Try A Little Tenderness (c)

[Specs]

"T-Tag?" muttered Specs as he grabbed his glasses and lazily put them on. He propped himself up to look at her, confused. "You're still here?"

[Tag Along]

Tag nodded, finishing up the stitch she was working on before setting her shirt down and looking up at him.

"How are you feeling?"

[Specs]

Specs cleared his throat, reaching for the glass of water near his bed. He took a gulp, taking his time before answering Tag. "Better," he answered, glad that Tag took care of him. Knowing how he took care of a cold, it'd take him days before he was finally better. "You didn't have to stay..."

[Tag Along]

"I made you some chicken noodle soup, but it's down in the kitchen. Shall I go fetch it for you?" She asked, already standing up. Before he could answer, she was making her way downstairs.

[Specs]

Specs eyes widened, amazed that Tag went through all this trouble. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could think of anything to say, she was gone. He sighed, falling back down on his bed, wondering what he did to deserve someone like Tag.

[Tag Along]

Tag returned in only a few minutes, cradling a bowl of hot soup in her hands.

"Here you go..." She said, waiting for Specs to sit up. "Some homemade chicken noodle soup. But...without the chicken. And the noodles."

Tag had improvised since the lodging house kitchen wasn't very well stocked. She'd used some chicken stock, celery, carrots, onions, and salt and pepper. It wasn't great, but she figured it was better than nothing.

[Specs]

Sitting up, Specs took the bowl from Tag and set it on the bedside table. He, then, turned to look at her, moving closer to give her a gentle hug, touched by her thoughtfulness and effort to make him better. He never felt such caring before.

"You are... amazing," he whispered before pulling back to smile at her. He wanted nothing else to kiss her but didn't want to make her sick as well.

[Tag Along]

Tag hadn't really wanted to pull away from the hug, but she also didn't want to catch his cold. She contented herself with holding his hand firmly in hers.

'I just don't like anyone I care about to be sick. My father always called me 'Lillian the Nurse.'" She said with a light chuckle.

[Specs]

"Are you sure you want to be a seamstress?" said Specs, pulling away as he grabbed the chicken soup that Tag made. He took a sip, enjoying its warmth as it calmed his throat. "This is... great, by the way,' he said, between spoonfuls.

[Tag Along]

"What else would I be?" She asked seriously, tilting her head. She reached out to feel his forehead again and sighed, clearly not pleased.

[Specs]

Specs shrugged, hungrily eating the soup. "A nurse? You just seem so... natural at it," he answered before noticing her reaction. "I'm not better yet? I figured some Tag magic would fix that already!"

[Tag Along]

"Oh my word, no, I couldn't actually be a real nurse. I can deal with colds and everything. But blood..." She shuddered before getting up and walking into the washroom. She returned with a damp cloth and dabbed it on his forehead.

[Specs]

"You're just really good at takin' care of people," said Specs sincerely, finishing his soup and putting it on the bedside table. "You should think about it."

[Tag Along]

"I'm perfectly content with helping you get better." She replied with a small, distracted smile. She scooted closer to him now that the soup was out of the way and kept on pressing the damp cloth to Specs' forehead.

"Just don't cut your finger off or anything, all right? I won't come near you then."

[Specs]

"So what you're saying," started Specs with a smirk, "is that you're taking special care of me... 'cause it's me?"

He felt his heart swell up, amazed at how much attention she was paying to him. Then again, he would've done the same if the tables were turned.