Straight as They Come, Kinda

5: Don't Take His Rambling Seriously

"God, I feel terrible," Peter mumbled to himself, sitting up. It took him a lot of effort because of the aching pain that pinched at his sides.

"Oh, don't worry. It's just the after-effects of being a dumbass kicking in. Stupidity hurts, you know?"

Peter looked around the dark room. His hazy vision didn't allow him to see much, but he could trace the outline of a form slumped in a chair at the other side of the room.

He heard the flick of a switch and instantly, the room was doused with light.

It looked faint to Peter but he could make out Colin's face. His teeth were clenched, making his square jaw move slightly. Peter could also very much see that Colin's sock-covered feet tapped on the floor quietly while he rubbed at his straight-edged nose.

"You can't talk to me like- " Peter started to say but cut himself off, cradling his face in his hands. He noticed that his hands were wrapped in white gauze and smelled strongly of antiseptic. "Like... that." There was a sharp pounding in his head that felt like a giant chisel was being drilled into his skull.

Colin moved from the chair and reached for the glass of water and pack of Tylenol that had been sitting on top of the bedside drawer for a while.

Amy had instructed him to give them to Peter when he had awoken but those wildly luminous, fierce dark eyes had closed again when he had returned from the kitchen with the glass.

Colin had then retreated to the chair and had fallen asleep until a few moments ago, when he had been jolted awake by the vibration of his phone which he had left in his pocket.

There, at the top of the list on his lockscreen, had been a notification of a text.

Kiara: Hey, you alright? Waited for you with Ruben but you never came :(

Colin had shut off the screen and put his phone on the table face-down. He'd promised himself he'd reply to it in the morning. He had been about to fall asleep again when he had heard Peter mumbling.

Peter was now fully awake- five hours after he showed signs that he was still very much alive- and he was already taking up his usual role of being a pain in the backside. Colin chose not to answer him as he held out the water and tablets.

"What is that?" Peter asked looking from Colin's outstretched hands to his shadowed face.

"Damn, have you gone blind too?" Colin commented.

Peter's face went blank as his eyes remained on Colin. His mouth fell agape and his skin colour paled even more- this time, it wasn't the result of being cold.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I know it's a sensitive subject for you... " Colin let out a breath, wishing he could take back his words. "It's Tylenol, to help with the fever."

Peter took the glass but his hand trembled and water spilled onto the fitted bedsheets.

Colin waited for Peter to take the medication and hand him the glass but the boy just stared at the water, eyes blinking rapidly.

"You know that's for ingesting right? Or do I need to teach you how to swallow using another... tool?"

"I know that," Peter snapped- an action that wasn't a surprise to Colin. His remark was the spark to Peter Chu's flame.

"I just... I can't swallow capsules. Or tablets or anything like that. And with how you're looking at me... it's making it harder."

"Harder?" Colin rubbed at the nape of his neck, smiling. "How so?"

Peter closed his eyes, wondering how he had ever ended up in this situation, having this conversation.

"Just look away."