Anon asked: Yo what about Hank being sick and totally unaware of his surroundings, and the day his fever breaks is the first time Hank realizes it’s been Connor taking care of him all this while
Have you ever walked into a sauna when it's already been on for a good while? That sudden slap in the face of concrete thick heat, and without the slow build up the 115 degrees of steam feels more like a dessert that you fell into. That's how Hank felt right now. He could barely breathe through the heat, so hot he couldn't even tell if he was sweating anymore. He walked in a daze, mouth open and trying to breathe in any semblance of fresh air but instead he walked into a wall.
Oh god it felt so nice and cool though. He pressed his cheek against the wall, shut his eyes, and slowly sank to the ground. His vision was in waves. The dizziness didn't help either, just spots and colors dancing across his blurry vision. It made his headache worse. He thought he was going to throw up for the first time. Or third time? He threw up a lot today right? Right? He looked down at his shaking hands through his fucked up vision and raised an eyebrow confused at them. What the fuck was shaking him?
He stared at his hands for a bit, then blinked back up at his surroundings. Was he underwater? Because everything was blurry, and his hearing was cloudy. He tried to remember what he was doing. He probably wanted a beer but...he felt warm and dizzy. Maybe he was just straight wasted at the bar?
He stood up again, mumbling about how the bar has a lot of furniture like the stuff in his house. He was about to walk straight into the dining room table when two hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. But only Sumo was home.
"Sumo...when...Sumo when did you grow arms?" He stumbled on his feet, through lidded eyes he saw a blurry figure trying to steady him. He thought the figure was talking but it was a blocked out echo to his ears.
"You...you don't SOUND like Sumo though. Actually...your voice is annoying..s-so-" he cut himself off by coughing, having to curl up in on himself as he did. His chest hurt so damn much. The hands were on his back now, trying to guide him away.
"Wow. This sofa...is just like mine..." He said as he was pushed to lay down, "small world" without reallt understanding what was going on he shut his eyes. More concerned with how exhausted really felt.
"Lieutenant Anderson please, you're scaring me." Connor said in a small voice, eyes focused on the feverish face of Hank. He found Hank stumbling around his house completely out of it. He'd been out of work with a cold for a few days so Connor decided to take a break and check in on him. If he knew it was this bad he would have checked in much earlier...
Hank looked up at the LED on the side of Connor's head, staring at it blankly. He focused on the red light for a bit, watching how in his funky vision the ring of light grew and shrunk in weird patterns. After a bit of focus he said, "...why's the TV off?"
"Lieutenant, it's me, Connor. Can you hear me?" Connor frowned, putting a hand to Hank's BURNING cheek. He scanned his temperature to be around 103.4 degrees. He had to lower the fever before it got to hospital levels.
That dazed look kept coming. No response at all and something about that scared Connor to death. That lost expression was so WRONG on Lieutenant Anderson. He patted his face, but he didn't do much besides roll his head away from his hand. Connor frowned and stood up, "Stay here Hank."
He ran into the bathroom for fever reducers, then wet a washcloth in cold water. He placed it on Hank's forehead, but instead of getting relief like he expected Hank kicked and thrashed away from it.
"F-fuck that's...ugh that's cold..!" Hank tossed it off. Connor put it right back, "stop.."
"It's for your own good Hank" he was scared to have him take the medicine when he was so delirious. So he'd wait on that.
"Are you more coherent now Lieutenant?"
Hank still looked confused though, blinking up at Connor slowly. Like...
"Do you know what's going on?"
Oh god. Humans aren't supposed to break like this. He can't fix this with a simple rewiring or new part. "Hank come on...Hank answer me. You're scaring me Hank."
Nothing. Connor felt tears prick at his eyes, "come on Hank this isn't funny. It's me Connor."
"Please be ok Hank..."
It was up to him to help Hank.
For hours he had to keep the man from suddenly getting up and just leaving. He had no idea who Connor was or where he was. He'd forget whatever he could hear. It was terrible. His fever was so bad sometimes he was barely able to move, panting listlessly on the couch.
It wasn't until 3 AM that Hank was starting to come back to himself. He woke up from a nap. This time clarity grew in his vision when he saw the LED, "...Connor?"
"...Lieutenant? You're with me?"
"What happened..." His throat felt dry.
Connor looked worried sick, "you've been very feverish." He pressed a hand to his face, "But don't worry. It's lowering now." He handed him two pills and a glass of water, ready to go, "take these and go back to sleep, I'll take care of you"
"You've been watching after me?"
Connor nodded, still looking shaken up.
Hank smiled and ruffled his hair, "You're the best Connor...thank you so much."
Hank had collapsed at work. Little was known other than the fact the Lieutenant had started coughing and then coughing up blood. By the time the ambulance arrived Anderson had passed out and was rushed to the ER.
Now, laying in the hospital room, Hanks fuzzy mind kept swimming in and out of consciousness. Only remembering the docs talking next to his bed about a pulmonary embolism and blood thinners.
Hank looked around the room as he woke up once more. The doctors were gone and the stupid beeping of the machine was quieter. The damn mask on his face kept him from moving too much.
