"So. Yesterday morning."
Redleaf handed Hyacinth a cup of his specialty cider. "What of it?"
"I know I was sick in bed most of yesterday, but I don't remember speaking to you at all."
Redleaf crossed the room to get his own cup of cider and think about that day. About how he volunteered to check on Hyacinth when Snowflake mentioned him not turning up to meet with the head garden fairy. About how he found him sleeping, sweating and shaking slightly. How he touched his forehead for temperature and Hyacinth held on to his wrist when he was about to draw back. How he couldn't seem to pull away from the weak grip, and ended up kneeling beside his bed for several minutes before Hyacinth woke to a feverish half-sleep. How Hyacinth smiled ruefully when he said he was sorry to miss the last preparations for spring.
Redleaf had always attributed Hyacinth's job obsessiveness to being the newest Minister of the four, and therefore the least experienced, and just general, characteristic fussiness. Obviously every Minister loves their respective season, but for some reason he'd never considered that Hyacinth was chosen becauseof his passion for the act of bringing about the spring.
He drifted back toward Hyacinth and sat on the edge of the bed. "You missed an appointment, and Snowflake asked me to check on you. You were pretty out of it, but you told me to make sure everything was going according to schedule."
"The... schedule that I made?"
"It was on your desk." Redleaf shrugged and took a sip of cider.
Hyacinth blinked slowly, wearily. "And you were only at the tinkers' by this time?"
"I'm not you. I got sidetracked elsewhere."
He almost regretted falling behind Hyacinth's careful schedule after coming to check on him again the previous evening. And then again that morning.
Almost.
"Oh. Well, even so... and even though we're falling further behind right now, thank you. I know you don't do this kind of thing until the end of summer."
Redleaf just nodded without saying a word, and continued drinking his cider. Damn, that's good cider.
Hyacinth shifted under the covers and then took a sip as well. Redleaf knew how much Hyacinth loved talking on and on about preparations, and his loss for words because of these circumstances was hilarious.
"Isn't this a bit out of season?" Hyacinth said, breaking the silence.
"A bit of autumn inside you should be welcome any time of year, I think," Redleaf said, noting Hyacinth's sputtering of cider at the innuendo, "Though I may be a tad biased."
"I'll say," Hyacinth muttered irritably, grimacing at his drink. "Save your nonsense. Even you couldn't corrupt a simple beverage."
Immediately, he knew that challenge was a mistake.
"I'll have you know, I take my cider very seriously."
"Of course."
"Because don't you just love that taste of fall, so steamy and hot—"
"Nice try, Redleaf."
"—warms you up at night—"
"The sun is still out."
"—goes so smoothly down your throat—"
"Are you done yet?"
"—really hits the spot."
Redleaf grinned, and then took a loud, unnecessarily lengthy sip.
"Charming as always," Hyacinth declared with zero amusement, though the tips of his ears were reddening. Whether from annoyance or embarrassment, Redleaf's mental scorecard did not care.