Review(s):
Funkita - you've no idea how much it hurt me to do this to Pops, we adore him so much. However, I'll stop talking long enough to let you continue, xD
Enjoy!
The silence in the kitchen was heavy. There was no way the gorgon could make a promise like that to the youngest wolf pup. Especially when they didn't know many factors, the level of seriousness, etc. Clawd watched his boyfriend and youngest brother very carefully.
Deuce thought for a moment, he knew it would be a very big mistake to make that kind of promise. "I wish I could promise you that, little buddy. But I can't. I can say, I have this feeling the doctors and Ma will take very good care of him for us." The gorgon brushed the fallen bangs out of the young pup's tear-stained face.
Clawnor nodded, he figured Deuce wasn't able to make a promise like that. It wasn't even fair of him to ask. "I didn't mean to put you into that position Deuce," he sniffled. "I kinda thought you'd just tell me what I wanted to hear."
Clawd had to admit, he wasn't sure what Deuce was going to do. He was glad the gorgon took it the way he did, but he had a moment of hesitation.
"Thanks for being real with me," He hugged Deuce quickly but then backed up… he left a ton of his fur on the gorgon's pajamas. "so-orry." His ears flattened, his nose was all dried up and warm. He was trembling and he felt like he might be sick… not right now, but soon.
Deuce reached up and touched the little wolf's head. "Clawnor, I think you're getting sick little buddy." The gorgon looked up at Clawd, personally he thought the youngest pup should stay home and rest. With how he was taking Pops being in the hospital, the gorgon figured the young one would only get worse through the day.
"If I have to go to the hospital, can I see dad?" He asked Deuce softly.
"Little buddy, I don't think you need to go to the hospital. I think you just need to go rest, maybe a nice bath later? Pops will be home sooner than you think. When he gets home, you guys can snuggle, how does that sound?" The gorgon was getting a little worried, he honestly didn't want Clawnor stressing and making himself worse.
Clawnor nodded, resting his head on Deuce's side.
Clawd lightly sighed, "But if Clawnor stays home… who's gonna be here with him?" He narrowed his eyes when Deuce volunteered first. "We have to show up to casketball practice at least a couple times this week, shit."
Clawnor's ears flattened, he didn't want to be a burden on anyone. "I'll go get dressed." He told them, deciding he'd go to school rather than have Clawd worry about who's staying home with him.
"Well then you can go, the guys like you better anyways. I'll stay with Clawnor. I honestly don't believe he should be going at all today, Clawd. Ma and Pops didn't send you to school sick, why should we do that to him?" The gorgon said with a slight attitude, as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was ready to battle this out, right now.
Clawdeen's eyes widened, she shared a glance with Howleen. Would this be Clawd and Deuce's first fight? "Oh shit." Clawdeen grabbed a piece of bacon and chewed on it. As much as she wouldn't mind the entertainment, Clawd would be stupid to let go of the best thing that ever happened to him - a.k.a Deuce Gorgon.
Clawnor hugged Deuce, "Please don't fight! Not over me." The gorgon could feel the pup trembling.
Clawd bit down on his lip. "I'm sorry babe, you're right - you're absolutely right. I think we're all under stress with Pops being sick… but we have to pull it in together now more than we ever did before."
Howleen nodded. "C'mon twins, let's go pick you out some decent clothes."
Clawdeen began to gather and finish packing up the lunches.
Deuce moved away slightly when Clawd leaned in, but the wolf kissed his cheek anyway. "I'll grab everyone's backpacks, we'll get dressed and come back upstairs for breakfast."
"I'll stay with Clawnor guys," Max gave a smile. "Clawdia will be up soon and I'm sure she'll understand and want to help. Everything's good?" He looked between Deuce and Clawd, Clawnor still attached to Deuce.
"Thanks Max, for everything. You're a pretty cool dude." The gorgon said before turning his attention back towards Clawnor. Deuce reached down and took the sick pup in his arms. "Do you wanna go back to bed little buddy? Or crash on the couch? Up to you, I'll make your nest where ever you want."
Clawnor wriggled out of Deuce's grasp when he felt his tummy flip-flop. "Um… maybe down here. I don't want Clawdia to drop a baby out of her y'know-where and have it on the stairs."
Max laughed out loud, almost dropping the bowl of scrambled eggs. "Well I mean she's not that far along but I get where the concern's coming from."
Clawnor headed out to the living room and went to nestle on the sofa when he whimpered, bolting to the bathroom, leaving a few hairs airborne in his path.
Deuce's heart broke, he really wished he was the one staying home with Clawnor. He then went upstairs and grabbed a fresh sheet so Clawnor could lay on the couch, along with a comforter and a few extra pillows. The gorgon even went into the pup's room and grabbed the handheld device and a couple comic books. He stood there for a moment trying to think if the pup would need anything else.
When he was satisfied with everything, the gorgon made his way downstairs once more to make up the sick pup's nest. Deuce hoped the young one would be able to rest today and not stress too much over Pops.
Clawd knocked on the bathroom door and opened it slightly, curled on the cold tiles was Clawnor, trying to breathe it out. He winced, remembering exactly how he felt a mere few days ago. How could he have been so insensitive? "Clawnor… buddy, c'mon."
"No, I'll stay on the floor." He growled.
Clawd narrowed his eyes. "You can't do that, buddy."
"Don't make me move, Clawd… please." He whined. "Everything's spinning and I'm sweaty…"
Clawd sighed and opened the medicine cabinet, he grabbed out the thermometer and fever reducer, plus the anti-nauseas he hated with a passion. "Alright buddy," Clawd sat on the floor. "come to me then."
Clawnor slowly moved himself over to his older brother and rested his head on his lap.
"I want this to go right under your tongue okay? We keep it there until it beeps." The older wolf reminded him. He waited patiently while Clawnor did an excellent job at holding the thermometer perfectly still. He didn't even gag like Clawd did previously.
100.2
"Oh shit, you're burning up real good." Clawd knocked on the bathroom door to get Deuce's attention.
Deuce luckily just finished making the pup's nest and put the gaming unit on the pillow or else he would've dropped it. He made his way towards the bathroom, he honestly hoped Clawd wasn't trying to get his attention because he wanted to make-out or something. He hoped it was something to do with Clawnor.
"Babe! Can you grab us a glass of water please? He's fevered and throwing up again."
"Sure thing." The gorgon said before disappearing and returning with a glass of water.
"Thank you," he handed Clawnor the cold glass of water and a bright red pill first. "this is because you're all sweaty and warm, okay?"
Clawnor nodded, tossing the pill back and taking a sip of water. He took the second one, which was a tiny pink one, and tossed it back as well with little trouble. He also drained the remainder of the water in the glass.
Clawd wasn't sure how he felt about how easy his youngest brother could pop pills though. "Okay, thanks bud. C'mon, let's get your butt to the couch before they start to kick in."
Clawnor felt okay enough to do so. He was pretty sure he didn't have anything left in his stomach to hurl. He climbed into the section of the sofa that was all his. Deuce made it super comfy for him. Why wasn't the couch this comfy all the time?
The youngest pup moved his handheld and comics to the coffee table. The images of the superheroes made him feel a bit dizzy right now but maybe he could read them later? Yeah… later sounded like a good idea.
"Thanks babe," Clawd pulled Deuce in and kissed him tenderly. He wasn't sure if he knew how grounded the gorgon kept him. "if it weren't for you being here, I'd be right beside Clawnor hurling." Whenever it came to his family and something going wrong, he got very nervous. He would hate for something to happen to any of them.
Meanwhile Clawnor's head had only hit the pillow about 5 minutes ago and he was already out. He didn't even pull up the blanket Deuce had ready for him. He crashed hard.
The gorgon reached over and tucked the young pup in, man he really wanted to be the one staying home with the pup. "No problem, babe." The gorgon turned his attention back towards the wolf. "Are you sure Max can handle Clawnor? I know he's gonna have his own but I don't want him using the little guy as a test subject."
Clawd gave a soft sigh. "Deuce, if you wanna stay with him - that's perfectly okay. Ma will understand. It may free up Max and Clawdia to do their own thing. It's up to you, but I gotta drop the twins off to school and then get Clawdeen, Howleen in my car before we go to Monster High. What do you want to do?"
Deuce bit his lower lip, he really did want to stay with the pup at the same time he knew school was important too. "I'll see what Max wants to do. I know he won't mind looking after the little buddy, but at least he's got options."
Maximilian did a great job of gathering everyone and their things, as Clawd mentioned he was going to do and then didn't. Howlmilton frowned at what his sister Howleen called 'style'. Howldon however thought a bit of punk style was cool. "C'mon pups, line up and get your shoes on. I want Clawdeen and Howleen joining Clawd, you all go to the same school makes sense. Twins, I'll take you guys to school so everyone's not there super early and hating their lives."
Clawd gave a nod, he approved of Max's organization skill-set, Clawdia could definitely have a litter of pups and they'd be well taken care of.
Speaking of, Clawdia made her way around the corner and gave a yawn. Her tummy was a little more bloated today. She sat down next to Clawnor and rubbed the bangs away from his face, she rubbed his arm gently. "Ma called me and filled me in. They haven't given pops a room or anything so I don't think he'll be staying long. I think she said they're basically gonna try sending him home when he feels a bit steadier. They're gonna refer him onto a cardiologist as soon as possible." Clawdia sighed. "I don't quite like the sounds of that but hey, we have the technology right?"
Deuce nodded along, taking in the information. He liked the sound of Pops coming home soon. "Do you want me to stay to help with Clawnor and Pops?" The gorgon thought to ask one last time.
Clawdia gave a warm, comforting smile. "Deuce, how about this? How about you go ahead to school with Clawd and the ghouls, if you feel in the slightest that you don't want to be there because you're nervous, worried or whatever - just take Clawd's keys and come home. I mean you'll have to pick his butt up after school and probably put up with his music." She smirked. "At least if you go, it looks like you really tried y'know what I mean?"
"Sounds fair, big sis." Deuce couldn't help but smile at a pregnant wolf.
She smiled and gave a nod. "Alright boys and ghouls, get your butts in gear. I'll be right here with Clawnor." She stood up long enough to give Max a chaste kiss. She squeaked when he grabbed her butt in front of her siblings. "Get outta here you horn dog."
