#cold fever

Curio sat quietly at the dinner table, picking at the food on his plate.  He wasn't hungry at all.  The smell of the food made him feel nauseous.  

There was silence in the dining hall, as they ate.  Every now and then his parents would talk about something, completely ignoring Curio where he sat.

"Curio" his mother said, snaping his attention towards her "Do not pick at your food"

Curio glanced down at the plate, before putting his cutlery down.  "I apologize, Mother" he said softly, stifling a cough.  For a moment his vision went out of focus.  He took a deep breath, before looking at his parents.  

They’ve turned their attention away from him, talking again.  

He breathed out before motioning with a slight smile that they butler could take away his food.  

“Are you sure, Sir?” the man asked quietly, leaning slightly closer to Curio, so that his parents couldn’t hear.

Curio nodded slightly.  “Yes, thank you, James” he said softly.

James nodded and quickly took away Curio’s plate.  

It took a while before his parents realized that there was no food in front Curio.  

“Curio” his father said “Have you finished eating already?”

“Yes, Sir” Curio said quietly.

“Are your homework finished?” his father asked.  

“Yes, Sir”

“Any extra work that needs finished?”

“No, Sir...  I’ve finished everything”

“Then leave the table if you don’t have anything to add”

Curio swallowed as he nodded.  “Yes, Sir” he said softly “Please excuse me”

He slowly got up from the table, just keeping him hand on the back of the chair to keep himself from falling over.  He walked out of the dining room as he closed the door behind him, he just slumped against the wall, closing his eyes.  

After a moment he started coughing again.  A shiver ran through his body and small sparks of lighting formed around him.  

Wrapping his arms around himself, he stumbled up the stairs towards his room.  As he reached the hallways to his room, the world tilted and he fell against the wall.  Slowly he sank down to the floor.  

The lights flickered slightly as Curio gasped for breath before coughing and shivering.  

A soft whimper sounded from him.  He tried to keep himself from passing out, but he could barely keep his eyes open.

“....”

The voice sounded like stones being grinded together in his head.  He couldn’t even make out what was being said.  

“....”

Curio forced himself open his eyes, searching for the owner of the voice.  

“...Sir...”

He blinked, his vision finally starting to clear.  He could make out someone crouching in front of him.  

“Timothy....” he groaned.

The butler smiled and nodded.  “Sir...  can you get up?” the man asked gently.

Curio groaned before a cough ripped painfully through his chest.  He just curled up on the floor, trying to push the pain to the back of his mind.  

Timothy placed his hands on Curio’s shoulders, waiting for the teen to stop coughing.  

“Sir” he said softly “Let’s get you to your room”

Slowly, Curio tried to push himself up, but his body just gave in, forcing Timothy to catch him.  

Gently the butler helped Curio to get up, half carrying the teen down the hall towards his room.  When they reached Curio’s bed, the teen was gasping for breath, trembling.  

“Come now, Sir” Timothy said softly, helping Curio onto the bed “Please get some rest.  I will get you some medicine”

Curio nodded slightly as he started coughing again.  

Timothy gently pulled two blankets over Curio, before turning up the temperature of the room.  

Curio did not even notice as Timothy left the room.  He just curled up on his side, pulling the blankets even tighter around his shoulders.  His throat hurt from all the coughing and he could barely keep his eyes open.  Every part of his body hurt so badly.

He started fading, drifting off into darkness. 

***

When the door opened, Shaun and Fiona stepped into the room, quickly giving the butler that let him in bow.  

“Thank you” he said.

Timothy nodded.  “Call if you need anything, Sir” he said before closing the door.

Fiona quickly walked over to the trembling form on the bed.  She chewed her lip as she reached the bed.  

“What’s going on with him?” Shaun asked as he followed her to the bed.  

A frown formed on his face as he watched Curio.  The other guy looked so pale, making the bags under his eyes look even darker.  There was small beads of sweat running down Curio’s face.  

Fiona sat down on the bed, putting her hand against Curio’s forehead.  

Curio leaned slightly into her hand.  

“Curio...” Fiona said softly “Hey...”

Curio’s eyes flickered open for a moment.  They were fevered and looked confused.  

“Fae...?” he muttered before he started coughing again.  

Immediately Fiona reach towards him with her healing and cleared his throat and airways so he could breath more easily.  

After a moment, the coughing calmed down.

“Hey...” Fiona said again, as Curio’s fevered eyes focused on her.  

“Fae....” Curio muttered, before his eyes flickered to Shaun “Shaw....”

“Yes” Fiona said softly “We’re here.... because you didn’t answer your phone”

“Seriously dude” Shaun said “You worried us...  It’s been two days”

Curio blinked a few times, before he tried to sit up, but did not have the strength and just collapsed back, out of breath.  

“Don’t get up” Fiona said softly “I’m going to heal you a bit, so you can feel better”

Curio nodded slightly, before his eyes flickered closed again.  

Fiona glanced at Shaun, who just nodded at her.  Then she gently started healing.  First she took care of the fever, gently lowering it to where his body could handle it.  After that she moved on to stop the coughing and slowly heal the rest.  

Letting out a soft breath Fiona pulled back.  “There we go....” she said softly “He’s going to sleep for a while....  He’s pretty exhausted...”

“How long has he been sick?” Shaun asked as he sat down on the bed.

Fiona shook her head.  “A few days...” she said softly before just taking Curio’s hand, rubbing her finger over the back of his hand.

“And his parents didn’t call a doctor or anything...” Shaun said, clenching his jaw.