MEL'AMORE - Sub Mel Week Day 7: Gentle/Morning Sex @submelweek
word count: 1.7k
contains: post s2. mel never left for noxus so her and sevika are both councillors. established relationship. domestic bliss. fluff. smut. dom!sevika. sub!mel. somnophilia. cunnilingus. MEN & MINORS DNI.
description: both mel and sevika work day in and day out to lead their city in the right direction, but when they have the occasional slow morning, they always make sure to take advantage.
a/n: last day of mel'amore! that felt like it flew by and im sad its already over 😞 i wanna say thank you to submelweek for throwing this event and coordinating everything, i enjoyed it so much and im glad so many people came together to celebrate our princess 🥹 i hope you all enjoy this sweet little melvika fic, thank you to everyone who interacted with any of this week's fics in any way, and happy reading 🩷
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The early morning sun bleeds through the heavy curtains of the councilors' shared bedroom, illuminating everything in its path—including their sleeping figures.
Sevika stirs awake, groaning as the orange and yellow shades of dawn dance behind her eyelids. Cracking her eyes open, she lets out a low sigh and shuffles closer to the body wrapped tightly in her arm.
Somehow still asleep, Mel subconsciously presses into the human heater behind her before mumbling happily.
Sevika's lips quirk up as she feels her wife press against her, enjoying the way their bodies slot together like two pieces of a puzzle. Burying her face into the crook of her neck, she takes a quiet moment to inhale her natural scent.
She's always loved the way Mel smells, especially first thing in the morning. It's a rich, earthy mix of jasmine and amber that makes her want to drown in it.
Mel's sleeping form seems content with being tucked into the crook of Sevika's arm, curled up like a cat and pressed up against as much of her body as possible. The soft sound of her even breathing is a soothing white noise, a gentle contrast to the usual stillness that fills the bedroom.
Sevika's gaze sweeps over the other woman's features—the slope of her button nose, the soft curve of her jawline, the flutter of her eyelashes as she dreams. Something about the sight always makes her stomach clench in a way that makes Sevika want to shield her from the world.
It's not the first time she's woken up like this, and the Zaunite knows it won't be the last. In their line of work, any bit of comfort they find often comes in the form of each other.
She rubs a hand up and down Mel's bare arm, savoring the feeling of soft, warm skin under the pad her fingertips. The movement causes the sheet covering to drag down just a bit, but it's enough to expose more of her flesh—something that always drives Sevika wild.
She can't help herself. Letting herself get lost in the moment, her hand continues its path down Mel's side and along the curve of her hip. Her fingers follow the indent of her waist and then rest at her lower back, splayed out against the bare skin there.
Her gaze roams along the expanse of Mel's back, appreciating the way the morning light casts shadows across her body.
The sight is more than enough to entice the desires that are beginning to hum under Sevika's skin, and she decides to indulge.
She drags her fingertips down the other woman's back in a slow, languid movement, tracing the dip of her spine before coming to rest on the swell of her backside.
Her gaze never wavers as she watches Mel's expression, still peaceful in sleep. She takes a moment to admire the way her lips part as she breaths, the constant rise and fall of her chest.
Sevika can feel the heat rising in her core and the need to touch and taste is growing rapidly.
Giving in to the moment, Sevika slowly hooks her arm around Mel's waist and rolls her onto her back, making sure to not jostle her too much. The sheets rumple around them as Sevika hovers above her before parting the other woman's legs.
It's times like this that Sevika is glad they both sleep nude, giving each other easy access to the other whenever they're in the mood. It's a small luxury in their stressful lives, and one that they both love.
Sitting between Mel's legs, Sevika can't help but marvel at the view beneath her. Gray eyes roam over her bare form, tracing every inch of it with an appreciative gaze.
Sevika's gaze lingers on the curve of her breast before trailing down the flat plane of her stomach. She can't resist tracing the outline of her hipbone with her fingertips, the action leaving goosebumps along Mel's skin.
Eyes traveling further, she finds the familiar patch of coils between her wife's thighs and hums in appreciation.
Her hand is drawn to it as if magnetized. With a slow, deliberate motion, Sevika runs her index finger upwards through damp folds—a ghost of a touch that leaves a trail of tingling flesh along the way.
Gaze remaining on Mel's face, she studies it closely for any hint of waking up and finding her expression just how she wants it.
"Beautiful." Sevika murmurs, voice thick with adoration before shifting to lay on the mattress between parted legs.
She presses her mouth to the inside of Mel's thigh, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses on her sensitive skin as she makes her way upwards. The faint scent of jasmine fills her senses, and a rush of desire courses through her body.
As Sevika's lips graze the heated flesh just above where Mel needs her, her eyes dart up. The younger woman is still asleep, blissfully unaware of the impending pleasure—and that only makes Sevika want to draw this out, to take her time and savor every moment.
Sevika presses one last lingering kiss to the crease of Mel's thigh before finally, finally lowering her mouth to where she's needed most. The first slow drag of her tongue over Mel's clit makes the mage's breath hitch, hips twitching minutely against the sheets.
Sevika smiles against her, pleased with the unconscious reaction, and does it again, this time with slightly more pressure, tracing lazy patterns that have Mel squirming in her sleep. The little sighs and hitched breaths are music to Sevika's ears.
A slight moan escapes Mel's mouth and her hand twitches before fisting the sheets. Sevika smirks, taking this as a sign to get serious. She uses her hand to spread her wife's thighs even further, lying flat between them so she can really get to work.
The first prod of Sevika's tongue at Mel's entrance is firm and deliberate, drawing a soft whimper from the sleeping woman.
Delicious.
She hums against her skin, the vibrations making Mel's hips jerk. Sevika repeats the motion, dragging her tongue upwards in a slow, wet stripe before circling her clit with teasing precision. Mel's fingers tighten in the sheets, her breathing growing uneven—still asleep, but her body responding beautifully to every touch.
Sevika drinks in every reaction like fine whiskey, relishing the way her wife's thighs tremble around her head. She could stay like this forever, lost in the taste of her, the little sounds she makes—
Until Mel finally gasps awake, eyelids fluttering open in dazed confusion before locking onto Sevika's smirk between her legs.
Sevika doesn't stop, her gaze never leaving Mel's sleep-clouded eyes. It takes a moment for the mage to register what's happening, and when she does, a moan stutters in her chest.
"Wha—"
Sevika doesn't let her finish, licking a broad stripe up the seam of her aching core. Mel's head falls back, body arching into the touch, and there it is—that look on her face Sevika loves. The one she would do anything for.
"Morning, sunshine," Sevika husks, voice rough with desire. Mel can barely form a coherent thought, brain hazy and limbs trembling—but not from sleep anymore.
She tries to form a retort, and Sevika can almost see the gears in her brain attempting to function before it's all wiped away once again by a sudden flick of her tongue.
"Oh—oh," Mel gasps, fingers fisting the the crumpled sheets. Sevika hums in satisfaction, her hand sliding up the inside of Mel's thigh, nails scraping over sensitive flesh. Her tongue laps at the mage's entrance while her hand finds Mel's, threading their fingers together.
"Look at me baby," Sevika commands, and Mel can barely manage to lift her head, green eyes locking with the loving gaze staring back at her.
Sevika's eyes are dark, pupils blown wide with desire. She can see every shift of emotion on Mel's face—the flutter of her eyelashes, the way her lips part in a soft, breathy gasp, the furrow of her brow that only happens when her mind is too overwhelmed to focus on anything but the pleasure coursing through her body.
She keeps their gazes connected, her fingers gently squeezing Mel's as her mouth works between her legs.
"Sev—," Mel's voice is shaking now, her legs trembling on either side of Sevika's shoulders. She can't look away as the heat pooling in her belly coils tighter and tighter.
"Please, please..."
Her hand clenches so hard around Sevika's it's almost painful, but the older woman just squeezes back, a silent reassurance: I got you.
As if responding to the plea, Sevika redoubles her efforts—flicking her tongue against Mel's clit in a relentless rhythm, her own desire burning white-hot with every desperate moan falling from the mage's lips.
She never takes her eyes off Mel's face, drinking in the desperate pleas, the way her head falls back in surrender, the little tears gathering at the corner of her eyes as the wave threatens to break.
Sevika feels the exact moment Mel shatters beneath her—the way her entire body tenses, her fingers clenching around Sevika's as a choked cry escapes her lips. Her hips jerk, thighs clamping around Sevika's head as pleasure rolls through her in relentless waves.
And Sevika rides it out; licking her through every last tremor until Mel collapses back onto the sheets, chest heaving and limbs like jelly.
Only then does Sevika crawl up her body, pressing a soft kiss to her trembling lips. "There's my girl."
Mel can't form words yet, her voice reduced to soft whimpers as she slowly comes down from the high. Sevika just smiles, laying beside her and sweeping her hand over the other woman's sweat-dampened collarbones.
Mel finally catches her breath enough to weakly swat at Sevika's shoulder, though there's no real heat behind it.
"You're something else," she breathes, voice rough from sleep and the following moaning.
Sevika only chuckles, pulling Mel close so the mage is curled against her chest.
"You love it," she murmurs against the shell of Mel's ear before pressing a kiss there.
Her wife lets out a content sigh, nestling into Sevika's embrace as the morning sunlight continues to warm their tangled limbs.
Mel will always look after Sevika -- whether she asks for it or not.
fandom: arcane ~ sickie: sevika ~ wc: 800
Mel looks up from her novel when Sevika pads into the living room. Her gray joggers are slung low across her hip and her defined arms are exposed from the tank top she’s wearing, and Mel doesn’t bother to hide her interest as she traces her gaze over her partner.
Sevika doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, she flops down onto the couch with a grunt and stretches out, dropping her head to rest in Mel’s lap.
Mel laughs under her breath and sets her book aside so that she can run her hand through Sevika’s hair, the silky dark strands slipping easily through her fingers. Sevika hums contentedly, her eyes slipping closed.
“Everything alright?” Mel asks after a few moments have passed, looking down at the woman in her lap. She doesn’t mind this, of course, but she knows Sevika well enough by now to be able to spot when something’s off. Such things are not usually spoken aloud when it comes to Sevika, but can be easily discerned through her behavior.
Sevika makes a half-hearted noise that Mel can’t quite decipher. Mel’s lips twitch up, but she continues her soothing strokes through Sevika’s hair.
“Words would be helpful, my love,” Mel says lightly, scratching at Sevika’s scalp. “If you can spare a few for me.”
Sevika cracks an eye open, squinting up at her. “Hurts,” she grunts, then closes her eyes again.
Mel’s heart squeezes. She wishes there was more she could do for the pain that her girlfriend is forced to live with nearly every day, a byproduct of all the strain her body has been put under through all the years.
“I’m sorry, darling,” Mel murmurs, her hand drifting lower to trace over the blue scars that spiderweb up Sevika’s face and neck. “The usual spots?”
Sevika nods, then lifts a hand to gesture vaguely at her face. “And m’head. Eyes too – feels like everything’s too bright.”
Mel hums sympathetically. She reaches for a pillow, then carefully arranges it under Sevika’s head so that she’s lying on it instead of Mel’s own lap. She slips off the couch and kneels next to Sevika, pressing a tender kiss to her lips.
“Sounds like a migraine. On top of your usual pain, poor love,” Mel says, running her fingers over Sevika’s jaw. Sevika grunts in acknowledgment but doesn’t open her eyes.
“I’ll be back in just a moment,” Mel whispers, kissing Sevika’s forehead before getting up and heading down the hall.
She returns with a myriad of items and gets to work setting everything up. First, she plugs a small lotion warmer into the wall and sets it up on the side table, placing a bottle of lavender-scented lotion in the device to heat. Then she picks up the rice-filled cloth wrap that she already warmed in the kitchen, and gently tucks it around Sevika’s shoulders. Sevika gives a pleased hum at that, which makes Mel smile and kiss her again.
Mel cups the back of Sevika’s head, gently encouraging her to lift it. “This will help your eyes,” she murmurs, slipping a black silk eyemask over the other woman’s eyes. Then she grabs the bottle of pain medicine and shakes out two pills into her hand.
“Open?” Mel asks. Sevika reaches up to lift a corner of the eyemask so she can peer at her.
“What are you trying to drug me with?” Sevika asks suspiciously.
Mel gives her a dry look. “Painkillers, love. The same ones I gave you last time, and the time before that…need I go on?”
Sevika rolls her eyes but holds out her hand for the pills. Mel drops them into her palm and passes over a glass of water. Sevika swallows the medicine, then puts the mask back in place and drops her head to the pillow again.
Mel watches her fondly for a moment, lightly running her fingers down Sevika’s arm. She still can’t believe she has this kind of love in her life. Still can’t believe she’s even capable of this kind of love, when for so long she thought her heart was too cold for such things.
She gets up and resumes her former position on the couch, exchanging the pillow under Sevika’s head for her lap. Then she pumps some lotion onto her hands, the cream pleasantly warm now.
Sevika makes a surprised noise when Mel starts massaging her neck and shoulders.
“That’s nice,” Sevika mumbles. “What’s that?”
“Lavender body cream from my favorite apothecary,” Mel hums, taking her time as she works the tight muscles. “My masseuse left a warmer here, it’s quite useful. I can set you up an appointment with her — as I’ve offered. I really think you’d enjoy it, love.”
Sevika snorts softly. “The day I have a personal masseuse is the day I can no longer call myself a Zaunite.”
Mel grins. “But having me give you a massage is acceptable?”
“Who am I to turn down a pretty woman who wants to rub my neck?” Sevika says, a tiny smirk on her mouth.
“So generous,” Mel chuckles, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “Well, just relax and let me pamper you, darling.”
Sevika relaxes into her, letting out a satisfied sigh. Mel smiles, and continues her massage.
tags: university au, pining, sickfic, fluff (800 words)
Sevika rolls over in bed with a groan, swatting blindly at her phone in an attempt to make the annoying buzzing stop. She doesn’t know who’s calling, but whoever it is, she really wishes they wouldn’t. She’s been trying to sleep off whatever hellish flu–cold thing she picked up at track and field practice. It honestly isn’t surprising that she got sick, considering that most of her fellow teammates had been hacking up a lung all week.
“Hello?” she answers in a low, gravelly voice, coughing on the word.
“Hi, Sevika. This is Mel.”
The voice is posh and familiar, though sounding slightly less put-together than usual. And that alone makes Sevika sit up straighter in bed, running a hand through her hair as she tries to wake herself up properly.
Mel. The unfairly attractive tutor she’s been working with in a desperate attempt to scrape out a passing grade in biochem so she won’t get kicked off the team. And also the girl she happens to be halfway in love with. Not that Mel needs to know that.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel our appointment today,” Mel says. There’s a pause, a sharp intake of breath, and then a sneeze.
Sevika winces in sympathy. “Bless you,” she says. “Let me guess, you caught whatever campus crud is going around? Me too.”
Mel sighs softly over the phone. “Yes. It’s truly dreadful. But anyway, we should both rest. I suppose I’ll see you for our study session next week.”
The thought of waiting a whole week before seeing Mel’s tantalizing green eyes makes something heavy sink in Sevika’s chest. And the way Mel sounds so exhausted, so hoarse, tugs at something else entirely. Sevika isn’t much of a worrier, but she does want to know that Mel’s alright.
“How are you holding up?” Sevika asks, frowning a little when Mel tries to muffle a cough. “You sound miserable.”
“I’ll live,” Mel says, in that infuriatingly self-sacrificial way Sevika has come to recognize. “How about yourself?”
“Fucking miserable,” Sevika replies flatly.
Mel laughs, and the sound sends something warm blooming in Sevika’s chest. There’s a pause in the conversation while Sevika thinks of something to say.
“Well… since we’re both sick,” Sevika says, trying to keep her tone casual, “I guess it wouldn’t really hurt to study together anyway, would it?”
Mel hesitates before answering. “Oh, I don’t know,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to get you even sicker.”
“Frankly, I don’t think that’s possible at this point,” Sevika says, choking on a laugh.
Mel laughs as well, clearing her throat softly.
“Listen,” Sevika continues, “I’ve got some extra Gatorade over here and some chicken soup from that deli by the gym. It’s pretty good. Let me bring it over to you – we can suffer together.”
Mel’s voice is soft when she answers. “Are you sure? I’m not very good company at the moment.”
Sevika nods, even though Mel can’t see her. “Very sure. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon,” Mel echoes, and Sevika’s heart feels full when she hangs up.
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Sevika’s stomach does a funny little swoop when Mel answers the door of her apartment, dressed in a blue velour lounge set that hugs her curves perfectly. Mel looks gorgeous, as usual, but she also looks tired and sick – her nose red, her eyes dull, and her hair loose and curling around her shoulders.
They end up on the couch together, sipping from matching bowls of chicken noodle soup. Sevika’s heart is beating a little too fast, and she wants to do something dumb, like reach out to put her arm around Mel’s shoulders or tuck a stray curl behind her ear.
But she doesn’t. Instead, she offers Mel tissues and wraps a blanket around her shoulders when she shivers.
“Thanks,” Mel murmurs, and it’s enough to make Sevika’s chest tighten.
But then Sevika coughs, and shudders slightly afterward. Sharp-eyed Mel notices with a frown, and stretches out an arm to offer the blanket.
“You’re cold. Here, come closer,” Mel says.
Sevika’s throat is a little thick as she scoots over, and soon they’re shoulder to shoulder, wrapped under the same fleece blanket.
“You’re warm,” Mel murmurs, looking up at Sevika, something unspoken lingering in her eyes.
“That’ll be the fever,” Sevika grunts, and Mel smiles softly up at her.
“Maybe,” she smirks, “but I like it anyway.”
Mel tips her head to rest on Sevika’s shoulder. In a moment of bravery, Sevika wraps her arm around Mel, pulling her closer. Mel fits perfectly against her side, warm, soft, and smelling faintly of coconut and shea butter. It feels like a moment so perfect Sevika never wants it to end.
Mel melts into her, head pillowed on Sevika’s chest, humming softly, as if this is the most natural thing in the world. And the thing is… it kind of is.
“I’ve got you,” Sevika says, her voice low and protective.
summary: sevika is learning that it's alright to accept a little tenderness, now and then. melvika sickfic, 4k
a/n: more melvika! finally wrote some sick sev as much requested. I combined two requests for this one: “Couldn’t you keep your cold to yourself?” / “You’ve infected me” and "I don't like the sound of that cough." / "You sound like you're catching a cold."
The air in the sunroom is warm and thick, permeated with the smell of menthol and ginger tea. Sevika tugs at the collar of her shirt with her flesh hand, a steaming mug held in her metal one. She’s too hot, the air is almost stifling in here between the afternoon sun filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows and the fire burning steadily in the hearth, but she doesn’t even think about complaining. The sunroom is Mel’s favorite room to lounge in, and she always gets a chill deep in her bones whenever she’s sick, so Sevika has been keeping the room warm and Mel wrapped in a thick blanket. Sevika will do anything to make Mel comfortable — even if it means sweating through her shirt.
“More tea, baby,” Sevika murmurs, carefully setting the mug on the coffee table and sitting down next to Mel.
“Thank you.” Mel’s voice has been reduced to a hoarse, congested wisp of a sound, and Sevika finds herself giving a sympathetic hum, pressing her lips to Mel’s temple.
“You need anything else?” Sevika’s chest aches faintly as she studies Mel’s face, her eyes lingering on the purplish bags under Mel’s eyes and the deep red of her irritated nose. Sevika’s always been on the protective side when it comes to Mel, even though the mage is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. But when she’s down for the count like this, worn thin by a head cold, all Sevika wants to do is hold her close until she’s well again.
“No, I’m –” Mel starts to answer, then pitches forward with a sudden sneeze, quickly followed by several more. Sevika leans back slightly to avoid getting caught in the line of fire.
“Bless you,” Sevika says with a hint of a chuckle, reaching for a handkerchief. “You know I love you, sweet thing, but I would really prefer if you kept this cold to yourself. Here.” She hands over the white cloth, which Mel accepts with a sigh and buries her nose into it.
“Sorry, darling, it came out of nowhere,” Mel grimaces from behind the handkerchief pressed to her face. She blows her nose, although it doesn’t sound like it helps much with her congestion. “I hope you don’t catch this,” Mel adds, before she’s caught off guard by her breath catching on a cough. She hastily buries her face in her elbow, and Sevika rubs her back, patiently waiting for the fit to ease.
“Sorry,” Mel repeats when she’s finished, grimacing slightly, her dark eyelashes coated with irritated tears.
Sevika frowns in concern, brushing a hand over Mel’s curls that are loose and pooling around her shoulders. “You’re fine, doll, I’m just teasing. I know you can’t help it.” She kisses her cheek, then holds a glass of water to Mel’s lips. “Drink.”
Mel takes a few sips of water before pulling away, wearily resting her head on Sevika’s shoulder. Sevika scoots closer so that Mel can be more comfortable, wrapping an arm around her blanket-clad shoulders.
She’ll hold her love for as long as she needs, germs be damned.
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A few days later, after innumerable cups of tea and long nights Sevika stays up trying to help Mel ease her symptoms long enough to get some proper rest, Mel is finally more or less recovered. She’s still a little tired and she has a lingering cough, but she’s looking more like her usual self, much to Sevika’s relief.
The morning sun glints off the gold tattoos running from Mel’s neck to the tips of her fingers, catching the light as she lifts her arm to add a touch of crimson to the large canvas in front of her. Sevika idly watches her from a chaise lounge nearby. It’s her usual spot when Mel paints, and she can easily spend hours out here, content to watch Mel flit around a canvas four times her size, slowly filling the white with a riot of color. The promise of a slow, peaceful day lies ahead, and Sevika can feel herself sinking into the soft cushions of the chaise, her eyes dropping shut.
Although she never minds looking after Mel, the long days and nights spent worrying over Mel’s fever, running her baths, making her tea and soup, and doing anything she can to help her feel better, have taken a toll. There’s a dull, angry ache in Sevika’s left shoulder, making the muscles there tight and sending tendrils of pain radiating up through her neck and down her back. She rolls her shoulder with a small groan, considering whether she should take her prosthetic off.
Even though she knows she’s perfectly safe here with Mel, lazing about this mansion that doubles as a fortress, it still makes her uneasy to be without her metal arm. Sure, Sevika can handle herself fine with one arm – she’s taken out plenty of goons in the undercity with just one good fist. But she likes the security her metal arm brings her, that sense of being in control, undefeatable. It’s not a feeling she’s willing to give up lightly.
“Are you alright, love?” Mel’s voice is smooth as silk, laced with soft concern. Sevika opens her eyes to see Mel frowning over at her, palette balanced on her left arm, a brush held aloft in her right.
“Fine,” Sevika says, rolling her shoulder again. “A little tired, maybe.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a handful, these past few days.” Mel sets aside her palette and comes over to the chaise, her long dress swishing with each step. “You’ve taken such excellent care of me, it’s no wonder you’re worn out.” She sits down next to Sevika and runs a hand through her hair, and Sevika’s eyes automatically close at the soothing touch.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Sevika mumbles, letting Mel guide her head down so that she’s laying in the other woman’s lap, Mel’s long fingers still carding through her hair. “I never mind taking care of you.”
“Nor do I, darling,” Mel hums, scratching her nails against Sevika’s scalp.
There’s an itch just under Sevika’s skin, a nagging thought at the back of her mind. Whenever she lets Mel softly tend to her like this, whether it be a hand in her hair or a bowl of daal Mel made just for her, there’s always a part of her that feels like it isn’t quite right.
Before she met Mel, Sevika had spent her whole life building walls. Her heart was guarded, her skin thick. She knew her job and she did it. She was the muscle, the unshakeable right-hand woman who stopped at nothing to do what needed to be done. Comfort, affection, tenderness – these aren’t things she’s experienced since she was a child. Her closed-door romps at Babette’s were simply a way to relieve tension and to have a warm body next to hers for a while. She never needed or even wanted more than that. Until Mel.
Bit by bit, Mel had unspooled the tangle of barbed wires around Sevika’s heart. There’s just something in Mel so soft, so genuine, that had wrapped around Sevika like the warmth of fire on a cold winter’s day. She found herself easing into a gentler way of life with Mel, no longer needing to be on alert at all hours of the day.
Sevika treasures her relationship with Mel more than anything. And Sevika protects what she treasures. So she’s dedicated to taking care of Mel, to making sure she’s comfortable, that she has what she needs. To soothe Mel’s aches, dry her tears, hold her the whole night through – Sevika considers these her cherished duties, and it makes her happy to do it. And although it feels nice to receive the same in return, there’s still a small, stubborn part of her that wants to curl away from Mel’s touch, to put her walls back up. Sevika is a provider, a protector. That’s where she’s comfortable. Sometimes the vulnerability that comes with being seen feels like almost too much to bear.
“Care to share what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
Sevika cracks an eye open. Mel is gazing down at her, emerald green eyes questioning, her fingers still moving in soothing, repetitive strokes through Sevika’s hair.
“Nothing.” Sevika reaches for Mel’s hand and brings it to her lips, pressing a kiss to her soft, paint-flecked palm. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Mel echoes, gently tracing a finger down the winding path of Sevika’s scars.
Sevika lets her eyes fall closed again and leans into the warmth of Mel’s touch. It may be slightly unfamiliar, but she aches for it just the same.
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It’s only later, when she’s in the kitchen with Mel, the two of them cooking dinner together in their usual nightly routine, that Sevika begins to realize she might be more than just tired.
The ache that had started in her left shoulder has blossomed and spread, leaving all her muscles tense and her joints stiff. She feels like she can’t find the right temperature either – she’s too hot with her jacket on, too chilled with it off. There’s also an annoying itch in her head that keeps making her reflexively clear her throat and scrub at her nose.
“I can do the rice, if you do the vegetables,” Mel says, glancing over her shoulder. She’s at the stove stirring a simmering pot of peppered chicken that’s filling the kitchen with the mouthwatering smell of garlic, onion and tomatoes. Sevika is always eternally grateful she ended up with a woman who can cook.
“Sure.” Sevika taps Mel lightly on the ass, which earns her a surprised yelp, and heads over to grab a knife and cutting board.
Mel had helped her live-in cook find a new job not long after Sevika moved in. The two of them share a love for cooking, and they especially enjoy doing it together. It didn’t take long to realize that they preferred to prepare their meals in tandem rather than having them served, especially Sevika, who still finds the concept of being waited on distasteful. Sevika loves these nights they spend together whipping up perfectly spiced curries and stews, and it’s become a solid part of their routine together by now.
Tonight, however, Sevika is slightly distracted by the general sense of discomfort that has settled over her body, slowing her movements. Her nose starts to run as she washes the vegetables in the sink, and she gives a few hearty sniffles to try and clear it. But that seems to worsen the burning itch in her sinuses, and it’s not long before she has to twist to direct a loud sneeze over her shoulder.
There’s a clatter as Mel jumps and drops the wooden spoon she was holding, her hand coming to her chest. “Goodness! Bless you, darling,” she exclaims, turning to Sevika.
Sevika nods her thanks, giving another thick sniffle and returning to the task at hand. Mel doesn’t seem to think much of it, because she returns to her cooking as well, swaying along to the jazz song on the record player.
But there’s a definite stuffiness in Sevika’s head now, and the sneezing leaves her throat feeling irritated and raw. As she dries the vegetables and starts chopping, she briefly wonders whether she could be getting sick. But that seems implausible. She hardly ever catches colds, unlike Mel – she can’t even remember the last time she was truly sick. It’s probably just the spice in the air, or maybe the change of seasons from winter to spring that’s bothering her.
Dinner comes together quickly and they sit down at the polished wood dining table to eat. Even though the chicken is delicious, Sevika finds herself uncharacteristically without an appetite, picking at her food, and chugging water in an attempt to soothe her throat.
Mel is telling her something about the next council meeting and an agenda she’s looking for support on, but Sevika is having a hard time focusing. Her head feels too heavy and foggy, so she props it up with an elbow on the table, resisting the urge to close her eyes. She’s suddenly longing to be in bed.
“Darling? Are you alright?” Mel asks softly, and Sevika sluggishly lifts her head.
“Fine,” Sevika grunts. But not a second later, she’s ducking into her shoulder for a throat-scraping sneeze that makes her head pound miserably. A second harsh sneeze follows in quick succession.
“Oh, my love. Bless you.” Mel’s at Sevika’s side in an instant, rubbing circles between Sevika’s shoulder blades. “I don’t like the sound of that at all.”
Sevika snorts to try and clear her nose, which makes Mel grimace slightly. Sevika knows full well that Mel hates when she does that, but she can hardly breathe through her nose now.
“Hold on,” Mel says, kissing the top of Sevika’s head and hurrying off. When she returns, it’s with a thick cotton handkerchief, which she presses into Sevika’s hands. “Use this, please.”
Sevika gives her a gruff thanks and blows her nose loudly. She’s never been one for trying to be polite about these things. No, what she wants is to be able to breathe, damn it, so she does her best to clear her stuffed sinuses.
Mel stands next to her and rubs her back while she cleans herself up, and there’s a deep frown creasing Mel’s perfectly shaped eyebrows when Sevika finally finishes and looks up at her.
“Poor darling. You sound like you’re catching a cold,” Mel murmurs, laying the back of her hand against Sevika’s forehead to check her temperature.
“Your cold,” Sevika corrects, massaging her eyes. “I think you infected me.” She shoots Mel a wry look, although there’s no real heat behind it.
“I’m sorry, love.” Mel plants a soft kiss on Sevika’s forehead. “I did my best to not pass it along.”
“You were clinging to me day and night,” Sevika scoffs, raising her eyebrows. “Hardly could get up to go to the bathroom, what with how you were wrapped around me.”
Mel’s cheeks darken ever so slightly. “You didn’t seem to mind! When have you ever cared about catching my colds?” she protests, huffing.
Sevika chuckles, then coughs roughly. “I didn’t, and I don’t,” she soothes with a grin, reaching a hand up to cup Mel’s cheek, who leans into the touch. “I’m just messing with you. It’s fine, doll.”
In one smooth motion, Mel sits down in Sevika’s lap, looping her arms around the taller woman’s neck. Sevika’s hands come to her hips automatically to steady her, heart fond at the soft, perfect feeling of Mel in her lap.
“Well, since I got you sick, it’s my duty to nurse you back to health,” Mel announces, catching Sevika’s lips in a gentle kiss. “It’s my turn to dote on you.” There’s a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a smile playing on the corners of her mouth.
Sevika groans. “I hate doting. Just let me sleep ‘till this thing clears up, that’s what I always do. I’ll be fine in a day or two.”
“Sorry darling.” Mel brushes a kiss to Sevika’s cheek, then pulls back with a coy grin. “You are getting fussed over. It comes with the territory, and I won’t hear otherwise.”
“I’m going to hate this,” Sevika mutters, and Mel gives a bright, soft laugh that tinkles like windchimes.
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Sevika sits down heavily on the side of their massive bed, her joints protesting the movement. She drops her head to her hands with a quiet sigh, rubbing at her temples. Her head is aching, along with the rest of her body, and she feels wrung out, like all of her energy has been squeezed out of her.
The mattress dips with Mel’s weight, and a hand comes to her neck, massaging with gentle pressure. Mel kisses her shoulder, right at the end of the stump that’s exposed now that Sevika’s removed her prosthetic, lips as soft as rose petals.
“My darling,” Mel murmurs, and Sevika should hate it, the way Mel’s voice is dripping with honeyed concern. But instead, her heart is fond. “You poor thing. I hate that I got you so ill.”
Sevika lifts a shoulder, too exhausted to even protest that she doesn’t feel that bad. She’s tired of fighting it, the way Mel’s soft words and even softer touch flow over her like a soothing balm, filling the jagged cracks in her heart.
She leans away from Mel slightly to muffle a chesty cough in her shoulder, groaning afterward at the pain flaring just behind her sternum. Everything just hurts right now.
But Mel is there, her hand smoothing over the valleys and plains of Sevika’s tense shoulders, bringing comfort with each stroke of her palm.
“Let me run a bath for you.” Mel’s voice is low and soothing, and she presses a whisper of a kiss to Sevika’s cheek. “You’re so tense, Vika. And the steam will help you breathe better. Would you like some tea as well, for your throat?”
And Mel is just so fucking gentle is the thing, stroking Sevika’s back like she’s something delicate, not a woman who’s fought and hunted and hurt. It makes a thick knot of emotion rise in her throat, and she swallows hard, blinking away the burn in her eyes.
“I should just sleep.” Sevika can’t quite meet Mel’s eyes, not when the concerned, tender green of them might send tears spilling over her own cheeks. She sniffles, then sneezes suddenly, and dissolves into a fit of coughing after – a mess of all sorts.
“Oh, honey,” Mel tuts, reaching for one of the handkerchiefs she had laid out on the bedside table. Yet another kindness that Sevika isn’t sure she deserves. “You sound awful, darling. Let me help, please. I want to take care of you.”
“I don’t –” Sevika draws in a deep breath, focuses on letting it out slowly. Her throat bobs as she swallows down the lump again. “I don’t need…all this.” She waves a dispassionate hand at the medicines and supplies laid out next to the bed, Mel’s warm presence at her side. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
There’s a long moment of silence. Sevika wonders if Mel will leave, if she’ll spend the night tossing in a bed that’s too big and empty. It’s what she wants, isn’t it? To bear this moment of vulnerability alone, to sleep until she’s well enough to provide, to protect. Like this…weak, sick, what is she really worth, after all?
“You’re not on your own any longer, my love,” Mel finally murmurs. She wraps an arm around Sevika’s waist, shifting closer and brushing Sevika’s cropped hair to the side so she can press a kiss to her neck. “I’m right here, Vika.” Mel tucks her face into the dip between Sevika’s neck and shoulder, voice low and warm against her skin. “I love you, and I’m right here.”
Sevika kisses the top of Mel’s hair, burying her face in the soft, tight, curls. Her nose is too stuffed to smell the shea and coconut of Mel’s hair, but the brush of curls against her skin is familiar just the same. “And do you –” Sevika swallows, lets her words muffle into the fluff of Mel’s hair. “Do you still want me, like this?”
Mel pulls back and Sevika lifts her head to meet her gaze. Mel’s eyebrows are knitted together, confusion on her face. “Like what, darling?”
Sevika rubs at her nose with a fist, looking away. “Weak.” Her voice cracks on the word.
“Sevika.” Mel brings her hands to either side of Sevika’s face, cupping her cheeks and forcing her eyes back on her. Sevika snaps out of her spiral a little at her full name, which Mel never uses.
“You listen to me, my love,” Mel says sternly, holding Sevika’s gaze steadily. Her forest-green eyes shine with a burning resolve, and the air between them feels electrified, sparking with a hint of Mel’s magic. “I love you, always. When you’re sick, when you’re well; when you’re strong, when you can’t be strong. None of that changes how I feel about you. Ever. You’re the strongest person I know, but you don’t have to be. Not with me. I don’t love you for your strength, darling. I love you for your heart.”
Mel taps Sevika’s chest, then presses a kiss right over her heart. She looks back up at her, eyes shining more gold than green. “Got it?”
Sevika brushes a thumb under her eye. And maybe the pad of her finger is wet with a tear, but that’s neither here nor there.
“Alright,” Sevika murmurs, pulling Mel into her for a long, tender kiss. She’s always been better with touch than words. “Thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Mel beams up at her, shining bright as the sun, and Sevika can’t believe this is the woman she gets to spend every morning waking up next to. “Now let’s see about that bath.”
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Sevika lets out a long, satisfied groan. Mel shifts to get a better angle, applying even more pressure to Sevika’s shoulder. She massages deep into Sevika’s muscles with her knuckles, slowly and patiently working out all the coils of tension.
“You are so fucking good at this,” Sevika mumbles, turning her head to the side to glance behind her. She’s laying in bed splayed out on her front while Mel straddles her from behind, massaging her back. “How are you so perfect?”
“I’m far from perfect,” Mel laughs softly, moving down to work a knot just under Sevika’s shoulder blade with the heel of her hand. “You just spent the past week listening to me sniffle and cough at you, surely you know that.”
“Mm, even your sniffles are perfect,” Sevika hums, face pressed into the mattress, then gives a cough of her own.
Mel chuckles again. “Just relax, darling. You’re still too tense.” She deepens the pressure, putting her full weight into her hand, which elicits a satisfied groan.
Sevika lets herself sink further into the bed, her thoughts going hazy as Mel massages away the aches that have been plaguing her all day. A long, hot bath had helped ease her congestion and loosen her muscles, and Mel insisted on following it up with a massage in bed.
Sevika can vaguely smell the soothing aroma of lavender as Mel scoops more lotion out of the jar she had procured from her massive collection of creams and oils. The cool feel of the lotion on her back sends a pleasant shiver through Sevika’s shoulders, and Mel’s hands are tender as she works the cream into Sevika’s skin.
It’s still unfamiliar, this gentleness, this care. And a part of Sevika still wants to fight it, wants to reject Mel’s tenderness in the name of self-reliance. She doesn’t need it, after all – she would fare just fine without Mel’s warm massages or cups of honeyed tea. But maybe, just maybe, it’s not so bad to want it.
So she lets Mel tend to her and work every inch of her muscles until she’s a loose puddle of limbs splayed in the bed. She lets Mel bring her fresh handkerchiefs, lets her take her temperature and fuss at her mild fever. She doesn’t protest the stroke of Mel’s fingers through her hair, doesn’t resist Mel pulling her into her own arms.
And finally, Sevika lets herself fall asleep wrapped in Mel’s warm, steady embrace. For once, she’s no longer trying to be strong.
It’s late, Mel has a fever, and Sevika has an endless amount of love to give.
tags: sick mel, fluff (0.9k)
sicktember masterlist
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Sevika has never been a light sleeper. She spent her childhood in thin-walled flats that did nothing to conceal the clamor of the undercity. She’s long-since learned how to tune it all out, how to sleep through the tram thundering over tracks above, making the walls rattle, or the petty fights neighbors have at all hours of the day. Suffice to say, she does not wake easily.
Except for when it comes to Mel.
The moment that Mel gasps awake next to her, Sevika’s eyes snap open instinctively. It’s odd how in tune she is with Mel. How the slightest shift in Mel’s breathing, even just a pained mumble in her sleep can wake Sevika instantly. It’s as though the two of them are connected by some invisible thread, keeping Sevika constantly attuned to Mel’s wellbeing.
And on a night like tonight, when Mel’s been sick and clingy, resting too warmly in her arms, she’s even more on alert than usual.
“Shh, hey, you’re okay,” Sevika murmurs, blinking herself awake and propping herself up on an elbow so she can get a better look at her. Mel’s chest is heaving, her breath tight and short, and a couple of tears are slipping down her smooth cheeks.
“V-Vika?” Mel stutters, her green eyes wide, as if she isn’t quite sure where she is. She lets out a rattling cough into the blankets that makes Sevika’s own chest ache in sympathy.
“Yeah, baby, I’m right here,” Sevika soothes, reaching over and switching on the lap on the nightstand. Soft, warm light spills over the bed, highlighting Mel’s flushed face and teary eyes. Sevika’s heart clenches slightly. She hates seeing Mel like this, so worn out and unusually vulnerable. It makes the usual protectiveness she feels over Mel ratchet up several notches. Mel coughs again, and Sevika hands her a glass of water.
“Here, doll – let’s get you sitting up a bit, hm?” Sevika helps Mel sit upright with a strong arm around her shoulders, propping a few pillows behind her. Mel sips at the water, her hand shaky slightly on the glass.
“You’re okay,” Sevika murmurs, taking the glass from Mel when she’s finished and pulling her close. Mel’s head dips to rest on Sevika’s shoulder, her body curling into her, and Sevika starts rubbing her back in smooth, rhythmic circles. “I’m right here, baby. You’re okay.”
Mel sniffles thickly, her tears slowing. Sevika wipes her cheeks dry with the cuff of her sleeves, endlessly gentle.
“I’m sorry –” Mel says shakily, rubbing at her eyes and straightening a little. “Goodness.”
Sevika keeps her tucked close. “You’re fine. Don’t apologize.” She brushes a hand over Mel’s curls, then kisses the crown of her head gently. “Nightmare?”
“Mhm,” Mel snuggles in closer to Sevika, letting out a low, congested breath. “My mother.”
Sevika nods, her grip tightening around the woman in her arms. It’s not the first nightmare Mel has had about Ambessa, and probably won’t be the last. If Ambessa were still alive, Sevika would have more than a few things she’d like to say to her. Or, that her fists would say, more likely.
“I’m sorry,” Sevika murmurs, blessing Mel when she curls into her shoulder for a shivery sneeze. She hands her a handkerchief, kissing her hair again. “How you feeling?”
Mel blows her nose, sounding miserable. She glances up at Sevika with a wry look. “Need you ask?”
Sevika chuckles, rubbing her shoulder warmly. “No, guess not.” She reaches up to touch the backs of her fingers to Mel’s cheek. “You’re still running hot, baby.”
“That would explain the headache,” Mel mumbles, pressing her fingers to her eyes.
“Stay here,” Sevika brushes her lips against Mel’s warm forehead, then helps her settle back into the pillows and pulls the covers back over her shoulders. “Be right back.”
Mel sinks into the bed with another small cough, nothing but a lump under the blankets. Sevika finds herself not wanting to leave, even if it’s just for a moment. She just wants to be glued to Mel’s side when she’s down for the count like this.
But the necessity of making sure Mel is taken care of takes precedence. Sevika heads over to the bathroom, where she fills a fresh glass of water, wets a washcloth, and grabs the bottle of medicine off the counter.
Back in the bedroom, Sevika sits down on Mel’s side of the bed, resting a gentle hand on her warm cheek.
“Hey, baby. Think you can take some more meds for me?” Her voice is soft – gentle in a way that she only ever is with Mel. She shakes two pills out of the bottle and offers them. Mel pushes herself upright with a small groan, and Sevika steadies her with a hand on her back.
After Mel swallows down the pills, Sevika climbs back in bed next to her and lays the cool washcloth on Mel’s forehead. She wraps her arm around Mel, shifting so that Mel can rest against her chest, held warmly against her side.
“Thank you, Vika,” Mel murmurs, snuggling up to her with a contented sigh.
“Always, sweet girl.” Sevika nuzzles her nose into the sweet, floral scent of Mel’s curls. “Rest now.”
Mel drifts off into a peaceful slumber, held securely in Sevika’s arms.
Sevika lets her fingers trail across the polished wood walls as she walks down the long hallway. She still can’t believe how massive this ship is, how she wouldn’t even know she was on the ocean if it weren’t for gentle sway underneath her feet.
But she supposes she shouldn’t be surprised. Noxus is not known for its subtlety, after all.
She feels wildly out of place, like she’s been beamed up and dropped off on another planet in some grand mistake. Here she is, traversing the halls of a Noxian sea vessel, sailing away from the only home she’s ever known.
And yet, as odd as it feels, she still has no regrets. There’s only one person who could get her to leave Zaun. Only one woman who could manage to ingrain herself so deeply in Sevika’s heart that she’d go anywhere, do anything for her.
Mel hadn’t asked her to return to Noxus with her, not directly. But Sevika already knew she was going. Ever since Ambessa died and Mel took up the post as the new leader of Noxus, Sevika knew she wasn’t leaving Mel’s side, even if it meant leaving everything behind. What they have between them is too powerful to let go of, and Sevika has no intention of doing so. Not when she’s found a love she thought she never would. And especially not when Mel needs her, now more than ever.
“Thought you might still be in here,” Sevika says, walking into the commander’s suite that she and Mel are sharing for the voyage. Mel is sitting on a chaise, studying her mother’s face shield that’s resting in her gold-accented fingers.
Mel looks up, humming absently, but not responding. Sevika sits down next to her, looking down at the shield.
“You alright?” Sevika asks, voice low. The scars in Ambessa’s mask are deep, perhaps not unlike the scars dug into Mel’s own heart.
Mel nods, an expression Sevika can’t quite read on her face. Then she looks away, swallowing hard.
At first, Sevika thinks Mel might cry. She’s prepared to wrap her arm around her, to hold her close until the grief ebbs. But when Mel swallows again, Sevika notices that she looks a little…green.
Sevika cups Mel’s jaw in her palm, turning her so that she can study her lover’s face. Mel’s color is definitely off, and there are small beads of sweat at her hairline. And more importantly, she seems very reluctant to open her mouth.
“You seasick, darlin’?” Sevika frowns, putting it together. The ship is definitely swaying, although it hasn’t had any effect on her personally.
For a moment, it looks like Mel wants to deny it, but then her shoulders slump and she gives a tight nod. Sevika rubs her back, watching Mel swallow again. She doesn’t need much more indication of what’s coming soon.
“Hey. How about we go sit in the washroom?” Sevika murmurs, kissing Mel’s temple. “Just in case, yeah?”
Mel nods again, letting Sevika help her to her feet. As soon as she’s standing, though, Mel’s face goes several shades paler and she claps a hand to her mouth. She rushes off toward the ensuite bathroom, Sevika following close on her heels.
Mel is already throwing up by the time Sevika kneels by her side at the toilet. She sweeps Mel’s locs off her face in one hand, her other prosthetic hand resting on Mel’s back. Her heart aches faintly as she watches Mel cough and gag, feeling more helpless than she would like. She truly hates seeing Mel in pain.
A dry cough and a sigh indicate that Mel’s done vomiting – at least for the moment – and she slumps back against Sevika, spent. Sevika tucks Mel’s head under her chin, pressing her lips to her hair.
“You okay, baby?” Sevika asks, gathering Mel up in her arms so that she’s nestled in her lap. “Feel any better?”
“A bit,” Mel sighs, her voice slightly hoarse. She feels small in Sevika’s arms, too small. “I’m sorry. What poor timing.”
“Don’t apologize.” Sevika kisses her again. “I don’t know if there’s ever a good time to get seasick, princess.”
Mel shifts so she can look up at her. Her amethyst-green eyes are slightly watery, and seem to hold more pain than any one person’s should.
“I’m supposed to be leading an empire,” Mel sighs, shaking her head slightly. “Not losing my breakfast in the toilet and hiding out in my room. The Noxians are counting on me for strength. I cannot afford to show any weakness, not now, when things are so delicate.”
Sevika frowns at that. “Your mother just died, after a war you lead, fighting against her. Even though it broke your heart. Not to mention that you were just kidnapped and held hostage for weeks.”
She strokes Mel’s hair, running her thumb over one of the gold bangles adoring her locs. “You’ve been plenty strong, Mel. You’re not invincible, and it’s okay not to be. You’re grieving. And – right now, sick.”
Mel gives her a small, sad smile, the light in her eyes dim. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, love. I’m sorry I dragged you into all this.”
“You didn’t drag me into anything,” Sevika says firmly, holding Mel’s gaze. “I’m here because I want to be, got it?”
Sevika kisses Mel’s forehead, then pushes to her feet. She heads to the sink to fill a glass and wet a washcloth. She brings both back to Mel, crouching down in front of her.
“Let’s get you cleaned up and into bed,” Sevika murmurs. She watches Mel take a few sips of water. When she’s finished, Sevika tenderly wipes her face with the damp washcloth, taking her time to run the fabric over Mel’s brows, across her cheeks, and around her mouth. Mel’s eyes flutter shut at the touch, and Sevika feels that familiar swell in her chest again. That feeling that Mel is hers to care for, to protect. And she will.
After brushing their teeth, the two of them change into their sleepwear and climb into the massive bed. The ship continues to lilt slowly from side to side, the splash of the ocean coming through faintly from the window.
Mel curls up in Sevika’s arms, her head pillowed on her chest. Sevika holds her close, nuzzling her face into Mel’s hair, breathing her in. It isn’t long before Mel’s breath slows and she softens against her, already slipping off to sleep.
Sevika holds her. She doesn’t know how to fix everything, how to right everything that’s gone wrong.
But she does know how to hold her. And for now, maybe it’s enough.
fandom: arcane ~ wc: 400 ~ prompts from @feveruary
“Mel,” Sevika groans, scooting over to put some distance between the woman next to her on the couch. She coughs into her fist, then continues. “Doll, I love you, but you have got to stop touching me right now.”
“But I’m cold,” Mel laments, burrowing further into the thick fleece blanket she’s wrapped in. She looks up at Sevika with impossibly big eyes. “And you’re warm.”
Sevika groans again, but she’s never been able to resist those eyes. She holds out an arm and Mel immediately grins and curls up against her side. Sevika grimaces as she feels Mel’s fever-hot skin press against her own, making her feel even more sweaty and uncomfortable.
“How you’re able to feel cold when you’re about the same temperature as the sun still makes no fucking sense to me,” Sevika grumbles, although she starts running her hand in soothing strokes up and down Mel’s arm.
“Blame the flu, not me,” Mel croaks, rubbing her reddened nose.
Sevika hands over the tissue box with her free hand, tracing shapes against Mel’s arm with the other. “Want me to turn the humidifier back on?” she offers, frowning a little. “You’re sounding stuffed again.”
Mel sniffles into a tissue, humming noncommittally. She rests her head on Sevika’s broad chest and Sevika instinctively dips to press her lips to Mel’s curls, kissing the crown of her head.
“No, I just want to stay like this,” Mel says, drawing her legs up to drape over Sevika’s lap. “I’m comfy.”
“Alright,” Sevika says, pulling the blanket up so that it covers Mel’s shoulder. She hugs the other woman close, kisses her again. “Just rest, baby.”
“And you,” Mel adds, peering up at her. “Don’t forget you’re sick too.”
“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten,” Sevika deadpans, coughing for emphasis. She raises an eyebrow. “Just like I haven’t forgotten who got me sick in the first place.”
Mel smirks. “I told you to get your flu shot, but you didn’t listen.”
“Don’t need it.”
“Clearly,” Mel replies, dryly.
“I could cough on you.”
“But you won’t,” Mel lifts her head and kisses Sevika’s jaw. Her lips curve in a small smile as she tucks a lock of hair behind Sevika’s ear. “Because you love me.”
Sevika rolls her eyes, but she tugs Mel so that she’s more fully on her lap, and guides her head back down to rest on her chest.
