In Sickness and In Health. (But Mostly Sickness.)
Summary: Daisy catches a cold and Coulson is there to take care of her.
A/N: Inspired by the author's personal experience - I had caught a cold.
Coulson paused and strained his ear.
He would have sworn he heard...something.
"Coulson?" Mack asked, turning to look back once he noticed the other man had fallen behind.
"Did you hear that?"
"Uh... Nope. I'd rather this base isn't haunted now. We can't seem to settle down anywhere for long as it is."
"No. I'm sure I heard a groan."
"A ghostly groan?"
"A very alive groan. I thought you weren't a fan of robots. Not ghosts."
"Yeah, well ghosts now lead to robots, so..." Mack shrugged.
Coulson gave him a strained smile, understanding his friend's unease.
"I'm gonna check it out."
"You want backup?"
"No. Like I said, it's something alive."
"And that's up your alley to deal with?"
"More or less." Coulson winced.
"Okay. But if you need backup..."
"I'll scream." Coulson joked.
He followed the faint groans down the hall to the secondary kitchen – or at least a room that was repurposed as one – and found Daisy hunched over a cup.
A groan and a sniff came from her.
"Daisy?" he asked softly, trying not to scare her.
"Jesus!" Daisy jumped from her seat and knocked over her mug. "Coulson!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." he said quickly, picking up the mug and setting it in the sink.
"What are you doing here?" Daisy asked.
"I heard you, I think." he said. "Are you ok?"
Daisy sighed.
"I caught a cold." she sat back down heavily.
"So, you decided to hide it out in here?"
"Better that than get everyone else sick." she shrugged.
"Daisy..." he sighed.
He cupped her face and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, then moved to the sink, preparing a hot chamomile and some soup.
"Coulson..." she started.
"It's ok, boss. I got you." he grinned over his shoulder.
Daisy sighed and then sneezed.
"Shit." she cursed.
"Here." he passed her some tissues.
"My hero." she smiled, blowing her nose.
Coulson gave her a small smile.
"Did you check your temperature?"
"Yeah. No fever. Just my nose and my throat."
Coulson hummed as he served her.
"You took any medication for it?"
"Yeah, Coulson. It's not the first time I catch a cold. I can look after myself."
"I know. You don't have to do it on your own now, though. Let me help?"
"Okay." she smiled at him. "You're the most supportive boyfriend I've ever had." she sighed.
"In sickness and in health."
"That's your way of proposing, Phillip J. Coulson?"
Coulson chuckled, leaned closer and kissed her.
"I'll have to get the ring out of storage first."
"Are you serious?"
"Only if you want to. I am happy to keep doing this for as long as I still can, if that's what you want."
"But you would want to?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Well. It'd be more 'in sickness' right now..."
"I don't care. I'm with you through all of this."
"Family recipe?" Daisy asked, after a moment, raising her spoon.
"Yeah. I'll fill you in on all the family secrets soon." he smiled. "Finished?"
"Yeah."
"Come on."
"You going to tuck me in, Phil?"
"I am going to snuggle with my girlfriend and make sure she has everything she needs while she
gets better from her cold." he said.
"Mmm...What if you catch my cold, dork?"
"It'd be the most beautiful cold I'd ever had caught."
Daisy was startled to laugh only to start coughing.
"Shit...!" she wheezed. "Don't make me laugh! I can't breathe!"
"Hey. I was serious."
"There's nothing pretty about colds, Phil."
"Of course there is."
"Yeah? Enlighten me, then."
"You."
Daisy smiled at him.
They reached their bunk and Coulson made sure Daisy was tucked in with lots of tissues and a glass of water near, before he got in the bed wih her and gathered her in his arms.
"There." he said. "That's better."
"Wait. What if someone needs you?" Daisy asked worried.
"You come first. They can manage a day or two without us. Besides, I am only the Deputy, I can get away with staying in bed to nurse my girlfriend." he hummed.
"Oh, is that so? And what happens if the Director is sick? Shouldn't the Deputy take charge? Hm?"
"Not when the Deputy is the Director's boyfriend, he can't. His only worry is his girlfriend's health."
"And the world?"
"Mack and Elena can take the lead if the need arises." Coulson said. "You said so."
"Okay, okay." Daisy chuckled, then groaned and nearly sneezed. "Shit. It's the worst, you know. Almost sneezing?"
"Yeah."
"Phil?"
"Hm?"
"Thanks."
"Hey." he kissed the back of her head, lightly. "Anything for you. No need to thank me."
"I'm so lucky I got you."
"The feeling is super mutual." he leaned over her and kissed her.
In the next week, Daisy and Coulson could be seen about the base, holding tissues and blowing their noses, or having coughing fits.
Daisy would try to appologise, but Coulson would wave it off, chuckling and coughing, claiming it was the best cold he's ever caught.
And while recovering, Daisy managed to oversee the majority of their missions, with Coulson at her side. Even if they were both drowning in their coughs and the orders were given through a video call, because Daisy refused to 'endanger' the team with their cold.
By day eight, Daisy was mostly better, even though her nose was still giving a hard time and the cough hasn't exactly let up, while Coulson was still coughing from time to time.
Despite that, he kept making Daisy soup and grilled cheese, bringing her water and tissues and held her tight when they slept. (Though that wasn't new.)
"How are you feeling today?" Coulson sleepinly asked in the morning.
"Cozy." she smiled at him over her shoulder. "And warm."
"Good." he kissed her. "What do you want for breakfast?"
Daisy turned in his arms and smirked.
"I think you already know what." she whispered against his lips, pinning him down.
Coulson smirked back.
"I'm here to provide you with everything your heart desires."
Daisy chuckled. Coulson leaned up slightly, drinking her laughter.
"I love you." he sighed afterwards. "So, so much."
"I do, too." Daisy said softly against his heart.
"Want me to cook us something to eat?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her hair.
"How about we cook together?" she asked, looking up at him.
"I'd like that." he smiled.
They got up and got dressed.
"By the way, about the other day, it's a yes."
"What?"
"In sickness and in health?" Daisy shrugged a little.
Coulson's eyes grew wide and the next moment he had lifted Daisy up and twirled her around, kissing her hard.
"I love you, I love you, I love you." he said over and over. "I know it's mostly a fantasy of mine, but..." he said after he set her back down on the ground.
"It's a fantasy I'm willing to try with you." Daisy told him.
"You are the most amazing, wonderful woman I've ever met and you deserve everything good in this and evey universe and I promise to do everything in my power to give you that." he promised.
"I already have you. I don't need anything else. But thanks. The words, the sentiment, it's good to hear."
Coulson shook his head.
"Hey. I know you mean it, I know you will do your best to give me everything you think I am owned. And I love you for being so thoughtful. But all that matters to me is you."
"Daisy." he said breathlessly, before kissing her, tenderly.
They pulled away, when both their stomachs growled, reminding them their earlier plan to cook. Chuckling, they pulled away and turned towards the door.
"Come on." Coulson said, "Lunch it is, then."
Daisy took his hand as they walked down the hallway.