My whole entire body felt congested. I was on fire. I was freezing. The light hurt my eyes as they opened. My body stuck to everything as I was engulfed in a thick layer of sweat. I tried to sit up, to push off the blankets that were suffocating me only I was met with pain. Fumbling, I managed to kick the duvet off me. Which didn't exactly help, but it was a step up. Checking the time, only to find out it was 3 am. What was going on? My throat, oh god. Two stones grinding together every time I swallowed, which now seemed to be every second.

"Howard," I cringe at the noise that makes, hoarse and certainly not loud enough. I need him, oh god I need my best friend right now. I'm not one to admit this, especially not to his face, but I'm fucking scared. Swinging my legs off the side of the mattress seems like my best bet. My head only seems to lag behind, sending nausea crashing into me. Throwing up off the side of the bed does nothing to ease anything. Only make a mess and leave a vile acid taste in my mouth.

"Howard!" it's no better this time, only I can feel the begging in my voice as tears sting the backs of my eyes. I slide my feet onto the floor. Slow. Okay now, in and out. In, out. It calms my nerves a little. I begin to stand, cautious as I can. Hoping the whole time that there isn't a repeat. Only my legs give out this time, sending me crashing back down to my bed. Ringing in my head, it is about to explode. Alas, I try again.

One, the other. One, the other. My eyes are trained to my feet, making sure they move correctly and slowly. I make it two steps before my body catches up. The sweat runs down my neck and for once I couldn't care about my prized hair, my head is far too fuzzy to worry about that right now.

"'Oward," I fumble the door open, my hands shaking too much to properly open it. He's still asleep in the bed, snoring away softly. I say his name once more. That doesn't grab his attention. The crash I make as I collapse certainly does.

"Vince?" He looks terrified. I mean he should be, I just collapsed on his floor covered in sweat and traces of vomit. When I try to speak once more, it comes out as wheezes. He thankfully scrambled out of the bed to pick me up. "Little Man, you're burning up!" No shit, thank you for that wonderful diagnosis doctor. Howard half carries me back to my room, laying me on the sheets I not so long ago kicked off me. He looks quite shocked to see the vomit, well it might be shocked, he's a bit out of focus. Cleaning up my vomit doesn't look fun but he does it anyway. I'll have to thank him for that. It is replaced with a bucket. Yay! a vomit bucket. How lovely! I might've blacked out for a little because next thing I know, Naboo is staring at me.

"Seems he's just got a very bad flu," He checks a small bag I assume he's brought with him. He takes out some weird hoodoo stuff, mixes it up in front of me. Forget my previous statement on the vomit bucket. It's great. Naboo gives me the potion and I down it. Hey, no reflux.

"That shoul' keep the fever down and may help with stomach problems. It can't fix everythin'," I give my best smile as he leaves.

"Got me worried for a moment there" he chuckles to himself, the nervous kind. Using my voice still sends daggers through my throat so I settle with nodding. "I guess I'll be going," Howard stands to leave and I panic.

"Wait!" Ow, fuck. He thankfully does stop, reeling his ass back to the edge of the mattress.

"I'll stay till you fall asleep, alright?" I nod once more, maybe a little too excitedly.

Howard tells me these fantastical stories about wild adventures, even some jazz history while I don't have the strength to shut him up. My shaking fingers draw circles along the back of his hand while his absentmindedly stroke the backs of my legs. Peaceful. I try to keep listening but it's jazz and my body is exhausted. My eyes shut and although the thumping in my head is still there, it's a little more bearable with him.