Having been well, that would have made me sick

[despairiminit]

WHO: Nozomu Itoshiki {despairiminit}, Grell Sutcliff {chainsaw_juliet}
WHAT: Death saves the life of Despair
WHERE: The Housing District, the Sutcliff-Itoshiki Townhouse
WHEN: Day 161

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[chainsaw_juliet]

Nozomu.

Nozomu.

NOZOMU

Grell threw open the door, slamming it shut as soon as he was in the house.
"NOZOMU!" He cried, flinging the journal and dropping his scythe with a heavy, wet thud. The Reaper scampered towards the fallen man, gathering him close. The teacher was splattered with a little blood and the wound on his arm had turned a faint purple.

The redhead himself was drenched in blood, little bits of gore clinging to his uniform and hair though he paid no heed whatsoever.
"Oh heavens Nozomu, you stupid stupid man." He crushed him close, almost dropping him in alarm as he came into contact with his skin. "You're feverish!"

The Reaper panicked, laying the man atop the kitchen counter.
"I'm used to taking lives, not saving them!" He whispered frantically, tugging on his neck-ribbon and tying it taught around Nozomu's arm. "The Madam did this to someone with a snakebite so I think it'll work..."

It had to work. He selected a thin filleting knife, holding Nozomu's arm across over the sink

[despairiminit]

William mewed, bored as he gnawed a chunk of snake flesh

[chainsaw_juliet]

Yanking off his ruffled jabot, he folded it hastily before placing it atop the wound like a wad of gauze. The neck-ribbon he had used as a tourniquet was now wound over the 'gauze' as a makeshift bandage.

"I have to fetch the antidote, Nozomu. I'll be back before you'll even notice I'm gone, I promise." Running to the bedroom he tugged the blanket from their bed before draping it over Nozomu to regulate his temperature.

"I won't let this end you. It's a disgusting way to die." Grell spat, shaking his head. "You'll die by my hand-no one else's."

Grabbing his scythe, the Reaper gave Nozomu one last glance before he raced to the florist.

[chainsaw_juliet]

Returning from his trip to the Florist, Grell hurried back inside the house even bloodier than before.

He was ruthless to any and all snakes that had dared cross his path. All of them he detested, for trying to steal his very right to be Death for Nozomu.

Unearthing the flower from his inner jacket pocket, Grell ran to Nozomu's side.
"Nozomu? Sweetheart?" He cooed, petting the man's hair. "I've got the antidote."

Deathly pale, like fresh paper written upon with red ink. How he made Grell's heart flutter. Taking the flower, Grell snapped the stem and squeezed the dripping liquid into Nozomu's parted mouth. With the little that remained, he smeared on his own lips.

"Let me be your restorative, Romeo, or take me with you by your poison." Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to those blueberry lips.

[despairiminit]

Nozomu resembled a corpse being prepared for burial in a morgue, laid on the cold counter that way, blood soaking through the blanket. The liquid took some time to roll down his throat, since there was nothing pillowing his head to hold his neck at a downward angle. Nozomu's heartbeat was nearly non-existent, and could be expected to fade away at any moment. His lips were hard and dried out under Grell's, like kissing crinkled paper.

After a few tense minutes, Nozomu's heart began to beat at a steady, but slow pace. The sweat stopped soaking his body in waves, and the blood stopped seeping so angrily from his arm. The blue faded to a greyish twinge that clung to the pink of life, but his veins remained.

His body began to shudder now from shock, teeth chattering together. His eyes slit open, glazed; he was still unconscious, but was so determined to see Grell that his body misbehaved.

[chainsaw_juliet]

Gathering the frail man into his arms, Grell moved to the chaise in the lounge by the fire. He bundled Nozomu up in fresh, thicker blankets.
"Hello." The redhead whispered, combing his hair back from his face.

"You gave me quite a scare, Nozomu." Sighing, he cradled him close and kissed his brow. "Thank you for protecting William, but I hope you know that out of the two of you- he is just a kitten, and you are my Romeo."

Sighing in relief Grell reclined on the soft brocade fabric, Nozomu nestled on his chest.
"I'll buy some red wine and dark chocolate to help you regain your blood faster. You, mister, are housebound until these snakes go away!"

[despairiminit]

Nozomu shivered in response, weakly curling his fingers around one of his wrappings. Nestling close, he laid his head beneath Grell's chin, wheezing as diluted blood and fluid leaked from his mouth, eyes still cracked open, little shards of white in the darkness of his eyes. His limbs spasmed mildly every now and then, muscles still affected by the neurotoxins.

He was absolutely soaked in blood, venom, and sweat, and smelled rank against Grell's senses. He still burned to the touch, body frantically trying to spare itself.

Nozomu Itoshiki might survive, but he wasn't out of the woods yet.

[chainsaw_juliet]

"Doesn't this seem all too familiar?" He chuckled by Nozomu's ear, carrying the young man to the bathroom. A hot bath sprinkled with sweet-smelling salts and tropical petals awaited, steam curling up in beckoning wisps. How it was prepared was anyone's guess.

"You're a troublesome bundle, did you know? But I suppose it's what I get for marrying Despair." Slowly the teacher was stripped of his clothing and lowered into the water. After a moment, the Reaper joined him to ensure the man wouldn't slip below the waterline and drown himself. Ludicrous it would sound were it said to anyone else, but this was Nozomu Itoshiki of course. The teacher's back was pressed to Grell's chest, and the Reaper could feel every labored breath rattling in his lungs.

"There we are, nice and warm." Grell sighed, enjoying the feeling of being clean from snake blood and innards. Tenderly, he scooped water into his cupped palm and smoothed it into Nozomu's hair, massaging his scalp.

"Love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs

[despairiminit]

Nozomu turned just a little in Grell's arms so that he seemed more settled against his side. His movements displaced the wter so that it splashed lightly. His fingers found Grell's beautiful red hair mixing with the water that rinsed from their bodies in a red mist. The tendrils lazily curled and rippled like seaweed, wrapping themselves around Nozomu's digits.

He cooed, mind still not quite there, and sealed his eyes shut once more. Occasionally he would cough; but he was mostly quiet save his wheezing, listening to the comforting inflection of Grells' voice quoting Shakespeare as if it were a lullaby.