A Warm Bowl of Soup
Friend was sick, so I wrote him this little story. I think it's pretty cute... I would love to hear you feedback in the comments section, or to have a favourite or watch! All your interactions are what inspire me to keep writing <33
A fire purred lightly in the corner of James' living room, its soft light doing little to brighten the room's darkness. Heavy shadows seemed to press in from the windows, deep grey storm clouds dropping the heavy blanket of night into the space. James was curled up on the couch, a pile of heavy blankets covering him like a torrent of snow. It was like he had melted into the couch, invisible except for when the fire flared, spurred on by gusts of wind sifting down the chimney.
His eyes were closed, but he wasn't fully asleep. Rather, he drifted in and out of various states, dreams seeming to wash over his view so that the monstrous caverns of his fever-fueled dreamscape invaded the confines of the living room, blurring the lines between reality and distortion. He'd fallen asleep feverish, the creamy fur on his belly covered in a cold sweat that seemed to seep through his clothes and blankets like the dreamy fog coating the cityscape outside, hiding the stars and covering the light of the moon. He had been trying to stay awake until his boyfriend, Percy, came back, but the wait had proven too tough for his aching body, and he had succumbed to his fitful sleep.
The shine of headlights briefly illuminated the living room as a bluish car turned into the parking space in front of James and Percy's small apartment, its beam reflecting off a handful of water bottles and coffee mugs on the table before the barely-conscious Bernese. The sleeping dog barely registered the change in light, much less his mind. A slamming car door caused his ears to perk, jostling him out of the waking dreams he was stuck in. James sat up slowly, paws coming up to wipe at groggy eyes. He couldn't tell if the noise he had heard was an illusion or maybe a clap of thunder- was that rain outside or were his eyes just fuzzy?
The thump of husky-sized paws on the concrete outside, however, was unmistakable. James rolled out of bed, his face lighting up before nausea hit, his feetpaws listing to the side on a floor that could've been made of shifting snakes for all the balance it gave. He almost tripped before throwing his tail out to catch himself, the fluffy curl serving to right his weight. Despite having caught himself, he let out a slight yelp that Percy's husky ears would never miss- sure enough, the thumping steps outside sped up, Percy jogging the last few steps to the door, throwing it open.
"Hey, hey... James, you alright bud?" he said, eyes widening as he saw the sheepish dog looking up at him from his spot on the coffee table, ears pulled back in puppylike embarrassment.
James shifted back and forth a couple times before answering, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just lost my balance, heh. Hiya, Perce."
Percy padded the remaining steps to his boyfriend, pulling James into a tight hug. Husky floof met Bernese fur, the two melting into each other's grasp and not wanting to let go. James' breath tickled Percy's neck, making the fur there tremble, and heat seemed to radiate from the sick dog, warming Percy from the rain outside. The two embraced for a couple minutes, enjoying each other's company, Percy's head settling into his favourite spot- the gap between James' head and shoulder had proven the perfect place to rest over the years. Their tails wagged together, Percy's in a frantic drumbeat, James' more like the ticking of a clock- steady, but slow.
They extracted themselves from the embrace after a while, Percy stepping back to give James another once-over.
"You look awful, babe," he chuckled out, taking in James' matted fur and sleep-touched eyes.
James sighed in response, rising from the table after a moment's hesitation. "I feel awful too, don't worry. Fever hit like a truck filled with," silence broke out as he tried to come up with a good comparison. "Like a truck filled with other trucks," he finally said, giving Percy his best 'I'm sleepy don't listen to me' look.
Those husky eyes raised at the analogy, though he spared James the teasing he normally would've offered. "Oh, really? Tell me about it."
"It was like,,, it just hit me, around noon or so. Lucky I'm off today or I would've had to take ANOTHER sick leave."
"And lucky your perfect, beautiful boyfriend took off work early to take care of you, huh?" Percy teased as he walked over to the door. James grudgingly nodded his appreciation at the husky, hiding the adoration and thankfulness he really felt. Perce paused at the door, his paw on the handle. "I brought some soup? And, uh.. some crackers, too. I don't know, my dad used to do that for me when I was sick, and-"
James beamed at him, eyes half-closed with exhaustion and a tinge of pink blush tinting his otherwise washed-out seeming features. "Thanks so much, Perce. I really appreciate it."
"Yeah, yeah. I love you, babe," Percy said as he disappeared around the corner, followed a few moments later by the opening and slamming of a car door. After a few seconds he appeared, hunched over a tupperware dish filled with chicken broth and noodles to keep the drizzly rain from seeping in, wanting to make sure the soup was perfect for his sick partner. The crackers were stuffed into his front jacket pocket like a rolled-up newspaper, plastic ends peeking out the sides. He stepped in, shutting the door behind him, and set the soup down on the counter with a clunk before grabbing couple of spoons and bowls from their respective cabinets.
James saw that Percy had grabbed two dishes and wagged even more, hit tail thumping as he watched the husky ladle out bowls of soup. That meant he was staying- the Bernese had been afraid Percy was just checking in before heading back to work. Of course, Percy would never do that. He loved his boyfriend endlessly, wanted to make the canine as comfortable as possible during his sickness.
Percy trotted over with the filled bowls of soup, setting them on the coffee table before collapsing onto the couch. He noticed James just standing there watching him, and he patted the cushion beside him in invitation to James. The Bernese obliged, crumbling onto the cushions and scooting in closer towards his boyfriend, laying his head down in the husky's lap. His gaze met Percy's, a little smile forming on both of their faces.
Percy giggled and booped him before saying, "How're you gonna eat like that, silly?" his head tilted to the side in curiousity.
"Not hungry," responded James, crossing his arms over his chest to clutch a soft pillow, cuddling it.
The husky sighed, his eyes clouding over with worry. "Come on, James, you gotta eat, babe... Please?"
"But- I just wanna curl up with you... Is that okay instead?"
"James," Percy continued, his eyes softening. "Of course that's okay- after you eat. You're sick, you have to get something down for me."
The sick dog huffed, sitting up beside Percy. His paws reached out to grab the half-full bowl with unsteady paws, lifting it up to his mouth before drinking from it like a cup, the bowl shaking and dribbling broth down his chin. He took a couple of sips before setting it down on the table, barely less full than it had been before.
"There," he said, wiping his mouth off.
"Aww, c'mon James. A few more bites, please?"
James shook his head, settling back into the cushion. "Nuh uh, I'm tired."
"Please, hun?" Percy said, grabbing James' paw in his own, holding it still in his comforting grasp.
"Fine... Just a couple, though."
James sat up once again, grabbing the spoon and lifting a few mouthfuls of soup to his maw, slurping them down slowly. He didn't stop there, however, continuing to make his boyfriend happy. The bowl was almost completely empty by the time he set it back down, smiling up at Perce with broth on his chin and muzzle.
"There, is that better?" he asked, blushing.
Percy smiled back at him and wagged his tail, scooping his boyfriend up like a little puppy and setting the Bernese into his lap. "Yes! Yes, James, I'm so proud of you!
James' chest overflowed with lightness and satisfaction, happy to have made his lover proud. High spirits flowed out through shimmering eyes. The two sidled closer together, their tails intertwining like snakes on a caduceus as they curled up into each other. James settled his head into Percy's belly, letting the husky run his paw through the bedhead of fur on the top of his head, gentle caresses of love and calm. They sat like that for a while, enjoying each other's company and listening to the crackle of the fire as it died down, smouldering in the fireplace, fading away to be replaced by the patter of rain on the sidewalk and windows as it fell like tiny, glimmering puffs of stardust around the apartment. Car engines could be heard on the street outside, mirroring the gentle purrs of James' every breath. The two slowly faded into a warm and comforted sleep, breaths lulling the other to calm.