Once more he was reminded about the mortality of frail nature that was Life, and that he himself would never partake of in experiencing.
It had been an accident, nothing more, and the fright of just how very nearly the other was lost, chilled the false blood that circulated his body.
Every so often the prideful man known to be the apex of the Academy would put work on hold and slip away for a day. A private day off, and indeed it was very much a private matter. In the haven of his abode did he relinquish his hold over the astral projection that most were familiar with, the albino racing towards the cellar as he dispersed. Once there we would greet the man in the flesh--or what little flesh was left.
It was a pathetic sight, a disheveled gaunt man so feeble he could barely support his own weight sitting, dull brown hair hung limp, a lifeless curtain framing a pallid face and what he knew to be sunken eyes, hidden behind the impenetrable black obsidian of his glasses.
Neiro had been helping Silas into a new change of clothes, supporting the man under each arm as he fumbled and slipped a bland shirt over his head.
The feeling of clean cotton against his skin brought a relieved sigh. The brunette was grateful for the change of clothes. The whole process always passed with a poignant silence. Only when the Invalid was proper once more did Neiro resume his usual chatter as he wheeled Silas away.
But the paraplegic said nary a word for it. His flatmate knew where the feed was kept.
Away then went, as always taking an odd turn before heading towards the greenhouse.
There they basked in the afternoon sun as they took turns throwing languid handfuls into the pond, and were rewarded with the quick glimmers as the koi gathered around the edge.
Conversation was sparser then, for the Invalid was nodding off as he tended to do in the lazy afternoons.
Neiro would've let him continue doing so, were it not for his medication, and reluctantly the albino roused the other with a nudge on the shoulder, "Sy? It's about time..." he trailed off. The other wore his usual mask of indifference, but the albino could tell his reluctance wasn't singular.
Slowly, the brunette nodded.
From the back off the wheelchair, his flatmate pulled out the medications. There were the usual capsules and pills, and a new medication. A while back Silas had handed him a new packet of the medicine, informing him that it would be a trial treatment of sorts.
Neiro read the prescription and label before splitting the pills that needed to be cut, and placed them into a medicine cup.
Silas took it, and though his hand didn't shake, his ever watchful companion noted to himself the weakness that pervaded the other. He lacked the grip strength to hold more than a paper cup of water. The movements were pointedly slow.
Even atrophied so, he was a proud man, and despite how blatantly obvious his ailments were, refused to show them in such simple acts.
Keeping a watchful eye even as he continued blathering, he watched as Silas took his Time, a few mouthfuls of water, and finally tipped back the medicine cup, followed by another swash of water.
He hadn't thought much of it at first though it tickle at his considered oddities, the slight twitch, perspiration, and shallow breaths. It was normal for Silas, what with his already deteriorating condition.
Only when the conversation took a strange turn and the Invalid was no longer cohered did he leap to his feet.
"The koi are... when feeding are some colorful if not. Would you throw some pellets when in the evening?"
Neiro stopped mid-sentence, at first believing he had misheard, "What did you say?"
"Feed the koi more so that sunsets will give evenings with more color..." Silas trailed off, swaying in his seat and mumbled feverishly even as Neiro grasped his wrist and felt for his pulse.
What should've been a rhythmic pulse, was erratic and faint.
"Silas, I'm taking you to the infirmary, okay?"
But the man just blinked blearily up at him, expression bemused and unresponsive.
Neiro wrapped the throw around him and spoke to him the whole Time, even as he hastily wheeled him away, nearly running were it not for the safety constraints of the wheelchair.
As they entered the bustling halls Neiro hesitated. Silas was proud and for others to see him like this would have been intolerable for the Invalid had he been in the right state of mind.
"Sy can you hear me? I'm going to put a hat on you 'kay?"
Silas mumbled another incoherent phrase or another but nodded, and Neiro reached up to pull his own brimmed beanie off, and low over the Invalid.
There was a noise of discontent, but to his relief, left the hat alone as he continued pushing him towards the infirmary.
Once in a while he caught a sparse phrase here or there, "... everything and more is not yet ready to die..." Neiro pulled a face as the sentences grew stranger still, "Hold on Sy, we're almost there."
As the infirmary came within sight Neiro picked up the pace, nearly slamming his back into the door to push it open, and burst through the front doors, startling the nearby receptionist.
She looked up at them with a disapproving frown that quickly changed to concern as she saw the man in the chair.
The rest past in a blur, as Silas was taken into another ward, Neiro beside him as they rushed him off. To his relief, no one recognized the sickly man, and soon enough Silas was in a hospital bed, an IV attached and asleep.
The silvery moon was high overhead in the sky, and though the symptoms had passed, Silas was to remain here should any aberrations occur.
Neiro closed his eyes and arms on his knees, rested his face in his hands. It would be alright. Silas was alright.
But it was as the doctor had diagnosed. It was an overdose.
Neiro had given him the wrong dosage.
"I'm sorry Sy." he mumbled through his hands, and to his surprise there was a hoarse voice, "It's alright."
The albino jumped and stared at his flatmate as he repeated himself, "It's alright."
"Sy, were you awake this whole Time?"
"No, and probably for the better." he paused and groaned low, "Fetch me a cup of water."
Neiro brought it and to his astonishment, the other downed nearly the whole jug, "Wait Sy, that's a lot--"
The brunette wiped his mouth, "I know. I've also been without for--" he glanced up at the wall, "--13 and a half hours."
Silas raised a brow skeptically, "Unless it's been well over a day, though from the agitated state of my body I'd say not."
Silas was back, oh how he had missed the snark of the realist.
He wrapped his arms around the other, "I'm glad you're back."
"I'm not going anywhere." came the stubborn reply as the Invalid unwound his arms, before reaching over and plucking up the care sheet beside his bed much to the albino's dismay.
"A gastric lavage? I suppose that would explain the rawness."
Oh dear. Neiro could already see the distaste the brunette's face, but laughed, a relieved, jovial sound that even in the gloom of night, brought a smile.
In the morning Neiro signed the release papers and they slowly made their way home.
But though he laughed it weighed heavily on him. Neiro kept his eyes on the path. He could've sworn he had checked all the medication. He should've ensured that their intermingling would not have adverse effects. Not to mention Silas himself being the meticulous man that he was, would not have accepted medication without first examining it himself.
It was with horror that he realized the other hadn't been checking as of late. A subtle, but nonetheless firmly present trust.
"Neiro!"
"Hm?" The albino looked up.
"The keys." Silas shifted but remained facing ahead, an arm propped under his chin in an almost bored manner. They were at the door.
Neiro fumbled as he reached for them and let the two of them in, and after an hour of more fumbling, Silas was once more on his feet, up and about though currently lounging in the living room.
The apparition sighed and to Neiro's surprised gave him a long pointed stare. The furtive glances had not escaped him, "It was an experimental drug Neiro, and it's experimental for a reason. Don't let what happened bother you."
To Silas's satisfaction, a look of understanding crossed the albino's face and Neiro nodded, looking much more relieved.
His roommate was still somewhat unsettled, but the weight was gone, and that was what mattered most.
It had been an accident, nothing more, and the fright of just how very nearly the other was lost, chilled the false blood that circulated his body.
Every so often the prideful man known to be the apex of the Academy would put work on hold and slip away for a day. A private day off, and indeed it was very much a private matter. In the haven of his abode did he relinquish his hold over the astral projection that most were familiar with, the albino racing towards the cellar as he dispersed. Once there we would greet the man in the flesh--or what little flesh was left.
It was a pathetic sight, a disheveled gaunt man so feeble he could barely support his own weight sitting, dull brown hair hung limp, a lifeless curtain framing a pallid face and what he knew to be sunken eyes, hidden behind the impenetrable black obsidian of his glasses.
Neiro had been helping Silas into a new change of clothes, supporting the man under each arm as he fumbled and slipped a bland shirt over his head.
The feeling of clean cotton against his skin brought a relieved sigh. The brunette was grateful for the change of clothes. The whole process always passed with a poignant silence. Only when the Invalid was proper once more did Neiro resume his usual chatter as he wheeled Silas away.
But the paraplegic said nary a word for it. His flatmate knew where the feed was kept.
Away then went, as always taking an odd turn before heading towards the greenhouse.
There they basked in the afternoon sun as they took turns throwing languid handfuls into the pond, and were rewarded with the quick glimmers as the koi gathered around the edge.
Conversation was sparser then, for the Invalid was nodding off as he tended to do in the lazy afternoons.
Neiro would've let him continue doing so, were it not for his medication, and reluctantly the albino roused the other with a nudge on the shoulder, "Sy? It's about time..." he trailed off. The other wore his usual mask of indifference, but the albino could tell his reluctance wasn't singular.
Slowly, the brunette nodded.
From the back off the wheelchair, his flatmate pulled out the medications. There were the usual capsules and pills, and a new medication. A while back Silas had handed him a new packet of the medicine, informing him that it would be a trial treatment of sorts.
Neiro read the prescription and label before splitting the pills that needed to be cut, and placed them into a medicine cup.
Silas took it, and though his hand didn't shake, his ever watchful companion noted to himself the weakness that pervaded the other. He lacked the grip strength to hold more than a paper cup of water. The movements were pointedly slow.
Even atrophied so, he was a proud man, and despite how blatantly obvious his ailments were, refused to show them in such simple acts.
Keeping a watchful eye even as he continued blathering, he watched as Silas took his Time, a few mouthfuls of water, and finally tipped back the medicine cup, followed by another swash of water.
He hadn't thought much of it at first though it tickle at his considered oddities, the slight twitch, perspiration, and shallow breaths. It was normal for Silas, what with his already deteriorating condition.
Only when the conversation took a strange turn and the Invalid was no longer cohered did he leap to his feet.
"The koi are... when feeding are some colorful if not. Would you throw some pellets when in the evening?"
Neiro stopped mid-sentence, at first believing he had misheard, "What did you say?"
"Feed the koi more so that sunsets will give evenings with more color..." Silas trailed off, swaying in his seat and mumbled feverishly even as Neiro grasped his wrist and felt for his pulse.
What should've been a rhythmic pulse, was erratic and faint.
"Silas, I'm taking you to the infirmary, okay?"
But the man just blinked blearily up at him, expression bemused and unresponsive.
Neiro wrapped the throw around him and spoke to him the whole Time, even as he hastily wheeled him away, nearly running were it not for the safety constraints of the wheelchair.
As they entered the bustling halls Neiro hesitated. Silas was proud and for others to see him like this would have been intolerable for the Invalid had he been in the right state of mind.
"Sy can you hear me? I'm going to put a hat on you 'kay?"
Silas mumbled another incoherent phrase or another but nodded, and Neiro reached up to pull his own brimmed beanie off, and low over the Invalid.
There was a noise of discontent, but to his relief, left the hat alone as he continued pushing him towards the infirmary.
Once in a while he caught a sparse phrase here or there, "... everything and more is not yet ready to die..." Neiro pulled a face as the sentences grew stranger still, "Hold on Sy, we're almost there."
As the infirmary came within sight Neiro picked up the pace, nearly slamming his back into the door to push it open, and burst through the front doors, startling the nearby receptionist.
She looked up at them with a disapproving frown that quickly changed to concern as she saw the man in the chair.
The rest past in a blur, as Silas was taken into another ward, Neiro beside him as they rushed him off. To his relief, no one recognized the sickly man, and soon enough Silas was in a hospital bed, an IV attached and asleep.
The silvery moon was high overhead in the sky, and though the symptoms had passed, Silas was to remain here should any aberrations occur.
Neiro closed his eyes and arms on his knees, rested his face in his hands. It would be alright. Silas was alright.
But it was as the doctor had diagnosed. It was an overdose.
Neiro had given him the wrong dosage.
"I'm sorry Sy." he mumbled through his hands, and to his surprise there was a hoarse voice, "It's alright."
The albino jumped and stared at his flatmate as he repeated himself, "It's alright."
"Sy, were you awake this whole Time?"
"No, and probably for the better." he paused and groaned low, "Fetch me a cup of water."
Neiro brought it and to his astonishment, the other downed nearly the whole jug, "Wait Sy, that's a lot--"
The brunette wiped his mouth, "I know. I've also been without for--" he glanced up at the wall, "--13 and a half hours."
Silas raised a brow skeptically, "Unless it's been well over a day, though from the agitated state of my body I'd say not."
Silas was back, oh how he had missed the snark of the realist.
He wrapped his arms around the other, "I'm glad you're back."
"I'm not going anywhere." came the stubborn reply as the Invalid unwound his arms, before reaching over and plucking up the care sheet beside his bed much to the albino's dismay.
"A gastric lavage? I suppose that would explain the rawness."
Oh dear. Neiro could already see the distaste the brunette's face, but laughed, a relieved, jovial sound that even in the gloom of night, brought a smile.
In the morning Neiro signed the release papers and they slowly made their way home.
But though he laughed it weighed heavily on him. Neiro kept his eyes on the path. He could've sworn he had checked all the medication. He should've ensured that their intermingling would not have adverse effects. Not to mention Silas himself being the meticulous man that he was, would not have accepted medication without first examining it himself.
It was with horror that he realized the other hadn't been checking as of late. A subtle, but nonetheless firmly present trust.
"Neiro!"
"Hm?" The albino looked up.
"The keys." Silas shifted but remained facing ahead, an arm propped under his chin in an almost bored manner. They were at the door.
Neiro fumbled as he reached for them and let the two of them in, and after an hour of more fumbling, Silas was once more on his feet, up and about though currently lounging in the living room.
The apparition sighed and to Neiro's surprised gave him a long pointed stare. The furtive glances had not escaped him, "It was an experimental drug Neiro, and it's experimental for a reason. Don't let what happened bother you."
To Silas's satisfaction, a look of understanding crossed the albino's face and Neiro nodded, looking much more relieved.
His roommate was still somewhat unsettled, but the weight was gone, and that was what mattered most.
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