TELOS TOU KOSMOU // Callahan X Reader

18

Callahan's words in mind, you had stumbled to bed early that night, aiming to get some sleep while you could. The brews you had given Ceres would hold them over long enough for you to get some sleep, and you had left a glass of water on their bedside table in case they needed it. Ceres had assured you that they would be fine overnight, but you still had trouble falling asleep, memories of milky white eyes swirling in your head.

You subconcious had plenty to work off of - your time in the clinic had supplied a bounty of recently deceased faces to haunt your dreams. People that you had come to care for in their short weeks stay, but despite all your efforts, had succumbed anyway. You tossed and turned as your mind supplied tragedy after tragedy - the sound sleep you had been hoping for no more than a distant memory.

In a way, you were thankful for it though, because if you had been dead to the world, you would have never heard Ceres coughing fit.

It was their rumbling hacking that roused you fully from your half-asleep stupor. You kicked off the sheets as you slipped out of bed, summoned to the doorway by the hacking coughs coming from the adjoined room. Through the thin streams of moonlight sneaking in from the window, you could just make out Ceres form on the bed.

"Ceres?"

Mirrored eyes found yours as they sat up slightly. "Go back to bed." They started, voice rough. "It's just another fit-"

Ceres broke into another round of coughing, this time a wet sort of hacking that had them shaking with the force of the tremors, the hand that had been reaching out for the glass of water on the bedside table overshooting and tipping the glass over, it's contents splashing onto the floor.

Dashing forwards from the doorway, you were at Ceres' side in an instant, one hand coming to rest on their chest and guide them back into bed as best you could. Thankfully they didn't fight you, letting you lay them back down into the pillows. Beneath your hand and their thin nightshirt, you could feel their heart pounding, slightly irregular. Never a good sign.

"Ceres?" You asked again. "I need you to try and prop yourself up, alright? I'm going to go fetch something to help."

They nodded, taking deep heaving breaths as the coughing subsided for a moment, pushing themselves backwards. You hurried over to your work desk - the cough would be back before long, and you weren't sure how much time Ceres would have to actually down the brew you were grabbing.

Thank god you had been sure to make something extra for emergencies.

You were back at Ceres side in a flash, cup containing the medicine in hand. Ceres breathing was slightly more steady now, but their chest still heaved. You could hear the sickness in their lungs as they breathed, the heaviness of it evident in the rasp of their breathing. You brought the cup to their lips, holding it for them.

"Try to drink." You prompted. "It'll help subside the coughing if you can get this down."

One of Ceres' hands came to cover your own as you guided the cup to them, and they began to drink, tipping the contents of the cup down their throat between greedy breaths. You could feel their hand shaking over yours - another bad omen. Their hands had never shaken before.

You'd thought you would have more time. Ceres was in prime physical condition - the picture of health.

Ceres drained the cup in no time, the heavy wet rasp of their breathing calming somewhat. They were still gulping for air though, as you pulled the empty cup away and set it aside. Reaching over to the bedside table, you picked up the glass Ceres had knocked over.

"I'm going to get you some water." You said. "I'll be back in a minute."

Ceres nodded, and you slipped out the door, scurrying to the water pump in the kitchen down the hall. Speed was of the essence here - if they had another coughing fit, you couldn't be absent.

You reached the water pump easily, and began to work the machine, holding the cup under the drip. Your own hands were shaking slightly as you summoned the water - though not from disease, as Ceres' had been. All traces of sleep were gone from your system, replaced by the adrenaline of fear.

A coughing fit like that was no good. You heard the sickness in them. Ceres didn't have long.

There was only so much you could do to help them now.

Once the cup was full of water, you headed back to the room, excess drops slopping over the edges of the cup in your haste, just praying that they didn't have another fit while you were gone.

Ceres was still in bed when you slipped back through the doors, breathing slightly back to normal. You placed the cup of water on their bedside table, and they took it eagerly, downing the entire contents in one go.

"God." They rasped. "Whatever you gave me tasted terrible."

You smiled thinly, pressing a hand to their forehead to take temperature. Their skin was blistering hot, and strangely clammy under your touch, a thin sheen of sweat covering the expanse. Your heart sank as you pulled your hand away.

"No laugh?" Ceres asked, eyes slightly unfocused as they tried to find yours.

"Go back to bed." You said, guiding them back to laying down fully. "The sun isn't even peeking over the horizon yet."

Ceres flopped back down into the pillows, burrowing back under the blankets. You stood by until their breathing evened out with sleep, the rasp of the sickness still present even as they slept. For a moment, all you could hear was the sound of their breathing, and the drip of water from the glass that they had spilled.