Gary shot Rowan a pointed look. "Yeah, real fine," he muttered, adjusting Ash's pillows and placing a hand on his forehead. The heat radiating from Ash's skin made Gary frown.

Rowan sighed, crossing his arms. "You're the doctor here, Gary. What do you think?"

Gary huffed. "Fever, nausea, fatigue, and that cough doesn't sound good. Might be a viral infection." He looked down at Ash, who was shivering slightly despite the sweat glistening on his forehead.

Ash blinked up at him sluggishly. "Gare... I'm really tired."

Gary gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know, Ashy-boy, but I need to check a few more things first, okay?"

Ash let out a small whimper but nodded weakly.

Gary snapped on a pair of gloves, his brows knitted in concern. He pulled his stethoscope forward, pressing the diaphragm against Ash's chest. "Deep breath, bud."

Ash inhaled shakily, only to break into a fit of coughs. Gary frowned as he listened to the rattling sound in his lungs.

That's not good.

Professor Rowan observed silently as Gary moved the stethoscope to Ash's back. "Again, Ash."

Another breath. Another set of wet, crackling noises.

Gary pulled the stethoscope away and sighed. "Congestion in the lungs. Could be bronchitis or pneumonia." He reached for Ash's wrist, feeling his rapid pulse.

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "You sound pretty sure of yourself."

Gary ignored him, instead focusing on Ash's skin, which was slightly clammy.

"Dizzy?" Gary asked.

Ash gave a tiny nod.

"Nauseous still?"

Another weak nod.

Gary's frown deepened. Dehydration too.

He grabbed a thermometer, slipping it under Ash's tongue. After a few seconds, it beeped. 102.4°F.

Gary cursed under his breath. "Alright, Ash, here's the deal. You're sick. Really sick."

Ash groaned. "I told you..."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you were right, whatever." He turned to Rowan. "We need fluids, fever reducers, and I want to monitor his breathing."

Rowan nodded. "I'll have someone bring what you need. In the meantime, I'll let Delia know."

Ash whimpered. "Don't tell Mom..."

Gary smirked, patting his head. "Too late, bud."

Ash groaned dramatically.

Gary sat beside him again, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Just rest, Ashy-boy. I got you."

Ash, too tired to argue, closed his eyes, and Gary kept watch, not planning to leave his best friend's side.Gary shot Rowan a pointed look. "Yeah, real fine," he muttered, adjusting Ash's pillows and placing a hand on his forehead. The heat radiating from Ash's skin made Gary frown.

Rowan sighed, crossing his arms. "You're the doctor here, Gary. What do you think?"

Gary huffed. "Fever, nausea, fatigue, and that cough doesn't sound good. Might be a viral infection." He looked down at Ash, who was shivering slightly despite the sweat glistening on his forehead.

Ash blinked up at him sluggishly. "Gare... I'm really tired."

Gary gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I know, Ashy-boy, but I need to check a few more things first, okay?"

Ash let out a small whimper but nodded weakly.

Gary snapped on a pair of gloves, his brows knitted in concern. He pulled his stethoscope forward, pressing the diaphragm against Ash's chest. "Deep breath, bud."

Ash inhaled shakily, only to break into a fit of coughs. Gary frowned as he listened to the rattling sound in his lungs.

That's not good.

Professor Rowan observed silently as Gary moved the stethoscope to Ash's back. "Again, Ash."

Another breath. Another set of wet, crackling noises.

Gary pulled the stethoscope away and sighed. "Congestion in the lungs. Could be bronchitis or pneumonia." He reached for Ash's wrist, feeling his rapid pulse.

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "You sound pretty sure of yourself."

Gary ignored him, instead focusing on Ash's skin, which was slightly clammy.

"Dizzy?" Gary asked.

Ash gave a tiny nod.

"Nauseous still?"

Another weak nod.

Gary's frown deepened. Dehydration too.

He grabbed a thermometer, slipping it under Ash's tongue. After a few seconds, it beeped. 102.4°F.

Gary cursed under his breath. "Alright, Ash, here's the deal. You're sick. Really sick."

Ash groaned. "I told you..."

Gary rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you were right, whatever." He turned to Rowan. "We need fluids, fever reducers, and I want to monitor his breathing."

Rowan nodded. "I'll have someone bring what you need. In the meantime, I'll let Delia know."

Ash whimpered. "Don't tell Mom..."

Gary smirked, patting his head. "Too late, bud."

Ash groaned dramatically.

Gary sat beside him again, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "Just rest, Ashy-boy. I got you."

Ash, too tired to argue, closed his eyes, and Gary kept watch, not planning to leave his best friend's side.