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secretobsessionstuff · 8 months

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Alexi Appendicitis

I'm really happy with this! There's so much hurt/comfort. I had blast writing it!

CW: Medical emergency, appendicitis, ruptured appendix, mention of possible death. Do not fear, Alexi is perfectly fine at the end!

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It was unfortunate that Madix and Riley couldn’t join the gang on vacation when they were the ones who suggested the ski lodge in the first place. They’d been to this winter resort before and knew that their friends would absolutely love it. Despite coming down with a nasty flu while they’d been there, Madix still remembered the trip fondly. Hopefully nothing like that would happen this time around for their friends.

Micah and Alexi ended up getting a room across the hall from Dakota and Blair. Dark wood, lush carpets, and dim lighting made the lodge feel cozy and warm. A fire crackled nearly everywhere they went. It was exactly what they expected and exactly what they needed. The four of them were tired from travel. They sluggishly dropped their suitcases off at their rooms before heading down to the dining hall for a late dinner.

Alexi lingered at the doorway, hesitant to follow Micah down to the main floor where the smell of steak and onions wafted up from.

“You coming?” Micah popped his head back into the room where his boyfriend stood rigidly with a hand over his abdomen.

“I’m not that hungry. My stomach still feels off from the drive here.” He wasn’t prone to motion sickness, but the ride must have messed with his insides because a dull ache still nested above his hip bone. It was an odd place for a stomach-ache. On vacation was also an unfortunate place to get a stomach-ache so bad he felt like his intestines were knotted up.

“I bet there’s tea at the dining hall. That might help settle your stomach.” As Micah said this, he realized that a ski lodge would probably have the best selection of warm teas. Chamomile, peppermint, ginger, you name it, they would help with Alexi’s pain. Relaxing with their friends was likely to take his mind of the ache as well. “Please come with me, Lexi. I want to spend all my time with you.”

“You already do that.”

“Ah but not in a hot tub or by the biggest fucking fireplace I’ve ever seen. Come on, we’ll have a good time, I promise.”

Alexi couldn’t resist Micah’s soft eyes. Of course, he followed his boyfriend to the main hall where the most comforting of food was being served. Mashed potatoes, cheesy casseroles, and baby carrots that shone with a brown sugar glaze. Not to mention all the hot chocolate one could ever need. Alexi figured it wouldn’t be long before his boyfriend found the chocolate fondue that spilled over in a fountain. He decided to eat the fresh fruit that went with the fondue but skipped the thick chocolate syrup.

“Yo guys!” Dakota exclaimed when they met at a table. The table was a literal tree trunk that had been sanded, stained, finished with a glossy layer. Dakota set his massive plate down on the wood. “There’s a whole section dedicated to cheese. I love this place!” Blair’s plate was piled high as well. She smiled and shook her head at Dakota while digging in.

The two of them wore plaid sweaters and warm beanies, really embracing the cozy vibes. Alexi didn’t understand how they could wear such heavy clothing without melting. He wore only a short sleeve shirt and was still sweating. From the beneath the table, he dragged his palm over the sore spot in his tummy, feeling feverish and fatigued.

“You’re being very conservative with your food selection, Alexi,” Blair remarked as she eyed his plate of fruit and crackers. “Kota would be more than happy to show you to the cheese table.”

Micah laughed for Alexi and placed a hand on his back. “Lexi’s still feeling a bit bad from the drive here.”

Blair frowned sadly. “It could also be altitude sickness. We’re pretty high up in the mountains.”

Alexi hadn’t thought of that, but it was very likely. He was dizzy, fatigue, and nauseous. He groaned, realizing that the entire trip would be spent above the clouds. He put his head in his hands right there at the table and let out another loud groan. “How do I make it go away?”

“You just have to let your body adjust. You should feel better tomorrow morning.” Blair quickly pulled out a bottle of Tylenol from her purse. “Altitude sickness can mess with your sleep, so you can take these pills to make you drowsy. It’ll also help with the headache.”

Alexi gladly took the medication. He hoped it would start working fast. “Thank you, Blair.”

“Don’t mention it. I just want to crush you all at skiing tomorrow and I can’t do that if you’re sick.”

Dakota laughed. “Honey, we’re supposed to be relaxing on this trip, not turning it into a competition.”

“Winning is relaxing for me.” She beamed at the three of them and smirked. When her eyes landed back on Alexi, the smile faded from her face. He really didn’t look well. His features were twisted in pain, sweat dripped from his temples, and his eyes were lifeless. “Don’t worry, Lex, you’ll be a worthy opponent by the morning.”

“I hope so,” Alexi said, already falling asleep at the table.

It wasn’t long after that before Micah rose from his chair with a hand on Alexi’s neck. “I think it’s time I get this one to bed. Does that sound good, baby?” To which Alexi nodded weakly.

“Blair and I were going to go in the hot tub later. Do you want to join us?” Dakota asked.

“Maybe. I’ll have to see how Alexi feels.”

Micah helped his boyfriend up and together they walked back to the room. He helped Alexi get ready for bed. The sheets were nice and cold when he got under the blankets. “Go with ‘em in the hot tub,” Alexi slurred as he pulled the blankets up around his neck. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Micah leaned over to kiss his boyfriend.

“Yes.” Drowsy and drained, Alexi drifted off to sleep before Micah’s lips even left his forehead.

• • •

It was not quite dawn when Alexi was woken up by a horrible pain in his belly. His partner slept soundly next to him, hair mussed and snoring softly. Oh, how Alexi would have loved to drift off back to sleep for a few more hours, cuddled up next to Micah. He could imagine how Micah would instinctively pull him closer even in his slumber. It would be warm and safe and perfect.

But nope! His stomach wasn’t going to let him do that. It felt like someone was punching him repeatedly in his abs. Each spasm made him tense up and clench every muscle in his body. He rolled out of bed and staggered to the bathroom. The pain made walking hard, so he shuffled along the carpet like an old man, hunched over and mumbling about everything that was wrong in the world.

His breathing was shallow and rapid as he lowered himself to the floor in front of the toilet. When another sharp stab coursed through his abdomen, he lurched forward with a heave. A decent wave of vomit splattered into the water. He gripped the edge of toilet so hard his knuckles blended into the white porcelain. The sick burned the back of his throat and his nose.

He was in the middle of coughing and clearing the phlegm from his throat when the next wave slammed into him. The pain burst from the middle of his belly, filling his guts with what felt like poison. More sick landed in the water below and splashed back up at him as if to say fuck you.

Alexi groaned. If this was altitude sickness, he vowed to never leave lower grounds again. Sweat drenched his back and armpits, yet he shivered on the bathroom floor. He felt his body losing the battle against gravity. Eventually he lay down completely, resting his head on the soft bathmat. He must have been vomiting for over an hour because when he looked at his phone, it read that it was almost six in the morning. How much longer did he want to let Micah sleep before his craving for comfort and human contact became unbearable? Like Dakota said, this trip was supposed to be relaxing. There was nothing relaxing about being woken by your partner who was whining on the floor.

But Alexi let himself whine and groan because it hurt so damn much. He curled into a fetal position and weakly called out Micah’s name. The first attempt was pathetic. He could barely hear his own gravelly voice.

“Micah!” He tried again. That was louder but Micah stayed asleep. Alexi had left the bathroom door open so he could see his boyfriend from where he lay. There was some tossing and turning from in the bed, but the snoring carried on.

Standing was not an option. Alexi didn’t think he’d ever be able to straighten his back again. He had to protect his stomach that had been churning and aching since he’d been rudely awoken by it. So, yelling it was. “Micah! Micah please, hear me.”

Finally, Micah’s groggy voice came through. “Baby?” It took a while for Micah to untangle himself from the blankets, orientate himself, and raise his head enough to see that he was alone in the bed. “Lexi?” Micah looked around and eventually noticed his boyfriend lying in the bathroom. He jumped up quicker than Alexi thought possible.

“Oh no, honey,” Micah rasped out as he got to his knees next to his boyfriend. He brushed the sweaty hair from Alexi’s face and clicked his tongue worriedly against the roof of his mouth. “You’re not doing so well, are you?”

Alexi shook his head. “I can’t stop throwing up.” He wanted to cry. “Blair said I’d feel better in the morning.”

“She lied to you so there’d be one less person to beat.” Micah smirked when Alexi didn’t. “I’m kidding. I don’t think it’s altitude sickness.” Micah felt every inch of Alexi’s face. His forehead, his cheek, his chin, everything was flushed and alive with heat. “You’ve definitely got a fever. It’s probably a stomach bug, babe.”

Micah hugged Alexi to his chest when the poor boy moaned miserably. They sat on the floor together until the early morning came and went. Alexi vomited on and off until the sun came up. He suffered in pain while the rest of the resort started to wake up. The smell of pancakes and coffee taunted him.

By 9 o’clock, Alexi still didn’t trust himself to stand. His stomach gurgled and churned relentlessly. Coincidentally. Micah’s stomach also started making noise.

“You’re hungry. You need breakfast,” Alexi said. His lips were dry and cracked, and his voice was shot.

“I could use some coffee.” Micah yawned.

“I bet Dakota and Blair are wondering where we are.”

“I’ll text them.” Before Micah could text their friends, a knock came at the door. The two of them looked at each other knowingly. Micah got to his feet. “Can I let them in?”

“Yeah whatever.”

As expected, Dakota and Blair were just as sympathetic and apologetic as Micah when he explained what was going on.

“Shit, man. I’m sorry,” Dakota said as he sat on the unmade bed. Blair chose to pace worriedly. “At least you’ve got the coziest place to recover in.”

Blair continued to walk back and forth in the middle of the conversation.

“I feel really bad,” Alexi said softly. “I never wanted to stress anybody out. I’ll be fine.” Even as he said this, Alexi felt a shooting pain in his belly. He tried to keep his expression neutral as sweat appeared on his forehead. Only Blair seemed to notice the change.

“Don’t be,” Dakota said. “These things happen, and we just want you to feel better.” Dakota couldn’t stop himself from being distracted from his girlfriend who paced the room. He threw his hands up. “Bee, would you stop pacing. It’s a stomach bug. He’ll be right as rain in less than twenty-four hours.”

“I know. I know. It’s just—I don’t know, I’m worried. That’s all.” Blair plopped herself down on the bed next to Dakota. He took her hand and kissed it, claiming that it cured all anxieties.

That’s when Micah spoke up for the first time in a while. He’d been chewing his thumbnail quietly in the corner. “Baby, I’m worried too. I don’t feel good about leaving you alone when you’ve got a fever.”

Alexi had insisted earlier than the three of them enjoy the day while he stayed in the room. He didn’t want his friends to miss out on skiing just because he had a stomach-ache—the worst stomach-ache he ever had, but he didn’t tell them that. Micah had taken his temperature properly with a thermometer and it had only been mild. That had settled it for Alexi. He would rest and his friends would still get to have fun.

“Micah please, you have to go. I’ll feel worse if I keep you in here with me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, baby. I’m fine.”

“And we’ll only be gone for a few hours,” Dakota added. “We’ll come up and check on you before lunch.”

“That sounds perfect.” Alexi really hoped he’d be able to fall asleep within that time. As much as he wanted his boyfriend to have fun, he wasn’t looking forward to suffering with this pain while alone and conscious. He decided to take more medication that would knock him out and hopefully he’d be right as rain, as Dakota said, when he woke up.

It was six in the evening when Alexi woke up properly. He vaguely remembered seeing his boyfriend around noon when the gang came back in for lunch. He’d been too out of it to say anything. All he knew was that Micah rubbed his back when he had to vomit around the thermometer in his mouth. It took a few tries, but eventually Micah got a good reading. It was still a mild fever.

The pain in his side stayed at a constant 7. It was bad enough that Alexi saw black spots in his vision, but not bad enough that he suspected anything worse than a stomach bug. This particular bug must have found a cozy spot in the corner of his digestive tract. It felt like it was snuggled away in a small nook, causing destruction and mayhem in his belly without moving from his side.

This time, Alexi was awake enough to talk with his boyfriend. He relished the cold kiss that Micah left on his forehead. His boyfriend’s face was still pink and raw from the snowburn. The goggles that protected him from the wind had left marks around his eyes. The slopes had left a smile on his lips, but the worrisome state of his partner was melting that grin off.

“Are you still throwing up?” Micah asked as he took the toque off his head. His hair was a mop of tangles and sweat. He scratched his scalp and was beginning to feel the exhaustion from the exciting day.

Alexi nodded sadly, “It’s mostly dry heaves now.”

“How long ago?”

“Two hours maybe.”

Micah rubbed his thumb over his boyfriend’s warm face. They were polar opposites in that moment; one with frostbite biting at his cheeks and the other with a fever burning through his skin. “Come downstairs for tea with us. I think it’ll be good for you to stand up.”

Alexi wasn’t so sure, but he wanted to spend more time with Micah and his friends. He hadn’t thrown up in a while, so perhaps he could try a stroll through the lodge. His stomach hurt a little less anyway.

He got on his knees which was the easy part. Next, the dreaded moment. He needed to uncurl his back and stretch his torso until he stood up straight. As he righted himself with Micah’s help, the pain flooded once again through his belly. Like electricity, the sparks of pain shot through every neural pathway.

He let out a sharp gasp between his clenched teeth. “Ghah! Micah, stop, stop!” He hunched back over.

“I’m sorry, sorry!” Micah hovered his hands over Alexi’s body, afraid to cause any more pain. “We’ll go slow. Take your time.”

Sweat had broken out across Alexi’s skin. It prickled his forehead and nose. His teeth were ready to shatter into a million pieces with the amount of force he was biting down with. Alexi whimpered and remained bent over like a disciple in a worshipful bow. He must have been praying for the pain to leave his body and soul.

His soul was fucking tired of this shit.

Alexi did not move. He couldn’t. The new wave pain had caused his stomach to churn again. A searing heave tore up his throat as bile and saliva dripped from his open mouth. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, letting tears fall onto the floor with the sick.

That is when Alexi began to cry. It hurt so damn much. In that moment, he was sure something was stabbing him. Maybe a bone had snapped off his rib and was piercing his side. Maybe he swallowed a knife, and it was carving its way through his intestines. Whatever it was, he needed it out of his body.

“Micah, help me. I’m scared,” Alexi mumbled as he fell into a fetal position. “It hurts. Take it out.”

“Oh, my baby, I’m right here.” Micah wanted to cry as well. He ran his hands over Alexi’s body. He was burning up. Sweat soaked every inch of his clothes and hair.

“Get it out!” Alexi hissed.

“Get what out?” Micah checked to make sure there was nothing actually stabbing his boyfriend. There was nothing that he could see. He was pretty sure that Alexi was going delirious from the fever. “Baby, there’s nothing.”

“Just help me.”

Micah hadn’t realized that tears streaked down his own cheeks. He wished Dakota and Blair were here to call 911. So, he started to bang on the bathroom wall. He used his fist and called out their names, hoping his friends could hear the noise from across the hall.

It didn’t take long before Dakota and Blair burst into the room. They wore identical looks of shock and worry. Blair nearly slammed into Dakota as she ran up behind him.

“What is going on?” Dakota asked. He took one look at Alexi and knew that this was bad. All three of them knelt on the floor next to Alexi who was barely responsive.

“He’s really sick.” Micah said, his voice shaking. “Call an ambulance.”

Dakota raised his eyebrows. “Micah, we’re on a mountain. How are—”

“Just do it, Kota!”

Dakota jumped back with wide eyes and took his phone out of his pocket as fast as he could. “Okay buddy, I’m doing it. I’m calling.” It was Dakota’s turn to pace around the hotel room, waiting for an operator.

In all the chaos, Blair knew her role. She hugged Micah to her side and remained calm. Her voice was steady and reassuring. “It’s going to be okay. Forget what Dakota said.” She left breathable pauses between her sentences. “They’ll send an air ambulance.”

Micah didn’t take his eyes off Alexi, even as he nodded. “He asked me to get something out of his body.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. He just grabbed his side in pain, vomited, and then said something was stabbing him.”

Blair looked to where Alexi was whimpering on the floor with his hands pressed into his right side. She began to understand. It wasn’t motion sickness, altitude sickness, or the stomach flu.

“This happened to Dakota and me. I’ll bet anything it’s his appendix.” Blair licked her lips in deep thought. “We didn’t get it this bad, but…he’ll be fine.” She hesitated on that last part, knowing this had gone further than what she or Dakota had experienced. The full truth was that she didn’t know if Alexi would be fine, not if his appendix had ruptured like she suspected, but she wasn’t about to tell Micah that.

They could hear Dakota talking on the phone with the dispatcher. He sounded stressed as he tried to explain that they were at a ski lodge. Micah forced himself to tune out that conversation; it was too panic inducing. He decided that what he needed was to keep holding onto Blair. Her arms were strong and still, wrapped around his shoulder. He stayed in her embrace until things got better.

And things did get better.

The lodge staff came to help. They moved Alexi to a place where the air ambulance crew could get to him better. Micah was numb as he got into the helicopter. He had never been on a helicopter before and was unlikely to remember this ride.

Blair became a guardian angel for both Micah and Dakota. Dakota didn’t like planes to begin with, so his face was chalk white as he got into the helicopter. She sat in the middle of the two boys and reassured them that everything was okay.

As Blair predicted, the ski lodge incident would turn into a scary and exciting story that they told Madix and Riley, because everything did turn out okay.

It was truly scary for a moment there, because Alexi’s appendix had indeed ruptured. Poison had been rushing through his body and would have killed him if they delayed calling an ambulance any longer. Micah nearly vomited on the doctor when he heard that news.

Alexi slept peacefully in the hospital while Micah, Dakota, and Blair loomed around his bed. They whispered but there was no need as the boy was passed out good.

“So,” Dakota started, looking around at their group. “Three down, one to go.”

Blair smacked him on the arm. “Why would you say that!” She turned to Micah. “Only like 7 percent of people get appendicitis.”

“Then I think we’re cursed,” Dakota added. “It’s like someone wants to make us suffer.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Blair laughed, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that the odds were not in their favour. Maybe Dakota was right.

Micah swallowed hard. “Can I get a voluntary appendectomy?”