#ᴄʀᴀꜱʜ ꜱɪᴛᴇ - [subnautica verse]

[thusaliar]

I may have made a list but you can choose whichever one you like ｡･ﾟﾟ･🦋

Reverse: [ BLANKET ], [ TILT ], [ DAMP ], [ BACK ]

From here

The illness was more than any of them expected. It was unlike the diseases P knew and Carlo's knowledge was of no use either. It seemed that the bacteria wasn't native to the planet either - even local fauna couldn't deal with it properly. P was lucky enough to be somewhat immune; or at least, less affected by the sickness. Good, someone had to take care of Carlo. The young man fell ill shortly after learning of the true nature of the bacteria, and the symptoms seemed to match what they knew - his immune system was compromised. Luckily enough, the blisters appearing on his body were small and sparse, P hoped it was a good sign. Although his species didn't follow the concept of faith, P silently prayed for the infection to pass, instead of spreading further.

It was another difficult night and although P managed to lull Carlo to sleep, it wouldn't last long. He could tell it was exhausting and painful, and P felt bad for not being able to do anything to actually help him heal. All he could do was tend to him whenever he needed, even if Carlo couldn't voice the need for help. The alien would bring him water to drink, and help him take the tiniest sips. Although the human was wrapped in multiple blankets, P could still see his frame shaking, shivers not letting him rest. To make it even more painful, the fever didn't seem to give out, warming up Carlo's face. P was at a loss, unsure what else he could do to help him.

Eventually, he helped Carlo sit up and he pulled him in closer, letting him rest against his chest. With one hand, P gently rubbed Carlo's back, the motion slow and soothing, his hand warm - hopefully the warmth would get through the double layer of blankets. If not, he hoped that the touch was at least of some comfort.

Nights seemed to be worse, the temperature rising even higher. P was prepared, holding a bowl of cold water by the bed, a cloth soaked in it. The alien would gently press it against Carlo's skin, wipe his face ever so gently. Trying to bring the fever down meant cooling Carlo down, which in consequence meant keeping him warm. It was a tricky situation, but P was determined to keep going.

The perspective of Carlo passing and staying alone without him was mortifying, but P did his best not to think about it. He had better things to worry about right now. With a soft sigh, he pulled Carlo into a closer embrace, resting his chin on the top of his head. His hand still rubbed circles up and down the human's back. P could only hope Carlo would be able to fall back asleep - it must be easier to bear when you're not aware of it.

Soon enough the rag warmed up from the alien's touch and Carlo's temperature, and for the time being, it was tossed back into the bowl. With his hand now free, P wrapped his arm around Carlo carefully, hand wandering to gently stroke his hair back.

Was there anything else he could do?

[thusaliar]

✧ ˚ · . cont. @asternovi

P perked up hearing Carlo return to the base, looking up from his finds to watch as the human entered their living room. It was always a comforting feeling to not be completely alone on this planet, even if your companion was a different species altogether. Species P didn't quite understand yet but had made great progress since they met.

Only on rare occasions would they go outside separately. It wasn't the wisest choice to explore any further biomes alone. Most of the planet was dangerous if not straight-up hostile. P was glad to see Carlo come back in one piece and was just as happy to present him with his newfound trophies. Some tools, broken or corrupted PDAs, and random personal items of the crew that crashed here with Carlo. P didn't understand some of those items, being unfamiliar with human customs or culture. He only knew as much as Carlo would tell him.

"In the wreck near the Aurora." he replied, looking at Carlo curiously. The alien figured the box contained food, but he preferred to leave that to Carlo - after all, it was human food. P could only guess that it might cheer him up and he was glad to see it was the case. It was an unexpected reaction, but it was very welcome. There was some more food in the wreck, but most of it was the protein bars they both got tired of at this point. Good thing they could be stored for a long time, at least.

"What are these?" he asked, leaning in slightly to see inside the box. P had never seen anything like this, not even among all the treasures he got to bring from the wrecks. It was new, and Carlo's excitement made him curious. Perhaps he could find more if he looked around different wrecks. Waiting for the human to answer, the alien picked up one of the items he brought back from the depths. It was a book, very much sogged, but it remained in one piece. The item seemed to interest the creature; his kind didn't have to read or write to communicate, and fiction wasn't their strong side. They didn't write books.

"I also found this." he replied, showing him the book and then reaching for a hairbrush. That item confused him more than words on paper. It must have been a tool of some kind, but P wasn't able to figure out its purpose. Then, the alien gestured to the pile of items he had brought back; some of them were too broken to be useful and some of them were incomplete. Still, a fair amount of it could be used or at least repurposed.

"I've found a lot."