Chapter Text
It was early and calm the next morning. Heaven’s sunlight would gently light up every room and make every surface shine.
Sera naturally wakes up around this time. Today was no different. She opened her eyes and sat up in her bed, immediately remembering the night before. She needs to check on Emily.
Most days, Emily naturally wakes up early as-well. Though the two seraphim both have jobs to do for heaven that they need to be up for, they also both enjoyed these hours like no one else. Sera loved the calm, quiet feel of heaven mornings, but Emily did too. Despite being social and energetic almost all the time, she too enjoyed that peace just as much as her sister.
Sera, of course, was aware that Emily would usually be awake around this time. Today however, she wasn’t expecting it. She left her bed and made her way over to her sister’s room, which wasn’t too far from her own.
She gently pushed the already-slightly-open door and… Oh.
Emily is definitely still fast asleep.
Unlike her? Yes. But not all that abnormal considering the circumstances.
‘That checks.’ Sera thought to herself. She was going to leave and let her sister get the rest she clearly needed, but she couldn’t help but feel that she needed to take a closer look at her sister. Sera walked over to where Emily slept, and..
..Something is wrong. Sera observed her sister, taking note of how her skin was several shades paler. The sleep the younger seraph was getting seemed to be far from restful. It seemed more uneasy and fitful if anything. The way Emily was breathing wasn’t normal either; wheezy and uneven.
Sera very gently placed the back of her hand against Emily’s forehead, only to feel that her sister was practically burning up. The concerning amount of sweat Sera felt on Emily’s forehead didn’t go unnoticed.
Yeah, Emily was definitely sick.
Sera couldn’t help but mentally beat herself up for not taking this into consideration. Of course Emily got sick! It’s filthy down there!
But as Sera thought more about it, she began to question how seraphim could even contract an illness from hell. Shouldn’t it be impossible? Or at the very least highly unlikely?
She then figured she couldn’t have rightly assumed anything beforehand. She had rarely ever been down there herself, and Emily had only been down there a couple of times at most. Sera felt guilty nonetheless. She couldn’t grasp not feeling guilty while looking at her poor sister. She looks so miserable just sleeping! Sera was not yet sure where to go from here.
On one hand, Emily clearly needed to sleep, but what was the point of getting sleep if it isn’t good quality?
Sera came to a conclusion: If she left Emily alone, she would wake up later, sick and miserable. If she woke Emily up now to help, she would wake up sick and miserable.
Essentially, Emily is going to wake up sick and miserable either way, and leaving her alone and letting her “rest” will just delay the inevitable.
With that in mind, Sera decided she wanted to help her get comfortable as soon as possible. With a heavy heart, she would very gently shake her sister’s shoulder.
Except before she could, Emily started shifting, little noises of distress leaving her lips. She almost sounded like a kicked puppy.
Sera’s heart hurt.
She brushed Emily’s slightly damp hair from her face. “Emily.. shh it’s okay..”
Despite being awake, Emily seemed to be processing the fact that Sera was here. She sat up and looked at Sera. She was definitely in a state of confusion. Which is fair. Concerning but fair, considering everything.
“Emily, you’re sick. I could tell just by looking at you.. Which is why I’m here. Can you tell me how you feel?”
Emily processed the question, but trying to think of words and combining them into a sentence felt as difficult as nailing jelly to a wall. Why was it taking her this long to give an answer? She definitely has one! Maybe she just needs to be awake for a few more minutes?
Or maybe she doesn’t actually have an answer. Because the longer she’s awake, the more she realizes that whatever it is she feels has doubled in intensity. Now Emily knew for sure that this was a bad feeling, and she did not like it.
“I.. I don’t..”
Oh no.. Emily really didn’t like this.. The feeling is only growing worse.
Sera also could tell she was feeling worse just by looking at her. She watched her sister’s face pale even more. She didn’t miss the way Emily slightly curled in on herself, or the way her hands shook.
“Emily it’s okay, tell me what you need and I will get it for you.” Sera looked at her, worried. She wasn’t sure if she had ever seen Emily this.. detached? yet also troubled; looking as if she’s currently feeling an immense amount of dread.
Emily shook her head and clutched her the fabric of nightgown, hunching over even more.
Before either seraph could do anything more, Emily lurched as she let out a noise that sounded like a retch, hiccup, and whimper all in one. She then vomited all over her self. Sick got on her lap and the bedsheets.
Sera nearly jumped back. But she wasn’t disgusted, only startled. But that didn’t show. She made sure of it.
What anyone else would’ve seen was Sera wasting no time, immediately acting swiftly and calmly, creating a small trash can with her magic to give to Emily. Sera then pulled her sister’s hair up and rubbed her back. She hated the way she could feel Emily’s back muscles contracting as she would get sick. That couldn’t be comfortable. Not at all.
Sera’s heart ached, but she wanted to remain calm and reassuring for Emily. “It’s going to be okay, just get it all up..” she whispered to her sister.
“i’m- *hic* sorry-“ Emily tried, but only throwing up once more before she could fully get that last word out.
“No, no, no, no. None of that. None of this is your fault.” Sera was gentle but firm. She refused to let Emily try to apologize for something that wasn’t her fault for a second time. Especially so like this.
A few painful minutes later, Emily had finished throwing up, for now. She looked at the mess and then back at Sera, then back at the mess, and back again at Sera.
She realized that seeing vomit everywhere was not helping Emily stay calm. The way it coated her chest and arm probably didn’t help either.
“Look at me. Don’t look anywhere else. Focus on me.” Sera commanded gently. Emily obeyed.
“You’re gonna be okay. I’m going to help you get cleaned up, and then i’m going to run a bath for you. You picked up some kind of sickness from hell. I promise you will need help getting better. I need you to let me help you.”
Emily slowly nodded, still looking startled and pitiful, already looking as if she was going to be sick again.
It was probably going to be a long day.