The World in Flower

53. Recovery

Adam awoke to Tim heavy and warm against his back, morning erection poking his ass. On better days, it would have been tempting to put to use, but today... He cautiously opened his eyes and looked around the room. No ghosts appeared anywhere, or anything else untoward.

Tim stirred, stretching like a cat. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've done about five thousand crunches. Heavy. Bit of a lingering headache. And starving."

"No hallucinations?"

"Not that I know of."

"Good." Tim kissed his shoulder. "I'm glad you're feeling better. Relieved. You had me pretty scared."

"Sorry."

"Not your fault. I'll get you some breakfast."

"I can go down." Adam sat up and gripped on to the bed as the world spun. "Oof."

"Yeah. I felt that. Guess we can add dizzy to your remaining symptoms. How about you stay here?"

"I wanted to go downstairs. I could go down on my butt."

Tim gave him a quizzical look. "Honey, you're recovering from a poisoning and need a couple days of rest. You're just going to be coming straight back up here."

"I just... want to get out of the room for a bit."

Tim cupped Adam's chin and gently lifted it so they were eye to eye. "What's going on?"

"I just... The hallucinations... were really... intense. And I don't want..." Adam gestured helplessly at the window.

"I see." Tim considered him for a moment. "But you're not going to be avoiding our bedroom forever, right?"

"No. I just need to get out of here for a while because I keep seeing things out of the corner of my eye and I'm just..."

"A little spooked. Gotcha. Okay, do you want to wash up first?"

"I'd love a shower, but for now I'll settle for brushing my teeth and washing my face."

"Let me help you up."

***

"Hey, good morning!" Josey greeted them, stepping in from the back deck with pancakes, Harper following along behind proudly carrying the spatula. "Didn't think you'd be coming downstairs."

"He needed a change of scenery," Tim explained. "You sure you want to sit at the table? I could bring your stuff to the couch."

"I just want to sit."

Josey set the platter of pancakes down and pulled out a chair. "Sit down, man. We've got pancakes, eggs, fakon, bread and butter, a couple of leftover berry muffins, milk, chanah tea, and that weird juice that's kind of gloppy."

Adam managed to sit without looking like he was collapsing, then considered the offerings. "No thenbra?"

"Dude! That's what poisoned everyone."

"It was?"

"There were fungal spores in the new batch we got from Hartresh," Tim explained. "I'm not sure whether the poisoning is called nethor or just the fungus, but, yes, it was the thenbra that was contaminated."

"Has anyone contacted folks in Hartresh?"

"Yes. There's an outbreak there, too."

"Dada wam pamcake?" Harper asked, climbing into her booster seat with some help from Josey.

"Sure. I'll have a little of everything." Adam's stomach growled as if confirming his need for a large breakfast.

"The bottom couple are a little messed up," the teen apologized. "I tried to flip them too soon."