Chapter Text
“Called out for a couple days. Feel really sick. Can you please pick up a few things for me from the store? I need cold medicine, some tissues and maybe some pain killers. Please?”
Tora blinked down at his phone. “Bobby” had texted him out of nowhere. It was 7:30pm on a Wednesday night. He was sitting next to Quincey on the couch, listening to him read his new novel manuscript out loud.
“.....the raven haired prince stared into the wide brown eyes looking up at him with trust and hope....”
“Sorry, Quincey. I’ve gotta take care of something. I’ll finish it with you tomorrow.” Tora clicked off his game and patted his pocket to check for his keys.
Quincey cocked an eyebrow at him, looking only mildly annoyed.
“Okay, Honey.” Tora has the feeling his friend would be prying for answers later, but that wasn’t his concern now.
He was out of the door and down the elevator in no time. Why had she messaged him of all people? Didn’t she have co workers, friends?
Not that he was going to argue for a excuse to go see her again. Not even close.
Tora got in his car, and drove towards a nearby drug store. He parked, pulled out his phone and reviewed the text again.
Okay. Sounded like she had a simple cold, maybe a flu bug if she wanted painkillers. He’d had one bitch of a flu a couple years ago that gave him body aches and a fever for a couple days. Hmm.
Well, time to do some shopping.
He got out of the car, locked the doors and walked through the automatic doors into the annoyingly fluorescence lit store, picking up a hand basket as he did. He ignored the middle aged, balding man who saw him walking up the same aisle he was occupying and moved quickly to another one.
Tora glanced around the pharmacy aisle. What was best for a cold? He picked up a bottle at random and read the writing carefully.
He wasn’t sure exactly what she needed but maybe he could get a day time medicine and night time medicine? Seemed to make sense. He grabbed a bottle of nighttime multi symptom relief liquid medicine. Then went looking for a day time medicine. He got gel tablets for that. Cold medicine, check.
What else? Painkillers. Okay, easy enough. He walked one aisle over and picked up a bottle of tablets, and then hunted around for boxes of tissues. He picked up two boxes. That was all she wanted? He supposed she knew what she needed and he could always go out again for her if she got really sick.
He paid in cash at the front, let the cashier put his items in a plastic bag and headed back to his car.
The drive to her apartment was a uneventful one. She lived so damn far from the city center, Tora reflected. All for a small apartment with a balcony and a cool breeze.
Well, at least she had her freedom.
Tora pulled into the guest parking lot and climbed the stairs to her apartment. When he got to her door he knocked twice.
“Erdene? Is that you?” A very.....congested Poppy asked from somewhere in the apartment. Tora frowned, looked at the door.
“No. It’s me.” Tora called. There was a pause.
“Tora?” Poppy asked, her voice closer to the door.
“Yeah. I got ya stuff.”
“My stuff?” Poppy sounded confused and he could hear her feet shuffling around. “I’m sorry Tora. I don’t want to let you in, I’m really sick.”
Tora cocked an eyebrow.
“I know. I got your message. I went and got ya your medicine.”
“.....my message?” There was another pause. “Oh fudge biscuits! That was supposed to go to Erdene. Not you. I’m sorry Tora!”
Tora felt a moment of severe disappointment. She hadn’t meant to ask for his help. He felt a little deflated.
“Well, I’m here now. Ya want what ya asked for or not?” He reasoned, careful to keep his voice neutral. There was a pause.
“Are you sure you want to come in? I’d feel terrible if I got you sick.”
“I think you’re going to feel worse if I leave and take all the medicine with me.”
“You could just leave it....”
“Nope. Package deal. I come with the medicine.” Tora insisted. He’d be damned if he wasn’t going to at least be able to talk with her a while. He.....liked....being near her.
“Okay. But...I’m warning you. I look awful and feel worse.”
Tora smirked to himself. He’d been sick before. He could handle this. He could pretty much handle whatever she was going to throw at him. No big deal.
“Just let me help ya, for fucks sake, Poppy.”
There was a bit of shuffling around on the other side of the door, Tora could hear the lock turn and the deadbolt slide on the other side.
Poppy opened the door and Tora blinked.
Okay.
Maybe he wasn’t prepared for this.
Poppy stood looking up at him, dressed in pajama bottoms that had a sushi roll pattern all over it mixed with stars. She wore a light blue shirt that probably could fit Tora over her small frame, mismatched socks. Her hair bundled on top of her head in a bun, her cheeks looks flushed, but the rest of her seemed overly pale. She had dark circles under her enormous brown eyes, and those eyes looked glassy and bloodshot. In one nostril a twisted piece of tissue paper was jammed.
In short, Poppy looked like death warmed over.
“Jesus Bobby, how long ya been sick?”
Tora asked, moving past her as she locked the door behind him. He looked around the apartment. Her trash can that normally sat near her lap top computer was filled and overflowing with wadded up and used tissues next to her bed. He could see it through her open door.
The bed itself was trashed. If Tora didn’t know any better he would say someone had had a fun night, but given the way Poppy looked, it was clear she didn’t sleep a wink. He watched her yank the tissue from her nose and throw it towards the trash can, pull another tissue from the tissue box on the countertop and blow loudly. He caught a glimpse of greenish yellow goop before she wadded it up and threw it in the trash as well.
“Woke up yesterday with a cough. Didn’t think much of it...” Poppy explained. She paused and let out a mucus laden cough that made Tora wince. “Didn’t think it would be that bad. Went to bed and felt a little warm. Woke up this morning like this. Behold, I am now a Tissue Walrus.”
“Why didn’t ya ask me sooner?”
“I thought I messaged Erdene. She wouldn’t be off until later and I fell asleep.”
Tora held up the plastic bag and Poppy took it with a exhausted smile. “Thank you, Tora.”
He nodded, glad to see her smile, even if she was so.....worn down. He looked around.
“Did ya eat anything?”
“Not yet. Not feeling hungry.”
Tora raised an eyebrow. Well, that wasn’t good. He remembered Alice harping on him to eat practically his own weight in food when he was sick years ago.
“How about you take some of that medicine I brought ya, and I go get you something to eat? I can stick around for a bit to help if ya want.”
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
“Who said anything about trouble?” Tora asked, and took one of the tissue boxes from the bag, tore the seal to make a opening and handed it back to her. “What sounds good?”
Poppy frowned, making a face. “Nothing, really. I can’t taste much.”
“Well, I’ll find ya something. Do you have....I don’t know. Ya need to drink water with that medicine. Says it on the side. You want something? Tea or juice?”
“Whatever is easier.” Poppy said and turned, a tissue clutched to her nose. Tora watched somewhat amused as she blew her nose with a loud honk. Sounded like a goose being strangled. Poor hamster.
“Okay. Why don’t ya lay down and I’ll see what I can get ya.”
Poppy nodded, and walked to her room, Tora following closely behind. She walked like she was sore. Yeah, probably had a fever and body aches. Poppy sat on the edge of the bed, and Tora reached out automatically to touch her forehead.
Oh yeah. That was a fever. A decently high one too.
“I’m gonna bring ya back something to eat. Did ya wanna try and sleep while I’m gone? If ya do....do ya trust me with your keys so I can come back in?”
Poppy blinked at him a moment and nodded:
“My apartment keys are hanging on the peg near the front door. They’ve got a stuffed avocado on them.”
Tora nodded.
“Okay, Bobby.” Tora watched her climb gingerly back under her covers, feeling a small stab of worry. It was just a cold. Or a flu. But....
Tora was used to getting rid of problems. Normally that meant breaking some bones, or shaking down some people. Or......worse.
But he couldn’t do that to a virus.
Seeing Poppy reduced to such a state worried him.
“Ya got your phone?” He asked her. Poppy nodded tiredly and gestured to her other pillow she wasn’t using. Her phone laid on top. “Alright...” he frowned down at her. “Hold on....”
He walked to her kitchen, filled up a glass with water and brought it back to set on the floor next to her bed.
“Try and drink that before I get back, okay?”
“Sure Tora.” Poppy looked more tired by the minute.
“Alright. I’m gonna lock up when I go. I’ll knock when I come back. Okay?”
“Okay.” Her voice was trailing off. Tora watched her eyes close slowly. Probably hadn’t slept well at all.
He walked back towards the living room and took her keys off the peg near the door and opened it, pausing only to lock up as he left. He pocketed her keys quickly and hurried towards the stairs, and hit the contact he had reserved for Alice.
She picked up on the 4th ring.
“Hello?”
“Alice. It’s Tora.”
“I know your voice, Tora.” Alice huffed, sounding faintly insulted that he thought she wouldn’t recognize him. “Want your usual?”
“No. I have a special order to make....”