Chapter Text
Charlie likes working. That's just how he is. His mother owns a bakery and he has a little brother without a father figure so he grew up helping people, working is what he knows. Sometimes he works when he is sick. And that was fine! He could handle it! Ted and Schlatt, however, thought quite the opposite. They do not like when their boyfriend and roommate blatantly ignore his needs as a sick human being.
*
It started with headaches and sore throats. Charlie thought nothing of it. I mean it wasn't affecting Schlatt and Ted so he was content with continuing his work with Just Roll With it, Chuckle Sandwich, sometimes Tommy’s channel and Slmcc, which he has now turned into a gameplay channel. Charlie could bear through it, nothing a little ibuprofen and tea can’t fix.
And then the coughs and sneezes came.
At first it wasn’t bad, and he could blame the summer pollen. Until Charlie couldn’t any more. He had a harder time focusing, and his workout routine became more and more dreadful. And yet, despite having such a hard time doing anything that required energy, Charlie didn't have it in himself to get help. So there he sat, trying to record a new video for Slmcc, and wanting nothing more than sleep. But he remained stubbornly there, trying to make the best puns known to man without coughing a lung out.
While Charlie was trying his hardest to record good content, Schlatt decided to talk with Ted about why their boyfriend is pale, has extreme eye bags, coughs half his organs out, sneezes like he has pepper under his nose constantly, and is just like a slug without once asking for help. Or, more importantly, why he has started working more. So Schlatt finds Ted scrolling through his phone in the living room, and sits beside him. Ted goes to make a greeting to the man who interrupted his mindless scrolling, but is stopped by a very simple question.
“The fuck is up with Charlie?”
Ted laughs at the bluntness and Schlatt does his chuckle too. After that however, Schlatt knows he needs to get them back on track.
“Like why is he all pale and sluggish. He might be sick; it doesn’t make sense for him to be working though.” Ted thought about it and though he wears glasses, he ain’t blind. It was true Charlie looked like hell, but he just thought if needed help, he would ask or take a break. He came to the conclusion that it would be best to hear it from the horse's mouth.
“Charlie’s recording right now, right? We can ask him ‘what the fuck is up with him’” Ted replied, mocking New Yorker but also a feeling of concern slowly growing as questions remain unasked as the man in question is currently trying to make good content.
It was only about ten minutes before Charlie called it quits and needed to take a snack break. When he stepped out of his recording room he was greeted with two faces that held emotions that varied from confusion to concern. Ted realized he did not need to ask what the fuck was up with Charlie because it was clear as day.
“Charlie, are you sick?”
The man in question hated this. The way Charlie looked at it, he had burdened his boyfriends with the mere fact of his cold. Charlie looked down almost mad at himself before having the courage to look at them and answer.
“Yes, but I promise it’ll pass and I can still do everything, don’t worry about it! And it’ll almost be like I was never sick, I’m a pro at this!” Charlie tries to sound as confident as he can, he really does, though his sore throat has other ideas. But deaf to his own voice, the shortest one felt satisfied that he had squashed any and all concerns with his small preaching. Well, he did until a screeching laugh sounded from one of his boyfriends.
“That’s so fucked up.” Charlie was taken aback by the statement of Schlatt. He turns to Ted with pure confusion on his face.
“I’m pretty sure Schlatt was just commenting on how you’ve directed your concern. Which what he said is true, Charlie, that's fucked up. We don’t give two shits if you can still get your work done, we care about you being sick. And you're sick but working more than before!” Charlie now felt defensive, how dare they question his methods of life.
“Yeah, that’s how you distract yourself until you get better. What, am I just meant to spend all day in bed? What good is that gonna do?”
“You're overworking yourself, moron, people stay in bed when sick so they don't worsen their cold, like you have, fucking idiot.”
“Schlatt.” Ted warned, only wanting to take care of Charlie and not bringing out the stubbornness of the sick man. But, alas, Schlatt just kept glaring at the shorter man, making the situation just worse overall.
“Okay,” Ted looked in shock as Charlie softly submitted, or so thought. “I accept the fact that you guys have odd fucking ways of living but I am going to continue my routine of getting rid of my cold.” Charlie makes a movement to go back to his recording room before Schlatt laughs and stands up.
“You are,” one step. “such a,” another step “dumbass.” He towers over the sick man, glaring down with only the best intentions.
“Schlatt, c’mon, let's just get Charlie to bed so he can rest and recover.”
“What? Why me? He’s the one who refuses to stop fucking working!”
“Charlie, just go to bed and me and Schlatt will make you food, how does that sound?” Ted continues, ignoring the high pitched words coming from his a little bit shorter boyfriend.
“No. I came out here not to get harassed but to get a quick snack while recording a video and it’s actually almost time for me to record with Tommy, Wilbur and Phil. So, no. And don’t worry about food, I can cook dinner after Tommys thing!” He gave the brightest smile he could muster, trying to cover his very bad cough after claiming he could do more.
“Oh my fucking God.” Schlatt exclaimed, still towering over the sick man. He grabbed the shorter shoulder and leaned in close, making intense eye contact. “Stop.”
“This is getting ridiculous. Charlie get to bed. I will make food and prepare medicine, Schlatt can substitute for you in Tommys video.” Ted tried to reason, but the other parties had different plans.
“What? There’s no way I’m filming a video with British people instead of taking care of my fucking boyfriend.” The New Yorker turned his attention to Ted but still held a firm grip one Charlie.
“I can do it, I haven’t thrown up or anything like that, I’m fine.” This made Schlatts attention turn back to the shorter.
“Dude, shut the fuck up, what you are going to do is get your nice ass to bed.”
“No. That’s not going to happen. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a video to record.” Charlie said as he tried to get out of the tallers tight grip. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” he repeated as the struggle to get out of the grip increased. Charlie knew that if he had not been so sick, he would have done it easily seeing as he’d never even seen Schlatt workout.
“My decision is final.” A third voice speaks up over the funny scene of watching as the smallest tried to escape the others grip.
“No, I am a grown adult and if I wish to do this then I will.” Ted just sighed and asked a quite simple question.
“Schlatt, can you pick him up?” He could see the struggles become more panicked and the man in question just moved his hands to their boyfriends waist. Then he lifted.
“Oh, I can. Charlie, dear, do you mind wrapping your legs around my waist? It’ll be easier for everyone.” The sick man didn’t say anything but entwined his legs behind his boyfriends waist and hugged him close, . “Ted, why don't you sub in for Charlie in Tommys video? he clearly seems to like me better and we don't need someone to intrude on our love.” Schlatt stated with confidence and a shit eating smirk on his face.
“Oh, fuck off.”
*
Schlatt brought the smallest of his loves to their bed and went to put him down before realizing that Charlie had fallen asleep in his embrace. The smile after he had set the sleeping man down wasn’t a smirk or made you want to punch his face, it was genuine. After admiring his boyfriend with no judging eyes, he took off the man in bed’s glasses and folded them neatly, he checked the time. The clock (analog clock, as Charlie requested. Schlatt tried to argue against but stopped trying after realizing there wasn’t a point, Charlie was gonna get one. Ted watched, amused and completely indifferent) showed 9:03 PM. He let out a soft groan at the fact that A.) he had to record at nine instead of being there for his sick boyfriend and B.) the fact that Charlie agreed to film while being sick is infuriating. But Schlatt let it go after seeing the beautiful resting face of his Slime.
Walking out the door and to Charlie's recording room, the New Yorker found Ted in the kitchen clattering pots and pans quite loudly. “Dude, shut up, Charlie’s already asleep. Also you don’t have to make dinner, I don't think he’s getting up anytime soon.” Ted looked up surprised by the presence and the starting statement.
“He’s already asleep?”
“Yeah, he fell asleep in my arms too. So small and cute, if only you were there to see him.” Schlatt laughed wickedly at the jealousy on his boyfriend's face.
“I can literally do that too, better even. Just you watch-”
“Sorry, Ted, I have a video to record, see you in a few!” Schlatt exclaimed, already walking in the recording room. Looking at the still on PC and running a paused Resident Evil Village. Sighing, he goes over and closes the tall big titted lady game (which Schlatt and Ted will never admit seeing their boyfriend pretend to flirt with her made them only a little bit jealous.)
He opened Charlie’s Discord to see new messages from Tommy.
Tommyinnit yesterday
we can start at noon right
or whatever time it is in america
Slimecicle yesterday
Yeah, that works for me
He had to scroll down some idiotic messages before he got to the most recent (though Schlatt will never admit it made him smile.)
Tommyinnit 8:59
we are starting now join vc
join vc
join vc
join vc
join vc
join vc
join vc
Slimecicle 9:08
ok
Schlatt hated the fact that Charlie couldn’t just say no, he was sick. A small huff escapes his lips as he joins the voice channel that everyone was in.
“Charlie, finally, we can start.” Tommy said in his annoying complaining voice. Before Schlatt could explain that Charlie couldn't be here, Wilbur spoke up.
“It's not like you to be late like this, did your dump truck of an ass slow you down?” Wilbur said before the call dissolved into laughs. Well, except for a grumpy New Yorker.
“No, his cold did.” Schlatt said after the laughter died down.
“Schlatt?” Tommy asked, in shock.
“Is Charlie sick?” Phil got over the fact that the person was, in fact, not Slimecicle and would rather focus on what matters at the moment.
“Yeah, he thought he could work the cold away so he agreed to filming this video when he was sick. Sorry about that but I can just play on Charlie's behalf.” Schlatt explained, hoping to get this over as quickly as possible.
*
Ted had decided to just make some healthy soup for later and went up to their room. When he opened the door he saw the adorable sight of one of his boyfriends snuggled into a pillow ith his glasses folded on the nightstand. Ted tried to close the door as quietly as possible but of course Charlie awoke.
“Schlatt?” He called out, rubbing his eyes. A small sneeze sounded in the room before Ted could speak.
“What? So after one cold you forget what your boyfriends look like.” Ted couldn't take the confusion seriously, considering the other man had just woken up and was very blind. Charlie smiled so brightly at the statement Ted thought he might have gone to Heaven. The bliss was short lived as the angel Ted swore he saw reaching for his glasses. “Charlie, stop, go back to sleep. You don't need your glasses to sleep, do you?”
“No, it's fine, I was just going to get tea for my throat, don't worry about it!” Charlie said as he tried to stifle a cough.
“I am worried about you though. Yet lay back down, I’ll get the tea. What kind do you want?”
“Mint.” Charlie stated after some hesitation.
“I’ll be right back. Do not get out of this bed.”
*
When Ted returned with a mug filled with mint tea Charlie was sat up scrolling through some sort of social media. When the man in bed noticed the other presence, he smiled and reached out his hand to grab the cup of tea Ted was now silently offering. When the mint tea was in his hand and his phone on the nightstand, Charlie asked a simple question. “Can you lay with me?”
“At this point it would be weird for me to even think about rejecting you, wouldn't it?” Ted snorted, and moved to the other side of the bed to cuddle with one of his loved ones.
When he was situated with Charlie's head placed on his chest (which neither of them dared to mention, only basking in the complete and utter bliss it gave,) Ted knew he had to address the very clear problem with Charlie without a hotheaded Schlatt in the way. “So, Charlie, can you please explain your thought process around dealing with a cold?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean, why do you work more when you’re sick. It's not healthy and you should’ve told us that you are sick so we can take care of you.”
“But if I told you I would’ve been a burden. I can work while sick so why not? I just didn't want you guys to start to think I’m lazy because I didn't get everything done when I could’ve.”
“Charlie, you are such a dumbass. You literally work harder than Schlatt and I combined, how could we be upset if you don't work when you're sick . That makes no sense.”
“Well that was just one reason, the other is what am I meant to do when sick? Work. Not only is it productive, it also helps distract you from the sickness itself!”
“Can you just let us take care of you? That's all me and Schlatt ask.” Ted knew that getting straight to the point would be beneficial in the end. (He also pulls Charlie closer to him, though he knows neither of them are gonna address.)
“Yeah, I’ll try.”
*
A mug that was filled with warm tea only contained a cold tea bag on their nightstand. Ted can feel the soft breaths coming from Charlie and his overall limpness enough to gather that the smaller one had fallen into slumber once more. The bigger one carefully removed both of their glasses to put them on the nightstand. What only felt like a minute, both of the men were asleep with a very faint screeching laugh of their third piece to the puzzle.
It was almost ten when the door opened to reveal a tired Schlatt. A loving Schlatt once he had seen Charlie snuggled against Ted's chest, making him look so much smaller than he is. The other tall man laid in their shared bed, almost instantly falling asleep. (Maybe there was one goodnight kiss but who would know?)
*
When Ted awoke, he was curled around Schlatt and vice versa. Usually, he would love this. However, the one who was sick and should be in bed was not. Ted only sighed and shook the other sleeping man awake. “Yes?” Schlatt said sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
“Did Charlie tell you where he was going?”
“Probably in the bathroom. Or if he is the biggest dumbass on earth, working.”
“I’m going to check just in case.” All Ted got after that was a small hum. Getting out of bed and walking down the hallway he smelled something good. Wait, was this fucker cooking ? Sure enough as Ted reached the kitchen, there Charlie was in all his glory. Eyes half lidded, pale, and swaying slightly as if he could fall down any minute as he appeared to be flipping pancakes.
“No, Charlie, remember our talk last night? Christ, you just don't know how to listen do you?” Ted said as he walked over to stand behind the sick man, who was surprisingly unsurprised by the new presence.
“It’s not working though, it’s cooking.” Ted said nothing but turned off the stove and picked Charlie up bridal style. “Oh, Ted, take me to dinner first~”
“You’re actually being fucking ridiculous right now.”
When they came to their bed once more, Ted put Charlie down and commanded Schlatt to watch over him while he made breakfast.
*
While the world turns, here, in their apartment, time seems to have slowed for them and their addicting bliss.