Day 27- wrapped up- dorlene
Dorcas is probably the most stubborn person you’ll ever meet. She downright refuses to let anything or anyone get the better of her, she will work herself to the bone to be better than everyone, and she would sacrifice everything to keep herself on top.
The last time she took time off was when she was seven years old and had to have an emergency surgery to remove her appendix and even then she had made her mother call the school and explain, email the headteacher, her teacher and the office to ensure they all knew and made sure she was back in as soon as possible, getting the work done from the uncomfortable hospital bed.
Dorcas would work through anything. Stomach bug? That’s fine she can go to the bathroom still. A Cold? That’s simple, just take some tissues and sniffle through the class. Headache? Take a couple painkillers and she’s ready to fight through it. She wouldn’t miss a single lesson, if she really needed to, she’d pop to the infirmary for a pepper-up potion between classes and then sleep from the moment she got back to her dorm until she had to get ready for classes the next day.
Taking time off was a massive deal, sick days weren’t a thing, she still had breaks, and she wasn’t just working 24/7 but she was too stubborn to let some measly illness take her down.
Which was why it was such a shock to Marlene when she found her curled up in a dark room under so many blankets it was a miracle she could breathe under the weight of them. It had worried her, seeing Dorcas’ eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion and her lips dry, her nose permanently running despite the constant wiping.
“Hey love, how’re you feeling?” Dorcas levelled Marlene with a glare as if she couldn’t believe the audacity of asking that question.
“How do you think.” Dorcas deadpanned, curling the blankets around her shoulders even more, trying to disappear into the sheets and avoid her own shame.
“You’re allowed to take sick days, everyone would much rather you stayed here and looked after yourself rather than running yourself into the ground,” Marlene strokes Dorcas’ cheek with her thumb as she speaks and then places the back of her hand to Dorcas’ forehead.
“Shit Dorc, you’re burning up,” Dorcas nuzzles into Marlene’s hand, and shakes her head,
“Freezing,” Marlene hums in thought, before grabbing her phone with her spare hand and making calls into both of their workplaces, letting them know they won’t be in today. Dorcas tries to protest, so Marlene grabs a thermometer, showing Dorcas’ high temperature.
“Fine, I’ll stay here, but you can still go in.” Dorcas tries to bargain, but Marlene knows better than that, she laughs, and Dorcas frowns slightly upset that her plan didn’t work,
“We both know the second I leave, you’d be out that door on your way to work, plus, I’m going to look after you, bring you soup or whatever,” She leans in to kiss Dorcas, but Dorcas pulls away, not letting her close. Marlene doesn’t want to make her uncomfortable so she moves away, not needing an explanation, but Dorcas provides one anyway.
“Don't want you to get sick,” Marlene smiles, resting a hand on one of Dorcas’ cheeks and looking up and down from her eyes to her lips,
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take, we could just stay here wrapped up in bed forever,”