KOTLC One-shots

Don't Worry Yourself Sick - Fedex

Word count: 800 words

Someone on tumblr offered to do an art trade if anyone were to write them a fedex sickfic. Who am I to neglect an opportunity to get fanart of my fic (art not for this fic, but the revstar hekster+others theatre au)

(Funnily enough despite the fact that this fic technically starts where my previous fedex work ended (this takes place post bug-stab scene from book 4, but pre-exillium) this is not the same au. The sickfic is more actual canon adjacent)

Warnings: nothing in particular

Dex sat hunched over on the bed, fiddling with one of his gadgets. Several others were strewn all over around him. Fitz's back hurt just thinking about how uncomfortable the position looked.

"Dex?"

No response. Fitz took a few step forwards, his knees buckling. He managed to grab a piece of furniture to stabilize himself, but not before stubbing his toe.

Dex whipped around, startled. "What are you doing here? You should be resting."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be resting too?"

"I'm not the one who almost died."

"I just need to drink that gross tea one more time, I'm basically recovered."

Fitz took another step forward, his knees buckling briefly again.

"Looks recovered to me, Wonderboy."

"I haven't walked in days, I can not be blamed."

Dex rolled his eyes, moving his inventions off to the side. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for Keefe," Fitz replied.

"He's with Sophie, deciphering his memories or whatever," Dex said, not looking at him.

Part of him wanted to go join them. Maybe him being Sophie's cognate would help. But if he went there, they'd both fuss over his condition. Instead, he sat down on the newly-made available free space on the bed. Dex turned to him and raised an eyebrow at him, but when he didn't say anything, Dex turned back and picked up the Twiggler. He'd never really sat around Dex like this before, since Dex usually worked alone. Fitz found himself just a little bit entranced by his habits: humming, the occasional cursing, all as if he'd already forgotten that Fitz was sitting right there.

He probably should have been more annoyed at the accidental ignorance of his presence, but honestly, he found it almost refreshing. 

When Fitz started noting the slight red flush on Dex's cheeks, he tore his eyes away, a blueprint catching his eye. It was all wrinkled as if it'd gotten wet and crumpled and tossed around, with harsh scribbled written all over. He recognized that invention. It was the cube that had blown up and gotten Fitz accidentally stabbed. All the scribbles were questioning why it ended up resulting in injury. Heart heavy, he looked away, and while the other blueprints didn't look nearly as worn down, they all had lots of scribbles. He was no technopath, but he knew this must have been the work of dozens of late nights.

Fitz looked back at Dex, his face still flushed. "It wasn't your fault, you know that, right? I told you, I don't blame you."

Dex started as if remembering there was another person in the room. "Yeah yeah, so you've said. Still, I need to do everything I can so that it won't happen again."

"You work too hard, you need to rest."

"Everyone's been working so hard. I don't---I don't want to talk about this with you."

Fitz sighed, but understood. He would never understand what Dex Dizznee had gone through, knew that even now, Dex didn't really like him. Instead,  he put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "You've been doing well so far."

Dex stilled. Even with the cloth of his shirt separating, Dex felt warm to the touch. Fitz moved his hand up to his forehead.

"Wonderboy?" Dex asked, his voice a groggy murmur. As Fitz expected, his face was feverish. He even leaned into the hand for a half second, before pulling away, a scowl on his face, but way too weak.

"You're sick," he said.

"'m not," Dex replied. "You're sick."

An amused huff came out. "I'm getting Physic."

Dex raised an eyebrow. "And have her ask why you're out of bed too?"

"Oh. Damn it. But I'm making sure you go to sleep. Do you arrange your stuff any particular way?"

"Nah, just shove it in a corner."

He picked up all the papers and neatly put them in a stack, resting them on the nightstand, and carefully placing the half-made inventions on top. He grabbed a full Bottle of Youth and passed it to Dex. "Drink up, recover fast."

Dex smiled. "You don't have to nurse me back to health."

Fitz smiled back. "We'll all need you at full strength."

"Yeah, I get it." He downed half the bottle, then put it back on the nightstand. "Oh yeah, Keefe stole your dragon, kinda just threw it at me and told me to keep it hidden for now."

Fitz held Mr. Snuggles close. "I'm getting back at him for that... it's comfortable, and I don't want to get back up."

"Just sleep here, bed's big enough."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Ugh, just accept before I take it back."

"Nope---you made the offer!"

"I'm so gonna regret it. I blame the fact that I'm sick."

They both went under the covers, carefully spaced away from each other. Still, Fitz felt that this was the closest they'd been so far. Maybe they could even get closer.