Gotta Get Rest
“Heeey
Heeeeeey Basil”
A voice under layers of consciousness made its way to the surface
“HEEEY Baaas. Oh my god what is wrong with you.”
Thym? Wh?
Basil opened his eyes and suddenly with a start jolted fully awake, and into an apprentice who'd been leaning over him. With a crack Basil's head collided with Thym's chin. “Fuuuck Bas” They both held their heads separately, the room spun and eventually slowed, Thym with a bit of a slur “Awh tha'll teath me to wake ou e’er a’ain. Geesh”
Basil winced, “I don't know if I should apologize or thank you, but ah. It looks like I accidentally traded some sleep for a head injury. What is your chin made of? Cus it's harder than bone that's for sure”
“Ah didn't you know I alchemically replaced all my bones with diamond? Thought I told you. Anyways. Uh- actually came to check on ya for a reason. Your appointment with-”
“Cardamom!” Basil sat up coming to the conclusion quickly. He'd overslept.
Damnit. Sleeping was such a nuisance. He'd stay awake forever if it wasn't a necessary for upkeeping one's sanity. Checking a small desk clock Basil turned a shade whiter. “Oh I've never been THIS late. Oh no” Basil hurriedly gathered a stack of papers that he'd been desperately working on late into the night. A project proposition due for this very meeting. Basil bit his lip while thumbing through some of the sheets, checking to make sure the few most important pages were in fact there. Thym leaned on a wall, watching Basil with a half amused air. “I guarantee you I've been later…. Are you gonna idunno .. go to your meeting anytime soon?” Basil stuffed the papers in a messenger bag and “Oh so sorry for taking a minute to make sure I'm not a COMPLETE mess. Hah it won't matter if I take 5 minutes to make sure of that at this point.” Basil slipped the shoulder bag over his head and began to head for the door “meet you after?” he half asked. Thym popped up and intercepted him in a smooth motion- “Wait wait wait.” Thym came close with a scrutinizing look. “Lean down for me tall boy”. Basil frowned, suspicious, but knew he would not make it out of this room if a certain redhead got a reason to be stubborn about it. He leaned his face down lower to Thym who licked their palm. Thym smiled and Basil looked on with mild disgust. Thym reached for Basil's forehead and he closed his eyes, resigned to whatever saliva based fate Thym had decided for him. “Shit” Thym muttered, Basil felt Thym’s hand rub his hairline gently, it stung and sent a fresh pain through his head, as well as a pang of nausea. “We got each other good. Well. I got you good. Don't see me bleeding everywhere.” Basil opened his eyes to see Thym pull their slightly bloodied hand away and step to the side. They motioned Basil forward “I actually have no idea what an official meeting with Cardamom is like- I was lying before and I admit I don't want you in trouble but Okay- NOW you don't look a complete mess. Off you go! Get!” Basil shook his head with a smile, and ruffled the hair of Thym as he passed by. He left with a quick “Thank you” before quickening his pace and jogging for his missed engagement.
He'd scheduled weeks ago to coincide a biannual guiding star evaluation with his pitch for a new project. Basil had always attempted to plan for Arcturus engagements with plenty of notice. Spontaneity wasn't quite his style. Basil kept the jog for a moment but it only took that long for Basil to dizzy. Hoping for the world to stabilize he stopped in his tracks. Not great. Definitely a mild concussion. Gotta steer clear of that diamond jaw next time. Maybe just don't sleep here at all? After a moment and Basil's vision normalized, he sighed and continued slower down a hallway, into an Arcturus common room. It was brightly with natural sunlight streaming in and he winced as another spike of pain greeted him.
Should probably have a quick check-in with the medical wing. Ah no- can't do that. Can't. oh
Basil found his way to a spiral of stairs. Taking a preparatory breath Basil grabbed the rail tight and slowly scaled downward, trying to not rush for safety sake. Falling and breaking something was not going to make it easy to avoid some medical scrutiny. After a grueling journey down one of the shorter stairways at Orion keep, Basil took a moment to collect their thoughts, noticing they were having a bit more trouble than was typical. If I can retain focus through this brain fog, stay focused on the task , I'll be there in under 10 minutes.
Basil stood in front of the doorway to Orion’s outdoor campus and remembered to prepare for the bright light. Holding an arm up to block the light out of his eyes, Basil stepped out. His feet felt heavy as he set off in the direction of the main building of Orion, where Cardamom would be waiting in her office… hopefully. Basil kept his arm to block the sun and passed by a couple of scientists on their way to the library. Both of them caught his eye and they lingered on him, looking concerned before Basil passed by thinking, oh please If another person interrupts I don't think I'll make it before Cardamom leaves. Just don't make eye contact and maybe no one will stop me to talk. Tired of making excuses to get where I need to and do what I need.
Another person passed and they made a small greeting “Basil? You alright?” Basil strained a smile and didn't slow their walk “Yes just got somewhere to be. Sorry” He moved on without hearing a response. So close. It's fine just keep from distraction.
Basil neared the entrance to a beautifully designed building, a group of guild members discussing something amongst themselves. One of them, Rosemary, caught sight of Basil almost immediately and seemed to take an interest in him. No no No, Anyone else. Basil switched arms blocking his view of Rosemary now and picked up pace towards the entrance. Maybe if he outpaced her, he'd avoid some questioning about being late or what he'd been working so late on or some other thing Basil really didn't want to discuss with her.
He reached the door and pushed through. He struggled to orient in the new room. He typically didn’t take issue with his sense of direction but he was struggling now. He shook his head again trying to clear it, it's not that hard, just go. he chided himself, walking a path that felt somewhat right. He found himself knocking on a door, and a voice welcomed him. Basil opened the door and began profusely apologizing half stumbling in “I'm so sorry to keep you expecting- I am not happy to admit I fell asleep preparing some materials and and, I well”
The tall figure, seated at her desk stood, she didn't look particularly angry upon seeing him which was a good sign, Basil thought. She began to speak, “Basil, you are-” Another knock sounded at the door at this moment and Basil awkwardly turned as it opened.
Rosemary entered, looking bewildered at Basil. “Sorry for interrupting, Cardamom, Basil”, she began moving closer and looking Basil up and down with an inspecting gaze “Basil- are you- are you alright? You seemed really out of it. You ah, weren't exactly walking straight and I know you. You were drawing quite a lot of attention, swaying like that. And-” she squinted “Is that? Basil you're bleeding!”
Basil put his hand up to his forehead, trying to form the words to explain. He brought his hand down, no blood. A confusion came and things seemed to shift. A drop of blood fell from Basil’s nose and onto his shirt. “What happened?” said a voice indistinguishable from either Cardamom or Rosemary. Basil turned his head to try to pinpoint the voice. The turn multiplied and the whole world seemed to spin as Basil went down and two blurred shapes flew toward him.
Basil's only thought before fading into unconsciousness was That's it. I'm never sleeping again.
~~~~~~~
“Hello- Basil. Basil!”
“Please don't” he said and thought. “I don't want to hurt you.”
A panicked Rosemary sat with Basil's head positioned in her lap.
“Basil you've passed out- what- what are you talking about” she frowned and Cardamom, kneeling beside her and put a hand on Rosemary’s shoulder.
Basil spoke out again, eyes shut tight and brow furrowed “I can't hurt you, I won't. You don't deserve that. I couldn't return to that.”
Cardamom reached for Basil's hand and squeezed it comfortingly “Shhh Basil, you don't have to worry. We're here for you. You're always going to have a place here.” Rosemary looked to Cardamom with a seeking expression but then turned to Basil and followed her old mentors example- grabbing his left hand in her own. “It's okay Basil. You won't hurt anything. I know it. I trust you, when you are ready, I know you won't hurt me.”
Basil didn't respond. Rosemary held Basil and shot Cardamom another panicked glance “We should get some help, I think Valerian was right outside. And what about Thym? Maybe they know what's wrong?” Cardamom stood, taking pause looking down at Basil and Rosemary with slightly veiled reservation, “I'll see to it.” Cardamom left and Rosemary held Basil, unsure of how to really help now. She made a point to still hold his hand. All at once it tightened its grip on hers.
Basil stirred, groaning and straining to sit up. “Basil you fainted, something is wrong” Rosemary said, holding onto him, placing a hand on his chest to discourage his movement. Realization dawned on Basil and he looked as if in danger, tensing noticeably. He reached for Rosemary’s hand and pushed it off of him. He swung upward and away from Rosemary, learning back against the side of Cardamom’s desk, breathing noticeably panicked. He seemed scared more than hurt, Rosemary noticed. She pulled her hands back close to her, and gave Basil a little more space.
Basil stared downward at his feet, silent, still shaken. Rosemary watched for a moment and tore her gaze away. She knew she made him uncomfortable, she didn't have any clue why… apart from what he'd just said a few moments ago. Is that why he avoided her so? He didn't want to hurt her?
Rosemary took a breath and repeated with as calm a voice as she could manage “I trust you. I know that- you don't have to worry.” Basil looked up, and confusion replacing the sudden onset of irrational fear.
The door opened again without warning. Thym burst in first, and they quickly jumped to Basil's side, Cardamom followed Valerian in and she shut the door.
“Bas, You're pitiful,” Thym insulted “I shoulda hooked YOU up with a diamond skull instead” Basil smiled meekly and Valerian knelt “Thym said you hit your head pretty hard. They heard from some concerned guild members you were acting off and came right away. Sounds and looks like you've got a bad concussion. May I?” Basil nodded ever so slightly and Valerian checked Basil's head, took note of his pulse and checked Basil's pupillary response, “You've got a lot of friends to keep an eye on you though, so I'm sure you'll be fine after some rest.”
Basil squirmed uncomfortably, there were so many eyes on him right at this moment. At the mention of rest Thym smirked and put arm around him “Gonna get you TO REST! Wow.”
Basil laughed under his breath. “And I thought I'd had enough.”