#nevermore reader

Your asthma was always at its worst when you were sick and this chest infection that had made a home under the lapels of your nevermore blazer was certainly giving your lungs a run for their money. Each breath ended in a small wheeze, and you were stifling coughs as your felt the ragged and shaky intake of air in your lungs with each breath. You were only half paying attention to the botany teacher who was stood at the front of the room lecturing. You were merely pretending to take notes yet the page in-front of you was as blank as the glassy look in your eyes.

You were exhausted. Waking up in the night coughing and hitting the puffer just to fall back into a restless sleep. You were pretty sure based off the heat you could feel cooking you from the inside out that you had a fever. But you would be damned to do anything about it. Asking for help was simply not in your nature.

You absent-mindedly fiddled with the cap of your pen still staring out the huge glass windows. You must have not been paying attention or time slipped away from you because the next second you were dismissed from class. You stood righting yourself as you swayed slightly, and Enid shot you and odd look, but you turned on your heel and left before she could say anything.

Walking through the hall was hard enough on a good day with the amount of people. But when it hurt to breathe sitting down, being suffocated in a hallway while walking seemed a very real possibility. In a dazed state you kept knocking into people slightly muttering a brief apology and going back to trying to stay upright.

After a moment of walking with your eyes trained on the floor you ran straight into someone. Before you could see who, it was you felt yourself fall backwards and your wrist connected with the wall behind you. And good god did it hurt. Pain flared down your arm as you felt hands on your elbow to stabilise you from falling all the way to the floor. What little air you had managed to keep inside you very unhappy lungs was knocked from your chest leaving you wheezing something awful. You felt strong arms wrap around you as the slight vertigo of the fever made interpreting what was going on rather hard.

You rested your head on the nearest thing and after a minute registered based on the rhythmic movements that someone was carrying you. You wheezed deeply and rested your head against the persons chest. Trusting them seemed like your only option right now. It took a minute for you to realise your bag was over one of their shoulders and another minute to register who the person was. Your cheeks flushed slightly. Principle weems was carrying you bridal style through the halls. Luckily the rest of the students had gone to class, but it was just your luck you had managed to collide with the one person in the school with all the power.

Blinking you still felt the harsh ragged wheezing ratting your lungs and you tensed in her arms coughing into the crook of your elbow. Pain shot through your chest sharply before numbing back to the dull ache of a chest infection asthma attack hybrid you were growing to know quite well. After another minute your breathing was getting worse, the wheezing was sharper, and it felt as if someone was stabbing you between the ribs. Mouthfuls of air seemed to have less and less of what you needed in them, and it seemed like it just wouldn’t stay inside your lungs.

Your wrist was still burning and in your fevered haze you hoped someone would bring you your asthma puffer.

You felt your body being gently set down on something soft. The couch in weems office. You rested your head on a pillow and watched her blurry form retreat. You make a noise of protest not wanting to die alone and you watched her lips move but heard no words. After a moment you shut your eyes trying to control the breathing. Your right arm cradled your left wrist and slowly the sound came back to the world. The crackling of the fire was what you heard first before you could hear and make out what weems was saying.

“That’s it Y/n deep breaths. Nice and slow. I’ve almost found it. You're doing such a good job darling.” You could hear her rummaging in the desk drawer of her office before she made a noise of success and moved back to your side. You felt her lithe fingers gently hold the back of your head as she pressed a puffer to your lips. She was still speaking.

“Now take a deep breath in.” She said exaggerating her own breathing.

“And out.” She said. “And in.” This time when you drew a breath she pressed down on the puffer and the medicine shot into your lungs.

“Hold.” She said and waited for a bit before gesturing for you to breathe. This time you were simply panting, the wheeze almost gone. Weems lent forward and brushed a stray curl from your eyes.

“There she is.” She said and you managed a weak smile. “Do you need another round with it?” She asked holding up the small blue device. You shook your head, and she patted your thigh before setting the puffer down next to the couch.

“Im going to go and get a first aid kit, some ice and a thermometer. Stay here for me, ok?” She said and you nodded again.

Your head still swimming slightly you stayed seated. After what felt like not enough time she returned with the things. She gently placed an ice pack wrapped in a cloth over your wrist and at first you hissed at the cold contact on the sore skin but sighed after a moment. It helped dull the pain slightly.

“Alright sweet girl. Can you open your mouth for me. I’d like to take your temperature. You felt a bit too warm for my liking when i had you in my arms.” She said pressing a thermometer to your lips. You parted them and she placed the stick inside. “Under your tongue.” She said and shut your jaw with a finger on the underside of your chin.

“Now. I know that wasn’t a regular old asthma attack. I have seen many of those in my years teaching and not many have managed to scare me quite as much as that one did. A+ for effort but next time let's try to keep breathing. It's quite important believe it or not.” She chucked. She placed a hand on your knee and looked into your eyes. “Whats going on darling? It’s not like you to not watch where you're going now is it?” She said and you looked absolute miserable. All the exhaustion of keeping up the pretence was ebbing, and you were left with nothing but pure exhaustion.

“‘M sick.” You muttered around the thermometer and weems clucked her tongue and the stick beeped. She gently removed it from your mouth and looked mildly surprised by the number displayed.

“101.9 far too high.” She said disapprovingly. “Here take these.” She said and handed you two small white tablets and a glass of water. You complied and only winced slightly as the water stung the sensitive flesh of your throat which had been irritated by the coughing. Weems began to gently lift the ice pack off your wrist to inspect the swelling and gently press on parts of it. Apologising profusely when you would wince or suck a sharp breath.

“Do you have any idea whats wrong darling?” She asked and you nodded wearily.

“Chest infection.” You said.

“Have you seen the nurse?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

“No time. Busy.”

“Darling there is always time for your health. Studies come second.” She said patting your knee. Gently she replaced the ice on your wrist. “Im almost certain it's not broken darling, but it is badly sprained. You’ll need to keep icing it over the next few days. I’ll excuse you from classes for the day provided you stay nearby, preferably in my office so i can keep an eye on you. The nurse is not here today she called in sick.” Weems said frowning. “Have you eaten today?” She asked. And you nodded.

“What have you had darling?” She asked skeptically.

“Just some jam and toast and some juice.” You replied. She frowned.

“Is your throat sore at all?”

“Just from the coughing.”

“I’ll bring you some cool water to sooth your throat and if you feel up to it, please help yourself to some biscuits. I’ll have the cook send someone up with some broth for lunch later.” She said standing and brushing invisible lint from her skirt. You nodded feeling exhausted.

“Sleep if you need. Im here if you require anything.” She said once she had returned with the water. You took a tentative sip relaxing a sigh as it soothed your throat. It wasn’t long before your eyes began to close, and you felt the glass being pried from your fingers. You didn’t fight her on it, simply succumbing to sleep.

Weems returned to her desk, typing on her laptop and sending off some important emails. She paused every once in a while, to gauge the wheezing as you slept, to give her an indication of if you required anything.

It was about two hours later you woke up feeling cold. You whined softly unsure of where you were. You heard a chair move and saw the face of Principle weems couching beside you. You grinned lopsided.

“Oh dear.” She said looking at your flushed cheeks and slightly damp curls. She placed a gentle hand to your cheek before moving it to your forehead and humming in disapproval.

“I fear your fever had risen.” She said fetching a thermometer and shooting you a worried glance as you giggled deliriously.

“Darling, under your tongue.” She said popping it into your mouth.

You smiled a goofy smile and did as you were asked. You both sat looking at each other until it beeped. Weems seemed to be looking for anything further that was ailing you but only found the constant wheeze of your breathing and sweat soaked form looking slightly parched.

Once she removed the thermometer she frowned again.

“W’s wrong?” You slurred.

“102.7 we need to get that down.” She said and gently passed you some more meds and a water. You took them gratefully and she left for a moment before returning with a small basin and a washcloth. You watched curiously as she dipped the rag into the water before wringing it out and gently wiping the sweat that had beaded on your face.

With careful and precise movements, she wiped down your cheeks and forehead. Once she had finished her ministrations, she dipped it once more and wrong it out before gently placing it on your forehead where she left it to rest. You hummed in content at the cool feeling on your face and weems left for a moment to bring you the broth she had kept warm on a silver tray.

“Isnt sil’r li’e bad for the wolves?” You asked still loopy and gesticulating wildly. Weems raised an eyebrow.

“It's not real silver darling.” She said and placed the tray on your lap, adjusting the pillows and cloth so you were sat more upright. Your hands shook making it very hard to get any of the soup into your mouth. Weems placed a soft hand over yours.

“Let me.” She said and slowly began to spoon feed you the soup. Between mouthfuls you gave a small pout which weems had to fight not to smile or roll her eyes at. Once the soup was all gone, she placed the tray back on the coffee table and adjusted you once more.

“Rest now. Your body needs it.” She said brushing the hair from your eyes with her fingers and once more adjusting the crooked washcloth.

Your eyes seemed to close on their own as you drifted off once more still glassy eyed and mildly confused. You felt a hand rubbing your arm gently until you were fully under the guise of sleep.

The next time you woke it was dark and your body felt stiff. Wriggling more upright you stretched reviling in the relived tightness of your muscles. You heard the click of stilettos and weems appeared once more.

“How are you feeling?” She asked pressing her hand to your cheek. “Your fever has gone down.” She noted and you nodded blearily.

“I feel better.” You said punctuating with a cough. She looked at you and raised a brow.

“I need more than that from you Ms L/n.” She said and you blinked.

“My throat doesn’t hurt as much but my chest still aches. It feels tight and it rattles when i breathe. It's not as unbearably hot in here as before so I guess thats good.” You said softly. Weems nodded.

“Yes. I suppose it is.” She said and tapped your cheek. “Open.” She said and slipped the thermometer under your tongue.

The two of you sat in a comfortable but slightly stiff silence waiting for the beep. When it did you knew the routine now well enough to let weems remove the stick from your mouth herself. She hummed a seemingly happy hum.

“100.2 it has gone down.” She noted and gave you and approving nod. You beamed and let out another small cough. She frowned. “Time for more meds.” She noted and handed you some more pills. You took them unassisted this time and weems handed you the puffer.

“Don’t think i didn’t notice your breathing being shallower. One hit, is all i ask.” She said watching closely as you administer the medicine into your lungs and sighed after, your airway feeling less tight and chest feeling more open.

“Good.” She said plucking the blue device from your open palm and placing back on the coffee table. She peeled the rag from your forehead and patted your arm.

“Let’s take a peek at your wrist.” She said and gently removed the ice she had been periodically placing there whilst you slept.

Your arm was resting on a pillow to elevate it and she gently examined it with soft pressure applied by her thumbs and fingers to gauge the swelling and pain. Once more she apologised when reaching any tender areas before giving a nod and replacing the ice.

“It's very much still swollen but I believe it will be ok. I'd like you to wear a sling and wrist brace to restrict movement and rest it until i deem fit.” She said and noted the bruise that was forming there. “Now, other than that are we feeling much the same?” She asked and you nodded. She hummed and stood.

“I’ve some work to attend to but need anything and I’ll be just over there.” She said pointing to her desk. You nodded and began to doze lightly as her heels returned to her desk. Not even meaning to you fell asleep to the sound of her keys typing.

It was safe to say weems was quite the nurse. When you woke the next day, you felt miles better than before and stood making your way to the bathroom. Once you had finished you made your way back to the lounge.

“What are you doing?” As voice said startling you and you felt, and arm wrap around yours to stabilise you.

“N-nothing i needed the bathroom.” You said and weems hummed and gently led you back to your makeshift bed.

“Let’s take your vitals and see what we’re dealing with today.” She said and gently deposited you back where you had been for the past 24 hours.

She took your temperature, pleased your fever had broken in the night. She examined your wrist and listened to your breathing, satisfied it had less of a wheeze than the day before. After this she stood and walked over to her desk, you watched her curiously. After a moment she found whatever, she was looking for and retuned to your side. She crouched in front of you and gently took your injured wrist. She guided it into the brace she had procured from her desk and explained how she had found one from the nurse's station earlier that morning. After adjusting it and making sure it was correctly applied to restrict movement she told you to rest some more, and you did.

Over the next few hours your improved greatly before weems dubbed you fit to do slightly more strenuous activity’s. She had Enid bring you the classwork you missed and the two of you worked side by side for the afternoon, weems typing away on her computer and you studying whatever classes you had been taking. After a while you paused spinning your pen between your fingers.

“Principle weems?” You asked and she looked up pausing.

“Yes dear?” She said.

“Thank you.” You said and she smiled.

“Anytime darling.”