While Ladonia did rest – he slept in until 11 a.m. the next day – he still wasn't well; his forehead still felt hot and his stomach icky that next morning.
Denmark and Norway had dropped by to check on him just as Finland was heading out the door to run errands.
"Lukas, Mathias, hi," Finland greeted. "I wasn't expecting you."
Denmark rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Berwald said that we could stop by to see how the little guy's doing."
Finland smiled sleepily. "That's very sweet of you, thank you. Come on in." Judging by the bags under his eyes and the fact that his usually well-kept hair was quite out of place, Finland had not gotten much sleep the night before.
The Finn's exhaustion did not go unnoticed by Denmark. "Long night?" Denmark guessed. He knew all too well the attention that little patients required and the strain that that placed on the caretakers, what with Iceland having been a sickly child and all.
"You could say that," Finland answered, suppressing a yawn. "I'm so glad you're here. I have to run out on a few errands."
"Leave it to us!" affirmed Denmark. "We'll hold down the fort."
"He's in good hands," promised Norway.
Finland smiled. "Thank you. I know he is. I'll be back as soon as I can. Berwald's in his study, and Gustav is resting. If anything happens, you know-"
"Yeah yeah we know how to reach you." Denmark waved his hand dismissively. "Tino, you make it sound like we've never taken care of a kid before, let alone a sick one. We know what we're doing."
"Don't get cocky, Mathias," warned Norway.
Finland however found the playful accusation amusing. "I know. Thanks again. I'll be back!" He ran off, calling another thanks as he left.
Denmark turned to Norway with the classic grin that never failed to make Norway go weak at the knees. "We're such good parents."
Norway took a seat at the dining room table. "We're his uncles. His actual parent is upstairs."
"We're such good parents," Denmark repeated. "I'm gonna go see the little patient. You stay out of trouble now!" He kissed Norway's cheek and skipped upstairs.
The man found Ladonia lying down in his bed and gazing up at the ceiling. "How's my favorite nephew doing?" Denmark asked as he strode into the room and sat down on the side of the boy's bed.
Ladonia turned to face his uncle. "I'd say I'm your only nephew, but I'm not, and I bet you tell Sealand the same thing."
Denmark grinned, relived and rather amused that Ladonia still had his usual sass even when sick.
"So you're gonna have to come up with a better name." The child pulled the comforter closer around himself.
"Fine. How about my little lion cub?"
Ladonia thought this over. "Acceptable." He then let out something that resembled halfway between a cough and a sneeze.
Denmark chuckled. "Ladonia's got a computer bug. Did you try turning it off and back on?"
This earned him a glare that could have rivaled Norway's if Ladonia's eyes didn't hurt so much. "Yeah it's called sleeping. Even an idiot like you can guess how well that worked."
Denmark tucked the covers higher to Ladonia's neck. "Poor little guy."
"Oh poor nothing, I don't need your pity."
The man laughed wholeheartedly. "Oh Gustav, you're so - hey Gus, you ok?" He saw Ladonia clamp his hands over his mouth and immediately rushed him to the bathroom.
Five minutes and a lecture from a concerned Papa Berwald later, Denmark tucked Ladonia back into bed. "Want me to get you some ginger ale? Something to settle your stomach?"
"No."
"Try to eat something."
"No." At least Ladonia was no less obstinate when he was sick.
"Then rest."
"I don't want to rest. I've been resting all day."
"That's the only way you're gonna get better."
"But it's so boring! Can I have my computer?"
"No."
"What if I say please?"
Now it was Denmark's turn to be stubborn. "No."
"But I want my computer!"
Denmark would not lose this fight. "Give your eyes a break, kid." He began rubbing Ladonia's nose in slow circular motions, right over his scar.
Ladonia weakly whacked his hand away. "Stop. You're gonna make me fall asleep."
"That's exactly the point." He continued drawing small circles on the boy's nose. "Your uncle Ice used to get sick all the time when he was your age, ya know."
"So?"
"Just sayin' that I know what I'm doing. This would always help him fall asleep."
"Well I'm not gonna fall asleep and you can't make me."
Much to Ladonia's chagrin and Denmark's pleasure, Ladonia's eyes drifted shut and within a few moments, the sickly child had been lulled to sleep.
The victorious Dane saw how peaceful the boy looked as he slept. "Sure you're not," he whispered, smiling sadly at his nephew. "It's ok to ask for help, ya know. You don't have to be so brave all the time. You can rely on others."
While monologuing, Denmark ended up falling asleep himself by Ladonia's bedside, leaning over on his knees with his head resting in his arms on the bed. He would have stayed like that had Sweden not come in and gently woken him up, dragging him from the room so he could "stop bothering my son." (Sweden almost let Denmark sleep. Almost.)
Next up is Uncle Norway's turn to take charge. Norway is such a loving uncle, as is Denmark, just in his own way.
