Short Kings Anthem

Part 15

When Lauren awoke the next morning it was still dark. Considering it was still summer Lauren assumed it was still early, reaching to her bedside table she peaked at her phone and groaned 5.38AM. She let out a couple of coughs before groaning, her throat felt like it was on fire and her head felt really heavy, it was a struggle to move it. She shut her eyes and desperately tried to go back to sleep but ended up tossing and turning until Chris woke up a few hours later, she was unable to get comfortable to drift back off into a slumber and she was far from peaceful.

"Morning." Chris chimed as he usually did, he always loved it when he woke up next to Lauren which was ninety percent of the days now. He went to lean in and give Lauren her morning kiss as he always did but Lauren placed her hand on her face stopping him from doing so, he looked disappointed.

"Get away if you have any regard to your health," Lauren warned, her voice a mere whisper. Chris frowned and delicately placed Lauren's hand in one of his, the other checking her forehead.

"You're about a million degrees,"

"I feel a bit cold," Lauren admitted before sneezing. Not concerned about the germs at all Chris pulled Lauren to him and squeezed her tightly but gently holding her in a comforting embrace she was very grateful for and snuggled into. Immediately she felt more comfortable, she had already told him the risk so it was his fault now if he got sick.

"What do you think it is, just a cold?" Chris asked, rubbing her hand up and down Lauren's back. Lauren didn't respond verbally in order to save her aching throat but the feeling of her hair moving up and down his chest indicated to Chris she meant yes.

The day was much of nothing, Lauren spent ninety nine percent of it in bed, with Chris also only leaving it to fetch something for Lauren like water but otherwise was by her side his his arm around her or trying to make her smile in a valiant effort to cheer her up as she always felt very sorry for herself when she was unwell.

"Did you want anything to eat?" Chris asked when it was coming to the evening time, Lauren shook her head knowing she couldn't stomach anything at this moment in time. All she wanted to do was sleep but couldn't, her cough kept getting in the way and she was so achy in her body that no position was comfortable.

"Sorry I haven't been a good host," Lauren croaked out. Chris shook his head.

"Nonsense, anyway I've been here enough times to know my way around things, will you be okay for ten minutes while I find some food?" He asked and Lauren nodded. He placed a tender kiss on her burning forehead before going in search for some food, he found some tupperware in the freezer and decided this would be his best bet. It was labelled Thai Green Curry and the date looked okay. He ate it as quick as he could, it tasted good for something made a couple of weeks ago and frozen for a rainy day. When he went back upstairs he took a glass of water up with him for Lauren and smiled when he saw her snoozing, curled up on her side in the foetal position.

Chris played on his phone for a little while, reading a text from Harry asking if he wanted to play a little five a side the next morning. He typed a reply that Lauren wasn't feeling well so he couldn't go before opening Youtube and watching some videos before he too fell asleep.

Chris was up and out early the next morning, he popped to the shops and got some orange juice, cold medicine, soup, bread,fruit and yoghurt for Lauren hoping it would help her plus a couple of things he wanted to eat himself along with some essentials. He grabbed a tea from a coffee shop on the way home for himself and a chai latte for Lauren, it wasn't her usual order but he was hoping the spices would help her sinuses. He got home and placed some yoghurt, juice and the latte on a tray he found before making his way upstairs. Lauren was just waking up rubbing her eyes as she tried to focus on the man in front of her.

"Morning, I've got you some sore throat friendly food. I know you probably don't feel like it but you should eat something," Chrid advised worriedly, he knew she probably didn't feel like it but he was worried it would start a chain reaction and bad habits were form and he was absolutely right, Lauren had been caught in that trap before.

"You're right. Thanks, where did you get it all from?" Lauren asked sitting up in bed slightly, she went for the chai straight away loving the warm feeling in her throat.

"I went out, we have some more washing up liquid, I noticed it was nearly low."

"Aren't you the sweetest," Lauren smiled, mostly at Chris's use of the word we as she struggled to open the yoghurt due to being so weak. Chris helped tear the top off and Lauren ate half of it, drunk some of the juice as she downed two cold and flu tablets. As she blew her nose hoping it would help her actually taste something there was a knock at the front door.

"I'll get it," Chris announced jumping out of bed.

"Probably a parcel," Lauren replied sinking down into the bed again feeling the energy drain from her once more.

"Harold," Chris smiled as he opened the door to the taller male.

"Christopher," The taller of the two nodded, then held up a plastic cup with what looked like an oxygen type mask attached. "I borrowed this from Lauren when I was ill a few weeks ago, guess she might need it?" It was a way to clear sinuses, water and aloe vera were meant to go in the cup and you would breathe the vapour through the mask.

"Great, she's in her room." Harry walked in and stopped just inside the door to Lauren's room hands on hips.

"What did I tell you? I said to wait a while for me to be right," Harry sighed, referencing his idea about Chris and Lauren's future.

"Harry it's the flu you idiot," Lauren rolled her eyes as she tried to sit up in bed again.

"What's this?" Chris asked sitting on the bed.

"Nothing," Lauren whispered but Harry drowned her out.

"I keep winding her up by telling her you'll get her up the duff by next year," Harry replied and Chris rolled his eyes.

"Do you put this much of a focus on your own relationship?" Chris asked Harry who simply shrugged, he was stable in his relationship and wasn't sure where that comment was coming from.

All in all Lauren was out of action for a week, that had meant she was going to have to play catch up with her videos so as soon as she was well again she started working hard.

"Are you finished yet?" Chris moaned as Lauren sat at her desk for the fifth hour in a row. He was bored and having Lauren right there but unable to spend quality time with her was getting him down.

"No. Some of us have an upload schedule and turnaround time to stick to," Lauren replied cheekily causing Chris to flip her off.

"Do that again and I'll break it," Lauren warned staring at her screen, watching Chris through the reflection in the screen. It was another forty minutes until Lauren was done, she finally turned her chair around to see Chris sitting on the sofa, staring at his phone pouting.

"Right, I'm all yours," she announced, Chris looked up from his phone with one eyebrow raised.

"What if I'm busy?" He asked waving his phone around.

"Yeah you really look it," Lauren replied sarcastically. She then got up from her chair and walked to the door, taking off her top as she did so.

"I'm going to bed, you know where I am," she said suggestively causing Chris to scramble up and follow her.  

A/N this is one of my favourite chapters and I dunno why but I really love it. Anyway just started writing chapter 37 in case you're all wondering how long this fic is going to be. I might break 50!!