#Sicktember 2022

[sicktember]

Welcome to the Sicktember 2022 prompt list!

Sicktember is a month-long, multi-fandom prompt event that is taking place in September! This event focuses on sick characters and their caregivers.

Please refer to our FAQ . If you still have questions or need clarification, feel free to send an ask on this blog, or our personal blogs @yes-i-am-happyaspie and @obsessionoftheday.

We are so excited about this event and hope to have lots of participation! We can’t wait to read what you all create with these prompts!

[Text Version of the Prompts Below the Cut]

30 Prompts!

1. ‘Do You Know How To Take Care of a Sick Person?’

2.  Homesick

3.  Painkillers

4.  Hangover

5.  'Great. Now I Have Your Germs All Over Me.'

6.  Sick on vacation

7.  A cry for attention

8.  Intense coddling

9.  Home remedy

10. Excessive use of tissues/ ‘Blow Your Nose’

11. Emergency Room/ Ambulance

12. Psychogenic Fever/Stress Induced Illness

13. Seasonal/Pet Allergies

14. 'I Might Be A Teeny Tiny Bit Sick, But It's Fine.’' 

15. Frostbite/Sunburn

16. Care Package

17. Syncope/Fainting

18. Nausea/Upset Stomach

19. Whining/Crying 

20.  Cold Sweat

21. ‘Does this look infected to you?’

22. Common Cold/Flu

23. Tepid Bath

24. ‘I Need You To Pull Over!’

25. Acid reflux/heartburn

26. Tickle in the Throat

27. Sleepless Night/s

28. Chronic Illness

29. Lethargy/Exhaustion

30. ‘Get Back in Bed!’ 

Alternate Prompts!

Alt. 1. Soft Pajamas

Alt. 2. Vapor Rub

Alt. 3. Cuddling on the Couch

Alt. 4. Taking a Sick Day

Alt. 5. ‘Can You Be Brave For Me?’

[nurse-buckley]

Sicktember Day Eleven - Emergency Room/ Ambulance

Fandom: 9-1-1  Pairing: Buck x Reader  Word Count: 1,095 words  Prompt: @sicktember Day 11 - Emergency Room/ Ambulance, written for the amazing @floralbuckleys  Tagslist: @firemedicdiaz @fireladybuckley @winterreader-nowwriter @iamasimpingh0e @dayrin085 @hauntedmilkshakeghost @floralbuckleys @writingmysanity  If you want to be added or removed from my tagslist, please let me know!  

Buck had warned you on more than one occasion to be careful carrying stuff down the steep stairs of his loft, even more so now you had both welcomed the latest edition to your family. The shelter a block from your shared apartment had had a special event for the cats and kittens in their care with their kennels recently overwhelmed. With a lot of pleading from you and the endless cute cat photos you'd sent to Buck, he had eventually caved and you’d adopted Sammie, a beautiful little white and ginger cat who had definitely made the place her home. 

“Come on girl,” you gently nudged her with your foot to try and get her to walk ahead of you, your hands full with a basket of laundry that had built up. You giggled as she didn't listen, flopping over dramatically in front of you before moving to weave in and out between your legs as you continued to ignore her. 

You’d had a few near misses, Sammie wanting to be right by your side, rubbing her face against your legs as you attempted to move past her. “Sammie, come on sweetheart, you’re going to trip…” you didn’t have time to finish your sentence as you came tumbling down the stairs, Sammie running off to hide with her tail fluffed as the flying laundry startled her. 

You tumbled down the stairs, each one seeming to find a new spot to hit, sending jolts of pain through your body until you flew forward, your head landing on the floor with a sickening thud. 

With the wind knocked out of you it took a little while for the initial shock to wear off. You took a shaky breath before you began to move each of your legs, testing for injury, moving higher and higher as you checked your body over. When it came to checking your wrist, you let out a yelp as a jolt of pain shot up your arm.  The jerk sent another pain through your head and you could already feel the large lump forming near your temple where you’d made impact with the ground. You lifted your hand to inspect the side of your head, gasping when it came away with a smear of blood from a cut on your forehead. 

With the danger over, you glanced around as you heard a meow, the sound followed by Sammie who had come out from her hiding spot to investigate what had happened. She made her way over coming to nuzzle against your side; if you knew better you would think she was apologising for causing the accident. 

“And this is why we’re careful on the stairs,” you groaned as you cautiously sat up. Sammie seemed to take this as an invitation and she climbed onto your lap, her paws coming to rest on your chest as she nuzzled against your face. “Alright, get off me. I guess I’ve got to go and get checked out at the hospital.  What’s your dad going to say about this? You think we can get away without calling him from the ER?” 

Being gentle, you shoved her off before you slowly got to your feet, glad you were the only injured party between you. Once you were sure you were okay to stand, you made your way to the bathroom, grabbed some gauze for your head, and left your apartment for the short walk to the hospital. 

By the time you arrived in the ER and were triaged, the pain in your head and wrist had doubled and you were beginning to think maybe it would be a good time to call Buck. 

“Y/N?” 

Your thoughts were interrupted as you heard your name in an all too familiar voice. You turned just in time to see Buck and Eddie wheeling a patient into the ER, cursing whatever power had led them to bringing someone in at that exact moment. 

“Heeeeeey babe. It’s not as bad as it looks,” you replied. 

Buck wasted no time, checking that Eddie was okay being left with the patient before he made his way over to where you were sitting. 

“Let me be the judge of that,” he said as his hands came to hover over you, afraid to hurt you as he checked over your injuries. He put a gentle hand over the one holding the bloodied gauze to your head, pulling it away with a hiss as he got a glimpse at the wound. 

“Y/N what the hell happened? Why didn’t you call me?” 

“I swear, I was going to as soon as the nurse saw me. I wasn’t looking where I was going with the laundry and Sammie got under my feet and I ended up falling down the last few steps.” 

Buck sighed as he glanced over the various bruises that had begun to form over your body and the swelling in your wrist, “that looks like a lot more than a few,” he admonished.   “I’m going to go catch up with Bobby and let him know I’m staying with you, you’ll need someone to take you home with that head injury…,” Buck paused, “wait…how did you get here anyway? Did you drive with a head injury?  Y/n, do you even know how dangerous…” 

“Buck,” you interrupted him. “I’m not that stupid, I didn’t drive here…I walked.” You realised as soon as you said it and by the look on Buck’s face that it probably wasn’t the wisest decision you had made either, but you decided to chalk that up to the head injury.  

“Why didn’t you call 911, or me? You could have had a spinal injury, you could have a serious head injury and be unconscious on the side of the road right now,” he continued rambling off each and every worst case scenario he could think of. 

“I know and I’m sorry, I was embarrassed, you’ve told me time and time again to watch out for Sammie and I didn’t listen.” 

Buck silenced you with a chaste kiss to your forehead, “it doesn’t matter now, as long as you’re both okay. I’m going to take the rest of the shift off, take you home, and we’re going to get your favourite takeout and chill on the couch tonight.” 

You stopped him as he began to turn and walk away to find his captain. 

“What’s wrong baby?” 

“Can we stop by the store and get Sammie a treat? She’s had a trauma today too!” 

“Anything for you two,” he chuckled, shaking his head. 

[warmblanketwhump]

If requests are open, could you write about a Whumpee that gets really really sick and tries to hide it from Caretaker, but then they pass out and Caretaker feels their forehead and notices that Whumpee is burning up? Whumpee wakes up in bed with a cold cloth on their head and a very concerned Caretaker

sicktember day 17: fainting

@sicktember

“A, are you okay? You look…off.”

A places a hand on their chest in mock shock. “I’m insulted. I always look like this.”

B rolls their eyes. “That’s not what I mean. You’re just oddly quiet, and you look kinda….peaked. What’s up?”

Just…tired, I guess. Nothing out of the ordinary.” They take a sip from their coffee and shrug. B eyes them suspiciously, ignoring the sounds of the coffee shop around them.

Sure, maybe A’s unusually chilled, despite wearing three layers underneath their sweatshirt, plus two pairs of thick socks and a thermal layer under their jeans. Maybe their whole body aches so badly that they can barely sit still on the hard chair without fidgeting, and they’re fighting back a cough with every sip of coffee. But they’re fine. They know they are.

Still, they force themselves to try and make conversation with B. But no matter how hard they try, the edges of their vision are going fuzzy, and it’s harder and harder to sit upright. B’s talking about drama at work, and A’s trying to focus, but it’s suddenly too hot in the room, and they feel like they’re suffocating in their layers.

They need to go to the bathroom. Yes. That’s it.

A pushes away from the table and stands up too fast, head swirling, dizzy but in desperate need to get out of here. “B…I need…”

But they don’t finish their sentence as they crash to the ground and everything goes black.

“A? A, are you with me?”

B’s voice sounds like it’s in a tunnel, and there’s an annoying feeling on their cheek…is B slapping them?

“A, come on. Come back to me.”

More than anything, A wishes that B would leave them alone, and they crack open an eye to tell them just that.

But when they open their eyes, they can’t find the words to reassure B and the nervous barista towering over them. So they settle for something easier.

“I…..ow.”

“Here, let’s get this sweatshirt off of….A, how many layers do you have on??” B’s cold fingers brush at the neck of A’s sweatshirt, and the icy touch makes them shudder.

“….cold.”

“A, you’re burning up.” The cold hand moves to their forehead, cupping their burning skin, and A wants to roll away and curl into a ball. But they can’t, because they can’t seem to move their limbs yet. Everything’s too loud, and too bright, and too hot and cold, so they surrender to the pull of unconsciousness once more.

The next time A resurfaces, they’re back in bed at home, sans most of their layers and covered only in a thin sheet. It’s nowhere near warm enough - but then again, neither were all the layers, which makes absolutely no sense at all. They feel the leaden weight of a cold washcloth in stark contrast to the heat of their feverish forehead. Still, they clutch the sheet closer to their body, craving something to draw warmth in.

As they shift their aching body in bed, they see B slumped in a chair, brows furrowed with worry. As soon as they see A move, they jump from their spot and immediately move to their side.

“How’re you feeling?” B’s voice is a soft whisper, and their hands brush sweat-dampened curls off their forehead, flipping the cloth to the cool side.

Despite being freezing, the cold hand and cloth feel good on their forehead, and A leans closer. “Not….not good.” A shudder ripples through them. “What….what happened?”

“A, you’ve got a temperature of 103.” B’s face looks pained, and they lay a hand on A’s upper arm, rubbing gently. “You were practically cooking in all those layers.”

“I was cold.”

B charges on, barely acknowledging A’s protests. “More than that, why didn’t you tell me you didn’t feel good?”

A shrugs beneath the sheet. “…..don’t know.”

B clicks their tongue, but there’s hardly any malice in it. “Well, next time tell me, so we don’t end up traumatizing another barista.”

A manages a breathy laugh. “That poor kid.”

B laughs too, but the light dies in their eyes and their face grows serious. “But really. Tell me next time, okay? I promise I won’t be overbearing but…that was really scary today.” They swallow hard, and A feels a ping of guilt in their chest.

“…..sorry.” It’s all their feverish brain can manage, thought they know they owe B more.

But the weak apology seems to soften something in B, who gently rubs their covered shoulder. “You never finished your drink at the cafe. How does some tea sound?”

A nods with as much enthusiasm as they can muster, desperate for something to soothe their sore throat. B smiles and flips the washcloth again, smoothing the sheet over A.

“You rest for a bit more. I’ll be back in 10.”

This time, A obliges and closes their eyes because they choose to, knowing that B will return in no time at all.

[monminimage]

Sicktember 2022 day 8

Prompt - intense coddling

"Is all this really necessary?" Warriors asked with a sniff, watching Wind tuck him into bed. The younger boy was very meticulous, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles on the sheets and blankets.

"Of course it is." Wind puffed up the captain's pillow until he was satisfied with the puffiness. "I want you to get the best sleep you can. So of course all of this is necessary."

"But I don't like the blankets being all tucked in." Twilight whined, watching as Wind did the same for his bed. He moved his foot out of the blanket, only to receive a small whack from Wind.

"I know, but you just have to deal with it for now." Wind tucked the loose foot in again, making sure to give Twilight a gentle pat. "It might feel stuffy now, but it's gonna feel chilly later. Trust me, I know."

"Well, aren't you the little expert." Wars snorted.

"Of course I am! I take care of Aryll, and grandma, and the other pirates all the time. They ask me to take care of them!" Wind puffed his chest out. "I know how to take care of someone."

"You kicked Wild last week." Twilight pointed out. "On his broken ankle."

Wind snorted. "He wasn't sick. He was injured. And he was stupidly downplaying his injury. He deserved it."

"...That's fair. But did you really need to kick-"

"YES."

Wind did not miss the small glance Twilight and Wars shared. He squared his shoulders, eyes narrowing at them. "What? You don't think I can take care of you guys?"

"It's not that, Wind." Twilight's sigh turned into a cough. He shifted slightly in the blankets tucked in a little too tightly. "It's just wouldn't you rather do something else instead of taking care of us? You really don't need to -"

"Excuse you! It's the older brother's job to take care of someone who is sick." Wind interrupted with a huff. He didn't give them time to respond before challenging them with arms crossed. "Now, which one of us is the older brother here?"

Twilight, who was doing his best to hide his grin, slowly raised his hand. Warriors, who was openly wearing his grin, raised his own hand.

Wind balked for a moment before glaring at them. "Which one of us isn't sick?"

At that, Twilight lowered his hand. He knew when to give up. Warriors did not.

"I'm not sick. It's just allergies." Wars sniffed.

Wind hummed, pressing the back of his hand to Warriors' forehead. "Fever. That means you're sick."

"It's not-"

"Nope. You are sick and I am taking care of you. Both of you."

"All right, all right." Wars settled into the bed as Twilight chuckled and coughed.

"Good. Now then..." Wind clapped his hands together. "I'll get you both some soup and water. Don't antagonize each other while I'm gone."

"Yes, big brother." Twi and Wars spoke at the same time, a grin on their lips.

Wind grinned widely, leaving the room with a jump in his step, a list of things he needs beginning to form in his head.

Big brother Wind! Let him big brother all the Links!

[zartophski]

Sicktember Drabbles, Day Twenty Eight: Chronic Illness

Warriors glared down at his hands, as if he could scare the tremors away. Of course, it did nothing, but that didn’t stop the annoyance bubbling up inside of him. It was the seeming randomness of it that bothered him the most. Some days, his hands would barely tremble, and he could even pretend they didn’t at all. But other days, like today, he wasn’t even confident he’d be able to hold a cup, let alone his sword, without some accident happening. He balled his hands into fists, tucking them under his arms as if to hide the problem away.

[lyrabythelake]

Sicktember Prompt: Homesickness

With the waves that crashed against the cliffs and rolled right over the horizon, and the sea breeze that pulled on his tunic and the strands of his hair, Wind looked very small to Warriors in the face of it all, curled up on the grass with his arms wrapped around his knees. 

“Wind?” he called over the water and the seagull’s cries. Wind tensed and immediately unraveled from his hunched position, scrubbing at his face before turning to him with a wide smile. Warriors’ heart immediately dropped at the clear shine to his red-rimmed eyes and the way his mouth wobbled slightly, as if it were taking an extraordinary effort to keep his smile from falling.

“Hi, Wars! Do the others want me to come back?”

Warriors shook his head and lowered himself to sit next to him, sitting on his scarf to keep it from whipping in the wind. 

“Nah, we’re done for the day; the people in Lurelin were kind enough to set us up in one of their cabins.”

He paused and bumped his shoulder against Wind’s.

“You want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Wind’s smile did drop then and he looked away quickly.

“What?” he asked vacantly. “Nothing’s wrong, I was just… taking in the view.”

“Taking in the view, huh?” Warriors’ lip twitched up slightly. He had come to learn that in moments like these it was best not to push. He would tell him eventually if he wanted to.

Wind brought one knee up to his chest again and bit his lip.

“Okay, maybe it’s not just that. But you have to promise not to laugh because it’s kinda stupid.”

“I’m willing to bet it’s not as stupid as you think,” Warriors told him, “but I promise.”

“It’s just that…” Wind began, then stopped awkwardly. “Well, it’s this place, it reminds me a little bit of Outset. So I’m just a bit…” A tear rolled treacherously down his cheek and he was almost violent in the way he swiped it away. “I’m just a bit homesick,” he finished quietly. Then hurriedly he added, “See, I told you it was stupid.”

Homesickness had never truly been an issue for Warriors. Yes, he missed his friends sometimes, and the tavern he frequented back in his Castle Town, but he had never felt the way Wind looked right now: like being away from home was physically painful for him. 

He slung an arm around Wind’s shoulder and pulled him into a side hug. Wind buried his face in the material of his tunic, perhaps partly for comfort and partly to hide any more stray tears that may or may not escape him.

“That’s not stupid,” Warriors told him firmly. “I don’t blame you for missing Outset, it sounds like a lovely place.”

“It is,” Wind confirmed, his voice heavily muffled.

“You’ll just have to show me when the portal next drops us there.” He could feel Wind physically perk up at that, and he emerged from the safety of Warriors’ tunic with an expression that looked somewhat like hope.

“You really think we’ll be taken there?”

“I don’t see why not. We seem to be doing the rounds on a lot of our eras.”

Wind sniffed and smiled, a genuine one this time.

“I can introduce you to Grandma and Aryll. They’ll love you!”

Warriors smiled.

“Can’t wait, Kiddo.”

[wrestling-all-the-time]

Sicktember 2022 - Day 25

Warning(s): None

Word Count: 189

~

Max and I finished eating in catering before heading back to his locker room. He still had a bit before he was needed for his segment so we made ourselves comfortable. I resumed my TikTok scrolling while Max scrolled Twitter.

It wasn't long after that that I started to feel that all too familiar burning sensation in my chest. Acid reflux was something I had been dealing with for a little over a month. It wasn't horrible but it did get annoying.

Max got up from where he was sitting.

"Where are you going," I asked.

He went over to where his duffle bag was. Clearly looking for something.

"Here," Max said once he found what he was looking for.

He tossed me a bottle of antacid tablets.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"You started rubbing at your chest," Max said. "I've noticed you start doing that when the reflux starts."

"Have you always carried these with you?" I asked.

"No, but I started to so I had them if you needed them," Max said.

"That's surprisingly sweet of you," I said before taking one of the tablets.

[tsarisfanfiction]

Helpless At The Bedside

Fandom: Trials of Apollo Rating: Gen Genres: Hurt/Comfort Characters: Nico, Will, Apollo, Austin Will passing out the moment Nico walked in through the door was not the plan. @sicktember prompt 1: Do you know how to take care of a sick person? Took a while to figure out where to go with this prompt, but got somewhere in the end (even if it is now rapidly approaching 3am, whoops), and starting as we mean to go on - sorry, Will. Post-TOA today!

Whatever Nico had expected when he got back to camp after doing some Ambassador of Pluto duties for Camp Jupiter, it certainly wasn’t this.

Being directed in the direction of the infirmary because that was where all the children of Apollo had ended up wasn’t in and of itself that unusual – although all of them there wasn’t overly typical, Will went through phases where he practically lived there, despite everyone’s best efforts.  Austin and Kayla had promised not to let him do that while Nico was away, but as he headed for the Big House and the attached infirmary, Nico was finding himself more and more concerned.

His concerns were validated the moment he stepped through the doors.  As though Will had been waiting for him to do just that, the first sight that greeted Nico upon entry was a flash of blond and several concerned cries as his boyfriend crashed to the ground.

Nico didn’t wait for anyone else’s reactions, sprinting the few feet and skidding to a halt on his knees by Will’s side.

Will didn’t move, even when Nico grabbed his shoulder slightly more roughly than he probably should have done and called his name.  There was no reaction at all, not even a faint moan of acknowledgement, and Nico looked for one of Apollo’s other kids in a degree of panic, not helped by the agitated behaviour of the various demigods strewn around the infirmary beds.  Had Capture the Flag got messy again?

“Nico, thank the gods!” Austin exclaimed.  The dark skinned boy was at Sherman Yang’s bedside, pulling a bandage tight around his arm.  The bandage was spotting with blood even as it was still being applied, and the son of Ares was white-skinned and unconscious.  “Can you take care of him?”

Nico glanced down at his boyfriend again, taking in Will’s too-pale skin, rasping breathing, and hotter than usual temperature.  He wasn’t a healer in the slightest, but he’d spent enough time around the Apollo kids and the infirmary – and Will when he pushed himself too hard again – to pick up some basics.

That didn’t mean he was at all confident suddenly being left in charge of Will’s care with no immediate backup – not one of the Apollo kids had come over, all busy running across the infirmary as they dealt with various wounds, or even in the beds themselves; Kayla’s vibrant green hair was splayed out across a pillow in Nico’s periphery.

It was clear he didn’t have a choice.

“I’ve got him,” he confirmed, voice cracking.  “Did he overdo it again?”

“He’s been feeling rough for a few days,” Austin admitted, and Nico felt a flash of frustration that he hadn’t noticed – how had Will hidden that from him during their IMs?  “He was supposed to be taking it easy.”

There was no way Will was ever going to take it easy when so many people were in the infirmary.  Nico’s boyfriend was too much the self-sacrificing healer to ever step back, even if he needed to.

“Idiot,” he muttered, pulling Will close and hauling him into his arms.  Will’s head lolled limply against his shoulder and Nico’s fingers dug into his skin automatically before he staggered to his feet.  “We’ll be in my cabin.”  If Will woke up in the infirmary he’d be fighting to get back to treating everyone else and ignoring his own health completely, which was clearly what had already happened once.

He didn’t wait for Austin’s response before heading over to the nearest shadow and sinking into it, holding Will tightly so the shadows couldn’t even try to tear him away.

They reappeared in the Hades cabin, emerging from the shadows right beside Nico’s bed.  He wasted no time in setting Will down, letting his boyfriend’s limp body sag into the bedlinen and shifting blond locks away from his face.

He didn’t know what to do.  Not really.  If Will was conscious, he’d be able to follow instructions well enough, but with Will as his patient and the rest of the Apollo kids caught up with the rest of the campers, he was completely on his own, and Nico could feel himself starting to panic.

Why did he agree to do this, again?  Will needed actual medical attention, not a son of Hades who was more suited to the dead and dying than stopping people from dying.

Not that Will was dying; Nico couldn’t sense any significant aura of death around him – not that there was none, but all mortals had some death aura around them; Will’s was no more pronounced than anyone else’s.  He was just exhausted, and apparently sick.

Nico scowled.

And Will always told him off for overdoing it.

“You’re an idiot,” he told him, his voice shaking a little.  “Why can’t you listen to yourself sometimes?”

Predictably, Will didn’t reply, and Nico realised he was supposed to be doing… something.

Typically, his mind had gone completely blank on everything Will had ever told him about dealing with sick people, and he found himself staring blankly at his boyfriend’s unconscious body, trying and failing to force his memory to work.

The only thing he could remember was that Apollo kids tended to sing to their father, or at least pray to him, which didn’t help him at all, considering he wasn’t a son of Apollo.

Nico paused.

Why couldn’t he call on Apollo?  Will was his son, and Apollo had never outright dismissed Nico on anything, unlike almost everyone else in his life.

It wasn’t like he had anything to lose, was it?

Nico drew the line at singing, but with only a small amount of trepidation he started composing a prayer to his boyfriend’s dad, trying to remember how one was even supposed to pray to a god – it was hardly something he did particularly often, and old traces of Catholicism in the back of his memory weren’t even directed at the right religion, let alone god.

“Apollo,” he started awkwardly, suddenly hyper-aware that he was in the Hades cabin and that his father probably wasn’t overly impressed at him praying to a different god, “Will’s sick and I don’t- I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, glad that no-one ever dared enter his cabin and therefore wouldn’t overhear his confession.  “Your other kids can’t help right now, so… help?”

Definitely not a proper prayer, and Nico couldn’t help but cringe at it even as his voice trailed away, unsure what else to say.  A bit desperately, he put a palm to Will’s forehead, feeling the heat emanating from his skin.  Would a cool cloth help?  Was that something that worked for this?

He bit his lip, the hand not on Will’s forehead reaching out and resting on his arm instead.  “What do I do?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“He needs rest.”

Nico jumped, twisting around and reaching for his sword.  No-one came into his cabin, barring Will.

The point of his sword came to a sudden halt just short of a golden haired young man, and his eyes widened.

“Apollo?”

The god sent him a grin.  “You called me, didn’t you?”

Nico blinked at him before lowering his sword, not that Apollo had seemed at all perturbed by it.  “That was quick,” he said dumbly.

“I’m fast,” Apollo returned, stepping up next to him and pressing two fingers to Will’s forehead.  “Exhaustion and a stubborn virus,” he said.  “Nothing dangerous, but it’ll keep him down for the count for a few days.”

“Can’t you heal him?” Nico asked, frowning.  Apollo sighed.

“It wouldn’t do him any favours if I did,” he said, much to Nico’s confusion.

“How is healing him not a good thing?” he demanded.

Apollo didn’t reply immediately, instead humming something quietly.  Immediately, Will’s breathing smoothed out, and tension Nico had barely registered bled out from his boyfriend’s face.  The god drew his hand back a moment later, but not without running his fingers lightly through Will’s hair.

“Bodies learn from being sick,” he said patiently.  “If I cured Will, his immune system wouldn’t learn what it needs to know to fight off illnesses like this faster in the future.  The best I can do for him is ease the symptoms.”

That sounded weird to Nico, but Apollo was the god of healing, and loved Will, so there was no reason not to trust him, no matter how bizarre the concept seemed.

“What should I do?” he asked instead, sitting down on the edge of his bed and looking down at Will again.

“Make sure he rests,” Apollo answered instantly.  “Bedrest for the next two or three days, depending how well he recovers, then minimal activity for another week.  He needs to stay hydrated, so make sure he drinks a lot, and that he eats regularly.  He won’t feel hungry to start with, but if you can get him to eat at least a little, that’ll help him regain his strength faster.”

He snapped his fingers and Nico jumped, startled.  A flash of light wrapped around Will, fading away to reveal his scrubs had been replaced by comfortable pyjamas, patterned with sun motifs.  A glance at Apollo showed a soft look on his face as he looked down at his son.

“So…” Nico started, “he doesn’t need any medicine?”

“A bit of ambrosia or nectar won’t do any harm,” Apollo admitted.  “They can’t cure him but they’ll help his body fight off the symptoms in the meantime.  Not too much, though.”  Nico nodded; he knew the risk of over-indulging in the godly foods.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder lightly, and Nico tore his eyes away from his unconscious – sleeping, he looked a lot more like he was sleeping after whatever Apollo had done – boyfriend to look up at the god.

“He’ll be okay,” Apollo said softly.  “Things like this just need time and rest to pass.  You don’t need to do anything complicated to help him.  Rest, food and drink, and he’ll be fine.”

It seemed so simple – so simple, in fact, that Nico couldn’t help but be a bit mad at himself for not realising it himself, but at least it was things he could do.  Will would no doubt chafe at the idea of bedrest and taking it easy, especially with the onslaught of patients in the infirmary.  He’d feel the need to be helping out rather than staying in bed.

Nico could deal with his boyfriend trying to push himself too far, though.  It wouldn’t be the first time, and probably wouldn’t be the last, either.

“Thanks,” he said to Apollo, who squeezed his shoulder before letting go.

“You’re welcome,” the god replied sincerely.  “Thank you for looking out for Will.  He’s lucky to have you.”

Nico shook his head.  “I’m the lucky one,” he corrected.

“You’re both lucky,” Apollo insisted, and Nico wasn’t really convinced, but he could tell that if he kept trying to push it, Apollo would just push back further – and so would Will, when he woke up.  It was easier to nod and agree.

If Apollo realised that Nico was just dropping it, rather than agreeing with him, he didn’t say anything.

“Can you stay until he wakes up?” Nico asked, changing the subject.  Apollo’s face fell and he shook his head.

“I need to go,” he said regretfully.  Nico gave him space as he leaned over and kissed Will’s hair.  “Remember: rest, drink and food.”  The god stepped back, out of Nico’s line of sight, and then left his periphery as well.

Nothing announced his departure, but a moment later, Nico got the sense that he and Will were once again alone in the cabin.

Nico sighed; Will would be disappointed to miss his dad, but he was glad Apollo had taken the time to answer his prayer.  He was even more glad when he caught sight of his bedside table and saw a pitcher of water and two glasses that hadn’t been there when he’d entered the cabin, alongside a vial of nectar and covered platter of cracker bread.

“Thanks, Apollo,” he said quietly.  He didn’t think he completely imagined the whisper of you’re welcome, in the back of his mind.

[allthewhumpygoodness]

Sicktember Day 6: sick on vacation

Well here it is folks: my ONE contribution to sicktember. I wanted to do more. It didn't happen.

***

It's just their luck that they would get sick on the holidays. In hindsight, nothing they shouldn't have anticipated.

But still. B didn't get on a plane for almost six hours and then sit in a cab with an all-too-talkative driver through the worst of a snowstorm, and then find out just as they were struggling through the middle of nowhere trying to find C and D's cabin that their phone was dead just to end up being miserable the whole time.

It could be worse. Right now at least, it's no more than a scratchy tickle in the back of their throat and a heaviness in their limbs. They're a bit chilled too, but that could easily be the drafty wood house they're staying in. C and D couldn't have a more beautiful spot for a winter getaway - up in the mountains (but not too high), and surrounded by towering conifers no matter where you look. Only ten minutes away is a little town that looks like it should be made out of gingerbread, currently all decked out in Christmas lights.

B couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of jealousy when they first set foot here, knowing their friends can come up here whenever they want instead of being confined to a tiny apartment - the cabin itself might be drafty, but at least they do have proper heating and a toasty fireplace on top of that. B isn't sure their building's furnace has been so much as looked at in fifty years.

But after a long morning of feeling steadily more and more tired and achy it's all they can do to sit curled up on the sofa with a blanket, sipping hot chocolate. Guilt pricks at their skin knowing they aren't exactly being the most lively houseguest, but they really don't have the energy to get up and move. For a while now they've been drifting in and out of a shallow sleep, trying not to let their not-so-hot-anymore chocolate fall from their hands.

Footsteps shake them into wakefulness. They look up to see C entering the room, peering over at them. "Cozy?" they say, a small smirk on their face.

B's cheeks grow warm. They were chilled to the bone when they sat down and buried themselves in three blankets - probably at this point they looked like some kind of burrowing creature. "Just chilly. And tired. I'm - honestly I'm a bit of a mess today, I guess I'm not used to being out in the country like this."

C looks sympathetic. "You're a city dweller for sure. And it does get cold out here." Just as they speak the wind rattles the windows, blasts of snow coming with it.

Seeing B's nervous look (that wasn't supposed to be on their face, not at all), C goes over and shuts the colourful curtains, blocking out the snow-filled world outside. "There. We're nice and safe in here."

B nods, coughing a little. Their throat burns, making them wince - with a sinking feeling they note that it's worse than before.

I'm not that sick, they tell themsevles. I just need some sleep. And to get warm.

The cushions on the couch dip down a little as C sits beside them, resting a hand on their arm. They look at B with a critical glance. "You look a little under the weather, you know."

B shrugs, not meeting their friend's eye. "Maybe. It's just this cold." Another wave of chills hits them and they shiver uncontrollably. "It gets in my bones."

"Here." C moves some pillows and fetches another warm blanket from a nearby chair, draping it over where B sits crumpled. "Lie down right here, while the fire's still going. Take a nap. And lose this - " they take the mostly-drunk cocoa from B's hands - "Drink the rest of it later."

B complies, but they can't help feeling awkward as they lie down; this isn't their house - C and D might be friends, but it's not right to be so casual...

C seems to read their expression. "I promise, we don't mind. You seem like you could do with some rest. Don't feel bad."

"Are you sure? I just hate that you invited me here, and now I'm not even doing anything...I'm not even being helpful..."

C shushes them, adjusting the blankets. "Holidays are for taking time off. And you have been plenty helpful, more than you needed to be."

B only manages a muffled noise in response. Just upon laying their head on the pillow they're twice as exhausted as they were.

A hand brushes through their hair, fingers resting lightly on their forehead for a moment. "Try to rest," says C. "You seem like you need it."

For a while, they do. Sleep claims them quickly enough, but then soon they're caught in a web of dreams they can't quite make sense of, that are just strange enough to be disturbing. And once the dreams have them, they don't let them go for what seems like a very long time.

It seems like they wake up five or six or twenty times in a row, again and again only for there to be something wrong with the room - something distorted and twisted and horribly nightmarish. Each time they're either too cold or too hot, their limbs aching and trembling.

Eventually they wake for real with a groan, fighting to block out the knife stabbing them through the temples. For a solid minute they can't open their eyes at all - the second they try the world is too bright and they can't seem to focus. They panic for a few long seconds, wondering if they'll forever be stuck in a dark and blurry world.

But the seconds pass and they manage to pry their heavy, gritty lids open. It's dark now, the fire dwindled to a few coals. A wave of malaise washes over them and they let out another muffled noise of discomfort. They have to admit it now - they're sick, sick.

Dimly they're aware of the fact that they should go to bed, but dragging themselves out of their nest and up the stairs feels all but impossible. So they lie there wrapped in feeble half-dreams and aches in their bones.

Soon in the back of their brain they hear footsteps approaching and open their eyes a sliver. C's slightly blurry form approaches them, their face only coming into focus at the last second.

It's worried looking. Their face. "Hey," they say. "How are you feeling now?" A soft hand rests against their forehead.

"I think I'm sick," B manages to get out. God, their throat feels like sandpaper. The extra-grainy kind.

C lets out a small sound of sympathy. "You're not kidding. You feel like you just came out of an oven."

B's eyes are half closed again already. "I...I just want to sleep."

"I know. I know, but believe me when I say you'll be a lot more comfortable in your own bed."

It's not my own bed, they want to say, it's the guest bedroom in your cabin that you let me stay in and now I'm ruining the entire visit by being too sick to actually do anything.

But they don't say any of that. Instead they give in to C's gentle hands as they guide them upward, sitting them up on the couch. Their eyes hurt and their nose and throat are full of gunk, but they melt into the warmth of C's shoulder all the same. They feel a soft hand on their forehead again, cool right where it burns.

They're distantly aware that when they're better this will seem horribly embarrassing. Right now they don't care very much.

"Come on," C says gently, "let's get you up to bed. You'll be nice warm up there."

B clings to their arm as they stagger up the stairs, unable to focus on very much aside from the effort of putting one foot in front of the other. When they actually reach the bedroom they're borrowing they're exhausted, leaning heavily against the doorframe and taking several long moments to catch their breath.

They're barely aware of C leading them to their bed, only that all of a sudden they're lying down and something heavy is being pulled over them - the sheets are cold and they start shivering immediately.

"You'll warm up," C says soothingly. "Just wait a little. Can I bring you anything? I'll get you water- that isn't even a question - but do you want some tea, too? Some chicken brother?"

"No," B gets out, "no, I'm fine." To their horror, they feel painful tears rising in their eyes. "I'm sorry," they say, unable to keep it in any longer. "I wanted this to be a nice trip with you, and I'm so grateful to you and D for inviting me and it's so lovely here and I'm just jealous that I can't have what you have, and I don't belong here even if you've invited me...I just wanted it all to be special but now I've ruined it."

C shushes them, looking alarmed, one hand reaching for their now-tearstained cheek. "B, honey, you don't have to be sorry about all that. We want you here, or else we wouldn't have invited you in the first place. I'm sorry you got sick in the middle of it all - but you haven't ruined anything. You're our friend, and we're happy to have you no matter what state you're in. We'll help you through it, I promise."

That's just too much. B lifts a shaking hand to their eyes, burying their face in the blankets in a vain attempt to hide the fact that they're crying in earnest now. They feel C rubbing gentle circles on their back, saying soft and kindly things, and feel like their heart might just melt with how overwhelmed with love they are.

It's only the fever, they think. I can't really feel this much. I'd explode if I did.

But they do. They cling weakly to C's arm while they sit there beside them, holding them with both strength and tenderness until the tears pass.

[sicktember]

Could you share some less common illnesses to use? The prompts keep making me think of cold/flu, which is great, but I don't want to write it all about that. I try to use different things, but I'm stuck in a rut, and I like variety in the sickfics I read and write. My main go-to is chicken pox, and I want to use mumps and meningitis at some point.

We can definitely see how many of the prompts could be interpreted as cold or flu related. And we certainly understand your desire to try something new!

But we also feel like the 'more cake' analogy is worth repeating. There are so many symptoms, scenarios, treatments, home remedies and 'old wives tales' that there is an endless supply of new ways to reinvent any trope! And one great fic definitely deserves another... and another... and another...

That being said, we've put together a list of illnesses/additional symptoms. How you can potentially work them into the various prompts is up to you! But goodness knows, any of them could lead to a few sleepless nights (Prompt 27) Anyway, we hope this helps!!

Acute Pancreatitis is the prolonged  inflammation of the pancreas. Acute Pancreatitis usually appears suddenly and lasts for several days. Although some people may develop chronic pancreatitis, which can last for years. Causes include but are not limited to, infection, alcoholism, certain medications, gallstones, trauma and obesity. Treatment may involve a change in diet, IV fluids, pain medication or in some cases surgery to remove bile duct blockages, the gallbladder or infected pancreatic tissue.

Symptoms include: Upper abdominal pain, abdominal pain that radiates to the back, abdominal tenderness, fever, rapid pulse, nausea and vomiting.

Norovirus is one of the most common causes of vomiting and diarrhea.  In some places it's also referred to as the 'winter vomiting bug' because it's more common in winter, although you can catch it at any time of the year. It usually takes a few days to recover.

Oral Thrush or Oral Candidosis is a fungal (Yeast) infection of the mouth. It isn't contagious and can be treated fairly successfully with antifungal medications. It can be caused by the use of certain antibiotics, poor oral hygiene, smoking or the use of steroid inhalers used for asthma.

Symptoms include: White or red patches inside the mouth, lose of taste, general redness in the mouth and throat, pain and burning within the mouth that can sometimes make eating and drinking difficult.If let untreated, Oral Thrush can become much more serious.

Cellulitis is an infection within  the deeper layers of the skin. It can often be treated with antibiotics. Although more problematic cases can lead to hospitalization. If it’s not retreated properly it can become extremely serious. Cellulitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection that enters the skin via a cut or scrape. 

Symptoms include: The affected skin suddenly becomes red, hot swollen and sore. More severe cases can be accompanied or preceded by a high fever, full body tremors, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and confusion. 

Urinary tract infections or UTIs  are common and affect the bladder, the kidneys and/or  the tubes that connect  them. They can have varying levels of pain and discomfort depending on the severity. They generally heal within a few days and are often treated with antibiotics. UTIs are usually caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract., generally from the urethra. A few of the causes could be dehydration, the use of scented hygiene products and/or not regularly and fully emptying the bladder. 

Symptoms include: Pain or discomfort during urination, having sudden or frequent urges to urinate,  lower abdominal pain or discomfort and a general feeling of achiness. More severe symptoms can occur when the kidneys are involved. Thos symptoms include back pain, fever, chills, confusion and restlessness. It is worth noting that while UTIs can affect anyone they are most common in women.

Vertigo isn’t an illness so much as it’s  a symptom, often associated with migraines and inner ear infections. Vertigo can be described as the sensation that you, or your environment are moving or spinning. The feeling can be barely noticeable or extremely intense and can last anywhere from a few seconds to several days.

Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the surrounding skin. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes Chicken pox. The main symptom of shingles is prolonged and virtually untreatable pain along with a rash that develops into itchy blisters. New blisters may appear for up to a week, but will become yellowish in color, flatten and dry out within a few days. Blisters can lead to scarring. 

Other symptoms include: headache, burning, tingling, numbness or itchiness of the skin in the affected area, feeling generally unwell and/or fever. 

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that is  spread to humans by infected ticks. Lyme Disease can range from mild to severe depending on how quickly the symptoms are recognized and treatment begins. Although symptoms may not appear for up to thirty days post bite.Antibiotics are the most common treatment. 

Symptoms include, most prominently a ‘bulls-eye’ shaped rash around the bite area that may increase in size over time. Some people will develop a rash over their entire body. One in three people affected by Lyme Disease will also have flu-like symptoms such as, fever, aches and pains, a stiff neck and fatigue. If left untreated, symptoms can progress to include swelling and pain in the joins, numbness in the limbs, lasp in memory, and heart issues.

Acute Cholecystitis is when there is swelling and inflammation in the gallbladder. This is potentially serious and usually needs to be treated in hospital. Treatment includes fasting, intravenous fluids and pain management. The doctor may recommend the removal of the gallbladder to prevent future attacks. 

Symptoms include: Most prominently, a sharp pain in the lower right side of the abdomen that spreads towards the shoulder. The affected part of the abdomen is usually sore to the touch, and does not fade over time. Deep breathing may  increase the pain. Other symptoms may include fever, sweating, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and  yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes (jaundice)

Catarrh is also a symptom rather than an illness. Catarrh is  the build-up of mucus in an airway or other cavity within the body. Generally the back of the nose, throat or sinus. It’s usually temporary and is associated with colds, allergies and sinus polyps.  It usually only last a few days but in some situations can become chronic and hard to treat. Treatments include avoiding allergens, taking sips of cold water, the use of a  humidifier, saline nasal rinses, and over the counter decongestants.   

Associated symptoms include: coughing, runny nose, stuffy nose, the feeling of mucus in the back of the throat, the need to constantly clear your throat, headache or facial pain, a cracking sensation in the ears accompanied by some temporary hearing loss (This could also lead into an ear infection, particularly in small children)

Mumps is a contagious viral infection that used to be common in children (but could also affect adults)  before the introduction of the MMR vaccine.

symptoms include: Most prominently, painful swelling around the side of the face (The parotid glands) along with headaches, joint pain and a high temperature, which may develop a few days before the swelling occurs.

We found this website to be very helpful when compiling the list above. It not only lists common illnesses but additional symptoms as well.

[nurse-buckley]

Sicktember - Day Four

Fandom: 9-1-1  Pairing: Buddie x Reader (platonic)   Word Count: 1,293 words Prompt: @sicktember Alt. Prompt 5 “Can You Be Brave For Me?” Tagslist: @firemedicdiaz @fireladybuckley @winterreader-nowwriter @iamasimpingh0e @dayrin085 @hauntedmilkshakeghost @floralbuckleys @writingmysanity  If you want to be added or removed from my tagslist, please let me know!  Authors Note: CEO of getting these fics out 25 minutes before midnight! Once again, unbeta’d so I apologise for any mistakes! Requested by the amazing @firemedicdiaz I hope this helps cheer you up lovely <3

You let out a low groan as you feel someone shaking your shoulders in an attempt to rouse you, “Hey. Y/N? Can you hear me? Open your eyes for me sweetheart.” You can vaguely hear Eddie’s voice cutting through the haze, but your eyes are just too heavy. 

Eddie moves his fingers to the side of your neck, feeling for your pulse. He lets out a sigh of relief to feel the gentle thrumming beneath his finger tips, even if it is a little fast for his liking. He gently shakes your shoulders once more, releasing another sigh of relief as your eyes begin to flutter open. 

“Ed…?” you slurred, as consciousness returns to you. “What? Why am I on the floor?” Your mind still fuzzy, your head pounding, probably from the impact of your head hitting the floor considering the last thing you remember was helping Eddie in the kitchen before the world began to spin. 

Eddie can sense your rising anxiety as you come to your senses a little more and attempt to sit up, easing you back down with a gentle hand on your shoulder. “Easy cariña, you fainted. Just lay back for me, you’re alright. We’ve got you,” he reassures. 

We? Right…you were at Buck’s. You and Eddie had gone there after work to hang out. 

You startle as you hear a noise from your side, watching as Buck comes into view and sets the first aid kit you knew he kept in his closet beside you. The younger man kneels beside you, opposite Eddie, unzipping the kit to pull out a piece of gauze before passing the kit over to Eddie. 

Buck moves into your line of sight, taking your focus away from Eddie as he begins to pull out various pieces of equipment, sensing your anxiety growing more. “I’m just going to hold this to the side of your head, alright? You bumped your head pretty hard when you hit the floor.” He apologies as the contact causes you to flinch away, but he holds your head steady with his other hand on the other side of your face. 

You see Eddie placing a stethoscope around his neck, and feel your breathing start to come a little quicker, suddenly feeling self-conscious of all the attention on you. 

“You know, I’m actually feeling a lot better. It’s okay. I’m just really tired or it’s probably just low blood sugar. I’m fine…really. I don’t need the hospital or anything, really,” you stutter, trying to sit up once more. 

“Hey,” Eddie speaks up from your other side, taking your hand in his and squeezing it reassuringly, “No one said anything about the hospital, I can’t rule it out just yet, but I just need to check you over, that’s non-negotiable. Can you be brave for me? Just for a little while.” 

You nod defeatedly, allowing Buck to ease you back down this time. A stray tear rolls down your cheek at the thought of there being something wrong with you, but you know you’re in safe hands with the pair of them at your side. 

“That’s it. Just lay back, we’ve got you. You’re safe,” Buck reassures, wiping away the stray tear with the pad of his thumb. 

“Did you have any symptoms before you passed out? Any dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations?” 

You give a worried look to Buck, but an encouraging nod from him has you nodding your head, “i-is that bad?” 

“Try not to worry, it could be nothing,” Buck tries to reassure you. 

“B-but it could be something. I’ve never passed out before,” your panic begins to rise once more, the thought of something being wrong with you overwhelming you. 

“I need you to take a deep breath for me sweetheart,” Eddie says this time, “We need you calm okay, just let me worry about everything else.” 

You mimic Eddie as he takes a slow, deep breath, feeling a little calmer. “Good, now, keep taking deep breaths with Buck here, and let me check you over. I’ll explain everything before I do it and if it gets too much we’ll take a break.” 

Buck gently moves back into your line of vision, taking slow deep breaths for you to follow. 

“I’m just going to check your pulse,” Eddie announces, gently placing his fingers around your wrist and glancing at his watch. You focus on your breath, following Buck and trying not to focus on the feeling of your pulse tapping away against Eddie’s touch. 

He sets your arm down by your side, before picking up the blood pressure cuff from the kit next. “Is it alright if I just slip this on here?” You nod your consent, trying not to focus on the feeling of the cool fabric as Eddie wraps it tightly around your upper arm. You watch as he puts on the stethoscope and places it at the crook of your elbow, “Just a little squeeze here.” He inflates the cuff, just enough to be uncomfortable before releasing it, quickly and efficiently taking the reading. 

“Your vitals are a little concerning,” Eddie quickly continues, before you work yourself up again, “I’m just going to check one more thing, is it alright if I check your blood sugar?” 

The thought of the needle pricking your finger is enough to make bile rise at the back of your throat, but you knew Eddie wouldn’t be asking if he wasn’t certain. 

As if he were able to read your mind, Eddie speaks up once more, “I’ll be as gentle as I can and it’ll be over before you know it.” 

You nod once more, offering your middle finger to Eddie and holding out your free hand to Buck to hold as Eddie gets the necessary equipment together. “Do you want me to count down?” Eddie asks as he presses the tip of the lancet against your chosen finger. 

“Count down please,” you ask as you look away and focus on Buck, squeezing his hand tighter. 

“One…two…three.” 

Before you have a chance to even think, you feel the needle quickly pinch your skin before Eddie squeezes your finger and takes the reading. Buck is quick, grabbing another piece of gauze from the packet he’d opened earlier and wraps it around the tip of your finger. 

The machine beeps and Eddie lets out a small, “hmm” drawing both of your attention back to him. He turns the monitor around, showing you and Buck the reading. “I think we’ve found our culprit.” 

“Low blood sugar?” you ask. 

“Seems to be the issue, and it fits your other symptoms,” Eddie confirms. 

“Am I going to be okay?” you ask, worried at the thought of a trip to the hospital and more needles. 

“I think we can manage it here, we’ll settle you on the couch and get you some juice and a snack. Does that sound okay?” 

You sit up with the help of Buck and Eddie either side of you, leaning against them as you sway a little. They help you to the couch, settling you down with a glass of juice. 

“We’ll let you finish that and then we’ll just check your blood sugar once more, make sure everything's coming back to normal but I think you’re going to be just fine,” Eddie reassures as he takes the seat next to you. 

Buck takes a seat at your other side, nestling you safely between the pair of them, “you know, if you wanted to pick the take out and movie tonight, you didn’t have to go to such extremes.” 

The three of you fall into a fit of laughter, the anxiety from earlier long forgotten as you settle in for the evening with the two people you felt safest with.

[warmblanketwhump]

I love the way you write soft whump!! Would you consider writing a sickfic in which A is very sick (fever, weakness, the works) but keeps trying to get up and do things so B and C have to band together to keep them in bed and take care of them?

thank you so much!! and thanks for being patient - this was a perfect prompt for @sicktember!

sicktember day 30: get back in bed!

“Finally got them back in bed,” C says, walking back into the living room where B is watching TV. 

“What was it this time?” B asks, eyes not leaving the screen.

C huffs a laugh. “They were trying to reorganize the bookshelves.” 

B rolls their eyes. “Why? You wouldn’t catch them dead doing that if they were healthy.” 

C shrugs. “I guess fevers make them restless? In any case, they should be–”

A crash interrupts their train of thought, and both B and C look up the stairs, groaning in unison as they head back to A’s bedroom. 

But A’s not in the rumpled covers, nor are they in B or C’s beds (of which they tried to change the sheets twice already today). No, this time they’ve crawled to the bathroom, where they’re carefully lining up all the bath products from the cupboard along the floor next to the shower. A blanket’s tangled around their shoulders, and their hair is sleep-mussed and wild.

“A, honey,” B kneels down next to them, laying a hand on their shoulder. “You shouldn’t be up.” 

“I have to return these, B. There’s too many.” Their voice is scratchy, frantic, and their glassy eyes are wide. “But I can’t find the shampoo.” They’re clutching a bottle of body wash to their chest, lower lip trembling like they’re ready to burst into tears. 

B presses their other hand against A’s forehead, then looks up at C with worried eyes. “Their fever’s worse.” 

C nods, kneeling down on the floor next to the other two. “A? We can take care of this later. Right now, you need to get back in bed.” They gently pry the bottle out of A’s trembling hand and hoist them up, B with their arm around their other side. A is dead weight between them, and C catches B’s eyes as they stumble down the hallway.

“Desperate measures?” C asks.

“Desperate measures,” B replies.

When they get to the bedroom, C pours another dose of flu medicine into the small plastic cup, and B helps prop A up on the bed so they can choke the cherry-flavored liquid down. Afterwards, they ease A back under the covers, then C and B take their places on both sides of them.

“What….what’re you doing?” A’s still out of it, but they’re lucid enough to know that C and B are two unusual additions to their bed.

“Making sure you stay,” B says, gently tapping A’s nose. “Close your eyes and let the medicine do the work. We’ll be right next to you.”

A looks like they want to argue, but their eyes are already slipping shut, and the protests die on their lips. In minutes, they’re unconscious, as evidenced by their short, shallow breaths. B leans up on one elbow, casting a nervous glance at C.

“They’re really sick, aren’t they?” B’s voice is hardly more than a whisper.

C nods. “Yeah, they are.” They gaze down at A’s sleeping form, raising a hand to brush a lock of their hair behind their ear. “But they’ll be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”

Still, neither of them leave A’s side for the rest of the night.

[cuddlepilefics]

Cuddling on the couch

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Jisung

Caregiver: Minho

Prompt by: @sicktember

Jisung gets a tummy ache and ends up really bloated and burpy. While he feels embarrassed, Minho doesn't judge and just wanted him to feel better.

No one’s POV.:

It had been a while since Stray Kids had last had a chance to hang out together. Usually, they’d have to split up for individual schedules or work in their respective subunits, so when the opportunity came for all of them to go out for lunch together, there was no way they’d miss out on it. Since those occasions were quite rare, they decided to pick a nice restaurant to eat at and it were Hyunjin and Jeongin finding one that they thought everyone might like. They had half of the day off, so after finishing their schedule in the morning, they met up for lunch at the restaurant, excited to spend some quality time together. Unsure of what dish to order, Minho and Jisung ordered two different dishes that they both liked, so they could share and have a variety. As they waited for their food, Changbin, Jisung and Felix were bickering, Seungmin and Jeongin throwing in teases here and there, and Minho was happy. It wasn’t common for Jisung to let loose in public but here he was, joking around with his noisy group, not having a care in the world. They needed to have such get togethers more frequently, especially now that their dorms were separated and they sometimes went without seeing their friends if 3racha had their own schedule and worked late into the night.

Soon their food was served and the bickering died down, everyone too focused on the plates in front of them. Jisung gave Minho a wide smile as they tried their dishes first before trying each other’s. The dancer gave a hum of approval and no further words were needed for them to agree they had made a good pick. “Hey, how about we hang out at the park for a while after lunch?”, Hyunjin asked hopefully, “The weather’s nice today and the forecast said it’s going to get stormy in a few days, so let’s enjoy the last warm days of the year.” Felix and Seungmin were quick to agree and Chan hummed: “I can’t even remember the last time I really spent time outdoors. Sounds like a great idea to soak up the last few sunrays.” – “Can we have dessert here though?”, Jisung pouted, “They have cheesecake and I’m really craving some right now.” Nodding, Felix added: “I’ll probably pick up some snack from the convenience store as dessert instead but we’re in no rush, are we?” – “We’re not. For once, we’re not”, Chan laughed, ruffling Jisung’s hair. He was glad his dongsaengs got to eat whatever they wanted and wouldn’t dare take this opportunity away from them.

They finished their food and Jisung ordered himself a slice of cheesecake. Chan ordered some chocolate lava cake and Seungmin got a cupcake, while the others opted for picking up some convenience store snacks and candy to eat at the park. Jisung insisted it was the best cheesecake he had ever had but wouldn’t let anyone try. The only one, he offered a bite to was Minho but the dancer declined. He could see how much his dongsaeng loved it and didn’t want to take any off the younger. He did appreciate the gesture though. Once the rapper had washed down the last bite with the rest of his soda, they were ready to go and paid before leaving for the park. Changbin, Hyunjin, Felix and Jeongin took a detour to the convenience store down the street, promising to pick up some pudding for Minho, who wanted to spend more of his free afternoon with Jisung. Both parties agreed to meet at a specific bench within the park and Minho took Jisung’s hand, swinging their intertwined hands as they walked into the park.

Jisung was grateful they could take their time walking, feeling full after the heavy meal. It wasn’t even like he had eaten that much but he probably wasn’t used to eating so much in one sitting. With how busy they had been, he had mostly just fit in snacks whenever he got the opportunity to. The fresh air should help his stomach settle though, so it’d be fine. The rapper’s stomach rumbled quietly as it tried to digest the unusual lunch but it wasn’t loud enough for anyone but Minho to hear and feeling his dongsaeng tense next to him, the older didn’t want to call him out. He could tell Jisung was flustered by the noise, so better pretend he had heard nothing. By the time they reached the bench, where they wanted to wait for their friends, the younger had grown quiet and Minho noticed him shift uncomfortable next to him. His silence might just be a food coma at least that was what it seemed like to Chan and Seungmin but Minho knew better. The dancer knew something was up with Jisung but hoped the other would tell him himself. However, as his stomach started to hurt, the rapper decided he wouldn’t speak up, as to not ruin their afternoon. It had been so long since they had been able to do something like that and he didn’t know what they’d next get a chance to just hangout, so there was no way, he’d be the reason his group had to worry.

Minho was pulled from his thoughts trying to figure out what was bothering his dongsaeng, when their friends joined them and Hyunjin handed Minho his pudding, along with a plastic spoon. A wide smile spread on Minho’s face as he thanked the younger dancer and opened his pudding, instantly scooping some onto the spoon. Despite the dancer’s excitement, he didn’t miss how Jisung grimaced and turned to look away, muffling a breathy burp against his fist. The younger’s stomach was in knots, feeling overly stuffed and aching with every breath he took. There was also a faint hint of nausea but he hoped his stomach just needed some time to digest without any incidents. The other members were sharing their snacks and even offered Jisung some, who awkwardly declined, claiming: “The cheesecake took up all the remaining space in my tummy.” As if to prove his statement, his stomach growled and the rapper tried not to wince as it cramped painfully. He was happy though, just quietly sitting together with his friends. It had been a while.

Once the sugar rush really hit the boys though, the peaceful moment was over. While most of the members started playing tag, Minho stayed seated on the bench. He didn’t want Jisung to feel pressured to join. “You wanna go for a walk?”, the dancer offered, adding, “I feel too full to run around like that but maybe a walk could help things move along.” The younger nodded. He really didn’t feel like running but maybe the walk would help. Minho disposed of his empty pudding cup and took his dongsaeng’s hand instead as they made their way along the footpath.

After a few minutes of walking, Minho spotted a cat by some bushes and tore himself away from Jisung to go pet it. With his hyung’s focus elsewhere, the rapper could finally take a moment to himself, protectively wrapping one arm around his middle and allowing himself a pained grimace. This wasn’t how he had expected his afternoon to go when they had decided to eat out. His stomach gurgled loudly and Jisung had to resist the urge to hunch over. There were still people who could see him. Like Minho, who had turned to look at him over his shoulder, his brows furrowed with worry as the cat rubbed its head against his leg. “You feeling okay, Sung?”, the dancer asked softly, watching his dongsaeng lean his back against a tree. Jisung shook his head, closing his eyes as he sank into a crouch with his back still against the tree, a lone tear making its way down his cheek. Feeling even more concerned now that the younger was showing himself so vulnerable out in public, Minho rushed over and crouched in front of him. Carefully brushing away the tear, the dancer whispered: “What’s wrong?” Before having a chance to answer, Jisung’s stomach grumbled loudly and the rapper squeezed his eyes shut, gritting out: “M-my stomach’s really bothering me.”

After a few shaky breaths, the cramp eased and Jisung was able to get back up but for Minho it was obvious the fun was over. “Let’s head back home then, hm?”, the dancer hummed, “I just need to tell Chan we’re leaving and then I’ll take you home.” Jisung shook his head though, insisting: “I-I don’t want to ruin your hang out a-an’ it’s only a tummy ache anyway, I *hic* I should be such a cry baby about it. This is embarrassing.” – “It’s not embarrassing. You’re not feeling well and you have the right to say so without being considered a cry baby”, Minho cooed, cupping the rapper’s cheek, “We’re going home and see how we can make you feel better.” Not finding the energy to argue, Jisung let the older pull him along and blushed when they approached Chan. The leader gave them a questioning look, so Minho announced: “Sungie and I will head back to the dorm early.” – “Okay? Are you sure, you don’t want to join us? Everything alright?”, Chan frowned, not wanting his dongsaengs to miss out on such a rare opportunity. The reminder made Jisung feel even more guilty and he couldn’t help but blush again, ashamed that he was making such a big deal out of an upset stomach. “Yeah, just a stomach ache”, Minho shrugged, giving the rapper’s hand a comforting squeeze. Chan’s face fell as he realized: “Do you think it was the food? You both shared, so….” – “Probably”, Minho hummed, running his free hand over his middle, “It’ll be fine, we’re just going to make some tea and wait it out.” Trusting his oldest dongsaeng, Chan nodded and told them to feel better.

“W-Why didn’t you s-say you were feeling bad too? Now I feel even more pathetic about not toughing it out”, Jisung whimpered as soon as they were out of earshot. Shooting him a comforting smile, Minho admitted: “That’s because I’m not feeling bad. You looked embarrassed, so I lied. I feel alright, so it can’t be food poisoning but maybe you overwhelmed your tummy and it needs time to digest. I’ll make you some tea once we get home and we can cuddle, how does that sound?” – “Like heaven”, the younger whispered, palming his sore middle. He could feel the upset organ churn under his hand and unlike he had hoped, the pressure didn’t help, so he hurriedly removed his hand, catching a queasy burp in it instead.

Feeling the most comfortable with where things were, Minho decided to take Jisung to the dorm he shared with the maknae-line instead of the 3racha dorm. Once they had removed their shoes, the dancer settled Jisung on the couch, where the younger hunched over hugging his tummy. Tangling one hand in the rapper’s hair to lightly scratch his scalp, Minho rested his other hand against the boy’s forehead, relieved that he wasn’t running a fever. Jisung sighed and relaxed into the touch, the head scratches taking his mind off the turmoil in his tummy, so he wasn’t too pleased when the older pulled away. “Wait!... Don’t go”, he pleaded, clutching Minho’s hand when the dancer stepped away. Gently removing his dongsaeng’s hand, the older smiled: “I’m just going to make a cup of ginger tea to soothe your stomach. I’ll be right back, so we can cuddle, yeah?” Defeated, Jisung nodded and curled up on the couch, so Minho hurried. He didn’t want the younger having to wait any longer than absolutely necessary.

Minho carefully placed the steaming cup onto the coffee table and took a seat next to the rapper, gently running his hand down the other’s back, smiling: “Let’s get you your cuddles now.” At this, Jisung uncurled slightly, just enough so that the other would fit onto the couch to spoon him. The movement made his stomach gurgle and he bit his lip. Minho laid down on the touch and cuddled against his dongsaeng’s back, cooing: “Do you want me to rub your tummy?” The rapper gave a shy nod and closed his eyes when Minho slipped his hand under his sweatshirt. “Woah, you’re really bloated”, the dancer gasped, feeling how round and tight Jisung’s middle felt under his hand. The younger flushed in embarrassment, glad he was facing away from his friend. Minho gently ran his palm over the stretched skin, earning a relieved sigh, but as soon as he applied a little more pressure, the younger tensed, muffling a burp in his sweaterpaw. “Am I hurting you?”, the dancer asked worriedly. Jisung shook his head, unable to answer before burping again. “No, but it’s humiliating”, he whined, “If you use that much pressure, you’ll make me burp.” Comfortingly squeezing the rapper’s arm, Minho cooed: “It’s not humiliating, it’s natural. If it’s the gas hurting your tummy, it’s better to get it out, so stop fighting it.”

Though Jisung kept whining in embarrassment, he didn’t fight Minho as he continued to rub his stomach. The rapper was a little burpy still but Minho insisted he didn’t have to feel shy, it was only the two of them home and he’d probably feel better afterwards. He wasn’t wrong. After a while, Jisung felt a little less bloated and gratefully accepted the warm ginger tea, sipping it slowly. His stomach had stopped hurting, though it still felt uncomfortable, so once he had finished his tea, he pushed himself back against Minho’s chest. “You wanna take a nap?”, the dancer offered quietly. He slipped his hand back under Jisung’s sweatshirt and continued drawing soft circles over the younger’s middle. Starting to get sleepy, the rapper nodded and closed his eyes, relishing in his hyung’s affection. It was a little cramped on the couch and he knew Minho’s bedroom was only down the hall but he was far too lazy and comfortable to move right now.

[hyah-lian]

You think I would, now, wouldn't you? (LinkedUniverse fic)

For prompt 1. ‘Do You Know How To Take Care of a Sick Person?’

I felt like trying to take part in sicktember/whumptober 2022

I have a few written so far, but not a ton. I don't know if I will do every prompt/post every day, but why not do some writing and try to have fun, right? I love the cozy feels of ppl taking care of their friends and stuff, so I find this kinda thing cute. Also posted on A03 here

no real warnings, the only distressing thing is someone feels faint for a moment

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Legend coughed hard into his elbow. When he pulled back, his shirt stayed hooked over his nose for a second before falling away fully revealing his blotchy red face. And the scowl, of course.

“Do you even know how to take care of a sick person?”

Hyrule winced at the crackling behind Leg’s choppy words. His own face flared red for a moment before he caught himself and took a deep… deep ish… breath.

“‘Cause, I get you’re a great healer. Fantastic-” he paused to clear his throat, though it sounded more like shaking a tin of rocks in chu jelly, “saved our asses more than I can count.”

“Okay. What can I do, then?” Hyrule screwed his face up for a second before letting it go slack again. “What would help?”

Legend pulled his shirt up and turned to cough away from Hyrule’s direction for another long moment. By the time he came up for air, his eyes were watering and Hyrule was squatting beside him with some water.

“Thahsss-” He cleared his throat again, “Thats a good start.”

Hyrule sighted and plonked his head to his hand to pinch and smooth away the tension between his brows. Once Legend had enough, Hyrule took the cup and stood, turning to the low fire with warm honeyed water resting atop in a pot.

“No wonder everyone jumped to go out and try to find out where we are,” Legend stared at his hands in his lap, “Sorry, I’m being kind of an ass.”

Legend could see Hyrule stiffen a few steps away.

“It’s… not okay, but I know you don’t mean it.” Hyrule shifted his weight. Standing still with his back to Legend he continued, “Yer…. feelin’ crummy…”

Hyrule almost sounded like he was drifting away. Legend sat up a bit more, face pinched and voice dry and cracking out before he could say anything.

“Rulie?”

Hyrule staggered a step and crouched down. He plonked onto his ass and turned to give Legend a pale, shaky smile.

“‘M good,” he huffed out a laugh, “Just got lightheaded for a second.”

“Oh my god,” Legend dragged his hands down his face and whined, “we’re cursed. We’ve got to be cursed. You’re sick too, now, aren’t you?”

“What can I say to get you to not worry?” Hyrule shrugged. He started feeling a bit floaty-headed after dinner, and the sore throat and aches blooming throughout the morning really cemented his desire to stick with the veteran at basecamp.

“Grab two cups and get your ass over here and sit,” Legend paused for a moment, “please.”

“Sure thing,” Hyrule stood up more carefully and retrieved the sad excuse for tea and cough remedy, “so, when can I start being pissy and snarky too? It might be fun.”

Legend snorted himself into another coughing fit that kicked off Hyrule laughing and coughing along.

“I would kill to see you snark off to someone,” Legend took the warm cup while Hyrule settled down beside him.

[zartophski]

Sicktember Drabbles, Day Eleven: Emergency Room

“But is he okay?”

“He’ll be okay.”

Wild gripped Time’s forearm, trying to lean around him to peek into the field medic’s tent. Caught in Warriors’ era mid-battle, Wind had taken a spear meant for Wild. A breeze lifted the flap enough for Wild to catch a glimpse of him, positively tiny compared to the medics gathered around the large cot. 

Time stepped in front of him, cupping his face to force his gaze away from the tent. “Hey, look at me,” he said softly. “He’s okay, just recovering. But this is not your fault, you hear me?”

[softsnzstuff]

@sicktember 2022 - Day 1

Prompt: “Do You Know How To Take Care of a Sick Person?”

Fandom: Stranger Things

Word Count: 2.5k (oops)

Summary: Wayne Munson has always been there for his nephew. What happens when Eddie gets sick while Wayne is at work?

Comments: I’ve had this written out for WEEKS and I’m so excited about it. Hope you guys enjoy. I could continue with a part two but like ONLY IF YOU WANT IT!!

CW: None

*******************************************************

It was 8:30am on a Friday. Wayne Munson knotted up his boots before grabbing his car keys off the counter. A handful of guys at the plant were down with the flu and he’d offered to pick up an extra shift. It’s not like they couldn’t use the money.

His nephew, Eddie, was already at school with the van. He could be a handful sometimes, sure, but god dammit he loved that kid with all his heart. He locked up the trailer and jumped in the car, a quick glance in the rear view mirror letting him know he looked work-ready. He shifted the car into reverse and headed off to start his 20 hour day.

Across town, Eddie was struggling through second period. Math was never his strong suit, but something else was distracting him.

He’d gone to bed last night after Hellfire with a sore throat and a headache - something he chalked up to getting a little too enthused about last night’s campaign. This morning, however, his throat felt raw, his head was pounding, and the tickle in his nose wouldn’t leave him alone.

He rubbed at the bridge of his nose with two fingers, trying to relieve the itch, but the attempt was futile.

“H’Nxxt! NxxxT! Heh.. H’NXXT!”

The metalhead curled in on himself, stifling into a closed fist. He was already the school freak and didn’t want to draw anymore unnecessary attention towards himself.

He rested his elbow on the desk and lay his head in his palm, massaging his temple with his fingers. He winced as the bell rang, unsure how he made it through the next two classes in his zombie-like state.

Though he usually looked forward to the chaotic ramblings at lunch, today was just too much. Wheeler was debating about which superheroes would win in a fight and Henderson’s yelling was making his head throb.

He was too nauseous to eat, so instead he sat with head in his hands trying to will away the sick feeling.

“Can you guys shut up for once!?” He even caught himself off guard with the outburst, everyone at his table suddenly going silent.

“Geez, don’t be such a dick.” Mike quipped.

Eddie paused for a beat, “Sorry. Sorry you’re right. I’m just gonna go.” He grabbed his bag and quickly walked off to his next class, leaving the boys confused.

“Hey Eddie wait!” Dustin started as he stood up, but Jeff put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

He’d seen his friend get like this every so often, “Just let him go, man. He’ll be okay eventually.”

Eddie, who was never early, found his seat towards the back of the room. There were already a few students since there were only a couple minutes left of lunch. The room would fill up soon. He folded his arms on the desk and put his face in the crook.

He must’ve fallen asleep because next thing he knows, a hand is on his shoulder and someone’s whispering his name.

“Eddie!” Robin hissed from her desk to his right.

He jumped slightly at the sound, which unfortunately also awakened the tickle in the back of his sinuses. Forehead still resting on his folded arms, he sneezed openly down towards his lap.

“H’IGTSSCHEW! Ah-GKTsschiew! snF HMP’tissh!!”

He brought the back of his wrist up to his nose, trying to stem the flow as he looked up. Robin was staring at him with intense concern, mouthing the words “bless you”.

A soupy sniffle and cough got him a few disgusted glares from some jocks. He flipped them the bird and squeezed his eyes closed, pressing his thumb and forefinger against his eyes.

“You do’t happe’d to have som’b tissues, do you Buckley?” He asked under his breath.

This seemed to snap Robin out of her concerned trance as she fumbled around in her backpack, pulling out a couple tissues from a travel pack and handing them to Eddie.

“Tha’gks.” He mumbled as he quietly blew his nose.

“Sorry, I didn’t know waking you would you know… do that.” Robin whispered, “Ms.O’Donnell just said we were gonna do independent work for the last ten minutes of class.” She offered a shy smile and held up a worksheet.

Eddie just sighed and put his head back on the table, this time his head turned towards Robin.

“Are you okay? You seem… like really sick.”

“You m’bust be a trained detective.” He mumbled opening one eye at her, “Feel like shit…”

Robin just wanted to help. She wanted to take away her friend’s pain. Her brain started going a million miles an hour. “You should go home and make some soup! And umm last time I got sick, Nancy told me starve a cold and feed a fever… or was it the other way around? Feed a cold, starve a fever! THATS IT! That’s definitely what she said… whatever that means.”

Eddie just stared at her weakly and nodded. In the last hour, his limbs must’ve gained ten pounds because they felt weighed down. His head was foggy and he just felt exhausted. All he wanted to do was lie down.

The final bell rang and he used all his energy to stand up from the desk, Robin at a ready stance in case he fell over or something. She walked with him to his van, telling him about her plans for the weekend (mostly trying to lighten the mood), while Eddie stifled his way through a small sneezing fit.

“Nancy wants to take me to this coffee shop tomorrow but - bless you - but it’s got a dress code? Nothing too fancy - bless you - but like. I probably need to wear a blouse. Isn’t that crazy?? Bless you! A blouse to a coffee shop? What kind of person wears a blouse to a - bless you!”

“Ughh” Eddie groaned from the throbbing sinus headache brought on by the stifled fit, unhappy with how gravelly his voice was sounding.

Robin picked up on how crappy he was feeling and stopped talking to frown sympathetically. She rubbed a hand up and down his arm, “Go get some rest okay?” She offered another smile as Eddie nodded again and climbed into his van, throwing his backpack in the passenger seat.

The drive home was a blur, he probably shouldn’t have even been driving, but all he wanted was to get in bed and ask Wayne what to do. He always knew what to do.

He pulled up to the trailer, seeing his uncle’s car wasn’t there. Shit. He mentioned taking another shift the other day. He wouldn’t be back until the early hours of the morning. Eddie was on his own for the night.

He unlocked the trailer and dumped his bag in his room. A chill ran down his spine, sending a shiver through his body. He switched out his jeans for some pajama pants and pulled on an old Iron Maiden hoodie. It was a size too big but he didn’t care.

“HI’GKchew! H’MPTCH! TSCHIEW!!”

Eddie sneezed into the sleeved crook of his elbow, grimacing as he pulled away. Tissues. He needed tissues. He scanned his room but didn’t find anything, so he went to the bathroom and grabbed a spare roll of toilet paper. He cradled it with his left arm as he snuffled into pieces of it with his right.

The long haired 20 year old padded through the trailer to the kitchen. ‘Soup. Robin said soup was good for sick people.’ He thought to himself as he breathed through parted lips.

He looked in a couple cabinets but didn’t find anything especially soup-like. He settled on a can of Spaghetti-O’s, dumping the contents into a small pot. He turned on the stove and sat on the counter while he stirred the food. He only had to stop twice to duck into his hood so that he wouldn’t sneeze in his dinner.

Once it seemed warm, he spooned some into a bowl. It was certainly thicker than the soup he’d imagined. “You’ll do…” he muttered, grabbing a spoon to sit at the table.

“Ah’GKTsschiew!”

He’d barely sat down when a rogue sneeze had him coughing. He grabbed some toilet roll and spit into it, blowing his nose as well. He could already tell this bug was going to end up going straight to his chest.

Just then, he remembered that he had some Robitussin by his bed! He’d almost forgotten since it was mainly used for a slight buzz.

He got up and grabbed it, abandoning his meal for a moment. He stared at the green bottle for a solid minute, unsure how much to take. He’d thrown away the stupid plastic cup and was cursing himself for it now. He opted for the next best thing, pulling a shot glass off his desk. He poured some of the medicine in it and knocked it back as if it were cheap vodka.

He left the bottle on the counter and went back towards his food. He felt like he was forgetting something though. He remembered what Robin had told him, “Feed a cold, starve a fever.” Well he didn’t know if he had a fever.

He brought a hand to his forehead. He’d seen people do that before. It all felt the same to him though, so he went back to the kitchen. He rummaged through a few cabinets and drawers until he found what he was looking for - a meat thermometer. I mean, technically he was meat right? Same difference.

He held the metal device with both hands, blinking and staring at it, looking at it from all angles. Eventually he shrugged and slipped the end of it into his mouth. He’d faked sick enough times at the nurses office to at least know how a thermometer worked.

He sat at the table, eyes closed, while he held the thermometer in place with a finger. After a minute or two he pulled it out and turned it around, trying to get a read in the circular part at the end. The needle was hovering around the “100” mark.

Eddie set the meat thermometer down and frowned, looking to his Spaghetti-O’s and then back to the thermometer, and then to the phone.

Before he could stop himself, he was dialing Wayne’s work number. He held the receiver up to his ear with both hands and waited. The phone rang three times before that familiar voice answered.

“Y’ello?”

“U’cle Way’de?” Eddie asked.

“Eddie? That you? What’s wrong kid?”

“Ubb, I did‘t want to bother you at work but Robin’d said feed a cold a’d starve a fever - I m’bade some soup a’d I wadda eat it. But the m’beat thermobeter said a hu’dred a’d I don’t know if I’b allowed to eat the soup.”

Wayne squinted on the other end of the line, trying to make out what his nephew was saying.

“Eddie slow down -”

“I wadda eat m’by soup but I’b sick. Can I eat the soup U’cle Way’de?” He sounded like he was going to cry.

Wayne covered the microphone of the phone and turned around, “Hey boss, I gotta go. My kid’s real sick.” He turned back to the phone, “I’m on my way home Eddie, just lay down until I get back okay?”

It was just barely the end of his first of two shifts when he left work to speed home. He stopped at the drug store on his way back, picking up tissues, daytime and nighttime medicine, a thermometer, chicken soup, and popsicles - the blue ones.

When he arrived back at the trailer, it was quiet. There was an uneaten bowl of Spaghetti-O’s on the table and a handful of used tissues scattered about the floor. He also noted the sticky shot glass and bottle of cough syrup on the kitchen counter. He shook his head and breathed a laugh.

He creeped slowly towards his nephews bedroom, where there were more tissues all over the bed he was curled up in.

Eddie’s face was flushed with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He was in a ball, wrapped tightly around a roll of toilet paper. Wayne had never seen his nephew look so small.

“Ed?” He placed a gentle hand on Eddie’s forehead. He was burning up. “Eddie can you wake up for me?”

Eddie’s fever glazed eyes suddenly fluttered open. It took him a few seconds to register that Wayne was in front of him. The young man sat up hurriedly until Wayne eased him back down against the pillows with a gentle hand on the chest.

“Hey kiddo. You feel really warm. I picked this up at the store because I swear I thought I heard you say -” Wayne locked eyes with the bedside table, “…meat thermometer.”

Eddie looked down at the meat thermometer on his bedside table and then back up at Wayne.

“Do you know how to take care of a sick person??” Wayne asked, laughing. He knew the answer - in all 12 years he’d been Eddie’s guardian, the kid rarely ever caught more than a sniffle. Of course he didn’t know how to take care of himself if he got sick.

“I m’bade soup and uhh I checked for a fever…” Eddie blushed, now from embarrassment.

“Listen kid, Spaghetti-O’s? That ain’t soup. This is soup.” He held up a can of Campbells chicken noodle. Wayne’s calloused hands started to tear open the packaging of the new thermometer. “Here, sit up. Open.” He gave it a once over and then slipped it in Eddie’s mouth.

“Checking for a fever with my Thanksgiving roast thermometer isn’t right either. Or sanitary.” He laughed again, shaking his head more.

“Sorry U’cle Way’de.” Eddie mumbled, the thermometer moving with his lips, tracing his words.

“Don’t talk with that in, son.”

The older man reached back into his plastic bag and pulled out DayQuil and NyQuil, placing them on the nightstand.

Eddie’s fidgeting caught his attention. He looked over to see the boy’s nostrils flaring. Wayne swiped the thermometer as Eddie turned to the side, “Tsschiew! HEH-GKCHEW!”

“Bless you. Good thing I got these too.” Wayne pulled the box of tissues out of his never ending drug store bag and handed it to his nephew, turning his attention to the reading on the thermometer.

“Tha’gks.” Eddie plucked a few and turned away again, burying his face in them, “MPTSSCH! HMM’TSCH’eww!” Eddie coughed productively, bringing a hand up to his chest.

“102°…” Wayne whistled, “Well kid, I think it’s safe to say you’ve caught that nasty flu going around.”

Eddie nodded and flopped back against his pillows, tossing his crumpled tissue towards the foot of his bed and grabbing a fresh one to sniffle into.

“I’m gonna make you some proper soup okay? And I got popsicles to help bring your temp down.”

The popsicles piqued the young man’s interest, “What color?”

“Blue, of course - No school Monday, I want you to rest.” He raised an authoritative eyebrow at his nephew as he left the room.

“U’cle Way’de?”

He poked his head back in the room, “Yeah Ed?”

“Tha’gks for taki’g care of m’be.”

<< TBC??? >>