To Crush a Rose - Floyd & Riddle

Chapter 5

His whole body ached. The cough had started during dinner the night before and had only grown. The boy curled up in his blanket on the floor, burying his head as he whined in agony. Riddle's throat was raw, his diaphragm sore, and the growing fever had him sweating despite how cold he felt.

He wished his mother was there. Even if she was overly strict at times, even cruel at other times, he missed the way she'd dote on him when he was sick. It was a part of her job, not only as a mother, but as a health professional as well. But those were some of the only times she was truly tender with him. She'd bring a damp towel, wiping the sweat from his brow as her fingers ran through his hair. Sometimes she'd even hum a little tune as she did so to calm him.

Instead, he was alone. The previous night Floyd had almost seemed wary of his sickness and hadn't bothered to check in on him. Riddle didn't really blame him for that, though. The years were ticking by and the now twelve-year-old was getting closer and closer to becoming the other's dinner. And while there were times when the ghoul was truly kind, such as trying to spoil him with clothing and bringing treats and candies from town, he was acutely aware that someday he'd be eaten. It was likely Floyd didn't want to put too much energy into a relatively short-term investment.

The familiar sound of the lock on his door echoed in the nearly-empty bedroom, though he didn't turn to look at it. Instead, he curled up more, not wanting to deal with the headache that was the teenager while he already had a headache. "Goldfish?" Floyd whispered and the redhead gave a grunt in response. "Goldfish are you okay?" He could hear the pattering of the other's feet as he tried to quietly move across the room before kneeling at the younger boy's side. A hand rested on his side, though it quickly retracted once another fit of coughs overtook him. "D-Do you need anything?" Riddle didn't understand why the other's voice was shaking.

"Water." His voice was hoarse. Floyd stood up and was much less quiet as he rushed out of the room. He could hear the sound of water running from the kitchen, prompting him to sit up on the floor. The teenager rushed back, water spilling over the lip of the cup as he knelt back down next to him. The redhead gulped the water down, blue-grey eyes examining the concern on the other's face.

Another coughing fit shot pain through his entire body before he took the water from the other, chugging it down as quickly as he could. He glanced towards the ghoul once more, brows furrowing as he noted the glossy sheen on his eyes. "What?" He spat out, setting the empty glass next to him on the floor.

"A-Are you going to die?"

Riddle blinked a couple times, staring at the teenager before him. His head tilted slightly, giving him a confused expression. "What makes you think I would die?"

"It's just..." He paused for a moment, lips pressing tightly together. "I've heard about...consumption, you know? And I knew someone who died from whooping cough a long time ago." Floyd shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet the younger boy's eyes.

The redhead couldn't help but laugh, which only resulted in another coughing fit. He winced slightly, annoyed by how badly his lungs ached. "I'm not going to die, you idiot." He couldn't help the amusement in his voice.

The teal-haired boy perked up, excitedly leaning forward. "Are you sure?"

Riddle watched the other for a long moment, taking in the genuine concern in his expression. With how long he'd lived there, he couldn't say he hated the other as much as he should have. There was always the vague threat of being eaten. Hell, he still had nightmares about his mother. But despite that, there was a kindness there that made him wonder if this concern was for him or for Floyd's future meal.