My Precious Child 10- Epidemic
Wow ten chapters and 47 reviews, 16 favourites and 28 follows. Thankyou all so, so much! You're all amazing.
Thanks to ZakuroU (yes I am Pewds! *cue intense music) NikkiKirkland (you go girl! Beat up freckly) Mew Tangerine (your review made me die laughing) X. .Shipper.x.X and killjoy skull kandy. Love you all and if I missed anyone, do not fear, I love you too!
Disclaimer: If I owned Hetalia I would…I have no idea…damn I wasn't prepared for this question.
Also Fretka has new name. Introducing the evil and slimy…FRECKLY!
Toris honestly wasn't sure what was going on when he woke up on a plush green couch with a knitted rug wrapped around him. He could see a faint glow coming from under a door as well as hushed voices. Where was he? Whose house was this?
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he made out a series of framed pictures on the wall though he couldn't tell what the contents of said pictures were. The voices behind the door stopped abruptly and then light was flooding the room as the door was pushed open. Toris snapped his eyes closed before opening them cautiously as he got used to the sudden burst of light.
Once Toris had opened his eyes fully he saw that it was Roderich and Vash standing in front of him. Vash held a sleepy looking Elias whilst Lilli was clinging to Roderich's pant legs.
"Are you ok?" Roderich asked gently as if afraid Toris would fly into a fit of anger. The Lithuanian just nodded however, albeit wearily.
"I…I don't know. I don't understand what happened." Toris finally said after struggling for a moment to find the right words to say…not that there were any right words.
"Well I didn't have the…meeting with Fretka." Vash said ruefully, his hands tightening around Elias. "So you'll have to explain what happened Toris."
"Can we call Elizabeta first?" Toris asked. "I need to know how Felicks came to be at the orphanage."
"I've got her number in my phone," Roderich offered. "I'll go call her now. Hopefully she can come down."
Lilli moved from her position beside the Austrian so she could curl up in an armchair that matched the couch. She held up her hands for Elias and Vash complied, gently setting the young boy into her arms. Toris almost smiled at the scene before remembering where his own son was. That stopped any thoughts of smiling.
Roderich came back into the room, smiling in an apologetic way.
"She can't leave the children. 4 of the kids have a fever which would be fine because of Yao but he's also sick. We'll have to go over to the orphanage."
Toris was all for doing that but Vash didn't want to leave the kids and Roderich didn't want to leave Vash. Apparently the Swiss man had been very shaken upon arriving home.
"We could just sleep in the spare beds at the orphanage." Lilli piped up. "After all, I'm sure Eliza won't mind."
Toris held his breath but luckily, silent agreement seemed to form between Roderich and Vash and soon Roderich was grabbing the car keys and Vash was tucking a blanket around Elias who appeared to have fallen asleep.
Roderich came back with the keys and soon the small family and Toris were bundled up in the car, Toris in the middle squished between a car seta holding Elias and Lilli who was resting her head on his shoulder. Lights flashed outside as the car drove past street lamps and a light shower of rain assaulted the windows. It was cosy in the car however as Roderich and Vash conversed in one of their own languages and Elias breathed heavily through his nose.
The car soon pulled up outside the orphanage and as they got out the car, Toris swore he saw a shadow flitter in the trees. He dismissed it as a bird but it had set him on edge and he kept looking around the group made their way up the path towards the door.
Lilli asked politely if she may use the ornate knocker and Vash nodded. The girl burst into a bright smile at being allowed such a simple thing and Toris's throat clenched painfully. The sound of running footsteps could be heard and then the door was wrenched open by a frantic looking boy who Toris recognized as Keith. The boy had a bandage plastered across his nose.
"Are you a doctor?" He asked, his face full of fear and tears leaking from his eyes. Then he saw Vash. "Vash Lizzy collapsed. She was feeding Yao but…she fell asleep or something!"
Vash pushed past Keith. Roderich all but shoved Elias into Toris's arms and followed him. Lilli smiled at Keith who shied away.
"Can I come in? Toris asked awkwardly but Keith just nodded and stepped back to let Lilli and Toris step through. Keith instantly shut the door and flicked the 3 locks before sliding the chain into place. Toris frowned at this but any concern he had about it flew to the back of his mind as Keith led the way to the dorm.
The moment Toris pushed open the door, he didn't know where to look. He saw 5 of the 6 trundle beds pushed away into one corner where the sick kids were obviously staying. Vash was pushing the final trundle bed over which now held Elizabeta. Obviously a small epidemic of flu had broken out. Most of the kids were bundled up in bed though Alfred was running around chasing Peter and Keith was standing rather close to where the sick kids were though he wasn't passing a line made out of masking tape.
"Get in bed!" Roderich suddenly shouted, surprising Toris as he hadn't thought the noble man was capable of raising his voice.
Alfred and Peter scrambled to obey, hoping into their beds though Alfred had to climb up a ladder to reach his bed. The rowdy boy poked his twin before climbing up the ladder. Keith shot a glance at the sick kids before running over to climb the ladder to his beds. Once all the kids were in their beds, Roderich settled Lilli and Elias into the only spare bed in the orphanage.
"Look like we're staying the night." Roderich explained, planting a kiss on his children's foreheads. Toris nodded and moved to see which kids were sick. The corner full of beds had a sour smell about it indicating the sickness the kids and now Elizabeta had. Vash had disappeared, probably to find medicine, food and wet cloths to treat the orphanage dwellers.
Not including Elizabeta, the beds held Yao whose pale face was flushed red and his breathing was heavy as if he was struggling for air. On another bed was Benjamin, the boy curled up in a tiny ball as he coughed, his whole body shaking. A small blonde boy who Roderich called Tino was dead to the world though his brow was beaded with sweat and his breathing was irregular. An Asian girl with pretty brown hair was gazing upwards with fever glazed eyes. And finally, a boy with scruffy brown hair and a sour face was crying softly, the blankets pulled down to show his tomato print pyjamas.
"This is bad." Roderich shot Toris a look. "I'm sorry but it looks like Felicks will have to wait. Without treatment, it looks like some of the kids won't last the night."
"Dammit!" Vash's voice broke the deadly silence left after Roderich's words. Toris saw the small man standing there with a large dining trolley, the ones you might see in restaurants. It was covered in food, water and medicine. The bottom compartment held buckets of water.
"Ok listen up!" Vash yelled to the kids who weren't sick who had been conversing quietly. "Who's the next oldest after Yao?"
"Ivan but…" One of the kids hesitated. "He's really childish."
"Then after Ivan?" Vash asked patiently.
"Me," The girl who had spoken said. "I'm Belle.*"
"You watch the kids ok." Vash told her. "We need to focus on the others. You got that?"
The blonde girl nodded bravely and scrambled out of her bed, immediately heading over to a boy who resembled the tomato pyjama wearing boy. He was crying so the girl hugged him close.
Vash turned back to the sick people, grabbing a cloth and dumping it in a bucket of water before resting it on Elizabeta's head. The woman stirred and muttered an incomprehensible world before settling down again.
"Elizabeta is strong." Roderich commented to Toris as he wrung out a cloth and settled it on the Asian girl's head. "We have to focus on the children right now."
Vash was already helping Yao sit up. The boy moaned in protest but allowed Vash to give him a drink and some crushed medicine. Once he had settled down, Vash rested a cloth on his head. Roderich copied Vash, feeding the girl some medicine and giving her water. She asked for some food and Roderich complied, letting her sip on some soup. She slipped into sleep soon after. Toris realised he couldn't just watch, he had to do something. The Lithuanian grabbed a cloth and moved to Benjamin, convincing the boy to sit up and take some medicine.
"Think of Keith," Toris edged him on. "He wants you to be safe."
Keith's name seemed to send hidden strength into Benjamin and the boy took the medicine and even ate some soup.
Vash and Roderich had already finished giving the other boy and Tino medicine and food so the men just kept refreshing the cloths and giving food and water when needed. The kids who were still awake seemed to be playing Chinese Whispers and when Toris took a moment to glance over, he saw Alfred, Keith, the boy who had been crying before, Natalia, Samantha and Belle playing the game. Everyone was sleeping peacefully or maintain the image of being asleep. Keith was distracted though. He kept shooting glances over at Benjamin who was at the moment, coughing.
"T-Toris," A weak voice called his name. He spun to see it hadn't been Vash or Roderich who had called him. Vash was cradling Tino in his arms and Roderich was feeding Romano (that was the tomato pyjama wearing boys name) soup. It was in fact, Elizabeta who had said his name.
"Don't speak Elizabeta." Toris lightly scolded her. "You need to focus on getting better."
"You knew me as a kid. I'm even stronger now. Don't underestimate me." Elizabeta laughed dryly. "But…I need to tell you w-what you came to hear."
"No Lizzy," Toris was firmer this time. "You need to rest. Don't go telling me stories now."
"Oh shut up Toris." The sick woman snapped. "You came here to find out. If I don't tell you, y-your trip will be in vain." She broke off the cough, her body shaking with the effort.
"You listen right here Elizabeta." Toris snapped back. "It doesn't matter that I won't hear the story tonight because taking care of the children comes first. My trip is not in vain if I can help keep them safe. I don't know if you heard Roderich but…" He lowered his voice. "If we hadn't have come, some of the kids would not have survived the night."
Elizabeta closed her eyes for a moment before snapping them open.
"You're braver Toris," She croaked. "Braver than when we were kids. Look…look after them until I'm better ok?"
Toris nodded, unable to say anything because his throat was so tight and suddenly all he could think about was Felicks all alone with that horrid man. Elizabeta smiled gratefully and her eyes closed. Her breathing evened out and it was obvious that she had fallen asleep.
Toris turned from here so see Vash and Roderich holding hands and smiling at him. Behind them stood the kids who were awake, openly gaping at him.
"What?" Toris couldn't help but be bewildered and confused by what was happening.
"You just made Lizzy go to sleep." Alfred pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Are you a superhero?"
"Uh…no," Toris said though it was almost a question. "Unless…unless you want me to be."
Alfred beamed at him before poking Samantha causing all the kids to lose their attention in him.
"Well let's get back to helping the kids." Vash moved to Yao to find the rag had already dried up from the heat. Roderich moved back to the girl who he had referred to as Mei*. Toris blinked tiredly and swapped the rag on Benjamin's head.
From the sounds of it, Belle was rounding the kids up for bed. He could hear Alfred complaining and Keith whining about something, probably not being able to stay awake and watch Benjamin.
Toris glanced over at the small digital clock. The numbers seemed to blur but he was able to distinguish the numbers to read 11:08. His thoughts flew to Felicks. What was the young boy doing now? Was he alone and scared in the hospital or at home with Fretka. Toris clenched his fists as he thought of the man. The jerk had no right to take Felicks away from him.
"Toris, Romano wants some soup." Roderich's weary voice roused him from his thoughts. The Austrian was holding a glass of water whilst Tino took tiny sips and Vash had disappeared with the buckets. Obviously he was going to refill them with fresh cool water.
Toris took the water to the boy who was red faced and crying for his brother and soup and tomatoes. Toris smiled at him and showed him the bowl. Romano shut up immediately; eyes wide open with happiness though his mouth remained in a sulky frown. Toris didn't blame him for the look though. The boy was sick after all.
A curse came from outside the room in an unfamiliar language that was probably Vash swearing in Swiss. Roderich clambered to his feet, his face smiling in an affectionate way.
"I'll go see what he's swearing at." And with that, Roderich left the room leaving Toris to loom after the sick children and Elizabeta. Benjamin, Mei and Elizabeta were all asleep but Yao, Tino and Romano were all awake. Yao looked like he was struggling to breathe, his chest rising and falling rapidly with the effort. Toris was worried for the teen. He was worried for them all but Yao just couldn't seem to rest at all.
Suddenly the Asian boy began to cough and cough and cough and he didn't stop.
"Yao!" Toris cried, alarmed. "Vash, Roderich! Come quickly!" He heard footsteps the moment he yelled their names but before they reached the room, Yao who had sat up to cough fell back onto the covers and the coughing stopped abruptly along with the sound of his breathing*.
*1 This is Belgium
*2 This is Taiwan
3* This is the evil cliff-hanger you'll probably hate me for
Pleaseeeeeeeee reviewwwwwwwwwww