Date Night II: River of Fear

It had become a kind of custom for them over the past month, almost a ritual. They never really planned it, it was just understood that Wednesday night was date night. THEIR night. Whatever other times they might see each other, whatever scholastic or supernatural forces might get in the way the rest of that week, they always made time on Wednesdays to simply hang out.

Or, you know, make out. Whichever.

David's pickup truck crunched up the gravel lane to Addie's house at exactly 7 pm, just like every week. He parked in front of the house, honking twice as usual, and waited for Addie to make her appearance.

Addie made her way down the stairs, through the kitchen (where she deposited her blanket), and outside. Her face was flushed, her eyes shining, and her hair pulled into the saddest pair of pigtails known to man - in a word, she was sick. She'd slept all day, staying home from school, and completely forgotten to text David and tell him not to bother coming over.

Smiling apologetically, she walked up to the driver's side of his truck, and waved.

David waved back and rolled down the window, slightly confused that she hadn't come around the passenger side. Then he really got a good look at her and his smile faded slightly.

"Hey, you ok? You look a little... off."

Addie shook her head. "Sorry, I meant to call you, but I was passed out pretty much all day." She gestured down at herself, in a tank-top and boxer shorts, and bare feet. "I started feeling like ass last night, that's why I wasn't at school today. I'm sorry. I should've called."

David's expression changed to one of concern and he reached out the truck window to put one hand on her face reassuringly.

"Oh, hey, no, don't worry about it. I mean... do you want me to leave? If you want we could, I don't know, stay in and watch movies. I'll even make you chicken soup or something. Ummm... assuming you have some cans of it in the pantry."

She hesitated. "Are you sure? I don't want to get you sick..." but the thought of snuggling down together, with some soup and ginger ale and oh my god so much ginger ale, sounded really nice.

David laughed with a shrug.

"What's the worst that could happen? I have to miss school? That's what I call a win/win."

He threw the car into park and got out, putting his arm around the sniffling girl.

"C'mon, let's see what's on Netflix."

She smiled as she led him inside, stopping at the kitchen for yet more ginger ale, her Darkwing Duck blanket, and to toss him a can of Chicken and Stars. "Is it completely dumb if I kinda just want to watch the Princess Bride? I tend to go in and out of consciousness when I'm sick, so stuff I've seen before works well."

David grinned and reached for a bowl and a can opener. As Addie picked up her blanket, David's eyes wandered down to the boxers that she was wearing, which showed off her legs nicely. Even sick, she looked amazing. Except...

David squinted to see better in the relatively dim light. Yes, those were definitely scars on Addie's legs.

He quickly turned back to the can that he was opening and tried to act like he hadn't seen anything.

"Why don't you go on upstairs and get comfortable. I'll be up with soup when it's hot."

Addie nodded happily and settled her blanket around her like a cape. God, she was freezing! Her current Fortress of Sickitude was a pile of blankets on one half of her bed, propping her up into a vaguely reclining position. Across from the bed, her desktop was paused on Vizini's laughing face, right before he would fall over dead. She rearranged the pillows into a vaguely couchlike form, then restarted the video. Settling in, she closed her eyes briefly... just for a second, really...

By the time David had microwaved the soup, located a tray and spoon, and carried everything up to Addie's room, she was snoring loudly in a pile of covers on her bed. He smiled and set the tray down on her dresser, settling himself down next to her and putting an arm around the cocoon she had made for herself.

"You want some soup, or more sleep?" he asked gently, stroking her hair.

She grunted softly and snuggled closer, opening one eye blearily. "Hey, when did you get here?" Smiling happily, she pressed her face into his chest and wrapped her arms around him, like some sort of squid-based flu demon.

David laughed and pulled the blanket around himself as well, snuggling close to Addie as she lay against his chest.

"Oh, you know, just decided to stop by." he said.

It was warm under the blanket, and Addie was even warmer. He could tell she was definitely running a fever. But the warmth was a small price to pay to be this close to a girl that gorgeous.

As soon as he settled in, she fell asleep again. It wasn't until the louder music of one of the later sword fights that she woke up this time.

"Did you want to try eating something?" he asked. In all honesty, his arm had long since fallen asleep and his back was beginning to cramp. He was desperate to get her off of him.

Addie smiled happily and sat up, nodding. "Oooooh, is that chicken and stars?"

"Well, technically, yeah. Although it's probably cold by now. If you want I can go heat it up for you again if you promise to stay awake."

Addie grinned wickedly and flopped back on the bed, nudging at David with her foot. "Yes, servant boy, cook for me! You know I like it hot."

David gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes and grabbed her foot, tickling the bottom of it lightly.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play, huh?"

He laughed and let go when she began squirming.

"You're getting off lightly because you're sick. If I tickle you too much you'd probably puke on me."

She gave him a mock-serious look. "It'd be like the elevator scene from the Shining, only with ginger ale." She held his gaze, mouth twitching as she tried not to smile, then erupted into laughter again.

David laughed and picked up the now cold bowl of soup from where he'd left it, sticking out his tongue at her as he left the room, only to return a few minutes later with the freshly steaming bowl.

"Do you think you can work a spoon, or am I gonna have to feed you, too?" he asked teasingly.

Addie held out her arms and made grabbing motions with her hands. "Gimmie! Gimmie!" She made a happy wiggle-dance as she settled on the bed with her soup, and gave a long, contented sigh after swallowing the first spoonful. "Chicken and stars is the best, because it's like you're eating the whole universe. And chicken."

David gazed at her for a long moment, still not truly believing his luck at having ended up with such a wonderful girl. As she shovelled another sponful of soup into her mouth he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

"You're adorable, you know that?"

Addie looked up from her soup, crinkling her eyes in a smile as she finished her spoonful of soup. "You're not so bad yourself, you know. Come on, sit down, and if you wanna watch something different, I think I'm lucid enough for that now."

David sat down next to her and grabbed the remote, pausing the video. Suddenly his smile faded.

"Actually... if you're feeling a little better, I was kinda hoping I could ask you something."

Addie cocked an eyebrow at his suddenly!srs face. "Sure, what's up?" she took another long slurp of soup.

"Well..." he said, lowering his eyes slightly, "If I ask you... I don't want it to ruin things. I mean, I like what we have. I don't want to mess it up."