A/N: Seb is pretty much unreliable at this point, and I really prefer writing a lucid, reliable narrator. Since Nick is actually conscious, I'm coopting him for my purposes, for a little wile. Also, this chapter is dedicated to Elle.
Nick knows something is wrong as soon as he blinks the sleep from his eyes. A butt-naked Sebastian is sprawled across a towel on his bed. The light is on, and his roommate is drooling slightly.
For the second time ever, Nick sees insulin vials out along with a syringe. Sebastian is meticulous about hiding the evidence of his disease.
In the bathroom, he finds the damp boxers in the small trashcan, and a box of something called KETOSTRIPS on the counter. Nick doesn't have to be a genius to figure out that a little WebMD search would be helpful.
Five minutes later, he's frightened. He's debating calling the rector, and 911, when Seb starts to stir.
"Sebastian?" Nick asks, hopefully.
"Grrmmm?" His roommate answers groggily.
Nick decides to see how sick his roommate really is. "You're naked," he offers helpfully.
Sebastian makes an effort to roll over and sit up. He slumps against the headboard, thinking. Behind those green-eyes, Nick wonders if a tiny mouse is turning a crank to move the gears. He goes to Seb's dresser, and pulls open the top drawer. He finds a pair of boxers and a worn gray t-shirt with a faded equation. It has a few more upside-down triangles than history-inclined Nick understands.
Sebastian mechanically pulls on the underwear and t-shirt, then slumps again.
"I'm not going to class," He announces, quietly. "I'll email the professors…"
"You should go to the ER," counters Nick.
Sebastian's eyes cloud, and his middle finger flicks up surprisingly quickly for someone, considering how long it took him to realize that his head was poking out of his sleeve.
Nick has never seen his roommate give the bird. He's usually all snarky wit.
"I'm not going to the hospital for something I can treat at home," Seb says. The words sound rehearsed. "I just need to sleep and pee and drink some water. I can do that here."
He reaches under his bed and removes a water bottle, which he drinks in one gulp. Then, he teeters to the bathroom.
Nick hears the toilet flushing and the sink running before Sebastian squats to pick up a water bottle and climbs slowly back into bed. He yawns, stretches and lies down again.
"I'm gonna sleep," He says, almost to himself.
Nick sinks onto his own bed. By all rights, he should turn Sebastian in to the rector, and make it the school's problem to deal with. But, Sebastian is skittish, especially lately. He doesn't seem to trust anyone, and few people seem to trust him. Nick cannot break the trust. Seb seems too fragile. He pulls out his laptop, and types an email to his teachers, claiming a mild case of stomach flu.
He closes his computer and watches his roommate's deep breathing.