A Collection of Odds & Ends

Let it Snow (Jai Courtney)

"Oh! The weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful. And since we've got no place to go, Let it Snow! Let it Snow Let it sn..."

"Shut up!"

"Fuck off!" Cosette's voice rang out through the house, causing Jai to groan loudly.

"Babe, is that any way to treat your sick husband?" Covering his face with his hands, he sniffled and slowly exhaled through his mouth. The pressure behind his sinuses was now building and moving into the space behind his eyes, Jai felt like absolute shit.

"Jai, you have a cold. Get over it, you big baby." Cosette called from down the hall.

"But babe, I'm sick." Jai whined blowing his nose.

His wife's, purposely, disastrous singing wasn't helping. Three days ago, Jai had woke with a head cold and it appeared as though it would be staying for Christmas.

How the cold had found him was baffling, it was 26*C in Sydney and not exactly cold and flu season. His mother had warned him about this, going from London, to Vancouver, and then to Sydney all within a 4 day stretch. Stupidly, Jai had insisted he would be fine. Not worn out at all.

Maybe he wasn't, but his body was. Cosette had spent her day shopping for last minute presents and decorating the tree, all while Jai hid under the covers on the bed. At lunch he had stumbled out of bed to get some soup that Cosette had left for him to heat up, when she had came back she made him toast and apple sauce for dinner before force feeding him a couple of ice pops.

Aside from the ridiculous singing about snow, she was rather great at taking care of him. This morning, she had ran a bath and made him sit in a hot tub filled with eucalyptus oil.

"It'll steam your cold out or some shit like that." were her words, as she closed the bathroom door to let him sit.

After his bath, she had met him with a robe before ushering him back to bed.

Tucked into bed, a muted replay of an old NRL game on the screen, Jai sniffled again and wiped his nose with a tissue. "Cos." He called out, coughing and groaning. "Can I have some tea?"

Not getting a response, Jai called out again managing to keep his coughing until after he had called to his wife. "Cosette?"

"Hold your horses." Cosette chimed, her light foot steps made a soft thumping as she came down the hall and into the room. Walking into the bedroom, she held two mugs of tea. "I was just putting the water in, when you called out."

"Thank you." Jai croaked, sitting up and reaching for the mug that so graciously declared "I Like Her Butt". His sister had bought him and Cosette matching mugs last year for Christmas. Cosette's plainly stated "I Like His Beard" - if his sister only knew.

Placing her mug on the small night table, Cosette climbed onto the bed. Sitting cross legged, she looked miles away from Jai and his robe, in her shorts and tank top. Swiftly pulling her hair up into a hair tie, she fanned her face and made an exaggerated dying expression.

"It's so hot in here." She whined at the bedroom's lack of air conditioning.

Under normal circumstances, the air would be turned on all through the apartment. Not wanting to risk Jai's poor health any further, she had left the bedroom a bit warm.

"Well, they did call me one of the sexiest men alive this year." Jai was never too sick to joke about the small mention he'd received in People Magazine's annual Sexiest Man Alive.

Jai was sexy, but even Cosette couldn't argue Zac Efron's coveted first place.

"Yes," Cosette rolled her eyes, taking a drink of her tea. "That must be it."

"Hey, don't be mean. The people have spoken." Jai winked before turning to another cough.

Gently rubbing his back, Cosette frowned. Despite her teasing and being mean, she did feel sorry for her husband. Nobody wanted to be quarantined over Christmas. Christmas Eve was in three days and she was determined to get him healthy by then. If Jai was sick, their after dark trip to the beach would have to wait until New Year's.

"Even if they hadn't, you're still the sexiest man I know." Cosette leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, finish your tea and lie down. You need a nap, if you're going to get better for Christmas."

"Lay with me?" Jai asked around a gulp of tea.

Glancing at the clock on Jai's bedside table, she furrowed her brow. A nap sounded fantastic, even though she had no time for one. Cosette bit her bottom lip, if she laid down with Jai then there went at least an hour of other things being put on the back burner.

On the other hand, laying down with Jai was at least an hour she'd get to spend with her husband.

"Of course, baby." Cosette smiled and kissed his cheek again, she couldn't wait for him to get better so that she could get a real kiss. She missed kissing that furry face of his.

Leaning over to take Jai's half a cup of tea, she placed it on the table next to hers. Propping his pillows in the right position to keep him elevated during his nap, she tucked the blankets around him. Jai laid in position, allowing her to get him comfortable.

As she tucked him in, she adjusted the collar of his robe, softly humming what sounded like Frosty the Snowman. Jai found it amusing, her constant need to sing about snow during the Australian summer.

"My beautiful, sweet Cosette." Jai mumbled, adjusting his position to get just right for his sleep. "You take such good care of me."

"Well, you need it." Cosette teased, picking up the jar of vapor rub. A rather generous dollop on her fingers, she began to massage it into his chest. "You'd be dead, if it weren't for me."

"I don't know if I'd be dead." Jai cleared his throat, anticipating another cough. "But I wouldn't be this well taken care of."

"You take care of me, all the time." Cosette countered, wiping the rub off of her hand with a tissue. "It's the least I can do. Now," She stretched out beside him. "Sleep."

"I tease you and I know I can be an ass, but I do love you. More than anything." Jai turned his head to look at his wife. "I feel like I don't say that enough."

"Honey, trust me, I know that you love me. You proved that time and time again." Cosette reached out to pat his cheek. "Now, go to sleep."

"Why do you want me to sleep so damn bad?" Jai tilted his chin and pursed his lips. Cosette was up to something.

"Because, you need rest?" She tried to pass an innocent smile. Jai rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine, your present is in the closet and I need to wrap it."