Vienna {h.s.}

chapter eight - sick

Vienna was burning with a fever. She had already called in sick the moment that she had woken up, and Murray brushed it off. He told her to sleep, have some soup, and see how she felt the next day. But she was so weak, that she could barely stumble into the bathroom to relieve herself, much less make a whole pot of soup.

Yeah, so she was confined to her bed, and she was okay with that because all she had to do there was figure out if she was hot or cold. Her eyes kept fluttering closed, but she couldn't fall back asleep because she could barely breathe through her nose, and her head was pounding as if she had a terrible hangover. If that was the case, it would be a lot easier to recover from.

"Duchess? Are you here?" Harry called, and Vienna opened her mouth, only to he interrupted. "The only reason I'm here now is because your bike is still here, and I'm checking up on you since you're not in the art studio." Harry rambled.

"In here." She croaked, and she heard the steady padding of his feet going up the stairs.

"Oh, Vienna." He gasped. "You don't look too good."

And it didn't matter that she was sick, her room still smelled like her. Laundry detergent, lavender and sleep, and it just fit her. Pouty lips, linen wrapped around her fragile skin, and she looked so beautiful to him. With her sleepy eyes fluttering open and closed, all he wanted to do was hold her until she was able to fall into a dreaming state.

"You think?" She humorlessly smiled, sniffling.

"Can I hold you?" It slipped out of his lips, and before he could stop it by closing his lips, it was in her ears. His cheeks dusted pink, and he turned shy, looking at his feet with an embarrassed smile.

"I-I don't want to get you sick." Vienna defended, and Harry looked up at her with cheekiness hidden in his eyes.

"But then you could care for me." He quipped, and Vienna cracked a smile.

"C'mere." She invited, and he slipped off his shoes, before cuddling under the sheets with her.

It was knees knocking, and hands hovering unsurely, and assurances that it was okay. And Harry finally spun Vienna after too much shuffling to find her temperature on her part, and pulled her back against his chest, to which she hummed and began sleeping peacefully. Harry was just happy that the girl had finally warmed up to him.

When her breath evened out, and Harry had noticed she had seemed to sink into him, that's when Harry started to admire her. It wasn't often that he could take in the sharp details of her face; the freckle to the left of her left eyebrow, the raspberry lips that were chapped and looked oh-so kissable.

He leaned a bit, and kissed her shoulder, then settled back, falling into a steady sleep behind her. They both felt a sense of safety in each other's holds, and it confused her and eased him.

{•}{•}{•}

"Via-" Venice had stalked up the stairs, and opened the door to her room to find her and Harry in the same grasp as a few hours before.

Harry shifted from the noise, breathing deeply, and fluttered his eyes open. He felt eyes on him, and blinked a few times, glancing at the records hanging from the walls along with the twinkle lights before shifting his head. And there stood a smirking, with a twinge of anger in her eyes, younger sister of the girl in his hold. He bit his lip, and looked down at Vienna, gently brushing fingertips over her forehead to see if the fever had gone down, which it hadn't.

"Do you have some explaining to do?" Venice whispered, her arms crossed against her chest.

"No." Harry responded quietly, to which Venice scowled lightly.

"Look, I get it if you like her, and stuff. But I don't want to see her broken because she's been dragged into your world." Venice quietly spoke, causing Harry to worry that Vienna would wake up in the middle of the conversation they were about to have. "She's out when she sleeps, Harry." Venice assured him.

"I've never been really public with my relationships, but I would never want her to receive the hate that I have." Harry told Venice, who raised an eyebrow at him in silent question. "And yes." He sighed. "I do fancy her."

"I was right!" Venice hissed, fist pumping the air, but then she became serious once more. "I've seen what some of the girls you have been with have gone through. And I will never forgive you if you let them bully her to self destruction." Venice warned, making Harry nod in complete understand. "Alright, now continue spooning." She took a step out of the door before peeking her head back in. "And just so you know, I ship it." Harry grinned at the younger sister, who disappeared again after a wink.

Harry settled his head back down on the pillow, before glancing at the back of Vienna's head, brushing hair on her back. Her shirt shifted to the side as he brushed hair off of her shoulder, and revealed three perfectly aligned cigarette burns. He frowned, and kissed them, hoping to soothe his conscious that he made it better in a small way.

And with that, Vienna woke up with long lashes brushing cheeks, and deep breaths, and pounding headaches.

"What're you doing?" She asked sleepily.

Her hand wiped at her eyes. She was feeling extremely weak still, and being in Harry's hold felt really nice. Plus, she was enjoying the sleep she had gotten with him. And that fact frightened her.

"Who'd you get the cigarette burns from?" Harry butted in, causing her to tense briefly against him, then relax with a huff.

"I'd rather not talk about it now, if that's okay. I'll tell you later." She assured him.

"Okay, duchess. How're you feeling?" He inquired.

"Like I'm sick." She chuckled, sniffling. "Thank you for staying, H."

"Of course. I'm gonna go buy you some chicken noodle soup." He told her.

"That sounds good." She hummed.

"Go to sleep, pretty. I'll be back soon."

"Good." She hummed, snuggling back into the sheets.

Harry stopped at her door, blinking as he wondered just how deep he was in feelings for her. And then he realized, he didn't care.

He just wanted to be there for her as long as he could.

^not my longest chapter but not my shortest^