It'll Take Your Breath Away
Chapter. 4
When the three wake the next day, the incident is but a distant memory for Meta. It doesn’t cross his as he’s shuffling out of bed, or when he and his brothers bicker who gets to use the washroom first. It’s not until he hears something down the hall does he remember.
Coughing. His mentor is coughing a lot right now.
Memories from yesterday being to flood his thoughts, and panic sets in soon after. Is he okay? Did he go into the attic again? Where’s Teacher Gordon at?!!! Meta dashes out before the others could stop him, and he heads into the kitchen where he spots his mentor and----! ! !.
"T-teacher!!!" Meta calls out.
"Hm?" Bate turns around when he hears his name being called. With a mouthful of tea, Bate quickly gulps it down before greeting the young warrior. "Good morning, gumball. Ready for breakfast? Gordon's just about finished."
"Y-yeah, but..." Meta stands back for a moment to observe him. He's not coughing. He looks perfectly fine, actually. Much better than yesterday. But, just now, he thought......
"A-are you okay?" He asks the elder.
"Yes, I'm doing much better, Gumball." Bate gives a small smile in return. The other two enter on time to catch what he just said, but Meta doesn’t seem convinced.
"I...I just..."
"Seems like I don't have to shuffle you lot out of bed. Good!" Gordon cuts in before Meta could form a proper sentence. Juggling several plates with his specter hands, he motions them into the dining room to eat. "Get it while it's hot! And don't be shy about seconds, I made plenty!"
Everyone begins to make their way into the dining room, except for Bate and Meta. The elder looks down at the little puff who hasn't moved yet. "Do you have something else on your mind, Meta?"
"I...I'm just glad you're okay." Is all Meta could say as he gives the old warrior a small hug.
"Thank you for your concern, Meta." He gently hugs the child with his wings before nudging him to the table with the others. "Now hurry up before it gets cold. I'm pretty sure Gordon added chocolate chips to those waffles, too."
And Meta gasps in awe as he races towards the table with the others. The table is filled with chatter from the children. All of them throwing out ideas how to spend their day today. Many of them still wanting to go to the beach, and some wanting to go shopping instead.
Everything is fine, Meta thinks with a smile as he tells his teacher about going to the candy store today.
"Meta, I just refilled your candy jar this week. That's enough candy for one month."
"B..but it's not like I eat it all on my own. I share them with the others, too!"
"Yeah, one piece..." Arthur mumbles.
"Maybe next time, Gumball. For now, about about you-" And Bate briefly stops mid-sentence as he has a small coughing fit. Gordon slides him his cup of tea not a moment later, and Bate takes several steady sips from it. His coughing eventually subsides, and Bate continues where he left off.
"Maybe wait until the end of the month, okay? Nova knows I can't have you going to the dentist less than a week moving in with us."
Bate continues eating, but he eventually looks up when he feels like he's being watched.
And he’s right.
Bate blinks in confusion when he sees three pairs of eyes boring holes at him. "What's wrong? Why are you all staring at me?"
"Teacher, I though you said you're okay!" Meta clambers on in a panic.
"I am." Bate is taken aback by the tone of his voice.
"Then why were you just coughing right now. If you were fine, you wouldn't be!"
"Meta, it's going to be okay." Gordon calmly hushes the child. "It's really not all that uncommon for Bate to still be coughing, especially after having an asthma attack. It'll go away in a few days."
"The worst is out of the way, trust me." His body racks from another fit of coughs. “Believe me, I’ve sounded worse.”
“Like the time Ramset’s grand firework display went off in your work shed? ” Gordon poorly hides his smirk as he heads to the living room to fetch his inhaler. "You were bed-bound for almost a month."
"D-don’t remind me." Bate winces as he’s trying to surpass a chuckle; his chest still very sore from yesterday. Gordon places a gentle hand on his back once he's by his side.
"Sadly, in your case, tea can't fix everything." He places the device in his hand. "Here."
"I suppose not. Thanks." He puts it in his mouth, and his body finally relaxes as his fit of coughing subsides moments later. Giving a huff of relief, he focuses back to the three.
"Just bear with me until then." A weary smile is shown on his face. . "I know it's not the most...pleasant sound in the world, but give it time and it'll go away."
"Listen to your mentor, boys. I've been hearing it for nearly 40 years, you get used to it." Gordon playfully nudges Bate to lighten the mood.
Nonsurat and Arthur relax a bit and give an understanding nod. The youngest, however....
Well, he was going to need a lot more convincing.
Coughing. His mentor is coughing a lot right now.
Memories from yesterday being to flood his thoughts, and panic sets in soon after. Is he okay? Did he go into the attic again? Where’s Teacher Gordon at?!!! Meta dashes out before the others could stop him, and he heads into the kitchen where he spots his mentor and----! ! !.
"T-teacher!!!" Meta calls out.
"Hm?" Bate turns around when he hears his name being called. With a mouthful of tea, Bate quickly gulps it down before greeting the young warrior. "Good morning, gumball. Ready for breakfast? Gordon's just about finished."
"Y-yeah, but..." Meta stands back for a moment to observe him. He's not coughing. He looks perfectly fine, actually. Much better than yesterday. But, just now, he thought......
"A-are you okay?" He asks the elder.
"Yes, I'm doing much better, Gumball." Bate gives a small smile in return. The other two enter on time to catch what he just said, but Meta doesn’t seem convinced.
"I...I just..."
"Seems like I don't have to shuffle you lot out of bed. Good!" Gordon cuts in before Meta could form a proper sentence. Juggling several plates with his specter hands, he motions them into the dining room to eat. "Get it while it's hot! And don't be shy about seconds, I made plenty!"
Everyone begins to make their way into the dining room, except for Bate and Meta. The elder looks down at the little puff who hasn't moved yet. "Do you have something else on your mind, Meta?"
"I...I'm just glad you're okay." Is all Meta could say as he gives the old warrior a small hug.
"Thank you for your concern, Meta." He gently hugs the child with his wings before nudging him to the table with the others. "Now hurry up before it gets cold. I'm pretty sure Gordon added chocolate chips to those waffles, too."
And Meta gasps in awe as he races towards the table with the others. The table is filled with chatter from the children. All of them throwing out ideas how to spend their day today. Many of them still wanting to go to the beach, and some wanting to go shopping instead.
Everything is fine, Meta thinks with a smile as he tells his teacher about going to the candy store today.
"Meta, I just refilled your candy jar this week. That's enough candy for one month."
"B..but it's not like I eat it all on my own. I share them with the others, too!"
"Yeah, one piece..." Arthur mumbles.
"Maybe next time, Gumball. For now, about about you-" And Bate briefly stops mid-sentence as he has a small coughing fit. Gordon slides him his cup of tea not a moment later, and Bate takes several steady sips from it. His coughing eventually subsides, and Bate continues where he left off.
"Maybe wait until the end of the month, okay? Nova knows I can't have you going to the dentist less than a week moving in with us."
Bate continues eating, but he eventually looks up when he feels like he's being watched.
And he’s right.
Bate blinks in confusion when he sees three pairs of eyes boring holes at him. "What's wrong? Why are you all staring at me?"
"Teacher, I though you said you're okay!" Meta clambers on in a panic.
"I am." Bate is taken aback by the tone of his voice.
"Then why were you just coughing right now. If you were fine, you wouldn't be!"
"Meta, it's going to be okay." Gordon calmly hushes the child. "It's really not all that uncommon for Bate to still be coughing, especially after having an asthma attack. It'll go away in a few days."
"The worst is out of the way, trust me." His body racks from another fit of coughs. “Believe me, I’ve sounded worse.”
“Like the time Ramset’s grand firework display went off in your work shed? ” Gordon poorly hides his smirk as he heads to the living room to fetch his inhaler. "You were bed-bound for almost a month."
"D-don’t remind me." Bate winces as he’s trying to surpass a chuckle; his chest still very sore from yesterday. Gordon places a gentle hand on his back once he's by his side.
"Sadly, in your case, tea can't fix everything." He places the device in his hand. "Here."
"I suppose not. Thanks." He puts it in his mouth, and his body finally relaxes as his fit of coughing subsides moments later. Giving a huff of relief, he focuses back to the three.
"Just bear with me until then." A weary smile is shown on his face. . "I know it's not the most...pleasant sound in the world, but give it time and it'll go away."
"Listen to your mentor, boys. I've been hearing it for nearly 40 years, you get used to it." Gordon playfully nudges Bate to lighten the mood.
Nonsurat and Arthur relax a bit and give an understanding nod. The youngest, however....
Well, he was going to need a lot more convincing.
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Artist Comment:
Date: N/A
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Date: N/A
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Species © Nintendo/ HAL Laboratory
Interpreted characters created from said species © Rhylem
Interpreted characters created from said species © Rhylem