Blacktail Deer Plateau sick love is my modern cliche

despite the heavy sense of yuck that surrounded him like a storm cloud, aditya laughed at her grumbling, a wretched, hoarse sound. he hacked for a second or two, shaking his head as easy asked him a couple of questions.

"i told you, i'm sick," he said, his voice stuffy with fatigue and phlegm. "you shouldn't stay too near me, or else you'll get sick, too." he wondered how much the girl really knew about illness; had she seen it roll through her family before? or was this a new phenomenon for easy, something to really fear rather than simply be wary of?

"thank you, bachchi," aditya sighed, returning her nose touch with a small smile before drawing away. "i don't need help, but if you'll walk with me back to the dens. . .?" his voice trailed off in question, the unvoiced part of it being that if he were to fall again--and not rouse, this time--she would be able to call for a healer. if not pema, then raid.