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Who: Ulki and Rhys
What: Rhys sounds really sick...
Where: Probably Rhys' dorm
When: November 24th, around 6:30 PM

Ulki was deep in thought.

In his rather bland dorm, the laguz had something to think about. It wasn't critical, per se, but it was something to keep him occupied. Such a strange school with such disruptive and unstoppable students required special methods of punishment. While he was already quite good at these techniques, as young hawk laguz could also be rowdy, it could never hurt to hatch up some more ideas. So he sat, staring out of the window into the rainy darkness, ~~considering what implements of torture he should use next~~ busying his mind.

That was, until he heard what he thought was the noise of one vomiting. It was undoubtedly coming from next door: TD-09.

Now, if it were TD-11, he wouldn't bother with checking it out. He didn't know who that person was at all ~~even though bird brethren should flock together~~. However, Rhys was in the aforementioned room, and he did have the tendency to get violently ill: he had seen it many times before. Ulki thought it best to check up on the healer.

Leaving his room, he stood in front of Rhys' room and knocked.

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In a few moments' time, the door to Rhys' room opened gently. The precipice between the doorway revealed a pale young man with dry lips and sleepless eyes. A diminutive amount of shaking was present in his stature, and while he knew just how terrible he must appear, he tried a smile and offered the necessary leeway to enter.

"Ulki," he croaked, happy to see the other man. "Come in."

Alarm shaded Ulki's face briefly as he stepped in, his eyes glued to the shorter man. No doubt he was just getting sicker and sicker... he had visited him the night before, but his illness seemed to have progressed at a surprising rate.

"You look... terrible," he muttered, genuine concern apparent through his disposition.

"I feel terrible," he elaborated, tone basted with good humor. "I probably caught a flu bug of some sort. Anyway, please make yourself comfortable."

If anything hinted at severe turns for illness, the culprit lay not only in his disheveled features, but his voice. When embers ebb dim and fade into ashes, so does their light. As Rhys's ailments worsened, so did the quality of his tone and the stability of his actions.

However, the laguz didn't heed Rhys' words as he approached his side.

"You should lie down," he insisted. He couldn't imagine how it felt to be so ill; the most he had throughout the span of his lifetime was a sore throat. Rhys looked almost as though he was about to drop dead, in Ulki's mind.

"That sounds like a good plan, as much as I detest it," the priest acknowledged. "It's what I've been doing almost the entire day..." And with that came an onslaught of coughing. He covered his face in his sleeve out of consideration for his company, then wobbled across the room to return to his refuge on the couch, designated so by the blankets rumpled over the cushions and tissue box nearby.

He followed Rhys to his retreat and knelt down near the corner of the couch. After some hesitation, Ulki asked, "Do you need anything that I can get for you?"

"Oh, no, no, you don't have to do anything for me," he humbly refuted with his hands waggling in front of him. "I've done about all I can..."

Rhys knew Ulki had super hearing. He remembered now. Ulki had the ability to eavesdrop on all his grotesque noises and sick sounds and everything in between, from the loudest cough to a breathless sigh. Embarrassing, definitely. Rhys imagined he could even distinguish what he had eaten for lunch...

That meant he could tell that he had recently undergone a battle with the worst symptoms. Only a few minutes ago, he had emptied the contents of his stomach and rode on an endless stream of congested coughs. He couldn't even stand up, they were so bad! It frightened him. But really, what could he have Ulki do?

Nothing? Ulki let out a long, silent sigh. "Please... don't hesitate to inform me if there's something you need."

After hearing Rhys' battle with this flu throughout the day, Ulki contemplated watching over him at least until he fell asleep. He wondered if that would make the priest feel more comfortable.

"I'll keep that in mind. You really are a compassionate person. Did you come to visit me because I feel sick?" He relaxed his head against the back of the couch and smiled kindly at Ulki.

"Yes." With his response came a small nod. Ulki promptly ignored Rhys' compassionate comment; the sick healer had a tendency to fluster him.

Bubbling joy smoldered Rhys' heart. "Aww, that's so considerate! I really appreciate it when people come in to visit me," he told him in the most cheery sick voice he could muster (which consisted of a bit of cracking).

Then it occurred to him that, perhaps, Ulki would feel a little better about his condition if he could do something about it. Anything! He understood how rotten it felt to be of no use- how unsettling it turned out when all he could do was wait at the sidelines while everything happened around him and he was granted not a shred of control. In this, Rhys was compelled to think of something for Ulki to do. "Actually," he wheezed, "Do you feel like making some tea? I have some colorful choices for you to pick from in the cupboard, if you wish." Rhys felt like coughing again, but he resisted uncomfortably.

That sounded like a sensible thing to desire in such a state. "I can do that." He stood up and waited to make sure that was what Rhys wanted him to do for him before heading towards the kitchen.

When he started to boil some water (it wasn't too incredibly difficult to do), he returned to Rhys' side. "When was it last that you went back to Tellius?"

"Since I left, actually." His tired eyes seemed fixated blankly near the light above. He swallowed. "I would love to return soon. Staying here is nice, but I miss my friends and family terribly. I write letters often." Talking about his loved ones sunk an even bigger print on his heart that urged him to see their faces once again. Shinon had the same effect on him, but the healer tried to spend time with him- well, as much as Shinon would allow. He was a touchy person and wasn't exactly pleasant company a huge chunk of the time. It was as though belittling people was casual sport to the sniper... pinning people with insults and smart remarks and then brushing them off. He never wanted to be happy.

"Ah. Do you... perhaps, want to come back with me sometime?" He offered, then correcting himself: "That is, when you're not so ill." He fiddled with his hand absentmindedly.

Rhys beamed at the bird laguz. "Fly home? You really mean it? I... I really like that idea," he told him softly. After thinking it over for a moment, he asked, "When do you plan on leaving? I don't know when I'll get better, but I should hope this flu will pass in a week, at the very least..." The entire notion of returning home for a while sounded very appealing to the sick man, and with Ulki no less. That would mean flying!

"I suppose... we could return once you feel better." He cogitated the month ahead of them. "I anticipate the second week of December might be... a decent time."

"Let's just hope I don't get sick again!" With his luck, he would, once again, be smothered senseless by some ailment or other before that week arrived. He didn't look forward to it at all. It made him learn not to take days where he felt particularly healthy for granted.

His silence gave the indication that he had burrowed into a pensive state. What a day to look forward to! The longer he stayed at the Campus of this perplexing Smash Academy, the more he yearned for the company of his mercenary group. And if he could manage the visitation of his parents, then by the goddess, he would! Four months without the Greil Mercenaries was also ten months without returning to his village, and he knew by his mother's writing that all was sound on their end of the world. All of this delightful meditation led him to wonder what Ulki intended to do when he was surrounded by the corners of Tellius once again.

"Hey, Ulki. What will you do when you get home?" he asked, innocently curious.

Ulki assumed Rhys would be expecting a brilliant and stunning answer. Honestly, he knew he would probably do nothing out of the ordinary.

"I plan to resume my duties to the king," he answered. While Tibarn was fully capable of serving his kingdom without the presence of his second aide, it was always a good thing for him to return and recommence his duties to the hawk king. He didn't add that he enjoyed seeing the two of his close friends; it was an unnecessary detail.

While it sounded perfectly natural for the king's aide to do so, a small hole began to burn inside him. Would Ulki leave this academy permanently? He wondered why the bird man was here in the first place, but was quick to dust off that rumination, as it was in his nature not to analyze motives or pick apart details thread by thread. Upon reaching this place, he did have initial curiosities.

"Ulki," he began. Then, he found that their discourse had taken a toll on his fragile, infected lungs and coiled up to cough in hoarse pants.

In response, Ulki's arms flew up as though we were almost going to grasp the other man by the shoulders. However, he halted himself, and simply watched as Rhys convulsed below him, distraught.

Once he finished his fit, the hawk couldn't help but lay a gentle hand on Rhys's back. "Are you... alright?"

Rhys nodded, a little weary. "Mmn," he murmured; the glaze formerly present in his eyes had diminished.

Really, it had been a mere foray of coughs, the priest considered, and he hated worrying his thoughtful and patient friend. Clearing his throat, he attempted to make amends for the interruption. Where had he been going a second ago? Ah, yes. "Are you leaving this place... for good?"

Edited 2009-11-24 06:17 (UTC)

Though he was still mindful of Rhys' condition and what it really must be like after the fit, he answered with, "No, I don't think so."

During Rhys' outburst, Ulki had already heard the beginning of boiling water. At this time, he stood and told Rhys he would be right back as he traveled back to the kitchenette.

It felt selfish of him to prefer that Ulki stayed near, somehow. When he chewed on that guilt a little longer, he realized that just about anybody would want their friends around. It was a common wish. Yet, he understood well the circumstances which split people apart. As he lay here now, he was far away from most of the people he grew attached to most. But, as he discovered, absence can also make the heart grow fonder. He'd heard that saying before.

But still. It was a relief to Rhys, knowing Ulki would stick close. He really admired the hawk laguz and would have regretted not having spent more time with him while he was within reach. After all, he had the incomparable power to go wherever he wanted whenever he wanted. Rhys could chase dreams, but he could never chase Ulki if he left.

The taciturn bird man would return in a few moments. He wasn't watching, but judging by the noises, he was sure.

Ulki returned swiftly after raiding the priest's tea collection, which contained the rainbow of flavors Rhys had referred to in the first place. Choosing a flavor known as green apple, he set the brewing tea on a side table closest to Rhys.

"...When you return home... do you plan to work once again?" he asked. He guessed he would probably receive an affirmative, but he was fishing for whatever else the healer might say.

Rhys's eyes were half-lidded and caught in the gentle furls and curls of the ascending steam. He scooted up a bit to transfer his position into a taller one that also allowed his elbow to incline on the arm of the sofa. Thoughts trickled into words for Ulki. It took a bit of meditation before he recognized a sure answer. "Mmm... I may just do that. It's too soon to tell, but... as much as I dislike being thrown into fights, I can't help but enjoy the work. It's all mixed up, isn't it? But I know one thing. And that thing is I love the work I do. It makes me feel good inside." A baby smile nudged up onto his features.

Talking so much made his throat achy-dry. He silently urged the tea to cool faster.

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