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Skull was not having good day.
I mean, it had just started, yes. But, imagine waking up with your head pounding, body aching, throat hurting, and nose burning?
Yeah, not how he wanted to start his day.
At all.
It was morning when Skull woke up to a splitting headache. His throat felt dry—as if he swallowed sandpaper—and he let out a soft pitiful whine. As he forced his eyes open, the world around him remained blurry, it was quite hard to see with his room being devoid of light. Dark and cold as it is.
While slowly sitting up, Skull's chest tightened, and every breathe felt like a battle. He breathed through his mouth as his nose was helplessly clogged. Each movement sent waves of pain through his aching body
(It was like that one grueling training method with Reborn, you know, minus all the other symptoms.
With a trembling arm, he reached for the tissues on his nightstand and blew his nose. After disposing the phlegm-covered tissues, he drank the glass of water from last night, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat.
His headache was alleviating ever so slightly, when he suddenly remembered Yuni's 'please eat with each other when in the mansion' rule. Yeah, no, fuck that, he didn't want to deal with the others today.
So, he got out of bed whilst wobbling unsteadily. Feeling the weight of fatigue pressing down on him as he shuffled towards his wardrobe. He decided it was time to change into something more comfortable and distinctly sweat-free. He didn't bother with his usual get-up. All that leather and makeup would just make him feel trapped in all that perspiration.
He reached for his favorite light purple pullover comfort sweater. It was warm, it was cozy, it was oversized, it was bliss. He slipped it over his head, over a loose white button up, with its soothing cool cotton fabric brushing against his body. Next, he pulled on a pair of black baggy linen trousers. The loose breathable material felt gentle against his legs and allowed him to move more freely, than the now sticky pajama pants.
As he finished dressing, he felt a bit more at ease, with the new clothes providing a sort of comforting embrace. He teetered towards his bed and laid down underneath the covers, made himself comfortable, and then promptly fell asleep.
It was still dark out, but Reborn was impeccably dressed in his suit as always (if not cosplaying— I mean, if not in disguise. Yes, that's what I meant, mhmm, definitely did not say cosplay). Elegantly sitting in his chair in the living room, espresso on hand.
It was early.
It was quiet.
And it was, dare I say, peaceful.
He heard the front door open and saw Fon walking inside. He looked like he had just finished his training, Reborn concluded, as he saw Fon's sweat glisten under the lighting of the room. Reborn nodded his head in greeting, and Fon replied in kind as he walked upstairs towards his room to freshen up.
A cloaked person suddenly appeared, floating towards the bean bag chair beside the coffee table, drinking strawberry milk. It was Viper, who then proceeded to plop down, take out a calculator, and a lot of bills. They started muttering about those who haven't paid them yet, and those who owe them more, whilst counting.
After a short while, with only sipping noises and Viper's mumbles being heard. Colonnello came downstairs, yawning and stretching. Unlike his usual attire of army green camouflage-y-ness, he was dressed in a dark green long-sleeved shirt and brown loose fitting pajama pants. He greeted the others in a soft manner— rare, considering his boisterous personality. It was his turn to cook breakfast, because, unexpectedly, he was a good cook.
Murmurs were heard first, before Lal was seen entering the room with Fon, who was now dressed in his red Chinese garb. Lal was surprisingly free from her duties in the CEDEF, and from her blond idiotic boss. She was comfortably wearing black shorts and a burgundy colored tank top. They were talking to each other in hushed whispers (definitely talking shit about others) as they slowly made their way towards the kitchen.
A few minutes had passed, when Fon reentered the living room, nursing a cup of tea. He made his way towards the seat near where Reborn was sitting. He released a sound of contentment as he sat down. Lal was left in the kitchen, with Colonello at her mercies. It was a miracle that they got anything done, really.
Verde was walking out of the underground lab that was built specially for him. The green haired, glasses wearing, scientist had his focus on the bright blue hologram that had schematics for his latest invention. He fiddled with the coding while making his way to the couch behind Viper.
Yuni wasn't in the mansion more often than not. Today was one of those days. The mushroom hat wearing teenager was becoming busy, now that she was taking up more responsibilities in her Famiglia, the Giglio Nero.
As the sun started to show their bright rays. Everything started to pick up in noise, everyone being more awake than before. The food was already served on the table. They were all inside the dining room now, sitting in their respective chairs. Well, except for one. Their Cloud was still not there, and so they waited. Loudly, of course. With words being thrown, weapons being waved, and animal partners minding their own businesses.
It was their normal.
I mean, what were you even expecting?
Them? being peaceful? pshh, nahhh.
You'll have more luck with the Vongola being peaceful, once Tsuna snapped cause of everyone's bull.
Shit. Wait, wait, we're getting off tangent. Where were we again? Ah, right.
Everyone was already in the dining room waiting for the last resident that they knew were at home currently. Skull was an early riser. Skull was never late, unless it was pertaining to the mafia. But, with them? No, he should've been here earlier.
So, of course, they went upstairs to rebuke him. No, they weren't worried, who said that?
As they got near Skull's room, they heard soft breathing and snores, their postures loosened a bit. Although the tension that they felt hadn't completely vanished, they still felt a sense of calm wash over them now that they knew that, that Skull was in there, possibly still sleeping, and was safe.
Fon reached out to grasp the knob, and opened the door quietly and gently. He then went in with the others. Verde was the last to enter, and switched on the dim lights, because he was not a monster who takes pleasure in waking others (ahem, talking about you, Reborn). They all creeped up closer towards the bed, so that they can assess the situation without waking up Skull.
Everyone suddenly froze.
Skull? did not? look like? Skull? at all?
I repeat.
Skull did NOT look like Skull AT ALL!
It might be because his hair wasn't styled, or he was lacking make up, or he didn't have his piercings nor his usual black leathered get up.
Okay, maybe it was because of all of those.
But still.
What in Kawahira's Balls is this???
This was the first time that they saw Skull this… soft looking. He looked younger, innocent even, sleeping ever so quietly with his eyes closed and mouth slightly parted, with a few snores coming out of it.
Lal couldn't help but reach out to move Skull's hair away from his forehead when she felt his skin hot to the touch.
"Ahh shit, he's burning up," she told the others as such.
And now that they looked closer, Skull's cheeks were flushed, and his nose was an angry red. They could make out sweat, glistening just ever so slightly from the dimmed lighting of the room. He looked pale, not pale like his usual make up, but sickly pale and exhausted. His breathing was labored, with each inhale and exhale taking visible effort, the snores were probably because of the congestion in his chest. And despite all the blankets piled on top of him, he was shivering.
They all watched frightened as Skull stirred, curling up tighter under the covers, a soft moan coming from his mouth.
"Move," Verde said as he strode forward to check on Skull. The others moved out of the way but still hovered a few steps behind, subtly worried in their own weird ways. Verde muted out the others as he focused, pulling out medical instruments from his pockets that should not have fitted, at all.
(If this was any another time, a few of them would've asked how did it fit, and Verde's answer would've been a whole ass scientific explanation on how he created connected sub spaces in his laboratory coats' pockets.)
Anyways.
Verde checked Skull's temperature, it was [39.4°C] (103°F), he cursed underneath his breath, it was dangerously high. He also noted that Skull was breathing through his mouth, and that must've made his mouth dry. Uncomfortable and laboured as it looks, his nose was congested, his nasal passages are probably both swollen and blocked, which results to the snores that he lets out every few breaths.
Hmm, his heart rate was higher than the normal range, either due to fever and/or due to his body's increased metabolic demands. His blood pressure is also higher than normal, so, stress and dehydration it is. Good, meaning he must've drank some water—even if it's just a little—a while ago, as he is not severely dehydrated.
His oxygen level is low, as expected. He is breathing at an increased rate to compensate for the lower oxygen level. Whilst Verde leaned forward, he put on a stethoscope. He placed it on Skull's chest, listening to his lungs from the anterior and lateral sides, as he can't just turn Skull over to check the posterior parts, as is protocol. Discontinuous, crackling sounds during inhalation, and high-pitched sounds during both inhalation and exhalation are what he heard, so, rales and wheezes it is then.
After checking the for other signs, Verde wrote his findings on a tablet, while telling the others what his verdict was—"...that Skull has the flu—yes, it is severe, and no, Colonnello we don't need Shamal's help, I have an MD, do you want me to throw my credentials at you—"
"Anyways, as long as you all follow what I say, Skull will be better in a week at most. Understood?"
The others gave their affirmation, so, Verde hummed and turned towards Skull again. He carefully administered the medication needed without needing to fill his stomach first. Then they all hashed out a rotation plan along with who'll do what.