Chapter Text
Sora stumbled and fell forwards into the snow, coughing and cursing their bad luck and the lack of moonlight again. Traversing the North Mountain was far more difficult in the dark.
They should have taken a break between missions... In normal circumstances, they would have, but Elsa and Anna had asked for help, and none of them were going to make them wait. Usually, Elsa took care of the Heartless that occasionally came down from the mountains, her magic more than enough to take them down. But right now she and Anna had more pressing things to deal with. They didn't know all the details, just that the Queen and her sister had been in a rush to leave, their people and Kingdom in danger from an unknown threat that had something to do with their past. To make matters worse, whatever was going on seemed to have triggered a surge in powerful Heartless as well.
And so they had left at once for Arendelle, no time for rest. It had been a mistake.
It was his fault Kairi had broken her leg and ankle so badly. He'd known she and Riku were both exhausted, and, though he hadn't said anything, Sora knew Riku's wrist was causing him pain, the cold aggravating the old injury. He should have been more careful, should have been more alert to his surroundings. He was the one who had fought those damn Frost Serpents in that exact same crevasse before. He should have known better.
But no, instead he'd been too busy enjoying himself, more concerned with showing Riku and Kairi just how brilliant the mountain could be than he was with their safety. He'd just wanted to lift their spirits a bit as they made their way back to Arendelle, knowing how worn out and sick of the snow they were. In all honesty, his had needed some lifting too. The mild cold he had come down with the moment they arrived still hadn't resolved itself, and the constant sniffing and sneezing were starting to grate on his nerves.
And so he had turned his thoughts to fun, instead of protecting Riku and Kairi.
Because of that, he hadn't noticed the tell-tale spears in the ground. He'd been trying to make them smile when he dashed up the cliff face and shook the bushes at the top, dropping berries down onto their heads and laughing. He had succeeded at that at least. They had been laughing too, until the Frost Serpents erupted from beneath their feet. He and Riku had watched in horror as Kairi was thrown through the air and against the cliff face, then roared and leapt at the monsters.
Riku had been bloodied by the end of the fight, with an awful gash on his thigh and along his already injured arm, but it was only when they dashed to Kairi's side and saw the horrible angle of her lower leg and ankle that they realised how much damage the Heartless had done. She'd been sending off so many fire spells from her prone position during the fight that they'd assumed she was fine. It turned out she really, really wasn't.
Thankfully the single cut Sora had escaped with had been shallow, barely a scratch and nothing compared to the deep gashes down Riku's arm and leg and the bruises Kairi was covered in, so they hadn't had to share the potions or healing magic with him as well. These days his and Kairi's magic abilities almost rivalled Aqua's but they'd been so exhausted, injured, and, in his case, sick, that even they had been able to cast nothing more powerful than Cura.
He sneezed again and another bout of coughing quickly ensued and he had to stop his slow march while he waited for it to pass. He didn't fancy stumbling and falling again as he made his way down the steep snowy path in the dark. God he hoped he got to the bottom soon. His face and hands were completely numb. How he had managed this without a coat in the past, he didn't know.
Riku and Kairi had both tried to convince him not to tackle the trek down the mountain alone during the night but had been forced to relent. "You're both hurt, I know the mountain, and we need to get you to a hospital fast Kairi!" He'd told them, and they'd both grimaced at the logic of what he said. He'd grinned at them as he balled up his fists in front of him. "I'll be back with the gummi ship before you know it!"
He'd left the two of them huddled up in their tent just after sundown, and it was dawn by the time he finally reached the ship. He collapsed into the pilot's seat and, no time to lose, sped back up the mountain.
Riku came to join Sora in the cockpit after helping Kairi get comfortable in the gummi ship bunks, or as comfortable as possible with her leg so badly broken. "You've been up all night Sora, you should get some sleep," Riku tried to insist. "I can drive the rest of the way."
Sora shook his head though, quickly stopping as it made him a little dizzy. "Don't think I haven't noticed how much your wrist is bothering you." Of course, it had to have been Riku's left arm that took the brunt of the Heartless attacks. Their luck lately really had been the worst.
"Is it that obvious?" Riku asked with a crooked smile.
"It is to me," Sora told him firmly, trying and failing to look stern. He was pleased with how well he could read Riku these days. "How's the rest of your arm? And your leg?" They'd done what they could for the cuts, but they'd been pretty deep.
"Well they aren't bleeding now, but I think this one's getting infected," he said as he peaked under the makeshift bandage around his arm.
"Oh no!" Sora only half registered the strange popping sounds in his lungs his gasp had triggered.
"Don't worry I'll get them checked out at the hospital," Riku chuckled at Sora's horror, then put a hand on his hip and looked at him more seriously. "Are you sure you're not going to fall asleep up here?"
Sora waved him off. "It's just a few hours to Radiant Garden, I can stay-" he abruptly broke off into a hacking cough as something caught in his chest. Riku was at his side at once, a hand on Sora's back and concern on his face.
When the coughing fit passed Riku rubbed his back gently. "You still sure that's just from the weather?"
"Nah, I think I might be sick," Sora said with a sigh, but pulled the smile back onto his face, trying to ignore the stabbing pain the cough had left behind in his lungs. "It's just a cold though, I'll be fine after some sleep." He had dismissed his coughing and congestion as just a reaction to the dry, freezing air at first, but by now the discomfort in his chest and faint fever had him convinced he was unwell. The cut on his side was still stinging as well, but they were almost home-free. Some rest and some magic and he'd be back to normal.
"Uh-huh..." Riku sounded a little doubtful, but he could interrogate Sora further once they were out of here, and Kairi was safe in hospital. "We better get to Radiant Garden quick then, I'll call Leon and see if we can crash at his. Give me a yell if you're falling asleep at the wheel though, OK?"
Sora nodded, fairly sure if he tried to talk again right now he'd start coughing. Riku gave him a kiss on the top of the head, then left to sit with Kairi in the bunk room below. How she was coping with the pain without constantly screaming Sora didn't know, but he was sure she'd appreciate someone's hand to squeeze right now. He didn't envy Riku in that situation. He chuckled, then sneezed. He really was starting to feel quite bad.
He lifted his shirt to check the scratch on his side and groaned. The skin surrounding it had turned an angry red and it felt far too warm when he touched it. Infected as well... Those Frost Serpents must have had something nasty on their sharp wings. He'd have to go see Aerith later. He'd much rather get her to look at it than get stuck at the hospital. He sneezed again, and tried to focus on the controls.
The nurse paused and looked up from Riku's arm as Sora's coughing continued. "That sounds pretty bad."
"It's-" his voice caught on the gravel in his throat again, but he managed to stifle it, swallow, and keep going. "It's just a cold." He tried to smile but the nurse was giving him a searching look.
"How long have you had it?"
"Umm..."
"A few days," Riku answered for him. "It does sound a lot worse than yesterday Sora."
It felt worse than yesterday as well, but he wasn't sure what else they could expect after he'd spent the whole night trudging through knee-deep snow in the wind and dark. He just needed some rest and then he'd be fine though. It had been far too long since he'd slept (unless you counted the 15 minutes or so he'd spent snoozing on Riku's shoulder) let alone had a full night's sleep in a warm bed. The tent they'd taken up the North Mountain had kept them warm enough, but it had still been a chilly and uncomfortable few nights.
"Could one of you call the doctor back down? This guy needs to be checked out as well," the nurse called over his shoulder before Sora could say anything.
"No, no, it's fine!" The possibility of staying here longer made Sora feel even worse. He didn't like hospitals. Really didn't like them. These places, or anything medical if he was honest, made him anxious these days, ever since he had come back from Quadratum and been forced to spend so much time bedridden from injuries, with Baymax and his friends having to take care of him. Seeing hospital patients, doctors, and nurses all around him reminded him far too much of that, and of the castle laboratory...
They'd been here for so many hours he thought it must be close to midday by now. They'd spent most of their time sitting with Kairi, keeping her company and trying to distract her from the pain while they waited for them to take her into surgery. Riku had disappeared for a while when they first arrived to get his cut checked, returning soon after with his injuries bound up in bandages. Since then they'd just sat and waited, Sora feeling worse with every hour that went by, dozing on Riku's shoulder and trying to ignore the constant itch in his lungs.
All he wanted right now was to get to Aerith's place to get his scratch checked, then go collapse into bed in the spare room at Leon's place. Waiting even longer just so a doctor could take his temperature and confirm yes, he did in fact have a cold, was the last thing he wanted to do. He just needed to sleep it off. He and Riku could go to Leon's for a few hours, then come back and check on Kairi when she was out of surgery. But the longer they hung around here, the less time they'd get to sleep.
"I'd really feel more comfortable if the doctor checked you over as well," the nurse told him, in a kind yet firm voice.
Sora was relieved when he turned his attention back to Riku's wound, that really seemed like it should be the priority right now. Riku had been right that it was getting infected. He had been given strict instructions to come back if it didn't heal up or he felt ill, and the nurse had insisted on checking it before they left, wanting to make sure the infection wasn't worsening. That was another reason Sora didn't want to wait around. The sooner he could ask Aerith to check on his cut the better.
Riku was still staring at him and Sora wanted to tell him, again, not to worry, but he didn't even have the energy for that anymore. He really needed some sleep... He gave a sudden shiver. Needed to get warm as well. It was hours since they left the snow of Arendelle, but he still felt cold. He was regretting swapping his warm winter coat for his usual light jacket now. Maybe he should nip back to the Gummi ship to get it...
He dropped his gaze to the floor and sniffed loudly, trying to clear his nose so he could breathe through that instead of his burning throat. He realised quickly it was a pointless endeavour. He hoped the doctor didn't take too long. He was so dizzy by now he'd probably pass out if he didn't go to bed soon, he must have been awake for well over 24 hours by now. That strange crackling sound in his chest was getting worse too.
"Sora?"
He jerked his head up as a hand grasped his shoulder. "Huh?"
Riku had reached out for him and was looking even more concerned than before. Sora turned from him to the nurse, who was staring at him as well. "I said do you have any injuries too? Any cuts or scratches?" He hadn't realised the nurse had been talking to him.
Crap. "Oh, uh yeah but it's nothing, it's already heal-" He was cut off as yet another dam cough wracked his body. He felt a wave of nausea. That was new... Maybe he'd been wrong and this actually was the flu. Their bad luck continues...
He stood up quickly, still hacking into his elbow. He needed to get to the bathroom fast if he didn't want to make a scene in front of Riku and the already-suspicious nurse. He waved them both off as they stood up to help him, but couldn't take in enough air to get the words out.
"Sora, you need to sit back down," he heard the nurse's voice from somewhere distant as the room grew hazy around him, and he reached out a hand to grasp the doorframe. His lungs seemed to be constricting, rubber bands wrapping around them and squeezing them tight. Maybe sitting down would be a good idea. Although lying down sounded even better right now...
His head started spinning.
Sora's knees buckled and Riku dived, only just reaching him in time to stop his head cracking against the cold vinyl floor as he got an arm beneath his neck and shoulders. He cradled his head, ignoring the pain shooting down his arm and leg. "Sora! Hey, Sora!"
Sora wasn't coughing anymore, but Riku would have vastly preferred that to the horrible wheezing, grating sounds his lungs were making now, and the sight of his eyes half open and almost entirely white. People in hospital scrubs immediately swarmed them, their voices a cacophony. The nurse who'd just seconds ago been tending to his arm was now crouched beside them. "Where's he hurt?"
"His left side, but..." He trailed off as the nurse pulled Sora's shirt up and revealed a wound that was far from healed. The skin surrounding it was scarlet and swollen, streaks of pink stretching out across Sora's abdomen, and Riku's stomach lurched at the sight of something wet and white extending along the line where a closed scab should have been.
"It... it was just a scratch..." No one heard his murmurs though, as the people surrounding him called out commands and questions he didn't understand. He felt Sora's head shift in his lap, his eyes clenched shut as he groaned. "Sora?" He ran a hand through his hair but he didn't respond or open his eyes. Riku wasn't quite sure where they were anymore as he put a hand on Sora's cheek, trying to keep them both calm as Sora scrunched his face up in obvious pain.
A doctor was crouching at Sora's side now as well, pressing a stethoscope to his chest, and someone else was lifting his eyelid, shining a penlight in it and asking him questions Riku couldn't hear, but Sora didn't answer because now he was coughing again, choking, his lips turning purple. Everything was happening so fast.
He felt the weight in his lap disappear and Sora's hair was no longer threaded through his fingers. Riku stared blankly at the empty space Sora's body had filled, confused for a moment, then turned to see him being lifted onto a gurney, away from him. Out of his reach. He wanted to stand up and get back to him, but hands grabbed his shoulders from behind and pressed down as he tried to move. He could have thrown them off in an instant but a firm voice in his ear was telling him he needed to let the doctors take care of him. So he stayed where he was.
They rolled him away. Away down the hall through double doors that swung shut behind them with a thud.
"It's pneumonia."
All the staff in this hospital seemed to share the same kind and patient demeanour. The doctor who had come to speak with him in the empty waiting room was no exception. He suspected it had something to do with working in a hospital in a prosperous world at peace where not much seemed to happen these days. Judging by how quickly they'd been able to schedule Kairi in for surgery they weren't particularly stretched for resources. Thank goodness they'd come to Radiant Garden.
"We had to insert a chest drain to help him breathe, and, as you saw, he has quite a severe infection from the cut he sustained, which has likely triggered sepsis." She looked back down at the folder of papers in her hands, did doctors call those charts? Riku was sure he'd heard that in a tv drama at some point.
"I don't get it, it was just a scratch..." he murmured, still reeling from the sight of it. Why hadn't he checked to see if Sora's was infected as well... They should have brought more potions. They wouldn't have helped with the infection, but if they'd healed the cut straight away...
"I suspect it would have been fine if he hadn't already been sick," the doctor explained. "His immune system was already under stress so it was much easier for the infection to develop." Not to mention trekking through the snow all night, Riku thought miserably. "Thankfully we were able to start treatment before he developed more serious sepsis, though it was a close call, just a few more hours and things could have been much worse."
"Does that mean he'll be OK?"
"It's still a little too early to say. We have him on antibiotics now and we're waiting on some tests to confirm that is the right course of action. We'll be keeping him closely monitored in the meantime." The kindness in her eyes was tinged with sympathy. "A full recovery is the more likely scenario, but I'm afraid I can't guarantee that yet."
Riku nodded slowly, appreciating her honesty. "Can I see him?"
"Of course." She gestured for him to follow her. "I expect he's sleeping now. He's your... boyfriend? Friend?"
"Boyfriend."
"He wouldn't stop asking about you, and your friend Kairi," she said with an amused tone. It sounded almost affectionate. As usual, Sora seemed to have endeared people to him the moment he met them. "He barely knew what was happening, but I think he was worried about her surgery and you being upset more than anything else."
He gave a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, that sounds like him."
It's how he got himself into this mess...
He was prepared to see Sora unconscious in a hospital bed. He wasn't prepared for the IV in his arm though. Or the oxygen mask on his face. Or the clip on his finger leading to a monitor beside the bed, flashing numbers he didn't fully understand. Worst of all though was the tube trailing out from the blankets, leading from his left side to a container hanging down from the edge of the bed. There were lines on it for measuring liquid. Riku looked away quickly.
"It would be best to let him keep sleeping for now," the doctor said softly. "The tests should come back in a few hours and I'll let you know the results. Don't hesitate to call for the nurse if you think anything is wrong." She pointed to a button above the bed. Riku hoped he wouldn't have to use it. He tried to thank her but his voice came out so shaky he wasn't sure if he'd really managed any words. She understood though. She gave him a final nod and left.
He pulled a chair up, making sure to sit on the opposite side of the bed to the chest drain he didn't want to think about. He took Sora's hand and spent some time simply watching him, trying to absorb what he was really seeing. Sora's skin was shining with sweat, and his chest was rising and falling much faster than it should have while he was asleep. They'd raised the head of the bed slightly to keep him propped up, presumably yet another thing they'd had to do to try and keep him breathing.
Riku traced his collarbones with his eyes, following them to where they disappeared beneath the blue hospital gown. He wondered how the cut on his side was looking now. Hopefully it had started improving, and his torso wasn't still streaked with red.
"Why'd you let yourself get so sick you dummy..." He was going to give him an ear full when he woke up. Kairi would probably help with that when she found out about this. He ran his thumb along Sora's knuckles, a horrible mix of fear and frustration burning his throat. But then Sora crinkled his nose in his sleep and let out a tiny murmur, and Riku felt his anger melt away. How Sora still managed to be so cute with a breathing mask strapped to his face was beyond him.
He checked his phone and sighed. Kairi probably wouldn't be out of recovery for another few hours. Back to sitting and waiting for the two of them to wake up.