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Wind Archer sits down at his usual table in the cafeteria, his lunch today being some steamed vegetables and rice.
Predictably, a small group of students crowd at his table. A loud, noisy, obnoxious group, their voices high and shrill. Equally irritating and grating, harassment to his ears yet melodic. Troublesome students. His friends.
He lets their voices fill in the background as he eats his lunch. His break times were no longer quiet, no longer filled with silence. It’s nice… for a change.
Capsaicin cookie chats eagerly, carrying most of the conversation. Yet, something feels off. There’s a voice missing…
Wind Archer’s eyes drift to Fire Spirit, said cookie being uncharacteristically quiet— aside from the occasional short and dry answers—- where he would usually be the loudest of the group.
Capsaicin cookie seems to have noticed this, too. He turns it Fire Spirit, concern knitting his brows, “Fire Spirit, are you like… okay? You’re talking less than usual and, like, you’ve barely touched your lunch.”
Fire Spirit seems to be startled out of a daze, sitting up in alertion at being directly called out, “I’m fine. Just not hungry, s’all.” He shrugs, brushing off the question nonchalantly.
Not completely convinced, Capsaicin pushes more, “Dude, you could be, like, sick. You’re wearing a button up during winter, are you not cold?”
He hums, “I don’t feel cold at all, surprisingly.” Fire spirit says, “In fact, I feel kind of… warm. Ain’t that weird? Heh.”
Prune Juice cookie takes a sip out of some purple concoction in his drink, adding in helpfully, “That’s actually a symptom of Hypothermia. Your body uses the last of its heat in a last ditch attempt to warm you up, before you inevitably succumb to the cold.” He smirks, “If you didn’t know.”
Fire Spirit rolls his eyes at the know-it-all. However, Capsaicin somehow looks even more worried than before.
”Prune Juice is one of the top scholars, so he’s probably right!” Capsaicin says urgently, “Maybe you should see the nurse.”
”Nah. It’s probably nothing.” Fire Spirit waves his hand dismissively, “I don’t feel sick, anyway.”
Now, Wind Archer was getting concerned himself. What Fire Spirit described was certainly… abnormal. ‘Better safe than sorry’ was what Millennial Tree often said.
”Fire Spirit.” He places his fork down firmly, “As the head of Health and Wellness department, it is my duty to ensure that students are both physically and mentally well.“
”Agh… Not you too, Windy.” The fiery cookie groans, flopping his head onto the table with a petulant ‘whump’.
“At least allow me to check your temperature, then we’ll be off your backs.”
”Fine. Do what you have to.”
Wind Archer extends his arm, placing the back of his hand on Fire Spirit’s forehead, just to pull it back in surprise.
He’s burning. Scorching, even. Body temperature at levels that Wind Archer was sure wasn’t healthy.
”You’re… incredibly hot.”
”Awhh, thanks—-“
”Literally.” Wind Archer clarifies sternly, indicating that he wasn’t tolerating jokes at the moment. He pointed to himself, then at Fire Spirit, “You, me, nurse. Now.”
——
On the walk to the nurse’s office, Fire Spirit couldn’t help but be annoyed at Wind Archer’s insistence to take him there. They were wasting perfectly good lunch time!
Maybe he’d be rejoicing if Wind Archer took him during class time instead.
“Do we have to go?”’
”You’re acting like a petulant child.”
Fire Spirit groans, voicing out his complaints, refusing to sulk in silence.
“I feel perfectly well, Mr ‘Well-being’ monitor.”
“That doesn’t matter. Many sick people do not feel ‘sick’ at first, and think they are perfectly fine when they’re not.” Wind Archer sighs, pinching his nose bridge, “You’re running a high fever. It is my responsibility to ensure that you are well.”
Fire Spirit rolls his eyes, ”Always responsibilities with you. Don’t you know how to have fun?”
Wind Archer fires back, ”Don’t you know when to be serious?”
”Pah! I’ve heard enough.”
The conversation halts at that, with the hot-headed boy surprisingly quietening down. He had come to school with a jacket today—- just that halfway through class he started to feel a little stuffy. What was once a tolerable warmth was getting hotter with every step, Fire Spirit felt himself starting to sweat.
Funny. Isn’t it supposed to be cold during winter?
“Alright, we’re here.” Wind Archer approaches the nurse’s office, hand already on doorknob. He back to Fire Spirit, intending to usher him inside. However…
He’s sweating profusely, shivering. Wind Archer can feel the heat radiating off him. There’s jam dribbling down his nose.
”Aha… Is it just me? Or is it really hot in here?”
That’s all he said before he collapsed with a loud ‘thud.’