The next morning, Mila woke up with a heavy, dull sensation in her head. Her throat felt scratchy with every breath, aches radiated through her arms and legs, and she felt as heavy as lead.

When she shifted slightly in bed, David immediately placed a hand on her forehead. His eyes snapped open. “Damn, you’re burning up, honey,” he said in a soft, concerned voice. Mila closed her eyes and sighed weakly. “I’m so cold… and everything hurts.”

David sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked her tousled hair soothingly. “Don’t worry. First, we’ll call your work and call in sick for you. After that, we’ve got the whole weekend ahead of us, so you really don’t need to stress at all. I have the whole weekend off because I worked straight through last time - I’ll take care of you.”

After Mila called her employer with a trembling voice - and with David’s gentle, supportive presence by her side - to call in sick, David stood up. He fetched some thick wool socks, helped her into a cozy, warm pair of pajamas, and went into the kitchen to make some hot cold tea. When he returned with the mug, he sat down next to her again and said: “I’ll just pop over to the neighborhood pharmacy in a minute to pick up a few things for you. But first, here’s some ibuprofen to bring your fever down a bit.”

Overcome by her discomfort and weakness, Mila slipped back into her Little Space almost instantly and deeply at that moment. Her mind felt soft and childlike, and the need for absolute protection took over.

When David looked into her eyes, he realized how deeply she had already sunk into her little world. He wanted to know exactly how high her temperature was, and since he needed the exact readings, he made an unwavering decision. “Sweetheart,” he said in a calm, firm voice. “From now on, I’m going to take your temperature rectally. That’s the most accurate way.”

Mila’s eyes widened in shock. She shook her head violently, pulled her legs up, and let out a whimpering, childlike “No! Ouch, I don’t want that!”

David remained completely calm but absolutely unyielding. He leaned down toward her, stroked her cheek, and said with deep, firm authority: “You brought this on yourself, little sweetheart. You wanted the ‘little’ life, and part of being a little girl is having your temperature taken in the bottom. That’s a firm rule. Besides, it’s much more accurate that way, and it’s the only way I can take proper care of you.”

Mila sobbed quietly, but she realized from his firm stance that there was no escaping it. With a plaintive voice and trembling lips, she finally managed a soft “Okay…”

“Good girl,” David praised her, stood up, and set off for the pharmacy. Thanks to his brisk pace, he was back at the apartment within twenty minutes. He’d picked up everything needed for proper care: a new digital rectal thermometer, a tube of Vaseline, fever suppositories, anti-nausea suppositories just in case, cough syrup, and special children’s cold tea.

Meanwhile, Mila was curled up on the couch under a thick blanket, shivering slightly. David walked over to her, gently took her by the hand, and said, “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go to the bedroom. It’ll be quieter there.”

In the bedroom, he had already spread a clean towel across the bed. Mila lay down on it, her gaze fixed on him, sad and full of anticipation. David gently pulled down her pajama bottoms so that she lay on the sheet before him, completely naked from the waist down. Her bare legs reflexively drew together slightly, but David reassured her with a gentle voice.

“Breathe calmly, sweetheart. I’m just putting a little Vaseline on the thermometer so it slides in easily.” He prepared the thermometer and then sat down on the edge of the bed in front of her. “Now you need to spread your legs a little and relax so I can put some Vaseline on your bottom, too.”

Mila sobbed quietly as David, using a small amount of Vaseline on his finger, rubbed her anus and the sensitive skin around it extremely carefully in circular motions. His touch was firm, yet at the same time imbued with an infinite tenderness that eased her fear.

“You’re doing so well,” he whispered approvingly. Then he gently pushed her knees upward and held her ankles loosely but firmly with one hand, so that her legs hovered slightly bent in the air and her genital area and anus lay completely exposed and accessible before him.

With his other hand, he picked up the thermometer, which was already turned on. Slowly and with the utmost care, he placed the tip against her anus. “Breathe, sweetheart… exhale slowly,” he instructed her.

Mila squeezed her eyes shut and let out a soft whimper as David pushed the thermometer in millimeter by millimeter. Since she was somewhat tense from the cold and the fever, she felt the slight pressure, but David paused, waited until her muscles relaxed again thanks to his soothing words and the gentle caress on her ankle, and then carefully inserted it to the marked depth.

Mila lay on the towel with her eyes closed. In her fever-weakened mind, the childlike feelings of the Little Space mingled with a deep, shameful helplessness. “All control is gone,” the thought flashed through her mind. Her whole body felt hot and sensitive, and every slightest sensation in her intimate area was magnified many times over. She felt the cold plastic of the thermometer, which sat firmly and unyieldingly in her bottom. It was a constant, ever-present foreign object that reminded her every second that she was completely at the mercy of others. At the same time, however, a strangely warm feeling of relief spread through her chest. No one was demanding that she be strong. David was there. He was looking out for her, even when things got uncomfortable.

David, on the other hand, looked down at her, his thoughts wavering between stern care and deep, protective tenderness. His mind, which always had to control and analyze everything, switched to pure care and monitoring mode. He wanted to make sure her fever was measured precisely so he could give her the right medication. But as he looked at the thermometer’s small screen, he also noticed every subtle movement of her body: the delicate tremor of her skin, the damp sheen on her forehead, and the way her thighs seemed to tense slightly. The sight of her - naked, feverish, completely defenseless, and dependent on his care - made his pulse race and awakened an almost primal protective instinct within him. He would never let her down.

To keep her from moving or the thermometer from slipping, David gripped her even more firmly and decisively. He pushed her legs high up toward her upper body, so that her lower back lifted slightly off the towel and the area around her buttocks was completely exposed and under his direct control.

Mila gasped briefly in surprise as he held her legs so high and close together. In this position, she was even more vulnerable. Every movement, every breath made her aware that the thermometer was deep inside her. “Stay calm, sweetheart,” David whispered in a deep, soothing voice as he held her legs firmly in place with an iron-firm yet gentle grip. “I’ve got you. You don’t have to do a thing.”

The next two minutes stretched on seemingly endlessly. To Mila, every second seemed to last an eternity. She could feel the thermometer inside her - the slight pressure, the unyielding presence within, the warmth of her own body enveloping the sensor. Every time she exhaled deeply, her body twitched slightly, and David felt that subtle vibration immediately through his grip on her ankles.

“You’re being so brave, Mila,” he praised her again and again in a deep, warm voice. “Just a little bit longer. We’ll be done soon.” Mila closed her eyes tighter and mentally sucked on her pacifier as she counted the seconds. The combination of her throbbing fever, the unfamiliar, almost defenseless position, and the intense physical closeness to David made her body glow in a strange way.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the thermometer’s relieving beep cut through the silence of the bedroom. David exhaled softly, immediately loosened his grip on her ankles, and let her legs sink slowly and carefully back down onto the towel. With calm movements, he pulled the thermometer out, set it aside to read the temperature, and immediately pulled a blanket back over her bare lower body to protect her from the cool air in the room.

David looked at the thermometer’s small display. 38.6 degrees. Not a life-threatening fever, but enough to really throw her body off balance and leave Mila completely drained.

He immediately stroked her sweaty hair soothingly and smiled gently down at her. “38.6, sweetheart. No wonder you feel like you’ve been run over,” he said in a warm voice. “But don’t worry. I’ve got this. Come on, let’s wrap you up and get cozy in the living room.” He carried her carefully to the couch, where he’d built a soft nest of pillows and blankets. She was able to snuggle in there, and to take her mind off things, he suggested, “Should I put on The Lion King for you? It’s perfect for today.” Mila nodded weakly, glad she didn’t have to worry about a thing.

While the movie played in the background, David went into the kitchen and cooked a simple but hearty noodle soup. He kept checking on her as she dozed off exhausted between scenes and fell into a deep sleep.