Elio suddenly woke up in the middle of his sleep, drenched in sweat, with his fever now at its peak, consuming all the energy left in his body.
He was disoriented for a moment while staring at the ceiling. Wh-where am I again? Then he remembered he was at the funeral shop.
That's right.
It was now his fourth day at the funeral shop, and since the day he went there, there had been no progress in his condition.
In fact, he's getting worse.
But what was killing him now was not the fever or the pain in his bones; it was his head. It feels like a nut trying to be crushed by a giant hammer. For some reason, he can't tolerate even the softest light and sounds, as if they were slashing his brain, so painful he always feels like puking.
He needed something to stop the pain.
Where's my painkiller?
Elio went out of his bed. He sat on the edge for a while, gasping for air, trying to ward off the spell of dizziness before he could proceed. After a while, he stretched out his arms, his fingers trembling as he was trying to search for the bottle of painkillers in the bedside drawer.
It was empty. There are no more painkillers left. He just consumed the last few pills yesterday when he couldn't sleep because of the pain radiating in his stomach.
How long should I endure this pain?
Elio wouldn't like to admit it, but he's tired of the pain. He wanted it to stop, if possible, for good.
His vision danced as Elio pushed himself up from the bed. He cannot just lay there, wait, and do nothing. He has to do something to stop the pain, or else--
Oh, god!
His train of thought was suddenly cut by a sudden pain in his abdomen that made the young man slightly bent. Every breath sent an excruciating pain and spells of nausea, leaving him gasping, so desperate for air.
But despite the pain, he pushed himself to walk and find something that could stop this pain. It doesn't matter if it's pills or herbs, as long as it can relieve the pain.
He just has to find it.
Elio took a step forward, and then another, until he could get used to his pace. It was initially frustrating because he was like a child just learning to walk. Still, at least he managed to go outside the room with the help of the walls and everything he could use to help him not fall to his knees.
Only his footsteps and soft whimper could echo in the hallway. Each step was like his last as if anytime he would pass out because of too much pain. He leaned heavily on the walls as he moved forward. Good thing the hallway was dimly lit, so it didn't aggravate much the pain in his head.
Not long after, he reached the end of the hallway and found a door slightly open. He walked towards it, struggling, but he was almost there.
When he reached the door, he pushed it slightly to see if someone was inside. His vision blurred for a moment before he could ask for help; he was unsure if he was asking a person or if it was just a lamp that looked like a person.
But he still asked anyway.
"Kenny, is that you?"
Good thing it wasn't a lampshade, but it wasn't Kenny either. A figure of a man is standing near the window, and it turns its head when it hears Elio's weak voice.
It was Grimm.
"Elio?"
"G-grimm, I..."
When Grimm saw Elio in his passing-out state, he quickly moved toward and caught him before hitting the ground. His breath faltered with concern when he felt the unbearable heat radiating from Elio's skin as if it were on fire.
He was burning up...
"Elio, talk to me..." Elio didn't answer. He can't. He was too tired to even move his lips just to say how thankful he was that Grimm caught him the moment his body gave out.
Grimm...
Grimm adjusted Elio in his arms, ensuring the younger's head rested properly in his chest. And while he was doing that, he could hear Elio's painful whimpers, as if every touch or slight movement was torture for him.
He's worsening. He wasn't like this when he visited the funeral shop four days ago.
With that in mind, he didn't waste more time. He immediately carried Elio to the room where he had initially come and carefully set him down. After laying Elio in bed, he immediately called Kenny to assist him.
"Kenny! Come here! Quick!"
That was the first time his voice echoed throughout the funeral shop, sharp and with urgency, so even the customers were startled when they heard it.
"What the--" Kenny was busy attending to some customers when he heard his name. He jolted the moment his name echoed in the entire shop. His first reaction was to snap towards the source of the voice. He cannot be mistaken; it was coming from Elio's room.
Something terrible did happen...
Kenny didn't wait for his name to be called again. He immediately rushed towards Elio's room, only to be greeted by Elio's current state, lying on the bed, motionless.
No, he's almost lifeless.
"Bring me cold water and a cloth. Now!"
Kenny wasn't the type of person to panic right away. Still, the moment he heard Grimm's voice, almost like a command, he immediately ran and grabbed everything that could help them with their situation with Elio.
"I brought some medicines, too, though I'm unsure if these could help."
Grimm grabbed the bottle of medicine Kenny found in the old cabinets. It was a refined herb used in his time to reduce fever and pain, something they could use in this situation.
"Let's hope this one can help him, at least..."
They did not waste any time and attended to Elio's needs. Kenny was the one pressing the damped cloth firmly to Elio's forehead. At the same time, Grimm is the one who gives Elio medicine. The problem was that Elio was unresponsive. He couldn't swallow the medicine, even if it was liquid.
"It's no use..." Grimm said in frustration, "He's not waking up..."
Grimm tried his best to wake up Elio. He tried to tap his clammy cheeks and brushed away the wet strands of hair hovering over the younger man's eyes.
"Elio..." the way Grimm said his name was softer than usual. There was a clear hint of distress in his tone. "It's me, Grimm. Can you hear me?"
There's no response. Just a tiny, painful, feeble sound from his almost colorless lips.
There's no other way--
Well, actually, there's one.
"Turn around..."
Kenny went confused the moment he heard Grimm's command. "Wait, what?"
Grimm gave him a sharp, silent look, the kind of look that screams Don't let me repeat myself twice.
"R-right..." he nervously turned around and did not question anything. Although he tried to peep a little by glancing over his shoulder. "What are you planning to do, boss?"
There's no time for Grimm to explain his plan. He opened the lid of the bottle containing the medicine and opened it. He placed the liquid in his mouth but didn't swallow; instead, he lifted Elio's head, gently parted his lips, and transferred the liquid to Elio's. He repeated the process until he was sure Elio had swallowed enough medicine.
Grimm pulled himself away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He never left his sight on Elio until he showed signs of improvement.
Then, after a while, Elio's labored breathing gradually decreased. Even the trembling became stable, though he was far from okay, but at least he was one step away from death...
...for now.
That medicine still works, huh...
Finally, there's a sign of relief.
Grimm let out a sigh to let go of the stress and worry. But their main concern was still there. It was the second time Elio's been like this. His condition was getting worse, but he cannot do anything about it.
After all...
He was about to die really soon.
Kenny could tell how worried his boss was with just one look. Like his boss, he also hates seeing Elio in that condition. But what should they do? Is there anything that they could do? They were like an audience in the back seat, just waiting for the movie to end...
Elio, at this point, was beyond saving.
Unless...
"His sister..."
Again, Kenny became confused when his boss uttered an unfamiliar detail about Elio--his sister.
"Wait, what? He has a sister?"
"She's outside a while ago," Grimm said, almost a confession. "Before Elio passed out, she was outside, staring. I think she's looking for him. She couldn't see the shop but sensed his brother was there. After all, she's an Oswald. It naturally runs in their family."
That's right.
The reason why Grimm was at the window wasn't just because of boredom or mere coincidence. That time, he sensed Elio's sister, Annette. The way she stood outside the shop with that deep concern on her face and locked her sight in this area, even if it seemed like an invisible space in her point of view, Grimm was sure...
Annette Oswald was looking for her missing brother, and she was drawn here for a reason, which makes their present situation even more complicated.
"Wait, what?!" Kenny was even more confused and, at the same time, shocked by the fact that Elio was an Oswald. He hasn't known Elio's last name until now. "Hold on--Elio was an Oswald, her sister was there outside, and you didn't say anything?"
Grimm remained silent. He lacks the energy to explain everything about Elio's lineage or the younger man's sister to Kenny. He's too preoccupied and torn by the fact that Elio doesn't want his sister to know where he is. Still, at the same time, he needed medical help that would somehow extend his life just a little longer, enough for him to uncover the mystery behind Elio's ability that is now potentially attracting attention from both above and below.
That's it. Grimm was sure Elio needed to be protected at all costs, even if that meant he would break Elio's trust again...
Grimm extended his hand, reaching Elio's cheeks. He caressed him and traced the younger man's lips with his fingers. Until now, he could still feel the sensation of his lips against Elio's, even if it was only for a moment.
I'm sorry, He said. I know you will hate me more after this...
He really hated the idea, but there was no other choice. Grimm stood up and prepared to leave, leaving Kenny in confusion.
"Where are you going?"
Grimm paused for a while. He turned around and took a last glance at Elio before turning away. "Elio didn't have much time left. If there's any last hope for him, that would be his sister..."
That's right.
It was Annette.