So High School - Tayvis One Shots

5: In Sickness And In Health

The day started out like any other, but soon, it was clear that something was very wrong. Taylor could tell the moment she rolled over in bed and saw Travis. His normally broad, strong frame was curled into a tight ball, his face pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. His eyes were squeezed shut, his breath shallow and labored.

"Trav?" she whispered, placing a hand gently on his back. His skin felt clammy, far too warm. Worry tightened in her chest. He groaned, barely able to respond.

"I feel awful," he muttered, his voice weak.

Taylor's heart sank. Travis was the picture of strength on any given day—rarely sick, and even when he was, he never complained. To see him like this, crumpled in pain, made her stomach twist with concern.

"Okay, okay, just stay here, baby," she said softly, stroking his damp hair away from his face. "I'm going to get you some medicine, okay? We'll take care of this."

She moved quickly to the bathroom, grabbing some medicine and a cool cloth to help bring his fever down. When she returned, she found Travis still curled up on his side, clutching his stomach.

"Here, baby, take these," she coaxed, holding the tablets out to him with a glass of water. But before she could even get close, Travis suddenly lurched forward, his face contorted in agony.

"I think I'm gonna—" he managed to get out before the heaving began. In a flash, he tried to sit up, desperate to make it to the bathroom. But it was too late. With a choked groan, he threw up, missing the edge of the bed entirely, and the sick splattered onto the floor.

"Oh, no... no, no, no..." Travis mumbled, his voice cracking with embarrassment as he slumped forward, barely able to hold himself up. "I'm so sorry, Tay. I... I didn't mean—" His breath came in short gasps, panic flooding him as he saw the mess he'd made.

Taylor didn't hesitate. She grabbed a towel and knelt beside the bed, wiping his mouth gently before moving to clean up the floor. But as she bent down, Travis reached for her hand, his grip surprisingly strong despite his weakened state.

"Tay... don't. You don't have to do this," he rasped, his voice thick with shame. His face crumpled, and he shook his head, guilt weighing heavy on him. "I can't believe you have to see me like this... I'm sorry, so sorry..."

Taylor looked up at him, he heart breaking at the sight of his pained expression. She could see how much it hurt him—not just physically, but emotionally—to have her witness him at his most vulnerable.

"Trav, stop," she said gently, brushing her fingers through his hair as she knelt beside him. "You don't have to be sorry. This is what we do for each other, remember? In sickness and in health."

But Travis just groaned again, his chest rising and falling unevenly. "I feel like such a mess. You shouldn't have to clean this up," he wheezed, his breath coming in ragged bursts as his body tensed again, another wave of nausea threatening to rise.

Taylor moved quickly, holding the trash can close to him as he heaved, his body shaking with the effort. She rubbed his back gently, murmuring soothing words as his breathing slowed again, though it remained shallow and unsteady.

As he slumped back against the headboard, exhausted, Travis's eyes filled with tears. "Tay, I hate this. You shouldn't have to take care of me like this. It's disgusting," he mumbled, his voice breaking with the weight of his apology. "I'm so sorry... I feel so bad."

"Shhh," Taylor whispered, her heart aching for him. She pressed a cool cloth to his forehead, dabbing gently at the sweat that beaded along his brow. "Don't say that. It's okay. You'd do the same for me, wouldn't you?"

Travis blinked up at her, his eyes glassy. "Of course I would... this is different. I don't want you to see me like this."

Taylor leaned in, pressing her forehead against his. "Trav, I love you. All of you. Even when you're sick and miserable. I don't care about the mess. I just care about you."

Travis closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. "I just... I hate that you have to clean up after me. It makes me feel so... helpless."

Taylor's chest tightened at the vulnerability in his voice. She kissed his temple softly, her lips lingering there for a moment. "You're not helpless, baby. You're just sick. Let me take care of you, okay? That's what love is."

He nodded weakly, his eyes fluttering closed again as exhaustion overtook him. Taylor stood up, grabbing another towel and carefully cleaning the floor around the bed, trying to move quietly so as not to disturb him.

As she wiped up the last of the mess, she glanced back at Travis. He was still curled up, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. She could see how much his illness was wearing on him, not just physically but emotionally, and it tugged at her heartstrings.

Once the room was clean, she returned to his side, sitting on the edge of the bed and running her fingers through his damp hair. His breathing was still uneven, his body trembling slightly from the strain.

"I'm here," she whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Travis opened his eyes, gazing up at her with a mixture of gratitude and pain. "You're too good to me," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Taylor smiled softly, brushing her fingers across his cheek. "I love you, Trav. In sickness and in health, remember?"

Despite his discomfort, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You're amazing," he murmured, his hand reaching up to cover hers.

Taylor stayed with him throughout the day, keeping him hydrated and cleaning up after him when the sickness took over again. Each time he apologized, she would gently remind him that she was there for him, no matter what. And as night fell and his fever finally began to break, she lay beside him, her hand resting on his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beneath her fingers.

Travis, still pale and weak, pulled her close, his arm draped around her. "Thanks for taking care of me, baby," he whispered, his voice filled with exhaustion but also gratitude.

"Always," Taylor whispered back, pressing a kiss to his chest as she nestled against him. "We'll get through this together."

And as Travis finally drifted off into a fitful but peaceful sleep, Taylor stayed awake just a little longer, watching over him, her heart full of love for the man who, even at his lowest, was still everything she ever wanted.