DEVON
I should probably have paid attention when Theo had said that he was making no promises on not pranking me. Little did I know that he'd gone ahead to fill my shampoo bottle with pink dye just to make us even. It wasn't that bad, we both had pink hair for a whole week. Meanwhile, the search for the silver beast wasn't going fine, twelve mundanes had been declared missing. It was definitely not a good sign. Liam had started to cooperate more and he was back to work with Theo as his PA. I wasn't expecting that anyway, but Theo actually needed the job for the time being.
I was just stepping out of the mall when I nearly bumped into a familiar brunette.
"Devon! Oh my gosh, it's been quite a while since we saw each other!" Amyra gushed, embracing me. She looked really different too. Her hair was cut to her shoulders, stylishly and she had green contacts on. She'd definitely put on more weight and her skin had developed a nice tan. "Look at you, you certainly look good" I said and she beamed.
"So, do you! Uurgh-there's a lot of catch ups to do. Are you here alone?" She asked.
"Well, no. I'm here with Karla. I missed her somehow" I said.
"Oh, there she is. Karla! Over here!" Amyra said, waving at Karla who rushed over, carrying several shopping bags. They exchanged hugs and kisses with smiles on their faces. "I think there's a restaurant not far from here. Let's go there. We can talk while we have lunch" Karla said. I groaned inwardly. Sometimes, being stuck with Amyra and Karla is pure torture. We ended up in the restaurant having a very long conversation. Amyra kept asking me major questions about Theo, I found it really weird. "Luke told me Theo would be getting his powers soon, has he gotten them back yet?" She asked.
I bit my lower lip as I stared at my smoothie.
"You know, this isn't exactly a good place to discuss about this" I said.
"She has a point though" Karla shrugged.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot" Amyra said and I forced out a smile. Something about her felt odd. I noticed her rubbing her stomach absent mindedly. Was she pregnant or was it just a stomach ache? I shrugged it off. Whatever it was, she would tell us if she was ready. "That reminds me, today's my birthday and you're invited to my birthday party tonight at my house" Karla said to Amyra.
"That's awesome, Karla. Happy birthday!"
I unlocked my phone and quickly sent a message to Theo who had still not sent me any message since I'd gone to the shopping mall. It was definitely not normal. Theo would always send me cheeky messages even though I probably just left the house for a minute.
Are you okay? You haven't sent me any of your cheeky messages. I'm bored over here and I'm stuck with Amyra and Karla. I miss you already. Want me to get anything for you? Love you xx
"Who are you texting?" Karla asked, wriggling her brows. "My coworker at the coffee shop?" I said, grimacing.
"I can tell you're lying, hun. You have the lovey dovey look on your face"
I blushed, burying my face in my hands.
"Awwwn, she's embarrassed" Amyra chuckled. Theo's reply popped up on my screen and I nearly heaved a sigh of relief.
You miss me already?Ha, I knew it! I'm pretty sure hanging out with those ladies is not as bad as hanging out with Liam and Luke. But thankfully, I'm stuck at home in need of some TLC. Oh, I could do with some fruits. I don't need to tell you my favorite, do I? I miss you too, kitten. I love you a million times more.
I frowned and quickly sent him a reply. He was definitely not okay.
What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?
His reply came nearly half an hour later.
Nothing to worry about. I'm just feeling a little under the weather. There's really no need to come running home. Now, have fun.
For the rest of the conversation, let's just say I zoned out. Don't blame me, I wanted to be anywhere but there.
***
THEO
Deep breaths.
Take deep breaths.
Those words kept repeating themselves in my head like a mantra as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. After Luke and Liam had gone to the gym, I'd fallen asleep on the couch, owing to the fact that I wasn't feeling too good. It had started with a raging headache that was rooted deep in my skull. The pain had spread to my shoulders and neck. I'd woken up from a restless slumber only to realize that I might be coming down with the flu. It was weird because I've never had the flu, not even when I was a kid. So there I was, gripping the sink as I stared at my reflection for the hundredth time. My eyes were glazed, loud coughs rattling me to the core with my dizziness nearly spiralling out of control. I shakily made it back to my bed, wrapping myself up in blankets like a freaking burrito. I wasn't feverish in anyway. All I knew was that I was freezing cold. I couldn't get out of bed anymore; not without falling to the ground, face first. It was a very sunny day and I was pretty sure that it wasn't normal to be feeling so cold. My teeth began to chatter, the cold seeping through my skin, deep into my bones. Perhaps, my blood had turned to ice too. I was starting to worry about the fact that it might not be just the flu. I sneezed into a couple of tissues and closed my eyes, feeling like shit. I heard the front door open, Luke and Liam's voice floating through the walls of my room. They were arguing about ice cream flavors which was indeed very ridiculous.
There was a knock on the door of my bedroom and I groaned because the knocking on my door was too loud. "Hey, Teddy. We brought pizzas. Want some?" Luke asked. I let out another groan, the pillow muffling my voice.
"No thanks, I think I'll pass" I responded. "Okay, Hermano. You sound awful" Liam said, pushing the door open.
"Why is this place so dark? Open the damn curtain, Liam" Luke said. The curtains were pulled apart, the window blinds moved. Harsh sunlight poured into my room and I winced, squeezing my eyes shut. "Woah, Theo-- you look like a giant burrito. Are you sure you're okay?" Luke asked. "Come on, Luke, stop being ridiculous. He's clearly ill. Don't you see how bad he's shivering?" Liam said.
"Oh, shit.... Wha-"
"I think it's just the flu. There's really no need to worry. Just help me grab some more blankets, I feel like I'm in a frozen sea" I rasped. "Oh, right," Luke muttered.
I let out a weak sigh when Luke covered me with the extra blankets. There was just one problem. I was still freezing cold.
"I'll make you some soup" Luke said. "Don't you even dare. The last time you tried to cook, how was it?" I asked. Luke choked out a laugh."It's just soup, Theo. I'm not making you lasagna. Besides, Liam will be watching the entire time"
I still wasn't convinced. Luke's cooking gives me nightmares. I heard Devon drive in and I let out a sigh of relief which ended up with me coughing up a lung. I could hear her voice from the kitchen. "Oh no, you don't get to poison my baby" she hissed at Luke. "I'm just trying to help!" Luke squealed. Only then did I realize how weird it was for me to be able to hear their voices so clearly, all the way from the kitchen. I heard rapid footsteps heading towards the direction of my room. I opened my eyes as soon as she walked in.
"Oh, love. You look really sick" she sighed, placing a hand on my forehead.
"You're too cold" she said, frowning.
"Yeah and I think it's starting to get to my brain" I said through chattering teeth.
"I'll be right back" she said, tucking the blankets tighter around my trembling form. When she returned, she was carrying a bowl of soup in her hands. She had to feed me since I was too weak to hold the spoon without spilling the soup. "Scoot over" she whispered as she laid down beside me. I scooted closer and she unwrapped the blankets. I swear the universe must hate me at that moment. Goose bumps appeared on my skin as I continued to shiver. I rested my head on her chest, closing my eyes when I felt her wrap her arms around me securely. She covered the both of us with the blankets and pressed a kiss to my head, her warmth slowly heating up my body.
"Just relax, I'm right here" she whispered, caressing my hair.
***
DEVON
I quietly watched Theo as he slept, his shivering reducing as the hours bound by. He would sometimes wake up due to the constant sessions of coughs and sneezing he would suddenly have. He stirred, coughing into his closed fist. "You're going to get sick, Dev" he hoarsely said to me when I kissed the corner of his lips.
"I don't care" I said, running my fingers through his soft hair. He groaned thickly, his eyes fluttering close.
"Everything hurts...." He coughed."Did you take any medicine earlier?" I asked and he nodded, tiredly. He slept off again, shortly.
"How's he doing?" Luke asked. "He's no longer so cold but he's still quite ill" I said. Luke rubbed his chin."He doesn't have the flu" he said, gazing at me intently."Pardon me?"
"His powers are coming back to him. This is just phase one. Trust me, things are going to get worse for him. He's unconsciously releasing the energy in his body... that's why he's so cold" Luke was right, the room was getting hotter. "What's phase two? Wait, let me guess...A fever?"
"More like boiling lava"
"Please tell me there isn't a phase three"
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Phase three is the hardest part. That's when the agony hits him. It's at that point, I'll have to put the chimaera tattoo on him"
Tears pricked my eyes as I watched Theo. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, his cherry red lips parted slightly as his breathing came in short strained gasps. I hated seeing him in pain. "So, what's the term for this phase?" I asked. "Ice cold"
"W-what?"
"Touch him" I shakily placed my palm on the side of Theo's face. I let out a gasp. He was indeed ice cold. If I said that I wasn't terrified, that would make me a horrible liar.