The first day Faye woke up with a fever, it wasn’t a big deal. Both she and her brother had weak constitutions; catching a little cold was embarrassing but not fatal. It was mild, too – an excuse to laze in bed and have Leo dote on her, but nothing to bring true discomfort.

When the temperature didn’t lower the next day but only rose, Faye wasn’t too alarmed, either. Leo, however, went into full mother hen mode, calling in a doctor from the city, taking away Faye’s mechanics manuals and ordering strict bed rest.

Faye pouted, but obliged; she read some lighthearted romance novel, slept a lot and tried not to die from boredom. Leo even read to her aloud some; it was sweet and reminded her of the times when she was little and Leo would snuggle with her on the couch and read adventure novels in funny voices. They hadn’t really done that since Faye learned to read properly – her brother became busier and she could do fine on her own – but it was a soft memory she kept tucked close to the heart.

The doctor arrived, tutted, gave her some bitter tincture and assured Leo that she’d be fine by next morning.

Next morning Faye woke up to intense burning in her chest.

The sun had barely risen; it wasn’t the hour that woke her up, but the pain. She cried out, tears welling up, and within minutes Leo was at her bedside, his eyes wide with terror and hands helplessly hovering over her skin, afraid to make things worse.

He sent someone after a doctor again, and Faye vaguely heard him mutter instructions to clockwork messengers to deliver news to healer friends. Once that was done, he didn’t leave her side.

Faye was grateful. While his presence couldn’t bring relief, it brought comfort, even if Faye could do little else but press her face into his lap and cry and whine. Leo patted her matted hair, and coaxed soup into her, and was just… there.

“It burns,” Faye gasped in a voice hoarse from sobbing.

“I know,” Leo answered, and hugged her tighter. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

It wasn’t his fault, Faye didn’t say. He was the best brother she could wish for, after all, and he never had to apologize. He was ditching his work just to be there for her – if anyone should have been apologizing, it was Faye.

The fever seemed to break with the doctor’s arrival. This doctor tsked instead of tutting, and even after extensive prodding couldn’t find any problems. He left, and Faye, tired but restless, watched while Leo slept in the armchair in her room. Something seemed wrong, but she felt a lot better than the day before, so she let him have his rest and stared at the ceiling the whole night.

The fever didn’t come back. But the next morning she felt the same burning in her chest, less intense, but still impossible to ignore. It flared up at random times, seizing her lungs as if she’d breathed in the air from a furnace. Still, it was bearable and never lasted long, so she smiled at Leo, and told him she felt better and wanted to go to the workshop with him.

Surely, if the doctor found nothing wrong with her, then she was getting better and it would be best to stop worrying Leo and just work the rest of the strange illness off?..

(To be continued on day 19: Cowardice)

—–

It’s only Tuesday and I’m already so tired, oof. But I’m still keeping up and I’m proud of myself!