The struggles we face

Part 1-Eczema

A/N - This story very much replicates my personal experience with eczema

Winter was never a great time of year for TK. After he almost died from severe hypothermia, he always struggled with the cold. But it didn't just make him feel ill, his skin was the thing that suffered.
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TK had eczema since he was born, it was always a struggle for him as all the different creams and ointments the pharmacist had would work for all of a couple months, then sting his skin like it was burning.

Carlos learnt about this shortly after they moved in together. He brought all sorts of different cream with him to keep in the bathroom and bedroom. If you looked in his bedside table drawer, you would find a combination of things to help him cope with his eczema, even though most days it was fine.
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TK pulled up the sleeves up on his jumper to see the skin in the crease of his arm, red and dry. He cursed softly under his breath and went to his room to go to his mini pharmacy. He grabbed his ointment and quickly opened it to find there was none left. He groaned and grabbed the cream next to it. He applied it but in no more than a minute, it was off of his skin and he was putting cold water on his skin to try and stop the stinging.

At that moment, Carlos opened the door and heard TK's groans coming from the bathroom. He knocked on the door before coming in.

'TK, are you alright' he asked worriedly
'My eczema flared up again'.                       'Baby, we should get some steroid cream for that'
'No Carlos no I'm not going anywhere near that stuff. It stings so much I hate it don't make me get it'
'Hey we don't have to do anything, I just wanna take care of you'
'I'll be fine, just have to wait for this to stop hurting'
'Is it always this bad?'
'This is mild compared to other flare ups. It's way worse in the summer, my arms go so red and I have to put ointment and cream so many times everyday it sucks. My dad never helped with it either, he was always on to me asking me every second of every day it was so frustrating'
'Can't imagine how hard that must've been'

TK just nodded his head, he liked to keep his eczema on the hidden side, but some days it couldn't be kept a secret.

A few days later

TK felt the backs of his legs under his to be met with dry skin. He sighed and went to get the new ointment out of his bedside drawer. Carlos walked in and saw what TK was doing.

'Is your eczema flaring up again?'
'Unfortunately so, it never seems to go away in the winter, think the cold just aggravates it'
'Hey let me help you.' Carlos said. TK handed him the ointment and pulled down his sweatpants. Carlos rubbed the ointment on his legs, feeling the skin underneath getting softer.
'Thanks' TK said quietly
'I'm always here for you, remember that'

TK nodded and pulled his sweatpants back up. He hugged Carlos and held him close, he didn't want to let go.