Rating: T
Setting: Before the events of The Halfling and the Vampire, After Boredom
Characters: Talia Xanatos, Owen Burnett, David Xanatos
Relationships: None
Warnings: Nongraphic mentions of vomit and diarrhea
Other Tags: Sick fic, Xanatos isn't a total dick to Talia, No spoilers for story
Chapter 8
Stomach flu
"Owen, where is Talia?" Xanatos asked.
They had just started dinner and Talia left already. It was unusual for her. He knew she didn't like him, but she always ate her meals.
"I'm afraid Talia hasn't been feeling well since this morning. I gave her some medicine to settle her stomach, but it didn't work." He told him.
"What's wrong with her?" Xanatos furrowed his brow.
"I think it might be the stomach flu." Owen said. Talia came back. Her face was sweaty and her shirt was stained.
"Owen, I threwed up." She grabbed a glass of water and tried to chug it.
"Talia, no! Little sips." He pulled the glass down.
Xanatos left and grabbed a thermometer. He went to Talia. She tried to scoot her chair away. He grabbed it and stuck the thermometer in her mouth. They waited a few minutes until it beeped.
"100 degrees. Not great, but it may go down on its own." He looked at it.
"Come on, Talia. Let's get you changed." Owen led her out.
Xanatos followed them. Talia needed another moment in the bathroom. They waited for her in the hall. Owen tried to keep his face neutral, but he looked worried. Xanatos heard the sink shut off and she came back out. They let her change into her pajamas.
"I'll go get her some ibuprofen. You watch her." Owen left.
Xanatos sat in the armchair, looking around. Her room was sparse, hardly decorated. Just her books and her toy fox. He felt a little bad about it. Talia laid in bed. She groaned and held her stomach.
"Talia?" He asked.
"Tummy hurts." She whined.
"Owen will back soon with medicine." He reassured her.
Talia nodded. They sat in silence until he returned. She struggled to sit up so Xanatos helped her. Owen gave her the pills and a bottle of water. She took them and wanted to lie down again. He eased her back down.
"My face is sticky." Talia complained.
"You're sweating because you have a fever." Xanatos said.
Owen got out a damp washcloth and gently wiped her face. Talia sighed, closing her eyes. He stepped back.
"We'll be back to check on you a bit. Just rest for now." Owen told her.
Talia's sickness last a few days. Xanatos had checked in on her from time to time, taking her temperature. It went decreased as days passed. Her meals mostly were soup broths and toast, occasionally with some fruit. She did manage to eat some rice and chicken. Once Talia was better, they went back to normal routine. Talia thought Xanatos being nice was a fever dream until he gave her some pretty rocks and animal statues.
