Archive of Our Own ^beta

For the record, William was not sick.

Sure he had a fever, sore throat and a headache but he wasn't sick.

If there was anything that William Magnusson was used to at this stage in his life, it was fending for himself. He knew his body like no one else and sure he felt like crap and had thrown up 3 times in the last 24 hours but he was not sick.

Despite the fact that William kept reminding her of exactly that, Noora didn't seem to believe him and had taken it upon herself to look after him.

William couldn't remember the last time he had a motherly figure looking over him and while thinking about his girlfriend as a motherly figure kind of creeped him out, he couldn't help but notice her knack for looking after him. William suspected it was because she was the only person in the world – besides Chris – who wasn't scared of him and called him out on his lies when necessary.

Like now, for example.

“That's like the 4^th roll of toilet paper you've sneezed your way through, you are sick.”

William rolled his eyes, throwing his head back against his pillow (ignoring the searing pain it caused). “Noora, I'm not sick. I'm fine.”

Noora sighed and William heard her shuffle around the room. “Willhelm, you don't have to pretend to be invincible around me.”

William raised his head high and looked down his nose at Noora as best as he could in his position. “Its not about being invincible. I just don't get sick. Plus, even if I was sick I could look after myself.”

“I don't think you could”, Noora laughed softly as she finally settled next to him in the bed, flicking through his TV in the process. “I think you need a babysitter.”

“I think you need to leave”, he growled only half-joking, turning his back to her and burying his head in the sheets. Noora just laughed.

And honestly, if there was one sound that might cure him of whatever it was that was making him not sick, then it was Noora's stupid little giggle.

Or maybe it was sheer willpower that would save him, because the threat of Eskild bringing over soup was great motivation when it came to miraculously getting better.

“You know, Willhelm....” Noora stage-whispered, “I wont tell if you need a cuddle to feel better.”

William turned to face his girlfriend, a look of false disgust on his face. “You know, Noora Amelia Saetra.... I think I'll survive without your cuddles.”

Noora narrowed her eyes at him slightly. “You love cuddles.”

William grinned slightly, shuffling towards her and draping himself across her side. Noora squealed in surprise as his arms tightened around her waist, pulling her against him and burying his face in her shoulder.

“Yeah but don't tell anyone.”

Noora rolled her eyes, a peaceful smile on her face.

Without looking up from where his head was buried, William smirked. “Just say it, we all know you're thinking it.”

Noora looked down at him in confusion. “What?”

William shrugged but didn't otherwise move. “You're thinking about how cute I am and how much you love me. Go ahead, just say it.”

“I was not thinking that”, Noora giggled, carding a hand through his moppy hair. “I was actually thinking about how much of a drama queen you are. Shame no one knows.”

William finally removed his head to glare at her. “Shut up”, he demanded, his lips curling into a small smile.

“I mean I'm sure Chris would just love to-”

“-I'll kill you”, William growled, pushing at Noora's side until she began to roll to the other side of the bed.

Laughing uncontrollably, Noora tried to resist but just like every other time before, William succeeded in overpowering her and pushing her almost off the side of the bed. Noora giggled as she straightened her clothes out, smoothing down the sheets that were ruined by William's forcefulness.

“Maybe I should tell everyone how much of a big baby you are when you're ill.”

William shook his head. “Not ill”, he said simply.

“Uh-huh”, Noora agreed sarcastically. “Of course you aren't.”

As she moved to sit back down on her side of the bed, pulling the covers up and over her as she slid it, William sat up.

“I need water.”

Noora raised an eyebrow at his words, looking at him expectantly.

William smiled in the lopsided, awkward way that only he knew how. “Please?” he asked, adding a ridiculously overplayed croak to his voice. When Noora refused to move, William hacked wildly into his head.

“Herregud!” Noora laughed. “You are such a child.”

William grinned as he watched her go, draping himself across the sheets and watching shamelessly as her pyjama shorts rode up. “I'm not sick”, he called after her.

He got just the reaction out of her that he desired as he heard her laugh once more.

“Child!” she called back teasingly.

William settled back against the sheets with a smirk, pleased at the idea of staying in bed with his girlfriend all day.

Maybe being not sick did have its perks.