The first thing Chandlo did was try to make Snorpy more comfortable. He brought him his nightshirt, helping him change out of his apron and get settled in bed. Afterwards, he added some spare pillows, fluffing each one individually before adding them to the bed. As Snorpy's lean figure sank into the mound of pillows, a weary sigh escaped his lips, and his eyes began to close. He was just starting to doze off when he felt Chandlo's paw on his nose.
"Just checking if you have a fever, Snorp-dawg."
Snorpy rolled his eyes. He knew Chandlo was severely lacking in medical knowledge, but this was ridiculous. He closed his eyes against the pain and burrowed under the covers, trying not to think about how miserable he was. For a while, Chandlo remained close by, watching his chest rise and fall with shallow, uneven breaths. Was this something serious? What was causing his boyfriend to feel so awful?
He held Snorpy's paw in both of his, patting and rubbing the golden fur in a gesture of comfort. "Don't worry, Snorpy. I'm gonna take care of you. You just need some time to chill, bro. That's why I brought you here in the first place. Like a vacation, so you can totally get some fresh air on your face. It's super good for your mind and your body. It'll start getting better soon, you'll see."
Snorpy managed a faint smile. "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely.
Chandlo gave him one last reassuring pat, sitting beside him and holding his paw until the pain had subsided enough that Snorpy was able to sleep. Once he was sure that Snorpy was resting comfortably, he lifted the glasses from his nose and placed them on the bedside table. He would have to leave him alone for a while, which was something he didn't particularly want to do. But if his boyfriend wasn't willing to see the doctor, then he would go to Eggabell and tell her what was wrong.
.oOo.
Upon entering the building, he was met with Eggabell's friendly face as she was looking through one of her medical textbooks. In a way, she reminded him of Snorpy, always studying his favorite topics even though he had read the same articles and magazines dozens of times. It was for this reason that he decided to speak with her before bringing her to see him.
As always, a bit of an explanation was in order. Snorpy had a history of being a difficult patient due to his chronic anxiety, touch sensitivity, and avoidance of needles. Whenever he needed medical care or any kind of procedure, Chandlo always had to accompany him in order to keep him calm. He made sure Eggabell knew all the details, letting her know that Snorpy hadn't been feeling well and that it might be difficult to treat his illness.
"I see." Eggabell nodded, making notes on her clipboard. "What kind of symptoms is he experiencing? Any fever, nausea, vomiting?"
"I don't think he has a fever, Eggabro. I'm also pretty sure he hasn't blown chunks yet. He hasn't been eating much, but then he sometimes gets so caught up in his work that I have to remind him to take breaks and eat something."
Eggabell narrowed her eyes, appearing slightly perplexed. "Blown chunks?"
"Yeah, you know, toss your cookies, upchuck, toss a sidewalk pizza, exile a sandwich - " He was cut off in midsentence by the doctor waving a paw at him.
"Alright, I get it, Chandlo. I get it. Now, a lot of common digestive ailments can be caused by stress and anxiety. Moving to a new home, for example. He doesn't handle change well, does he?" Her tone seemed to indicate that she already knew the answer.
"Nah, Snorpy doesn't like change at all. If something on the shelf is crooked or cracked or out of place, he totally starts freaking out. It's like he's got super powers, dawg. He knows when someone's been touching his stuff. And he gets confused easily when he's going somewhere new or something changes his routine. I worry about him sometimes..." Chandlo's voice trailed off into silence, his paws on his hips, looking down at the floor. "I worry about him a lot. I gotta look out for him, ya feel me?"
"I do, actually. That's why I decided to study medicine, so I could help people. For now, I suggest using methods that'll help him stay calm and reduce his anxiety. Close the curtains, keep the noise level to a minimum, whatever helps cut down on sensory stimulation. I can take a look at him when he wakes up. But if he isn't vomiting or running a temperature, then this could be stress related. It's also worth noting that individuals who are on the spectrum often experience gastrointestinal conditions more frequently than my neurotypical patients. For all we know, this has been ongoing for some time now, and he just hasn't told us."
A look of dismay formed on Chandlo's furry features. Knowing Snorpy, it was entirely possible that he'd been keeping this to himself for a while now. His behavior was deeply distressing at times, and yet there wasn't much Chandlo could do about it. He couldn't help someone if they didn't tell him what was wrong.
When he returned home, Snorpy was still asleep, muttering and snoring softly beneath the mound of blankets on the bed. He decided to wait a while before going to retrieve Eggabell, knowing that it was better to let him rest. However, this peaceful moment was short lived when the golden-furred Grumpus woke up from his nap a few hours later, the burning pain gnawing at his insides.
He reached for the area directly above his navel, applying gentle pressure in the hopes it would ease his pain. It felt as though someone had slashed his belly open, throwing acid into the wound and rubbing salt in it. The burning intensified with even the smallest movement, his insides protesting against the subtle rocking motion as Snorpy curled up on his side in bed.
"Chandlo," he moaned. It felt as though the contents of his stomach had soured, making him want to vomit. He tried calling out once more, but his voice was hoarse and weak. There was a bitter, acidic taste burning in the back of his throat, causing further irritation and making it difficult for him to raise his voice.
Alone in his room, Snorpy's thoughts gradually began spiraling out of control. It made perfect sense that he was the only one who had fallen ill. Clearly, the Grumpinati were trying to dispose of him. They must have been aware of his movements, acting quickly in an attempt to thwart his escape. He was never going to survive in this place. He'd been fighting against them for so long, and while he always assumed it would end this way eventually, he didn't think the end would come about so suddenly. Certainly not like this. Not when he still had so much in life he wanted to achieve.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, though it sounded like more than a single pair of paws. Was it Chandlo? Did he bring someone with him? And if so, who could it be? Or was it the Grumpinati finally coming to assassinate him?
The engineer shifted slightly, instinctively turning his head to the side and looking towards the stairs. Not that he could see much without his glasses. At best, he was able to make out a greenish blur on the opposite end of the room. He had just rolled over and was feeling for his glasses on the nightstand when he heard a familiar voice.
"Stay there," Chandlo was saying, waving at someone on the stairs. He turned around just in time to see a golden paw shoot out from under the blankets, snatching the glasses and putting them on. This was immediately followed by a gasp when Snorpy spied their guest by the staircase.
His pain momentarily forgotten, Snorpy was already backing away, scrambling to press his trembling form against the headboard. In his haste, he didn't even notice that his favorite plushie had slid out from underneath the covers as his feet swept across the mattress. All the while, Eggabell kept her distance and quietly observed the pair of Grumpuses, her attention drifting towards the toy. It had large, almond shaped eyes that were pitch black and a grayish body. Curious. Very curious indeed.
Seeing his partner's distress, Chandlo stepped in and tried to calm him down, acting as Snorpy's voice when the frightened Grumpus was unable to speak.
"I'm real sorry about that, Egg-dawg. It isn't you he's afraid of. Doctor stuff freaks him out because he doesn't like anyone touching him. He's cool with me, though, but it's better if you keep your distance and try talking to him." He then turned his attention back to Snorpy. "You know Eggabell. I introduced you to her when we were having our training sessions together. It's cool, bro. And I'll be right here the whole time."
Snorpy grit his teeth and moaned, his eyes narrowing as he glared at them. This was giving him flashbacks to the time he'd been thrown out of the clinic for his sudden outbursts. There was also that nightmarish incident where it took five nurses to physically restrain him for a blood test. Ever since then, Snorpy had been wary of those working in the medical field.
"Um, yes, I do believe we've met." Eggabell chanced a step forward to get a better look at her patient. She wasn't used to seeing him in a colorful nightshirt that looked more like a dress than anything else, his soft curls unkempt and straggling across his face. Truly, this was a Grumpus who had seen better days. "Could you tell me about the symptoms you're experiencing?"
When her patient failed to respond, Chandlo stepped in once more, telling Snorpy to show her where it hurts. Hesitantly, the golden-furred Grumpus placed a paw on his abdomen, directly above his navel.
"Can you describe the type of pain and its duration?" Eggabell asked, patiently waiting for a response. This time Snorpy managed to find his voice, though it required much time and effort to force the sounds out of his mouth and shape them into a coherent sentence.
"It... it burns, like an open wound that somebody set on fire." He paused, rapidly patting the mattress, searching for the correct words. "It gets worse when I'm feeling particularly anxious... better when I'm drinking tea... uhm..." His anxiety becoming quite clear now, Snorpy started making vague gestures with his paw, which shifted to flapping after only a minute or two. "It's been getting worse for about two weeks now."
"Two weeks?!" Chandlo's eyes widened, a look of bewilderment quickly turning to dismay when he realized how long his partner had been suffering. "Snorpy, why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want you to worry about me," Snorpy muttered, his voice somewhat hoarse. "You worry about me enough as it is."
Feeling a little less anxious, Snorpy continued to describe his symptoms, which included nausea and "some rather persistent indigestion" as he called it. Before long, he was stumbling over his words, his mind and body fatigued. His thoughts were racing, and his mouth couldn't keep up, distracted by a combination of nerves and the ache in his belly.
"It's okay, Snorp-dawg." Chandlo stood beside the bed, taking his paw and giving him a reassuring smile. "Take a breather, bro. You got this."
Eggabell looked at Chandlo. "Do you think he'd let me take a blood sample to check for signs of infection? I know you said he doesn't like needles or being touched, but this would really help me make a correct diagnosis. And I can use a simple paw prick to get the sample. It's really not so bad, I promise."
The engineer whimpered, tensing and gripping Chandlo's paw. He really didn't like where this was going, his pulse accelerating as a sudden panic surged through his chest. Internally, his mind was screaming at him, approaching his breaking point. Without thinking, he jerked his paw out of Chandlo's grasp, curling in on himself like one of Gramble's Peelbugs.
"Uh, Snorpy?" Eggabell tried approaching him, reaching out but not making physical contact. Snorpy had started rocking and moaning, his arms wrapped around his midsection.
"No! No no no no no!" His voice was steadily rising in volume, screaming and shaking from head to toe. If she touched him now, Snorpy would lash out, just like he had done at the clinic. Not on purpose, never with intent to harm. He only wanted her to leave him alone. And if he couldn't run away, if it was impossible to escape further stimulation when he was already in a fragile state, then fighting back became his only option.
"Bro, I think we need to stop," Chandlo said, intervening on Snorpy's behalf. "He gets like this sometimes. I don't wanna make it worse when he's already stressing."
The doctor observed them for a moment, seeing Chandlo's sympathetic expression. Apparently, Snorpy could only tolerate physical contact with his partner, and even that had its limitations.
"Well, uhm, from the looks of it, it sounds like he has chronic acid reflux and possibly a gastric ulcer." Eggabell placed a paw behind her head, her expression troubled. "And this really isn't the best place to develop an ulcer. He needs a proper diet and medication in order to heal. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meals that are nutritious but at the same time light and simple. Which would be fine if we weren't on an island surrounded by Bugsnax."
Chandlo understood their predicament, knowing that the only thing edible on the island was those walking food creatures. "Do you at least have some medicine for him?"
"I do, yes. I brought some basic medications and supplies in case anyone got sick out here. Right now they're in my hut, so I'd have to go get them. But if the ulcer is caused by an infection, I could prescribe an antibiotic and a proton pump inhibitor to reduce the amount of acid in his stomach."
"What...?" Hearing this triggered something in Snorpy's mind. Without warning, he launched into an explosive rant. "Absolutely not! The pharmaceutical industry conspires against the use of natural, effective remedies in order to make people dependent on their expensive and ineffective treatments! They want people addicted to their dubious products without offering a cure, just so they can make money. That's all it is, a money making scheme, working with the government to control the population while concealing the cure for cancer. Do you really think I'm foolish enough to fall for your lies?"
"Wh-what?" Eggabell was backing away now, her eyes widening.
"Get out of my sight!" Snorpy spat with contempt, raging and throwing his plushie across the room at her. "Get out! Begone with you!"
The scene was rapidly descending into chaos. Chandlo tried to bring the situation under control, but his partner wasn't even hearing him anymore. Snorpy was still screaming about his theories when the doctor retreated down the stairs. The intensity of his rant didn't subside until he had gotten everything out of his system, finally sinking to his knees beside the bed, his insides burning worse than ever after his outburst.
Why did it always have to be like this? If these so called medical professionals were more trustworthy, then perhaps he would consider her treatment. Of course, Chandlo would blindly follow a doctor's advice. He wasn't aware of the corruption, believing anyone with a title or a degree must know what's right for them. Sometimes Snorpy wondered if he was truly protecting Chandlo by not telling him the truth. Was it doing more harm than good? Perhaps, but he would have to think about it later. For now he was too exhausted and miserable to focus on such matters.
"Snorpy, it's gonna to be alright." Chandlo kneeled beside him, desperately wanting to hold him, but he knew better than to initiate physical contact when his partner had already reached his limit. "Whatever this is, we're gonna crush it, dawg. I know we will."
Unfazed by Chandlo's determined speech, Snorpy's trembling form wilted against the floor. His paws curled into fists against the hardwood surface, his claws scraping the floor. He didn't even know why he was feeling this way. Was it frustration at the lack of trustworthy medical care, anger at being made helpless by the Grumpinati, or a combination of the two? Perhaps Eggabell was right up there with Wiggle and Floofty. His mind was already swarming with suspicions.
When the last of his strength finally gave out, the engineer collapsed in a heap of quivering fur, his glasses askew on his face. He wasn't even aware of being lifted off the floor and tucked beneath the covers, nor did he have the strength to protest Chandlo's actions. All he wanted right now was to sleep and forget about the sorry state of the world they lived in.