Sick days (are the worst days)
_________________~*~________________
Disclaimer: Arika Toriyama owns Dragon ball Z and all its characters. I don't. (Much to my happiness)
Summary: I'm sick with the flu (for the second time) so, I thought I might write something just to comfort myself by putting Goku in my shoes. Goku comes down with the flu while with a nine-year-old Gohan and has a horrible time at home. Chi Chi is to out shopping for clothes for her husband and son unaware of the misery he is going through. Enjoy. No flaming me. And if there are spelling errors of any kind I'm sorry [just try to jump over them. I ain't perfect.]
Characters: Goku [Sean Shemel rocks!], Gohan, Chichi, Bluma (mentioned) [maybe more].
Rating: G [nothing bad] ^___^ One shot.
Timeline: After the Namek/Freiza Saga and Goku returned from Yardrat [AU] Mirai Tunks comes much later on.
______________________________________________________
Chichi rushed down the stairs in a hurry barely in her shoes as the rushed into the kitchen to make breakfast for her son and husband who were conveniently still in a deep slumber after a hard yesterday of spring cleaning with her. Gohan was well teached in the ways of cleaning the house, but Goku needed some help in this particular area;
He continuously broke each feather duster she gave him by simply excerpting a small amount of his power, he put the vacuum cleaner in reverse causing the machine to spit out all of the dust from inside the bag making their job little more strenuous than before and broke two sets of formal dishware when he was assigned to washing the dishes. This lead him to be kicked out of the house, Chichi ordered him to gather up a months supply of wood since it was the only thing she could think up. Goku unaffected by her bad mood cheerfully flew off into the woods with his mind set on the goal.
Chichi brought herself out of her thoughts hearing a tired groan come from her and Goku's bedroom knowing it was her husband. He wasn't a light sleeper so it was safe to assume he was still sleep and hadn't smelled the turkey sausages cooking on the frying pan yet, she continued to turn the 10 perfectly browning sausages in the pan.
Once they were done she placed them on her blue China plate sitting it on the table before heading back to the stove to make enough waffles to hold over until she returned to make dinner (hopefully). She groaned as she began to stir the batter up in the bowl checking every so often to make sure Goku and Gohan were still asleep. Though as relieved as she was that Goku was not waking up, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with him.
Goku was usually down the stairs before she could get out of the bed to do some training; but today was different. He hadn't stirred at all when she rose from her slumber which she found to be odd. "Oh, he's probably just tired from all that work," Chichi sighed looking upward at the pots hanging above her.
Placing the bowl onto the counter beside the stove Chichi began to heat up the waffle iron before picking the bowl back up from the counter she poured some of the batter into the waffle iron listening to the sizzling it made as it spread across the hot surface. Quickly Chichi made up the biggest batch of waffles she could to satisfy her bottomless pit family before placing the large batch of waffles onto an oval serving dish and setting it on the table proceeding to set the table.
After she was done with that she fixed her hair up and grabbed the keys to her father's car off the coat hanger, she opened the front door but before leaving out she poked her head into house again gazing in the direction where the stairs were located with a worried glance. "Goku, Gohan I'm going out now, there's breakfast on the table waiting for you," She called. "I'll be back before lunch time. Bye!" With that she shut the door behind her and made her way over to the car in a hurry.
______________________
Goku laid on his side of the bed lying upon his back. Continuous chills ran through his body, his head hammered with pain that felt as though it would never end, his throat felt dusty and dry as if he were in the desert. He groaned as he struggled to sit up despite his aching muscles. He felt nauseous. Dizziness overcame him causing him to fall back against the bed's headboard with a groan.
"Oh man, what's wrong with me?" Goku blinked in confusion realizing he couldn't breath through his nose. His lips felt dry and his throat was beginning to feel sore or maybe he was just noticing the soreness' presence, either way Goku knew nothing of the horrible feeling that washed over him out of nowhere. His stomach stirred uncomfortably feeling as though he was about to vomit..... not good.
He looked around the room noticing Chi-Chi's humming was nowhere to be heard, he couldn't sense her anywhere inside the house. Goku cocked his head to the side sniffling a bit. I remember her telling me, she was going to go shopping last night.... Goku's train of thought was cut short when he realized that he could not breath through his nose nor smell anything.
"Huh?" He muttered poking his nose with his middle finger. "That's strange...." Goku huffed attempting to breath through his nose but ended up throwing a coughing fit, he placed his hand over his mouth to prevent any germs from spreading as he slowly climbed out of the bed aware of the aching in his body. The dizziness he felt became stronger giving the room a spinning appearance, Goku placed a hand over his head as he used is right arm to balance himself as he traveled around the bed toward the door of the bedroom.
"G-Gohan... are you awake?" He groaned leaning his body against the wall beside the light-switch. He closed his eyes, he didn't want his stomach to become any more upset than it was now plus he didn't want to see the spinning room. A moment of silence washed over him as he awaited his son's reply patiently.
The eternal feeling of waiting was cut short when the sound of Gohan's bedroom door opening caught Goku's attention. Gohan yawned stretching himself out proceeding to strcatch his inching stomach as he made his way across the hardwood floor toward his parent's bedroom door.
His small hand grabbed the knob he turned the round object unlocking the door letting himself inside the room with one eye open, the other was closed. "Dad?" He mumbled tiredly looking up at his father not even noticing the evident confusion upon Goku's face. Goku smiled wearily fighting back the urge to sneeze unintentionally on his son Gohan looked up at him in confusion wondering why his father called him out of his bedroom just when his insect book was getting interesting.
"Hey Gohan, do you smell any food?" Goku asked curiously scratching the side of his nose. Gohan sweatdropped and fell over with his feet up in the air. Goku looked down at his son and sneezed twice, Gohan climbed upon his feet again with a silly smile. "Yeah, why do you ask?" He asked removing the smile from his face.
"Err.... For some strange reason I can't breath through my nose, my head feels funny, my throat is sore, and my whole body aches," Goku explained shamelessly. Gohan blinked at his father before taking a whiff of the air, his onyx eyes brightened at the smell of Waffles and turkey sausages that had wafted up into the hall way. He looked to his father again who was now sniffling while clutching his stomach with an unhappy expression that would've made Kinto'un cry rain. "Waffles and turkey sausages!" Gohan said in hopes that it would cheer his father up.
Goku's face suddenly turned blue at the thought and smell of food, he quickly shoved his nine year old son out of his way and rushed down the hall toward the bathroom. "Dad, come back! Was it something I said?" Gohan called after his father rushing after the running man. Goku slid through the open bathroom door and fell to his knees hanging his head over the toilet knowing whatever he ate last night would be coming up in reverse motion than the way he was used to, the taste of vile filled his mouth as he opened it and began the vomiting process.
Gohan was careful not slide across the floor knowing he would probably get a splinter in his foot as he listened to the horrible choking sounds of his father vomiting last night's dinner. He entered the bathroom overcome by the awful smell of vile but tired to ignore it. Gohan placed a hand upon his father's back trying his best to offer what little comfort he could supply, Goku's vomiting trip ceased for a moment the sayain man kept his head over the toilet just in case something else he ate decided to come up. "Sorry about that Gohan, I didn't mean to shove you," Goku groaned miserably shifting his weary gaze to his son.
Gohan smiled sympathetically giving his father a light pat on the back hoping he didn't trigger another vomiting fit. "S'okay, I'd rather have you shove me than get thrown up on. Hehehe," Gohan stuck his tongue out in a playful way. Goku chuckled ducking his head over the toilet once more as the nauseous feeling washed over him again and began to vomit again. Gohan stared at the back of Goku's head in deep thought as he tried to name the symptoms his father was suffering from he began to scratch his head as an unexpected itch nestled itself upon his scalp.
Let's see here..... sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches...... vomiting and nausea..... This could mean only one thing! Gohan's widened in realization. "Dad, I think you've caught influenza!" The 9-year-old cried jumping up and down, waving his arms about. Goku looked up from the inside of the toilet with an inquiring look upon his face. "Eh?" He sneezed in question. Gohan tired his damnedest not to roll his eyes at his father as he remembered that his mother informed that Goku was still a bit naive despite all she and his childhood-friends taught him.
"Lemmie repeat that," Gohan grumbled to himself. "Dad you've caught a nasty cold called In-flu-enza, otherwise know as 'the flu.' Which is why your feeling so horrible." Goku's eyebrows raised in awe as his eyes searched for something to wipe his face clean, Gohan noticed this and grabbed a hand towel from off the sink he stood by and pressed it against his fathers filthy face. Goku winced at his son's roughness he placed one hand on Gohan's unoccupied arm.
"Gohan [cough] I'm not a baby," He said a bit sternly sounding nasal. Gohan glanced up at his father briefly removing the hand towel from his father's face and tossed it into the hamper making a mental note to get it later. "I know that Dad, I figured since your body ached I might lend you a hand, that's all," Gohan answered. "You must've gotten that from your mother," Goku grumbled sluggishly climbing to his feet. The little boy gave his father a toothy smile which got him a brief noggie.
Gohan jumped at the touch of his father as part of himself told him he shouldn't be around his father because he would catch the flu germ while the other part told him that his father needed some cheering up and he could take getting sick.... it had happened to him before when he caught the chickenpox's. Gohan ignored the selfish side of himself and followed his stumbling father who held his head in pain from the ever-growing headache that had greeted him when he awoke from his uncomfortable slumber.
Goku kept both hands upon the sides of his head as he exited the bathroom watching his half-sayain son in front of him walking like a solider holding a gun against his shoulder with the end of weapon supported by the palm of his hand. A weary smile spread across Goku's features as he watched the happy child make his way toward the stairway Gohan turned to smile to his sniffling father as he grabbed the railing and hopped up onto it. "C'mon dad, hurry!" Gohan cried in excitement. "I bet food'll make you feel better!"
Goku sniffled again grinned at the thought of food and sped up his walking before pushing himself up from the ground attempting to fly, he was over the stairway near the landing when suddenly the energy beneath him vanished as quickly as he summoned it and he plummeted from the air crashing onto the last of the stairs tumbling on the way down. Goku skidded across the ground coming to a halt halfway into the kitchen entrance.
Gohan cried in horror as he lifted off the railing and flew down to father's aid, the nine-year-old landed on the ground making his way over to the pain-ridden sayain before him. "OMGosh, Dad!" Gohan cried. Goku was oblivious to Gohan's cry of concern he was to busy trying to ease the assaulting pain that attacked his skull like a hammer hitting a nail deep into wood, he gritted his teeth in pain as his muscles tensed up as the aching returned. Goku grunted in pain and dared not to move, he felt Gohan's small trembling hands grip his muscular arms before he lost consciousness. Gohan felt his father's body go limp causing a sudden panic to grip his entire being. "Daddy!"
__________________________________________________
He wasn't sure what had happened but the one thing Goku was certain of was that his head was still hurting, his body was aching even more, and his nose was stuffy. The sayain groaned at the feel of something cold upon his forehead as he eyes slowly opened. For some strange reason unknown his eyes were hurting as well. Goku could barely smell steam hanging in the air around him, it was a bit easier to breath through his mouth now that the feeling of suffocation had diminished a great deal.
The sleep in his eyes was gone and he looked about the room he shared with his wife before the pre-afternoon sunlight filled his vision. Goku grunted in minor pain bringing his hands over his face shielding his eyes from the sunlight, a cough escaped his being and the soreness in his throat masked by the dryness gradually returned.
I feel horrible, earth's spiky haired hero thought furrowing his eyebrows in frustration and exhaustion turning on his side. Ice clanking against each other caught Goku's attention he looked up at his forehead just as an ice bag fell onto the pillow. "Huh?" He moaned in question pushing himself up in a semi-upright position supporting his upper body with his elbows.
Goku scanned his bedroom noticing several things were out place; there was a box of tissue on the left side of the bed (Chichi's side), a vaporizer on the floor on the right side (Goku's side), and last but not least there was a thermometer and an ice bag on his pillow. Gohan must've been behind this, Goku thought as he turned onto his back shifting his legs under the soft sheets. The sayain brushed a lock of hair out of his eye as he reached out for two sheets of tissue just has Gohan came trotting into the bedroom with a mug of tomato soup and crackers on a platter.
The nine-year-old looked up at his father with a welcoming smile. "Hiya daddy!" Gohan exclaimed in excitement happy to see him conscious. Goku nodded to his son with an uncertain expression on his face recalling his hand away from the tissue, Gohan noticed this as he placed the platter upon the bed watching his father's every movement. "What's wrong dad?" He asked climbing up onto the bed. Goku stared at the little boy in front of him the uncertain expression remained upon his face, Gohan crawled over to his father's leg placing himself into a sitting position.
Goku sighed reaching over to grab the platter, he pulled it toward him leaving enough space for his arms to maneuver about on the bed. He picked up the spoon beside the mug he placed the spoon into the soup before he turned to meet his son's confused face. He looked down at the bed as if he committed a crime and pleaded guilty to a judge before speaking. "Gohan I'm sorry I broke my promise and didn't take you riding on the Kinto'un to your grandpas," Goku said apologetically. Gohan simply smiled cocking his head to the side placing his hand under his chin. "That's all right dad, I'm not angry," He said cheerfully. "Besides I'm fine right here where I am. I like hanging out with you when Mom's not around, its sorta like I'm breaking a rule or somethin'."
Goku looked up at Gohan surprised to say the least he never expected that sort of reaction from his half-sayain son. Then he laughed. "Yeah, I guess you would feel that way. Your mother is awfully strict on ya at ti....," Goku stopped in mid-sentence as he over come with a coughing fit. His body trembled under the force of each cough that was worse than the first. Gohan crawled carefully up to his father and began to pat him softly on the back in an attempt to cease the coughing fit.
Goku took a deep breath and released it his hand covering his mouth just in case he would start coughing again, he looked around the bed with half-open eyes trying to find Gohan when the nine-year-old appeared under his arm with a worried expression. Goku smiled at him ruffling his hair. "I'm alright now Gohan, no more coughing," Goku said to his son. Gohan sighed letting out breath he was unaware of holding he looked up at his father again yawning. "Are you hungry dad?"
Goku nodded childishly. "Very!" Gohan grunted slipping his head out of the hold of his father muscular arm turning to the platter and picked it up. Goku watched him excitedly as he imagined the smell of tomato soup and taste of crackers, he pulled his body toward the head board grabbing his pillow proceeding to throw against the headboard Gohan placed the platter onto his father's lap handing him the spoon. "Mom told me soup is the best thing to eat when your sick," Gohan explained.
Goku nodded in agreement removing the object from his son's grip and dipped it into the mug, he lifted the spoon slowly toward his mouth knowing Chichi would have his hide if he stained sheets even a little bit. He clamped his mouth over the soup filled spoon, Goku swallowed the soup never expecting it would go down so roughly he almost choked at the dry feeling he hoped the soup would smooth over.
He removed spoon from his mouth placing it onto the platter, Goku wrapped his hands around the warm mug bringing up to his face but paused to ask a question. "Uhh.... Gohan what happened when I fell down the stairs?" He asked gingerly. Gohan looked up at his father surprised the sudden question he place a finger on his chin wondering and began to explain it to his father in the most detail he could offer him without confusing him.
Goku's eyes widened as he drank down the last of his soup. "I fell unconscious? That's new, but I guess a tumble like that combined with a headache is enough to knock me out," Goku joked shoving the three saltine crackers into his mouth. I guess I should wait until I'm better to start flyin'....
Once Goku was done with his meal Gohan placed the platter and all its contents on the nightstand over on Chi-Chi's side, he watched his father slide into a lying position on his back. "Hey Gohan, why don't you go out and play with Iccruas for a while?" He suggested. "I'll be asleep for the time being so you go have fun now. I don't mind." Gohan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but did not object to the idea of playing outside nor his father's gentle suggestion.
"Okay.... if you say so," Gohan mumbled a bit uncertain of his father's well-being. Goku gave him a nod, the nine-year-old leaped off the bed then made his way out his parents' bedroom. He waved to his father as he exited. Goku waved back to him just as Gohan vanished behind the wall. Chichi's gonna kill me when she finds out I'm sick with the flu.... Goku could only groan and throw his arm over his eyes. "Man I'm so hot."
_______________________________________________________
*Sigh*, why is it that I'm always stuck in such long lines when I go shopping? Is this some kind of punishment, Kami? Chichi thought as she flipped through a magazine she pulled off the wrack while managing to hold 10 shopping bags of clothing on both her arms. Chi glanced up at the gradually shortening line taking a step forward noticing the people in front of her had moved on ahead of her those behind her however, were glaring daggers into her back giving her an unsettling feeling.
Chichi gave a them all a quick apology and trotted down the line back in her place. I'm gonna get mualed before I even get home! Chichi thought in panic as she stepped up again, closer to the checkout line. A smiled graced her features Chichi imagined Goku wearing all of the clothes she brought for him; from sneakers, T-shirts, suits, and jackets she knew he would look absoultly handsome in anything he wore (besides he training Gi). Exhaling Chichi continued down the line anxiously awaiting her return home.
_______________________________________________________
Iccruas soared through air above the clouds with Gohan riding on his back, Gohan kept his hands firm on the dragon's side as the creature took a dive down through the clouds like a rocket. The nine-year-old cried out in excitement glancing briefly at the setting sun when Iccruas twirled in a circle causing his head to spin Iccruas let out his scratchy screech and soared through the woods dodging every tree as if they weren't there in front of him at all.
Gohan felt his heart speeding up as each tree grew larger than the last and it was becoming obvious that Iccruas was loosing his breath since this particular trick a lot out of him. "Okay Iccruas that's enough," Gohan informed patting his outdoor pet on the head. "Let's get outa these woods." Iccruas nodded his head in agreement and flew out of the trees into a the clearing.
The small dragon landed in front of a small river where he and many other animals come to take a drink to refresh themselves. Gohan hopped off quickly making his way over to lake picking up a few pebbles on his way. Iccruas settled down on all fours watching his friend toss the pebbles into the water sideways causing them to skip across the water's surface until they collided with the huge boulder on the other side. Gohan threw the last pebble across the water watching skip halfway across the water until it settled into the middle of the river only two-feet away from the boulder.
He sighed falling back on the damp grass with little worry about his scruffy jeans that had one hole in the left pant leg and his blue shirt with glow in the dark stars on them. Gohan stared up into the redorange sky with a wondering gaze. It had rained the other day and his father had come home late soaked to the bone. His mother wanted an explanation as to why he was late, his father explained that he gone over to Bluma's for the dragon radar so he could search for his grandfather's Sushinchu (the four star dragonball) but was held up because the two of them had to look for it in her father's messy work space and search for Bluma's tissue box because she had come down with a nasty cold.
After a whole afternoon going on evening his father and Bluma gave up, but before he left he told Bluma that he would be back later when she found it. And as he was heading home on Kinto'un he was caught in the downpour of rain. Chichi excused Goku for his lateness and told him wash up and get ready for his late dinner.
Gohan pulled himself out of his thoughts after noticing the redorange sky was slowly dissipating and the stars were became faintly visible. Maybe that would explain Dad's sudden cold ... he had been sneezing a lot over the past week. He must've caught Bluma's flu germ. That has to be it! Gohan climbed up from the ground onto his feet with little effort and proceeded to dust himself off when a spike of faint turmoil rushed through his body.
Gohan jerked his head skyward recognizing the distressed Ki signal as his father's, something must've happened to him! "Iccruas! Get up! Something's happened to my dad!" The boy cried rushing to his pet Wasting no time the chubby dragon rose to his feet positioning his wings for takeoff at anytime Gohan leaped onto Iccruas' back and landed hard. He did his best to ignore the aching below him. "Fly fast Iccruas, it might be something serious!" Iccruas nodded his head and took off into air at top speed carrying a panicked Gohan with him.
___________________________________________________________________
When Gohan reached the house the distress signal from his father was beginning to strengthen and rise, Gohan wasn't sure if Iccruas felt it or not but at the speed the chubby dragon was flying there was no telling if he did or not. Please be okay dad, Gohan thought at the feeling of his heart beating hard against his chest. Iccruas landed on the ground, Gohan leapt from his back shouting a quick thank you before he could settle on the ground completely making a mad dash to the front door. Iccruas watched his friend and master shut his home door behind him wondering if he even aware of his presence still. Shrugging the chubby dragon fluttered into the air making is way back to the cave he called home.
Gohan dashed through the living room and immediately rushed up the stairs expecting to be greeted by a super villain (under the name Vegeta) he would gladly face in order to protect his father. But when he got into the hall way and toward the bedroom door, there was no other Ki except his father's..... no super villain no robber ... nothing except his father.
Confused but still panicked Gohan opened the door quickly and found his father thrashing about in the bed with hand near his neck Goku cried out as he tried to kick the unseen enemy off of him. Gohan jumped into the bedroom kicking off his shoes, he leapt onto the bed and carefully crawled toward his father. Goku's cries became sharper and more intense with each passing minute as Gohan tried to avoid his kicking legs. "Dad.... wake up!" Gohan cried grabbing Goku's arm.
No sooner than he did Goku's eyes snapped open in an instant he had the look of a wild animal that was trying to claw its way out of a cage and it frightened his son to the extent that he was frozen in his place. Goku threw rose from his place and shoved Gohan hard onto his back reversing the young boy's grip, the nine-year-old quivered in fear and pain, the strength of the grip his father had on his wrist was strongest he had ever felt. "Dad wake up please! Your having a nightmare!" But Gohan's pleas fell on deaf ears, Goku brought his fist back ready to bring it down on his son's face.
Goku sneered with malice. Gohan's heart beat to a halted for a minor moment just as Goku brought his fist down. Gohan clamped his eyes shut fearing the worst when he felt his father's fist hit his mother's pillow reducing it to a mere pile of fabric and goose feathers. There was a moment lingering silnce in the room the only sound that could be heard was Goku's uneven breathing.
Gohan opened his eyes quickly meeting the confused and terrified face of his father, his eyes shifted toward the pillow that was now but a memory he could see that his father's fist entered the matress half-way and that his arm was trembling.
"G-Gohan....?? What happend--- where?" Goku whispered in confusion swallowing hard. Once he felt his father's grip loosen from his wrist Gohan looked up at his father as tears filled his vision. Despite the situation Gohan jumped from his lying position throwing himself against Goku's body and wrapped his arms around him, he proceeded in crying into his father's shirt.
Goku slowly wrapped his arms around the boy small frame aware of what he almost did, the spiky-haired hero fell back on his bottom shaking not from the body aches but at the realization of what might of happened it he hadn't realized he had his son pinned down on the bed. "I was so w-worried about you, daddy!" Gohan quivered sniffling. He lifted his head up to meet his father's teary gaze resting his chin into his stomach. "I'm sorry for all this son, I almost killed you," Goku said. Gohan shook his head bitting his bottom lip to stop more sobs from arising.
"No you didn't dad, I know you would never hurt me," He said with a small smile. Goku sucked his breath pulling his son off of him with much effort, if wasn't for this germ he had he would probably be alot strong than he was at the present moment. He was amazed at the trust his son had in him not to mention his resilience. "I think you were just suffering with a fever dream dad, but its gone now," Gohan explained. Goku blinked at his son in confusion before scatching his head. "Maybe." Was all Goku said before he positoned himself on all fours.
Gohan watched his father crawl back over to his side of the bed and fall on his back with a arrgivated sigh with arms spread out, the nine-year old followed him and rested his head on his father's arm. Goku turned to Gohan with a wry smile. "Some day huh? Your Mom is gonna kill me when she finds out I destroyed her pillow," Goku's voice was filled with mirth.
"Poor daddy," Gohan snickered at his father's misfortune, Goku laughed along with his son for a good while before he felt a coughing fit coming on and stopped. Gohan sighed closing his eyes. "Oh. I hate the flu......" Goku paused and stared at his slumbering son and smiled. "G'night Son." With that he too closed his eyes and sleep quickly claimed him.
~(END)~