A:N My computer situation still hasn't been resolved, so here's a filler chapter written from my phone. Hopefully, It'll satisfy my urge to write. For now, at least.
Don't be surprised if there are any errors. Writing on a phone isn't ideal.
I coughed violently, sending thick wads of phlegm careening into the bucket beside my bed. My throat felt like I'd swallowed razor blades, and every breath I took was a challenge.
There was a rattling deep in my throat. I wasn't quite sure when it had started, but it sounded kind of pitiful.
I laid in my bed, unable to escape the sweltering heat that seemed to permeate the whole world. I was only in my underwear, yet it was still blazing hot.
Sleep was... difficult to achieve. Whenever I laid my head back, I felt like I was drowning in snot.
I had been like this for a couple of days now. At first, it had just been a slight cough. Two days later, I had a fever of 104. At least, that was my estimation, because that's when the walls began to look like they were melting.
You see, when your fever reaches a certain point, you begin to hallucinate. I was still mostly lucid, but I wasn't sure how long that would last.
"Ah, fuck." I rasped, my voice barely a whisper. "I really hope I didn't catch this world's version of 'Captain Trips'."*
It was times like these that I began to miss books from my world. Yuri had brought me something to read, but it just didn't work for me.
"I could really go for a copy of The Dark Half right now." I groaned quietly.*
I wasn't sure if I would survive this. They didn't really have a grasp on modern medicine around here. Though, Enrika was a better place than most when it came to that. Certainly better than any human village on the continent.
My thoughts were interrupted by Yuri walking into my room. Her normally stoic expression was replaced by one of worry. Quickly, she made her way over to me, laying the back of her hand on my forehead. It felt ice cold, which probably meant that I was burning.
"Your fever is getting worse." She said quietly, frowning. "I'm going to get you a cold rag for your forehead."
I groaned in response. I was too tired to be snarky.
So, she left, returning a moment later with a wet piece of cloth, which she placed upon my forehead.
It was cold, and that was good. It was relief.
"Do you feel any different from yesterday?" She asked.
I nodded.
"I feel shittier." I grunted. "My vision's startin' to get a little fucky, so I don't know how much more of this I can take."
Yuri's eyes softened somewhat, and she sighed quietly.
"I didn't want to do this, but it seems that I need to get you a doctor." she said.
I raised an eyebrow. Why had she not wanted to get me to a doctor? It was literally their job to heal sick people. Unless you were a chiropractor, in which case, your job was to be a fraud.
She must have noticed my confusion, because she sighed again.
"I don't really trust her." She explained. "She's good at her job, but she's... very lewd."
Oh. Well that made sense, I supposed. Monsters were known for that sort of thing, after all. Normally, that would've pissed me off, but I was just too tired to give a shit.
"Well, just don't leave the room, then." I croaked out. "If she's the only option, we don't really have a choice."
Yuri didn't seem to agree with my words.
"Yuri, If this keeps going on, I won't make it to the end of the month." I said, feeling a little anger rise up in my chest. "Get the fucking doctor."
After a moment, her shoulders sagged somewhat.
"Alright. I'll go bring her." She said. "But if she tries anything--"
"You'll kick her shit in, I know." I deadpanned, cutting her off. "Just get her already."
Yuri sighed again, before walking away, shutting the door behind her.
*LINEBREAK*
I didn't know how much time had passed. All I'd done was quietly stare at the ceiling, occasionally coughing phlegm into the bucket.
I couldn't move. My body felt so fatigued that I started to wonder if I was about to fall asleep and just not wake up.
Finally, the door opened, revealing a dark elf woman with green hair, of all colors. She was also wearing glasses, which surprised me for some reason. I mean, she was the first person in this world that I saw wearing glasses. She was holding a leather bag with a red cross on it. That was like, the stereotypical doctor's bag.
Yuri trailed behind her, keeping her eyes locked on the woman at all time.
Quietly, the doctor laid her hand at my head, her eyes widening as she felt how feverish I was.
I tried to say something, but I broke into a coughing fit that halted any conversation I might've started. My head throbbed with pain as I tried to breathe. Finally, after a moment, I managed to catch my breath.
"My word, he's burning up!" The doctor exclaimed, rifling through her bag. "Let me see if I have something that can bring his fever down."
After a moment, she grabbed a vial of some kind of clear liquid, and rushed over to me.
"Drink this." She said. "It'll help bring your fever down."
I narrowed my eyes, trying to see some kind of deviousness in her actions. However, I couldn't find anything.
That just didn't make any sense though! Yuri said she wasn't trustworthy, and she didn't seem like the type to randomly throw out accusations without cause. Perhaps she saw something that I didn't. I wasn't exactly known for my powers of perception, after all. Also, I'm fairly sure my brain's starting to overheat, so I feel like I can be excused for anything I fail to see.
Gingerly, I took the vial from her hand. It was odd, made of a material that wasn't quite like glass, but similar to it. It was wrapped in worn parchment. On the label was a word that I just couldn't seem to comprehend.
So, I figured, "Ah, what the hell." And I downed it in one gulp.
My face scrunched in disgust as I gulped it down. It tasted vile. I nearly threw up the second it touched my tongue, but I forced it down with all the willpower I could muster.
After that, I handed the bottle to her. She pocketed it quietly, before grabbing a clipboard and some paper from her bag.
"So, what exactly is wrong with you?" She asked, her voice strangely monotone. "When did you start feeling ill?"
I thought for a moment. My mind was just too foggy for some fucking reason.
"Well, I can't quite remember..." I mumbled, my words slurring somewhat. God, I felt drunk. What the fuck did she give me?
"It started around two days ago." Yuri spoke up. "It just seemed like a cold at first."
The doctor nodded, scribbling something down on her clipboard.
"It probably was at first." She said flippantly. "Though, it looks like it developed into pneumonia."
Yuri frowned.
"Is it bad?" She asked.
The doctor shook her head.
"That medicine I gave him should be kicking in soon." She stated
I hoped so, because I felt like I was burning up.
"Now, let's get into the discussion of payment..." The doctor began, her eyes flashing with mischief.
Yuri's eyes narrowed. Her concern was replaced with her usual stone faced gaze.
"How much?" she asked flatly.
The doctor smiled. It wasn't an innocent smile.
"Well, we could forgo the discussion of payment if I'm allowed some... alone time with my patient." The doctor said in a suggestive manner.
Yuri glared at her.
"Absolutely not." She snapped. "I'll pay you, but you will never do something like that to him."
The doctor smirked.
"Fifty gold pieces." She said smugly.
I didn't know how much that was. I was still really out of it. Judging by Yuri's reaction, it was an absurd amount.
Her eyes bulged in surprise.
"Fifty?!" She exclaimed, glaring at the doctor. "You charged me three at my last checkup!"
The doctor laughed cruelly.
"I can charge any price for any patient." She said. "Honestly, I don't see the problem. I just want some 'release', if you know what I mean."
I wasn't sure what the doctor thought was gonna happen. Like, did she not even know Yuri? I mean, Yuri didn't really interact with people very often, so I could see why the doctor wouldn't know what a mistake she just made.
Regardless, Yuri is not a woman you try to extort.
She grabbed the doctor by the collar of her shirt, raising her up so they were eye-to-eye.
"Crossing me wouldn't be wise for you." She growled lowly. "I suggest you rethink your price."
The doctor glared back at her. It seemed she had a spine.
"Unhand me!" She exclaimed. "If you hurt me, I'll tell the whole village that you robbed me!"
...This doctor didn't seem all that smart.
Yuri slapped her across the face, knocking away whatever confidence the green-haired lady might've had.
"That would end very poorly for you." Yuri snarled. "You know, on an unrelated note, do you really need legs to be a doctor?"
The woman blanched at the implied threat, her eyes widening somewhat.
"W-why do you care about him so much?" She stuttered. "He's just a human."
Yuri tightened her grip. I could see that she was holding herself back.
"That is my son you're referring to." She growled angrily. "I wouldn't care if he was a fucking angel. You will not do that to him."
I didn't like that she called me her son, but I decided not to say anything. Did you see how angry she was? I choose life.
The doctor was frozen with terror. Her mouth was open, but no words came out.
"So, here's what's going to happen." Yuri seethed. "You are going to finish treating him, then I will decide what suffices as payment. After that, you will leave, and you will never approach my son, do you understand?"
The doctor nodded fearfully. Yuri sighed, and dropped her.
So, the doctor prescribed me some medicine. I expected it to be some medieval stuff, but no, it was standard pills. Where the hell did she get them?
Her advice was just to take my medicine, and stay in bed. I don't know what I expected, honestly.
After that, the doctor left in a hurry, clutching tightly onto the three gold pieces Yuri had given her.
My fever was just starting to come down, so I guessed the stuff she gave me was starting to work.
With nothing else to do, I decided to try and get some more rest.
*LINEBREAK*
"What. The. Fuck." I deadpanned, gazing at the sight before me.
Yuri was sitting in a chair next to my bed, with a plate of breakfast in her lap. In her hand, was a fork, with some scrambled eggs skewered at the end of it.
If you can't quite tell what's going on here, let me enlighten you. Yuri, for whatever reason, decided to enforce the 'stay in bed' order. So, she decided that she'd feed me herself.
"...Why are you doing this?" I asked, too baffled to even be angry. "I have perfectly functioning hands."
Yuri sighed, looking at the ceiling for a moment. She almost looked... embarrassed?
What the fuuuuuuck. I thought, feeling very uncomfortable.
"Well, this just feels like something I should do." She said, her voice taking on an odd tone. "Besides, in your state, you might spill some. Anyways, open wide."
I glared at the slowly approaching fork, feeling my anger begin to simmer.
"I will grind your bones to powder." I grumbled.
Yuri frowned.
"Just let me have this." She snapped.
I looked at her for a moment. She was being really pushy about this, which was odd. I didn't get why she wanted to do that.
But, maybe if I allowed it, she'd quit pestering me about it.
"...Never speak of this to anyone." I growled, before opening my mouth.
The food was good, but the whole situation made me very uncomfortable.
Yuri was smiling to herself the whole time, quietly humming some slow tune.
...Is this part of the 'wanting a kid' thing? It creeped me out. But, it seemed to make her happy. Personally, it pissed me right off. Stealthily, I began to scratch at my leg. Thankfully, Yuri was too preoccupied to notice.
"... How are you feeling?" She eventually asked.
I shrugged.
"Like shit." I grumbled. "But I don't feel like I'm gonna die anymore."
Yuri nodded, her eyes staring off into the distance.
"Well, I hope you get better soon Ka- I mean Alex." She stuttered, her eyes suddenly snapping back to me.
...Did she just almost call me by a different name?
"What did you just say?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She shook her head, a small, sad smile on her face.
"Sorry, I just... got caught up in the past, is all." She muttered.
Wait... did she just have some kind of flashback? For some reason, I felt compelled to ask her what she was thinking about.
"...Do you want to talk about it?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Yuri seemed conflicted for a moment, before sighing.
"Did I ever tell you that I had a little sister?" She asked.
I shook my head.
"Whenever she got sick, I'd always take care of her whenever my mom couldn't. I remember feeding her just like this when she was really little." She said wistfully. "We were thick as thieves, before..."
She looked up at the ceiling again, and with mounting shock, I realized she was holding back tears.
"Today is her birthday." Her voice wavered. "It's been over twenty years now, but I'll never forget that."
I felt a horrible sinking feeling in my gut. I wasn't particularly fond of Yuri, but I sort of understood why she was sad. I loved my siblings, and if I saw them die, I don't know what I would've done.
Seeing Yuri in such a state made my heart throb with an unpleasant feeling. I needed to do something. So, I shoved any feelings of disdain I had for the woman deep within myself, and I did the one thing I knew how to do.
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug.
A/N: Character development... isn't something I've quite gotten the hang of. I'm also not great at emotional scenes either, but I think that's obvious.This one is a bit shorter than normal, but writing a chapter on a small phone is more than a little torturous.
Anyways, I'm getting a new(ish) computer soon, so hopefully I won't have to use my phone for this again.
*Captain Trips is the name of the disease in Stephen King's The Stand, which wiped out almost the entire population of earth.
*The Dark Half, by Stephen King, is a good book. You should totally read it.
