#poor jem

Tessa: Jem gimme a minute I just need to find out what happens, just one more chapter I promise.

Tessa: *reads for 4 hours*

Kit: *watching a movie*

Kit: Jem SHHH THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART THANOS SHOWED UP SHH

Jem:

I haven’t written a sick!Jem story in forever, so this was so much fun going back to! Thank you!

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“Where is it?”

Those three words were spoken in that same accusing tone at least once a week. Yes, Jem knew he didn’t take his medicine as often as he should, but lately, he was getting tired of others always having to go out and buy it for him. Besides, knowing the same thing that was killing him was also keeping him alive was such a conundrum that he often wasn’t in the mood for. Jem was in the middle of playing the violin when Will burst through his bedroom door, those three words being the first thing out of his friend’s mouth. Jem knew why too. Occasionally he would have to stop playing to a cough which undoubtedly echoed throughout the Institute.

However, this time it was different. Jem lowered his violin and looked into Will’s blue eyes before sighing in exasperation. “I thought I’ve been teaching you to knock,” Jem scolded like an owner would scold their pet. “And it’s in the box on my dresser. As always. I took it this morning.”

Will’s eyes widened, and he stepped into the room, eyes darting over the box that was filled with the horrific silver powder. “And you already need more?” he asked, his guard lowering just enough that Jem could detect a small amount of fear.

Jem shook his head, coughing into his hand. Will was by his side immediately, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket. However, Jem straightened up quickly and showed his friend his clean hand. “No blood, Will,” he assured him quickly before sitting down on the bed. Jem ran his hand through his silver hair which was sticky with fever-induced sweat – something he was far too familiar with. “It is possible, you know, for me to be ill without it needing to be related to that illness.” Jem was, of course, referring to the illness that was slowly taking his life, but he knew Will didn’t like to talk about it directly.

“How can you tell the difference?” Will asked with a slight scoff.

“I am not nearly as helpless as you think, Will.”

Will quickly corrected himself. “No, I don’t think–”

“Relax.” Jem sighed and allowed himself to hunch over, his usual proper posture no longer feeling necessary, especially since he knew Will wouldn’t mind. “I know because my medication doesn’t ever make me this nauseous.”

Will frowned at that and he put a hand on Jem’s back. “Are you going to be alright, my friend?” he asked in that worried tone he reserved especially for Jem.

Jem nodded slowly. “I might be sick,” he admitted. “But that will not kill me.”

“Suppose that explains why you weren’t at any of the meals. Sophie prepared a delicious roast, though. She always makes them so juicy and–”

Jem slapped a hand over his mouth, the imagery of food making him gag. “Will. Please. That really just sounds vile. I–” Jem gagged again, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Will put his hand on Jem’s back again. He felt the heat through his friend’s clothes. “Perhaps you should lay down, my friend.”

Jem nodded slowly, removing his hand from his mouth. “Perhaps I should.”

Will pulled back the covers on Jem’s bed and he helped his Parabatai settle down. “I’ll get a cloth for your forehead. You just stay here.”

“I assure you I had no intention of going anywhere,” Jem sighed, rolling over onto his side. The nausea was increasing, however, and now he thought he might need to go somewhere where he could be sick. There was a rubbish bin on the other side of the room. He figured he should go get to it. Quickly. He began to sit up in bed, feeling suddenly very weak. At that moment, Will came back into the room with a basin filled with water and a cloth hanging off the edge of it.

“Jem!” Will explained. “You mustn’t move. “Stay put.” Will hurried over to his Parabatai’s side and sat on the edge of the bed. He set the basin down on the nightstand and lowered Jem back down.

“Will, I–” Jem needed to tell Will he was going to be sick. Unfortunately, Will had other plans.

“Surely you are ill often enough to know that rest is what your body needs.” Will put the cloth on Jem’s forehead, and as nice at it felt, Jem was more concerned with his stomach at that moment than his fever.

“That’s not–”

Will cut him off again. “Perhaps it’s demon pox! Oh, dear. You and I both know how serious that is!”

Demon pox isn’t real. That’s what Jem wanted to say, but his mouth was filling up with saliva. Quickly sitting up in the bed, Jem nudged Will aside and grabbed the basin filled with water, the washcloth falling off his forehead and onto the floor.

“Oh.” That was all Will had to say apparently, but his demeanor changed as Jem gagged over the basin. “Jem, I’m sorry. Why didn’t you tell me you were about to be sick?”

“You bastard.” The two words were enough to make Jem heave up a trickle of vomit into the water, but they were worth it. He felt Will’s hand on his back, rubbing in soft circles as he heaved again, bringing up nothing.

“You haven’t eaten all day,” Will pointed out. “You can’t have anything to throw up.”

Jem heaved unsuccessfully again. “Damn. I had quite a bit of water a little bit ago. I assumed that would be easier to bring up. I’m not so sure why-” Jem gagged again, coughing into the basin before taking in a deep breath. “It should be coming up.”

Will frowned, pulling back Jem’s long, silver hair. “I wish I knew how to help you through this. I truly do not, though.”

Jem shrugged his shoulders and squeezed his silver eyes shut as he gagged harshly again, this time making a loud sound as he gagged. He spat into the water and shuddered from the fever. “I’m sure I just need to give it time.”

Will winced at Jem’s painful retching sounds and he hated that his friend was calmer about this than he was. “I am sure,” he agreed.

Jem gagged again, this time a mouthful of water coming up and filling the basin. He hiccuped softly and brought up another large mouthful of water. “Oh this is not–” Jem gagged again, and with this bout the basin was filled enough to begin to spill from the sides onto his legs and the floor.

“I’ll grab you another bin,” Will assured him, standing up from the edge of the bed. “You just-” Will winced as Jem got sick once more, vomit getting all over the floor now. He was frozen in his tracks, watching Jem carefully. His Parabatai gagged, but this time only spat into the basin again.

“I believe I’m finished now,” Jem said. He shifted a little bit and the vomit mixed with water splashed out onto the carpet. “Damn.”

Will hurried over and carefully took the basin and sit it aside. “I’ll get this cleaned up. Please, Jem, just rest.”

Jem was too tired to argue. He let Jem push him back down on the bed, before closing his eyes. He was exhausted from being sick, and he knew sleep would come easily. “Will?” he whispered, his silver eyes opening just slightly so he could look over at his Parabatai.

“You don’t need to say it, Jem. I know.”

Kit: YEEEETTTTT

Jem: *visibly confused and distressed*

“as Will and the boy Zachariah had been had once traveled in lonely sorrow to the place where they would find each other. Jem hoped Jonathan would find happiness.”

“Jem smiled back at a boy long gone.