Toxic

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Friday, May 31. Evening. Docks. Cepheid only.

Ic: <sub>Andromeda pulled his hair back. All of the girls were sick, and it was only going to get worse. He had to get some fever reducer for both Godwine and Nerys, and both weren't capable of handling this kind of sickness easily. Daniela had a cold now, and Selena might have yet another sinus infection. He had to get more medical supplies, and fast. But where?

Andromeda was looking through the papers, seeing where and what kind of doctor's offices there would be. He glanced down until he found what seemed to be a good ones, on a quiet corner.

Rosin Apothecarium and Doctor Offices. Andy flicked his finger on the location and he pocketed it. Thank goodness for remembering all those details.

"This is the last thing I need to spend money on but I really have to. Those girls depend on me." He'd grab a load of shillings, hoping it would be enough.</sub>

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Things had been seriously chaotic lately. First it was Godwin, then the other three girls fell victim to illness, so the only people the ship able to take care of them were the Callidum twins. For the first day or two, Ceph was doing already, hopping from room to room, bringing the girls things they needed and giving them something to smile about, but he had begun to feel increasingly weak and dizzy lately. His arm was hurting more than normal, but he passed that off as his not resting as much as he should, and his ill feeling as him just coming down with whatever the girls had. He'd keep trooping for as long as he could though, hopefully he could help Daniela get over her cold so she could help some.

After having finally caught a break, the younger twin stepped into the room where his brother was and leaned against the wall. "Hey Andy. Going somewhere?" From the looks of things, he was going on a medicine run. He'd suggest his brother borrow the Star Man guise, but he was worried he'd be seen through rather quickly, and that might cause more problems.

Finding a chair, he'd sit down for a moment and catch his breath. "Here, I'll go with you. We can carry more that way." Wow it was cold in that room. Maybe it'd be warmer outside.

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<sub>Andromeda looked up from his work, standing as his brother came in. Cepheid, man... even with that arm, which Andromeda kept telling him to give it a rest so it didn't hurt so much, but now... well he's helping the girls around and Andy couldn't stop his brother from being... well... his brother.

"Yeah I am." He'd look up again as Cepheid spoke up. Wait he wanted to go with him? Andy blinked. "Are you positive about that? I mean, no offense but you don't seem to be looking so good, and with your arm..." He took a deep breath. He just wanted to tell him, again, to rest his damn shoulder. Moving around would not help.

"It needs rest."</sub>

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"Absolutely." Ceph smiled casually, hopping to his feet with energy he didn't really feel. "Come on, lets get going, the sooner we get what we need, the sooner we can get the girls up and around again."

When Andy brought up his arm, he looked at his twin with a raised eyebrow. "I'm fine, come on. Lets get a move on!" With a slight hop of a step that made him have to fight hard to keep from falling due to a dizzy spell, he moved to the exit, calling back. "Come on Andy, shake a leg!"

Despite everything, he was still trying to smile, it was hard to say if that was for better or worse.

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<sub>"There's this doctor's office and apothecarium that I found. Should be good." Andromeda murmured.

Andromeda seemed less than enthusiastic about the whole thing, seeing right through Cepheid's personality. Oh he's your twin, Ceph. He knows so much better than this, but he couldn't stop him. He then took a deep breath and then held his hand out, walking out of the ship and climbing down, possibly helping Cepheid along with him.

"I'm not 100 percent positive about this, and I knwo you aren't either. I'm your twin, I know when you're well or not and you aren't well." He spoke up. "... Unless you're trying to avoid menstruating angry women with head colds on board without me being around. That I'd understand."</sub>

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"Wonderful." Ceph said. "Lets go then."

Yes, Ceph was putting on a show, but he really wasn't used to telling people the absolute truth. The only person who ever had even the partial truth of what went on in this guy's head was Andy, his twin.

He did need a little help getting out of the ship, but with a bum arm, things were tricky. Once they were on the ground and walking along, He turned his head to look at Andy and listened. "I'm fine, brother." He insisted. "I'm just tired, there's no way you'd be able to take care of all four of them on your own, and It's just a bum arm. I can help so I will." He then paused and made a face as Andy continued.

And then bust out laughing as he tried to walk a straight line. "I hadn't thought of that, but now that you mention it, they would have eaten my alive." He laughed.

He stopped walking suddenly, and gripped the closest surface for support as he suddenly had a more violent dizzy spell, but the item he grabbed want an empty crate and it gave way beneath his hand and he stumbled, falling to the ground on his good side as he couldn't keep his balance.

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<sub>Andromeda helped his brother along, steadying him when he seemed to go out of place. It wasn't too far to the Apothecary, so he might be able to get there fast and see if they could help his twin brother, Andy's reputation aside. He'd do anything for his twin brother. Short of selling his soul to the Devil. That is if he believed in those things.

"You must be really tired if you're trying your hardest to walk in a straight line." He could tell from Cepheid's footing. Usually it was light, nimble, and very poised, but now it didn't seem so... "Well, the girls try and eat me alive at those times-"

And of course Cepheid started to collapse and Andromeda instinctively reached out to grab him, moving to the other side to balance him up and then wrap his arm around the other. Thank god there was nobody nearby. They are all at home eating dinner, possibly, or eating out, if they did that. Anybody nearby had better give him space...

"Cepheid, for the love of... What did you do to yourself?" Andromeda grunted as he guided his brother closer to the Apothecarium. He could see it just ahead...</sub>

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Ceph simply smiled and laughed as Andy poined out his inability to walk straight, as if it was no big deal. Sure, he was having a little trouble, but it wasn't anything to worry about!

Before his brother could finish, he had keeled over, but was saved from hitting the ground by his twin. He couldn't help but grunt in pain as he felt himself hauled up, but he didn't say anything, now focused on trying to get his head to stop spinning. Despite the sun, he still felt really cold, though his skin was really hot.

"I didn't do anything." He managed to mutter, as he tried to walk along. He was having trouble, and it was only his twin's helping hand that he didn't fall on his face again. He clung to his twin's shirt as he tried to walk, leaning heavily on the other Callidum. His shoulder really hurt, more than normal.

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<sub>Andromeda grunted again when Ceph said he didn't do anything. Of course he did! He got himself very sick! And without this Callidum Twin's permission! Moron... anyway Andromeda would spend the next God knows how long getting up to the steps of the doctor's office and Apothecarium. It was quiet there, seemed to be only one person there, browsing the items.

"I'm getting the Doctor to look at you, you dolt..." Andy seemed pretty cold but he was unhappy with this transfixed event. He'd open the door, looking at the medication and scoping out the penicillin, the fever reducer, and the allergy medication; he was not paying attention to the woman behind the counter.

"Sorry to bother you, considering my reputation but my twin was shot days ago, and-" Andromeda looked back, and nearly dropped his twin twin in shock. His heart skipped several beats and his stomach felt weak. Holy... this cannot be happening.

The woman behind the counter gaped back at him, her hazel-green eyes wide with shock. The woman readjusted her coat, staring at them still as there seemed to be a very awkward, very emotional silence between the two of them. The woman pulled her dark hair back and stared at the twin, her eyes focused on him awkwardly.

"I.... uh... um.... I'm... I-I'll leave now... Sine..." Andromeda spoke tensely and quietly. That is until an arm reached out to grab him as he turned around.

"You're staying right here. Your friend here looks like he needs medical attention and fast." Sine spoke up before she whipped around to call for Frances. "Frances! We have an emergency!"</sub>

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He wasn't able to keep his vision from spinning, and by the time they got to the apothecary, Cepheid wasn't even able to hold up his own weight. He had been resisting all of the symptoms for too long, and now they were all hitting him at once; hard.

He was aware of yelling and being drug around. He was too out of it to even be aware of his arm anymore. As a matter of fact, he wasn't even in any pain at that moment.

Then there was a female voice, and something seemed up with Andy. Even in the state he was, he was aware of his twin, and something had given the man pause. Forcing his eyes open and his head up, he looked at Sine and, despite everything, actually recognized her.

Oh, Sine. Nice to see you again, how's the baby?" He asked, delirious. He had forgotten that when they met, he had been under a mask. Awkwaaard.

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<sub>It was so awkward for Andromeda. Sine was there. Was this... was she married to this other man? He just took a deep breath and adjusted his position to have Dr. Rosin take off the sling and bandage, to look at the wound. He then looked over to Sine and Andy, who were just staring at each other awkwardly. Cepheid spoke up this time and Sine just stared blankly. Wait, she only remembered her being pregnant with The Star Man... was he...?!

"... You're The Star Man?!" She explained.

"I'll leave you two to your discussion. I think you have a lot to catch up on." He spoke up, helping Andy to one of the rooms. Andromeda's eyes snapped over, his eyes conveying panic and fear.

"No, I'm staying with my twin brother." Rosin looked at Sine for a moment, who blinked at Andy. Oh right. Twins. Twin Complex. She'd look at Andy before speaking up.

"Alright. But whatever we discuss Frances and you brother will hear." She walked into the room with the other three and Cepheid, who Frances laid down to take a look at the wound.

"... I'm going to assume Dr. Rosin knows about me. And if he doesn't he might as well know." Andormeda spoke, quietly. Sine flinched but remained steadfast as she pulled out what was needed to drain out the pus and apply disinfectant and medication.

"I do, yes. I am married to her, you know." He looked up, almost apologetically to Andy. The brunette haired man was completely silent at this.</sub>

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"Hehehe, yep." Cepheid chuckled, loosing his senses more and more as time passed. He was burning up and it was making his brain cook a little.

He never noticed that he was moved, though he was aware that he heard Andy demand that he be allowed to stay nearby. Awww, Andy! "I knew you cared.~" He said with a smile and a laugh.

As his wound was being seen too, he suddenly became aware of how much it hurt and couldn't restrained a painful wail, though to his credit, he didn't curse.

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<sub>Andromeda was in a complete awkward silence as he looked at Sine, who more or less focused on Cepheid. Of course her brow arced up when Cepheid was... well he seemed out of it. Andy actually cared? That's a surprise, well... She knew he cared. At least cared for her.

"... Sine, about that baby. Where is he? How old would he be?" Might as well ask, while trying to hide his unhappiness and anger at her being married to someone else. Sine looked at him when he spoke up.

"I had to leave him at a church in eastern Seria. You know I was sixteen...!" She would have continued, but Cepheid cried out and Dr Rosin quickly restrained him and looked behind him.

"Scalpel! Anaesthetic, please!" He'd get a needle and then inject in specific areas of the shoulder to numb it. At least enough to where it wasn't screaming in absolute pain. Then he would insert a tube to drain all the pus out and then restitch the wound, this time professionally and with antibiotics. Andromeda's face stiffened with shock. Did he feel a sting on his shoulder...?

"Surprisingly it's not too bad. The wound should heal better now that it has been properly taken care of. Treat him with antibiotics and make sure he gets plenty of rest." Dr. Rosin spoke up, dressing the wound and cleaning up the mess. And no the tube is out of him now.

"... Good. You were saying, Sine?" He spoke up finally, rubbing his shoulder and inching closer to his brother.

"I moved on, Andromeda." She spoke, quietly. "We can't ever be together, and I'm married and have my own child. If you want to find the child, you can do it on your own..."

Andromeda could barely hide the repressed anger that he had for Dr. Rosin but... he knew he had to do whatever made Sine happy. He calmed down and took a deep breath.

"And you didn't think about picking the child up again, giving him a normal life with you when you got older...?" There was a tinge of anger in his voice, but he seemed controlled for now.

"I'm sorry. But if you do need help, Frances and I will take care of anything medically." With that, Andromeda went silent. Is that it? She tells him he dumped his consented child and married another guy, all while he spend his entire life trying to find her and his twin brother? ... This happens? It felt unfair.</sub>

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He was oblivious to it at first, but once the doc had started fussing with it, his entire arm had exploded into pain. He felt himself restrained, and he could stop his eyes from tearing up from the pain.

Thankfully, Rosin had applied some kind of pain killer, so he quickly stilled, though he was still breathing heavily, and his fever was still raging. He'd wince and let out small whimpers as the wound was cleaned and stitched, though it was no where near as painful as before. He could bear it, though at that moment he wanted nothing more than to have some kind of comfort.

Between the anesthetic, the lingering pain, and the fever, Cepheid was very out of it; still, when Andy had gotten close enough, he reached his good arm out and grabbed a hold of whatever he could, an arm, shirtsleeve, pant leg, whatever. He wasn't completely aware of the conversation around him, but he did feel that his twin was immensely upset. It was hard to say what the action was meant for. A request for comfort due to his physical pain, or an out stretched hand to his twin, who was hurting inside?

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<sub>With his brother out of it, he had no idea what to do or feel. It was so easy, lock the door, stab both of them... or kidnap Sine. Do something nasty to both of them. It welled up inside of him like a huge volcano about to explode. His teeth gritted and he was just... it was too hard.

"No. I don't want to see you again. Not after what you did..." His voice was dangerously calm. He was practically twitching in anger. Sine stepped back, scared that he was going to explode, kill her husband, do something incredibly stupid...

"It's the way fate works." Dr. Rosin spoke up, backing up to the door. Andromeda was so close to taking that man's neck and snapping it.

But then something grabbed his sleeve and the volcano in his mind shut off. He snapped his head over to Cepheid, the man whose life was saved by Dr. Rosin, and Sine. ... If Sine hadn't met that man, Andy wouldn't have met her, or maybe Ceph would have died.

It was an oddly positive and optimistic feeling he had over the anger and jealousy that raged his mind. He grabbed his twin brother's hand, before he reached into his pocket and then tossed them a load of coins.

"Payment. Extra for some medication. I need fever reducer and cold remedies for my girls. Also allergy medicine." His voice shook a bit. Dr. Rosin took the hint and then grabbed the payment, adjusting his glasses. "Please leave me and my twin brother in peace."

Rosin left, but Sine stayed, hesitating a moment. She walked over to Andy and turned him around to face her, her eyes sad.

"... I know what you are capable of and what you would have done, and I'm proud of you. Just remember one thing." She then leaned in to kiss him. "I still love you, but we have different paths now." She then turned around to leave them in the room, picking the medication that he'd need. Andy looked absolutely dumbfounded.

"Find my other son, please." She murmured, leaving the bag with him. As soon as she shut the door, Andy kneeled next to Cepheid's bed and he just rested his chin on it, looking absolutely exhausted.</sub>