Taylor x Travis: In Every Life

bedside buckets

Taylor's POV

"Hi honey!" I called into the house as I pushed the door closed behind me and then laughed as Rambo darted out of the living room and bolted towards me. "Hi buddy, how was your day?" I crouched down as he crashed into my legs, smiling as I rubbed his head. "Where's your dad huh?" I asked, kicking off my shoes and placing them in the rack. 

Rambo pattered off as I walked further into the house, letting my hair down and running my hands through it. Travis should be back from practice by now, but I couldn't hear him anywhere in the house. He had to be here somewhere; the door had been unlocked. 

"Honey?" I called out when I saw the living room and the kitchen empty, poking my head into the little recording studio we both used. That was empty too, and I frowned, walking down to our bedroom. "Travis? You home?" He wasn't in our bedroom, and I was about to call his phone when I heard a shuffle from the ensuite bathroom. I shrugged out of my cardigan, dropping it on the end of our bed. "Oh sweetheart." I sighed when I saw Travis in the bathroom, sitting against the wall. He looked awful, like he'd been throwing up. His eyes fluttered open when I came in.

"Hey baby." His voice was rough, weak. "How was your day?"

"Oh don't mind my day, what's going on?" I crouched down in front of him, placing the back of my hand against his forehead. "You're burning up, have you been sick?"

"Uh." Travis swallowed. "Yeah. Twice."

"Well why didn't you call me? I would have come home earlier." I sighed.

"Didn't want to bother you." He sighed, and I shook my head.

"Hey, you're far more important than a studio session." I reminded him. "You should always call me, okay honey? I'd have come right home." I reached up to the towel rack, taking down a little washcloth and getting up to run it under some cold water. "Here." I murmured, pressing it against his forehead. Travis sighed, his eyes fluttering closed.

"Thanks." He whispered.

I pressed my lips together as I gently dabbed at his forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that had collected there. Travis looked absolutely exhausted, worn down. I hated that he hadn't called to tell me he was sick. He always thought he could handle things by himself.

"You want some water?" I murmured as I finished wiping his forehead. Travis shook his head. "How about something to eat? Toast or something?" He shook his head again and I sighed. "Okay, how about coming to bed and resting for a while?" And again, Travis shook his head. "Honey, you can't just sit here." I told him. "Come on, I'll come with you and we'll go to bed."

"No, I don't want to get you sick too." Travis complained as I grabbed his hands. 

"No, don't worry about that." I shook my head. "Just let me take care of you."

Travis sighed but let me help him to his feet, and I led him out to our bedroom. I sat him down on his side and lifted the blankets aside so he could lie down. He was too hot for sheets so I tucked them aside and propped an extra pillow under his head. Once he was lying down, I went to get some old towels and a bucket, laying them out on the ground next to the bed so Travis wouldn't have to rush to the bathroom if he had to be sick again.

"Where are you going?" Travis asked as I moved off.

"Just getting you a cold cloth." I reassured him, going back into the bathroom and taking the cloth I'd used before. Squeezing the water out, I wet it again and took it out to Travis. He sighed as I rested it across his forehead and I sat down next to him, gently stroking his hair. "When did this start?" I asked after a while.