Multi Fandom One Shots And Short Stories

(DSMP-RANBOO) Your Spirit Wild, Your Suffering Brief (3)

We're about half way through!

Same TW's as the others.

Word count: 1225

Technoblade didn't want to leave Ranboo's side.  He was openly worried, fidgeting with the golden rings in his ears for something else to focus on.

Phil had come in a few hours ago and tried to convince him to sleep. He'd refused.  "I can't, Phil," he'd explained, "someone's gotta stay with 'im. And besides," he'd shrugged, trying to be nonchalant, "even if I tried, I don't think I'd be able to sleep."

Over night, Ranboo's condition only worsened.  Techno was up almost constantly, refiling the snow bucket and changing the towel when the liquid threatened to burn the sick enderian. Every hour or so he would pour another potion into Ranboo's mouth, doing his best to get the medicine into his system.

Phil slept fitfully, curled up on the couch so he could be closer to the pair in the room.  Techno tip toed around him whenever he got up, not wanting to disturb his already restless sleep. 

By the time the sun had rose the next morning, Techno's eyes were drooping with exhaustion.  Phil had stumbled into the room, his eyes just as red rimmed and tired as his friend's. 

"How is he?" He asked.

Techno shook his head. "The fever's only gotten worse." Ranboo was still laying on his front, his arms cushioning his head, with Techno's strong fingers tracing patterns over his skin.

Phil swore under his breath, running his fingers through his shoulder length blond hair.  "Alright," he decided, "you go get some rest, Tech.  I'll stay with him for a few hours."

Techno opened his mouth to argue, but Phil shook his head, raising his index finger to stop him.  "No," he said sternly, "I've got him. Go. Rest."

Techno nodded mutely and hesitated for a moment before standing.  He didn't want to leave Ranboo's side, not even to sleep.  He knew it was irrational, but he couldn't shake the feeling that if he left the boy's side, he would just disappear. He would come back to find that Ranboo had never existed, or worse, that he'd succumbed to whatever was causing his fever. That terrified him more than any fight he'd ever been in.

Phil patted his shoulder, having approached unnoticed while Techno was staring down at Ranboo. "I'll come get you if something changes, mate. Just let yourself rest. You've been up all night; you deserve it."

Techno nodded, running one of his hands over his eyes.  "Alright," he conceded. "Wake me up if something happens, Phil."

"I will, don't worry." Techno nodded again, assured, before taking a deep breath and making his way down the hall to his and Phil's room. 

The Avian looked down at the shivering body of his pseudo-son.  He pulled the towel away from his back, kneeling down next to the bed.  He gazed long and hard at the inflammations they'd found the night before, propping his head up on his arms. 

"What's going on, kid," he muttered, "What do we do here?"  Ranboo's only response was a stifled chirp of pain.

⊙﹏⊙

A few hours after Techno had crashed, Ranboo's condition plummeted.  Phil had taken Techno's spot at the head of the bed, Ranboo's head resting on his lap, when he felt a full-bodied shudder seize the young man. His large black wings flared out, one of them hitting Phil squarely in the center of his chest. His breath left him in a whoosh, leaning back to try and avoid a faceful of feathers. 

Ranboo's hands had tightened around Phil's clothes, not letting him move too far away.  Another shudder ran through him and this time he cried out in pain, his eyes squeezing shut as his face twisted into a grimace.

"Tech," Phil gasped, still trying to get his air back, "Tech, get in here!" He cleared his throat and finally took a steady breath.

"Tech!" He yelled, "Get in here, something's happening!"

Pounding footsteps thundered down the hall and Technoblade barreled into the room. His long braid trailed behind him as he rushed to the bedside.

"What's going on?" He demanded, wild-eyed.

Phil opened his mouth to speak but Ranboo was seizing again.  His body was trembling, the heat becoming even more intense, which Phil hadn't thought possible at this point. 

Techno knelt beside the bed, one hand going to the enderian's bare shoulder. "Hey," he said urgently, "Ranboo!"

Phil saw Ranboo's heterochromic eyes open blearily, the fever haze dulling the light within them.  "Ranboo?" He asked, worried.

"Techno? Phil?" He rasped, "I don't-" he whined slightly, "why does it hurt so much?"

Techno looked up at his friend, his eyes desperate.  Phil closed his eyes, unable to provide any substantial comfort, just running his hand through Ranboo's hair again. "I don't know, mate," he said softly, "We're doing what we can. Can ya tell us what happened?"

Ranboo tightened his death grip on Phil's shirt as another quake ran through him. His eyes blinked open again, the lucidness not yet having passed. 

"I don't know," he mumbled, "I just- I thought they'd go away, I guess?"

"Ranboo," Techno said, "What are they? Do you know?"

Phil had his suspicions about what the marks were. The question now was if Ranboo knew.

"I d-dunno," Ranboo said, "they just-" he broke off and turned his head away, burying his face in Phil's leg. His mouth hung open and his breathing was slowly elevating.

"Phil," Techno said sharply, "Look."

Phil raised his gaze from where it had been resting on the distressed boy in his lap to stare at the two-toned skin of his back.  The two bumps they'd found were- they were moving! The skin on Ranboo's back was stirring, roiling like something was trying to break through to the surface! 

Phil's grip on his shoulders tightened as Ranboo let out a tortured scream. Techno looked panicked, unsure of what to do.  Phil watched, horrified. It was like he couldn't look away!

And then it was over, just as soon as it had begun. Phil was left staring at nothing, stunned and confused and worried; more worried than he could ever remember being.

Ranboo was almost hyperventilating, panicked sobs tearing their way from his chest.  "W-what's happening to me?" He cried, "What- what's g-going on?"

"I don't know, kid," Techno said tightly, "But we'll figure it out." He placed one gentle hand on the center of Ranboo's back. The young man flinched, his wings flaring again, before he settled. Techno began rubbing calming shapes into his skin, looking up at Phil like he was waiting for something.

Phil shook himself out of his daze, swallowing thickly. "Yeah, mate," he assured, "You're gonna be alright. We're going to be right here." He leaned down and pressed a hesitant kiss to Ranboo's temple.  "You're gonna be alright," he promised.

Not long after that, Ranboo sunk back to the fever dreams.  Techno took over the watch and Phil stood, handing him the container of burn cream to administer to Ranboo's burned face. He knew they needed help. This wasn't something the two gods could handle on their own.

"I'm going to call Kristin," he told Techno, "She's been around a lot longer than we have. If anyone knows what to do, it'll be Lady Death."

ಥ_ಥ

I know I probably could have split this into two, but then it just felt too short. And besides, the Lady Death line seems like a more fitting cliffhanger.

❤️Al