Bonding and Bite Marks

Mated

"John?" Naru murmured worriedly as he approached the bed. He could see John's curled up form sobbing and squirming in discomfort. He looked terrible. His skin was losing its flush now, despite how hot he was. His clothes were damp from sweat and slick, but he still hadn't pulled them off. Thankfully, the mattress part of the sofa bed had a waterproof bedsheet, since Naru used it for heats himself. "John!" Naru was truly alarmed as he realised how unfocused John's eyes were. He quickly snagged a bottle of water from the bag he'd lugged in and hurried over.

He cooed and calmed John, trying to coax him to accept the bottle with his lips. John remained delirious, writhing and whining, feverish and unfocused. Naru honestly wasn't sure how much water was going down his throat and how much was dribbling down his chin. It was better than nothing. After a few moments, John seemed to regain a little of himself. His eyes focused, and he squinted at Naru apologetically.

"Sorry...so...trouble..." His voice was a so weak it was barely a rasp. Naru's eyes softened as he crouched beside the bed. He ran a hand through John's damp locks, feeling the burning heat of his scalp. His smile was strained as he drew back. It wasn't good for his brain to be so hot. His head must be pounding from the feeling of the organ slowly cooking. John needed to be taken care of. He needed to eat and drink. He needed physical relief from the strain his body was under. He needed to be cooled off. He was sweating too much without replenishing the lost fluid. He wasn't eating, so it was unlikely he'd have the strength to get through this heat alone.

"It's no trouble...but John...You really need someone to see you through this," Naru said meaningfully, watching John shake his head with all the strength he had left. The movement, and the rub of material against his sensitive skin, made him whimper in distress. Naru bit his lip. He couldn't choose for him, but if things didn't improve, he'd have no choice but to call the hospital and have John admitted for emergency care. He slowly fed John a granola bar and encouraged the rest of the water down his throat before unpacking more of the bag. John had huddled on his side to watch him vulnerably from his place on the bed, arms wrapped around himself tightly. His knuckles were white. His stomach was turning. "I brought you some things..." Naru said gently as he pulled the bag closer.

He'd brought a few sets of pyjamas so that John could change, and a set of clothes he could keep for when he left. He'd grabbed some towels, a fleece blanket that John obviously used to wrap himself in regularly, his bible, his rosary, an album of pictures, a framed family photo, a couple of books, his teddy bear, and a handful of handwritten letters that were written in English. John desperately grasped the warm blanket and buried his face in it. It carried his scent and made the room more familiar. Naru softened as he quietly tucked the bear under John's arm and nudged the cushion beneath his head. He was still utterly miserable, but Naru could tell the familiar items had helped a little at least.

"Oh, you'll need the bathroom. Look over here," Naru said as he walked across the small room and reached for the bookcase. The tall case easily swung out to reveal a small walk-in bathroom. It was just the right size for a sink, a toilet, and a small shower. The whole room was tiled for easy cleaning and sterilisation. John could smell the bleach. Beneath the bleach, he could also detect the sweet, heady scent of Naru, likely from his last heat. "I'll keep coming to check on you...Try to sleep a little," Naru advised before leaving the room to talk to the others.

"How is he?" Lin asked stiffly as Naru opened his door. He shook his head worriedly at the question. That bad...A sense of dread settled into the pit of Lin's stomach. There was an omega close by. Weak and vulnerable. His instincts were screaming at him to do his biological duty. To claim and protect. He was still trying to ignore the scent of John hanging on everything. Naru was now saturated in it. He was close to pinning him to his desk. He probably would have if he hadn't spent so many years raising him as a brother. Naru stepped back warily, well able to sense Lin's mood. He always had been. It was why he was still pure and untainted.