Bullet // Choni One-Shots

Take Me In

A cold knocks Toni on her ass.

It's funny in a way - that a common cold is enough to bring down a girl who has had guns pointed at her in the back of warehouses. Who was the youngest to do the Serpent dance; thirteen and barely pubescent. Who is 5'2 and still strikes fear into grown men with just a look.

And yet, on early Friday morning I get a text of about fifty pouting emojis followed by I have a cold from Toni.

Then she sends a couple of other fever-clouded texts: I went to the store a few days ago and bought like 20 cucumbers and I don't remember why; I'm sad because there's no ice cream in the freezer and I miss it; Sweet Pea isn't here and I can't reach the remote, please help me.

When I get out of school, I pack a bag and type, I'll take care of you. Because as amusing as Toni is, I do worry a bit. I make my way to Sweet Pea's trailer and knock on the door a few times. I hear shuffling before Sweet Pea opens the door, visibly annoyed.

"Oh, hey Cheryl, thank God you're here. Your girlfriend is a real pest when she's sick, you know that?"

Before I can respond, a shoe comes flying past Sweet Pea. "I heard that, you asshole!"

"You were meant to, you bitch!"

I stifle a giggle at their antics before pushing past Sweet Pea, "I'll take her off your hands."

When I see her, she's curled up on Sweet Pea's couch. Her cheeks and nose are bright red, there are dark circles under her eyes and her cheekbones press up against her skin.

"Hi, baby." I move forward to pull her into a hug but she waves a hand around to push me away.

"Fine then."

Toni coughs, "I don't want to get you sick."

"I'm taking you to Thistlehouse with me. Besides, my immune system is basically a SWAT team. Unlike yours, apparently."

Toni sneezes and then groans, "Where's your mom?"

"I threw her out."

Toni chokes a bit, "You - what?"

"That's a story for later, but for now, you're coming home with me. Sweet Pea!"

The boy peeks back into the small living room area while munching on a banana, "M-yeah?"

"First of all, don't talk with your mouth full. Second, can you help me carry Toni to my car?"

Sweet Pea looks offended for a second before seemingly shaking it off with a huff, "Fine."

Toni shakes her head, "I can walk."

"Shut up, Teeny Tiny Toni, and let me carry you to the car before the wind blows you away."

-

Less than a half hour later I'm sitting next to Toni on the couch, her head in my lap.

"Shit." I say, "You're hot."

Toni smiles lazily, "I'm always hot."

"True," I scoot closer to her, thermometer in hand, "Open up."

"102," The thermometer reads, "Not bad, Topaz. Guess you can stick around for a little while then." Toni doesn't respond, just burrows herself into my lap, curling into herself. I stifle a laugh, because a cold is enough to turn Toni into a petulant small child. It's a little pathetic. Or, would be, if it was anyone but her. But since it is her, it's also endearing.

"Let me get you some medicine, have you eaten?"

Toni's nose scrunches, "I threw it back up."

I press my hand to Toni's sweaty forehead, "Oh, TT..."