Ricky Bowen Sickfics

27

prompt 15 + laryngitis

Third Person POV

Every year as summer changed into fall and fall changed into winter, Ricky Bowen would get sick. There was just something about the seasons changing that fucked with his immune system. Nini noticed over the years but Ricky hadn't. He always assumed that he would just get a random cold and never put much thought into it.
This year as fall changed into winter the drama club was in the thick of rehearsals. They were starting to get ready to run through the multiple scenes in a row, hoping to work up to the entire show.
There was a lot of stress in the drama club at the moment and tension was ever present. Tension raised when Ricky came in one day with a sore throat. He was convinced it was due to the amount of singing he had to do in rehearsals, he had never sang that much in his life.
Ricky hadn't spoken much with anyone throughout the school day except for Red who could tell if something was off about Ricky just by looking at him. Red had asked if he was okay first thing in the morning as Ricky cleared his throat one too many times in front of his locker. Ricky assured Red that he was fine.
Throughout the day Ricky's throat started to hurt more and more. He tried to avoid talking in his classes and he made sure to drink as much water as possible. Still, by the time rehearsals rolled around his throat was starting to ache more.
"Alright, busy day today people!" Miss Jenn started babbling about the show and Ricky found himself tuning her voice out. He realized he probably shouldn't do that as he was one of the leads but for some reason he had a hard time focusing on what she was saying.
"Ricky?"
Ricky was snapped out of his daze to realize that he was the only one still standing in place. The others had dispersed and started to get things going.
"Huh?"
Miss Jenn sighed. "Ricky, honey, are you okay? I called your name like five times."
"Yeah yeah just a little zoned out. I'm sorry it won't happen again," Ricky's voice cracked on his last few words and he rubbed at his throat.
Miss Jenn gave him a worried look.
Ricky assured her, "I'm okay. I think the extra practice is catching up to me a little. I've never sang this much this frequently."
His excuse was accepted and then Miss Jenn ushered him off to the others to get started.
Ricky had to go warm up his voice with Nini so they could rehearse Start of Something New. Nini was playing the piano as they warmed up. Ricky's voice was cracking every few notes so he cleared his throat and excused himself to get some water. When he returned things went smoothly for a little while until it happened: his first cough.
Nini ignored it and Ricky couldn't have been more thankful. He cleared his throat and continued.
However, after that first cough things started to go downhill quickly. Ricky was coughing more and more as time went on.
When it came time for him and Nini to start actually rehearsing he was not doing well. Ricky had to stop in the middle of a scene to take his jacket off and he started coughing once he finished his lines.
After about two hours of rehearsal Ricky's voice was starting to become audibly scratchy. He was losing his ability to hit notes quickly.
"Ricky, you're done. You're going to mess up your voice if you keep straining yourself," Miss Jenn said. "Nini since we can't run this scene anymore please take Ricky to the nurse."
Ricky was confused. "Why am I going to the nurse?"
"Are you joking?" Miss Jenn asked. "Because if you're joking it's not funny."
"No, I'm not joking," Ricky said.
Miss Jenn sighed at him. "Ricky, listen to your voice. You've been in a haze all of rehearsal. You're sick."
"What? No, no I'm not. It's from all the singing, I told you," Ricky said.
Nini rolled her eyes. "This happens every time the seasons change, Miss Jenn."
"No it doesn't," Ricky argued.
Red popped in from nowhere. "Yes it does."
"Shut up, Red." Ricky scowled.
"Just tellin' the truth, dude."
Ricky crossed his arms.
"Ricky even if you don't think you're sick at least just go to the nurse and get checked out. If you're not sick, fine, you can stay and watch but you'll still be on vocal rest," Miss Jenn ordered.
Ricky could feel tears coming up to his eyes. He swallowed hard but all that did was make him cough.
"Come on, Ricky." Nini looped her arm through Ricky's and started walking him to the nurse's office. While they were walking she noticed an incredible heat radiating from Ricky's body. She stopped walking.
"What? Why'd you stop walki-" He stopped speaking abruptly as Nini put her hand on his forehead. "Hey!" He swatted Nini's hand away and took a step back.
"Ricky," Nini sighed, "You have a fever."
Ricky shook his head. "I doubt it. You always run cold, we know that."
Nini wanted to protest but she knew it would be of little use. They kept walking.
They were almost to the nurse's office when it was Ricky's turn to stop walking.
"You okay?" Nini asked. Ricky had a spaced out look on his face.
His eyebrows were wiggling slightly and his lips were parted. Nini was about to say something else when Ricky snapped forward and sneezed into his hands twice.
"Bless you," Nini said pointedly.
Ricky rolled his eyes. "Am I not allowed to sneeze?"
"Of course you are, I just think it's funny that it happened now as you claim to be perfectly fine," Nini said.
"People sneeze all the time, Nini. I can't control that. It's not my fault it happened now. I haven't sneezed at all today!" Ricky was getting worked up.
Nini backed off. "Alright, alright. Come on, let's keep going."
They finally reached the nurse's office and Nini stayed with Ricky. He was always nervous around doctors and nurses. They waited in the little lobby of the office until they were called back.
"What seems to be the problem?" She asked.
Nini started talking before Ricky could. "My friend here is sick and we just got sent here from rehearsals."
"I'm not sick, I have a sore throat," Ricky said.
"We'll see about that. Open up."
Ricky opened his mouth and the nurse put a thermometer inside. Ricky sniffled and wiped at his nose after she took it out.
"100.4, that's a fever kiddo. You're sick," the nurse said.
"It must be wrong, can you do it again?" Ricky tried.
Nini put her hand on his arm. "Ricky, it's a thermometer. It's not wrong."
"Alright, since you have a fever you'll be unable to keep rehearsing. I can give you some tylenol," the nurse offered.
Ricky kept resisting. "I'm not sick!" His voice caught on the last word and sent Ricky into a coughing fit. He held his throat and tried to quell the itch from the outside.
"Come on, let's go get your stuff and get you home."
Ricky didn't say a word on the way back to the drama department, not even a "thank you" after either time Nini blessed two separate sneezes that came from Ricky.
"Miss Jenn, Ricky has a fever. What should we do?" Nini asked.
Miss Jenn thought for a moment. "Ricky, you can stay and watch what we run through for the rest of rehearsal. I don't want you driving yourself home."
That was a relief. Ricky didn't want to have to abandon rehearsal completely. He felt like he was letting everyone down so much already.
That sentiment changed as rehearsal went on and Ricky started to feel worse. His cough worsened and he was starting to become congested. Plus, the spotlights weren't helping the ache that was forming in his sinuses and over his skull. He ended up having to wander off to find tissues about halfway through rehearsal. He felt so pitiful, but he was still trying to convince himself that he wasn't sick.
After rehearsal ended Miss Jenn had Nini drive him home and then she walked back to her house. Ricky fell asleep almost immediately.