The warmth of Claude's arms around Byleth was comforting and calming.
The nausea, headache, and pain in her chest were not.
Byleth just grunted and shifted slightly in his embrace. Falling asleep next to him had been one of the things she missed most, if she was being honest. Well, that was alongside just hearing his melodic voice and seeing his handsome face as he smiled and laughed so playfully-
Byleth was getting a little carried away here, but she was honestly grateful for the distraction. It took her mind off of the pain she was currently feeling.
However, her dreaming did indeed end, leaving her with only one question; why? Why was she even feeling like this? Even wondering about it made the nausea grow. Byleth had to clamp a hand over her mouth as a wave of nausea overcame her, and she quickly mobilized to get to the bathroom just in case. Claude quickly stirred, moving his arms so she could move more freely as she exited the bed and ran toward the toilet. She hovered over it before feeling her heart lurch.
"Teach...? Are you okay?" Claude was instantly alert and by her side, though his voice was still husky and masked with fake cheerfulness. She would have been flattered if it wasn't for the awful condition she was in.
"I-I don't know-" Even speaking hurt Byleth as a pain stabbed through her chest. She gasped loudly as her hand subconsciously went to her chest. "O-Okay, the answer is no-"
"Nausea? Heart pain?" He quipped, and she nodded. "...I...I thought you said this ended..."
"I thought so too. It's just back now, and I-"
Byleth couldn't even finish her sentence before she needed to hurl. Claude held her hair back as she retched. Once she was done, she sunk backwards and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, a defeated look on her face.
"Here, Teach. Let's get you back in bed," Claude offered before helping her off the ground. She washed her hands and face before letting him carry her back to the bedroom. "Rest here, okay? I'm gonna go clean up the bathroom."
"Thanks."
As Claude left to the bathroom, Byleth could only lie back in bed, a frustrated look on her face. She thought that these days were over. She had been completely pain free, just what had changed? It had come and gone so randomly. There was no pattern to her sickness. It seemed like it had only gone away just to give her hope, only to strip it away so cruelly...
"Okay, Teach. This...I'm assuming this is the illness coming back," Claude bit his lip after he entered the room. "We should call Manuela and your father. Do you want me to do it?"
"Yes, please," Byleth could barely manage the words out. How had her condition gone from perfectly fine to worse than it had ever been before in one night? She could barely speak, let alone alert her father and doctor about what was going on. Her eyes were heavy as she struggled to keep them open. "Claude...I don't understand..."
"Me neither, Teach...but we're going to figure it out," He comfortingly squeezed her hand before he dialed on the phone. "Hello? Yes..."
Byleth could barely even hear what he was saying anymore. All the while, confusion and pain swirled around in Byleth's mind as she tried to make sense of anything going on around her. It was no use. She couldn't comprehend any of it. Why...why...?
Why wasn't she just allowed to live a happy life?
"Okay, both of them are on their way," Claude announced. "Manuela wants to take a look at the potion, which is completely fair...we're going to get through this, Teach. I won't let you die."
"I just don't get it...why has it come back...?" Byleth asked hoarsely. "Why...Why...?"
"I have no idea. But Teach...just rest up, okay? It's not going to do either of us any good to keep stressing about something we can't possibly know."
Byleth couldn't argue with that; she simply didn't have the strength. So she shut her eyes and sunk into a quick and dreamless slumber. However, it felt like only seconds when she heard voices around her, awakening her back to her feverish state.
"I mean, I've never seen anything like this. You said it worked on some people back in Almyra?" Manuela had a hint of confusion in her voice. "I didn't know you were capable of mixing something together like this."
"Anything for Teach," Claude's voice lacked it's usual playful tone. He sounded exhausted, matching Byleth's own feelings. "Yes, it worked. There are a lot of things I don't really know about it...but it has got to be better than nothing. Everything else just...it's not pertaining to her condition..."
"If you think it'll work, Claude, then I trust you," Jeralt said. "Like you said, anything for the Kid...If this doesn't work, then I doubt anything will. I've seen your devotion to her, and nothing can be stronger than that. I hope."
"...Me too," Byleth managed to weakly add to the conversation as she reached out to place her hand on her father's arm. "Dad..."
"Claude told us everything, kiddo. What do you think bout the potion?"
"I...I wanna try whatever it takes," Byleth croaked. "I trust you, Claude..."
"Okay, then...here you go," Claude handed her the flask, where she promptly took it and drank the potion. It was bitter and then incredibly sweet like a cough drop. Byleth wiped her mouth before handing the flask back to Claude. He planted a kiss on her cheek before he spoke. "Get some rest, Teach...hopefully everything will be better when you wake up."
"Yeah, hopefully," Byleth mumbled.
This was the last chance she had to get better.
It had to work.
YOU ARE READING
Race Against Time
Fanfiction"BYLETH, YOU'RE DYING." Those were the words Byleth Eisner had heard her entire life...but it had never rang true. She had always known that the doctors were wrong, that she was going to keep living, but the fear of death was constant. Born with a h...
