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"…"
"BRO. I TOLD YOU NOT TO TRAIN UNDER THE HEAVY RAIN YESTERDAY."
The Seraphim yelled at the Dragon, clearly annoyed.
Wemmbu stared back at him from beneath a mountain of blankets. His purple hair was a mess, his eyes were half-lidded, and his usual energy was nowhere to be found.
"...I wasn't training."
Egg's eye twitched. "You were swinging a sword."
"I was practicing."
"IN THE RAIN."
"It was raining."
"THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID."
Wemmbu sniffled.
Egg immediately paused, his expression softening for a moment before he crossed his arms again. "Don't give me that face."
"What face?"
"That face."
"I'm not doing anything."
"You look like you're about to argue with me."
"I'm sick."
"You're always like this."
"I'm more like this when I'm sick."
Egg sighed.
That was, unfortunately, true.
Wemmbu had always been stubborn. He would ignore injuries, exhaustion, hunger—anything that might convince him to stop whatever he was doing. But this was different.
For once, Wemmbu actually looked sick.
His usual energy was gone. His voice was quieter, his movements sluggish, and every few minutes he would pull the blanket higher around himself as another shiver ran through him. Even his tail wasn't swishing like usual.
Egg walked over and placed the back of his hand against Wemmbu's forehead.
Wemmbu immediately leaned away.
"Don't."
"Stay still."
"I'm fine."
"You have a fever."
"I'm warm."
"That's what a fever is."
"Oh."
Egg stared at him.
Wemmbu stared back.
"...What?"
"Nothing."
Egg pulled the blanket back over him. "You're staying here."
"But—"
"No."
"I need to—"
"No."
"Egg—"
"No."
"...Bro."
"Absolutely not."
Wemmbu frowned.
Egg pointed at him. "And don't even think about sneaking out."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"You were thinking about it."
"...Maybe."
"Exactly."
Egg shook his head, muttering under his breath as he headed toward the door. "Unbelievable. I leave you alone for one day..."
Behind him came a quiet voice.
"...Egg?"
The Seraphim stopped.
He glanced over his shoulder.
Wemmbu had sunk further into the blanket, his eyes half-lidded.
"Can you..."
He paused, seemingly embarrassed.
"...stay?"
Egg's expression changed.
The annoyance disappeared almost instantly.
He turned around and walked back to the bedside.
"Yeah."
He sat down beside him.
Wemmbu closed his eyes.
"Thanks."
Egg smiled faintly.
"Get some sleep, bro."
"...Okay."
For once, Wemmbu didn't argue.
And somehow, that worried Egg more than anything else.
---
It didn't take long for word to spread.
Wemmbu was sick.
Apparently, that was all it took for everyone to suddenly become concerned.
The first knock came barely an hour later.
Knock. Knock.
Egg looked toward the door.
"No."
Another knock followed.
"Egg?"
Rejoice.
Egg sighed and opened the door.
Rejoice immediately peeked inside. "How is he?"
"Sick."
"I gathered that."
"Then why'd you ask?"
Rejoice ignored him and walked inside.
Wemmbu cracked one eye open.
"...Rejoice?"
"Hi!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Visiting."
"I'm fine."
Egg snorted. "He's been saying that for the past three hours."
Wemmbu glared at him.
Rejoice smiled. "Yeah, you don't look fine."
"I'm fine."
"You look like you got hit by a truck."
"...I feel like it."
Egg pointed at him. "See?"
Wemmbu pulled the blanket over his head.
"I hate everyone."
Rejoice laughed. "Good. Means you're still yourself."
---
Not long after, Flame arrived.
He didn't even bother knocking. He simply walked through the door holding a bowl.
Egg stared at him.
"...What is that?"
"Soup."
"Where did you get soup?"
"Mane made it."
Egg looked at the bowl, then at Flame.
"He made it?"
"Yes."
"...Are you sure that's safe?"
Flame frowned. "Very funny."
From beneath the blanket came a muffled voice.
"Does it have vegetables?"
"Yes."
"Then No."
Flame looked offended. "You're sick."
"I don't want vegetables."
"You need to eat."
"I'd rather—"
Egg immediately pointed at him. "You're eating the soup."
Wemmbu groaned.
"This is tyranny."
"It's soup."
"Tyranny."
Flame handed the bowl to Egg.
"Good luck."
"Traitor."
....
By the time Minutech arrived, Wemmbu had managed to consume approximately four spoonfuls of soup.
Minutech stared at the bowl.
"...That's it?"
Wemmbu nodded. "I'm full."
"You barely ate anything."
"I'm a dragon. I don't need much."
Egg stared at him.
"That's not how being sick works."
Wemmbu turned away.
Minutech sat beside him. "You know, you could've avoided all this."
"I know."
"You could've listened to Egg."
"I know."
"You could've stayed inside yesterday."
"I know."
Minutech blinked.
"...You're agreeing with everyone today."
Wemmbu sniffled.
"I'm too tired to argue."
The room went quiet.
Egg glanced at him.
That answer was concerning.
Wemmbu usually had enough energy to argue with someone for an entire afternoon.
Minutech gently patted his shoulder.
"Get some rest, then."
Wemmbu nodded.
---
The last visitor arrived much later.
Knock.
Egg looked toward the door.
"Who now?"
The door opened slightly.
Jaden peeked inside.
"Hey."
Wemmbu's eyes opened.
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
"Jaden."
"How's our resident idiot?"
Egg immediately answered.
"Still an idiot."
"Hey."
Jaden laughed quietly and walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"So..."
He looked at the pile of blankets.
"...You're really sick."
"Apparently."
"You look terrible."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"Because it's true."
Wemmbu gave him a tired glare.
Jaden smiled before reaching over and carefully adjusting the blanket around him.
"There."
Wemmbu didn't complain.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Then Jaden spoke quietly.
"You know you don't have to keep pushing yourself all the time."
Wemmbu looked at him.
"...I know."
"Good."
Jaden smiled.
"Then rest."
Wemmbu slowly closed his eyes.
"...Okay."
Egg watched from across the room.
It was strange.
All day, Wemmbu had complained. He'd argued. He'd rejected soup. He'd insisted he was fine.
But somehow, whenever someone he cared about actually sat beside him...
He stopped fighting.
Egg smiled.
Maybe being sick wasn't so bad.
At least not when Wemmbu had this many people willing to annoy him into getting better.