Work Text:
“And that should conclude everything today, unless anyone needs to add something,” Ren said to the other ministers, already packing his stuff. The others all agreed they didn't have anything to add, not that Ren would have known if they did, being very preoccupied with sending a comm message to a certain absent minister and leaving quickly.
PRIVATE MESSAGE
[Renthedog]: I’ll be there in a minute <3
By the time the other neighbourhood members had wished each other a good evening and left, Ren had already reached his destination.
“Hi,” he called out gently, not wanting to wake his potentially sleeping servermate. He set his bag down before going through the slightly ajar door.
False, as expected, was in her bed looking miserable. She looked up as Ren entered.
“Hey, how was the meeting?” she asked hoarsely.
“Eh, pretty boring honestly. The others said get well soon.”
False smiled at that, sitting a bit straighter.
“I feel a bit better than last night so that’s something.”
“That’s good, you really scared me last night, man. I don’t think I’d ever seen you that ill before.”
“How’d you think I felt?” False quipped, thinking back to the previous night when she’d called Ren in a feverish panic after waking up past midnight to a pounding headache, spinning vision, a churning stomach, what felt like a head full of cotton, and trembling, achy limbs.
Ren had been quick to reach False’s base, finding her in the kitchen with a glass of water in one hand while she leaned over the sink, trembling.
“Yeah, yeah, fair point,” Ren admitted, perching himself near False on her bed and extending his arms as an invitation. False sighed contentedly, leaning on her friend and closing her eyes. The pair stayed like that for a few seconds before Ren stood up.
“Okay, I know you probably don’t feel like eating, but that’s the only way you can have a potion, if you absolutely don’t want to eat then at least have something to drink. Just enough so you’re not running on empty.”
False looked hesitant at the thought of eating, which prompted Ren to continue.
“Just…warm water with some honey, at least?” he pleaded. Even if diluted, honey would help ease some unpleasant symptoms, maybe giving her enough relief from her nausea to allow her to eat something a bit more substantial. False still looked dubious, but nodded. Ren looked relieved, about to turn towards False’s kitchen to prepare the drink. He was met with a very out of character False calling after him.
“Nooo, I wanna come with you, Ren. It’s bad enough I couldn’t see the others at the meeting,” she complained through congestion, not expecting any reaction other than ‘I’ll be back soon.’
Ren proved this expectation wrong by turning back with a mischievous grin, lifting False into his arms without hesitation, blanket and all, and checking she’d settled into the change of position before going to the kitchen. False didn’t protest, leaning against him and allowing her eyes to drift shut. Ren’s grin faltered as he felt the persistent heat radiating from False, laying her on the small sofa she kept near the kitchen.
Ren placed a bowl of water on the top of a furnace, placing coal into it before looking for some honey and a mug. False was soon woken from her half-conscious daze by a coughing fit, just as Ren was stirring the honey into the water, tasting a bit himself before letting it cool slightly.
“It’s almost done, Falsie. How ya feeling?” The hoarse, indistinct grumble he received in response said enough.
“Okay, message received,” Ren teased, though his concern was evident. He poured most of the drink into the mug, covering the rest, before sitting down beside False and helping her upright.
“You don’t have to drink all of it, but try to have as much as you can,” he pleaded, as False took the mug in trembling hands. She gave a small nod and, to Ren’s relief and surprise, finished most of the drink. Despite his earlier hopes, however, False didn’t seem to have gained the inclination, or even energy to eat, simply slumping back on the sofa, clearly out of it. Ren didn’t push, putting away the mug and helping her back to her bed. After checking that the tissues, water, and bowl were situated nearby on False’s bedside table, Ren lay down next to her, the shaky breath of his best friend being the last thing he heard as he fell asleep.