In Sickness And In Health (Austria+Reader)

He stared down at the bruised and mostly broken body that lay much too still under the white sheets. Beeping echoed in the silent room as he watched the woman. Her usually bright and happy face was covered in dried blood with black and blue that littered her skin.

A single tear drop fell down his cheek. How dare he let this happen! It was all his fault! She wouldn’t be like this if he hadn’t of fought with her and given her the cold shoulder before she left. His mind drifted back to that last time before all this had happened.




“I really wish you wouldn’t spend so much time with...Her, Roderich.” The young woman had a disgruntled look clear on her features.

“Why? What’s wrong with spending time with a friend.” He sighed and his violet eyes shut in irritation directed towards his wife. He sat himself down on his piano bench and began to play.

Her eyes shut as she began to pinch the bridge of her nose, “I never said you shouldn’t spend time with friends, not at all. I just have a couple of issues when that friend happens to be the ex-wife of my husband and she seems to spend more and more time with him and gets along better with him than me.”

“I don’t see why it’s an issue!” He yelled, raising himself off of his piano bench to face her.

“Did you not hear me well enough?! I feel like she makes a better companion and is much better suited for you than me! I feel like the OTHER woman Mr. Edelstein!”

“You know very well that you aren’t the other woman! You are the one married to me! Not her! You!”

“Oh yes, of course. Tell that to the looks both of  you exchange.”

“What looks?!”
“Those looks of affection and adoration you both give to each other!”

“I do no such thing and you should know that!”

“Of course you do! I’ve seen it Roderich Edelstein!”

Fumes were raising from his head and tensions were high between the couple in the room. Her eyes were hard and cold while her jaw was tightened in pure anger. They both had a matching expression and they only became more and more frequent as these fights became more frequent.

She turned on her heels and slammed the door behind her to go and relax in one of the other rooms.
‘How could he not see how I feel about this?! I wish he could understand.’

He sat back down on his old piano bench and began to play his emotions on the shining ebony and ivory keys that lay in front of him.
‘Why doesn’t she understand Elizabeta is one of my closest and dearest friends? I wish she could understand.’


She opened the door some time later, he wasn’t sure how much time had passed, knocking as she opened.

“R-roddy?” Her voice was quiet. No answer, only his piano music circulated in the room. She walked to where he sat and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry about how I acted earlier Roderich.” He didn’t answer, her eyes shut and her gulp inaudible.
A smile crossed her features, “How about we dance Roddy? I-it’s been quite sometime since we’ve danced. You can pick the waltz.”
No answer.
She sighed, “Did you need anything? I was going to do a bit of shopping and pick up a couple of things.”
No answer. He didn’t even move or make any attempt to let her know he was listening.

She closed her eyes to keep the tears back, ‘I really messed up this time didn’t I?’
She placed a kiss on his cheek and lifted her hand away from his shoulder.

“I love you Roderich, I love you very much. Ich liebe dich.” She approached the door again and said quietly, “I’ll be back soon. I shouldn’t take too long. Call me if you need anything.” The large wooden door shut quietly behind her.



He hadn’t moved an inch the entire time she was there. His head hung and his brown hair hung in his face to cover his puffy red eyes. A hand lifted from the bed to remove his glasses and pushed hair out of his face.

He hated what he did to her. He hated himself. No one could hate him at this moment more than himself. One of his hand curled around one of hers, carefully maneuvering around tubes that connected her body to machines and gently cradling it. Tears couldn’t even drop from his eyes anymore, he felt broken.

“Why did I do that to you?” His free hand caressed her cheek as softly as a butterfly’s wing.

He sat at her bed side for what seemed like an eternity, never leaving her.
‘In sickness and in health...Til death do we part.’

He would stay by her side and faithful to her...until the end. He didn’t think it was possible that it could have been this soon. It seemed all too close, but he would stay with her and only her. His cousins would visit him, bringing him changes of clothes and food.
‘Of course she’ll make it!’ His voice screamed inside his head, “She’s the strongest person I have ever known.’ He repeated these words in his head over and over that he believed them to be completely and utterly true.
Doctors and nurses rushed down the halls outside of the room and a nurse would come in to change her bandages and check on her.

He knew he had been there for a long time, long enough to watch her injuries begin to heal and many of her bruises nearly yellow or gone.
His eyes felt heavy and began to droop from the lack of sleep, not wanting to miss her waking up...in case she made it.


Her hand twitched slightly and a groan slipped from between her lips. His head snapped up and all remnants of sleep were long gone. Her eyes fluttered open. Her body moved slightly, her face twisted in pain and a hiss could be heard.

A smile crept up his exhausted face as he brushed a strand of her hair out of her face.
“Meine liebe. You’re finally awake,” He murmured.

Her face appeared confused and frightened as she turned to face him as best as she could with all the machines connected to her body.
Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to jerk her hand away from him. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she finally pulled her hand away.

“Liebling?” His voice was quiet and confused.
“W-who are you?”

His heart was pounding in his ears and he felt the blood from his face drain.
“I-I'm your husband, Roderich remember?” His voice broke.

“You must be mistaken, I’m still in school. I don’t know any Ro-deri-shes.” Her voice chopped up the name in an unfamiliar manner.

“But I am your husband! We’ve been married for about two and a half years,” His hands and voice were trembling, this couldn’t be happening. Not to them! Not now!

“No! I can’t be married! I told you, I’m still in school. I need to finish my schooling and carry on with my 10 year plan.” Her voice raised with stress and she was beginning to undergo a panic attack.

Her heart began to beat faster and she felt as though couldn’t take in enough air. Nurses rushed into the room the alarm blaring from one of the machines due to her increasing heart rate from the stress on her weak body.

“Sir you need to wait outside.”

“I can’t leave her! Please!” His tone was desperate and hot tears streamed down his flushed cheeks.

“Sir! You can’t be in here right now. We need to make sure she’s alright.” The nurse pushed him out of the room. He stood against the off-white wall next to the door and slid down it. He hid his face in his palms and choked on his sobs.

He heard her voice and multiple female voices attempting to sooth her. His heart was breaking even more so than it already was at the sound of her beginning to cry.