#strep throat

As soon as Barnacles opened his eyes, discomfort creeped up his throat and pressed on his skull. He had had a sore throat and cough for a few days, but it seemed worse now.

He didn't realise how heavy his limbs were until he stood, when they felt as heavy as steel rods. Head pulsing, he quickly got showered and dressed before making a pot of coffee as he usually did, praying the caffeine would help.

Walking to the library, his throat felt as scratched as a lottery ticket designed for that, and he just sat down and tried to force his way through the millions of forms that he had to fill between coughs.

[At breakfast]

Gradually, everyone moved into the dining room and sat down to eat, most not even waiting for everything to be set out. Despite being hungry, and the food being delicious, Barnacles found it hard to eat since even drinking felt like swallowing broken glass. He poured extra syrup to hopefully soothe his throat and decided to try and at least eat most of it. As the last plates were distributed, Barnacles did a quick headcount, since someone seemed to be missing...

Last to enter was Peso, who silently slipped into his seat. But he was a fast eater and finished well before the others despite starting later, spending the rest of the meal socialising.

At the other end of the table, Barnacles had to force down each bite against the pain. He had only taken about five bites by the time the normal eaters were finishing up, less than half the top waffle.

The group began to disperse, and Barnacles got up to take his plate in, lest the Vegimals see his barely touched plate and think he didn't like their food.

For the next hour, Barnacles wandered around the Octopod, half-heartedly checking on everyone. He briefly considered if it would be possible to see Peso and get something for the pain that was even beginning to make talking difficult without him doing a full exam and forcing him to rest.

No. Imposible.

Besides, Peso was on that mission to check the health of the local dolphin population.

[Peso's perspective]

Adjusting his lab coat, Peso swam out of the gup with his medical bag. The strange feeling that something bad was happening or about to happen had rested in his throat for days, causing a wave of panicked health checks. He'd had to pretend that it was his plan all along. As he listened to a dolphin's heart, he contemplated the way he had barely talked to the crew outside of meals all week.

He finished up with the pod, then it hit the time that all dolphins hunt. The hours updating medical records just melted away and before he knew it he was swimming out to meet a different pod.

[Barnacles's perspective]

Scrambling to grab the yarn ball he had just dropped all over the floor, Kwazii didn't even glance at Barnacles as he stepped into the bedroom.

"Hello Kwazii," Barnacles began hoarsely, coughing between words. "What are you up to?"

Deciding to get the yarn later, Kwazii stood up to make eye contact. "Captain, ya don't sound too good."

Before Barnacles could argue back, Kwazii added, "You should go see Peso when he gets back from his mission!"

Barnacles, once again, tried to protest when Tweak radioed the pair from the launch bay, "Just lettin' ya know that Peso's back."

Through the increasingly sharp pains in his throat, he managed to rasp out a shaky, "Very good Tweak," before he was seized by a violent coughing fit.

For a whole minute, he could barely squeeze in breaths between coughs. Kwazii rubbed his back until his breathing steadied.

And started essentially dragging him to the sickbay.

He didn't want to wait outside.

[Peso's perspective]

"Okay, I'm just going to look inside your mouth and throat now." Peso was holding a tongue depressor in his left hand and awkwardly gripping a penlight in his right. Clicking on the penlight, he shined it into Barnacles's mouth, looking for what was wrong long though it didn't take long as he spotted a telltale sign.

Strep throat.

He felt sick. Not in the diseased way, or the way that indicated imminent vomiting, but rather guilt. It seemed quite advanced, like it had gone untreated for several days. Maybe he was going to vomit.

"Okay Captain." Peso tried to stay calm in front of his patient. "I need to take a swab of your throat; it may make you gag a bit but I'm going to try and be gentle." Barnacles nodded and Peso proceeded with the diagnostic test, leaving it to work.

Stepping out of the room, he got Kwazii's attention easily. He seemed tense with worry.

"It looks like strep, but I'm running a test to be sure. We'll have results in five minutes but you can see him as long as you both wear a mask and gloves."

Nodding animatedly, Kwazii donned the equipment and they stepped back into the room.

By the time the test was complete, Kwazii and Barnacles were holding hands, and Peso had amassed a small pile of medications. As expected, it was positive, and Peso administered a throat spray and the first dose of antibiotics.

Offering Barnacles a glass of water, Peso spoke, "It'll be ten days of antibiotics, but you should feel better in 3. You'll stop being contagious in 24 hours."

Kwazii was already reaching to remove his mask. "So, can I go back to kissing him?"