Chapter Two: Sick As A…Cat?
"I can't seem to concentrate…Shall we try again tomorrow, Nigel….I'm sorry for the wait…" Mandark sighed, scrubbing his face idly as he watched his colleague practice Jui Jitsu.
Nigel raised an elegant brow. "You never pass up a good spar, my friend…What's wrong? Dexter still sick?"
Mandark sighed. "No, he's much better, and the Professor seems to think that he'll be up and about by tomorrow…..But I guess I'm just tired…"
Nigel tutted. "You should sleep more….You don't look too great. Should I call the Professor?"
"No..No…I'm fine. I just need to get some sleep…We should try to spar tomorrow though….Same time?"
Nigel smiled, adjusting his sunglasses. "You bet…..Take care…"
Mandark smiled tiredly, rising to his feet shakily. He bowed low, offering his gratitude to the KND officer, before he retired to his and Dexter's wing of the complex.
Upon entering, Mandark noticed that Dexter was asleep, bringing alight smile to his tired features.
"God….I feel like crap…." He moaned quietly, covering his tired eyes. He had been able to hold the glamour for today, and slowly, Mandark lowered his defenses. As the glamour that he had unintentionally placed on himself faded, the dark rings that had formed under his eyes started to deepen, followed by a strong fever blush, which took its place upon the bridge of his nose and dusting over his cheeks.
But, there was nothing to be done. "Dexter came first!" Mandark assured himself, slumping down onto the chaise that the pair shared.
Feeling horrid was bad enough, but he had also been running himself ragged with trying to balance everything alone while he was caring for Dexter over the past week. Sleep evaded him. Nausea assailed him. Headaches tormented him. And he had to hide it, for Dexter's sake. There was too much that needed to be fixed or worked on that kept the thought that he and Dexter could ill afford to be sick….together! One genii down was bad enough.
The Professor was not going to like this….Not. One. Bit.
As the thoughts raced, Mandark's body became heavy from the sickness. Eyelids drooped low, starting to hide his fever bright eyes, and slowly he was taken by the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, tossing himself into a fitful half-nightmare brought upon by the fever.
A large cat, fluffed up and mussed, sauntered after the boy as he went, and jumped onto the lounge after his other master had passed into unconsciousness.
Einstein, the large grey ragdoll, Dexter's beloved cat, leveled a glare at his other master. Some Genius…..the cat mused, huffing. Can't even admit to being sick…Well….better go get some help for the dope…..
With that, the cat leapt off of the chaise, and sauntered back the way he came, moving out the cat flap to try and find the only person that could understand him, Mr. Kilroy Green, his master's mentor.
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Mandark awoke a short while later, startled out of his waking nightmares by a sharp pain in his throat. Thinking he just needed a drink, he got up off the chaise, wobbling in place a bit before trying to head down to the lower level's cafeteria, taking the elevator to save time.
As he walked, the glamour seeped back up over his features unintentionally.
Bing.
The elevator allowed the genius to enter.
Mandark started when he came face to face with Ben and Nigel Uno.
"Hey Mandark…Oooo! Like the new haircut, man. Suits you a lot better than the bowl did...How's Dex?" Ben asked cheerfully.
"Better….And thank you….I like my hair this way, as well…"Mandark rasped shortly, moving into the elevator, taking the spot right in front of Ben. The doors closed and Mandark pressed the button for the Cafeteria deck, and they started their descent.
Ben and Nigel shared a worried look.
"That's great…" Ben mused, watching as Mandark swayed a bit in place.
"Are you alright, Mandark…?" Nigel queried.
Mandark groaned as his world tilted on its axis. "…..No…" he whimpered, glamour receding swiftly as he fell backwards in a dead faint.
"SHIT!" Ben swore, catching Mandark under his arms to keep his friend from smacking his head into the elevator floor.
Bing.
The elevator door opened once again, this time revealing the tall, imperious form of the local demon teacher, Mr. Green, and a fluffy ragdoll.
Mr. Green sucked in a breath. "What happened!"
Ben panicked. "IDON'T KNOW! He looked fine a second ago!"
"Fine? He-….Ben…..Move him out here…." Mr. Green ordered, stepping aside so the boy could exit the elevator, keeping a hand on the door to keep the mechanism from shutting.
Ben nodded, and he and Nigel worked together to get Mandark up and out of the elevator, stretching him out on the cold linoleum of the floor below.
Mr. Green pushed past the boys, and glanced over Mandark's form, watching as the boy's magic ebbed a concealing charm into and out of his features.
"He was hiding it…though not intentionally…" Mr. Green mused, pressing his hand gently on the boy's chest, checking his breathing while also stopping the gentle ebb of magic from his newest pupil.
"Hiding it? He looked normal!" Ben squeaked.
"Exactly…"
"What is he, some kind of magician?" Ben asked, chuckling in disbelief.
"Precisely that…He practices before we spar….." Nigel cut in, assuring his other friend that Mandark indeed was what they said he was.
"Serious!"
Nigel glared from beneath his shades. "Isn't Gwen one, too?
Ben stopped, opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. He couldn't reply, and new it was just that. Finally, his brain came to terms with it, and he muttered, "Kick ass….", under his breath.
Nigel smirked, moving his attentions to Mandark now.
Mr. Green was checking the boy's temperature, and then moving to look at the boy's throat, pressing lightly. The movement caused Mandark to arch off the floor a bit, whimpering in pain.
Green clucked his tongue in worry. "Poor boy…." He muttered as he leaned forward to lift the boy up off of the floor and into his arms, tucking him close. He moved to the elevator door and pressed the button, waiting for the damned thing to come back up.
"What's wrong…?"Nigel asked.
"He's very sick…And I need one of you to get Professor to come check on him to confirm my suspicions, "Green muttered, nodding down to the feline near his feet.
Einstein purred worriedly and rubbed against the teacher's leg.
"I know…You're worried…" Mr. Green muttered.
"I'll go…He's down in the cafeteria…..I saw him when I left there about six minutes before we met Mandark…." Ben offered.
"Good boy….Do just that…" Mr. Green agreed.
BING!
The doors opened, and Mr. Green strode into the elevator.
Closing again, Mr. Green, Mandark, and Dexter's cat, disappeared from sight.
"Come on! We better get the Professor!" Nigel urged.
"Stairs?" Ben suggested, pointing to a door nearby.
Nigel nodded. "Fastest way to get one floor down…."
Ben smirked, and headed to the door, and he and Nigel descended the stairs beyond in their search for Professor Utonium.
~*~*~* =(^3^)= *~*~*~
"It's just as you thought, Kilroy…." Utonium sighed, setting down his testing kit on the table beside the couch where Mandark's prone body was resting out a strong fever.
Green sighed heavily. "I'll say it again….Poor boy….Mono is the worst…..How do you suppose he got this bad in three days? He WAS fine when we had class before Dexter got sick….We were learning calming techniques to keep his magic flow in check….."
"Mono hits you hard after the incubation stage. I'll have to check that throat culture that I got, but….Kilroy… I think he's got it bad….His throat's almost completely swollen shut…I need to go down to medical and order up a slew of medicines for him…."
"Go on, Pat…I'll watch the boys…Dexter will be waking up soon, and I'll fill him in then…" the teacher stated, touching his friend on the shoulder.
Utonium smiled. "Thank you….I'll be back soon….Try and keep him comfortable at least until I can get back…"he stated, pointing worriedly at Mandark, who was now fretting to and fro a bit from the ache in his limbs and abused throat.
Mr. Green tutted as his friend left to acquire the medicine's Mandark would need.
"You're not gunna like the muscle relaxer at all…." Green muttered quietly, brushing some of Mandark's locks out of his eyes. He was silently watching Mandark, noting every change in his new student.
What he saw, he didn't like.
"Running yourself ragged…" Green mused, sitting himself down on the edge of the coffee table.
"Mr. Green?..."
Kilroy turned, spotting a mussed version of his star pupil emerge from the back room, and despite the situation, Green smiled and waved him over. "Good mornin, my boy….How are you feeling?
Dexter had yet to spot his beloved on the squishy couch.
He smiled. "I'm doing much better….I kicked the si- Oh My God, Is That Mandark! What happened!"
Rushing over, the boy knelt at Mandark's side, mentally checking him over as he did.
Mr. Green shushed him gently. "He's very sick…."
"How did he get sick! He was fine yesterday….." Dexter whined, brushing his fingers through Mandark's hair gently.
"It's Mono, Dexter…It hits hard, and fast, and doesn't go down without a fight….." Green mused, watching Dexter fuss over his beloved boyfriend. "He must have worked himself past exhaustion to keep up with Mandy these past three days…..and he probably has been worrying only about you as well….Doesn't help that he accidently cast a glamour over himself to keep people from worrying."
"A glamour! He was hiding it!" Dexter squeaked. He glared at his unconscious lover, and gently popped him in the arm as punishment for his accidental stupidity. "…Stoopid…..Why did you have to go and get so sick…?"
Green smiled, noting that Dexter was merely worried, and his tone suggested that he held no ire towards the ill counterpart he had chosen as a mate. The exchange made Green chuckle.
The demon moved his hand out to fluff up Dexter's hair affectionately, trying to comfort his distressed student with his presence. "Don't you worry…The Professor has already gone to get him medicine….He'll pull through…But we have to watch him, and keep him comfortable. He's going to feel lousy for a good couple of weeks…"
"Weeks! I had no Idea Mononucleosis could last that long!" Dexter whined, casting worried glances to Mandark, whose hair was gently being caressed in his own hand.
"Yeah…I feel bad for him, too….I had the disease when I was younger, and I was sick with a mild case, and STILL ended up in bed for three weeks…So Mandark is probably going to have to stay there for no less than that…."
"How bad is his case?" Dexter asked, suddenly very proper and direct, back to his own scientific mindset.
Green grinned wide, despite the seriousness of the question, at the way that Dexter had returned from his worried mass to the boy he was used to seeing.
Sobering up, though, he replied, "It's a severe case…He may develop symptoms that most people wouldn't in that sense….I have a small worry that his magic may be fueling the sickness….."
"His magic…I didn't even think about that…..Do you think that it could go haywire if he gets too distressed?" Dexter mused, worriedly.
Mr. Green grew deadly serious as he mulled over this revelation. "Y-…..Yes….Yes. It can….And it will if we can't keep that distress at a low level…..Which will be nearly impossible in our current situation…"
Turning to Dexter, Green stared at him, noting that Dexter had the same look of worry in his eyes.
"Don't worry…I'll tell everyone that I am on leave while Mandark is sick, seeing as I'm the only one capable of stopping his flow of magic, any who….I suggest that you and the Professor do the same….We may even have to take up temporary refuge in the Villa, seeing as we haven't decontaminated Townsville yet…."
Dexter nodded. "I'll contact Mandy immediately!" Dexter said determinedly, snapping to his feet before stomping off towards the com-center in the opposite room.
Green waited, but once the angry tirade in an accent akin to a Russian Bolshevik started, he couldn't help but start laughing hysterically, stomping his feet to try and stop his "laugh-gasm".
A sharp, "SHUT UP!", made him nearly sober up, only light snickering rippling past his green lips after the initial chuckle.
Mandark let out a groan, signaling that he was awake again, and Green's gaze shot to the bundle of sick genius on the couch.
A pair of tormented dark blue irises, hazed over with fever, and dotted with tears were staring right back into his own orbs, making him wince.
"Easy….We've got you…..Just try to go back to sleep, Mandark….The Professor is getting you some medicine…" Mr. Green assured, moving to lightly brush the bangs away that had become plastered to the side of Mandark's sweat glazed face.
A whimper and up turned brows was his answer, but Green got the hint.
"Thirsty…?"
Mandark could only allow his brows to lower, signaling that that was correct, voice gone due to the infection that was rapidly spreading through his throat.
Mr. Green smiled sympathetically, and went to the bathroom to get a glass of cool water to tide him over until Utonium returned with the news.
"Stupid Witch! I don't care if we are behind, Mandark's in no-…Mandark!Oh, Mandark, you're awake!"
Mandark blinked tiredly as a familiar sound hit his clogged ears, heavy boot-falls signaling an approach.
Dexter appeared in his blurry vision, his glasses having been taken off and laid carefully on the coffee table near the chaise. A sliver of a smile appeared on his lips, and he relaxed, sinking deeper into the couch upon which he lay.
"Hello, my love…How are you feeling?" Dexter cooed worriedly, hovering nearby.
Mandark's grin widened, reveling that Dexter was there. All he could do to answer though, was mouth "I'm sorry…" to his beloved genius.
Making his presence known, Einstein popped his fluffy self out from under the couch and up onto the chest of his owner's lover, purring as though he wasn't doing anything wrong.
"Einstein!" Dexter hissed.
But, Mandark merely smiled, lifting his hand to shakily pet through the silky fur on the Ragdoll atop him, making the purr more pronounced.
Dexter sighed, noticing that his devil of a teacher had returned with the proffered glass of cool water.
"Think you can sit up?" Mr. Green asked, setting the cup on the table while moving to kneel by the couch.
With a shrug, he offered up his trembling hand, silently asking for a little help.
Mr. Green smiled, and obliged, easily helping the boy to lift his limp upper torso to a seated position, dislodging the ball of fluff atop the boy's chest. Once there, the water was moved from the table to the trembling hand that Mandark still had outstretched.
Mandark managed a smile, and then took a tentative sip from the glass. It became apparent immediately that it wasn't going to help, because tears sprung to Mandark's eyes, and he sputtered, coughing against the pain that flared throughout his neck.
"Mandark?..." Dexter squeaked, worrying over the tears in his boyfriend's eyes.
Mr. Green took the glass from Mandark, then pulled the boy close as he moved to sit beside him. "Easy….Easy….The Professor will be back in a few minutes with some medicines that will fix you right up…." He mumbled, petting through Mandark's hair to calm him down.
Mandark managed a tight bob of his head, trying to avoid the pain spikes that the movement caused. He whimpered, snapping his eyes shut to hide his agony from Dexter, not wanting to cause him any distress.
But it had already been caused, and smiling, Mr. Green motioned Dexter forward. "Here…..See if you can get him comfortable….."
Dexter swiftly took the opposite side of the couch, and allowed Mandark to snuggle into him instead of the green demon that had previously been snuggling the sick genius, shushing and fussing over him.
The door behind them opened up, revealing a medicine laden Utonium, who was sporting a grim look.
Mr. Green turned. "How bad..?"
"Bad. I brought medicine that should help….." Utonium mumbled, moving over to the table. "He can't take it all at once, but we'll get the dosing right after the first few cycles…Anything happen, you two?" he asked, laying out the vials of medicine.
Magic Mouthwash, Codeine, Phenegran, Amoxicillin, and Soma.
Dexter flinched at the impressive and daunting array.
Mr. Green adopted the same look of worry, and suggested, "We should start him with the Soma….. He could barely swallow water while you were gone…"
Utonium sighed. "The Soma it is…It's going to sting…" he warned, pulling out a needle from his pocket.
Mandark shuddered. He hated needles.
"I know, I know…" Utonium mumbled, kicking himself for forgetting that Mandark hated needles. "It'll only take a second….I promise."
Mandark resigned to his fate, and nodded, untangling himself from Dexter.
Dexter held his hands tight on Mandark's shoulders, offering him any comfort that he needed.
"Lean your head to the side if you can, Mandark….." Utonium asked, prepping the needle to inject the Soma.
Mandark did as he was told, whimpering at the twinge that shot through his already aching muscles.
Utonium tutted. "At least we have the medicine…I've already called up to Mandy, and told her that I would be taking off with you two….."
Leaning over to the couch, Utonium held a hand against Mandark's neck, found his pulse, and poised the needle.
"Try not to flinch…ok?" Utonium tried to soothe, readying the needle.
Mandark exhaled with a bit of difficulty, clenching his eyes shut, keeping his mind on Dexter's presence versus the needle at his neck.
It only took a second for the plunger to descend.
It burned its way in, and with a hiss, Mandark tightened up, shaking a bit as it coursed through his veins. But, it was gone a few more seconds after that, leaving Mandark's neck comfortably numb. And with a long sigh, Mandark visibly relaxed, shuddering a little as he slumped into Dexter's side.
"We should probably go to the Villa…." Dexter mused, putting the suggestion in the air for his father to mull over.
Utonium nodded, thinking along the same brainwave. "I think that would be best….The Villa is well protected, but would be better for Mandark's sake….."
"It's quiet and homey…" Mr. Green mused. "Better for the sick then the hum of machinery and the screams of ornery teenagers and children….."
Utonium smirked. "Do you boys have clothing there?"
Dexter nodded for himself and Mandark, and then added. "We also have a set for you and the girls, but I'm afraid that we don't have anything for you, Mr. Green."
"Say no more….I have plenty of uniforms here in my office…."
Utonium smirked. "Still having a problem with Him?"
Mr. Green glared at Middle Space intently. "Yes…." he hissed.
"It's better than what he threatened to do to Mandark….." Dexter mused.
Both elders turned their gaze upon Dexter, causing him to flinch a bit.
"What..?"
"What did he do?"
Dexter blinked. "He doesn't like Mandark's old magic teacher, so to get back at her, he threatened to take Mandark's magic and use it against her…Needless to say….It didn't work…" Dexter snickered the last few sentences.
Mr. Green smiled wickedly. "Oh ho! So I have him to thank for the scorch marks and damage that that red bastard was sporting! Kudos!"
Mandark smiled tiredly, and then rasped, "How am I going to get there?"
Mr. Green shook his head. "Don't fret!...Dexter and I will help you get to the car, then it's smooth sailing from there."
"Exactly, but first… Let's get some Phenegran and Codeine into your system….It will burn going in, but it will get you into a state of painlessness for the trip over….Alright?" Utonium asked, having mixed up some of the Phenegran and Codeine for the ill genius.
"I'll call for someone to grab my uniforms and pack them in the car…" Mr. Green stated, getting up andheading towards the com room.
Mandark shifted nervously, and finally thought it would be better to be without the pain for the 45 minute drive to the villa, and nodded his head in agreement to the Phenegran.
Utonium smiled sympathetically, knowing how bad that this would feel for the first few minutes.
And, OH, was that an understatement.
When the plunger descended, the burn ascended up Mandark's arm, causing the poor, weakened boy to arch and hiss in pain.
"Ah! AH! Hurts!"
Tears welled up in the corners of his dark blue eyes.
Dexter literally had to hold him still as the medication seared its way through Mandark's system.
"Shush….shush…..It's alright, love….It's ok…." Dexter soothed, caressing his aching arm to help get the circulation to work faster.
Hissing through his teeth, Mandark's magic started to spark out in tiny arcs of energy, but ceased when the drowsy numbness started to take over.
A long, shaky sigh erupted from Mandark's now chapped lips, and he swallowed hard. "I…I'm alright…" he managed to slur, his eyes closing to half mast.
"Great Job…You did good….Try to stay awake…At least until we can get you into the car….Think you can try and do that for me?.." Utonium added in a fatherly and worried manner.
Mandark wasn't his boy, but he was as good as part of his family, and he was going to make sure he knew that.
Mandark smiled lopsidedly. "I'll try…." The grin extended when his befuddled mind realized that Utonium was taking a fatherly approach to his care giving and worrying, which Mandark welcomed whole heartedly.
Utonium could only smile wider. "Good boy…..I'll go get the car started…You three meet me there…..I have to get some things and call the girls….."
Dexter nodded. "We'll be down right after you!"
Utonium nodded, ruffling Dexter's hair, before he got to his feet, pocketed the medicine's he had brought and the needle, and left the room entirely, followed closely by Einstein.
Left to their devices, Dexter got to his feet. "Do you think you can stand, my love….?"
Mandark shrugged. "I…might need help….I'm getting sleepy…."
Dexter chuckled, noting how his medicated boyfriend had opted for "sleepy" as oppose to "tired".
"You are…Let me help….."
Dexter looped his arm under Mandark's and gently lifted him to his feet with a bit of effort.
Mandark's footing was loose, at best, and he wobbled in Dexter's hold.
"Yeah….Medicine is definitely workin'…." Mandark slurred.
Dexter chuckled. "It sure is….."
Mr. Green approached from the opposite room a moment after the exchange, and smiled. "They're on their way down….Let's meet them down stairs…"
Dexter smiled, waiting until Mr. Green had looped his opposite arm around Mandark's free side, and together they helped him to stand correctly, and walkout into the hall.
While they headed towards the elevator, Mandark kept his hand perched at his throat, while Dexter and Mr. Green discussed how they would handle the next few days.
The trip down to the lobby was uneventful, except for the random encounters with KND operative, which was bound to happen sooner or later.
In the Lobby, they were greeted by Ben and Nigel, who had decided to see off their friends and promise to keep things in check while they were gone.
Both boys appreciated the gesture greatly, and after saying their goodbyes, Dexter and Green helped to get Mandark into the back seat of the Professor's Jalopy.
And after a quick check, and a phone call to the girls, the Professor started the car, and drove off the premises.
Thankfully, Mandark's Villa was only a short drive away, and 45 minutes later, they were safely perched in the driveway of a lovely chateau on the outskirts of their force-field protected Safe Zone.
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Please Read and Review or I'll be sure to visit next time I have Mono. :3