poor dude.

"Not well? How so?" Wendy questioned, skipping ahead so she could cup her boyfriend's cheeks, "you're a little warm, were you in the sun?"

That could be it, Vince's cheeks sure were pink and he seemed sweaty, although that could just be clamminess. Max got up too, so he could shadow over Wen, as if he was of any help when compared to a doctor.

"I was out playing so yeah," Vin's whole face scrunched up as he winced again, eye rolling Wendy's conjecture, "I just have a headache and feel gross. I'm gonna go lie down."

Max let out a snort, it was weirdly amusing to see Vince act like such an ass, for a minute there he had all but forgotten of how the other man had acted the first time they met. Vin could be such a dick.

"Okay..." Wendy pulled back, seeming unsure of what to do, "do you need anything?"

"No, I-" Vince interrupted himself, cheeks puffing out with a soft burp and he rubbed his chest in an uneasy manner, "just gotta sleep it off..."

Wendy nodded, stepping to the side as Vince moved further in. He passed by Max, offering him a tight lipped, forced, smile, "hi Max," his voice was all gruff and he moved away before the blonde could answer.

Thirty seconds later he heard the bedroom door opening and closing, loudly.

"...That was weird," Max said and Wendy nodded enthusiastically.

"He's never acted like that," she chewed on her lip, "probably is just the headache."

"Probably," Max conceded, thinking that Vince seemed a little green around the gills, but opting for staying quiet. If his girlfriend wasn't mother henning then-

"He seemed a little queasy, didn't he?" Wendy wondered, out loud, walking to the kitchen and he followed her like a shadow. For some reason that Max couldn't quite pinpoint, she sounded elated. Weirdo. Cute.

He watched as she moved around her small kitchen, filling up a water bottle, fishing out a bowl, moving out of the room to retrieve some towels- Max hung awkwardly at the door threshold as Wendy entered the dark bedroom and sat on the corner of the mattress, Vince a lump under covers.

"Honey," Wendy whispered, eliciting a grunt as response. The hallway light was spilling inside the room, bathing half of Wen's face in gold and outlining Vince's form beneath the blankets. He took up so much of the bed, Max chewed on his lip as he tried to visualize Wendy in it as well.

"I know your head hurts," Wendy continued to speak in a low voice, running her fingers through his curls, "but I want you to take some meds, okay? Then you can sleep."

Not an hour before she had been using that exact same tone with him, fussing as she pushed pepto in his hands and all but shoved Max to the couch despite him being much taller.

Vince let out another groan, then there was some shuffling around as Wendy fed him the singular tylenol pill and a gulp of water, tucking the covers around him as Vin collapsed back against the pillows.

"We'll be in the living room," Wen leaned in, planting a kiss on her boyfriend's temple, "holler if you need me."

Max could almost hear Vin's not verbalized "stay". Although he never said it, he curled up further, a hand wrapped around Wendy's wrist and keeping her in place, before she could get up. Max let out a snort, crossing his arms and leaning even more against the doorway, thumping his head against the wood as he watched a blush crawl up Wen's cheeks and her steal a glance in his direction.

He felt like a voyeur, knowingly intruding into an intimate moment but unable to look away.

Wendy didn't have the heart to pull away, so she stayed put, continuing to pet Vin's hair with the hand that wasn't trapped by his grip.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, almost good thirty minutes later as she managed to unhook her hand from Vin's tight grip and pulled the door ajar behind her, "I'm being a terrible host."

"No, you're not," Max rolled his eyes, glancing past her shoulder and into the dark bedroom. Vince was snoring away, louder than usual and Max felt embarrassed that he knew just how the other man was supposed to sound. What weird information to have filed away.

"Yes, I am," Wendy scoffed, planting her hands on his arm and pushing Max down the hall, "you were telling me about your big bad criminal career."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that, rushing to cover his mouth and glancing nervously backwards, just in case they had woken Vin up. Wendy froze too. A snore. Both their shoulders dropped in relief and Max quietly giggled, "it was incredibly short lived," he promised, falling back on the couch and feeling his stomach fill up with butterflies as Wendy resumed to her original position, curling up next to him, green eyes sparkling with curiosity as he said, "but my arsonist career had just started."

He didn't feel the time passing at all as they jumped from topic to topic. From his harmless arson days, to college, to her career — Wendy's voice went up a whole note as she explained just why she had picked neurology and how her supervision worked. Her phone gallery was almost a crime scene, a thousand pictures that were just guts and brains and she nearly draped herself over his knee as she explained every single one with glee.

Max was trying not to laugh too loudly as he heard Wendy tell him just how her residency had worked during college days and dumb shit they had been forced to deal with.

"Gynecology was a trip," she groaned, although her eyes had a manic glint, "you cannot imagine the amount of people who are having sex without knowing what they're doing. The crazy stuff I'd hear during my clinic hours...' she shuddered, "at least I only did rotations there for the mandatory three months. Had a lady come in wondering how she was pregnant because they had been using protection and when I asked for clarification I saw the burst condom around her wrist like a fucking bracelet-"

"You're joking," Max wailed, "you're fucking with me!"

"Oh, I wish! I haven't even told you about the orthopedics supervisor-"

"He used to sleep and let the residents run amuck," Vince's voice, still deep from sleep, interrupted. Wendy perked up, tilting her head back with a smile as Vin pressed a kiss to the top of her head, standing behind the couch.

He was terribly pale, redness around his eyes and nose. Dark circles that had no business being there.

"How are you feeling, dude?" Max asked, carefully pulling back his legs. Somehow they had ended up on Wen's lap, her hands clutching at the hem of his pants, fingers ghosting over the scar he sported on his ankle from the fatidic hiking trip.

"Gross," Vince admitted, "ashamed. I was rude earlier, I'm sorry."

Max rolled his eyes, waving him away, "you're a dick, I've known," he teased and Vince's cheeks turned red as he circled the couch and collapsed on the armchair that was next to it.

"How's the headache?" Wendy moved so she was on her knees on the rug, before her boyfriend, peering at his face since he had hunched over.

"Better..." Vince sounded small, clearly embarrassed and still in pain, "I was such an asshole earlier, I'm so-"

"Aw, my poor baby," Wendy's voice went up a gleeful note, half amused, half teasing, as she planted a bunch of kisses all over his face, using Vin's knee to push herself up, "you're not feeling well, that's alright..."

Vince muffled a groan against her chest as Wendy kissed his temple, hugging her by the middle. Max opened an entertained grin, noticing how Wendy seemed to have cuteness aggression as her hands clasped her boyfriend's shoulders and she pulled him to her, almost melting them together.

Vince stayed in that position for a minute too long and Wen turned her head to look at Max, her chin pressed to the top of her boyfriend's head, mouthing silently, "such a baby."

Then suddenly the other man pulled back, all but punching himself as he pressed a hand to his lips and muffled a wet, frothy burp. His face had gone from the previous milky white, straight into grey-green territory. He stayed very still, breathing slowly, and Wendy remained frozen, arms up in the air from how Vince had pushed her away.

"Vin?"

Max sprung up, running back to the bedroom as he remembered the bowl Wendy had left there. He crawled over the thrown blankets and grabbed it off the floor, rushing back to the living room.

Vince hadn't moved, despite the fact Wendy had been trying to usher him up. His eyes were squeezed shut, perspiration covering his skin and Max all but fell as he tripped, plating the bowl in front of him.

"Here," he panted and Vince took it, hand all clammy as it brushed with Max's. He leaned over it, opening his mouth and drooling, causing the blonde to wrinkle his nose with disgust and sympathy.

"Aw, man," he straightened up, meeting Wendy's worried gaze and planting a hand on Vince's back. He was drenched in sweat and only then did Max realize he was for sure sporting a fever, "you're sick sick," he diagnosed.

Vince answered him with a groan, followed by an empty heave. Wendy sighed, pulling back his hair, "honey, let it up, you'll feel better..."

"Try-Eeurph- Trying..." He hiccupped mid sentence, then let out a whine and folded even more, pressing the bowl's edge to his forehead. Wendy let out a little frustrated sigh.

Max thought of back in Vince's house, months before, when he had been called to the rescue by a scared sounding Sophia. Clearly illness took the most out of Vin.

"That's okay," Wen cooed, continuing to rub his back, "take your time."

Vince lowered the bowl to his mouth once more, forcing up a little burp and a splash of thick saliva. He was panting as if he had just run a marathon.

It seemed to go on for the longest time, Vince bringing up little more than miserable belches and globs of thick saliva, all but rocking in his seat. His whole face was scrunched up and Wendy's easy going smile from before had vanished, concern clouding her face.

"Dude," Max sighed, thumping Vince's back as the other man dry heaved for the 10th time, unable to vomit, "I think you might just be empty..."

"No," Wendy voiced Vin's thoughts as he shook his head, "let's move him to the bathroom, c'mon."

Happy to be given a task he could actually help with, Max wrapped an arm around Vince's waist and pulled him up. Immediately his back burned, shoulders getting stiff as he tried to manhandle the much heavier man.

"C'mon, Monacelli, help me here," Max grunted, stumbling and nearly falling as he maneuvered Vin into the guest bathroom. Vince was considerably taller than him, so as he lost his footing, both of them went down inside the room.

In his attempt to not collapse, Max grabbed on the towel holder and ended up bringing it down alongside them, falling on the ground with a metallic CLAnk!

"Max!?" Wendy rushed in after them, now holding a can of ginger ale, eyes wide as she took in the scene, "oh my God, what-"

"Tripped," Max groaned, managing to wiggle from under Vin and push him sitting up in front of the toilet, wincing as his ass ached from how they had fallen, "your- Uh, your thingy fell, I'm sorry-" he gestured to the cute curtain holder with a golden bunny on each side of it.

Wendy rolled her eyes, "that's a piece of shit, don't worry about it," she promised, "fell with me too the other day."

Max shrugged, relieved, planting it on the ground and then turning his attention towards Vin once more. The other man had draped himself over the toilet, drooling as he seemed unable to shut his mouth.

"Hon," Wendy got down next to his, cupping Vin's cheek, "Vin, I got you a drink, I want you to chug it, alright? It'll help you be sick."

Max raised his eyebrows, wasn't that a bad idea? Shouldn't they try to not make Vince sick...?

He caught Wen's eyes and she shrugged, "he's not gonna rest until the nausea eases," she explained, opening the can and pushing it against Vin's lips, "big gulps, Vin."

Without so much as a complaint, Vince obeyed, chugging three large gulps — Then his chest jostled with a deep, wet burp and Max rushed up, grabbing Vin's face and making him aim at the toilet just in time for a torrent of sick to hit the water, instead of Wendy's lap.

"There you go," Wendy sighed, thumping her boyfriend's back, "bring it up, honey."

Max cringed at the violent heaves and gags that followed, his own stomach churning with sympathy nausea. He didn't typically get sick from sight or smell, but his belly suddenly felt tender, reminiscing on his own puking episode from before.

"Hey, blondie," Wendy snapped her fingers at him, noticing how pale Max looked and how he gulped the saliva in his mouth, "get out of here, I got him."

He shook his head, standing up in order to spit on the sink and splash some water on his face, "I'm fine, just- Just caught me off guard..." Max promised, not wanting to step away as he felt like he was being of some help.

"Uh-hum," Wendy rolled her eyes, throwing him an amused smile, just as Vin let out a groan and pulled back, resting his forehead on the porcelain.

"Fuck..." Vin's voice was several octaves too deep, "fuck..."

"Are you feeling any better?" Max asked, hopefully, causing Wen to snort at his silly question. Vince spat in the water, then shook his head and leaned back, collapsing against the bathroom wall and curling up, an arm wrapped around his stomach.

"M'freezing..." He whined, "everything hurts."

"Congratulations," Wendy sighed, flushing the toilet, as Max wet the hand towel he had been clutching, getting back down so he could wipe at Vin's chin, "you got the flu."

"Yay," Vince groaned, his head lolling, brown eyes meeting Max's with surprisingly intensity, "Jonah's gonna be elated."

"We'll quarantine," Wendy answered, sounding equally defeated, "shit."

#stomach flu #emetophilia #a beloved sickfic

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