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Pairing: MissPeregrineXMissCuckoo
Warnings: sickness but comfort :)
Word count: 1807
Tags: @sam1kath @vykanya @mmemalwa @msperegrinesimp @l-lizzy-y
Notes: I know I know, this took me ages, terribly sorry about that. Also about one tiny thing (because it bothers me somehow): I settled for Fay as Alma's nickname given by Isabel YEARS ago and I actually find it cute to this day. I did cringe the hell when I wrote this because I don't wanna write my name in there so we'll just pretend like I'm not called Fay, right? Thanks🥲
Anyways another thing, there will be a little bonus "chapter" coming soon, as an apology :)
Oh and please let me know if you liked it!! <3
----
It was a normal day, really.
The children were playing in the garden while the birds were chirping outside and the sun was shining through the big kitchen window.
Alma was teaching the last lesson for the Ymbrynes in training while Isabel was standing in the kitchen washing the dishes from lunch.
Just as she had put the last plate into the cupboard she could hear the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs.
She looked out of the kitchen and saw the class coming downstairs and separating themselves to go into the garden or the living room.
Isabel smiled slightly as she watched the few girls that went outside to enjoy the sun.
She put the towel away and made her way upstairs to the classroom that was full of students not even a minute ago.
The door was slightly open so she knocked and pushed the door all the way open.
The huge classroom came into view, with large windows and the wall plastered with pictures and posters.
At the end of the room sat a tiny woman on a desk that was way too big for her, leaning over some books and papers.
She looked up when she heard Isabel enter the room and gave her a weak smile.
"I see you are still working," Isabel chuckled as she made her way through the classroom.
Alma mustered her shortly before returning her gaze to the papers in front of her.
"I'd also love it if this paperwork did itself but sadly…," she sighed slightly as she gestured at her desk.
Isabel took a look at the papers, now standing on the other side of the desk.
Then she whispered: "Looks awfully boring."
She looked up and met Alma's face just a few inches from hers. There was a small smile on her face from the comment but there was also something different.
Quickly Isabel noted mentally, how tired Alma looked. She would make sure that she got to rest later.
Isabel leaned forward a little and dropped a kiss on the small woman's lips before she stood up again.
"I'll bring you some tea and then we can maybe get some things done together, I also need to prepare some lessons."
Her eyes met the green ones opposite of her and they seemed to shine a bit more than before.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you," Alma smiled.
"Anything for my favorite falcon," she laughed, making her way back to the door.
She heard Alma chuckle in the back but when she turned her face again, Alma's nose was already stuck in the papers again.
So she made her way to the kitchen to boil some water.
In the meantime, she collected all the things she might need to work on the next lesson.
When everything was there and the tea on a tray, Isabel left the kitchen but before she could make her way back to the classroom she bumped into Emma.
"- my, I'm so sorry Emma."
"Oh Miss, I was actually looking for you! Do you have a minute?"
Isabel looked at the tray in her hand, then at the blonde girl in front of her.
She sighed, putting everything on a cupboard and following Emma to the garden.
They stopped under a small tree where Bronwyn and Millard were sitting, a massive book in their lap.
Isabel raised her eyebrow and looked at the three children in front of her with a questioning expression on her face.
"Uhm-, well, we know that you two aren't the biggest fans of celebrating your birthdays and all that," Emma started slowly, nervously fidgeting with her hands as she spoke.
"We still wanted to make something for Miss Peregrine," Millard finished quickly.
Isabel's face softened and a small smile formed on her lips.
"And how can I help you with that?" she carefully put her hand between Emma's to stop her from picking her skin and returned her gaze to the two children under the tree.
Emma's gaze flicked to her hands and the Ymbryne beside her before going to the book in Bronwyn's hand.
"We started to collect pictures from the past weeks and months since a lot has happened and changed," Millard explained.
"And we have collected them into one big album," Bronwyn said, gesturing to the book in her lap.
"We were wondering if you might want to add something yourself."
The Ymbryne thought about it for a short while, then she shrugged lightly.
"I don't think I have anything newer that I could add."
"Nah, we already have newer pictures of you two-," the invisible boy blurted out.
"Millard!" Emma tried to shush him.
Isabel narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Emma who suddenly looked very uncomfortable.
She sighed and agreed that she'd see what she could find.
Leaving the kids to discuss the rest, she made her way back inside.
The tea had gone cold so she brought it back into the kitchen and quickly made a new one.
Finally, she reached the classroom with a delay of 47 minutes.
Carefully not to startle Alma, she knocked on the door.
When no answer came she knocked a second time and after being left in silence again, she slowly pushed the door open.
She nearly dropped the tray when the room came into view.
Quickly she put it onto the nearest table and rushed to the oaken desk.
Alma was lying with her head on the desk, looking incredibly pale.
When Isabel carefully laid her hand on the younger woman's forehead to check her temperature, she noticed how warm she was.
She cursed internally for not doing something when she had noticed an hour ago that something was wrong.
Gently she started to nudge Alma's shoulder to wake her up.
After a minute she slowly started to open her eyes, tiredly blinking at Isabel until her vision became clearer.
Then in seconds, her head shot up when she realized that she was lying on her papers.
Immediately she regretted the sudden movement as her head started to hurt again and tiny black spots began to cloud her vision.
Isabel caught her head, just as she started to faint again.
"Why didn't you tell me that you felt this bad?" Isabel scolded her softly.
"It's not that bad. -'m fine," Alma whispered, barely audible.
"Yeah, I can see that," the other Ymbryne sighed. "Come on, let's get you upstairs."
Eventually, after a little bit of convincing, they made it into their shared room and Isabel got Alma to lie down.
"Stay? Please?"
Isabel sat down on the bed, carefully taking Alma's hand into hers.
"I can stay until you are asleep, but then I have to go check on the hatchlings and see what we're gonna have for dinner later."
It didn't take long until Alma was asleep. Isabel pulled the covers over the sleeping woman and did as she said, checking on the kids and Ymbrynes-in-training.
When Alma opened her eyes the next time the light in the room was dimmed and the house seemed to be quiet.
Not having the strength to stand up, she turned her head a little to the side. There was a tray on the nightstand with a small bowl and a teapot on top of it.
In the small armchair on the side of the bed sat a tall figure, cuddled in a thick blanket.
She looked up when she noticed that Alma was awake. Isabel smiled warmly at the ravenette’s tired face.
“What happened?” Alma rasped, not being able to move her head.
Isabel got up from her chair and sat down on the bed, carefully taking Alma's hand in hers.
“You are sick, and you passed out because you wouldn't stop working on your papers,” Isabel replied, a thick layer of worry in her voice.
“Nonsense, I'm not sick!” Alma murmured weakly, barely keeping her eyes open.
The other woman couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Alma's not-at-all-convincing reply.
“Well then, I made you soup. Here, you need to eat something. That shouldn't be a problem if you are not sick, right?” she teased, taking the
bowl from the nightstand and holding it out for Alma to take.
But she only groaned and threw her arm over her eyes. “Seems like you've defeated me.”
The cuckoo set down the bowl and softly squeezed the small hand she was still holding.
“Alright Fay, go back to sleep. But promise me that you'll try to eat something when you wake up the next time! It will help you get better soon!”
Alma nodded slightly but Isabel was sure that she hadn't listened to her anymore and was already asleep.
——
She didn't get better, rather the opposite.
Three days had passed since she had collapsed over her desk. She had slept through most of the days and had barely eaten nor drank anything, looking paler than ever.
“I miss my children,” Alma whined weakly.
“But you need rest!” Isabel protested, her arms crossed over her chest. This argument has been going on for a while now.
“And I promise that I will do that, it's not like I can move anyways,” the ravenette pleaded, “I just miss seeing them!”
The older Ymbryne sighed loudly.
"Fine! But if they bother you too much, I'll send them to their rooms again!”
“Deal!” Alma gave a weak smile.
Isabel nodded shortly before picking the small woman up and carrying her downstairs into the living room.
The room was quite warm and comfortable. The fire in the chimney was crackling softly and the kids were sitting splattered around in the room, some reading, some playing games, or simply talking.
However, they all looked up and happily greeted the two Ymbrynes as they entered the room.
“Your Ymbryne is still sick so please let her rest,” Isabel reminded the children as she threw the blanket over Alma's shoulders.
She left the room to make some tea and when she came back a few minutes later, Alma was fast asleep again.
Isabel noticed however that Alma seemed to be much calmer than before and she could swear that there was even a hint of a smile on her lips.
Alma was slowly getting better over the next few days.
When Isabel checked on her, the following day, she was sitting on the sofas, wrapped in a thick blanket and having little Claire in her lap.
Olive was sitting to her right and they were coloring a picture together.
It was an adorable picture, that Isabel had to pause for a minute and just watch the scene.
It was at this moment that Isabel realized that the kids really seemed to do Alma good. And from that moment on she was sure that things were gonna be okay again.
