Burning Ice & Freezing Fire

Chicken Soup?!

This time the knock at the door startles none of the two men.

Robbie, because he's dozing completely exhausted with his head on a pillow in the hero's lap, and Sportacus because he was expecting Stephanie back by now. Very carefully he now lifts the villain out of his lap, extracting a low whine from him during this, and places him on the bed, shortly, soothingly stroking his hot cheek, before he stands up from the bed and silently goes over to open the door he had closed again, because Robbie was freezing despite his high temperature.

"Stephanie," he smiles at the girl and reaches out to take the heavy appearing basket from her, whispering "Come on in."

"Thanks," she follows him, keeping her voice low as well "How is Robbie?"

"...Not...particularly good..." admits the elf after a few seconds of considering telling her that everything is all right, although it clearly isn't while emptying the basket, taking out a great box with soup and, to his surprise some board games and a deck of cards "...He... He feels incredible insecure and...thinks of himself as a...burden... He's dozing now."

"Oh..." Stephanie furrows her brows in concern and silently goes over to the bed. With growing pity she watches the beloved town villain sleep, his face twitching, his expression far from relaxed "...Poor Robbie... He looks even worse and sicker than before..."

"...I know..." Sportacus can't keep his voice from breaking a bit, but he quickly tries to sound enthusiastic again "But I'm sure he'll feel better again, once he ate your soup!"

"Hm..." she nods but keeps her eyes fixed on the villain "...I brought you some games... Maybe you can distract him a little with playing so he'll feel better..."

"Yes, thank you. That was a good idea. Maybe..."

"...Sportacus..." whimpers Robbie suddenly lowly and starts writhing in his sleep "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

"Robbie," Sportacus runs over to the bed and bows down, carefully grabbing the felf's shoulders to keep him from lashing around "Robbie! Easy! It's okay!"

"N-No! Please! D-Don't hurt him!" cries the other and reflexively holds on to the strong arms that hold him down "It's not his fault! Please! Please..."

Sportacus doesn't see any other way. He quickly sits down on the bed, lifts Robbie's upper body into his lap and gently presses the villain's face sideways against his chest "Shush... Wake up, Robbie... Wake up..."

The felf whimpers a little more, but then he falls slack in the hero's arms and opens his eyes with a low groan "...Sportacus... What... Where..."

"It's okay. It was only a dream..." assures the elf softly, gently strokes his cheek and rubs his back "Everything is all right..." he looks up and sees Stephanie's worried, questioning gaze and nods once. She steps closer "Hey, Robbie..."

The villain winces a little but turns his head to look at the girl who's standing next to the bed and smiling at him very softly. He relaxes again, and doesn't follow his first instinct to push Sportacus off, but keeps holding on to him instead "...Stephanie..."

Both, hero and girl exchange a surprised look when Robbie uses her real name instead of 'pink girl' or something. But Sportacus quickly pulls himself together again "She brought you soup. And some games that will help to kill time until you're fit again." Robbie smiles. Weakly but gradually thankfully "That's nice of you, pink girl... Really nice. Except if these games include a ball or anything. Then it is not," he blinks. Stephanie smirks "No, don't worry. They're especially fitting for lazy people...and sick ones!"