A tuft of red hair stuck up from under the bed sheets, a covered lump failing to stay asleep as a loud alarm clock buzzer sounded throughout the darkened room.
". . . Ugh, not today . . ." The 'covered' lump pushed the blanket off his head, groaning. A short series of hacking coughs brought tears to the eyes of a tired pale redhead who covered his mouth. He gasped, a rasping sound escaping his throat before more coughing resumed.
Reno shook his head, swinging his feet to the edge of the couch and standing up. ". . . Damn it. . ." This was not good. Two days ago, he had managed to catch a cold while chasing Kadaj through the rain. Somehow the remnant had avoided getting sick, much to his disgust. He was crazy enough to chase after someone in the rain.
"Morning, Reno." The redhead glanced up, hearing his roommate and partner speak up. Rude was sitting in one of the chairs reading the paper, like he always did. It wasn't fair. Rude had been with the redhead when he'd chased the leather-clad thief down the street and through the town on foot.
Only difference - Reno didn't wear a raincoat, Rude did.
He glared, coughing slightly. "Shut-up, aibou . . ."
Reno blinked, wondering what the hell was wrong with his voice. Yesterday he sounded like he'd swallowed a frog, but today it was almost non-existent. Maybe his cold had something to do with it.
The redhead shrugged, searching through the medicine cabinets to hopefully find something for his cold. So far nothing.
"Reno?"
"What?!" Reno snapped irritably, his voice raspier than earlier. "It's not my fault that remnant gave me a cold!"
Rude blinked, placing the paper on the table. ". . ." He walked towards the open bathroom door, catching the redhead still dressed in pajama pants and cursing with the last of what could deemed as the remains of his voice.
"There's no more cold medicine. . ."
"Thanks for telling me after the fact ! " Reno growled, a hacking cough escaping with the last word spoken. His hand grabbed the edge of the sink, steadying himself as the other covered his mouth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Sir, Reno's sick."
"Sick? Again?" Tseng groaned shaking his head. "He'd better not be faking it."
"Um, I don't think you can fake a cold."A stifled chuckle could be heard on the receiving end. "Or losing your voice. "
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Elena chuckled, trying to get the story straight. "Okay, you got a cold chasing someone in the rain . . . good job, Reno."
Reno scowled, coughing as he scribbled down words in a notebook: I blame Kadaj for this. The blonde bit her lip, trying hard not to laugh.
It's not funny - he stole my EMR
The girl blinked. "You chased . . . Kadaj?"
Nodding, he coughed grimacing. Where the hell did Rudo go off to?
"Getting your cold medicine." She handed him a cup of hot tea. "This should help until he gets back."
Reno raised an eyebrow, his left hand furiously writing down more words: What is this?
"You've never had tea before, have you?"
yes I have, but not because of a cold. The redhead eyed the tea in his right hand, taking a small sip. He gagged, sticking out his tongue as he scribbled down his very illegible penmanship.
OWW! WHAT THE HELL ?!
Elena rolled her eyes chuckling and shook her head. "You're supposed to let it cool for a few minutes before you drink it."
Reno glared at the blonde, scribbling down more things he wished he could say:
YOU COULD'VE FUCKIN TOLD ME THAT BEFORE YOU HANDED IT TO ME ! I'VE ALREADY BEEN BURNED WITH ENOUGH DAMN LIQUID ALREADY!
Elena sighed shaking her head a second time. "I'm not here on my own free will. Tseng doesn't believe you're sick, so he sent me to help out."
The redhead fumed, placing the cup on the table after taking a second sip.
That's great. If I could talk, there's soo many colorful things I'd just love to tell him right now . . .
"I'm sure there are, Reno." Elena grinned, patting his head.
Rude cleared his throat, holding up a bag in one hand. The redhead gulped down the rest of the scalding hot tea, scribbling down five words in caps:
THANK SHIVA YOU'RE FINALLY BACK !
Rude nodded, glancing at Elena. "It took forever to find the Robitussin . . ."
"Is that what took so long?" The bald Turk nodded, feeling something heavy around his leg.
". . . Reno, what are you doing?" Elena chuckled, clasping a hand over her mouth. The redhead had latched himself to his partner's leg, not letting go.
"I think he missed you, Rude." Reno nodded furiously, grinning.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One week had passed, leaving a bed-ridden Turk stuck in his apartment all thanks to a hurt throat and contagious cold - now officially the flu.
The redhead groaned, coughing. He swung both feet out of bed, walking aimlessly towards the doorway before having to lean against the wall, his head starting to spin a little. Reno grimaced, letting the feeling pass before leaving his bedroom to get his phone and laptop.
Damn remnant. If Kadaj hadn't taken his EMR, he wouldn't be stuck here now. That Sephiroth clone's probably got the flu, if he hasn't caught a cold by now.
He sighed, getting back onto bed with the laptop in front of him and the phone next to a box of tissues. Just because he was deemed contagious by Elena, Rufus just had to make him take his remaining sick days and not come to work no matter how much he protested. Which meant he was stuck at home, lounging around with nothing to do except watch TV - if he really was up to watching reruns he'd seen from previous old shows - or staying up on his laptop doing whatever the hell he wanted.
Most of the time he preferred his laptop.
It wasn't like Rufus had forbid him from using his laptop for his own recreational, personal reasons. He could find the things that got him in trouble. Last time he had to let Elena borrow his computer, she had accidentally typed in letters that spelled out sites that Reno watched during his "happy-time".
She never again asked to borrow his laptop after that.
Reno shook his head, remembering her comical reaction. Serves you right, Laney.
No more than 10 minutes after he had logged in to his IM account, a message popped up - one from the remnant.
MkoKatEye18: You gave me your cold, Turk
Reno chuckled, typing a response.
SpkyRed25: Your fault, remnant - At least you don't have the flu
He grabbed a tissue and covered his mouth, coughing just to prove the point of his answer.
MkoKatEye18: The flu ?
SpkyRed25: Yea - you don't know what the flu is?
MkoKatEye18: I'm not dumb, Ginger boy
SpkyRed25: Oh, of course not. You decided running in the rain was a good idea after stealing my weapon . . .
The redhead closed the IM, leaning back into against the pillows behind his head and back. His teal eyes traced the screen, just as the IM chat popped back up.
MkoKatEye18: _ I BLAME YOU FOR THIS CURSED COLD !
SpkyRed25: It's your own fault for getting sick, Kadaj. Don't pin it on me - I'm worse off than you
MkoKatEye18: Of course you are
MkoKatEye18: you can die from the flu - and I'd love to watch
Reno rolled his eyes, his fingers almost gliding over the keys:
SpkyRed25: I already got my flu shot a month ago. Besides, you would catch it from me if I were to die from it - no one's immune. That's why they have the flu shot to begin with . . . did you get one?
MkoKatEye18: Why would I need a flu shot?
SpkyRed25: Do you want to die from a stupid enhanced cold virus?
MkoKatEye18: No, of course not!
SpkyRed25: The have Chocobo-Head take you to the clinic to get one
MkoKatEye18: DO NOT CALL MY BROTHER A CHOCOBO HEAD
MkoKatEye18: this shot you speak of . . . do they use a needle?
SpkyRed25: Yes, like all shots
MkoKatEye18: . . . Brother will have to drag me in, kicking and screaming . . .
The flu-ridden Turk giggled, smirking as he opened a Word document labeled "Kadaj's Weaknesses" and added "hates medical needles" to the list, underneath "light drinker".
He sighed, signing out and turning off his laptop. He'd been online the entire time he'd been home, both lying in bed or on the couch and needed to sleep. The redhead yawned, placing the closed electrical notebook on the table next to his phone, laid down, and drifted to sleep.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The redhead shook his head. He had just gotten over the flu several days ago, and now Cloud had asked him to watch Kadaj. Not something he was so pleased to be doing at this point.
Doing paperwork was better than watching the remnant.
Apparently, Kadaj had managed to catch the flu from Cloud, who was currently recovering from a flu shot which had induced the symptoms in the blonde. Reno wasn't exactly sure this was a great explanation, but he didn't really want to know the truth.
"So, what exactly does Chocobo Head want me to do with you, Kadaj?" The Turk glanced at the list Cloud had left. "Let's see here . . ." His teal gaze scanned the page, his eyes widening slightly.
" 'Give him a bath' ? What the hell is he, a dog?!"
The silver-haired remnant, covered by blankets and wearing a nightgown with a cap, glared at Reno coughing. "Shut up, Turk . . ."