Chapter Text
Es wakes up to their head pounding.
They groan, rolling over and curling up. Their head hurt. Their body ached. They felt warm and cold and burning and freezing all at the same time. They felt miserable. What was even happening?
Were they sick? They felt sick. It felt horrible. They wanted to lie in bed all day and not get up…
… They push themselves up and out of bed with all their willpower.
They're the warden. They can't spend all day coiled up in bed. They have a Job to do. They're responsible.
So they make themselves get up, and sit at their desk, flipping through requests and filing them until their head hurt too much to focus.
…
…which doesn't take very long.
Their head throbs, and their body aches, and they can't focus at all on the list of requests in front of them.
They stand up, ignoring the moment of dizziness that threatens to knock them over.
Fine. Fine! If they couldn't do their paperwork, they're going to go check in on the prisoners. That's a part of their duties too.
(…Besides. They wanted small bit of the pudding they saw Jackalope stash away in the fridge again. They think it'd make them feel better. They wanted something cold.)
(Jackalope doesn't have to know. He didn't even suspect them the last time. Ha.)
So, with much focus put into walking steadily, they trudge out into the hallway.
Shidou was in the kitchen, clearing up the last of the dishes from lunch. He'd offered to, at least, and it wasn't very much, so even the few who offered to help weren't there anymore, leaving just him.
He watches them walk into the kitchen, making a beeline for the fridge, walking past him without so much as an acknowledgement. He waves. They don't wave back.
It's not like they'd wave back normally, but they also didn't realize he was waving until it was too awkward to wave back
"Good afternoon, Es-kun." He says anyway, and they practically glare at him. "How have you been?"
"Fine." They respond, taking a small cup of pudding from the back of the fridge. Their head hurt too much to even try giving much more of a response. Their body ached. They would just grab the pudding and get back to attempting their paperwork, maybe…
…
They stand at the fridge for maybe too long, because when theyre able to focus on their surroundings again, Shidou is standing in front of them, face full of concern.
"…Shidou. What do you want." They ask grumpily, closing the fridge door, hoping he doesn't notice them using it as a support. They felt dizzy.
Wordlessly, and way too suddenly for their liking, Shidou reaches his ungloved (when did he take that off?) hand up and lays it gently on their head.
And, much to their embarrassment, they flinch back way too hard, hitting the fridge door and feeling their knees buckle, falling onto the ground.
"Es-kun..!" Shidou bends down, offering his hand to them. "… My apologies if I scared you... It's just…"
They glare at him, but their head is spinning too much for them to even grab his hand — not that they wanted to. They were fine. They were competent. They could … get up on their own…
Shidou frowns at them, placing his hand gently on their forehead again (it takes a lot of willpower not to lean into the touch. They don't want it. Stop that.)
"…You're burning up, Es-kun." He says worriedly, reaching out to help them up again. "Have you… been getting enough rest? Sleeping well? You're running a fever…"
"I'm fine! I'm the warden, and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my own health. I'm not some sick child. Now move!" They shove him away weakly, then push themself off the floor, ignoring how their legs shake and ache.
They were annoyed. Their head hurt, and they were annoyed. And dizzy. Their vision feels like it's swimming, and they don't—
They blink, and next thing they know, their body feels heavy, and Shidou is holding them up, his stupid face still full of that damn concern.
"… Go away." They mutter, trying to push themself away from him, but they feel… weak. Small.
They hated it.
Shidou was shifting his hold on them, not once letting his pitying gaze off of them. "Es-kun, you're sick… I don't know how long you've been sick, but you clearly need to rest. I understand that your job is… important, but your health is as well…"
They make an annoyed whine, feeling more like a child than ever.
"… Can you stand?"
They try. They really do, trying to prove that they're strong, they're a responsible, good warden.
But their legs feel weak and jelly like, and they only lean further into Shidou, who reacts with no little surprise. Their face flushes with embarrassment at their childishness, but he probably can't tell past the sickness anyway.
They try to tell him that they're fine, they can walk to their room on their own, go away leave them alone and stop treating them like a little kid, but all that comes out is a small, sad, pathetic sound that makes them feel stupid.
The look of pity from Shidou doesn't help, either.
"It's alright, Es-kun…" he coos gently, and they want nothing more than to punch him in the face. "Look, let's… get you back to your room. It's… down the hall, right? Come now…"
Even with Shidou's support, they take a total of three steps before their legs go limp.
Was this really what being sick felt like? They felt so … weak. Helpless. Like a little child. They hated this. They hated being sick, and they hated how Shidou looked at them like they were fragile. They hate this.
They hate it even more when Shidou suddenly sweeps their feet out from under them, carrying them gently like they're a little kid.
They're going to punch him. Kick him in the shin again. Anything. He deserved it for patronizing his warden like this… again.
"It's just for a little bit, Es-kun… you're not well. I'll leave… once you're doing better, I promise…" he assures them, walking slowly and carefully towards their room.
(It embarrasses them to say that they wanted to lean into his touch, that they felt… safe. Comfortable. That they liked the feeling of being embraced like this.
They kick aside the thought and stomp on it. They're the warden! He's a prisoner!! They can't be letting him treat them like a child, much less want him to! What's wrong with them?
Maybe sickness just makes them stupid. That must be it.)
They don't realize that they're back in their room until Shidou lowers them gently onto their bed. (And they will Never admit that they wanted him to stay. Or, God forbid, that they wanted a hug. Never.)
Now that they're laying on their bed, they can hardly keep their eyes open. They just felt so tired…
…Maybe Shidou was right. In a way. A warden like them needs to be in their best state to do their job. They just… needed to recuperate. Just for a little while. A short rest won't hurt… they think.
But they couldn't let a prisoner take care of them. They watch as Shidou goes in and out of their room, carrying a cup of water once, then a wet rag that he places on their forehead, then a small bowl of… soup?
"…Shidou. Stop." They say as sternly as they can, pushing themself up on their elbows. "I can… take care of myself. Go do whatever you were doing. I don't need your help. A prisoner should not be taking care of their warden."
Shidou hums, adjusting the rag on their forehead as they sit up. "…But it's an adult's job to take care of a child." He says simply, urging them to lay down.
They do, reluctantly, grumpily. "I'm not a child…" they mutter, but they felt terrible, and he seemed to know what he was doing, so… whatever. They'll get back at him for it eventually.
So they let him fuss over them, urging them to drink water and the soup he brought over, and they listen when he tells them to rest and sleep. (Though not without complaint)
He had a good enough explanation anyway. They couldn't work like this. If they had to rest to be a good warden… then fine. They'd rest.
(For reasons even they don't know, they don't slap his hand away when it cards through their hair. They're just tired, they tell themself.)
-----
Shidou sighs with a smile as Es finally agrees to sleep, to rest, to let themself get better.
It's so childish. So lovely, the way they objected to rest like that. It reminded him of—
…
Gently, he places his hand on their forehead. He tells himself it's just to check their temperature, but he finds himself running his hands through their hair tenderly.
(He misses them)
Much to his surprise, though, Es seems to ease into his touch. It's cute.
He stays beside them as long as he can, which is very, considering he didn't really have anything to do.
He yawns. What time was it?
Ah, well. He'd stay by their side until they got better.
----
When Es wakes up, they find Shidou still in their room, having fallen asleep next to their bed. How long were they out..?
They have to admit that they're… touched. That he would go that far to make sure they were alright.
….not that he needed to. They were a competent warden, they knew how to manage themself.
Still, though. It was…. Comforting.
(When they get better, at least better enough to work, they chase Shidou out of their room, and he goes with a laugh and a concerned reminder to take care of their health.
They scoff at that. They're the warden. They know how to take care of themself.
… Though they find themself remembering to drink water a lot more often.
Jackalope throws another fit over another missing cup of pudding, and once again doesn't suspect them. So they suppose they win this time.)
…
(They'll never admit that they found it comforting, being doted over in that way. They're the warden, after all.)