Sick Day Prompt

The moment she opens her eyes, Victoria can tell that is is going to be a far more difficult day than she had previously anticipated. Her eyes are bleary with tiredness and as she swallows, she struggles not to wince at a rough scratch in her throat. Arizona is still soundly asleep beside her, only shifting a bit as Victoria’s alarm clock continues to chime in a high trill. Victoria swipes at the alarm until her desperate strikes silence the device.

Early morning chill coats the hardwood floors of their apartment deeper than her fuzzy slippers can protect. Her hooves drag to the bathroom as she sniffles through a blockage. Disgusting.

When the light flicks on she takes a few minutes just examining her tired face in the mirror. The bags of exhaustion beneath her eyes are puffy and swollen, the very tip of her nose reddened with irritation, even her eyes seem weary and not as vibrant as usual. Victoria sniffs stubbornly, breathing out of her mouth with a pout. It seems whatever bug has been going around has caught up with her after all.

Victoria wets a washcloth under the warm flow from the faucet before dragging it over her face. Maybe if she can pretend she isn’t sick then it will go away faster. There is always work to do; there is no time to slow down just because of some common cold. Besides, today above all others was a day that she could not slack off with work. There were other hardworking buns waiting on her assignments before they can move forward with the latest company project.

She blows her nose into the used washcloth before tossing it into the half-filled hamper. Every inch of her body cries with a dull ache. If only it wasn’t the tiredness behind her eyes dragging her lower into her exhaustion. As soon as her hair is neatly combed and smoothed, Victoria turns her attention towards the kitchen for a black cup of coffee.

Surely this would be enough of a perk-up to get through the bulk of her morning. Her bleary eyes are still slow to reopen after each blink. The coffee pot rumbles and spits as it heats itself up, pouring out steaming ichor to the pot. It takes a great deal of patience for Victoria not to try and get a cup full before it is done pouring, but she waits, and she is all too happy to take a sip as soon as her mug is brimming with deliciousness.

Victoria’s first sip isn’t quite as pleasant as she had hoped. A warmth settles deep in her bones, though the scratch in her throat isn’t quite as soothed. She struggles to swallow her gulp around the congestion. Victoria licks a drop off her lip before setting her cup back to the counter, spirit dampened. She decides on another quick gulp before shoving off from the kitchen to their closet.

It doesn’t take long to decide on what to wear— many of her business suits were similar in color and pattern, taking the worry of choice out of the equation. Victoria grabs a smooth grey pantsuit and quickly dresses. She brushes her teeth. Finally she flicks off the lights, and stands in the doorway to their bedroom where her eyes catch the soft rise and fall of sleeping shoulders. Arizona.

Victoria’s steps are soft, careful not to wake her wife as she draws to their bedside. Her morning routine would not be complete without a goodbye kiss before she leaves. She leans over the bed to shake at Arizona’s shoulders and the sleeping bun stirs softly, stubbornly. It takes a few more rubs of her shoulders for Arizona’s eyes to open but as soon as she awakens she is smiling up at Victoria.

“Goo’ mornin’,” she slurs.

“Good morning, muffin.” Victoria curls back a piece of Arizona’s hair to kiss her temple then her rounded cheek. Arizona preens and leans into the touch before reaching up to cup at Victoria’s cheek. Her fingers grasp delicately.

“Crawl back in bed with me,” the game they play. Arizona will lovingly act as if Victoria has no where to be, and Victoria wishes she could clear her day to stay home. Victoria dips down to lay across Arizona’s torso sweetly.

“I wish I could but I have to go,” again with the painful scratch in her throat. “I left you some coffee in the pot.”

Arizona whines tiredly but does not argue further, instead drawing up the blankets further around her shoulders to snuggle back into their bed. It may be a while yet before she chooses to join the bustling buns of the world but a cold cup of coffee is a guilty pleasure that she will eagerly partake in when the time comes.

“I love you, muffin.”

Victoria presses a chaste kiss to Arizona’s cheek before standing and heading to leave. Behind her she hears a drowsy reply.

“Love you too, Toria.”

Though the day ahead of her may be long and her body may be betrayed by this sickness, just the thought of returning home to her adoring wife is enough to give her the strength to push through. Victoria readies herself at the front door with a steady breath before stepping out and into the rest of her morning.

word count: 892