Chapter Text
Scott had known this day would come.
In the back of his mind, ever since mum got sick, he knew it would happen. When she died, the little voice got louder. Then he forgot about it, distracted by the whole mess with getting sent to the blue kingdom. But when dad got sick too, it came back. And it was louder. When he watched the light leave dad's eyes, it started yelling. Screaming, tearing at his brain. And yet.. He ignored it.
He ignored how he'd be out of breath faster now. He ignored it when he started coughing. He ignored it when he nearly passed out one day. Ignoring it was a bad idea. But what else could be done? The illness was terminal and untreatable so far. It had run in his bloodline for generations, plaguing them like a curse. It had taken his grandparents before he was even born. His aunt when he was a baby. Uncle and cousin when he was barely five. Mum just a few years ago. And now it took dad too.
Scott had always known he'd die to this illness. He'd just hoped it would've happened before mum and dad. He'd been a fool.
___
Scott had been back at the kingdom for a couple of weeks now, and everyone was starting to act normally around him again. Telling people he was an orphan now kinda did make them act differently around him. Regardless, everything was going back to normal. Slowly but surely. Except.. Nom. The man still hadn't stopped checking in on him daily. Everyone else had stopped treating him like he was made of glass, and no, Nom didn't really treat him like he was fragile, but did still practically take care of him like a child.
Nom visited Scott's house every day, in the morning just after he knew Scott would be awake, and then just before he went to sleep. Sometimes he would bring food with him, other times he'd either cook there or invite Scott to come eat at his house. Scott always did try to eat a healthy amount, but he didn't really have much of an appetite anymore. Being practically on the brink of death kinda did that to a person.
Scott could tell Nom noticed how he ate less than before. He knew Nom noticed exactly how much paler he was. He knew Nom saw every cough he tried to hide, and he knew it worried the knight from how his grip on his hand would tighten. Scott knew Nom would find out soon. But that didn't mean he couldn't try to hide it for longer.
He started waking up a bit earlier once the vomiting started, and made sure he was always done with it before Nom came over. He'd eat the food Nom brought, even when he felt physically sick doing it, only to throw most of it up the second he was alone again. He went on every walk Nom insisted on taking him on, even when just breathing made him feel ill.
Scott tried his best to appear healthier and ease Nom's worry, but he was just getting smaller and paler by the day. The knight's worry, on the contrary, was simply getting bigger and bigger, and it was obvious. He would come over earlier and leave later, insisting on lingering just a little bit longer so he would actually digest some of the food. Scott felt a bit bad lying to him, but he couldn't really bring himself to care that much. Nom would just be more worried if Scott actually told him that he was actually dying.
“Good morning Scott!” Nom said, opening the front door and stepping in. He had a small bag of food with him again, and he set it down on Scott's table. “How are you feeling today?” he asked, opening the curtains while Scott rolled around in bed. He hadn't gotten up to vomit today, and would've really preferred not to at all. “I've told you Nom, I'm fine, you don't need to check in on me every day anymore”, he sighed, slowly sitting up.
Nom hummed slightly while filling the watering can with new water. “I know, I know. I'm just making sure you're really okay. Losing a parent is hard”, he mused, carefully watering the various flowers and other plants in Scott's greenhouse. The mage just watched, trying to not move too much to preserve energy. He had a feeling he'd need it today.
“So, for today's agenda”, the knight said, putting the watering can away and getting Scott a plateful of food. “There's a meeting between everyone, both kingdoms. We figured because the monarchs changed, some things should be discussed and cleared out”, he explained as he sat down by them and ate a spoonful of his own plate. Aha, he'd been right to think he'd need extra energy today. Scott sighed slightly and ate a spoonful. “We should start getting ready to head over in a bit”, Nom said.
So, they ate, Scott got dressed and threw up while Nom left to grab something, and they started walking to the bridge, where the meeting would be held. Scott was dizzy by the time they got there, and everyone else was already there since they'd had to walk slowly after Scott tripped over literally nothing.
“Is everyone here now? Yes, okay, let's start”
___
Nom was worried sick.
Scott had been weird ever since he came back, which was understandable since his dad had died, but also, it felt like there was something more. Scott looked sickly, and that was light terms. His skin practically blended in with his sheets, he had bags under his eyes, his cheeks were red and not in a good way. He also, for one, had zero appetite and Nom didn't quite believe the food he was eating stayed down once he was alone.
The whole walk here, Scott had seemed unusually airy and actually fallen once. Nom had tuned out the others speaking, and focused on trying to find a place Scott could sit down, because he really didn't look good. The mage was somehow even paler than before and swaying slightly where he stood. Nom practically held him straight most of the time, but got distracted and pulled away by Shan. Unfortunately, while he was distracted, it came Scott's turn to speak as someone asked him a question.
So, with everyone silent, looking at him, Scott opened his mouth slightly, closed it again, and collapsed. “Scott!” Several voices, including Nom's own, shouted the second he hit the ground, and Nom was kneeled by the mage, checking for injuries, in seconds. It didn't take long for the entire blue kingdom to be huddled around Scott, everyone obviously worried. The only person from the red kingdom who'd dared to approach was Kitty, while everyone else stood still in shock.
“..he's not injured”, Nom said, torn between relief and worry. “Nor are his vitals messed up”, he added, and multiple people sighed in relief. “What happened then? He obviously fainted, but why?” Eloise asked, mostly to herself. Her face was scrunched up in worry, and she was watching closely as Shan clearly looked for something on Scott, feeling around random spots of his skin.
“What are you doing?” Graecie asked, clearly worried. “Magical overload”, Shan said simply, sighing slightly. “I don't feel or see any cracks, tears or weird pulsing..” she mumbled, and Eloise let out a breath she'd been holding in. “..so, we have no idea why he fainted?” Nom asked, and everyone was quiet.
“Great..” Owen mumbled, audibly worried even if he didn't show it. “I'll take him to his house”, Nom said, going to pick the mage up when he noticed he looked like he was going to throw up. “Uh, maybe back up around his head-” he said, quickly turning Scott onto his side.
Scott did throw up, and Nom took him to his house. The meeting ended there. No one wanted to keep going after that.