Could we get a fic with Faust comforting a tired and frustrated Apprentice?
Sick Days
A frustrated groan woke Faust from her nap, jolting her out of her comfortable dreams of skinks and warm knitted sweaters. With a loud yawn, she stretched herself out, glancing over at the kitchen. The shop was closed today, Asra out gathering ingredients to help the Apprentice get over their cold. It had laid them low for the last week, the constant coughing sending both Asra and Faust darting from the room to try and find the cold remedy tea. The Apprentice had already told them, in no uncertain terms, that if they never tasted elderberry again before they died it would still be too soon. Asra had laughed at that, slipping the spoon of said elderberry syrup into their mouth mid-protest.
The frustrated groan came again, and Faust sighed as she slithered off her warm perch and across the chilly countertop.
Cold. Cold. Cold.
The apprentice was standing in the kitchen, one of Asra’s colorful blankets wrapped tightly around them. Their hair was a messy, nose still red and runny from the cold they just couldn’t shake. Faust could also see the dark circles under their eyes, a testament to the sleepless hours they’d spent trying to still their coughing. They shuffled almost aimlessly around the kitchen, opening different cabinets, then shutting them again with an annoyed grumble.
“Come on, where is it?”
Friend? Faust slithered over to the counter in front of them, cocking her head to the side. Shouldn’t be out of bed.
This earned a laugh, a raspy sound that dissolved into a coughing fit. When they finally could speak again, they sent her a weak smile. “I know, I know Faust. But I’m dying up there. I hate not being able to do anything.”
Faust leaned up, nudging their hand gently with her head. Rest! Friend needs to get better! Back to bed!
“I’ll go, I’ll go,” the Apprentice protested with a sigh. “I’m just trying to make some tea. I don’t want to wait for Asra to do it, he’s already doing so much.”
Faust gave them a pointed, red eyed look. Asra is worried. Wants you to get better.
“I feel like a burden,” the Apprentice admitted softly, lowering themselves into a chair. “He’s already spent so long carrying for me when I didn’t remember…”
Faust quickly slithered over to the table, bumping the Apprentice’s cheek with her nose. Stop that! Not a burden!
When the Apprentice didn’t reply, Faust slipped around their arm, giving them a tight, comforting squeeze.
Friend will never be a burden.
“Hello?” Asra’s voice rang out in the shop, the white haired magician appearing in the kitchen doorway a few moments later. Concern washed over his face when he saw the Apprentice sitting there. “Are you alright? You should be resting in bed.”
They chuckled, shaking their head. “Faust was just telling me the same thing. I was just trying to make some tea.”
Asra smiled softly, setting down the ingredients he’d gathered. “Well why don’t you help me make some and then we head back upstairs and read for a few hours?”
They returned the smile. “That sounds amazing.”