It was breakfast time at the mansion. As usual, Imladris was helping Sebastian serve breakfast to le Comte and the other residents who were present in the dining room. However, just as she had set down a stack of pancakes in front of Theo, she let out a hacking cough, managing just in time to turn away from the table and cough into her elbow.
"Hey, don't spread your dog germs to the food, Hondje," Theo grumbled.
His brother, who was sitting beside him, gently chided him. Vincent said, "Be nice to Imladris, Theo. Especially when she's not feeling well."
"Nah, I'm all right," Imladris said dismissively. "But thanks, Vincent. And Theo, you know that my 'dog germs' can't harm you anymore. You're a vampire now, immune to illnesses. Anyway, here's the maple syrup for you."
Theo hummed happily as he accepted the offered jar and poured maple syrup all over his pancakes.
Imladris let out another hacking cough. This time, it took a few moments before she managed to regain control and stop coughing.
"Are you really sure that you're all right, Toshiko-san?" Dazai said.
"Yes, you've had that cough for quite some time now, ma cherie," Comte intoned, looking concerned. "Maybe you should go into town and have a doctor check you out?"
"It really is just the typical cough, Comte," Imladris reassured him. "I'm sure that it will be gone soon enough. I'm already taking some cough medicine."
"Very well," Comte relented reluctantly. "But promise me that you will have it checked if it gets any worse, okay?"
"Yes, I promise."
Satisfied, le Comte returned to sipping his tea.
Arthur, on the other hand, set down his coffee mug and grinned widely. "Oh, come on, Comte. Why would Imladris have to go all the way to town just to get checked by a doctor, when we already have a doctor right here?" He gestured to himself. "Imladris, why don't you stop by my room later, and I can give you a… thorough examination." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Knowing that flirting was as natural as breathing to Arthur and that he really was just kidding, Imladris laughed and jokingly rolled her eyes. "That just makes me even more unwilling to get checked," she quipped.
Arthur pretended to pout, while the others laughed at him.
Later that day, Imladris quickly finished her chores and then returned to her room. She started getting ready to head out. She could hardly contain her excitement as she was going on a date with her boyfriend.
Sure enough, just as she was finishing brushing her hair, she heard a knock on her bedroom door.
Upon opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of Leonardo smiling warmly at her.
"Ready for our date, cara mia?"
"You bet I am!"
As they walked hand in hand down the hallway, though, Leonardo stared quizzically at her.
"Are you all right, Imladris?"
"Huh? Yeah, I am. Why do you ask?"
"You're looking a bit pale. You still have that cough?"
"Well, yes," she admitted slowly. She didn't want to worry Leonardo, but she also didn't want to lie to him. "But it's not so bad."
"Are you sure? Don't you want to just stay in today and rest? We can always just go on a date on another day."
"I really am feeling all right," Imladris insisted. Then, she said more cheerfully, "Besides, I'm looking forward to trying that new café in town! I've heard people say that it's got the most exquisite strawberry parfait!"
Leonardo laughed. "I'm not sure eating sweet stuff is the best thing for your cough. But okay, if you say so, cara mia." He added more seriously, "But you go and see a doctor if your cough persists, yeah?"
"You sound just like Comte," Imladris said ruefully. "He was also telling me that just time morning."
"Well, you know what they say: 'Great minds think alike'."
Several days later, Imladris woke up feeling weak and achy. She groggily sat up, wondering if she was about to come down with a fever or something. Then, she had another fit of rough coughing. She covered her mouth with her hand.
When she managed to regain control of her lungs, Imladris noticed that her palm felt wet. Thinking that she must have accidentally let out some phlegm, she pulled her hand away from her mouth and looked down at her palm.
She was surprised to see that the fluid was colored red.
It was blood. There was blood on her hand. She had coughed out blood onto her hand.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Feedback/comments are appreciated! :)