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Cyno can't remember the last time he spent a quiet day at home, but he doesn't mind it that much, even if the reason he's having this quiet day is a persistent cough and a slight fever.
Of course, his sick day would be much improved if Tighnari were here, but he ushered his boyfriend out of the house that morning, insisting on his mild illness not keeping him from his important work.
So, until he returns, Cyno curls up on the couch, piling a warm wool blanket on top of him, and then pulling a thick quilt over that when the first blanket does nothing to ward off the constant shivers. Part of him thinks that he may overheat this way, but a larger part of him doesn't care, willing to do anything he can to keep the chill out.
He attempts to play TCG on his phone, but his brain feels like mush, and every move he takes is slow and sub-par. After losing one matches and winning another by the skin of his teeth, he huffs and gives up, switching on NCIS, a show he's watched dozens of times over, and burrowing further into the blankets.
On the coffee table, his phone buzzes. He worms an arm out of his cocoon and grabs it.
Tighnari: I know you're probably not hungry, but don't forget to eat lunch. Eat some of the bread I made yesterday.
Cyno: Ugh
Cyno: Do i have to
Tighnari: Yes. Don't be difficult
Tighnari: It'll make you feel better.
Tighnari: Speaking of, how are you feeling?
Cyno: Gross
Cyno: i can't stop coughing
Cyno: the medicine tastes like ass
Tighnari: I know, I'm sorry.
Tighnari: It'll help, though.
Cyno: When are you coming home
Tighnari: At 3
Cyno: what time is it now
Tighnari: Look at the corner of your phone screen.
Cyno: UGH
Tighnari: I can come home early if you want me to. I really don't mind.
Cyno: no no you should work
Cyno: I'm gonna sleep
Tighnari: Eat first.
Cyno: Fine. I'll eat and then sleep.
Tighnari: Good. I'll check on you in a little while. Call if you need anything. I love you.
Cyno: love you toooooo
Reluctantly, Cyno forces himself off the couch, groaning as he pushes himself up, his muscles aching. Yawning, he shuffles over to the kitchen, grabbing the fresh loaf of banana bread from the counter.
He leans against the counter as he cuts off a slice, occasionally having to pause to turn to the side to cough. They're painful, rattling his chest and burning his throat. The longer fits make him gasp for breath, although it's probably not helped by how short of breath he is already just by walking from one room to the other. He mentally curses at the tightness in his chest and the slight wheezing of his breath, audible even to him.
As a child, his case of asthma made physical education class a living hell, and he had to keep an inhaler in his pocket at all times. By the time he was fifteen, though, he'd grown out of his asthma, but it always comes back to bite him whenever he's under the weather, or if he's particularly overworked and exhausted. This time is no different.
Ignoring his wheezing, he stares down at the bread in distaste. If he had any appetite at all, he'd devour the delicious banana bread without any complaints—Tighnari's baking is truly something from the Gods. But in his sickly state, he barely manages to choke down a slice before he's uncomfortably full.
Deciding he put enough effort into eating to appease Tighnari, he puts the bread back and shuffles to the couch, hoping sitting down will fix his wheezing. As his mind is on it, he pulls out his phone again and opens his text thread with Tighnari.
Cyno: Love, can you pick up an inhaler on your way home?
Cyno: i'm pretty sure I used up my last one and forgot to get another one
Tighnari: Of course. Asthma's acting up?
Cyno: Enough to be annoying.
Tighnari: I'm sorry :( Anything else you need?
Cyno: No, I think that's it
Tighnari: Would you like me to pick one up now or can you wait?
Cyno: don't worry abt it, I can wait
Cyno: It's not too bad
Tighnari: Are you sure?
Cyno: Positive
Cyno: I had some of your bread
Cyno: I'm going back to sleep now
Cyno: i love you!
Tighnari: I love you too. I'll be home at the normal time, but let me know if you need anything before then. Sleep well.
The front door opens and closes, just loud enough to make Cyno stir, opening his eyes. He's curled underneath the blanket and quilt, the home screen of Paramount+ on the TV, meaning he probably fell asleep partway through an episode.
"Cyno?" Tighnari asks softly, Cyno humming sleepily.
"'m awake," he mumbles, wincing at his scratchy his voice is from his irritated throat. Tighnari sits by his stomach on the edge of the couch, placing a plastic bag on the coffee table and digging out a box. Through half-lidded eyes, Cyno watches him open it, perking up as Tighnari pulls out an inhaler and hands it to him.
"There you are. Hopefully it'll help."
"It usually does." With pure muscle-memory, he fiddles with it and takes a short puff, then a second one, before placing it on the coffee table. Already, his breaths come a bit easier, and his chest is looser. "Thanks for picking it up. How was work?"
"It was alright. Farbod ran into some more crazy mushrooms, and had the brilliant idea of eating them. I swear, he must forget how sick he gets every time. It's ridiculous," Tighnari complains, huffing.
"Archons. You should just ban him from the forest, Nari, it's clear he just wants to get high."
Tighnari rolls his eyes. "There are much easier and safer ways to get high than eating unidentified mushrooms. Besides, I hardly have the authority to ban people from the forest, considering I'm merely a nurse there."
Cyno coughs into his elbow, eyebrows furrowing at the painful scratch in his throat. "Maybe give him some of your weed. Medical marijuana?"
"Oh, trust me, the man has weed. He uses the scent as his cologne," he says, his nose wrinkling.
Cyno chokes out a laugh, which is regretfully followed by a few more coughs, deep and chesty.
"How are you feeling?" Tighnari asks in a softer voice when they die down, slipping a hand under his sweaty bangs to feel his temperature.
"Not much better," he admits, sniffling. "I just can't stop coughing. I don't think my fever has gotten worse, though."
"Let me check." Tighnari reaches for the thermometer, Cyno obediently opening his mouth so Tighnari can slip it under his tongue.
He shuts his lips around the thermometer as Tighnari's hand cups his jaw, his thumb running along his cheek. Cyno melts under the contact, allowing his heavy eyes to flutter shut, until the thermometer beeps.
Tighnari pulls the thermometer from his mouth and hums. "You're right, it's not any worse."
"Not any better, either?"
"Not any better," Tighnari echoes. "I'm assuming the last time you ate was at lunch." At Cyno's nod, he continues, "Let me make you some soup, then. You just lay here and get some rest, my love."
Cyno hums and burrows further into the blankets, relaxing into the couch again. Tighnari turns his show back on before heading into the kitchen.
Even though he doesn't watch it, too busy fading in and out of sleep, it's pleasant background noise, drowning out any of the soft clattering from the kitchen.
He's not quite sure how much time passes before he jerks from sleep at a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry for startling you," Tighnari says, sitting in his previous spot, cradling a steaming bowl in his hands. "Your soup is ready. Need help sitting up?"
"'m not dying," Cyno grumbles, hating the amount of energy it takes to push himself up, even with Tighnari wordlessly placing a steadying hand on his shoulder that gently pulls him up. As soon as he can, he slumps against the back of the couch.
"I didn't say you were." Tighnari hands him the soup, the warmth spreading deliciously through his icy hands. He leans over the bowl for a moment, letting the hot steam embrace him.
Once he's sufficiently warmed up, he shakily scoops some soup out with the spoon, taking a careful mouthful. It's amazing, even though there's minimal flavor—it's just enough to comfort him without making his stomach churn.
As he's eating, Tighnari leaves the room briefly before standing behind him, gathering the hair from his shoulders and pulling it into a neat ponytail so the loose strands don't fall into the soup. It's a relief to have the sweaty, gross hair pulled back, especially after Tighnari carefully clips his bangs out of the way.
"Good?" he asks, and Cyno nods, sniffling.
"Thanks."
Tighnari leans over to press a kiss to the top of his head. "Of course. I'm going to clean up, but call if you need anything."
Cyno focuses back on the show in Tighnari's absence, slowly slurping the soup until he's emptied half the bowl. His appetite quickly waning and a rush of exhaustion passing through him, he sets the bowl on the coffee table and settles down with a yawn, pulling the blankets to his shoulders.
Before he can fully dip into sleep, always interrupted by coughs, footsteps approach before Tighnari's hand strokes his shoulder. "Would you like to go to bed? It might be more comfortable than the couch."
Cyno hums in consideration, forcing his eyes open with great effort. "As long as you cuddle with me."
Tighnari rolls his eyes, but Cyno doesn't miss the small smile on his face. "I don't want to get sick, Cyno."
"Please?"
"Do you really want to have to take care of me when I start coughing?"
"Yes, I do, now please? Please?"
Finally, Tighnari laughs. "You're ridiculous. Fine. Let me help you up."
Cyno resists the idea of needing a hand to do as little as walk to their bedroom, but Tighnari's arm wrapped around his waist is rather helpful, with how shaky his legs feel and how his head spins a bit.
"I'm going to get you some water, and then we can cuddle," Tighnari says once Cyno's tucked under the covers.
"Can you grab the quilt from the couch?"
Tighnari bites his bottom lip, hesitating. "Are you cold?" At Cyno's nod, he continues, "That may make your fever worse, love."
With an irritated groan, Cyno rolls onto his side, burrowing further into the blankets. Goosebumps pop up on his arms and legs, a painful shiver wracking his bones.
Tighnari wordlessly leaves the room, and Cyno can't keep his eyes open anymore, despite his uncomfortable shivering. In another minute, the mattress sinks beside him, and Tighnari's arm wraps around his waist, drawing him closer, their legs tangling together.
Cyno presses his back against Tighnari's chest, but it's not quite warm enough, so he rolls over in his arms and buries his face in Tighnari's shirt, every inch of their bodies pressed together. Later, Cyno will apologize for being so gross and cuddling with Tighnari like this, but for the moment, Tighnari seems content to pull Cyno's hair from its ponytail so he can rake his hand through the strands, gently scratching Cyno's scalp in the process.
In this position, not even his annoying coughs can keep him up.
Cyno didn't think it was possible to get worse, but it's two in the morning and he wakes for the eighth time that night, fully doubled over with deep, painful coughs wracking his body. He coughs until he can't breathe, then coughs a bit more until the fit stops, finally allowing him to take a wheezy breath.
Through this current fit, a sleepy Tighnari remains laying down, but shifts close enough to gently slide his hand under Cyno's sweat-soaked shirt and scratch his back in the way Cyno loves so much. Once the coughs die down, Cyno sucking in breaths through a tight throat, Tighnari wordlessly passes him the inhaler.
After taking a few puffs, his throat and chest start to loosen again, and Cyno collapses back into Tighnari's arms, his head falling against his shoulder. "I'm sorry for waking you," Cyno whispers, his weak voice cracking out.
"Don't apologize," Tighnari responds, kissing his temple and taking the inhaler from him to put off to the side. "If I needed sleep, I'd be in the guest room. Do you need anything?"
Cyno shakes his head, closing his eyes to properly catch his breath, probably just in time for another fit to start.
"Your breathing sounds rough," Tighnari murmurs, brushing the bangs from his face. "Can I grab my stethoscope and listen to it?"
Cyno can't really say no to that, so he reluctantly rolls away from Tighnari, letting him stand. He's only gone for under a minute before he returns, Cyno's muscles tensing as a cold stethoscope slides under his shirt and presses against his chest. "Breathe in. And out."
It feels just like he's at the doctor as Tighnari methodically shifts the stethoscope around with every deep breath Cyno takes, his facial expression unchanging.
"Does your chest hurt when you breathe or cough?" Tighnari asks calmly as he pulls back, placing the stethoscope around his neck.
Cyno sniffles and nods. "Mhm. 's fuckin' awful," he complains, muffling a couple coughs into the pillow. The ache in his chest increases with each one.
Finally, Tighnari's expression cracks, turning into a frown. "That really worries me, dear. I think we should go to Bimarstan."
Cyno frowns, as well, and his heart drops into his stomach. "Why?"
"Well, this is now day four of your illness. While your asthma may be responsible for the chest pain, it's also a symptom of pneumonia. With the crackling I hear in your lungs, I think it's likely it's not just your asthma acting up."
Cyno groans, the image of Tighnari blurring as his eyes unwittingly fill with tears. A thumb wipes away the first one that slips down his cheek.
"It's alright, Cyno. I know it sucks, and it's probably scary, but you'll feel a lot better if you go to Bimarstan. And, well, I'll feel a lot better, too."
"D-Do I have to?" Cyno asks. He knows he sounds a bit like a child moping about going to school, but Bimarstan is just about the last place he wants to be at right now. Just the thought of white, sterile walls and the thick smell of disinfectant makes his skin crawl.
Tighnari hums gently, nodding with a sympathetic look. "With your asthma, if you do have pneumonia, you really shouldn't risk leaving it untreated."
A sob finally escapes him, more tears spilling out against his will, and Tighnari settles against the pillows beside him and pulls him into a tight embrace. Cyno cries and coughs against his shirt, making a mental note to apologize about how disgusting this must be, but Tighnari seems unbothered. He just strokes Cyno's hair and kisses the top of his head.
"I'll stay with you the whole time, and we'll go home the second the doctor says it's safe to. Is that alright?"
It really isn't, but Cyno nods, knowing deep down that Tighnari is right. He may just get sicker, and truthfully, at the end of every coughing fit, his heart sinks with panic when he can't manage to suck any air in for several seconds.
Once his tears have stopped, Tighnari leaves to put together a bag of supplies, mostly containing some clothes and other necessary belongings. Once he's prepared, he helps Cyno out to the car. Cyno only manages to get to the doorstep before he's doubled over and wheezing, so Tighnari shoves an inhaler in his hand and carries him the rest of the way.
Cyno mostly dozes during the drive, leaning against the window. In his brief moments of consciousness, anxiety wells within him, but is quickly beaten out by the overwhelming exhaustion.
The exhaustion means nothing when Tighnari rubs his shoulder to wake him up, and Cyno stares at the horrific view of Bimarstan. His breath catches in his throat, a shiver wracking his spine.
"Do you need a minute?" Tighnari asks, and Cyno takes as deep of a breath as he can before shaking his head.
"Let's- let's go."
Upon stepping inside, Cyno grips Tighnari's hand with all the strength he has in a desperate attempt to keep himself grounded. Tighnari plants him in an uncomfortable plastic chair in the waiting room before leaving his side to check them in.
There are a few others in the waiting room. A middle aged man leans over a trash can while a woman rubs his back. A child colors with a variety of crayons, his dad sitting beside him, anxiously tapping his foot. Run, Cyno wants to tell them. Run before they can hurt you. Before they can put you under. But this isn't the Temple of Silence.
In the minute Tighnari's gone, Cyno closes his eyes as his heartbeat pounds in his ears, steadily increasing in speed. He grips onto the hoodie he's wearing, lowering his face to bury his nose into it, drowning out the scent of antiseptic with the sweet smell of Tighnari. It does nothing to decrease his heartrate, though, not until someone sits next to him and a fluffy tail lands in his lap.
He immediately buries his hands in the thick fur, stroking it in the way that makes it unconsciously wag. Despite the circumstances, it brings a small smile to Cyno's face, and he sinks to rest against Tighnari's shoulder as Tighnari fills out paperwork for him.
He doesn't manage to doze off like in the car, too focused on taking in air after his breathless coughing fits and not jolting at every staff member that walks by, before a sweet voice calls, "Cyno?"
A nurse stands nearby, a warm, friendly smile on her face, and yet Cyno's heart plummets. His body feels numb as Tighnari helps him to his feet, canceling out the usual body-wide ache of his illness as they slowly walk down a hall and into an exam room.
"Is it possible to dim the lights a bit?" Tighnari asks, sitting Cyno on the exam table, then hopping up next to him. "He gets nervous in this sort of environment."
"Oh, of course," the nurse says, dimming the lights, which makes Cyno's heart calm a bit. "Is there anything else I can do to make you more comfortable?"
Cyno sniffles, shaking his head. Tighnari rubs his back.
"Would you like to talk, or should I?"
Cyno shakes his head again, his gaze focused on Tighnari's tail, which once again ends up in his lap.
"Okay," Tighnari murmurs. "Well, Cyno's been sick for four days now, running a fever of around 101 the entire time. It's mostly been a nasty cough, which exacerbates his asthma. But then I noticed how crackly his breaths sounded and how much he was wheezing, so I checked with my stethoscope—I'm a nurse, by the way—and I heard some crackling in his lungs. I decided it was best to come here, just to be safe."
Cyno lets all the noise fade into the background after that, too exhausted to listen and trusting Tighnari to take care of him. He's vaguely aware of the exams that follow, one by the nurse, and then another by the doctor, all while Cyno is so desperate to go home that he could burst into tears at any moment. Their cold hands poke and prod at him, causing every aching muscle in his body to tense up.
Soon, he's moved to a new room, and Tighnari insists that he's allowed to keep his own clothes on instead of the usual gown as he sinks down into the bed. Luckily, the doctor doesn't argue. The sheets are slightly scratchy and the bed is a bit lumpy, but it's much better than sitting upright.
He's given a mask that goes over his mouth and nose, and a small hissing sound starts up. He jolts, loosing a panicked yell that sears his raw throat, hands coming up to tear the gas mask off of his face. They can't put him under, he didn't agree to this, how could Tighnari-
"Shh, my love, it's just oxygen," Tighnari says, catching his hands and slowly lowering them. "It's just oxygen. It's alright. Deep breaths."
Cyno swallows against the sob that builds in his throat, containing both the remnants of his panic and the embarrassment of the doctor looking at him peculiarly. Tighnari continues to rub his back until his heartbeat returns to normal, and if he had the energy to still be tense, he's sure he would be.
Sure enough, as he breathes, he doesn't feel woozy or sleepy. His lungs are a bit clearer, and he doesn't feel so out of breath anymore.
Another conversation starts, but Cyno blocks it out, too focused on the glorious feeling of having air in his lungs until Tighnari brushes his bangs back. "Cyno? Have you been listening to us?"
Cyno shakes his head, suddenly a bit ashamed.
"That's alright," the doctor says, sitting down to join Cyno's level. "We're going to put you on some antibiotics to treat the pneumonia. Along with the oxygen, which you'll continue to get, we're hopeful that you'll start feeling better very soon. How does that sound?"
Cyno thinks for a moment, then pulls the mask down. "Does- does that mean I have to stay here?" Instantly, he lifts the mask back up, hearing his own wheezing.
The doctor nods. "It does. I'd like to keep you until your breathing improves."
Cyno frowns, his heart stuttering again. He must wear it on his face, because Tighnari shifts closer to him.
"I'll be right here. Nothing will happen without your consent, I promise."
Cyno feels one moment from bursting into tears again, but he's rather exhausted and done with this whole situation, so he obediently lets them prick him with an IV, even if it makes him want to thrash and scream, and settles down to attempt to sleep.
His attempts are less than successful. Even though Tighnari eventually gets the nurse to turn off the beeping of the machines after Cyno complains about it, the hissing of the oxygen alone is enough to keep him awake, much less the soft but present footsteps passing by his room, and the occasional nurse coming in to check on him.
As soon as he manages to drift off, he jolts awake again, Tighnari having to slip off his mask for a minute so he can cough. It all makes him miserable enough to cry, but by some miracle, he holds the tears back and simply buries his face in the pillow as much as he's able to with the mask.
"Cyno? Cyno, wake up."
Cyno groans, pushing his face further into the pillow, curling away from the hand nudging his shoulder. He muffles a few painful coughs into the pillow, the ache in his body overtaking him again as he rouses. When he managed to fall asleep, he's not sure, but he needs to yell at whoever woke him up.
"I'm sorry to wake you. Can you look at me?" It's Tighnari's voice, as gentle and sweet as ever. Cyno emerges from the pillow and cracks open one eye, seeing Tighnari leaning over beside him, a small smile on his face.
"Hey. The nurse wanted to check on you and give you some more antibiotics. It'll only take a second and then you can go back to sleep."
Cyno bites his tongue and nods, stiffly enduring the nurse's careful exam, all while looking desperately at Tighnari, who keeps a hand on him at all times.
"Your oxygen levels have certainly improved," the nurse comments with a smile. Cyno's relieved, as the sooner his oxygen levels increase, the sooner he can leave.
After the nurse pushes the antibiotics through his IV, she says, "Alright, I'll be back to check on you in a little while. You know how to find me if you need anything."
As soon as she steps out of the room, Cyno relaxes with a relieved exhale, and Tighnari squeezes his knee. "Try to get some more sleep, sweetheart. I'm right here next to you." Tighnari pulls the blankets over his shoulders as Cyno closes his eyes, rolling around until he gets comfortable again.
He spends a total of three days at Bimarstan. While he spends a majority of his stay there attempting to sleep, between the environment and his cough, he's unable to manage more than a few hours per day. He's eager to get out of the blinding white walls and return to his peaceful, quiet home, safe from doctors and nurses parading through his room at all hours, so he can finally just sleep.
After successfully getting weaned off of any oxygen usage, he's discharged. They send him off with a packet of discharge instructions, which he lets Tighnari read, a bottle of antibiotics, a few inhalers, and a nebulizer, just in case. But based on how little wheezing he's done in his most recent trips to the bathroom, he figures he won't need it.
He could cry from the relief he feels as he flops down onto his own bed, caressed by the soft sheets and blankets. He sinks into the mattress with a heavy sigh. "Nari, I'm never letting you take me to Bimarstan again," he croaks.
Tighnari rolls his eyes, attempting to tug the blankets out from underneath Cyno. "C'mon, you big lummox, at least get under the blankets if you're going to sleep." When Cyno sleepily lifts his body and manuvers his way underneath the blankets, Tighnari pulls them over him. In a softer voice, he continues, "I know you didn't like it, but you feel a lot better, don't you?"
As much as he hates to admit it, Cyno grumbles an agreement, burrowing into the fluffy pillows. If he were Tighnari, he'd be purring.
"Now that you're home, get as much sleep as you can. I'll wake you up in time for dinner."
With that, Cyno immediately drops off into sleep.
A full week after his illness started and aided by the days of sleep he got after returning from Bimarstan, Cyno finally begins to return to reality.
While he's not allowed to go out in the field quite yet, he musters up the energy to dress in a more comfortable version of his uniform and returns to his office to catch up on some of the paperwork he's fallen behind on. Thankfully, his second-in-command squared most of it away, leaving him with just the most critical papers, which are easy enough to sort through. While he only lasts through half of his first day and he has to return home for a quick nap around lunch time the following few days, he slowly feels his energy return to him.
A week and a half after his illness started, he finally has the energy to join Tighnari at Lambad's after work, meeting Kaveh and Alhaitham for their usual gathering.
"You're certaintly looking much livelier than the last time I saw you," Kaveh says, the relief in his tone apparent. "Feeling better?"
"Much better. Wait, you saw me?"
Tighnari's ears fold back slightly. "Kaveh dropped off some meals for me while you were at Bimarstan. You must've been asleep."
"A miraculous recovery, considering Kaveh told me you looked as if you were on death's door," Alhaitham comments with a tiny smirk, looking over the top of his book.
Kaveh flushes. "I did not- I mean, you didn't- you needed oxygen! Forgive me for being concerned."
"I mean, I could've been choked out by the fluid in my lungs, so you're not entirely wrong," Cyno says, sitting down across from Kaveh. "But that sounds like a rather lame way to go, especially for my line of work."
"And how would you rather go?"
"Hm… maybe in an exploding building, as the people I've just sacrificed myself to save run away to safety."
"Huh, sounds like you've thought quite a bit about it," Alhaitham says.
"Can we please not discuss ways in which my boyfriend will die?" Tighnari asks with a long-suffering sigh. "I'm getting drinks."
Kaveh pops out of his seat. "I'll come with!"
In the following silence, Cyno absentmindedly turns over an elemental die in his hands as he looks over his TCG deck. That silence, surprisingly, is broken by Alhaitham.
"I'm glad you're okay, Cyno."
Cyno raises his eyebrows. His heart is warmed, truly, but this strange behavior from Alhaitham cannot go under the radar.
"So you were concerned about me?" he teases. Alhaitham huffs.
"Of course not. But if you weren't okay, Kaveh would've been distraught, and that would've been a big headache for me."
Cyno snorts. "Well, it seems Kaveh was distraught regardless."
Alhaitham gives him a long look. "You have no idea."
They sink back into silence as Alhaitham returns to his book, until Alhaitham adds, "Tighnari hid it far better than Kaveh, but I know he was worried about you, as well."
Cyno makes a mental note to treat Tighnari to a luxurious dinner. It's what he deserves after his quiet suffering and worry, but steadfast and gentle caretaking.
That night, he happily buys Tighnari as many drinks as he wants, until Tighnari's giggling and grinning brightly, latching onto Cyno like an oversized koala. Upon arriving home, he forces a few glasses of water into him, before curling into bed with him and curling as close as possible, drawing him into a restful sleep with some gentle scratches behind his ears.
It's not enough to repay him, but it's certainly a start.