(Authors's note: This takes place post Frenzy. If you haven't read this fic of mine, all you need to know is that Laurence got a Frenzy from being grabbed by an Amydgala and spent a few weeks in a catatonic state. He is still recovering from it in his piece, so he can't move around much without help.
Prompt 27: Blankets. Requested by Misskriemhields on tumblr.)
Laurence was freezing.
He always had been susceptible to the cold, but ever since his Frenzy it had gotten a lot worse. It hadn't even snowed today and the sunlight had filtered in through the windows of the church most of the day, but he was sitting in his wheelchair and shivered violently. As if he wasn't inside, but outside, surrendered without protection to the harsh winter winds of Yharnam.
He could barely concentrate on his work. He had enough trouble to hold a simple pen without it falling down over and over again, because his grip wasn't strong enough, but with his hands shaking so much, he couldn't write a single straight letter.
After around five minutes, he gave up and hugged himself in a fruitless attempt to warm himself up. His hands were ice cold and clammy. He looked over to the fireplace of his office. It was too early to light it, but he considered ordering Florence to light it anyway the next time she came in. He couldn't work in this state.
He hoped that she would come in soon. Laurence was not in the condition to light it himself, he couldn't even walk more than a few steps before his legs gave up on him. The aftermath of him being in a catatonic state for several weeks.
When there was a knock on his door and the handle turned, Laurence started to speak, or at least he tried to.
"F-Fl-Flo-", was all he managed between his chattering teeth. As the door opened, it wasn't Florence standing there, but Ludwig.
"Laurence, I wanted to discuss a new training program with y-, are you alright? You look awfully cold."
"L-Lu-", Laurence started and then gave up, simply shaking his head. Ludwig was at his side within a few steps and felt his skin.
"You are ice cold.", he said. "You need to get warmed up as soon as possible."
Instead of pushing Laurence' wheelchair, Ludwig simply picked him up. Laurence didn't even have the strength to complain, especially not when Ludwig was warm. Laurence cuddled in his chest while Ludwig carried him away.
"You lost a lot of weight during your frenzy.", Ludwig said. "You could barely eat anything and all you could eat was liquid food. You never had much on your ribs, Laurence, but lately you are awfully thin. I am not surprised that you freeze so much, especially because you never liked the cold."
"Can't eat… that much.", Laurence replied, finally getting out some words after Ludwig had warmed him a little bit.
"Of course not, I talked with your doctor and the infirmary and they all told me that you need to get used to solid food slowly again. That is why I cook you two liquid meals and one solid meal at the moment. And even the solid meals are as soft as possible."
"I want to eat bread again…", Laurence murmured, missing the crunchy texture, especially of pretzels, his favourite food.
"And you will. But first, you need to warm up.", Ludwig had arrived at his destination, which was Laurence' room. He entered and laid Laurence down on the bed. Then, he went to the armchair and to the couch that were placed in the room and gathered all the woolen blankets. In the meantime, Laurence had already cuddled himself into the feathery blanket of his bed, starting to shiver again once Ludwig's warmth was gone.
"For me this will be a bit warm.", Ludwig said as he laid the three woolen blankets over Laurence. "So allow me to get undressed before I join you."
Upon these words, Laurence already felt warmer. When Ludwig was already warm through his clothes, then he would be extra warm when there was only his skin between Laurence and him.
After Ludwig got rid of almost all of his clothes minus his underwear, he joined Laurence under the blankets. "Phew, it's warm in here.", he said. "And you are still shivering." He took Laurence into his arms. Laurence very much accepted his embrace and cuddled himself against Ludwig.
"I won't shiver for long when you stay with me.", he murmured and in fact, he felt the warmth returning to his body and his violent shivering stopping. Ludwig was slowly stroking his hair and Laurence felt himself relax, soon to be asleep in his boyfriend's warm embrace.
(Author's note: Laurence' sickness in here is actually not simply freezing, he has low blood sugar from barely eating anything. I used to have it really bad and there is no way to stop the shivering and freezing, it can even be really warm outside and you still shiver and freeze.
This was the tenth fill for the sicktember fics! I had fun working on it! The last two are the same prompt with different characters, so they will come out on the same day.)