Quality of Mercy
an Angel story
by tma
He'd never had to sneeze so badly in his life. He supposed that was what came from a day of holding them back and too much time pouring over ancient texts.
Out of the corner of his eye Wesley could see Winifred entering the room. It was a bit unusual that she was downstairs in the evening with everyone.
Wesley unfolded his handkerchief and held it up to his face just in time to meet three harsh sneezes. "Eichuh.... He....... HEichuh... chmpt" The last he managed to stifle in the soft folds of his handkerchief.
"Are, are you all right Wes?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
Trust Winifred to worry after his health after she had witness one set of sneezes, thought Wes with an inward chuckle. The others hadn't even seemed to notice that he'd been sniffling and muffling sneezes all day. Damned summer bugs, such a nuisance. Not that he had minded not being observed, of course.
Wesley looked a bit abashed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't trust his voice not to be creaky or congested, so he merely nodded.
Fred nodded back, and went back off to work, although it struck Wes that he was being watched as if he was a ticking bomb.
He pushed up his glasses and decided to do some translation work. Aside from a stratchy throat and pounding head, his tickley nose was making it almost impossible to concentrate.
He slowly put down the book, nostrils flaring wildly. Wesley's eyelashes fluttered behind his glasses. "heeeh uhhh.... Eh.Chmpt, ehChmpt, chmpt huh... huuuurrReiShuhh" After three half-stifled sneezes, the last sneeze just refused to be contained and wildly burst forth, pitching Wesley forward.
Everyone in the office just stopped. Even keeping his head down, he could feel the weight of their eyes. Wesley flushed and pushed his glasses back up. He cleared his throat and murmured a soft, "'cuse be. (sniff) Sorry." Everyone nodded and slowly went about their business.
Crimson cheeked, he turned toward the wall, and blew his nose as quietly as he could.
Then he felt the gentlest of taps to his shoulder. He turned slowly to see Winifred holding a mug.
"Um... Wes, I um hope it's all right. I -I thought it might help." She stammered as she set down the mug. She looked as uncertain, as if she thought that Wesley might bite off her head for offering to help.
He gently picked up the mug, and smiled reassuringly at her. "Thaks " he cleared his throat "I errr..., thanks, Winifred. That was very thoughtful."
She continued watching him expectantly. He almost asked her if there was anything that she needed when he realized that she was waiting for him to taste her offering.
He carefully blew on it and gingerly took a sip. The perfect combination of chamomile, a tiny hint of lemon, and some honey. He closed his eyes and savored the taste.
"Is, Is it all right?" she asked softly, hesitantly.
"Oh good god.... Yes. It is absolutely divine. It has been forever since I've had a cup quite this good."
She beamed and the glow lightened up her whole face.
He continued sipping slowly and enjoying until he abruptly set down the mug. But then he just seemed to stare blankly ahead.
Fred looked on with a sense of concern but she was uncertain of how to proceed.
Wesley glanced over at Fred with slightly watery, slightly unfocused eyes. "Everyth...thing is f.fine, just deed tah..to" He suddenly jerked a handkerchief out of his back pocket. "Cuse be" he managed with a slight nod before turning away and sneezing. "Eishchuh, heh... eichumpt, Chmpt, egxchmpt" He continued a series of half-stifled sneezes.
It was almost like an odd sort of peek-a-boo Fred thought whimsically. Wesley would emerge from behind his handkerchief briefly only to wind up for the next set of sneezes, which would send him back behind the handkerchief once more.
Unsure quite what to do, and needing something to do with her hands, she started rubbing Wesley's back in slow gentle circles until the fit subsided.
With a final harsh "huh ReiiiiShuh" Wesley coughed and then blow his pinkened nose.
"Bless" Fred said solemnly. Impulsively she reached over to brush an errant lock off Wes' forehead. He was burning up. It was no wonder that he looked flushed.
"W..Wwes, you really need to go to bed. Need to lie down."
Before he could form the protest that automatically sprung to mind, Fred grabbed one of his hands and with pleading eyes, almost on the verge of tears she whispered "Please."
Wesley sighed and nodding, he acquiesced. As he allowed himself to be led to the bedroom he mused. Anyone else, he might have laughingly questioned the rush to get him into bed. But not Winifred. Never soft, secluded utterly transparent Winifred.
Besides, he thought as a series of harsh barking coughs racked his body, leaving him shuddering slightly, he Could probably use the rest.
"Cuse be. I geds I hab a bid of sombthing." Wes said blushing at how congested his voice sounded. She nodded with the faintest trace of a grin.
"Here you are" she said, going to fetch a blanket as Wesley crawled up into bed.
"Th..Thaks Winifed."
As she tucked the blanket around his shivering form, her long brown locks tickled his already sensitive nostrils. "heh...Eishoo, EiShuh...chuh". He tried to turn as far away as he could but he wasn't sure if he had turned enough in time to completely avoid Fred.
"Oh god.... I'm t..t..terribly s..sorry. I... I didn't, I mean..." he trailed off, feeling like he was mucking things up royally. And when she was so sweet and so kind.
"Bless. I'll get you some aspirin, and tea, and a box of tissues; all right?" she went right on as if she hasn't heard him apologize.
"All right." He murmured hoarsely. He determined that he was just going to bury himself under the covers, try to get warm and try to do or say anything else that would further embarrass him.
Although I would dearly love to own Wes- unfortunately I don't. Nor any of the other Angel characters. And I am making No money off of this at all. My first fanfict. Feedback is definately appreciated. I'm very nervous because this isn't one that I know well. But I have gotten hooked by nermal and tg. And I'll confess that I was definately inspired by TG's latest Wes. fict. (I hope that is alright).