* cough cough!*

May tried to stiffly her loud coughs, but she just coughed some more.

She could hear worried murmers from outside and groaned. Her coughs were so loud everyone could hear them, even outside the room!

She sighed and opened her locket to see her and her knight with green hair.

He was probably out, training.

And there was NO WAY he could hear them from outside.

Then she heard shrieks and laughter. Wow. Some really famous person musta arrived.

Too bad she didn't have the energy to do anything.

The front doorknob turned, and a green haired boy with green eyes and wearing a black shirt with a purple shirt sleeve jacket on top, light blue jeans and black dress shoes. He leaned on the door, slightly panting before looking at May, who was sweating and all red. " Are you okay?"

May managed a smile. " Yeah."

Drew felt her forehead. " You've got a cold. A really bad one, too."

" How'd you hear me from outside?" May asked

Drew gave her a pointed look. " Everyone can. I was in the middle of battling when I heard your coughing."

May blushed slightly. " Y... You can go back to your match. I can manage."

Drew reached into his bag and took a syringe out, filling it with red cough reliever. " Nope." He said as he knelt down next to the bed. " In fact, everyone in the Pokemon Center can hear you."

May sneezed into her elbow. " Sorry."

Drew shook his head. " Not your fault . Now, here you go. And drink it all up, May."

May grimaced as Drew held out the syringe filled with the red cough syrup. The sight of medicine was never her favorite, and the bitter taste lingered just in her memory. But as she looked up at Drew, his expression was steady, patient, and unrelenting, with a hint of concern glimmering in his eyes. He wasn’t going anywhere until she took it, that much was clear.

Sighing, May reached out a shaky hand to take the syringe, but Drew shook his head, keeping a gentle hold on it. "Uh-uh," he said softly, a faint smirk forming on his face. "I’m giving it to you myself. Just open up."

Reluctantly, she opened her mouth, and Drew carefully administered the syrup, his hand steady as he helped her drink every last drop. The medicine hit her tongue with its usual bitter punch, and she squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing it down with a grimace.

"Eugh, Drew!" she managed, her face scrunching up. "This stuff tastes awful."

Drew chuckled, amused by her reaction. "Yeah, I know. But you’ll feel better, trust me." He reached into his bag again, pulling out a bottle of water and unscrewing the cap. "Here, rinse your mouth."

May took it gratefully, drinking a few sips and swishing the water around before swallowing. The coolness helped wash away some of the bitter taste, though she still made a face. She sighed and flopped back down on her pillow, looking up at Drew. “I can’t believe everyone in the Pokémon Center heard me.”

Drew raised an eyebrow, giving her a playful look. “You were coughing like a trumpet solo in the middle of a library, May. I’m surprised they didn’t start offering free earplugs.”

She glared at him, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward. “Gee, thanks, Mr. Knight in Shining Sarcasm.”

He laughed softly, reaching over to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “Hey, you’re the one who calls me your knight.”

May rolled her eyes, though a faint blush crept into her cheeks. She was too tired to argue, so she simply huddled back under her blankets, feeling a bit of warmth from Drew’s presence next to her.

Drew pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees, watching her with a soft expression. "Look, just rest for a while. I’ll be right here, okay?"

She gave him a small nod, her eyes already starting to droop with exhaustion. "Okay... Thanks, Drew," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Anytime, May," he replied, his voice low and gentle.

As her breathing slowed and softened, Drew sat by her side, watching over her with a quiet resolve, his hand resting near hers, ready to offer comfort if she needed it.

When May woke up, she felt worse than before. Her chest ached as she coughed harder, her throat thick with congestion. Every breath felt heavy, and she was burning up. She tried to sit up, but another coughing fit wracked her body, and she winced, feeling the uncomfortable trickle of mucus down the back of her throat.

As she gasped for air, she heard hurried footsteps coming down the hall. The door swung open, and Drew dashed in, immediately coming to her side. His eyes were wide with concern as he knelt down beside her. "May, look at me," he said gently but firmly, guiding her gaze to his.

One look told him everything he needed to know. Her flushed cheeks, the redness in her eyes, and her labored breaths made it all too clear. "You’ve got post-nasal drip," he said, frowning slightly as he assessed her condition. "It’s when the mucus drains down the back of your throat instead of out your nose, and it’s making you cough harder."

May nodded weakly, trying to swallow through the thick, sticky feeling in her throat. "It’s... so gross," she managed to say, her voice raspy.

Drew offered her a small, sympathetic smile and quickly reached for the tissues and water he’d left nearby. "Here," he said, handing her a tissue. "Blow your nose; it might help relieve some of the pressure."

She took the tissue gratefully, and after a few seconds, she managed to clear some of the congestion. But her throat still felt irritated, and she started coughing again, her body shivering with each harsh breath.

Drew placed a comforting hand on her back, rubbing gentle circles to soothe her. "I’m going to get you something to ease this," he murmured, reaching into his bag again. He pulled out a bottle of saline spray. "This will help thin the mucus and make it easier to breathe."

May blinked up at him, surprised by how prepared he was. "You really think of everything, huh?" she whispered, managing a faint smile.

Drew shrugged, his green eyes warm with care. "Someone’s gotta look out for you, right?" He carefully tilted her head back and sprayed the saline into her nose, giving her a moment to adjust.

She winced at first but then felt the soothing effect of the spray as it began to ease her breathing. Drew handed her the water again, and she took a sip, feeling the cool liquid soothe her throat.

"Better?" he asked, sitting beside her and resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

May nodded, feeling some of the tightness in her chest begin to ease. "A little... Thanks, Drew."

He grinned and squeezed her shoulder gently. "Anytime, May. Just take it easy, okay? I’ll stay here as long as you need me."

Two hours later, May stirred awake, but if anything, she felt worse. Her body felt like lead, and her head was swimming with dizziness. Her lungs burned with every shallow breath, and her throat felt raw, as though scraped with sandpaper. The coughing fits hadn’t stopped; if anything, they were more painful and relentless than before.

As she fought through another wave of coughing, she heard footsteps again, quicker this time. Drew burst into the room, his face full of worry. "May," he said, coming to her side as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Sorry, Drew," May whispered between coughs, her voice barely audible and hoarse. She managed a faint, apologetic smile.

To her surprise, Drew chuckled, brushing her hair gently off her damp forehead. "Actually, thank you," he replied with a wry grin. "If it weren’t for all that coughing, those fan girls outside would’ve dragged me clear out of the city!"

May gave a small, breathless laugh. The sound quickly turned into another cough, but she couldn’t help smiling at Drew’s attempt to lighten the mood.

Drew reached for his bag and pulled out a small medical kit. He dug through it, pulling out a stethoscope, then looked at her softly. "Alright, let’s check those lungs. Just to be sure." He settled onto the bed next to her and slipped the stethoscope into his ears, gently placing the cool metal against her back.

"Deep breath for me, May," he said, his tone soft and reassuring. She tried, but each breath only brought another round of coughing, her face scrunching with the effort.

Drew sighed, frowning as he listened. After a moment, he took off the stethoscope, set it aside, and leaned forward, pulling her into a warm hug. "You’re really not doing well, huh?" he murmured, holding her close, his hands rubbing soothing circles on her back.

May hugged him back, resting her head against his shoulder as she let out a shaky breath. "I feel awful," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

"I know," Drew said softly, his hand brushing over her back. "I’m here, though. We’ll get through this together. I’ll make sure you’re okay." His arms tightened around her, and she felt a wave of comfort wash over her, easing some of the discomfort.

"Thanks, Drew," she mumbled, her words muffled against his shoulder.

"Anytime, May," he replied, giving her an encouraging smile as he held her close. "Just rest. I’m not going anywhere."