Change: This is now a fourth shot. There will be one more chapter after this!
It seemed that so far Ivan and Alfred hadn't even gotten a moment's rest. There was always something to be done, whether it was getting medicine to one of the kids, checking temperatures hourly, cleaning up vomit...you name it.
Francis seemed to be doing considerably better though. His fever was very mild, and he had even managed to stomach a piece of toast. Feliks was a little complicated. Though he was running a fever of 102 and had puked after trying to down a glass of orange juice, he really seemed to want to be up and about. Alfred and Ivan had to constantly make sure that he was resting rather than running around the house.
Toris was still in rough shape. He really didn't want to eat or drink, or even open his eyes for that matter. They urged him to drink, since Dr. Elizaveta had warned about dehydration. Toris's fever made him get quite the chills, so he was burrowed in blankets.
Arthur was probably the worst right now. He couldn't go an hour without throwing up, and cried very much every time he did so. His face was flushed with fever, and he was wrapped in his Thomas the train blanket (a present from Uncle Mattie). Since he was quite clingy when sick, they couldn't leave him alone for more than a few minutes. Currently Alfred was holding the little guy, who was on the verge of sleep.
Ivan meanwhile, was on 'living room duty'. Since Francis was feeling a little better and Feliks refused to lie down, they had set the two up on the couch that morning. Ivan had put Transformers on for them to watch, which kept them busy.
Toris was sleeping upstairs, where Alfred was keeping an eye on him as he also stayed with Arthur. It was only about ten in the morning, so they had the whole day ahead of them.
"I can't wait to go back to school," Feliks announced, pausing to cough. "I can like, tell everyone how much I puked!"
"I'm sure your friends will love to hear about that," Ivan agreed in amusement.
"Ew!" Francis wrinkled his nose. "No they won't."
"Yes they will!"
"Time for medicine!" Ivan announced cheerfully before Francis and Feliks could start a fight.
"Nooo!" Both boys exclaimed in horror.
"Ivan, come here!" Alfred suddenly shouted from upstairs. "I need some help!"
"Alright, medicine will have to wait. Don't think I'll forget though," Ivan told them, before quickly rushing up the stairs to see what Alfred needed. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs he heard crying, only it was coming from two different people. He ran towards Arthur's room, where he and Toris were both staying for the day, and instantly understood the problem.
There was a nasty pile of vomit on the floor, next to a very upset Arthur. The puke had gotten all over his jammy bottoms and shirt as well. Just a few feet away, Toris was out of his bed and on his knees, throwing up too. Alfred was in between them, trying to comfort both at the same time.
"Here, let me give Arthur a bath," Ivan said, picking the youngest one up. "Francis and Feliks will be alight downstairs alone for a bit."
"Okay," Alfred agreed as he patted Toris's back while the whimpering kindergartener finished throwing up. Since the little guy didn't have much in his stomach to begin with, he'd only upchucked stomach acid. The American really hated watching any of the children throw up, because he knew how awful it felt.
"Father...make it go bye-bye!" Arthur begged as he was carried into the bathroom.
"Shh, calm down little one. You'll feel better soon, I promise." Ivan whispered, burying his face into Arthur's soft hair. He shifted him into one arm, using the other to turn on the tub faucet. He made the water cooler than normal, since Arthur was running a fever still.
He then stripped the three year old out of his vomit covered jammies and sat him in the tub. Arthur sighed and closed his eyes, gripping tight to his father's wrist. Fifteen minutes later Arthur was done, and much cleaner now. He smelled of kiwi-mango kids shampoo, and his damp hair was combed. Once he was dressed in a new set of pajamas (Toy Story themed) he was as good as new.
"Mmm, he smells good!" Alfred exclaimed happily once Ivan came back into the room, carrying a now sleeping Arthur. He tucked out very easily while sick. "Let me see him!"
"Careful not to wake him!" Ivan warned in a whisper, but passed Arthur over. He looked over and saw that Toris had fallen back asleep too, wrapped up in several blankets, his breathing soft and even thankfully.
"Thanks Ivan babe," Alfred said to Ivan as he tucked Arthur back into bed. "You should probably get back to the other two before-"
"Dad, Father! I was like, watching the movie and then I got an idea!" A certain five year old said, running into the room. "We should try to make our very own transformers! Wouldn't that be cool?"
"Feliks, you are supposed to be resting!" Ivan said, exasperated.
"I feel better though!" Feliks insisted.
"Really now? Because I checked your temperature less than an hour ago and you had quite the fever. If I also remember correctly, you also threw up just a little while ago. Healthy boys do now throw up and have fevers." Ivan told him.
"Well...I'm not all the way better I guess. But I'm like, almost as better as the regular better. So it's like I'm halfway better to being better!"
"So many betters..." Alfred mumbled to himself in a daze. Ivan wasn't phased at all though.
"Come on," The Russian ordered softly, holding out his arms. Feliks came forward and allowed himself to be picked up, and so Ivan carried him back down the stairs, placing him back on the couch. Francis had fallen asleep, and when Ivan felt his forehead he was glad to see that the fever was still practically gone.
"Can we get ice cream when everybody's better?" Feliks asked.
"That sounds like a splendid idea," Ivan agreed. "What flavor will you get?"
"Rainbow! Now wait, bubblegum! Or maybe like, the cake batter flavor! No I got it, all of them!" Feliks prattled off excitedly. Leave it to their newest foster child to be the most talkative one, even with the flu.
"Vanilla-strawberry twist..." Francis mumbled sleepily.
"How do you feel Francis? Is your tummy doing well?" Ivan questioned.
"Yeah," Francis answered, rubbing his eyes. "No more throw up feeling."
"Wonderful! You're well on the way to recovery then!" Ivan announced, clapping his hands together. "Soon you will all be as good as new!"
Ivan and Alfred had dealt with sick children before, but just not all at once. Arthur got colds often, and they would lead to ear infections and sinus infections. The doctor said that one day Arthur might need ear tubes to help someday, or possibly get his adenoids surgically removed to help correct the ear infection problem.
This was the first time taking care of four sick kids at once though. Granted, this would probably happen more in the future, so it was good practice now.
"Would you like to try eating something? Maybe soup or toast?" Ivan offered. After all, it had been awhile since Francis, or each other the children, could keep down a proper meal.
"Oui...soup." Francis answered.
"Excellent. Let me go make it for you." Ivan said, standing up to go into the kitchen.
"Hey guys!" Alfred greeted suddenly, walking down the stairs. "I came to check on the other half of our army. How are you two little troopers holding up?"
"We're doing great dad! Francis is going to eat soup!" Feliks answered.
"Awesome, I'm glad you feel like eating Francis!" Alfred said enthusiastically, ruffling both boy's heads. "I'm getting some water for Toris right now, since he really needs to drink more."
"Can I see him? How is he? I miss him!" Feliks said, bouncing in his seat with hyperness.
"Feliks, you just saw him a few hours ago. He's resting right now, but maybe he can come down here later if he's feeling better." Alfred told him, and then passed him to go into the kitchen.
"I heard Francis is having some soup," Was what Alfred greeted Ivan with. Ivan was standing by the stove, cooking a can of chicken noodle.
"Da, that is correct. Maybe he'll be able to hold it down." Ivan answered.
"Hopefully. Maybe you can try to get Feliks to eat a bit too. I doubt Toris or Arthur have much of an appetite right now. Speaking of which, I need to get some water before Arthur wakes and notices I'm gone." Alfred realized, quickly filling a cup full of cold water. Halfway towards the kitchen exit, he tripped over a random toy remote control truck, falling and spilling the water everywhere.
"Shit," He groaned, rubbing his knee, which had hit the floor rather hard. There would probably be a bruise in the morning.
"Here, let me help." Ivan said, grabbing a dish towel and rushing over to his lover's side. As soon as they both started to clean up the mess, a loud pitched wail came from upstairs.
"Uh-oh, Artie woke up. Can you go to him Ivan? I need to change out of these wet clothes." Alfred asked.
"Of course," Ivan replied instantly, leaving to go up to the loudly wailing three year old. Arthur always ended up crying if someone wasn't with him when he was sick. He was very emotional whenever ill, especially whenever he got ear infections. It was pure hell to give him ear drops for those...and very difficult.
Sure enough, Arthur was sitting up in bed, face streaked with tears as he sobbed when Ivan arrived. Toris was awake too, for Arthur's crying had awoken him.
"F-father!" Arthur hiccuped, raising his arms as an indication to be held.
"Shh, calm down Arthur. What's the matter, hmm?" Ivan murmured. He was a big softie whenever for of the kids cried, especially their littlest baby.
"Can I go down? Please? I don't like it up here." Arthur pleaded in between more hiccups as he clutched at his father's shirt.
"Well...I suppose so," Ivan said, a bit hesitant. Arthur really should be resting in a quiet area. Then again, maybe if they moved all of the children downstairs it would be more easier to look after them. "Toris, would you like to go downstairs too?"
"Yes please," Toris answered tiredly. Ivan picked him up as well, so now he held both of them in his arms. It took little effort to carry them downstairs, and once they had gotten there, he set Toris next to Feliks on the couch, and Arthur on the large comfy recliner. Went back upstairs to retrieve extra blankets, a few of Arthur's stuffed animals, and some of Toris's books. That would at least keep them distracted for a little bit.
"Now Feliks, this time you cannot try talking with it in, okay?" Ivan told him, holding up the thermometer. "Now open your mouth."
"Okay!" Feliks answered cheerfully, opening his small mouth widely. Ivan put the thermometer under his tongue, and Feliks closed his mouth around it. There was a silence for a few moments.
"Mhhn hmml em me hmm?" Feliks suddenly inquired behind closed lips.
"What?" Ivan asked, not able to understand him at all.
"Mhhn hmml em me hmm?!" He hummed louder.
"You'll just have to wait until it's finished, then you can tell me what you want to say." Ivan told him. "So be patient."
Soon the thermometer beeped, and so Ivan took it and glanced at the temperature. It was down to 99, so he practically had a normal temp now!
"I kept asking 'when will it be done' but you didn't answer!" Feliks told him crossly.
"I'm very sorry Feliks, but it was rather hard to understand you. On a better note, you no longer have a temperature!" Ivan told him.
"I don't? So I'm like, all better!" Feliks cheered.
"Not quite buddy," Alfred, who was holding Arthur in his lap on the recliner, spoke. "But you're almost better. Just give yourself a few more days."
"What about me?" Toris asked.
"Why don't we find out," Ivan suggested. After cleaning the thermometer off, it was then Toris's turn. Unlike Feliks, Toris was quiet and patient the whole time. Once Ivan withdrew the device, he smiled.
"101. Still a fever, but much better than before." He informed him.
Toris returned the smile to his father, glad that he was finally starting to feel better.
Arthur had the highest temp out of the four, at 102. It was better than 103 though, but still not good. He wouldn't allow Alfred to put him down, sitting quietly in his daddy's lap sucking his thumb while Alfred read the Berenstain Bears to him. Alfred worried a little bit because occasionally Arthur would rub at his ear. Hopefully he wasn't going to develop an ear infection. It wouldn't be uncommon though, since Arthur often did after getting sick with a cold and such.
Eventually it started to turn dark outside. All four of the kids were put to bed (in their own rooms this time.) Before this Ivan had cooked up some more soup. Francis and Feliks had eaten pretty easily, finishing everything in their bowls. Arthur had eaten only half, but that was still good. Unfortunately Toris had only eaten a few bites before his stomach had decided that it wasn't ready for soup yet.
Now, at 7:00, all the kids were in their beds. Well, everyone except for Arthur, who instead wanted to sleep with his parents. Alfred went on his rounds to the bedrooms one last time before he was going to sleep to. Even if it was early for him, it had been a tiring day.
"Well, at least they're showing improvement," Said Ivan, who was laying in bed with a book when Alfred came back in. Beside him Arthur was sleeping soundly, his stuffed teddy clutched tightly to his chest.
"True. Francis will probably be able to go back to school in one or two days. Possibly Feliks too, if his fever goes. I'm not sure about Toris. And Arthur...well he doesn't even go to school so I guess it doesn't matter," Alfred replied as he got into bed, turning off his nightstand lamp so that his side of the bed was darker.
"He goes to daycare though," Ivan pointed out. "And we both cannot miss too much work."
"Yeah," Alfred replied, running his fingers though Arthur's hair absentmindedly. "The school's pretty good with giving me time off though. But hey, I'm going to bed. Night babe."
"Goodnight," Ivan responded, leaning over to give his husband a quick kiss before settling back into his book.
It didn't take him too long to turn off his own lamp and allow sleep to come over him as well.
a/n: Well...what do you think?
Like I said, there will be one more chapter I think.
Please feel free to review or somethin' :)