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Ifrit coughed again and Zephyr watched with furrowed brows as their Fire Ghoul hacked among the pile of pillows that they had propped him up on. The Air Ghoul hoped that this fever and cough would pass soon. It had been nearly a week and Ifrit seemed to be getting no better.
His fever had alternated between breaking and coming back, and right now, Zephyr was almost worried sick themselves by their convalescing little Fire Ghoul. The Air Ghoul had settled themselves into a nearby chair to keep vigil. Ifrit had been sleeping fitfully and barely eating.
Zephyr wished that they could just pull out this fever from their mate altogether and be done with it. But instead here they sat, patiently waiting, caring for the sick Fire Ghoul day in and day out until Ifrit was finally better.
The Air Ghoul would snuggle next to Ifrit at night, their sides pressed together for warmth as Zeph willed their Fire Ghoul the sweetest dreams. But today, Ifrit had done nothing but cough up smoke, little wisps circling in the warm, close air of the room, buried under a mound of blankets. His fever had spiked again and he had -thankfully- fallen into a bit of a fitful sleep.
Zephyr watched from their chair, cane close by, gazing at the sick Fire Ghoul. His skin had an ashy grey pallor, his breath coming in wheezing gasps, a rasping sound that broke Zephyr's heart, as he turned his head from side to side, clearly dreaming.
The Air Ghoul stood up with some difficulty, gripping their cane and coming to stand over their supine mate. Ifrit's eyelids fluttered, still deep in sleep, a small whimper leaving his parched lips. Zephyr reached out as Ifrit gasped and thrashed under the covers again,
"Be still, my heart…" Zephyr soothed, running their smooth, cool hand over the Fire Ghoul's flushed, clammy forehead just below his horns. Ifrit's groans lessened by degrees and Zephyr continued to stand over their mate. "I'm here…" Zephyr's kind words seemed to calm Ifrit's motion, even so deep in sleep as he was.
"That's it, darling," the Air Ghoul hummed, leaning a little heavier on their cane for support. Ifrit's eyes eased open, his breath hitching as he tried to sit up, tendrils of smoke trailing from his mouth as he coughed again.
"I should get up, get some water…" Ifrit complained, pushing up weakly to a sitting position. Zephyr gripped the headboard for support and raised their cane, poking the end into Ifrit's chest to push him back down to the bed.
"Oh no you don't. You know the rules better than that. You're staying in this bed until you're completely better. I'll go get whatever you need," Zephyr countered.
"But Zeph, I'm feeling fine." As if to brick his entire point, Ifrit coughed hard again and sank back against the pillows gratefully.
"Sure you are, firelily. But you'll get up when I say you can get up. Just relax, I'll go get you something to drink."
"Thanks, Zeph," Ifrit's voice was weak and strained as he struggled to catch his breath again. The Air Ghoul's tail flicked knowingly and they leaned on their cane again, walking over to the table beside the chair to pour Ifrit a glass of water.
"Here." The Air Ghoul handed the glass over and watched nervously as Ifrit slowly drained the whole thing. The smoke from his next few coughs seemed to lessen and Zephyr took the empty glass back, sitting in their chair again as the Fire Ghoul sank back against the pillows and blankets, his sleep not nearly as fitful this time, knowing that Zephyr was there to watch over him.
The Air Ghoul drew the dank air towards themself once they knew that Ifrit was well and truly asleep. They channeled a bit of their Air magic into it, transforming the off-colour wisps into a clean, pure, stream, sending it back out into the room, watching as it hovered mostly over their mate like a cloud of sweet salve, willing their little Fire Ghoul to get better as quickly as possible.
"I want to hold you in my arms again, firelily," Zephyr whispered, their words seeming to trace the sunken, delicate bones of Ifrit's face, finally peaceful in restful sleep.