Gary exhaled softly, rubbing the back of Ash's hand before gently pulling away. "Alright, buddy, let's check those eyes next, okay?"

Ash blinked sleepily. "Mmm... why?"

Gary smirked. "Because I said so."

Ash groaned weakly, but he didn't fight it when Gary reached for his face, his gloved fingers carefully tilting Ash's chin upward. He grabbed his penlight and flicked it on, watching as Ash's tired eyes slowly reacted to the brightness.

"Sorry, kiddo," Gary murmured when Ash flinched, his brows scrunching together in discomfort. "I know it's annoying, but you gotta work with me here."

Ash just let out a pathetic whimper, his fingers twitching where they had fallen onto his blanket.

Gary shook his head fondly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're suffering." He moved the light from side to side, watching Ash's sluggish eye movement. His pupils reacted fine, but the way Ash was struggling to even keep them open had him concerned.

"Hurts..." Ash mumbled, his voice hoarse. His eyes fluttered, barely keeping up with the light.

"I know, bud," Gary said gently, brushing a thumb over Ash's cheek before turning the light off. "You're exhausted, huh?"

Ash gave the faintest of nods. "So tired..."

Gary exhaled, reaching up to feel his forehead again—still burning. "Your fever's pretty high, Ashy Boy. No wonder you're so out of it."

Ash's glassy eyes blinked at him slowly. "You're so nice when I'm sick..."

Gary snorted, peeling his gloves off. "Don't get used to it."

But Ash just smiled sleepily, his weak grip fumbling to find Gary's wrist again. Gary sighed and let him hold on, rubbing soft circles into the back of his hand.

"Get some rest, buddy," Gary murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."

Ash hummed in content, his grip loosening as sleep took over.

Gary shook his head. "Hopeless," he muttered—but he still made sure Ash was tucked in snugly before settling in beside him.

Gary sighed, brushing his gloved fingers gently over the back of Ash's hand before pulling away. He hated seeing him like this—wrapped in blankets, shivering slightly despite the sweat covering his face, looking like a feverish mess.

Ash blinked at him slowly, exhaustion weighing heavy on his glassy eyes. "Gary...."

Gary gave him a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah, buddy, I'm still here."

Ash let out a weak hum before his eyes fluttered shut again, his chest rising and falling in slow, uneven breaths.

Gary exhaled through his nose, reaching for his bag again. "Alright, Ashy Boy, I'm gonna check your eyes now."

Ash barely reacted.

Gary rolled his eyes but softened almost immediately after. He knew Ash was miserable—fevers always knocked the younger boy on his back. 

Still, he had to make sure nothing else was going on.

"Hey, buddy," he murmured, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder and giving him a small shake. "Open your eyes for me, yeah?"

Ash groaned in response, scrunching his face up before sluggishly forcing his eyelids open. His pupils were slightly dilated, hazy from the fever.

"Good job," Gary said gently, his thumb rubbing small circles into Ash's shoulder. "Just keep 'em open for a bit longer."

Ash's brows furrowed slightly, but he obeyed, though his head lolled a little to the side.

Gary grabbed his penlight, clicking it on before carefully bringing it up to Ash's right eye. He watched as Ash's pupils reacted sluggishly to the light, his eyes twitching slightly as if even that small amount of brightness was too much.

Ash whimpered weakly, squeezing Gary's wrist again.

"Sorry, bud," Gary murmured, his voice softer now. "Almost done."

He moved the light to Ash's other eye, repeating the process. Same sluggish reaction, same tired, fever-glazed look.

Ash let out a breathy, exhausted whine, blinking rapidly before shutting his eyes again.

Gary clicked the light off immediately, rubbing a comforting hand up and down Ash's arm. "That's it, you're okay," he soothed. "You're alright, buddy."

Ash mumbled something incomprehensible, his fingers still weakly gripping at Gary's wrist.

Gary chuckled under his breath. "You're really out of it, huh?"

Ash cracked his eyes open just enough to glare at him. "M'not," he slurred.

Gary smirked. "Oh yeah? What's two plus two?"

Ash furrowed his brows in concentration. ".... Seven."

Gary barked out a laugh. "Yeah, okay, bud. You need rest."

Ash let out a defeated huff, still clinging onto Gary's wrist like it was the only thing grounding him to reality.

Gary sighed, adjusting the blankets around his best friend and smoothing his damp bangs away from his forehead. He pressed the back of his fingers lightly against Ash's temple, frowning at the heat radiating from his skin.

"Your fever's still too high," Gary murmured. "We need to get that down before you fry your last few brain cells, Ashy Boy."

Ash made a tired, half-hearted attempt to swat at him but missed entirely.

Gary grinned. "Nice try, but you'll have to be faster than that."

Ash grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "I hate you," but the way his fingers tightened around Gary's wrist told an entirely different story.

Gary just shook his head fondly, reaching for a cool washcloth. "Alright, champ, let's get you feeling better."