Author's Note: Day 7, the final day of GinSherry week and the prompt choices were festival, hurt/comfort, banter, sick day, cosplay, and cooking. Guys, I've been wanting to write Chuuya Nakahara from Bungo Stray Dogs (but without the powers or anything about the story he comes from just taking his character and plopping it into this one) as their son all week, lemme have this.

Monday: pining, proposal/wedding, sharing clothes, AU
Tuesday: green, date, sleeping, APTX
Wednesday: jealousy, selfie, rain, hug
Thursday: family, beach, first meeting, confession
Friday: intimate, dream/nightmare, reunion, call/text
Saturday: dancing, heartache, kimono, kiss
Sunday: festival, hurt/comfort, banter, sick day, cosplay, cooking

Prompt Chosen: Sick Day
Summary: Sherry gets a call from the school that her son is sick.


Prompt: Sick Day

Sherry was in the lab at her office computer messing around with charts and statistics to figure out if her current research project had yielded any useful or significant data when the phone rang, and she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Mrs. Nakahara?"

Sherry straightened and gave the caller her undivided attention. "Yes, that's me. May I ask who's calling?"

She was known by that name to very few people, even within the Organization, so the only ones outside it calling her would likely be…

"It's Dr. Kibuchi from Haido Elementary, and I'm calling about your son, Chuuya. According to his teacher, he vomited during gym class and has been running a fever of 37.2 Celsius while I've had him in the nurse's office with intermittent periods of more vomiting. It's my recommendation that he be sent home to rest and recover; would either you or his father be able to pick him up?" the woman asked.

"Yes, one of us will be able to come and pick him up, thank you," Sherry said and hung up with a soft sigh.

Her baby was sick, huh? If it was because he'd boasted about not being affected by cold weather again, she was going to kill him… after he was all better. She'd known before she ever got pregnant that a child between her and Gin would be difficult at best, but she hadn't fully anticipated how obstinate a six-year-old mix of the two of them could be. She supposed she should just be glad Chuuya wasn't the kind of kid to pretend to be sick to get out of school because he didn't want to look 'weak' to others. She picked up the phone again and dialed Gin's cell.

When he picked up, he answered with his characteristic, "Ah, it's me."

"The school called me; your son is sick," Sherry said bluntly.

"Again? That's three times this winter alone," Gin said.

"Well, maybe if he wasn't trying so hard to be as strong and cool as Papa, he wouldn't keep getting sick," Sherry sniped, tapping her fingers on the desk.

"Papa still wears a coat in the wintertime," Gin pointed out acidly.

Sherry sighed again as she rubbed her eyes. "I know, I know. I'm not mad at you, I'm just frustrated and tired and not looking forward to the next few days. According to the school nurse, Chuuya's running a fever and vomiting every so often, and she asked if either of us would be able to pick him up and take him home."

"I can do it. I'm already out with Vodka, so it won't take us long to get there."

"Right. I'll see you this evening, Gin," Sherry said.

"Likewise," Gin agreed and hung up.

Sherry put down the phone and pulled a notepad close to her to start a list of supplies she needed to pick up from the store for a sick little boy before she went home.

()()()()()

Gin rarely came to his son's school in his work attire for the exact reason he was dealing with now: a terrified office assistant seconds away from calling security, and Vodka's intimidating profile probably wasn't helping matters.

"Miss, please calm down and listen," Gin said slowly. "The school called my wife and told her our son, Chuuya Nakahara in Class 1-A, is sick in the nurse's office, and I'm here to pick him up."

It still took way too long for the words to actually sink in, and they still didn't believe him because they forced him and Vodka to wait in the lobby while they fetched the doctor and his child. Undoubtedly, they suspected this was a kidnapping plot and wanted to see Chuuya's reaction to him first before they just released him willy nilly. Idiots. Their hearts were in the right place, he supposed, but who would be dumb enough to kidnap a single child from a school in the middle of the school day? Actually, he took that back, there were plenty of stupid criminals around.

Fortunately, Gin didn't have anything to worry about because as soon as Chuuya rounded the corner with the doctor, his whole face lit up like summer festival fireworks. "Papa! Uncle Saburo!"

The redheaded child dashed straight for him and collided with his legs, hugging them briefly before turning and giving Vodka a similar hug. Vodka melted as he always did where Gin's son was concerned and rubbed the top of Chuuya's head affectionately. "Hey there, little man; heard you're not feeling well."

"Nuh-uh, I slept in the nurse bed a long time, and now I feel-!" Chuuya broke off in a sudden coughing fit, proving he was definitely not as fine as he claimed.

Gin picked him up and opened his coat wide enough to tuck Chuuya closer to his direct body heat. It said a lot about how poorly his son was feeling that he didn't protest being treated like a baby and instead snuggled up against him.

He allowed himself a small smile and stroked Chuuya's hair before giving the school nurse and the office staff a dour look. "Can I check my son out of school now?"

Amazingly, they gave him no more trouble, and Vodka took Chuuya's jacket and backpack from the nurse who'd brought it along. When they left the building, the wind picked up, and Gin tucked his coat more tightly around Chuuya.

"We'll get you home soon. Mama might even get off of work early to come home. Have you been able to keep anything down? Do you want anything to eat or drink, or are you just tired?" Gin asked.

"Hm. Juice," Chuuya mumbled.

"Alright, juice it is," Gin promised and got into the passenger side of his car while Vodka took the driver's seat. Vodka's car wasn't at Gin's house, but it would hardly be the first time Vodka stayed overnight in the guest bedroom if he didn't feel like calling a taxi.