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He waggled his eyebrows at me, his smile widening at my faux look of horror.
"But they taste so good," I protested, earning another laugh from him. "And I promise, I'll teach you how to cook them from scratch soon."
I felt content and safe as he fed me, wiping my mouth gently after the last spoonful. Then, it was back to bed.
"Hank," I murmured as he began gently wiping my forehead with a cool, damp cloth.
"Shh, princess," he said, his voice a low murmur in the quiet room. "You need to rest."
With each gentle swipe of the cloth, I felt myself relaxing, my body sinking into the bed under his touch.
"I have a story for you."
"Is it funny?" I asked, looking up at him through heavy eyelids. The thought of laughter seemed too exhausting right now.
"The funniest," he promised, shifting in his chair to lean closer to me.
And so, he began to weave a tale, a ridiculous yarn involving a snobbish peacock, a scatterbrained squirrel, and a house made of cheese. His voice dipped and swerved, mimicking the characters with a flair that had me chuckling despite the feverish haze clouding my thoughts.
The story was silly, nonsensical even, but the way Hank told it, his voice full of animated expressions and exaggerated theatrics, made it the best thing I'd heard all day. I found myself lost in the sound of his deep voice, the comforting rhythm of his words easing the ache in my body and lulling me into a sense of calm.
Hours later, I woke to the sensation of something cool on my forehead. My eyes fluttered open to find Hank next to me, his hands carefully wiping away the sweat from my forehead with a wet washcloth.
"The fever broke," he said, a relieved smile playing on his lips. "You had me worried, princess."
I found myself returning his smile, a wave of relief washing over me. I was still weak, still tired, but the worst of the fever had passed.
"Got something for you." Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a small stuffed wolf, its plush fur soft and inviting. "For being such a good girl," he said, placing it next to me on the bed.
The wolf was adorable, with its soft fur and gentle eyes. I felt tears prick my eyes as I clutched the stuffed animal to my chest.
"This is my favorite stuffie now," I confessed, feeling a warmth spread through me.
Hank's smile was tender as he covered me with my special blanket, its weight comforting against my still aching body. Then, he knelt down by the bed, wrapping his arms securely around me in a gentle embrace. I felt safe, protected, in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.
"Why are you crying, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice full of concern as he noticed the tears welling up in my eyes.
"I'm just... not used to this," I admitted, the tears slipping down my cheeks. "Being cared for so kindly."
His expression softened as he brushed away my tears with his thumb. "Silly girl," he said, his voice a soft caress. "You deserve all the kindness in the world."
As the shadows of the night deepened, the glow from the lamp began casting an amber halo around the room, Hank stirred. "It's late. I should leave you to rest now."
My heart plummeted, and I found myself clutching tighter to my new plush wolf. A silly fear of the night and the solitude it brought with it nipped at my heels. The thought of him leaving felt scarier than any illness.
"But what if..." I trailed off, biting my lower lip as I tried to put my thoughts into words. "Can’t you stay just a bit longer?"
"Are you sure?" He asked, his gaze tender.
"Please. Just until I fall asleep."
He nodded, pulling back the blankets to slide into the bed beside me. His presence was instantly comforting, his warmth seeping into my skin, the feverish chills chased away by his nearness.
As Hank's arm wrapped around me, pulling me close, I let out a content sigh, nuzzling my head against his chest. I could hear his heart beating steadily, the sound a comforting lullaby that coaxed my eyelids to grow heavy.
"Goodnight, princess," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my head.
"Goodnight, Hank," I mumbled, the syllables slurring together as sleep tried to claim me. The serenity of his presence, the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat, it was all too enticing.
