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Arthur awoke with the familiar feeling of something ripping apart his lungs He coughed and a burning sensation spread throughout his chest. He made his way out of his tent and huddled up on the side, hugging his knees with with face in the crook of his arm, trying to muffle his hacking as well as he could manage. It was a cold December night and the cool air was not helping his lungs. He noticed blood slowly seeping into his sleeve as he gasped for air.
He heard the tent flap open and silently cursed at himself for not being able to keep quiet. He felt a hand lay across his back and flicked his eyes over the Charles who looked worried but not surprised. This scenario had played out many times since Arthur started his awful coughing. Charles rubbed circles on his back as the coughs only seem to become more violent. They wracked through his body and coughed his shoulders to shake profoundly. He felt himself shed a tear as his chest pained him more.
"Try to breathe, it will pass," Charles said, moving Arthur's hair from his face and stroking it soothingly. Arthur wanted to believe that it would pass as well but he knew that one day he would cough and cough until he dropped dead.
He made an effort to force air into his nose and eventually the coughs grew weaker. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself as the coughs subsided. Charles broke away and reached into the tent to grab his canister of water and handed it to Arthur. He took it and gulped it down generously it soothed his chest only shortly but it was a blessing nonetheless.
"I'm sorry," Arthur murmured, his voice barely audible as it was still scratchy.
"For what?" I am fine" Charles replied.
"For waking you and making you listen to my horrible hacking," Arthur replied. He dropped his head back into his arms and sighed.
"Its alright, you don't have to do this alone." Charles grazed Arthur's cheek with his finger and he lifted his head. He took his handkerchief and wiped Arthur's face of the tears and the sweat that had gathered on Arthur's face.
"There you are" Charles smiled as he brushed a hair off Arthur's face. He grinned in response and his cheeks flushed with rose.
Charles gestured to the tent and Arthur nodded, following him into the humble tent. They laid on their makeshift bed of wool blankets and Arthur rested his head on Charles' chest as he drifted into an uninterrupted sleep.