A/N: Co-written with RubbleStrength. We've both been sick within the past two weeks, and so, well... voila. Enjoy!
The searing overhead lights were giving him a headache. Obi-Wan squinted up. He didn't really know why he was here... sure, he was sick... but it was just a minor cold, or... all right, perhaps it wasn't so minor. He sighed, sniffing and groaning almost simultaneously. He hated colds. He was a Jedi! Jedi shouldn't get sick...
Or so he'd thought until he'd come into the med bay for some drugs, only to learn from Kix that he was dehydrated, and had come down with a cold or flu of some kind. And apparently, he was not the only one. From the place he sat on the medical cot, he looked across the room to another cot... where Cody happened to be suffering through a similar illness.
"Do you suppose..." Obi-Wan snuffled, then began again. "...the people of Ryloth could've been carrying this..." he sneezed, "...sickness?"
"Bless you, sir." Cody's voice sounded scratchy and croaked. "Maybe they were." He ran a hand over his eyes - they burned, and watered, threatening to spill over and down his cheeks.
"We help them, and look what we get for it," the Jedi sighed halfheartedly. "Kix told me..." He sniffed again, "...Waxer and Boil have it too." After a pause, Obi-Wan took a deep breath, leaned across the cot, and pulled a tissue from a box on the desk beside it. "This is miserable."
Cody sighed as something tried to climb up his throat for the millionth time in the last few hours. He wanted to say he didn't have time for this, but obviously, he had to make some. He snuffled, choking on mucus and letting out a rather horrible groan.
"I think I may rather be stabbed with a light-saber than suffer through this," Obi-Wan grumbled. He tried so hard to be a good Jedi; to follow the code without complaint... but when it came to sickness, Obi-Wan knew he failed miserably. He raised the tissue to his nose and blew long and hard, reminding himself of some kind of strange animal.
"I'd much rather be able to see what I'm fighting," Cody all-but growled.
Obi-Wan nodded miserably. "Me too, Cody... me too." He sighed, leaning forward and glaring at the tissue in his hands.
Cody frowned at the tissue box beside the bed. He didn't want to blow his nose. But there he was, barely able to breath. He let out a sound of surrender and snatched one, turning sideways while he tried to clear his airway passages.
"I'm convinced this is going to get me. Here I thought I would die nobly, in battle... but no. My gravestone will read, "Here lies Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, slain by the common cold."
Cody choked on a laugh. He coughed, and spluttered, blowing into the tissue again.
"Laugh all you want, you'll be right there beside me..." Obi-Wan droned. "Here lies Clone Commander Cody, slain by the same cold." Obi-Wan snorted, looking at his friend with a slightly mischievous expression.
"I thought I'd die *proudly* by your side," Cody let his head rest against the pillow, "There's no honour in this." At seeing Obi-Wan's expression, he couldn't help the smile - or smirk.
"You're right... none at all." The Jedi sighed miserably.
"Kix said it'll run its course over a few days."
"A few days? Cody, we'll never make it."
Cody let a hand rest on his hot forehead. He was beginning to agree.
"Kix said if we don't drink enough, we'll need IVs. I don't want an IV, but I don't want to drink. Life is full of problems..." cough, "...isn't it?"
"Yes. As far as I'm concerned, it's best to just do what he says."
Obi-Wan laughed. "So I've heard." The Jedi smiled slightly.
Cody sneezed, and it turned into a fit of wet coughing. "...This is terrible, General."
"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan apologized. "...and I sympathize." He cringed.
The coughing turned to gag reflex. Cody choked, leaning over the edge of the bed. He was not doing this. The Commander was tempted to call Kix; he hated medicine, but he was willing to try almost anything by this point. Maybe if Obi-Wan wanted something for it as well...
Obi-Wan glanced around, deciding that now was not the time for pride. He slowly hauled himself from the medical cot, trundled across the room, and leaned around the door, hoping against hope that Kix was nearby. "Kix?"
The answer was almost instant. "Yes, General?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "I don't suppose you'd have anything to... help with the symptoms."
"I do. Glad you finally asked. You both sound awful," Kix half smirked, and disappeared into a medical storage room, coming out with two syringes. He waved Obi-Wan back to the cot, and followed after him. Quickly, he injected the contents of the syringe, then moved toward Cody. "I'll assume you won't refuse medical treatment?"
"Not today," Cody replied, easing himself back onto the cot. "Thank you, Kix."
Kix smiled. "You're welcome." He injected the second syringe, then left, calling over his shoulder that he would be there if they needed anything.
Obi-Wan watched him leave, then turned to Cody. "Kix is a good man."
Cody nodded his agreement.
"I do hope the days go quickly," Obi-Wan sighed. "I'd hate to be stuck here longer than I have to be."
"It could be worse..." Cody trailed off. He felt drowsy. He hummed and frowned up at the roof.
"I don't know about that..." Obi-Wan mumbled, lowering himself onto the cot and tugging the stiff grey blanket over his shoulders.
"Rest well, sir."
"You do the same, Cody," Obi-Wan stated. The words barely left his mouth before he was snoring softly.
