Solangelo 4

Part 8

WILL

I wake up in a bad state. I haven't been able to sleep soundly since being ill. Reve is quickly by my side, running tests.
'You seem to be getting better.' He says.
'About time.' I say, 'I hate being ill.'
'No one really likes it, Will.'
'You know what I mean. How long till I can leave?' I ask, sitting up.
'One more night, I reckon. I just want to make sure.' He says. I look around the infirmary to find it far more busy than usual.
'What's going on?' I ask.
'It seems you're not the only one with the flu.' Reve explains, 'there's an outbreak going on.'
'Gods, seriously?' I sigh.
'Yeah I-' He starts, But is interrupted by the door loudly banging open and Nico trudging in. 'Nico, you look awful.'
Nico states daggers at Reve and he quickly makes his exit.
'Did you not sleep? I thought Kayla gave you the pills?' I ask, sitting up, worried about him.
'I slept.' He says, and his voice is gone. It's coarse and quiet, and I can barely hear him, 'For hours. It was great. Then I woke up, and I can't bloody speak.' He sits in the chair beside my bed, 'I caught your cold. Or your flu. Or whatever.'
'I'm so sorry.' I say, 'what are your symptoms?'
'I don't know.' He says in his strained voice, 'I've got a cough. My throat is burning. I can't stop bloody sweating.'
'You've got the flu.' I say, resting the back of my hand against his forehead.
'I don't like it.' He says, resting against my bed.
'I'm going to call Reve to get you looked over properly.' I say, as I signal to one of my younger siblings to grab him for me, 'your immune system is still rubbish. You're body is still on 1950's time.'
'1940's.' He corrects me, automatically, 'he put me and Bianca in the casino in the 1940's.'
'Right. Sorry.' I say. He doesn't talk much about that time of his life, and I try not to push him ever. But I guess his guards are low.
'It's fine. But yeah, I get it. My body doesn't have any experience against illnesses so I have no defences.' He says, finishing with a cough.
'Exactly.' I say.
Reve comes over with a couple sheets of Nico's medical history. He checks it over before running any tests.
'Okay, I think it's best if we keep you in isolation while your sick. We don't want you catching other illnesses while your vulnerable.' Reve says.
'I'm fine.' Nico says, standing up and wavering slightly.
'You okay?' I ask, taking hold of his arm. He stands still for a second, and then drops. I'm able to stop him from hitting the floor, catching him in my arms instead.
'It's okay, I got him.' Reve says, lifting him up and moving him to the bed next to mine, 'stay in your bed, Will.'
But I'm already out and leaning against the wall beside Nico's bed.
'Will, go back to your bed. You can't be here.' He insists.
'I won't speak. Just let me hold his hand. He needs to know I'm here or he'll start flipping out. His nightmares are always way worse when he passes out unintentionally.' I explain, 'just let me sit here. I won't speak, I promise.'
He looks at me for a second, then let's out a sigh, 'fine, okay, but if you say anything, and I mean anything, then you're out.'