milliways_bar | (no subject)

"Galen?" Bodhi asks, wiping his hands on his apron as he comes out of the kitchen. "Are you okay? You look kind of... Clammy."

"I do feel kind of clammy," Galen admits. "Cold, and a bit tired, and as if I needed to clutch a cat. I hope this stuff helps."

He looks up at Bodhi with a slightly tired smile.

"What is it?" Bodhi asks, scooping Kyber up as the kitten follows him out of the kitchen. Yes, there may well be flour in Kyber's side from where Bodhi had to push him off the bench after trying to 'help' with the pastry Bodhi was making but he's clutchable all the same.

To that end, Bodhi pops him into Galen's arms and sits down next to his lover. "Anything I can do to help?"

"If it's germs, you might not want to catch them," Galen says, gratefully accepting the cat and settling him on his chest. "And perhaps I should drink tea, not just this stuff."

"Galen." Bodhi says seriously, putting his arms around them both. "We share a bed. If you have germs, I already have them you. So let's not worry about that. Did the bar give you that to drink?"

Galen gratefully clings to Bodhi with a sigh. "No, I ordered it. It's full of algae and berries and herbs from twelve different worlds, or so they say. I used to have it on Coruscant when I wasn't feeling up to peak performance."

Bodhi takes it off him without letting go and pops the lid long enough to sniff it. He pulls a face. "Is it working? Because if it tastes anything like it smells, I can't see any other reason to drink it."

"I haven't even finished," Galen says, "so I don't know if it's working yet, but it usually does. Or I wouldn't drink it. I have no idea what planet the berries are from that it mostly tastes of, but it must be a terrible planet, or maybe one with lots of volcanic activity so the inhabitants had their senses of smell and taste significantly devolved."

And then, he suddenly sneezes.

"Ahhhh -- sorry!"

Bodhi manages not to drop the drink while still managing to catch Kyber before the started kitten vanishing into the rafters.

"Maybe you should finish it then. And I'll make you something nicer for after it. Maybe the Scarifnut soup my grandmother use to make us when we were sick."

Galen puts the straw to his lips and drinks, suckling with a slightly suggestive grin.

He's not yet sick enough to lose is sense of humour, or whatever silliness passes for it.

Bodhi chuckles and kisses Galen's brow. "I get the hint. You keep Kyber company and out of trouble while I cook. There's already paw-prints in my pie crust!"

"It means it's a cat approved pie," Galen smiles. "And yes, I will. Thank you. You are wonderful. The best."

Bodhi gives the kitten's ear a playfully little tweak. "He's going to end up as pie if he's not more careful in the kitchen."

He gives Galen a squeeze and kisses his brow. "Back soon."

Galen holds the cat firmly to his chest while continuing to suck on the vile teal drink.

Kyber seems to understand his place in the universe - protect his human while his other human is busy. And curls up on Galen's chest purring.

However the drink thing does get a curious sniff. Kyber does not approve.

"I know it smells awfully fruity and healthy," Galen tells the cat. "I'll hurry up. Down the hatch!"

And he finishes the vile stuff in one go.

Good. Now that's done the human can be still and comfortable and provide lovings for the kitten. Like a good human should. And as reward, the kitten with keep the human warm.

Got that, human? Good. Now behave!

Galen holds the cat on his arm and scritches the soft ears while dozing quietly by the fire. The purring helps, oddly enough.

Bodhi returns to find them both dozing, smiling to see them so happily curled up. He clears away the cup, replacing it with a tray of soup and fresh baked bread.

He kisses Galen's brow. "It's ready. My love."

Galen fully opens his eyes.

"Oh, Bodhi!" he says, as if that presence was again and ever a pleasant surprise to make him happy. "And soup."

"Who else were you expecting?" he asks with a light smile, which dies a little when he realises Lyra might well have nursed him like this.

He rallies and pushes the bowl towards Galen. "Eat up, then I'm taking you up to our room. We can put on a holovid and snuggle on the couch."

Galen had not been expecting anybody at all all, in that fugue state when sickness is kept at bay by absolute inertia.

"I love you," he says, instead of 'Yes', while reaching for the soup and trying to keep the cat stable at the same time.

Kyber gives a yawning yowl and settles a little further down in Galen's lap, happy to stay asleep if he can.

"I am feeling sorry for myself at the moment," Galen announces between two spoonfuls of soup, "but before I carry on, I should state that one, this is an incredibly good soup, and two, I am insanely happy and grateful to the Force, and this place."

"You're delirious." Bodhi chuckles, kissing the top of Galen's head. "Finish your soup."