Puppet [LGBT - POLY - Complete - Edited]

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Varian tossed and turned. Sweat covered his face from his hairline all the way down to his chin. He opened his mouth and panted. The heat was all consuming, like he'd been thrown into the pits of Hell. He roughly wiped his hands across his face. He pulled at his shirt, trying to find some sort of relief, but he couldn't run from it. He kicked out his legs, throwing the blanket that had been draped over him onto the floor.

He whined as he drifted in and out of sleep. He sort of knew he wasn't sleeping anymore and that he should wake up, but he was so tired. It was the type of tired that made his limbs feel as if they were made out of rocks. His chest tightened as he fought for his next breath. A cold chill ran down his back. He wished he could hold onto the sensation, to escape from the blistering heat for a moment, but right after the chill he was thrown back into the fire.

In the distance—though it couldn't have been far—a door opened. Then, someone was standing by his bed. Two people. They were standing over him, looking down at him. He tossed and turned, not afraid, but just wishing it wasn't so goddamn hot in the room.

A cold hand pressed against his forehead.

"Shit. He's burning up."

"Go get some water and an ice pack. I'll check his cuts."

One of the figures disappeared. The other—was it Doc?—gently grabbed his hand and turned it over.

The light on the side table flipped on.

Varian kept his eyes closed. He wanted to go back to sleep.

Doc mumbled to himself. Varian couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

"Is it bad?" The man was back.

Varian forced his eyes open.

The man was holding a glass of water. He wasn't looking at Varian. He was waiting for Doc to give him an answer.

"It looks fine. A little red, but that should clear up."

"Are you sure?" The man sat the glass on the nightstand.

"Don't worry about it too much." Doc checked Varian's other wrist. "See. They're a little red. If there was puss, I would be worried. This was why I gave him the antibiotic in the first place."

The man still looked worried, but he seemed to somewhat relax after listening to Doc. "Alright."

Doc moved toward Varian. "I need you to sit up, okay?"

Varian didn't as much as acknowledge him with any movement accept looking at him. Doc took that as an okay and sat Varian up. He fluffed all four of the pillows behind Varian's back, making it sturdy and comfortable enough for him to lean back.

"Drink all of this," Doc said while holding the glass of water to Varian's mouth.

He drank it down fast. He didn't know he was that thirsty until the first drop hit his tongue. He gulped it down and was slightly disappointed there wasn't more.

Doc sat the glass down on the table.

"Are you still tired?"

Varian nodded to that. "It's hot."

The man held out something. "Here."

Doc grabbed it. It was an ice pack wrapped in a wash cloth. Doc placed it over Varian's forehead. Varian laid his head back and closed his eyes.

"Thanks..."

There was a beat of silence.

"You're welcome, Varian."