From Servant to Support

Sick

A/N: AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Someone stop me from posting this chapter! Oh, wait... If you're reading this, it means I posted it... This is gonna be so cringe... 😬 It's important, though. Bear with me.

I woke up in my bed. "What the hell...?" Everyone was there, still. Staring at me. My stomach turned, again.

"You're awake!" Mark exclaimed loudly. I winced. His yelling was making my headache worse.

"Mark... Please... Shush..."

"Oh. Sorry. How are you feeling?" He asked, quieter.

Not only did my head hurt, but so did everything else. I was achy all over, and my nose was a bit runny. I was congested, as well. "Like crap..." I muttered, my voice a bit hoarse.

"Ooh. You sound like crap as well." I looked at him. "I mean-- That's not what I meant! I meant that you sound like you feel like crap! Not--"

"It's okay. I know what you mean. Now, can everyone else leave except for Mark and Celci? I can feel everyone's eyes on me and it's making my stomach--..." As if on cue, my stomach decided to flip out, and I felt like I was about to throw up. "M-Mark... G-get them out... Please..."

"Alright, everyone! Get out! This is the Captain's room! Only Celci and I are allowed in here! Out, out!" Thankfully, it only took around 30 seconds for them all to leave the room and close the door behind them. "You alright?"

"Mm-mm..." I shook my head a bit, but that made it worse.

"Oh my--" It seemed like Celci caught on. "Don't worry, Captain. I have a bucket you can--" I immediately threw up in it, not able to hold it in, anymore. Mark face palmed, just now realizing.

"S-sorry..."

"It's okay. That's what it was for. You're burning up, Captain," She said, feeling my forehead. I involuntarily leaned into her cool touch. "You don't look well, either," She commented, noticing how I leaned into her touch.

"...Don't feel well..." I muttered. Mark came over to me, putting a hand on my cheek. I involuntarily leaned into his touch, as well.

"I can see that," He said. "Do you need anything?"

"Mm... Water... I'll get it..." I mumbled, pulling away and sitting up.

"No, no, Captain. I have to get it. You rest."

"...Can get it myself... 'M not using you, anymore..."

"Hey, you can't get it yourself, and it's not using me if you can't do it." I pushed myself up and immediately grabbed Mark's shoulder for support. "Captain."

"...Can... I can get it myself..." I repeated, letting go and wobbling for a moment. I steadied myself. "Plus... It'll get the others... to think 'm fine... and to... leave me alone..."

I took a step and almost lost my balance. I grabbed onto the wall. "You realize they'll think it's weird that you're getting stuff yourself, right?"

"...'M not using you...!" I repeated, walking while leaning on the wall.

"What if you throw up, again? They'll know that you're sick, then! No one will leave you alone!"

I froze. "...F-fine..." I walked back to my bed, still leaning on the wall for support. Celci and Mark helped me carefully lay back down without hitting my already pained head too hard.

"Finnally. Mark can actually help you get better by using his brain," Celci said, putting the blanket on me.

"...'M hot..." I mumbled, pushing the blanket off of me.

"Captain..." I looked at Celci. She was saying something, but I couldn't pay attention. I was zoning out, again, and I couldn't come back to the present until Celci called my name, again. "Captain? Are you listening?" I groaned and moved so that I was flat on my stomach, face in my pillow.

"...'M trying to listen, but I can't..."

"Mark's getting the water." I moved my face towards Celci, my stomach still flat on the bed. She felt my forehead. I leaned into her touch, again. "You're still burning up..."

"...Hasn't been that long since the last time you checked... Has it...?"

"I guess you're right." She pulled her hand away. I moved so I was on my back, again.

Mark came in with a glass of water, and I looked at the one that he had left on the dresser earlier. Mark glanced at it, too. "Oh. Well... This water's cold." I made grabby hands for it like a child. Mark gave it to me and laughed at me, a bit, and Celci punched him in the arm. "Ow!" He exclaimed, rubbing where she punched him.

I drank the water, the cold liquid running down my throat, soothing the pain. It felt like I hadn't had anything to drink in ages.

I put the empty glass down next to where Mark had put the full one. "...'M hungry..." I mumbled.

"Well, you might throw up, so you can't have any solid foods. It's almost lunch. I suppose you can come as long as you take it easy. Let's hope they have Jello or pudding or something. If not, I'm not gonna starve you, so I guess you can eat something solid. Only if they don't have anything else, though," Mark said. I nodded and pushed myself up.

"Hey, they can't come!"

"...'F I don't, the others'll be worried and everyone'll be here, again, staring at me, and 'll feel more sick, again..."

"Fair... Fine. You can go." They helped me stand up, steadily. "Don't blame me if you throw up in front of everyone."

At lunch, they didn't have any Jello or anything, so I was stuck eating the dang tuna sandwich. It was a good sandwich, but it didn't really agree with my stomach.

Luckily, I was able to keep it down for the whole lunch, even with everyone staring at me. I kept reminding myself that if I didn't go through it for a little bit then, I would have to go through it for the rest of the day later.

Mack came up to me. "Hey, Captain. How you feeling?" He teased. I put my head on the table, closing my eyes.

"Not the time, Mack," Mark said, noticing how uneasy I was.

When we were on our way back and away from other people, Celci and Mark both noticed that I was still quiet. "You okay, Captain?" Mark asked. I shook my head. "It's alright. We're almost back." I closed my eyes for a moment and nodded.

When we got back, I stumbled for the bucket and let out all the contents of my stomach. I sat down next to my bed and Celci gave me a look that said "I told you so".

"Shut up..." I mumbled, pushing myself up and onto my bed. "...'S not 'cause I left. 'S 'cause of what I ate. Would have eaten the same thing 'f I'd stayed here. 'M going to sleep, now..." I said as I laid down. I did as I said and let the icy jaws of sleep take over.