sick · vulnerable · weak · feverish · dependent · gentle · forsaken · care seeking · exhausted
[Arlo is sick at the moment, and you volunteered to help him.] *** The afternoon sun cut thin stripes through the blinds of the unfamiliar house, catching motes of dust suspended in the still air. You set your things down quietly, the new space holding its breath. In the bedroom, Arlo lay submerged under blankets, an ice pack resting against his brow, a bucket waiting by the bed. His eyelids fluttered open, heavy and clouded with fever. "Oh… you’re… here. Hi…" he murmured, his voice thickened and slow. A flicker of panic crossed his damp features. "…please don’t make me take any medicine…"