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If there were one word that could be used to describe Kallamar it would be…
Sickly.
Cowardly, vain, and snotty were all good descriptors as well but that all seemed to fizzle right out the second he began to fall under the weather- and as one of the flock’s doctors as well as his lover you were always the first to find out.
You were the one put in charge of him when he was first taken in by the Lamb- with little to no explanation given from them as they dumped the squid into the nearest free cot. You could hardly catch his name before he threw up onto the ground right next to him- at least the sudden burst of energy the adrenaline gave him kept the bile from spilling all over his front… instead, it had splattered onto your feet.
At least the embarrassment of releasing something bodily was snipped out of the way long before the two of you actually got to know one another and bond- one could only imagine the mortification that would befall onto Kallamar if that were to happen today.
Kallamar… was sick often, mostly in the beginning when he first joined the flock. It felt like he came in for something at least a few times a month- sometimes coming in for a legitimate reason… to coming in for something as small as a case of the sniffles. It was on his better days that he was more demanding- bolder and maintaining just enough energy to make sure he was pampered in the way he believed was deserved.
Sometimes you felt like he was coming in just to see you. Not to heal him, no- no… he would linger for a few minutes longer than needed after being discharged. On multiple occasions he would ask you what certain remedies did, even when it was clear that he already knew well what they did. Be it from personal experience or already being told about it in the past. Each attempt to cling around you grew more desperate- and almost more pathetic- than the last.
It was because of this that even though he had less need to go to the healing bay as often, that the two of you maintained a bond. When you had the time to leave the med bay he would be at your side in an instant to ask for your opinion on something- new earrings that he had managed to string up onto the bandages of his ears… and you were one of the first he showed when they were replaced by seaweed- the realization that he now had one less reason to pester you at the healing bay not yet dawning on him. He was far too preoccupied in showing you how much more flattering it looked.
You were just happy that his wounds had finally stopped bleeding. What could cause such a thing you could never wrap your head around. One day they were constantly dripping blood, and the next they were sealed with scar tissue.
He was more than open with telling you where his ears went, though, never wasting a single breath in telling you how his brother had attacked him.
That… really put a sour note in your mouth whenever you had to interact with Narinder.
The way Kallamar had described it made it sound like a fight between gods, rather than a fight between family.
Nevertheless you extended your sympathies to him whenever he had opened up about the incident.
With all of that laid out- given Kallamar’s recent history of coming to the med bay for non serious health concerns one couldn’t entirely blame you for believing your lover was seeking you out to garner your attention as he had done countless times before; but as he hobbled in through the entrance of the healing bay something was very clearly off with him.
He leaned on one of the building's support beams with a groan. He was visibly off color, and there was a sway in his stance as he suctioned his cups to the wooden beam.
“Kal,”
Kallamar lifted his head at your call but otherwise remains glued to his position.
“Come here, there’s a free room ahead- can you walk on your own?” You close the gap between you and the squid and offer him your shoulder. He groans softly as his tentacles instinctively curl around you. The usually lemon scent that clung to him had soured into something vaguely pungent.
“I’ve got you, come on,”
You manage to drag-walk him to the nearest free room in the bay, and settle him down on the cot. Just as you had done many times before when he was a constant patient.
“Wait here for a second-” You slip your arms out from under Kallamar only to be stopped in your tracks as his suckers cling onto your skin.
“I need to get you some things, Kal, I promise I’ll be right back. Julon and Yarmer are here today and there aren’t many patients today-”
Kallamar tugs on your arm slightly in an attempt to keep you there in the room. He was needier than he usually was when sick… but to be fair this was the first time he was this sick since the two of you had put your love out in the open.
“Please…”
You manage to free yourself from his hold and make your exit before he can grab at you again.
“I need to get you some stuff I promise I’ll be back soon,”
You stop in the doorway and stare at him for a few seconds… he gives you a short huff- a sound you had grown used to when he didn’t get his way. He only barely softens at the smile you give him before exiting.
Soon… could not come fast enough for either of you.
You always brewed tea for Kallamar when he was feeling under the weather- you had learned long ago that the healing benefits of camellias extended even to food… steeping it into a tea not only warming but providing some level of relief in the face of sickness.
That was the main reason it had taken you so long to return to Kallamar, but you hoped it would be worth it in your attempt to soothe him and whatever’s he gotten ill with this time.
On your way back into his room you grabbed some additional supplies- stew from the kitchens as well as an assortment of medicines… you’d put away what you didn’t need when things were clearer… it was better to get it all done now than to keep leaving a clingy cephalopod over and over.
“Sorry- sorry-” You mutter as the tray on a nearby surface and sort everything into as neat an order as possible.
“I was making you tea, got it just the way you like it,”
The cup is pulled back into your hands.
“And I’ve got some food too while I was at it, but first…”
The cup is put back down. You were getting ahead of yourself… with some hesitation you try to make the shift from partner to doctor- but couldn’t quite slip into the role as seamlessly as you normally could. That was… one of the drawbacks of your relationship with Kallamar.
At what point does emotion start to step on the toes of your work?
“How are you feeling?”
It was… a dumb question given that the squid was currently melting into the cot and moaning in agony. He almost looks annoyed at your question. It was justifiable in your opinion; the answer was clear after all.
“Let me reiterate, what are your symptoms? Do you have a headache? Nausea? Have you vomited?” You step to the side of his bed and begin to examine him closer. There was a definite fever- you could tell as much before your hand even made contact with the surface of his forehead. He was radiating heat.
Kallamar looked outright miserable.
“Would throwing up keep you from leaving me to fend for myself?” Kallamar mumbled. You force your face to remain neutral. Now was not the time to bicker with him, no matter how… he may act when ill.
“I’d have to leave to get a mop to clean it up- can’t leave a mess like that just laying around.. Not here of all places,”
Kallamar grumbled again, but he does not shift away from you as you slide your hands from his forehead to the sides of his neck- continuing to track his warmth.
The squid relaxed under your palms as you felt and gauged the temperature.
“You would have a more accurate reading if you used a thermometer, you know…” He croaked. Your hands were cool in contrast… at least there was that momentary relief.
A hum leaves you as you pull your hands away once the coldness had been sapped out of them. “I know, but I forgot to grab one before returning and I’d hate to leave you alone again so soon after returning,”
Kallamar’s mouth curls slightly upwards into a weakened smile with a huff.
“And I had begun to think the Lamb was primitive enough to not discover them yet… not that they could, I invented them you know,”
You can only offer a grin, and a lighthearted “Oh? Is that so?”
God he’s become delirious.
“In any case you definitely have a fever, there’s no arguing with that- thermometer or not,”
Kallamar stares at you for a long moment before letting his eyes close. “Getting back on track, though, did you throw up? Yes or no? I mean… I’m going to get you the bucket just to be safe anyway,”
Before he can protest you crouch and feel around under the cot to grab the accursed bucket. You had seen this thing go through so much. Not just in sickness, but through so much manhandling. The handle had to have been mended and replaced at least half a dozen times in the past decade. You were sure this thing was older than you were.
“Please, not the bucket my shore,” He begs- halfway joking and halfway pleading in pitiful seriousness. The endearment does little to stop you from setting the bucket next to the cot.
“You know I won’t be able to carry you to the outhouse before you throw up, my sea,”
Kallamar clicks his teeth together but otherwise admits defeat. You had a point, there was no way for him to make it in time even if you had carried him. Not to mention the idea of needing to bite back bile to keep it from spilling sounded… disgusting to say the least.
“Just lay down… let me know when I need to toss it out, and I’ll bring it back. That’s kind of your only option,” You give him an apologetic smile.
Perhaps you could convince the Lamb to get better buckets- though the likelihood of being successful in that endeavor was low given the only purpose they served was to catch puke… and to sometimes be thrown by ornery patients who were particularly going through it.
“I hate when you’re right,” He pouted, but otherwise dropped the subject.
“I like it, it means that we butt heads less,” You tease before walking back to the tray you had set out earlier and grabbed the now cooled tea from it as well as the stew. Both still gently radiated warmth.
“Here, I managed to convince Joono to add some extra meat in yours. You’ll need it to get your strength back up,” You pass the bowl into Kallamar’s hands- a few of his tentacles slipped out from under his covers and suctioned themselves to the bowl to secure it in his shaking hands. He does the same with the cup of tea… sometimes you envied him for having so many limbs. God knew it would make your job easier, but alas you were only given two hands and no tentacles.
“So it's a fever… nausea…”
“Headache and body aches,” Kallamar added.
“Well it’s a good thing there’s camellia in that tea, I don’t know how Darkwood makes it happen but those’ll surely take the edge off… at worst it’ll help you get some sleep… let you sleep through the worst of this, hopefully,”
Kallamar gives a soft nod as he starts to dig into his food.
At least there was some level of appetite there- even when he didn’t finish the food you were just glad that he had gotten something inside of him. That was always a good sign in your eyes.
You lightly pat the top of his head, as you take the leftovers from him.
“If you need anything just holler- if I don’t come running then someone else will,”
You step towards the door again before pausing.
“I promise I’ll be back as soon as I get these dropped off at the kitchens, I really didn’t mean to take so long last time,”
Kallamar shifts around under his blankets.
It’s quiet for a long time.
“..I know,”
You relax in the doorway. There wasn’t anything you could think of a response so you decided to give him a soft smile before stepping out of the room.
Difficult was another word to describe Kallamar, in both his best and worst moments… but endearing was another, even if not everyone agreed.
If anything that was one of the main things that had originally made you warm up to him in the first place… and to continue to push through when he was being…
…Sickly…