Work Text:
Sersi POV:
"Druig," I call down the hallway. "Phastos and Thena made lunch!"
Makkari zips down the hallway and hurriedly signs, "Druig is coughing up blood! I found him unconscious, so I shook him awake, and he started coughing blood."
I frown at this but regain my bearings to respond. "Okay, let me go get Phastos," I reply. "Druig will be okay. Is he conscious right now?"
Makkari nods.
"Do you know if he's running a fever?"
"He's burning up more than usual," She says. "What do I do?"
"Get him into cooler clothes, but be gentle with him," I slowly sign. I put a hand on Makkari's shoulder. "Ben and Phastos are here. Ben is a nurse. Phastos can invent everything. Druig will be fine."
Makkari nods and runs back off to the room down the hall.
"Phastos," I call, running down the stairs. "I need you and Ben up here." I run down the stairs as Thena runs up.
"I figured something was wrong when you asked for Phastos and Ben," Thena says when I give her a questioning look. "What's wrong?"
"Druig," I say quickly. "He's sick where Ikaris got him."
"Wait, what?" Phastos says, joining the crowd on the stairwell. "You think Druig is sick from Ikaris attacking him?"
"I mean, that's my theory," I reply. "I don't know how much water it holds though."
Phastos puts a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find out. That does help though," He says. "Is Makkari in there?"
I nod. "Thena is headed up there as well," I reply.
"Good. I'm gonna need some help," Phastos says. He walks up the stairs with Thena and Makkari behind him as I go downstairs. “Wait, Sersi!”
I turn sharply at his voice.
“Get Ben’s medical supplies from our car and check Ajak’s room on the Domo to see if she has any old healing artefacts to help.”
I nod and make it down the rest of the stairs to see Ben getting his medical bag and running up the stairs to follow Phastos.
I run outside to the Domo parked outback. I hope beyond hope that the artefact Phastos mentioned is on the ship.
Thena POV:
Makkari and I sandwich Druig in a cuddle pile on the one bed in the room. Druig leans heavily against me, flaming hot against my somewhat cool skin. He holds Makkari’s hand weakly, even as he dozes off. It’s hard to watch Druig like this, knowing I can’t do anything.
My heart vaguely aches for Gilgamesh at this moment. He always knew what to do, what to say in moments like these.
Finally, Ben makes his presence known. He clears his throat, making Makkari and I snap our heads towards him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you two,” Ben says. “Phastos needed me to take a blood sample from Druig so he knows how to move forward.”
Druig makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat, a shocking display of lucidity. “No, shh,” I tell him softly but sternly. Druig begins shaking weakly as he looks at me with a mix of fear and pain. Then it hits me. He’s afraid of needles. “Would it help if I held you?”
Druig shakes his head, but still leans against my shoulder heavily, his head settling in the gap between my collarbone and my shoulder. Weakly, he offers his arm to Ben, who quickly finds a vein under his too-pale skin.
Makkari holds his hand tightly, keeping him occupied. I soothingly run a hand through his hair. Ben ties off the tourniquet to get the vein more easily from Druig and cleans the site, but then things go wrong.
When Ben slips the needle under Druig’s skin, he flinches unconsciously before crying out. I look over him and immediately see what happened before Ben says anything.
“Shit,” He says softly. “The vein blew.” He quickly works to remove the tourniquet and the needle as tears slip out of Druig’s eyes. “I’ll have to find another vein,” He says after a moment. “And, I’m sorry, but for my safety and Druig’s, I think it’s best if he’s restrained.”
Druig doesn’t respond, but I nod.
Phastos walks in at this moment and looks at Druig. “What happened?”
“He flinched before I could get a vial of blood,” Ben says as he cleans the now unsettlingly pale site. “The vein blew.”
“How’re we gonna place an IV?” Phastos asks.
“I just need to find another vein,” Ben replies. “But I have to restrain him.”
Phastos sobers. “He’s not a threat to anyone,” He says. “Why?”
“Because he’s dangerous to himself,” Ben says. “It’s to keep him safe and reduce the likelihood he blows another vein. If he does that, then I will literally have to use a bone drill to give sedatives and pain meds.”
Phastos is rendered mute at this moment, while Makkari is watching it go down with a worried look in her eye. “Go ahead, if you think it’s best.” Phastos moves to a chair in the room.
Druig opens his eyes at this moment to see Phastos sitting in the corner, but doesn’t look lucid enough to care. Instead, he settles for murmuring, “It hurts.”
“What hurts, Druig?” Ben asks.
A beat passes before he says, “Everything?”
A look of realization dawns on Makkari’s face. “He can feel our worry. He’s feeling the emotions and thoughts of seven very worried people.”
'"You’re right,” I reply. “Let’s try and dial it back, then?”
Phastos and Ben nod. Minutely, the crease between Druig’s brow eases.
“I need to find a vein, now,” Ben says. “Do you still mind keeping him still?”
I wrap one arm around Druig's middle, pinning his arm to his side, and cross my legs over his own, keeping him from kicking out. Druig whines a little bit, too out of it to verbally protest. “No, shh, you’re safe,” I whisper. “I just need to protect you. I don't want you or Ben getting hurt."
A dull cry escapes Druig as Ben slips the needle under his skin, but he remains still this time. Luckily, Ben gets the blood from Druig without a hitch this time, Druig softly crying as Makkari watched with a helpless look in her eye. When Ben finally finishes, I release Druig, and my muscles cry in relief at the action. Druig is as strong as an ox when he tries.
Makkari gently signs, "When Phastos places an IV, I can take care of him. Give your body a break."
"I need to see his chest," Ben says sternly, but not unkindly. "Just to see how severe the wounds are."
I nod and push his sweater up to reveal a rainbow of bruises, congregating the most severely in two spots on his chest. Phastos has a look of shock painted on his face as he struggles to regain composure and reconcile the fact that Ikaris did this. Phastos, luckily, still has the healing artefact in his hand.
Ben swiftly takes the arrowhead-looking device out of his husband's hand and taps his shoulder. "How do you use it?"
"It heals by cutting through," Makkari says, finally piping up. "You just cut the area you want to heal. It's painful, but effective."
"The Viking Priestesses had a sick sense of humor," Ben replies. "Druig, dear, I'm sorry. This is gonna hurt."
I take a gentle hold of Druig's wrists as Makkari grabs his ankles. Ben begins cutting downward, around his chest and ribs. Druig only cries weakly at the knife's cut on his skin. After Ben finishes, he steps back and the cuts on Druig's skin bleed light, and Druig weakly cries out.
"Shh," I softly tell him. "I know it hurts."
A weak sob escapes Druig, but luckily the cuts close and there's no proof of injury besides some redness on Druig's chest. Druig pants heavily, sagging against me after Makkari and I let him go. Druig is silent, which is scarily out of character for him. Finally, he calms down and lets go of me.
Phastos leaves the room with the vials of blood in hand after telling Ben that Druig needs painkillers.
"Druig," Ben says. "I'm sorry, I need to set an IV."
Druig begins trembling weakly, the cocktail of fever and fear enough to set him off. I feel for him, poor boy.
Makkari pulls him in close and rubs his arm slowly, trying to coax him into letting Ben set the IV. I try to remind myself that Makkari offered to take over, and feel emotion swell in my chest was she comforts Druig out of his terror. His head falls in the crook of her neck, his eyes shielded.
Ben takes this invitation to try and place the IV in the back of his hand, but Druig jerks away, making Makkari wrap her small frame around Druig, which initially makes his terror fly through the roof, strangled noises escaping him. I know this can't work well with his fever and body aches, so I put a hand on his ankle. Druig jerks me away, so I sigh to myself and think of a non-harmful but still effective threat.
"Druig, if you don't be still, I will hide the junk food on the Domo!" I tell him. While he does go still, making me sigh in relief, he begins softly crying. I immediately soften to him. "Oh Druig," I say softly. "Please don't cry. I didn't mean it."
After another minute, Druig's tears stop, which makes my heart ache a little less. Ben is finally able to place the IV, thanks mostly to Makkari's hold on him.
Sersi makes her way into the room while Druig is sleeping and hands me and Makkari food.
"Kingo made that," She says. "He's downstairs watching Jack. Phastos is still working on a treatment for Druig, but he should be done hopefully soon. How is he?"
"He's doing better, but is definitely not out of the woods," Ben says. "I'm keeping him on a constant drip of anti-nausea, morphine, and saline. He's puked twice. My main concern is the fever."
"How high is his temp going?" Sersi asks.
"107," Makkari signs. "Our normal temperature is 100."
"He's lucky," Sersi says and signs. "It's not really dropping is it?"
"It's fluctuated," Makkari replies. "Hasn't gone lower than 105."
"It's a good thing Kari found him when she did," I reply.
"We might have to do an ice bath," Ben says. "I really hate to, but it'll drop his body temperature at least."
"Will it hurt him?" Makkari signs.
"It won't be pleasant," Ben warns. "But it'll help."
Makkari and I nod.
“I’ve got him this time,” Makkari signs. "I can help make sure he stays in the tub."
"Are you sure?" I sign. "Druig is strong when he's tense."
Makkari nods. "I can handle him. You need a break."
"I can help too," Sersi says after draining the last of the soup. "Or I can get Kingo. He's stronger than me."
Makkari nods thoughtfully.
"That might be better," I reply before stretching deeply. Or as deeply as I can with Druig practically sleeping across Makkari and I. Druig makes a sound akin to a whimper, but I softly shush him and rub his back gently. "I know, little one."
Ben sighs and then says, "Do we know if Druig's ribs are broken still, or did that knife thing actually heal those too?"
"Generally, the runic arrowhead heals all," Makkari signs. "Ajak used it one time after a Deviant got me."
"But it apparently can't cure viruses," Sersi says glumly. Then, she looks again at Ben. "Do you still want to give Druig an ice bath, or do you want me to ask Phastos about that treatment again?"
"I think we should try an ice bath soon," Ben says. "I believe in him, but I don't want Druig's organs to cook. If that's even how fevers work for you all."
"No, that's about right," Sersi replies. "Let me go get Kingo. Just in case my powers are accidentally triggered." Sersi looks sadly at Druig before taking her bowl and leaving the small room.
"Can you try to wake him, please?" Ben asks gently.
I nod and gently scratch Druig's arm in an attempt to wake him up. "Druig," I say softly but firmly. "Druig, Ben needs you to wake up."
Druig's face contorts in pain as he makes a noise in the back of his throat.
"I know, little one," I whisper. Makkari and I gently help him into a seating position so his eyes can settle blearily on Ben.
"Druig, do you remember me?" Ben asks. Druig nods. "I need to try and break the fever since you're still reading really high, even for an Eternal."
Druig nods but then completely blanches out. Luckily, Makkari is quick to know what Druig needs and disappears for a second before returning with a large silver basin where Druig empties what's in his stomach. Shockingly enough, there's quite a bit left. Makkari rubs his back for several minutes until Druig finally sags against her in exhaustion.
Kingo walks in at this moment and says, "Sersi sent me."
Makkari nods and signs, "I need help making sure Druig can get into this ice bath."
"I can do that," Kingo says and signs. "Do you need me to pick him up?"
Makkari nods while Druig is too out of it to really care. He lets out a cry when Kingo picks him up and carries him bridal style.
"I know," Kingo whispers as he walks into the bathroom.
My heart aches for the boy in front of me. I know Druig is the same age, technically, but it's hard not to think of him as just a child in pain when he's like this.
Makkari POV:
As soon as Druig is placed in the tub, my job begins. I soak my pants legs climbing into the tub behind him and holding him in the cold water, even as he's too weak for his attempts to climb out.
Kingo is in charge of actually making sure Druig doesn't attempt to hurt me when he's like this. He does his part keeping Druig in the tub, holding his leg tightly enough that he won't attempt to kick the tub and hurt himself even worse.
The water chills me, and I have to put in a valiant effort to not cry into Druig's hair as he slouches against me finally.
"Are you alright?" Kingo signs.
I nod and put my cheek on top of Druig's hair so I can hide the tears slipping down my face. I came so close to losing him on the beach, and now I might actually lose him to this. Salty tears fall out of my eyes and into Druig's hair before I can stop them. I can't lose Druig. Not when I just got him back.
Ben finally comes back in to drain the tub water. Robotically, I straighten up and let go of Druig, letting Kingo redress him and carry him back into the room.
I shiver weakly, my chin wobbling as fear takes over. My chest aches with the force of my tears and shivering, and I feel the pain in my back where Kro tried to take my power.
Kingo walks back in, preparing to sign something to me before he sees me. "Oh, hon," He says and signs. Kingo walks over to the tub and sits on the edge before I launch myself into his open arms. "Druig'll be alright. He's already cooler." I continue to cry, soaking the shoulder of his purple jacket. "Hey, listen, Phastos is headed upstairs with the serum that'll break Druig's fever completely."
I finally sit up straight and calm enough to sign, "I can't restrain him again, Kingo."
"You won't have to," Kingo says and signs. "I promise, me and Thena will if we need to. Druig just needs you there." Kingo plants a familial kiss on my head. "You need some sweatpants in the meantime. Jeans with soaking wet legs cannot be comfortable."
I smile in spite of myself as Kingo helps me out of the tub. As he leaves, I wash my face at the sink to rid it of any tear tracks. I miss Ajak. She'd know exactly what to do.
Thena POV:
"I miss Ajak," Druig mumbles, his accent almost making his words too hard to understand. "I was an asshole."
I hum and reply, "You kinda were."
Druig's eyes close as he curls into me. He's cooler than he was, no longer running the risk of his organs cooking. I rub his back softly and look at his IV. His pain meds are running low, which means that Ben either needs to refill them or I'll lose the slightly lucid Druig I have currently.
"I miss her," He says, tears leaking out of his eyes. "I wish I could apologize."
I nod. "I miss Gilgamesh every day," I reply. "I keep thinking that he'd know what to do."
"He baked me a pie once," Druig replies. "After I put you to sleep. Before he left, he made pie." Druig puts his head on my shoulder. I hum softly, still scratching his back. "You'd be a good mam, Thena."
Tears prick my eyes at this. I gently kiss the crown of Druig's head. "Only to you idiots. Someone has to pick up where Ajak left off."
Druig lets out a harsh sob at this. "I miss her, Thena," Druig cries.
"Shhh," I say softly. "I know, we all do." I see Phastos walk in as I look over Druig's shoulder. He has the serum in hand, and I know that that must be the treatment he had been working on the last few hours.
"I just need to put this on his IV drip and I'll be out of the way," Phastos says.
I nod and notice how Druig's breathing evened out, finally indicating that he was asleep. Phastos fumbles with the drip, but successfully integrates it with the pain medicine. "How does it work?" I ask after he finishes.
"Will you freak out on me if I tell you?" Phastos asks. "Sersi and Kingo already did."
I give him a look as Makkari walks in and clambers in next to Druig, forming a cuddle pile once again.
"Basically, it cools his body down from within, and plunges his body down to a cooler-than-average temperature, then it warms him back up by making most of the major muscle groups contract to warm up again," He pauses. "It forces regulation through freezing him out then his muscles will--"
Makkari waves a hand. "You couldn't have come up with anything better? He barely has energy as it is!"
I put a hand on Makkari's arm, momentarily letting go of Druig. "Makkari, we've gotta let it do its thing. Phastos would've come up with something better if he could've." My heart aches at the thought of Druig in anymore pain, but I know it's a necessary evil if I want him to get any better. Makkari looks at me sadly, but knows I'm right.
"It'll be okay. We're all here."
Druig lays on top of Makkari a few hours later, but still faces me and holds my skirt tightly in his fist. Druig shivers intermittently, even with blanketing from Makkari, a blanket, and a heating pad Sersi brought in. Druig has been sleeping off and on, with Makkari coaxing water down his throat when she could.
On hour five, Ben came back in to check Druig's temperature. "He's much cooler," He says. "Better than he was in the ice bath, even."
Not long after that, Phastos comes in behind Ben. "The cooling should taper off in the next half hour, or in the next fifteen minutes, since Druig is small. He can't have any pain meds because it interferes too much, but you can use old-fashioned methods. I can't guarantee he'll be lucid, but he will be okay. It'll just be a long 12 hours once it kicks in." Phastos pauses and pushes up the duvet to Druig's shoulders. "Let him sleep. He'll be in pain when he wakes up."
I nod as Phastos walks out.
Makkari gently combs her fingers through Druig's hair, her other arm going protective to around his middle. Worry is clear in her gaze. I feel helpless as I watch on, only able to provide something physical to hold on to. Makkari lays her head on top of Druig's and closes her eyes. The light changes in the room as the sun goes down, and Makkari scoots herself and Druig down on the bed.
"You can lay up on me if you want to," I tell her. Immediately, Makkari lays her head on my chest, Druig still in her arms. I smile softly and begin toying with Makkari's braids, making her doze off.
Makkari wakes up next a few minutes before Druig.
When Druig wakes up, he wakes up harshly. He cries softly into His grasp on my skirt moves to my sweater and becomes more like a vice grip. "What's wrong, little beastie?"
"Hurts," Druig said, his accent thick because of the pain. "I miss Ajak. Mama."
"I know," I say softly. "Makkari and I are here."
Makkari shifts Druig a little bit to grab a water bottle from the nightstand. "Try drinking some water for me?" Druig nods but Makkari has to help him so he doesn't accidentally pull his IV out. Makkari gently rubs his arm to help him drink the water.
"Why don't you try to go back to sleep?" I ask gently once Druig has taken a few sips of water.
"Nooo," Druig whines. "It hurts and I don't wanna leave Kari."
"You have to sleep a little bit," Makkari signs. "And I'll be holding you the whole time."
"The medicine has to do its job, and it'll help if you try to rest," I say while smoothing Druig's hair back. Tears leak out of his eyes as I mourn the boy's pain. "I know, little one."
Eventually, Druig is able to sleep fitfully, twitching every once in a while. Makkari keeping her resolve the whole time. My heart warms a bit in spite of the situation. Makkari has always been protective of Druig, and watching her care or Druig makes my heart ache a little bit less for Gilgamesh.
Finally, at around 4 AM, Druig finally calms completely and settles into a deeper rest. Phastos comes in around this time and gets Druig's temperature, finally settled to our normal temperature of 100 degrees.
"The fever broke," Phastos whispers. "You guys did really good. He's gonna be okay."