(CW: Vomiting and slight Emetophobia)
Eun-mi was in the living room playing with Toby, it was the weekend so he was home from school which meant they could spend quality time together. The two sat on the couch playing with Toby's toy dinosaurs when they heard the front door open and shut. Harvey was home! Toby bounced off the furniture and raced to the front of the house to greet his father with Eun-mi following as well.
"Daddy!" Toby exclaimed as he hugged Harvey's leg, Harvey gave a weary smile and knelt down, gathering Toby in his arms and giving him a small hug. "Well hey there little buddy, did you have a good day today?" Harvey asked, smiling a little more as his son nodded. Eun-mi leaned in the doorframe leading to the living room as she watched the interaction, a small look of suspicion on her face as she stared at her husband.
"Dear, are you alright? You look tired." She asked, her suspicion melting a little into worry as she saw how tired he looked. Harvey felt a little nervous, he didn't want to tell her that he left the house with a cold.
"I...feel a little under the weather, that's all. Nothing to be worried about." He said, followed by a few beats of silence as Eun-mi narrowed her eyes. She then looked at Toby.
"Toby, could you go gather up your toys please?" She asked, the little boy nodded and left the room. Harvey quickly stood up as Eun-mi approached him, fidgeting nervously as she placed a hand on his forehead.
"Honey you're burning up, I think you have a fever...why didn't you say anything?" She asked, a frown on her face. Harvey straightened his bowtie a bit quietly. "I...I didn't want you to be worried, that's all..plus I can't take any days off from my hustle, y'know?"
Eun-mi frowned even more at his words, she knew they needed the money but she didn't like when he worked himself into submission. Taking one of hands into hers, she gently caressed his cheek with the other. A soft smile coming to her face when he leaned a little into her touch. "Come on silly, you're resting right now." She said as she led him to their bedroom, Harvey knew better than to protest so he didn't. He just walked with her.
After a while Harvey was changed into comfy clothes and tucked in bed, a thermometer in his mouth as Eun-mi sat on the edge of the bed. Once the device beeped she took it out his mouth.
"Hm...your fever isn't that high which is good, but please dear you can't just ignore when you're feeling sick. You need to take better are of yourself." She said softly, running her fingers through his hair in a way to comfort him.
"I know, I'm sorry honey...I just..." Harvey paused for a moment. "I don't want us going broke because I didn't go to my stall for a day." He said quietly, Eun-mi could tell he still felt guilty about losing his last job.
"Harvey..." She began, resting a hand on his arm. "We won't go broke just because you take a day to rest. It's okay, really." She said with a reassuring smile. She couldn't deny that she was still slightly angry with him for messing up so bad but at the same time she couldn't help but pity him. She couldn't stay mad at him forever.
"Go ahead and rest, okay? I'll be here once you wake up." She said softly, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Clearly he didn't expect it because his face got a bit red. She found it adorable how he could still get flustered despite them being together for so long.
Eun-mi quietly closed the bedroom door, making sure not to disturb her husband who finally fell asleep. She let out a small sigh, though when she turned around she jumped at the sight of Toby standing there looking up at her.
"Oh! Sweetheart you startled me..." She said with a small chuckle, putting her hand on her chest and sighing. She then noticed the worried look on his face.
"Is Daddy gonna be okay...?" The little boy asked, holding his dinosaur plushie. He'd never seen his father so tired before so to say he was a little worried was an understatement. Eun-mi gave a reassuring smile as she crouched down so she was eye-level with him.
"Daddy's going to be okay, he just doesn't feel very well right now. We have to be gentle with him until he feels better okay?" She said softly, ruffling her son's hair a bit which earned a giggle from him. "Okay...after he feels better can we play dinosaurs together?"
Eun-mi laughed a little at the question. "Only if he's feeling up for it okay?" She watched as Toby nodded, then picked up the little boy and began carrying him to his room.
"It's time for a certain someone to go to bed though, hm?" She said, listening to the child in her arms yawn at the mention of his bed time. She then laid him down in bed and tucked him in, giving him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight sweetie, I love you." She said softly, Toby smiled at her tiredly. "Love you too, Mommy.."
Eun-mi then turned off the light and turned on his nightlight, softly shutting his door. The house was quiet now, with both of her boys asleep she wondered what she could do now. She then decided to go sit on the couch and watch TV with a glass of wine. Now to wait for either of them to wake up.
Time passed and Eun-mi was still sitting on the couch watching TV and taking sips from her glass, though because she wasn't in the bedroom she didn't know Harvey was in a restless sleep. He kept tossing and turning as his fever induced dreams boardered on nightmare territory. He couldn't fully make out his dream but he didn't hear a certain voice, it was Eun-mi's.
She kept telling him about how he was a bad husband, that she should leave and take Toby with her. It really hurt him to hear. He thought he was a good husband, he thought he was doing mostly everything right so why? Was it because he lost his last job? He let out a whinper in his sleep.
"N-No, I'll be better I swear..." He muttered, still suffering unconsciously. Sweat was on his brow as his breathing became a bit more laboured.
Meanwhile Eun-mi started to notice the sound of shuffling, getting suspicious she stood from the couch and headed to the bedroom. Once she got to the door her eyes widened as she heard his whimpers and whines. She opened the door and headed in.
"Harvey? Harvey, dear wake up." She said as she approached the bed, shaking him gently to wake him up. She then felt his forehead and his face with her hand. His fever had spiked, this wasn't good.
Soon Harvey jolted awake, sitting up and panting, tears filled his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. Her words bounced around in his head. Eun-mi gave him a concerned look. "Harvey? Are you okay?"
He was going to answer her but he suddenly felt weird, he felt wrong. Upon recognizing what this feeling was he stood up and covered his mouth, heading to the bathroom at a quickened pace.
Eun-mi sighed as she followed him, seeing him sitting on the edge of the bathtub facing towards the toilet and still covering his mouth. She sat next to him and put her hand on his back, rubbing it gently. "Do you feel like you're going to be sick? Is that why you came in here?" She asked softly, her frown deepening when she saw him nod.
Harvey then felt his stomach lurch as he threw up into the toilet, tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he did. Eun-mi grimaced a little but she didn't move away or anything, she just kept rubbing circles on his back with a sympathetic look.
"It's okay, just get it all out..." She said as they both waited for the vomiting spell to be over. Once Harvey was done he let out a sob, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry...I'm sorry, I'm very very sorry..." He apologized profusely, his voice cracking with every sob he let out. Eun-mi frowned at him breaking down. "Oh honey..." She wrapped her arms around him, letting him lean into her as she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Harvey never liked throwing up, it always made him very uncomfortable but it never made him cry before.
"How about we lay back down, do you think you got it all up?" She asked with a frown, once he nodded she gently rubbed his arm. "Okay, do you think you can stand up?" She asked, once she saw him nod she pulled away from him and stood up, lending a hand to him.
Harvey took her help and soon they both headed to the bedroom where they laid down and started cuddling.
"...You... don't have to tell me why you started crying, I won't pry." She said softly, holding him close. "Just know I'm here for you, okay? I always will be."
Harvey felt more tears come to his eyes, although they were more happy than sad this time. "I know...thank you." He responded, feeling comforted by being in her arms. "I really appreciate i-"
Just then, a soft knock rang from their bedroom door. Eun-mi narrowed her eyes, having a feeling who it exactly was. "Come in." She said, the door opening to reveal their son Toby holding his dinosaur plushie. He must've heard the commotion from earlier. The little boy approached the bed looking back and forth between his mother and his father. "Toby, why are you out of bed? You're supposed to be asleep right now."
Toby fidgeted a little, a small look of worry on his face. "I was worried about Daddy, that's all... I'm sorry..." He responded, Harvey felt a little warm knowing his son was worried about him. He pushed himself up a bit so he was propped up on his elbows. He then looked towards the little boy, tiredness in his gaze. "I'm alright lad, just feeling a little ill.. it's nothing to worry about." He said, trying to ease his worry. Toby still looked concerned but not as much as much as earlier. He then held up his dinosaur plushie for Harvey to take.
"Whenever I don't feel well, dino helps me so...maybe he can help you? He asked, looking up at his dad. Harvey gently took the soft dinosaur, cradling it close with a small smile on his face. "Thanks, Toby... I'll make sure nothing happens to him tonight." The little boy beamed at his words, happy he could help. Eun-mi upon seeing them interact smiled, glad that they cared so much for one another. She then ruffled Toby's hair.
"Alright, now you need to go to sleep. You have school tomorrow remember?" She said, their son nodded and waved goodbye to Harvey, then took his leave back to his room. They both then laid back down, Harvey holding the dinosaur plush close. Just in minutes he was fast asleep, no nightmares this time. Eun-mi leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead, then started running her fingers softly through his hair.
"Sleep well Harvey, sleep well..."
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