I will be waiting, time after time

[logdates]

It had started off as concern about her garden. Sure, Gobo had been on Perdita's mind when her garden started failing, but mostly it had been her flowers and vegetables she'd worried about. But time went on, the source of the problem was revealed - a breakdown of the city's pipe infrastructure that resulted in lead in the water supply - and weeks passed without hearing from or seeing her little friend.

She was checking the mailbox - knowing it would likely be a fruitless search - once again, her cellphone held in place against her ear by her shoulder. "I don't care if the city's working on it, Roberta!" she was snapping. "I- Yes, I'm worried! ...No, I've been boiling water. I'm fine, but that doesn't mean I can't be upset! ...Yeah. Look, I... I'll talk to you later."

Pumpkin circled her owner's feet a few times, whimpering, and Perdita sighed. "I guess I could tell her, girl, but you know Bob. I'm not sure if she'd get it." She flipped through junk mail and a few bills on her way back into her home, but paused on the front steps, glancing around the front lawn.

"You better be okay, you dumb twerp."

Comments

[gobetween]

"Right after I first started feeling bad. I tried some lettuce I'd had on hand. It was a mistake."

If Perdita were to look back she'd see him turn a little green around the gills just at the memory of the moment, and hug the trashcan a bit tighter. But still, he didn't get sick.

[logdates]

Perdita grunted, glancing back for a moment. "I'll be right back."

And soon enough, she was back with a tiny bowl, only half-filled, containing some vegetable broth she'd heated up in the microwave. She crouched back down beside Gobo and made her offering.

"Drink this."

[gobetween]

"I don't want it."

[logdates]

"And I don't care."

[gobetween]

"Alright, then take it and put it back."

[logdates]

"Gobo. I'm three feet taller than you, I can and will force this down your throat."

[gobetween]

He gulped, but for a different reason than his queasy stomach.

"...Fine."

[logdates]

With a smirk - she couldn't help it, okay? - she pushed the bowl across the tile, right up to Gobo.

"Smart move."

[gobetween]

He rolled his eyes and grumbled a little, as he picked up the bowl. He stared at it for a good few seconds then slowly, ooohhhhhh so slowly, sipped at it.

[logdates]

"Is it staying down okay?" she asked hesitantly, watching him.

[gobetween]

He didn't answer, swallowing it down as little a time as he could.

The warning she'll get is a visible shudder going through him, the tail going bolt upright and the poof flaring out. He shoves the bowl toward her, not caring if he threw it or if she caught it or what, so long as it was out of his hands, then grabbed the can as hurriedly as he could, losing what little he'd taken in.

Well. That answers that question.

[logdates]

Perdita recoiled, but honestly, she was too concerned to be particularly grossed out. "I don't like this... I think we better get you to Steven."

[gobetween]

Once he was done with the round of dry heaving that'd followed up that, he sat back with a moan.

"I think we'd better..."

[logdates]

"Come on, you little twerp. I've got you," Perdita sighed, carefully picking Gobo up. "Try to hold onto my arm, okay?"

[gobetween]

"Mmnh, careful..." But he did as she was asked, shutting his eyes at the motion.

[logdates]

"You got it."

This was one of those rare times she really wished her car worked. It was a bit of a walk to the beach... But off she went, periodically glancing down to make sure Gobo was- Well, okay wasn't the right word. Just alive, really.

Eventually, Gobo would hear her footsteps fade away as she walked through the sand, but only briefly. Soon after her shoes were plodding up wooden steps.

"You with me, Gobo?"

[gobetween]

While being carried, he honestly went in and out of consciousness, some of the same sleep from before but not entirely. He was at least aware of motion and of being outside, but not much more than that. The difference in her steps was curious, but it was lost in the sea of sickness he felt himself in.

"Mm-hmm."

[logdates]

"Good." She took a deep breath in, then shouted as she pounded on the door with her free hand. "STEVEN! STEVEN!" Fortunately, the teen was quick to answer the door - and even more fortunate that it was he who answered it. Perdita wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone who wasn't going to be able to help. "Peridot, what's wr- Peridot?" Steven quickly took in her distraught face and the condition of the little creature - he was vaguely aware, Amethyst had a joke about Fraggles she liked to tell, though it went over his head; not important right now anyway - and nodded once. "I'll help him." Perdita took in a shaky breath, the bolster from screaming all gone. "Please," she whispered, holding Gobo out. Steven carefully took him in one hand. He didn't even bother stepping inside just yet, much less inviting Perdita in. "Hey, little guy. I'm Steven. Just relax, okay? I'm going to fix this."

[gobetween]

Gobo had half glanced up when the door was opened, taking in Steven at a look and then slumping down again. When he was moved he nodded somewhat vaguely, but didn't react much more than that. Seemed he might've been lapsing back into the state Perdita had first found him in, which was anything but good...

[logdates]

Steven took a deep breath in as he held his free hand over Gobo, his expression intensely focused on the Fraggle at first, before his gaze shifted to something unseen - or maybe nothing at all. A warm, pink glow emitted from his hand, growing ever stronger and brighter. Perdita didn't like it. Gobo still looked to be on death's door, and after a few solid minutes of working his healing magic, Steven wasn't looking very good at all, himself. Sweat beaded along his browline, and he was starting to squint as if dizzied, or suffering a headache. She made a light, whimpering noise, but Steven just breathed out a quick, faint, "It's okay, Peri."

[gobetween]

If nothing else, it could be said that the color came back to him, what could be seen through his fur anyway. His breathing eased and some of the tension went out of his body, but he didn't stir, still unconscious. Steven's magic was doing something, but it didn't seem to be enough, not to bring Gobo back to his usual level of activity anyway.

[logdates]

Wordlessly, Steven handed Gobo back to Perdita, but just so he could work with both hands. He rubbed his palms against one another, getting the energy readied, and went back to work. Several minutes passed, and Perdita could start to see... Some sign of improvement, but it didn't do much to soothe her nerves. Then, Steven's legs seemed to briefly give out, and he sank down to his knees, panting as the light faded from his hands. "Steven!" "I-I'm okay! I can try some more, I just... Need a second."

[gobetween]

Thankfully for those involved, Gobo finally shifted some. ...It was to curl up a bit tighter with a sucked in breath, but it was movement at least. Then he opened his eyes and looked up and around, then at Perdita. Sighing lightly, he faintly tugged her shirt a bit closer and leaned toward her, closing his eyes again.

"Thanks... just need to rest...."

It was faint and easily missable, but soon after he did indeed seem to fall back asleep, though by an occasional shiver he still wasn't well yet.

[logdates]

That was... A relief, to a degree anyway. Once she had made sure Steven was okay, and helped him get to his feet and into the house, Perdita placed Gobo on a sunny windowsill ledge.

For a long time, she was back to watching him, as she had been the night before. Eventually, though - when he was back to his normal self, more or less - Steven managed to coax her into the kitchen with the offering of a bagel sandwich, and from there on, Perdita found it helpful to move around the Steven and the family's house, doing anything that would keep her mind occupied.

[gobetween]

Gobo didn't seem to change for the rest of the day, despite being checked in on multiple times. At some point he'd been given a blanket and some pillows, where he mostly slept, with intermittent periods of harsher breathing or feverish murmuring. Between periods he could keep a bit of water down, but little more than that.

It wasn't until nightfall and the house quieting well, well down that he finally roused. He remained wrapped in his blankets, feeling utterly miserable, but could sit up a little against his pillows. There he sat, looking up at the open nightsky, in which sat the silvery moon. His eyes slid down to where he could see it reflecting in the ocean, and he sighed softly, tucking his blanket up a bit tighter.