Solangelo 4

Part 4

NICO

Weirdly, Will was the one waking me up most the night this time. I feel him readjust for the fourth time in the night.
'Hey, you okay?' I ask, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.
'Fine. Go back to bed.' He says, his voice muffled. I don't question it, already half asleep by the time he's finished his sentence.
When I wake again, he's not in bed. I look up to find him getting changed.
'What's the rush?' I ask, yawning, pulling the duvet around me.
'Early shift.' He says, but his voice still sounds weird.
'What's wrong?' I ask, concerned.
'I'm fine.' He says, but I know he's not. He sneezes.
'Holy shit.' I say, laughing a little, 'You're ill.'
'I'm not. I'm fine.' He insists, but sneezes again.
'Will, you're not fine. You've got the flu or something.' I say, standing up and wrapping the duvet around him, only for him to shrug it off, 'you've got to rest, I'm pretty sure.'
'I've got a shift, Nico, I need to go.' He says, trying to move past me. But I'm quicker than him. I stay in his way.
'What are your symptoms?' I ask.
'I don't have any symptoms.' He says, and sneezes again. And again.
'Bless you.' I say.
'Nico, move.' He says, serious.
'Can't do that, babe.' I say, smiling a little, 'You're ill.'
'I'm not.' He says, but even as he says it, I see him waver a bit. He grabs my shoulder for balance
'Hey, careful, you okay? I'm getting you to a doctor.' I say, moving the duvet back over him.
'I am a doctor.' He says, still not quite able to support himself.
'Well then I'm getting a second opinion.' I say, 'just humour me, okay? Or are you going to make me carry you? Cause you know I will.'
'Fine! Fine. Okay.' He says, and once again tries to get rid of the duvet. But I can see him shivering, so force it back on him, 'Nico, I don't need it.'
'Just let me look after you, okay? Just a for a moment?' I say, and he gives in. We head outside and over to the infirmary, just as the sun is starting to rise.
'Woah, what's this about?' Reve asks as Will and I enter the infirmary.
'He has the flu or something.' I say.
'I'm fine.' Will insists again, but Reve comes up to him anyway and checks him over quickly.
'Dude, you've got the flu.' He says, 'You're ill! I can't believe you're ill. This is the best.'
'Thanks man.' Will says, sitting on the closest bed, and then lying down without even realising.
'He slept pretty bad.' I say to Reve, 'is there something you can give him?'
'Yeah, for sure, don't worry about it.' He says, grabbing some pill bottles and moving to Will's side.
'He can take two pills every four hours, no more than that. They might make him drowsy but nothing too major. He's pretty much just going to be on bed rest for a couple days.' Reve explains.
'Can I take him back to my cabin?' I ask, knowing how hectic the infirmary can get.
'Well...' Reve hesitates.
'What?' I ask, suddenly worried, 'I thought it was just the flu?'
'It is!' He reassures me quickly, 'but Will hasn't been ill like...ever. It's his thing. I mean, we're all pretty good with that, but Will is just beyond that.'
'Your point?'
'Right. He hasn't been ill before this, so his immune system is at an all time low right now. His bodies so used to having no illnesses to fight that now that it has one, it is going to put up a terrible fight.' Reve explains.
'Will he be okay?' I ask.
'I'm fine, Reve.' Will says quickly, 'stop making him worry.'
'You don't need to worry.' Reve says quickly, 'it'll just be safer to keep him in here while he's recovering. Just for a while.'
'Reve, this isn't necessary. I'm fine. I swear.' Will says.
'Will, just do what he says, okay?' I say, looking down at him lying in the bed. He looks way more ill in the light of day. His eyes and nose are red and his breathing seems more laboured, 'please?'
He bites his lip and rolls his eyes, 'Gods, okay. Fine. Only a couple days though.'
'Deal.' Reve says, 'I'll be back in a sec, just got to sort someone else out.'
Reve hurries off, leaving us alone again. Will yawns, which turns into a sneeze.
'Here take these.' I say, passing him two pills. He takes them and swallows them without question.
'Thanks.' He says.
'Get some rest, okay?' I say, resting the back of my hand against his forehead like my mother used to do when we were ill.
'Yeah.' He says, turning to his side and closing his eyes. He already seems to be drifting off, 'night.'
'Sleep well.' I say, pulling the duvet over him and settling down in the chair beside his bed.