I do greatly enjoy putting men in situations, therefore: Hal falls with a terrible cold. Thaisha had just left the city. Shadia is tasked with the teater business while he can't be there. Elodie is out of town too, at a work trip. The boys and Bolaire, with occasional help from Hal's daughters, theater troup and their friends, such as Murray, need to take care of him. What will they do...
Well, to further complicate matters, normally Azune would be spear-heading this sort of thing, but as the boy who also has a 9-5.....
He does wake up early, make sure there is plenty of breakfast for everyone, and the start of soup on the stove. He leaves DETAILED lists for the others, including a schedule of when to check on Hal, and what herbs and such to give him to help the symptoms.
Occtis makes sure to make Hal tea before he heads off to class, gaining a tired little thank you. He knows the bard worries about his voice when he's sick, so keeping him supplied with warm beverages help, as does the extra honey he adds to tempt his sweet tooth.
That leaves Julien and Wick for a disturbing long period of the day on Hal duty.
Wick has never cared for someone a day in his life. He's nervous and worried, he's never seen Hal sick before, and he's also used to the ridge power structure that he grew up in. He certainly remembers being sick, and being tended to by servants and his grandmothers clerics. He supposed his mother was occasionally sick, but all he would know of it was a servant telling him she was unavailable in her chambers. His grandmother was never sick.
He does remember Lioran being sickly when he was young, hearing the whispers and rumors and not being allowed to visit at all. He was so worried about his little brother, that he might be scared and alone with no family there, he would spend most of the day on his knees praying to the Light for his health.
Though one be Sick and in the Dark
The Light is ever there
For those who Believe in it's Mercy
All shall be healed
For in the radiance of the Light
All shall be made Right
"He's going to be okay, right?" He asks Julien quietly for the twelfth time that morning.
"Of course he is." Julien was so far out of his element here, trying to keep an eye on Hal and sooth an anxious Wick. "It's just a cold..." he repeated, brushing fingers over Hal's temple to check for fever.
Hal's hand reached out for Wick, patting his thigh. "I'm fine.... you are taking good care of me, sweet boys.. come here?"
Wick gratefully scrambled onto the bed next to him, tucking himself against the orc's side, pleased when he felt him relax a bit. It was hard, sometimes, Azune always seem to know what to do, and Julien and Occtis would pick up anything else. Wick felt like he'd spent his entire life being useless, and he didn't like that feeling here, with these people who were starting to feel more like family then those at his own home.
Julien nodded curtly. "I will go check on the soup." It didn't need checking on, but his body was filled with a frantic energy, and for once he was grateful Wick was there, someone who could just be still in a way he could not.
Hal yawned and shifted. "You don't have to stay," he murmured softy after Julien had left, his arm tucking Wick close against his side, eyes already closed again.
"I know," Wick replied softy, biting his lip and then bringing his hand up slowly, touching his forehead with the lightest possible touch. When Hal didn't object, he let his fingers continue the barely there touch down over the bridge of Hal's nose, then one cheek, back to trace his ear and then down his jaw. He'd seen Azune do this once or twice, when Hal had awoken from a particularly a nightmare, and it had seemed to sooth him then, but Wick had never dared try himself.
A warm pride grew inside him as he felt Hal's body relax further pressed against his, carefully repeating the motion unhurriedly.
Hal sighed and pulled Wick close and drifted off to sleep again, letting himself focus on the warmth of the body next to him, and how good those touched felt.
Even after he could hear the even breaths turn to snoring, Wick stayed there quietly pressed close. Maybe he had a place here after all.