Your head hurt. Like, stake through your forehead hurt.
Migraines were never fun, but especially not when you were trying to stream so that your audience had their bi-nightly entertainment.
The guys didn't help much, given that they were always loud. The screaming match over whatever stupid steam game Smitty convinced you guys to download was too much when combined with the light from your monitor.
You'd been falling more and more quiet for the past hour, now barely talking at all, just moving your character around and trying to get through the session. Ideally, you'd be done soon and able to curl up in bed with no light, no sound.
Just your blanket, water bottle, and weighted eye mask.
Pure heaven for a migraine.
"How many more times am I going to fucking fall!" Matt screamed. The rest of the guys began laughing, sending another spike of pain through your skull.
Puffer and Pezzy both began making fun of him, Droid and Smitty both cackling in the background. When your phone buzzed on your desk, you ignored it at first, just locked in on your own character.
But then the device buzzed again, more insistent. With a small huff through your nose, you picked it up, squinting at the light.
As you read them, a third text came through. This time, a gif of a concerned bear. That one had your lips quirking up into a ghost of a smile.
Migraine. The yelling isn't helping.
Just for this session to end.
You looked back up to your monitors, scanning chat for a moment, most of your viewers asking if you were alright or why you were so quiet. For a rare moment, you ignored them, going back to moving your character through the map, doing your best to just beat the damn game so you could go to bed.
Without warning, your office door creaked open, footsteps coming closer. On instinct, you muted yourself and turned to see Nelson standing behind you, holding one of his hoodies out.
Slowly, you stood and took it from him, sliding it over your old Nirvana shirt. The fabric swallowed you and it was just as comfortable as you knew Nelson had been hoping.
"Thank you," you mumbled. "I'm ready to go to bed."
"You should go ahead and get off for the night," he whispered. One of his hands came up to cradle the side of your face, his eyes softening with worry as you pressed your cheek into his palm.
"I feel bad leaving before we beat the game. We're so close to the end."
He shook his head, a sigh falling from his mouth. "If you don't get away from the screen and the noise, it's just going to get worse."
"I know," you told him, "but I just...I did really want to play this one. I was looking forward to today's stream. I can't give up a stream day."
"You can if it's for your own health." His thumb traced across your cheekbone, your eyes closing at the comfort in the gesture. "Come on. Let's get you to bed. We can try again another day, alright?"
"Okay," you whispered. "Okay."
"Good." He leaned forward to press a careful kiss to your forehead. "I'm getting off, too. I'll make you some tea for bed."
"You don't have to." Your eyes opened again, meeting his. "You can stay on with the guys for a while longer."
"Not when I need to take care of you." Your smile grew a little despite the ache in your cranium.
"You're so sweet it's sickening."
"I do." You leaned forward into his chest, giving him a hug. "Alright, I'll close out. See you in five?"
The guys, as always, were understanding about you leaving, though you heard them start to tease Grizzy when he said he'd be leaving, too. You talked to your chat for a minute, explaining why you'd gotten so quiet and why you were getting off, apologizing for the short stream.
By the time you were done, Nelson was already in your guys' bedroom, a cup of your favorite tea on your nightstand next to your filled water bottle and eye mask.
As you laid there, curled into his side in the quiet, blanketed in darkness and his hoodie, you finally felt the pressure behind your eyes lessening. That night, you fell asleep with his hand rubbing soothing circles onto your back like he could take away every ailment you ever had.
