Taking Care of Twilight

>A cough made itself known from the bedroom, as it had for the past couple days.
>You looked up from your book, listening for anything else, before going back to it.
>Another Daring Do novella from Twilight's expansive collection, detailing the pegasus' search for 'Sun Dancer's Golden Wing Caps.'
>The explorer had just kicked one of her pursuers in the head, knocking him out immediately.
"Hehe, that jackal bastard deserved that one..." You mumbled to yourself, smiling slightly.
>The cough came from the bedroom again.
>"Anon...?"
>The call you had been waiting for.
"Just a sec, Twi!" You replied, looking for your bookmark.
>You'd set it down as it was, but that would bend the spine, and then Twilight would bend *your* spine.
>Going upstairs, you pulled the door open and tried to keep the light off of the mare currently sick in bed.
>She had what would be roughly equivalent to the flu, you supposed.
>You didn't catch what Twilight had called it before she involuntarily evacuated her stomach into the bathtub.
>She was running a fever (though, according to her, not a dangerous one) and had various other little niggling issues.
>Spike was staying well clear of the castle for the time being.
>Whatever the Alicorn had was apparently contagious, and it was only your otherworldly physiology that was keeping you safe.
"What can I get you, Twi?"
>The mare sniffled, sitting up slightly.
>She looked bad.
>Her mane was unkempt from the constant bed rest, her eyes were bloodshot and baggy, and her coat desperately needed some maintenance.
>"Unngh...do we have any soup ready...?" Twilight asked, voice raspy. "I'm hungry..."
"I've had a pot of pumpkin ready for about half an hour."
>You had made yourself some grilled cheese sandwiches, you weren't in the mood for anything extravagant.
>You were pretty sure it was still hot, at least.
>"Can I have some, please...?"
"You sure you can keep it down?"
>There was a pause, and another sniffle.
>"...maybe?"
"Good enough for me. Be right back, sweetheart."
>"Thank you..."
>You retreated from the room, going to the kitchen to grab a bowl.
>She hadn't thrown up in over twelve hours, so perhaps she could keep this down.
---
>You had taken a nap in the living room, waking to the sound of Twilight semi-peacefully sawing logs.
>For such a little pony, she had to be the loudest snorer you had ever heard, your father included.
>Her lumberjack duties were occasionally interrupted by a cough or sniffle, before resuming at exactly the same volume as they had stopped at.
>You crept upstairs with a thermometer, placing it in the sleepy pony's mouth and checking her temperature.
>It was lower than your last check three hours ago, so she had to be recovering.
>You'd have to wait for her to wake up to confirm it, though.
>Twilight grabbed your arm as you went to leave, whimpering slightly.
>Feeling bad about leaving Twilight alone for another night, and pretty confident in your ability to not catch whatever it was she had, you allowed her to drag you back down.
>Placing the thermometer on the nearby nightstand, you gently stroked the sore, sick Alicorn's back and wings, getting a relaxed coo out of her.
>Your hands continued the treatment until the lavender pony fell deeper into slumber, letting you go entirely.
>Remaining where you were, you continued the back rub as Twilight nestled herself into your side.
>She coughed on you once or twice, dry coughs that spread hot air and little else.
>You frowned, rolling your eyes as you tucked her now-spread wings back against her side.
>The sleeping pony made no moves to show that she had felt it at all.
>You left her be after that, but didn't leave the bed.
>Despite just waking from a nap yourself, you could feel the sandman's influence. Didn't hurt that it was just past 1AM.
>You took up position of big spoon with your little purple sweetheart, keeping your chin just shy of her horn.
>Her snoring stopped, though her cough persisted.
>That was fine, though.
>She would be just fine.
---
>The mare was completely recovered two days later, and had immediately taken to scrubbing down everything she had touched (and a few things she hadn't).
>Twilight was intent on eradicating whatever had gotten her sick so it wouldn't get her friends sick when they inevitably came to visit.
>So on that note, she requested that you stay in the castle for a bit longer. Twilight didn't want them to know she was better just yet, so she had time to clean.
>Floors were mopped, tables were sterilized, sheets and blankets were bleached, the whole nine yards.
"Glad to see someone's back to their old selves." You chuckled, coming down from the bedroom.
>"Ah, Anon!" The mare chirped, before trotting over to you at the base of the stairs.
>"Anon, hold still." The purple mare demanded, all of her other cleaning tasks currently automated via magic.
"Uh..."
>"Just because you can't catch it doesn't mean you aren't carrying it." Twilight said, her horn alight in her familiar magenta aura. "Simple anti-virus spell I learned from Cadance, don't worry."
"I always worry when you direct your magic at me." You said flatly. "Last time you hit me with something like this, my left arm turned invisible for three hours."
>"Such a worry wart, that was supposed to happen last time."
>You opened your mouth to object, but Twilight didn't let you.
>Without further fanfare, she hit you with a magenta orb.
>The orb expanded to encompass all of you for just a fraction of a second.
>It was as if a million tiny voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.
>Just as soon as your vision turned pink, everything was back to normal.
>You even felt a little bit cleaner, despite having just stepped out of the shower.
>"There, that was the last thing on my list." Twilight said with a triumphant smile, checking off a box at the bottom of a clipboard.
>The alicorn stared at the list for a moment, face twisted up in confusion.
>"Oh, wait, I *did* forget something."
>You cocked an eyebrow, until she fluttered up to eye level with you and gave you a loving kiss.
>"Thank you for taking care of me, Anon~!" The alicorn sung at just a whisper as she broke it, contacting the floor with a giggle.
"It was no problem. Want to catch something to eat?"
>"I thought you'd never ask. I've been dying for some solid food." Twilight replied, her stomach growling almost on cue.
>With that, the two of you left, Twilight leaning against your thigh as you walked.