Kalim awoke in cold sweat breathing heavily, it felt like his lungs were on fire. He coughed hard thereafter mixed with a rapid breathing. He was shaking and it felt like all his strength was drained.
"Kalim! Are you ok?" Kalim hears a voice calling.
"Kalim breath!" Jamil worriedly said.
Kalim slowly steadies his breathing while Jamil gently pats his back. It took for another two minutes for Kalim to fully calm down. Then Kalim unconsciously latched onto Jamil, the viper then let the sultan rest on his chest.
Another few moments pass between them.
"Kalim...are you..."
"I-I'm- I'm fine.... Just stressed." Kalim furrowed his eyebrows.
Jamil then checked his temperature by hand. He was still hot and very sick, he still coughed and he was out of breath. Kalim was extremely sick, it made Jamil worry.
Grabbing the bowl of soup he made he lifted the spoon and soon the spoon was filled, he directed the spoon to Kalim's mouth.
Kalim raised a brow, "Uh... what are you doing Jamil?"
"Feeding you."
Kalim bolted and flushed, " I- I can do that myself!"
"Yeah but you look like you can't even hold a pen properly right now. Now say 'ah'." Jamil held the spoon and Kalim sighed in defeat, he opened his mouth letting the soup into his mouth.
As Jamil fed Kalim, the sultan couldn't help but smile in the nostalgic atmosphere. The soup took him back to when they were at Scarabia, after an intense training Jamil would make soup for the dorm that replenished their energy. He remembers the smell of spices of the dorm, the comforting atmosphere of the dorm they had once resided in.
Once Kalim had finished the soup, he lied down. Though he quickly got up again.
"SHIT! THE BUSINESS MEETING!" With the sudden burst, he quickly left his bed and scurried to his closet.
"Kalim calm down, can't you cancel it? You're sick!" Jamil argued.
"Can't Jamil! This is gonna decide the path of the business for the rest of the year! We're also gonna have collaborations with other companies so it's very important that I'm there!" Kalim retaliated as he grabbed a suit neatly hanging in his closet.
Jamil sighs, he knows he can't convince Kalim otherwise, "Ok fine at least drink your medicine before you go-"
Kalim had already entered the bathroom before Jamil could even finish. He was seeing a completely new side of Kalim, usually he'd laugh it off if he was late for a dorm meeting or he had to remind him. He now sees a more responsible and sensible Kalim. Though he's still stubborn as ever...He should know when to take a break.
Jamil chuckled at the thought, it was as if they had been completely swapped places. Eight years ago he would be the one scurrying place to place and never knowing how to take a break and Kalim would be the carefree one. Now it was Jamil that had all the time in the world and Kalim was always busy. How ironic it was. It was Kalim that had to push Jamil to take a break, now it was Jamil trying to push Kalim to rest.
Jamil sighed once more. He felt bad for the sultan, always moving and never stopping.
While Jamil was deep in thought Kalim had come out of the bathroom. He wore white turban paired with a white suit and a white polo undershirt and trousers with a gold tint design, he grabbed a gold watch that matched his outfit and put on some perfume, he grabbed two ties, one black and one cyan and presented it to Jamil.
"Jamil, which one should I take?" He asked.
"You've gotten better at coordinating your outfits I see, but black." Jamil answered.
"Thanks Jamil!"
Kalim then hurriedly put on his tie and started to place his paper works into his suitcase. If he was being honest Kalim felt like lying in his bed all day, but he can't because he has to work. Kalim sighed but then heard a knock on his door.
"Who is it?" Kalim asked.
A small figure then had been revealed, Amir timidly opened the door clearly struggling to reach the doorknob.
"Ah.. Amir! What's wrong?" Kalim quickly kneeled down to reach in for a hug.
Amir quickly fled to his father's arms, "I heard you were sick Papa! No work today!" Amir pouted.
Oh no...
"Amir..Papa has to work." Kalim patted the boy's head.
"No! You're barely even home anymore! You stay!" Amir angrily shouted.
Kalim gulped feeling the headache start again. "Amir... I have to work or else I..." Kalim then remembers his dream.
"I'll fail both the family and Silk City... and I'm doing this to protect you ok?" Kalim tried to comfort his son. Despite his best efforts there were areas of being a parent he couldn't fulfill as he was also the Sultan.
"I don't think it's in the job description of a Sultan to work when they're sick." Jamil interrupted
Kalim fell silent. He wasn't exactly sure either why he was working so hard. Maybe he was just conditioned that way.
"I know... I promise it'll be quick! Then I'll be back at home Kay?" Kalim then kisses his son's forehead. "I'll go to work now ok, oh- and Jamil there's another car in the garage the keys are with Nana if you need to go home just use that."
"Ok goodbye see you later Amir! Love you!" And with that Kalim disappeared.
"How stubborn..." Jamil sighed, he saw how distressed the kid had been. Maybe it was a desperate attempt for him to stay.
Jamil kneeled to Amir's height, "Hey, you alright?"
Amir sniffed quickly, "He needs to rest.. I...I don't wanna lose dad too.." tears formed into the toddler's eyes.
Soon the tears fell and the toddler sobbed. Jamil felt like he heart was stomped on aggressively. Maybe it was the child's connection to Kalim, but Jamil desperately wanted to make the child feel better.
Jamil grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears from the boy's face. "Hey I have an idea... wanna follow your dad to work?"
With those words, Amir's tears stopped falling.
____________
"Uncle Jamil?"
"Yes Amir?"
"How do you know where Dad works?"
Jamil often went with Kalim to his dad's business meetings, he definitely thought the location may have changed. He had a feeling they were gonna go to the old company building, one where his father ruled.
"Experience." He answered Amir.
___________
Kalim could barely focus in this meeting, all he hears are mumbles words and all he sees are blurry figures.
"Kalim-san are you alright?" A certain blue-haired mer asked.
"Ah, Azul... yes I'm alright." Kalim lied.
"You don't look like it." Azul said.
"No, no I'm alright really... just stressed." Kalim breathed out once more, he just had to finish this, give out his opinions here and there and possibly sign some documents from partners.
He could feel his consciousness slipping, he bit his lip to stay focused. To the whole room Kalim's health didn't go unnoticed.
"Sir Kalim, are you alright?"
"Yes.. yes please continue in the presentation..." Kalim weakly answered.
Kalim tried to take down notes as much as he could but his strength wouldn't let him. He was trying to survive this till the end. He thought that maybe Jamil was right, he could've just canceled the meeting for another time. Then again many of their collaborators showed up today, he couldn't disappoint.
"𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘥 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘮... 𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭 was 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵...!" He mentally cursed.
"Kalim..."
"Kalim..."
"Kalim-san!"
Kalim snapped back, "Y-yes!"
"You don't seem to be in a good shape..." Azul said.
"I-I'm fine! Don't worry! Please continue."
"Again, the trade between the Coral Sea and Silk City should be beneficial for both countries...I'd like your opinion on it, Kalim-san." Azul asked.
Kalim then cleared his throat, "I think it's a good way to build connections, and considering the terrains of both countries it would be beneficial to be able to access products from countries we usually don't do trades with. And since you and I attended the same school and we've already established a connection I'm sure it won't be hard to do the procedures soon."
Azul lifted his glasses,"Magnificent then! I'd like to propose the expansion of the Monstro Lounge in the Scalding Sands ...."
Quite honestly after that everything was a blur to Kalim, his headache was growing worse and his breath hitched each minute. He felt like his whole body was set in fire. He just wanted this meeting to be over as soon as possible.
"Ok seems that was it! Any suggestions or objections?"
The room murmured, no one seems to object nor suggest, and with that, the meeting ends.
Kalim released a breath of relief. He really needed his bed right now, he felt so weak he didn't think he could drive. But he pushed himself and reached the parking lot at least.
"Eh~~ Sea Otter!~~" Floyd called.
"Ah Floyd... is there anything I could help you with..." Kalim gave a weak smile.
"Nothing~~ just wanted to say hi~"
"Floyd you shouldn't disturb Kalim like that, he's more busy than he was before y'know." Jade then appeared behind Floyd.
"Eeeh~~ we barely see him anymore, and he doesn't even attend the reunions we have! And even Sea snake does!" Floyd complained.
Kalim's tired face had a questioning expression, "Jamil attended??"
Azul then appeared behind Kalim, "You would know that if you even bothered to look at the messages we sent Kalim-san."
"Ah!- You scared me Azul ...." Kalim sighs, "But I'm sorry it's just- I was busy with my son and my wife...."
"Well Adult life does change us... anywho Kalim, you don't look so good and you've been spacing out since the meeting." Azul bluntly spoke.
"Ah.. yeah I'm just so stressed and I've been dealing with migraines so.."
"PAPA!" A small voice that Kalim was familiar with called.
___________
"Papa! Are you alright???" The child worriedly asked.
A dark-haired, red-eyed child ran across to him and tackled him, but due to Kalim being currently weak they just fell to the ground.
"Amir, don't tackle your dad like that, you know he's sick." Jamil spoke with a deadpan face.
"Ah! Jamil! It's been quite a long time." Azul rejoiced.
"Oh shut up fu- fish face," Jamil almost cursed but remembering there was a child present he held himself back.
"My, my, how interesting. Why might you be here?" Azul mischievously asked.
Jamil clicked his tongue,"Ugh.. Amir wanted to make sure his dad was alright... he's been crying alot." Jamil then helped Kalim and Amir stand. " I thought I might bring him to his dad to make sure he's not lying on the floor, passed out." Jamil teased.
"Ehh~~ Sea snake~~ long time no see~"
"Ugh, Floyd... so the two of you are still with Azul." Jamil rolled his eyes. Whenever he's in the same vicinity as these three he's just ready to throw any kind of shade, he's not quite sure why he hates them, maybe it's what they call, "hate for one's own kind".
"Hehe~~ that looks about the same for you Sea Snake~ You're still with Sea Otter~" Floyd gave his classic grin.
Jamil rolled his eyes again, "I'm not working for him, I just happened to come back home and I ran into him." The viper stopped for a second,"And... just stayed the night cuz he was sick."
"Ah I knew it, Kalim don't work too hard." Azul gave a nudge at Kalim's shoulder.
"Well now that the meeting has ended we shall be taking our leave, we have other business to attend to." Azul bid goodbye and the twins followed behind.
Then entered their car and proceeded to drive away. Kalim puffed his cheeks and lightly hit Jamil, "Why are you here!?"
"Well I couldn't leave your son crying." Jamil then pulls something out of his pocket and presents it to Kalim,"You forgot to take your medicine too-"
"Thank the great...sevens...." Kalim fainted. Thanks to Jamil's fast reflexes he quickly caught him.
Everything felt fast, one minute Kalim was standing and another he had fainted. Amir screamed in concern, tears formed in the boy's eyes once again, "PAPA!"
Jamil then quickly carried him and laid him down in the back of the car, "Amir! Get in the car, we're going back!" Amir then hopped inside and Jamil helped him put his seatbelt on. Jamil quickly turned the tears of the car on and started to drive.
The trip was fast and anxiety ruled the air. Kalim was breathing heavily and his temperature was rising high. Amir could only sit in concern and anxiety, while Jamil mainly kept a calm head, inside he was panicking. To him, to see Kalim like this again was triggering. It brought him back when Kalim was targeted through poison. He would be in bed for days- weeks- months even!
Even Jamil struggled to breathe calmly, he kept telling himself that it was fine, they'd gone through this before, he knows what to do, he's memorized what to do by heart and by muscle.
Jamil sped the car but drove carefully, he might be a bundle of anxiety right now but he sure as hell won't put lives at risk just because of it. It just so happens that Nana was cleaning the front yard and she noticed the car that drove by. She opened the gate immediately. She helped little Amir down the car while Jamil carried the sultan in his arms. Nana was frantic, she quickly tried to calm down the young heir and led him to his playroom to clear his head a bit, while Jamil took care of Kalim.
Jamil sprinted to Kalim's room and laid him down on the bed. He first removed his white suit, then he summoned some water and soaked a washcloth beside Kalim. He placed the washcloth on Kalim's forehead, and he then unbuttoned the top part of Kalim's polo.
But by the dear god's timing, Kalim slowly opened his eyes, and once he awoke he was greeted by the viper seemingly undressing him.
"W-w-what are you doing Jamil!!" Kalim shrieked with a hint of embarrassment.
"What am I doing? Taking care of you obviously." Jamil answered.
The words "taking care" was a bit different in Kalim's mind, it was clear from his face covered in deep red. By gods was his mind going places. Jamil was still confused as to what Kalim was insinuating, in his perspective he was only helping the sultan with his fever.
"I-It's just I didn't think of you as a person....who would do 'that' with me...though I don't mind...." Kalim blushed and quite shyly.
'that'?? Jamil was confused. It took a few minutes till it registered in Jamil's mind. When it dawned into to him he released his hands from the sultan and kept quite the distance.
"Oh my gods- KALIM NO! I-I WOULD NEVER! THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE-" Jamil's face was also covered in deep red as he paused for a bit.
"WAIT- WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T MIND????"