Desha's Reno of the Turks Fan Fiction

Interludes – Scene 46

Scene Notes: Reno rarely gets sick… but when he does, it’s never fun, for anyone involved.

From Chapter 13: Up in Smoke

“That’s it… Enough. What’s going on?” Tseng finally said.

“Nothin’,” Reno replied.

“Obviously it’s something… the only time I’ve ever seen you intentionally forgo eating was when you had that stomach flu and couldn’t keep anything down for more than five minutes. And even then, you still made the attempt a few times before you finally conceded defeat,” he pointed out, “So I’ll ask you again. What is going on?”

---

“Oh, please, Ifrit, just kill me now…” Reno moaned, using what little strength he had left to cling desperately to the toilet. He couldn’t even sit up. Every time he tried, the room started to spin. He let his sweat drenched forehead rest against the cool porcelain and silently repeated his plea for death. He was dimly aware that his PHS was ringing… but given that it was currently two rooms away, he had no inclination to even make the attempt.

It had been a long time since he’d been this sick. In fact, the last time had been shortly before Christmas when he was thirteen. Some present. He’d been stuck on his own that time, too. It hadn’t been a fun six days. In the end, he’d been so weak – both from the illness and from hunger – that he’d literally had to crawl out of the dilapidated building he’d been living in, and sit on the corner, begging for food. And frankly, he wasn’t sure he’d even be here right now, had someone not taken pity on his scrawny ass and tossed him a couple gil as they walked past.

But even that was nothing compared to what he was going through at the moment. He’d woken up that morning, soaked in sweat, but utterly freezing, and tried to alleviate it with some soup he’d stored away in one of his kitchen’s cabinets.

That had been his first mistake.

Almost as soon as he’d finished it, it had come right back up, along with anything else that hadn’t been fully digested yet. And it hadn’t stopped there. He’d been dry heaving for what seemed like ages, his body not content with merely rejecting food… it had decided to take things a step farther and attempt to reject his entire stomach. His abdominal muscles were beginning to cramp from the near constant clenching at this point.

Reno whimpered softly as he felt another wave of nausea hit him, and within seconds, was puking his guts out again… though by now, on the rare occasion that something actually came up, it was little more than bile. When it finally stopped, he coughed faintly and lay slumped against the toilet, panting hard.

His phone rang again back in his bedroom. Leaving it there had been his second mistake. If he’d had enough foresight to grab the damn thing, he could have called Rude. Or Tseng. Or, hell, he was desperate enough he might have even been willing to summon Dr. Ward from her domain on the ninth floor of Shinra Headquarters. He had to be late for work by now… if he didn’t answer his PHS, maybe someone would come check on him eventually. At the moment, that was about his only hope… because he couldn’t’ve moved if he wanted to. The last thing he remembered before darkness mercifully claimed him was the sound of his phone.

---

Reno woke to find himself mysteriously back in bed, the covers drawn up to his chin, a damp cloth resting on his forehead. For a moment, he wasn’t quite sure what had woken him. Then he heard the voices. He wasn’t alone. The redhead pushed against the blankets that enveloped him, but it was no use. He just didn’t have the strength to extricate himself.

“Fourth one today,” a familiar voice lamented, “And I don’t mind telling yeh it’s a nasty little bug that’s going around. Spreads like mad. Half the legal department’s out with it this week, and accounting’s not doing much better. It’s taking out all of Headquarters one floor at a time. Even one of my own staff’s down for the count…”

“But he’ll be alright?”

“Oh, for Shiva’s sake, Tseng… He’s got the flu, not the plague. As long as the little troublemaker stays in bed and gets some much needed rest, he’ll be just fine in a few days. The main worry is letting him get too dehydrated. Yeh’ll need ta make sure he gets plenty of fluids. I gave him an antiemetic, so things should stay down… for now. Yer staying with him for awhile, I assume?”

“Of course… I am his legal guardian for a few more months, after all. And even were that not the case, I have no intention of leaving him on his own in such a state. Besides which… given that I’ve now been exposed to this ‘nasty little bug’ of yours, it’s perhaps for the best that I don’t return to the office today. I don’t think Veld would appreciate it.”

“Agreed. I know I certainly don’t need any moresick Turks ta deal with. Lots of water, then, and some ginger ale might help ta keep his stomach settled. I’d avoid letting him have anything solid until we’re sure he can manage it, but if he’s feeling up ta it, try some chicken broth later… and for Shiva’s sake keep an eye on his fever. Yeh give me a call right away if it spikes again. Or if yeh start ta feel sick yerself, for that matter.”

“Thank you, Justinia…”

“Hmph… yeh just take care of that boy. I’ll check in on yeh both again tonight.”

Reno heard soft footfalls on the carpet, and the the sound of a door closing. He let his eyes drift shut again, and regretted it immediately when he discovered that he couldn’t seem to wrench them open again. Someone walked into his bedroom, but he was already losing his tenuous grasp on consciousness. He tried… but ultimately failed… to hold onto it, like a lifeline.

---

Something cool and wet was gently stroking his face, leaving a trail of delicious cold on his burning skin. When it suddenly withdrew, he whimpered pitifully, only relaxing when it returned a moment later.

“Reno?” Tseng’s voice prodded softly. It took some effort, but the redhead managed to force his eyes open. He blinked a few times until his vision cleared, and his mentor’s face hovered before him. The senior Turk smiled faintly. “How are you feeling?”

“… Like total shit,” he replied, cringing slightly as his throat protested. He was parched. Tseng gently wiped his brow with the cool cloth once more, and then set it aside in a bowl of ice water.

“I’d imagine so.” He slipped an arm behind the younger man’s back and lifted him slightly before holding a glass of water to his lips. Reno gratefully drank. “Dr. Ward assures me you’ll be feeling better soon, however. I’ve already notified Veld that you will be out for a few days. Apparently this is going around…”

“Tch… Good. ‘Least I’m not the only one stuck feelin’ like I’m dyin’…” the redhead grumbled. He hated being sick. Granted, it didn’t happen often… but when it did he was usually stuck, for days, struggling to care or himself, not knowing if he was going to be well enough to eat… or if he was, not knowing if he’d be well enough to make something to eat… or have the money to buy something to eat even if he was well enough to cook it because he’d been forced to miss work. Life was stressful enough… having all that piled on top only made things ten times worse.

Tseng let him lay back down and chuckled.

“Do you think you could manage some broth?”

“Think you’d probably have to pour it down my fuckin’ throat…” he replied with a derisive snort. He knew he was being unforgivably short with his mentor… but he couldn’t seem to help it. His eyelids felt as though they weighed a ton. He could barely lift them, let alone a spoon.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Tseng assured him. “You’re hardly the first petulant child I’ve had to help nurse back to health. I grew up with three younger siblings, you know… and three older ones who could be just as immature on occasion.”

Reno managed to find just enough energy to glare at his mentor.

“I’m almost eighteen. I’m not a fuckin’ kid.”

Tseng shook his head, smiling in amusement. “No… I know you’re not. But I think you’ll find it to your benefit to let me treat you like one until you’re feeling better.”

He reached for the bowl of water and carefully wrung out the cloth before refolding it and laying it across Reno’s forehead. The redhead sighed faintly… No one had ever really taken care of him like this. Not since his mother had died, at any rate. Down in the slums, there hadn’t been anyone until he’d met Lira… but she’d been just a kid, too, back then, and not much older than he was. It wasn’t the same.

At last he settled back and closed his eyes again in silent consent. If Tseng wanted to wait on him for awhile, he’d let him. He was a little embarrassed to admit it, but it was kind of… nice… not having to fend for himself for once.

Broth sounded terrible, though. He wasn’t puking anymore… and his stomach was so empty it was growling. Starving. He wondered how hard it would be to talk Tseng into pizza instead…

~fin~