The story of us (Shance Fluff Week 17/18)

Fever humming (day 2: silence/laughter)

He could have sworn it was just a tickle.

When Shiro woke up, it was just a scratch in his throat, the rough cut of air as he breathed out and coughed into sleep-warm metal. Lance, thankfully, didn't stir, music still blasting through his earbuds like it was when Shiro got into bed the night before.

He sat with a grunt, stretching his arms with a click, and-
He coughed again.
Maybe his throat was just dry? It wasn't unheard of - Lance said he had a tendency to snore when he slept on his back - so all he wanted right now was a drink. A drink, and maybe some Altean painkillers or something for the small throb that was growing behind his eyes.
It was then that a shiver erupted down his back, pricking his arms and legs with harsh goosebumps, stabbing like pins in his nerves.

Was it him, or was it cold in here?

Either way, he needed to get moving. They had a full day of training ahead of them; the Blade wanted to launch an attack in a few movements, and the Paladins needed briefing, needed informing on what was going on, needed-
He stood, and it was at that point when the room decided to spin around him, oh boy-

No, he had to focus. He needed to change; his armour was in a pile in the corner of the room, undersuit neatly folded on top with Lance's characteristic crumpled mess beside it. The shower was calling, if just a cold one to focus him, calm his nerves, bring him back to reality whilst stripping off this cold sweat that had settled on him during the night, but his bones said he couldn't be bothered. He'd only need to shower later, after training - why bother showering when he'd only need another one later?
For now though, he focused on putting one foot in front of the other, reaching out tentatively with shaking hands. This should be simple - he'd put the undersuit on so many times it was practically second nature to him, but then again-

"Kashi?"

At the call, he span around on the ball of his foot back to face the bed, flinging out a hand to stop himself. Lance was propped up on an elbow, glaring at him with squinted eyes.
Shit, he'd woken him up.

"You okay there?"

"I'm- I'm fine," Shiro replied, fixing a grin as he made attempts to stand at straight as he could.
Lance raised an eyebrow, lips fixing into a drawn line. "Are you sure? Because fine-Shiro's don't usually stumble around a room like a newborn goat at seven in the morning."

"I stood up too quickly," Shiro shot back, letting his hand drop to the side as the giddiness mercifully began to leave him, "don't worry, love, I'll be back soon."

"Goin' for a run?" The unimpressed line on his face morphed into an easy smile, and Shiro relaxed on the spot.
"Of course," he replied with a nod, tugging the rest of the undersuit up over his torso, "I'll wake you when I get back, okay?"

All he received was a hum, as Lance fell backwards onto the bed under the sheets.

Now, all he had to to was get his armour on, and he was golden. The giddiness had left him, his head wasn't as bad, his throat still felt rough but he hadn't had a drink yet.
Maybe he did just sit up too quickly.

~

Something was definitely wrong.

By his timekeeping, Shiro had been running for a little under a varga, and the lights that signalled the start of the 'day' had been up for at least half of that time. He'd had numerous water pouches, stopped to breathe several more times than he usually would have, and had taken different routes rather than his usual circuit, done all he could to remove this static that had settled in his bones.
Nothing had worked, and the headache that he thought was gone had now turned to pounding against his temples. It was painfully rhythmic against his brain, a one-two-one-two-one-two-one-