Past Hidden by a Broken Smile (Being Edited)

Chapter Twelve: Sick and Tired

Zeldris was starting to regret his attempts at bonding. Sure, in the moment it was great! The two brothers laughed and spent time together as the ravenette actually felt useful for once at being able to teach his little brother something. But that came with the unfortunate price of food poisoning as he turned bedridden the next day with all of the usual symptoms: vomiting, fever, fatigue.

Ugh, great. The one time I get to have a great big brother moment and the next day the roles are totally reversed, and Meliodas is taking care of me instead. Absolutely fantastic. 

He tried not to be too big of a burden, but his claims of being perfectly fine were offset pretty quickly by the fact that he had to use a bucket every hour or so. Of course, Esta checked in pretty often too, but the man couldn't help that he still had a business to run. And after a while of the man running back and forth between his weapon's shop and the tavern, the ravenette insisted he stop traveling so much. It was clearly exhausting his brother, and Zeldris already felt like a burden for one of his siblings, making it two would only stress him out more. So now it was just him and his younger sibling, who was spoon-feeding him medicine. 

"Meli, I said I'm fine. You really don't have to do this."

"Yeah, well you can say whatever ya want, but it won't change the fact that your fever is getting worse, and you can't keep down any food. Besides, this is technically my fault, so it makes sense I help to take care of you. "

The blond didn't make the surely tiresome act sound like a big deal, but that didn't help the man's self-deprecating thoughts at all as he tried not to focus on the thought that he was causing his kin to lose business. 

"Heh, yeah, I guess this makes times you've poisoned me six instead of five now."

Meliodas sent him a wry smile, keeping up with the wit as well as ever. 

'And it still hasn't killed you yet, a miracle."

Zelris smiled as he settled down into the bed, he was finding it harder and harder to hold his head up now.

"Here, lay on your side, that way if you vomit in your sleep you won't choke."

The blond's voice was caring, gentle and firm in a blend that reminded the ravennete of a time long ago when he had gotten sick just like this.

" Do... Do you remember when I got a cold after taking care of you when you had one, and you made me soup? All you had to do was heat it up, but it still tasted awful. Like you burnt it somehow. How the hell do you burn soup in a microwave?"

His chuckling hurt his already raw throat, but it was worth it to see Meliodas's bright smile return. 

"Hey, gimme a break. I was like- six. I didn't have much knowledge on medical stuff yet, that was my best attempt I could make to help you feel better."

"Well, it seems like that changed. How'd you get so good at this medical stuff? Even Esta isn't this attentive, and he's managed to keep my dumbass alive for the past seven years, so he's pretty good."

"Well ya kind of have to know your stuff as a Holy Knight. In case you get hurt in battle or something."

"Have you ever gotten hurt like that, Meli?"

Normally Zeldris wouldn't be stupid enough to ask something that was potentially so sensitive, but his brain wasn't working great as the pain in his stomach and the fever worked against his concentration. 

Though he grew more alert quickly as he noticed the way Meliodas's body language changed so drastically, even if only for a second. His eyes turned away, his shoulders slumped and tensed, and his lips thinned as if they were forcing themselves not to open for a moment. But just as fast as that movement had happened, he changed back to easygoing with such rapid speed, the ravenette was starting to worry his fever had gotten high enough to make him see things.

"Nah, I've never had to deal with that as a knight personally."

The way his brother phrased the statement made it seem more loaded than its initial meaning, but the tone of voice that went with it was so casual and chipper, that Zeldris reasoned he was just looking too deeply into it. 

"Well, that's good. Can't have my little brother getting hurt in battle, can I....?"

His voice started to trail off as he felt his eyelids start to grow heavy and flutter closed from his body demanding rest. A notion that was soon echoed by his brother as well. 

"Get some sleep, Zeldy, your body needs it. And don't worry, I'll be right here with the bucket in case you hurl, kay?"

He nodded sluggishly, his mind already fading to black as he felt Meliodas reassure him by pulling the sheet up onto his shoulder. 

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Meliodas sighed as Zeldris faded fast, he was clearly exhausted from his body trying to expel the contents of his stomach all day, and the blond felt a bit of that fatigue himself as well, although, more emotionally than physically. 

His brother had struck a bit of a nerve on his comments about the sin's knack for health, and it was only made worse when he said what he did after. 

"Can't have my little brother getting hurt in battle, can I?"

If only you knew, Zeldris. Although I guess you don't have to worry about any future incidences, because I seriously doubt any injury I could possibly get in battle would be worse than what they did to me. 

Deciding to step out for a minute as the thought almost brought up things he didn't want to remember, he felt an irrational moment of frustration towards his siblings. They both were just so... nostalgic. They wanted to relive their past with him and talk about all of the memories they used to share, but Meliodas couldn't share those same warm and fuzzy feelings they got over reminiscing. Because thinking of his time with them only made him start to think of her. And he had spent half a lifetime trying to forget. 

My dream may have been right about my old self still being alive- though I'm still skeptical to believe that- but if that's the case, they were also right about why I'd never let it back out. Because I'd rather never smile genuinely again then spend every night crying like I used to.  Especially now that my brothers are back. Because they might both be older than me, but the horrors I've gone through would destroy them for sure if I ever tried to share my burden with them. It's too heavy, and I've gotten used to carrying it alone by now. 

I hope this is okay, I love this story, but it's been so long since I've updated that I'm nervous to see if quality has declined.  >_<