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This was one of the few days nobody had seen Abolish outside of where his home was. People had barely seen him at all, with him being cooped up inside his home, but the few times he was outside? Well, he did not walk far away from the home, and he did not look too great (staggering around, leaning against things). With the little hints that people had from gossiping and watching the man’s behaviour, there was two options of what could be happening:
1. Abolish was drunk, and didn’t want to affect anyone with his actions (unlikely, he did not seem like the type to get drunk, especially not here).
2. Abolish was sick, and was isolating himself so people wouldn’t find out (far more likely).
Regardless of which of those was happening, people were still concerned. Thus, who better to send than the loudest man with the easiest modes of transport to go and check up on him?
~
Abolish felt the crack of lightning reverberate through his skull, and he was forced to grab the nearest surface (which happened to be his crafting table) to keep himself stabilised. What was that? He wasn’t sure, and he did not care to put too much energy towards thinking about it, because that was energy he did not have. He was already so tired, ever so sleepy, but he knew he could not afford to rest. Despite being ill, he knew he had to keep being productive within his own home. He’d organised his chest three times, decorated his room and then changed it again, attempted to craft some more weapons with his newly strengthened blacksmithing abilities (though that ended up with him unintentionally slicing his hand open with the sharpened metal so he bandaged that up and stopped very soon after) and he had gotten more supplies to expand his house ever so slightly (he still felt somewhat claustrophobic in here, but it wasn’t supposed to be a big space, because he wasn’t supposed to be in here for longer periods of time). He needed to be prepared, even when ill, even when he’d emptied his guts out into a bucket… three times? No, four. Or was it five? He couldn’t remember at this point. Should that be concerning? Maybe. But it didn’t matter, not to him.
Not when he needed to be productive.
(Not when his body felt like it was destroying itself from the inside out.)
Once he finally got himself stabilised back on his feet, he decided to go back to organising his chest. Had he already organised it multiple different ways? Yes, but each method felt more effective than the last, so he would keep reorganising it, because that was what was needed: an effective organisation system so he could grab stuff and go at any point (when he felt like his head was not being smashed into pieces by a hammer).
He opened the chest, starting to grab the things out and emptying its contents across the floor. His skull felt as though it was being knocked against for a moment, but he assumed it was nothing. Illness usually got slightly worse before getting better. (Not that he was ill. He wasn’t allowed to be ill.) His movements were slow and slurred, his hands shaking and trembling with each movement. His brain was attempting to shut down right there and then, the tiredness spreading through his body as he moved to sit and organise things. Maybe a small nap wouldn’t be so bad… No, he needed to be productive, he needed to stay awake.
He soon felt a hand on his shoulder, immediately causing him to flinch and attempt to pull his sword. Attempting, because his bandaged hand got caught on the item he was holding, making it so he couldn’t grab it. He didn’t need to grab it, because it was only… who was that? His vision was all messed up, and his eyes were barely open. Whoever it was, they were very nice to look at. It was even nicer when he felt their arms wrap around him, picking him up off of the floor. He found himself practically melting into the touch, completely oblivious to the concern from the other person, and their soft words of comfort. He just wanted to nap, and he did not want to let go.
So, that’s exactly what he did…
~
Nikos found himself somewhat panicking as Abolish went practically limp in his arms. The Champion of Hephaestus was radiating heat (more than usual, which was really saying something) while his hands were freezing cold, and his body was shaking unnaturally. His complexion was far paler than it normally was, and his cheeks were overly flushed (and he knew it could not have been from anything other than illness). Why did he not say anything sooner? This wasn’t something to just push through, especially not when he looked this bad. Gods, if he looked this bad, how was he feeling?
He sighed slightly, cradling the ill man close to his chest. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t just leave him here alone to burn up and rot, but he did not know entirely how to take care of someone who was ill. It would be fine! He could do this. Absolutely. Anything for the pretty one.
He carefully stepped over and around the objects that scattered the floor (he could deal with those later), making his way over to the bed tucked in the corner. Nikos attempted to place Abolish down, but found one very small, absolutely minor issue with that. Abolish was clinging to him with an almost killer grip. Ah. Shit. For someone so ill and so sleepy, his grip was so surprisingly strong. Nikos smiled softly, looking down at him. Gods, he was adorable like this, even if he didn’t get to see it that much. His face was relaxed for once, not tensed up in any way, and he seemed stress-free unlike his usual radiation of worry and wanting to be the best of the champions. It was sweet to see him like this.
He soon decided there was a far easier option than trying to put Abolish down onto bed by himself. What is that option? Getting on the bed too! It was a tight fit for them both to fit on there at the same time, especially as Abolish had chosen such a small bed for him to sleep on, but he could make it work. He kept Abolish tucked to his chest, the feverish champion resting soundly in his arms. He moved one of his arms, though, to run his hands through his hair, attempting to try and soothe the champion without stirring him too much. Nikos knew being sick was genuinely horrid for many people, and he doubted Abolish had gotten too sick before, especially not like this. He grabbed one of the blankets, doing his best to try and cover him in the blanket (though this proved to be far easier said than done, especially considering Abolish was clinging so heavily to him with no way of letting go). Still, he managed to get the blanket partially wrapped around him, which believed to be a valiant attempt.
Now, he had to lay here and decide on what he should do to take care of the sweet gladiator in his arms, because everyone knew he wasn’t going to take care of himself.
~
Abolish’s eyes slowly opened, though they felt as though they should have been crusted shut. He buried his face further into the pillow he was resting against, grip tightening slightly. He didn’t realise how warm his bed was before falling asleep… nor the fact that it was moving slightly.
…
What?
His eyes opened further, and he attempted to sit up properly, but two arms held him in place, tugging him back down onto the bed.
“Let- let me-”
“Abolish, calm down,” he heard their voice mutter. Wait. That was a distinct voice which he recognised. Nikos. “I’m just trying to let you rest.”
“Nikos..?”
“Yeah, it’s me, pretty one.”
“When did you…?”
“A couple hours ago. You were sorting out your chest, and I showed up. You didn’t even notice me until I tapped you on the shoulder, and then you melted into my arms and passed out. I thought you needed the rest, and so I let you get it.”
Abolish found himself whimpering ever so slightly, leaning into his touch. “‘M fine, Nikos. I’m not needing rest, and I’m not ill.”
“I never said you were ill, pretty one.”
Abolish sighed slightly, before attempting to sit up again. He got further than last time, and he assumed that was all he could really ask for, especially as Nikos was very insistent on not letting him go and letting him rest. Regardless, he was upright now, and his head was spinning. Gods, he felt like he was about to puke. Nikos seemed to realise that much quicker than he did, as there was a bucket placed on his lap almost immediately after he sat up. He felt his stomach twist and tighten, his insides practically tensing and turning as he felt vomit rise into his throat and out of his mouth. Hephaestus, help him. It felt disgusting, and the vomit did not stop coming for a few minutes. He hadn’t puked in years, and this felt so much worse than he remembered. His throat felt as though it was scratched up, and his insides felt as though they were attempting to kill him.
A hand rested on his back the entire time, rubbing gently up and down his skin. It was a cool sensation and a rather welcome one, his body instinctively relaxing into it (as soon as he had finished vomiting up his guts, that was). Nikos’s other hand was pulled into his hair, gently tugging locks out of the way and pulling them back, along with itching against his scalp which he utterly adored. It was a nice reprieve from the torture that he was going through (called being ill, though he would not admit to the fact that he was, because that was stupid, because he wasn’t), and he was glad Nikos was here over most everyone (apart from maybe Cleo). Not that he would say that aloud. Nikos did not need that ego boost. Instead, he simply melted into the touches he was being given, placing the bucket on the floor once he was confident he wasn’t about to throw up. His head was still spinning, but at least it was something better than his guts being spilled across the floor.
He watched as Nikos moved closer, tugging Abolish fully into his lap, using the fact that his touch was cooler to try and cool him down.
“Don’t- I’m going to make you sick.” Abolish whined, almost instinctively leaning into the touch (because what else was he meant to do in this situation?).
“It’s alright, pretty one. I’m taking precautions.” The Champion of Zeus grinned at him, before grabbing a small, stray piece of cloth and gently wiping any remaining residue of sickness off of his face and skin. It was such a small gesture, but Abolish found himself melting into it completely.
Silence fell between the two of them for a moment as Nikos wiped up anything that needed to be while Abolish simply leant into his body, pressing his head into the space between Nikos’s neck and his collarbone. The coolness against his head specifically was something he appreciated greatly, and he was even more grateful when Nikos tugged him closer rather than trying to push him away to continue cleaning up. His delusional mind slowly started to wander elsewhere. Why was Nikos taking care of him? Why hadn’t he left yet? Was he willingly here, or was he just here because the Gods told him to? Besides, who would willingly look after him? He was just-
Being like this felt completely and utterly humiliating to Abolish, and so he was surprised Nikos wasn’t mad at him. Why wouldn’t he be mad at him? Being this sick meant he could not be helpful to himself or anyone else, and he could not take care of anything or anyone, and he could not entertain the gods, which he knew would enrage them in ways that most did not deem possible. He knew though. He knew how angry they could get. They could dig their teeth into his flesh, prying him apart and they still would not be satisfied. They could not possibly be being entertained by this, and thus he needed to be entertaining. He needed to get up and move and fight and- how was Nikos not mad at him?
“Why would I be mad at you, pretty one?” Nikos’s voice sounded utterly concerned.
Shit. Apparently, being this ill also made you delusional and somehow speak every single thought you ever had out loud. “I just- I’m being useless.” Abolish mumbled into his neck, as though speaking at a volume at all louder than this one would take far too much out of him and his body.
“Everyone is useless occasionally. Everyone gets ill too. It’s not your fault.”
“But- I probably did something. I probably made it so I got ill. There was probably an untreated wound which got infected, or maybe I ate something or-”
“Abolish,” Nikos’s voice was gentle, hand grabbing his chin with a surprising lack of strength and guiding him to look at him, “being ill like this is a natural part of life. People get sick, people have to take breaks. We’re alive again. We can get ill. We’re allowed to take breaks.”
“I didn’t- I never got sick in life.”
“Doesn’t mean you can’t get sick here. It’s a place we don’t know shit about, and it’s honestly more likely for us to get ill or for things to happen here, because we don’t know what to expect. You’re allowed to feel ill. You’re allowed this. I’m going to take care of you out of my own free will, and you are going to sit and cope, okay?”
“...”
“Okay, pretty one?”
“Okay… but this is humiliating.”
“There’s nothing humiliating about needing help once in a while, pretty one. That tough exterior does not need to be up forever, you know.”
“It’s not working for its intended purpose either way.”
“Oh?”
“Keeping myself from getting attached and stopping others from getting attached to me.”
“...Yeah, no, that hasn’t worked at all.”
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious, dumbass.”
“Wow, okay, pretty one, I see.” Nikos was grinning as he spoke, and for once, Abolish’s head felt slightly less heavy than it had been these last hours.
Nikos’s arms wrapped tighter around him, before playfully tugging him back down into the bed. Apparently, this was a kidnapping now. Well, at least he got more cuddles, and he got to be taken care of for once in his life…
The gladiator and the guy who taught him how to love.
Gods, was this Elysium?
If it wasn’t, it was now.