Burning Ice & Freezing Fire

First?!

He sensed that something wasn't right.

Even before his crystal went off.

He had already pushed the button to open the door the moment he heard the retching.

The moment it slid open he heard the faint call for him.

The second Robbie's legs gave way and he started falling he was already right behind him, wrapping his arms around him.

Pulling him tight against his chest.

"Robbie!!" Sportacus' hand darts to his throat, pressing two fingers against it.

A pulse!

Weak but steady!

And he's still breathing!

Sportacus lets go of the breath he's been holding until now. Robbie is 'just' unconscious... And burning up, as it feels... The hero swallows hard and needs a few more seconds to recover from the shock. His heart is still throbbing furiously in his chest. Then he bows down to carefully lift Robbie up completely and carry him back to the bed in bridal style.

Very gently he lays him down and props his legs up on several pillows to steady the blood flow to his brain. Then he hurries to get a damp cloth and places it on his forehead, before taking a seat on the edge of the bed again. His own heart is still hammering up to his throat. Until now everything he did was barely more than a reflex and instinct, vaguely remembering what he learned at school. But now that he took care of Robbie this dreamlike state of mind ends and makes room for sheer panic instead.

Robbie collapsed again!

His body feels hot!

He's sweating and shivering!

He...

No.

Sportacus closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down again. He won't be any help for his friend if he drives himself crazy with concern now.

He has to try to remain calm and keep cool.

Not for proving his teachers that he can do it and deserves his graduation.

For Robbie.

For the man he loves...

This thought calms him. He knows Robbie is strong. He has proven that on multiple occasions already. And as dramatically as it may appeared when he just broke down again in the bathroom...it has 'just' happened because of his circulation which wasn't able to cope with the immense strain of getting up and moving around shortly after his brain worked so hard to show him some of his original memories...

What he should worry about, however, is the villain's still rising temperature...

"...Robbie..." whispers the hero lowly while he very gently cups his cheek and starts caressing it with his thumb "...Robbie, wake up..."

No reaction.

"...Robbie, please, wake up..."

A light movement behind his eyelids.

A low groan.

Robbie slowly opens his eyes and they move around for a moment before they fix on the hero's face. His voice is strained and barely above a whisper "...Sportacus..."

"Hi, Robbie," he smiles weakly and keeps stroking his cheek with one hand while taking and gently squeezing Robbie's with his other one.

"...Hi..." the villain returns the smile feebly and leans more into the hand on his cheek "...What...happened? ...I... I was standing at the...sink and then...I blacked out...didn't I?..."