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Dewdrop was quiet that morning. Rain watched him from his perch at the stove, eggs sizzling in front of him where his eyes should have been as they tracked the way Dewdrop trudged into the kitchen without saying a word. It wasn’t completely rare, there were plenty of times after long nights that the fire ghoul would be slumped at the kitchen table, tail swinging slowly behind him and ears drooped, waiting for breakfast and too stubborn to sleep in. He’d say “I’m not even tired” as his blue and amber eyes squinted up at Rain, voice muffled from the way his face was smushed against the cool wood. And Rain would just nod and laugh as he set a large glass of water and a hot plate of food in front of him, honestly just happy that he was the one up and able to take care of Dewdrop for once instead of the other way around after Rain’s own wild nights.
This was different. He wasn’t wearing one of Rain’s hoodies, for one, his usual favorite when he was hungover or tired; for two, he just… wasn’t saying anything. When Aurora nudged him in the side to move over so she could fit on the bench between him and Mountain, he moved. When Swiss snuck behind him and grabbed at his sides, he simply jumped and slumped back down. When Cumulus pressed a wet kiss onto his cheek, he sat still. No pushback, no batting, no upturned lips as he wipes her saliva off his cheek. Just a small smile, or a short response when someone asked him a question or tried to pull him into their conversations.
It wasn't like him at all, to not take the bait even when he was exhausted. Rain watched the rest of the pack, gauging their reactions to see if any of them had noticed too. He didn't blame them when they carried on as usual, his and Dewdrop's bond to one another was unusually strong. He thinks he might be able to spot even a hair out of place on Dewdrop’s head with how intimately they knew each other. He knew Dew could do the same with him and he did, often.
He turned his eyes back to the fire ghoul whose shoulders raised and dropped heavy, like breathing was a little harder than usual. Rain’s tail flicked back and forth, anxious.
"Burning." Cirrus said, dragging Rain’s attention upwards. He blinked at her. "Your eggs."
"Oh. Oh!" He quickly turned back to his pan, and turned off the burner. The eggs looked up at him, sad and charred, but with his mind focused on his mate, he couldn’t find it in him to care. He wanted to take Dew away, back to the sanctuary of their room and fix whatever was wrong.
He set the pan in the sink before making a b-line to where Dewdrop was sitting, now slumped even lower if it were even possible, trying not to make a scene. Dew would definitely fight Rain’s care if the others started to look at him with any sort of concern.
"Hi, sweetheart." Rain said quietly, next to Dewdrop's ear. He wrapped his arms around his waist and hooked his head over his shoulder. It was nothing out of the ordinary for them and the rest of the pack continued eating. The only out of the ordinary thing was that Dewdrop was cold. The temperature of a human, lukewarm where his hand weakly grabbed at Rain’s wrist over his abdomen. Rain’s stomach churned, something was very wrong.
Dewdrop whined, maybe smelling Rain’s worry, just low enough that Rain could hear it. He rarely ever whined like that outside of certain activities.
That was his cue, "Come on, Dewy. Let's go back to our room." he said, still in that quiet voice so only Dew could hear. He felt Dew nod against his ear and cheek, and the fire ghoul let Rain help him off the bench, holding his hand and waist to keep him steady.
Both Swiss and Mountain perked up, watching the pair with curious eyes. Cumulus looked over too, still leaning against the counter by the stove and wearing a new concerned look on her face. Dewdrop didn't see them, too focused on standing without falling over. The kitchen went quiet, and Rain shook his head at them and mouthed, I got this. They responded with nods and pinched eyebrows.
Dewdrop gripped Rain’s hand tight, pulling him back to the moment. He tilted his head up, peering at Rain from behind his hair, and oh, he was so pale. Rain’s stomach churned again seeing him so unwell.
With new urgency, Rain began walking, holding most of Dewdrop’s weight on his side, "Almost there."
Once at their room, he gently sat Dewdrop on the edge of their bed. He brushed his hair back behind his horns and ears, and placed a hand on his forehead, a silly thing he realized since Dewdrop was always running hot, but he was still so cold. Dewdrop leaned up into his palm, whining again.
"What’s wrong?" Rain asked softly, lowering himself to kneel in front of the bed, moving his hand to rest on Dew’s cool cheek instead. Dewdrop just shook his head, biting his lip. "I can't help unless you tell me, Dew."
Dewdrop was silent for a while, his rose gold skin a pale, pink-gray color. Rain searched his face for anything, any sign as to what was going on.
He watched Dewdrop’s eyes begin to water and his lip tremble. His chest squeezed at the sight and he quickly surged back up to hold his ghoul against him tightly, gently.
"It’s okay," He whispered into Dewdrop’s hair, pressing kisses there, and anywhere else he could reach.
"No…" Dew said quietly, nearly a croak. He pushed at Rain’s chest lightly, like he didn't have the strength to push him back at all. Rain gave him space, tail still flicking behind him. Dew cleared his throat before speaking again, but it still came out raspy, "I don't want to get you sick too."
"You're sick?" Rain couldn't help the way his eyebrows raised.
Dewdrop never got sick. His body heat burned through every germ, and any illness that made its way through the ministry couldn't catch him. It usually led to Dew being the one holding everyone's hair back, and being the pack's heater as they shivered through their fevers. He was a surprisingly good caretaker considering how he grumbled through it. But not once had Rain ever seen Dew so much as cough except on the rare, rough inhale of a joint. But here he was, cool to the touch and shivering, voice coarse.
"Uh.." Shit, Rain felt like a fish out of water. He knew how to care for Dew, knew it like he knew how to breathe, but this was different. This was uncharted, but he was determined.
"It’s okay." Dewdrop said, head drooping down so far that his chin was nearly on his chest, "I can sleep in my old room-" he paused to sniffle,"If I'm sick then it'll be even worse for you and, and everyone else if you catch it."
He started to stand and Rain set a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down gently, "Stay." He said. Dewdrop didn't have the energy to fight back and sat down again.
"What are you feeling?" Rain asked, readying a mental pencil and paper in his head.
Dewdrop breathed in deep, a shiver wracked his body, and he sighed, "Rain, it's fine. I'm just gonna-"
"Dew." Rain said, more stern this time, "Tell me what you're feeling. Let me take care of you."
He resumed his position on his knees in front of the fire ghoul again and placed his hand back on his cheek. Dew stared at him with a sort of determination in his eyes that Rain was all too familiar with. He was battling himself inside. There was a long moment where Dewdrop huffed in and out, fast, through his nose, where Rain worried he might fight back, might not allow himself any weakness. That the part of Dew that refused kindness had won.
And then Dew was tilting into his hand, warm on his face for the first time ever, and let out a low rumble- not quite a pur, but close to it.
"My head," he said quietly, "That’s the worst right now."
Rain sighed in relief that Dew wasn't hiding from him, "Stay here, bug. I'm just going to grab a few things."
Dewdrop nodded, chittering a little as Rain’s touch left him and watched his mate disappear into the attached bathroom, trying not to show his worry too openly. Dew could be soft, pliable even, it wasn't unlikely or unheard of. He curled into Rain's side every night, asking for attention or cuddles or kisses, he learned he could let his guard down with his water ghoul. Rain cherished it, every ounce of softness from him, and so proud that even like this, Dew was letting him in.
He returned quickly, not wanting to leave Dew for too long. Dewdrop had laid down on the bed on his side, knees tucked to his chest and his hands over his ears. He looked even more pale.
"Hey," Rain said, quietly approaching. Dew opened his eyes, finding Rain’s hands outstretched with a glass of water and some pills. Dew sat up slowly, wincing as he did, and took the items, quickly swallowing the pain meds down and the rest of the water as well.
"When did this start?" Rain asked as he took a seat at the edge of the bed. Dewdrop laid back down and he rubbed slow circles into his back.
"Last night," Dew croaked, "my throat started burning."
"Why didn't you wake me?"
Dew shook his head, "I didn't want you to see me like this. It's been-" He coughed wetly, Rain moved to rub his arm, "I haven't gotten sick since I was, y'know, a water ghoul."
Rain nodded, understanding.
Dewdrop coughed again, harder, wetter, "I don't know what happened. How could I get sick?"
"I don't know, Dewy. It's weird no one else has it, nothing's going around the ministry."
"Fire ghouls only, maybe. Ironic." Dewdrop said with a little laugh. Rain smiled, of course Dew would find something to laugh about even when he felt like shit.
Rain moved to lay down beside him, pressing his nose into Dewdrop’s neck and taking a deep breath. His scent was still there, all cinnamon and campfire, but it was quieter like it was just the coals left behind. His neck was cool and damp, too. He listened a moment, to Dewdrop’s ragged breathing as it slowed. The fire ghoul must have been exhausted.
"You know," Rain started, lips against Dewdrop’s neck.
Dew hummed, waiting for him to continue.
"I like taking care of you, Dewdrop." He said, squeezing Dew’s hip as he spoke and letting his pur kick in. The other ghoul began a low crackly pur. "You're not a burden, even when you're not feeling well, I love you."
"Okay, sap." Dew said, lighthearted. Rain chuckled against his skin, and pressed a chaste kiss below his ear.
They laid quietly for a while, just breathing and rumbling together, until Dewdrop’s purs trailed off into whines and coughs again.
"Water?" Rain asked.
Dew nodded, and then added quietly "And uh, your shark blanket?"
Rain smiled, "Of course, anything you want. You want a hoodie too?"
"Yeah, yeah. Please." Dewdrop said. Rain rose up slowly, careful not to jostle the other ghoul too much. He stepped off the bed to grab their comfort blanket (it used to just be Rain's, a gift Dew had given him shortly after he was summoned), and the warm, blue hoodie that Dew liked best. "Can you sit up for me, baby?"
Dewdrop groaned but complied, raising his arms up to his ears. Rain pulled the hoodie over his head and fixed his hair once it was snuggly applied. Then he took the shark blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders as the fire ghoul laid back down into the pillows- still shivering but less.
Rain left one more time to refill the water glass for the next time Dew needed it, and then settled back on the bed, continuing the slow circles on Dewdrop’s back.
"Get some rest, I'll be right here when you wake up." He said, pressing the words onto Dew's forehead.
"I love you," Dewdrop replied, voice already thick with sleep.
"I love you, too." Rain said, lingering only a moment longer before letting Dew sleep.