Chapter Text
Adam looked over with an irritated grunt, “Jonah, seriously? Another fucking break?”
The other investigator didn’t respond, coughing harshly into his shoulder. He took in shaky breathes, as though he’d just run a marathon or something. Which couldn’t be farther from the truth, they’d literally just been wandering around the fucking building they’d been sent to investigate for the last half an hour or so.
“Dude, if you’re going to fucking cough your lung up, can you stop with the dramatics and just get it over with?”
“F…fuck… hgchhk…off.” Jonah wiped at his nose, eyes glassy and distant, “F-feel like… like, uh, shit.”
“Mmmm,” Adam looked him up and down a moment before scoffing. “Jeez, fine, fine, whatever. I don’t need you like dying or some crap, sit down, asshole.”
Jonah flicked him off as he slid to the ground, closing his eyes with a heavy sigh. “Dude, I feel like… like really bad.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, man.” Still, Adam crouched down to look the guy over, making a face when he noticed how badly the dude was sweating, gross. “Take your jacket off, dumbass, I think you’re just overheating or whatever.”
“F…ine,” Jonah coughed, struggling his way out before flopping back again, taking in deep breaths at the apparent strain this caused him.
“What the hell is up with you?”
The guy managed to crack open an eye lid to give him a rather unimpressed look. “Whatcha t-thin—“ He broke off into a series of coughs before just slumping back. “Mmmmmm… t’ink I’m, uh, like sick.”
“Literally this is the worst time to decide to do that,” Adam scoffed, moving to pick up Jonah’s jackets to swing over his shoulder. He eyed Jonah a moment, “No seriously, why didn’t you say something earlier if you’re going to be like all this?”
Jonah stared at him, “Bro. I literally… I literally told you in, uh, like… the car that I felt crappy.” He cleared his throat a moment, wiping at his forehead, “You said… like, just, uh… ‘m’fine!”
The blond rolled his eyes, okay maybe he did tell Jonah that he was fine on the drive here and practically dragged the idiot out to the house, but he didn’t think Jonah would start acting like this!
“Ughhh,” Adam moved to drag Jonah back up to his feet, watching the guy sway in place a while before the doofus just leaned against him. He tried not to cringe away, just the sooner they got Jonah back to the car and out of the way, the sooner he could wrap this investigation up so they got paid. “Alright idiot, you listening?”
“Mgghn?”
“Good enough, okay, fine. You’re going back in the car and I’ll just fucking finish this shit up and we can go back home, deal?”
“Mmmmm,” he felt the other nod against his shoulder so he figured that was agreement.
“Great. Now don’t trip, got it?”
Jonah fucking coughed on him.
~
Adam could work quick if he so pleased, most the time he liked to take his time, sure, but right now?
The quicker he got out of here, the quicker him and Jonah went home, and the sooner Jonah got over this fucking whatever this was and actually started pulling his weight again.
Still, Adam was pretty damn sure this house was a bust either way, most the time when they went into a house that had interesting things actually happen, the air often felt different than normal. It was a weird thing to say and apparently he was like the only one that felt it most the time, but it was like there was a ripple through everything. And if he was careful enough, closed his eyes and focused, he could follow the intensity of these ‘ripples’ and track down something that could be described as paranormal.
Maybe it was just some bullshit sixth sense or whatever, but it certainly helped him find the excuse to leave this house sooner rather than later. It just felt like dead air and the chill that comes with an empty space, Adam still making sure to record himself doing some of the basic shit like the spirit box and that one flashlight trick.
And just as he predicted, it was a total fucking bust. Lame.
He packed up, wrote down in his notebook what he observed so he could give a report to Sarah later, and he stalked on back to the car to see if Jonah was still alive or whatever.
~
Jonah felt, predictably, like actual shit right now. His head fog had increased tenfold, he was sweating like crazy, his throat hurt, etc. Etc. In conclusion? IT SUCKED! But at the fucking least Adam had to finally throw in the towel because like it or not, Jonah was not the best actor there was.
He wore his heart on his sleeve most the time, chatted about whatever it was on his mind, and he wasn’t afraid to say when he felt scared or anxious or sad. Maybe that straight forwardness irritated the hell out of his friend, but it certainly helped when dealing with the guy. Cause yeesh, Adam could not pick up on the subtle things to save his life, either he brushed you off or legit didn’t notice if something was up until you grabbed him by the shoulders and said it bluntly.
So when Adam got back in the car, he was certain to make it known how much Jonah absolutely felt like crap right now. “Feel. Like. Crap.”
The blond shot him a glare, “Okay, okay, I fucking get it! We’re going home, you big baby.”
He didn’t have the energy to squabble with the dummy, just nodding tiredly as he leaned his seat back.
“…You better not like… die in here.”
Adam— always the greatest at words —Murray.
Jonah hazarded a laugh, regretting it quickly as that irritated his throat and threw him into another coughing fit. He shuddered, swallowing thickly, ow ow ow. Oh this sucked, what the fuck did he even pick up? Like the flu? That’s what made you feel all congested and hurt your lungs, right? Or was that a cold? God his brain couldn’t right now.
He just focused on the soothing motion of the car, letting himself drift off to sleep.
~
Adam practically had to drag Jonah to the living room couch, grumbling as he lowered the guy down onto it (Jonah hated sleeping alone in his room and while it’d be so easy to toss him in his room and let him figure this stupid sickness out, Adam wasn’t like that much of an asshole).
Besides, made it so fucking easy to get the guy shit from the kitchen, since technically the living room and kitchen were basically only separated by the kitchen island. The blond already figured to grab like broth and water for Jonah, as well as whatever fruit was still good in the fridge (something about the natural sugars and juice being good for refreshing a person’s body or something?)
He'd never fucking admit it, but Adam didn’t actually want Jonah dead. Sure he got irritated with the guy and earlier in their work relationship he’d straight up hated the dumbass, but well, it was kinda nice to have someone else around. Also made work a lot more efficient since the blond had the shittest luck with the stupid technology and cameras, he swore half the time he just ended up killing the tech he tried to work with.
It was annoying and tiring and Jonah was good with all that crap so yeah. Besides, maybe he didn’t mind having someone else around to fill empty air, even if the guy was really fucking unprofessional and one hell of an emotional coward.
He huffed out a breath and walked back over, setting down everything on the table infront of the couch, Jonah still settled in his dark undershirt and work jeans (look, he was not going to try and drag him into pj’s, he did not want to see what horrible choice in boxers Jonah had).
“Hey. You alive?” He nudged the guy with a foot.
“Mmgghgh?”
Cool. Still alive. He did not feel like dealing with a dead body. “Great. I got like, uh, warm broth, some orange and apple slices, and like water. Drink and eat it or don’t, I don’t care. I’ll be in the armchair incase you actually start dying or something, got it?”
Jonah groggily blinked at him before snorting, “Tha…thanks?”
“You’re welcome,” he grunted, crossing his arms and stomping over to his chair, plopping down to keep an eye on the other.
Thankfully, after a bit, Jonah did infact eat and drink some of the stuff provided before flopping back over onto his side and apparently falling asleep. Adam tapped a foot, fidgeted with his fingers, and when he was positively certain Jonah was actually passed out, he went to grab a light blanket and tossed it over him.
Then he settled back in his chair, crossing his arms and keeping watch. Stupid idiot getting sick, the quicker he got over this thing, the better.