(okie dokie that works!)
[Day Ten]
It took Arquis longer than normal to wake, but when he finally did, he felt in an oddly bad mood. His eyes felt sticky and blurry, which annoyed him, and his mouth was too dry. There was nothing wrong with him; he wasn’t sick at all, just irritated. He pushed himself up and checked the time. It was a little after nine. That made him even angrier. He hadn’t been away from his schedule for long, and he was already getting lazy.
He was about to get to his feet when the memories of the previous night flooded back. The fever, the letter. All of that initial grumpiness disappeared in a flash. He rolled over to check on his partner, worried at what he might find.
Rin was curled up in a ball on the bed, breathing a bit labored and slower than it usually was. He was sweaty and shivering, and he didn't look good. He wasn't awake, but that was probably a good thing. They didn't look like they had gotten better; in fact, they looked worse than they had been. The fever had risen, and when they awoke, they would likely feel even worse than they had before falling asleep. Ari had written back, and his reply was in the envelope on the nightstand.
Arquis considered waking them, but it looked as if it would be a mercy not to. He placed the back of his hand on their forehead as lightly as possible. Even before their skin made contact, he could feel the heat radiating off of him. This was bad. This was very, very bad. His stomach lurched as he grasped for the envelope. It took him a minute to calm down, but when he did, he quickly ran through emergency options in his mind. Sending someone for a healer was possible, but it could very well take over a day. There likely weren’t any strong enough medicines at the inn. Even if he could convince Rin to take them, he doubted they’d do much at all. Ari was their best option.
With shaky hands, he opened the flap of the envelope, pulled out the contents, and began to read.
The replying note was not very long, but was clear. Luckily enough for Arquis, Ari spoke Anvillean, and could read and write it well enough to communicate in it.
Arquis,
It's nice to "meet" you, though the circumstances are less than desired. Your news of Rin is not good, though I am not quite sure what I can do to help. I will give any assistance that I can, though with the snow and weather conditions, that may be difficult to accomplish. In any case, let me know if there is something that I can do.
Also, you said that they were not willing to take any medication. They almost never will, because of bad history with medication and lies told about the medication. It is not my place to tell you what that history is, and I will not share it without Rin's permission (unless there is some emergency that necessitates your knowledge). But you may have to force-feed him the medication, or feed it to him without his knowledge by putting it in their tea or food. He will not be happy with you, but it may be your only option if they need to take medication.
Ari Montalbano
Arquis was shaking even harder by the end of the note. Forcing them to do anything was a horrible thought, though he supposed it was like the gloves. Rin had forcibly removed them days prior because his health was at risk. If it was necessary, then he would have to go behind his back to save their life.
He pulled a new piece of paper from the drawing pad and flattened it so that he could write. His writing was slightly less legible than it had been the previous day, and he couldn’t quite work up the energy to be polite.
‘Ari,
Over the course of the night, Rin has gotten much worse. I fear for his safety. I do wish I could take your advice and convince them to take medicine, but I strongly doubt that there is anything here that is potent enough to help. It would be the equivalent of putting ointment on a severed limb. Apologies for the graphic imagery, but I do hope the metaphor conveyed the gravity of the situation.
I will not ask about their history. What I will ask, however, is that you consider joining them here. If their health continues to decline at so rapid a pace…’
He couldn’t write the rest of the sentence. He just couldn’t do it. A tear slipped from his eye and stained the page. He inhaled unsteadily and kept writing.
‘I am aware that this is not an opportune situation. The weather is dreadful. But this is no mere cold. If you do not wish to come, I will not blame you. Please do let me know, however, so I can send for a healer.
Arquis de Vey’
He put the letter into the envelope, hoping his tired mind had been coherent, and then set it aside. He placed a hand on his lover’s chest for just a moment to feel their heart. His eyes closed, but that didn’t stop stray tears from spilling out.
Rin was thankfully still asleep, still curled deep in the blankets, face flushed and breathing still a bit strained. Their condition had certainly deteriorated rapidly, which was not at all a good thing.
Ari wrote back relatively quickly; the man must have been waiting for a response.
Arquis,
I am afraid I do not quite understand what you are asking me to do. Are you saying I should come because he hasn't much time and is going to die, or simply because you/they want me there? Either way, I shall do my best to come, though I must know why precisely you need me there, and if there is anything you want me to bring, as I am quite confused. I am working on packing, so I shall hopefully be able to set out before the day is out. For that reason, please give a speedy response as to what, if anything, I should be bringing with me.
Ari Montalbano
Arquis swallowed hard and set the letter aside after reading it. He picked up the pencil again to write a response.
‘Ari,
I do not know their fate as of this moment. Their fever is extremely high. I plan to try and ensure that he is hydrated, though I am not sure if they will be able to keep anything down.
You should be here for them. That is all I know. They will need you, one way or another.
If you have the chance, please purchase some strong medication. Fever medicine would be best, though if it is available you might consider buying something for their chest as well. They are breathing quite heavily. Perhaps some anti nausea medication? I am not sure.
I apologize for my lack of knowledge and clarity. This has been quite a sudden situation. Thank you for your timely response.
Arquis’
He didn’t bother putting his last name. His eyes were so blurry that he could barely see the paper. All he knew was that his words were still legible. He’d been trained in handwriting and cursive for many years; he could write neatly even if he was in a hurricane. That didn’t stop tears from staining the paper, however. He hoped Ari wouldn’t mind as he shoved the letter into the envelope.
Ari's response was fast again.
Arquis,
I will grab some medicine and head out as soon as I am done packing. I will hopefully be there within the next day or so, though the weather may cause delays. Keep them hydrated and try to get food in their system. A little bit is better than nothing, and they will need energy and strength. Also, cold baths will help bring the fever down, though he will likely try and fight you about them, since he probably already thinks he's cold.
Ari
Rin still didn't wake up, still sleeping.
Arquis did not respond to that last letter, though he did read it. There was simply no time. He roughly wiped his tears away and hurried into the bathroom. This time, the water he filled the bath with was colder, though it still wasn’t freezing. He’d heard rumors of extremely cold water doing more harm to fever patients than good.
Once the tub was about three quarters full, he went to his partner’s side. He didn’t bother sitting down. They could cuddle another morning, but staying in bed would only encourage them not to get up.
“Rin, it is time to wake,” he said. It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t a whisper, either. He gently shook their shoulder. “We need to get that fever down, love.”
Rin stirred faintly, eyes cracking open as he looked hazily up at Arquis. "Don't feel good." He whispered, curling into himself further. They let out a faint, pained whimper, then sat upright. "I don't–" he half fell out of the bed, grabbing at the trash can, and was bent over it, dry heaving, before they could get another word out. They weren't quite throwing up, but they certainly felt like they were going to.
Arquis made an abrupt, worried sound. His chest went tight with panic. He knelt onto the floor beside them, moved in closer to steady the basket in their lap, and then placed his hand on the small of their back. Sweat had collected there, right at the base of his spine. It’d soaked through their shirt. He didn’t mind. They were in a bad way, and they needed every bit of comfort he could offer.
“Oh, love,” he murmured softly. His hand moved up to their hair, and he ran his fingers through it. The heat of his scalp was anxiety-inducing. It was as if there was a flame trapped under his skin, burning so hotly that it threatened to escape.
Rin rested his forehead against the rim, a faint sound of pain leaving them. "I feel like shit." They whispered, grimacing and staying where they were. They still felt like they were going to throw up, though they hadn't thus far. Still, the idea of moving away from the trash can wasn't one they liked. They didn't want to move. If they moved, they might throw up, and they really didn't want to do that at all.
Arquis could’ve made joke about them sounding like it as well—they really didn’t sound great—but decided against it. Instead, he massaged their neck with his thumb and whispered, “I know. You might feel better if you got it all out, love. It might stop hurting, at least.”
Best to do it there with the bin right in front of them than in the bathtub. He imagined them being sick into the soapy water and inwardly cringed. The image made him a bit queasy. It’d take forever to clean sick from the drain. He didn’t want to picture that anymore, so he shook his head to clear it away.
He shivered faintly, another choking sound leaving him as they dry heaved again. A few more, and then they really were throwing up, body shivering and trembling as the soup they had managed to eat earlier came back up again. He was shaking faintly when he sat up again, closing his eyes. "I hate this." He said faintly.
Each heave made Arquis wince, though he made sure that they wouldn’t see his face. It’d be terrible if they thought that he was repulsed by them. In truth, he just felt horrible for what he was going through. It sounded highly unpleasant and, judging by the shake in his voice, likely felt worse. He couldn’t imagine how drained they felt.
“Oh, Rin,” he sighed in response. He reached for the bin, then stopped, uncertain. Just because they’d paused didn’t mean he was completely done. His hand rerouted to their stomach, where it came to rest lightly below his rib cage.
“Do you think you are finished?” he murmured. “I ran another bath to help cool you down. It might feel nice to get clean.” No doubt that they were even more sweat soaked than before. Throwing up wasn’t easy on the body.
"I…" He thought about it for a minute, then nodded slightly. "I think so." He slowly pushed the bin away, then got to their feet. He swayed a little bit, and steadied himself by grabbing onto the bed. They closed their eyes, fighting back a wave of nausea.
Arquis was on his feet in a flash. He braced one arm around their shoulders for extra support and held him while their eyes were closed. His own heart was beating quite rapidly. Perhaps he’d been a bit over dramatic in the letter, perhaps Rin wasn’t going to die from this, but it sure felt like he’d been honest. Especially seeing them in this state—trembling all over, skin nearly hot enough to burn, stomach emptied, legs unstable.
“Alright. I am going to guide you to the bath,” he whispered. Just in case, he picked the bin up from the floor. He avoided looking at its contents. Sure, he’d seen them come up, but that didn’t mean they were pleasant to look at.
In the slowest shuffle possible, he began to guide his partner towards the bathroom. Rushing would inevitably lead to dizziness, and dizziness could lead to increased nausea or even passing out. They needed more fluids. Dehydration had become a much larger concern. He decided he’d get them some sink water to drink. It wasn’t great, but it was better than nothing and he wouldn’t have to leave the bathroom to get it.
Rin leaned on Arquis a little bit. His legs were always unsteady after throwing up when sick, and this time was no exception to that. He let out a faint, pained sound as he was guided into the bathroom, opening his eyes when they stopped. His gaze fell on the bath, and he shivered again, already feeling cold now that they were no longer nestled in their pile of blankets. "I'm cold." He whispered, rubbing his eyes with a hand.
Arquis gave them a peck on the cheek. “I know, but this is absolutely necessary. Your temperature is much too high already. The bath should prevent it from worsening, at least for a little while.”
He helped them get seated on the edge of the tub. The gesture was all too familiar. He really wished they’d gotten better overnight, as he didn’t want him to have to suffer all over again. But as he’d said, the bath was necessary. Rin would inevitably be even worse off if he did not take one.
“I do have some other news, if you would like to hear it,” he offered. “I think it might be a nice distraction.”
Rin shrugged faintly, pulling off his clothes so that he wouldn't be bathing with them on. "What?" they asked softly, looking up at Arquis for a moment, then going back to taking off most of his clothing. They left their boxers on, not wanting to make Arquis uncomfortable.
Arquis knelt before them so that he could see their eyes again. The smile on his face was extremely gentle. “Ari should be coming to visit within the next day or so. He sent a couple of letters that I read and responded to while you were asleep. I apologize for not asking permission—you seemed exhausted, and I wanted to let you rest.”
Arquis didn’t tell them the full story. Someday, when they were feeling well again, he would. He’d tell them of his fears and the quickness of Ari’s responses. He’d cry over all of it, too. But their health was so fragile at that point that he didn’t want to worry him. Reassurance and comfort were key. Putting more strain on their body or mind would only be cruel.
“I am glad for it, truly. I thought you might like to see him.”
They blinked up at him, a faint smile tugging at their mouth. "Oh." he said softly. "I…I'm glad you'll get to meet him." they didn't seem bothered by the fact that Arquis had read and responded to Ari's letters; they knew Ari wouldn't have given away any secrets that could be damning.
“Ah, yes, I am glad as well,” Arquis responded, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind their ear. It was a somewhat accurate statement. He wanted to meet Ari because the stranger clearly cared for Rin, and anyone that helped his partner was deserving of his respect. He also was extremely glad that he’d be bringing medicine. But whether or not he was actually excited to meet him was still very questionable. Ari didn’t seem like a judgmental person, yet Arquis was still nervous that he’d dislike him. Maybe he’d feel that the nobleman hadn’t done enough to help Rin.
He swallowed down that fear and dropped a quick kiss onto his partner’s knee. Promoting normalcy was still important. If they knew how worried he was, they’d get worried, too. He needed them to stay calm. Plus, if they started to panic, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his cool. He’d already cried a little while they were asleep; he didn’t want to do it again.
“Let us get you in the bath, hm? No time like the present.”
He frowned when Arquis said that. "I-I don't…I don't want to. It's cold, and I'm already so cold, and…and it's just going to make me colder…" His voice trembled a little bit, and they looked up at Arquis pleadingly. "Please, I don't want to, Arquis." They wrapped their arms around themself, swallowing faintly.
Arquis put a hand on one of their calves and gave it a very gentle squeeze. Concern briefly flickered across his expression, but it was soon smoothed away by that look of false calm. He kissed that spot below their knee once more, then let his forehead drop against it.
“Sorry, my love.” He really did sound sorry. Seeing them so uncomfortable wasn’t fun for him, either. “You must. I know that it is very unpleasant, but it is the best way to take care of your fever.”
He moved up from where he’d been kneeling and wrapped him in an embrace. Into their ear, he murmured, “Please? It will just be for a little while. Afterwards, you can change into something warm. I promise. And I will try to bring you more tea, if you can keep it down.”
