So my creative energy is,,, maybe returning, I think? tho doing whumptober feels a little less like being creative and a little more like doing a puzzle. i don't feel quite as crispy fried brain anymore at least.

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DukeDaniel: Ahhh I'm so glad you enjoy these! Your comments are so inspiring :D I love these lil goobers

Whumptober day 2: Thermometer / Delerium / "They don't care about you."

Notch rarely had to wake Caden up, but it seemed today would be one such occasion.

Usually Caden was out of bed by 7:30 to 8 AM, checking his university page before showering, getting dressed, and coming down for breakfast. His punctuality was one of the many things that Notch admired about the young man. Today it was past 10 AM and there was no sign of his surrogate son, which usually meant that Caden had spent the entire night playing games and would be asleep past noon. Unfortunately for him, they had an appointment they had to attend. So, here Notch was, vaguely annoyed as he climbed the stairs to wake him up.

Notch rapped lightly on the door, listened for a moment for a response, then pushed the door open when none came. As he'd suspected, Caden's room was dim, the inhabitant motionless in bed within a tangle of blankets. Notch folded his arms.

"Caden, wake up."

No response. The first hint of worry appeared in the pit of his stomach, and Notch stepped closer, trying to spot the rise and fall of his chest. "Caden?" Yes, he confirmed a moment later. He was breathing. Maybe… a little too quickly, for sleep.

Another step, and Notch rested a hand on his arm, shaking him gently. "Caden?" A moment later, he finally got a response. Caden shifted, a choked noise escaping him before he rolled onto his back to blink blearily up at his surroundings.

"No'ch?" He croaked. Notch frowned down at him, noting how flushed he was and how hot he felt to the touch.

"Caden, are you sick?"

"Nnn… no." Caden pushed himself up, tipping dangerously over to the left before balancing himself. "Wh' time issit."

"It's almost 10:30." Notch pressed a hand to his forehead, noting the warmth. "Stay right there, I'm going to get a thermometer."

"Haf'ta get ready for class." Caden protested halfheartedly, but obediently stayed where he was while Notch fetched a digital thermometer from the downstairs bathroom.

Caden was trying to straighten his rumpled pajamas when Notch returned, who rested a hand on the back of Caden's head as he pressed the thermometer against his forehead. A moment later, it beeped, "102.8" popping up on the small screen.

"Well, you're definitely feverish." Notch murmured, shifting the thermometer and scanning again to confirm. "So I suppose we're staying home today."

"Oh." Caden mumbled under his breath. "…a'ight. I have a paper I need t' write…"

"When is it due?"

"Mmm… Monday."

"Alright, you have time." Notch glances around the room, soon locating Caden's water bottle and picking it up. "Here, drink this. Lay down again, I'm going to make you some soup." Caden took the bottle numbly, and Notch turned to head downstairs again.

20 minutes later, Notch was back with a bowl of spruced-up canned chicken noodle soup, and he was somewhat bemused at the sight of Caden sitting up in bed with his laptop.

"Caden?" The boy looked up at his voice, and Notch stepped into the room. "You should be resting.

"'m working." Caden gestured to the screen.

"You're sick, Caden, you should lay down." Notch shook his head as he approached. "Put your laptop aside for now and eat."

"Okay…" Caden reached out to take the bowl, setting it on his bedside table. Then he returned to his keyboard.

"Caden…" Notch sighed, sinking down on the edge of his bed. "You'll heal more quickly if you allow yourself to rest."

"'m sitting." Caden gestured to himself, as though it should be obvious. "I'm in bed, that's resting."

"Let your mind rest, Caden."

"But I-" Caden was cut off by a violent coughing fit, and Notch was quietly thankful that he'd set his bowl aside as he reached out to pat Caden's back.

"Eat." Was all he said when Caden finished coughing. Caden hugged his arms to his chest with a small sigh, then relented, closing his laptop and setting it aside to eat his soup.

"Are you cold?" Notch asked quietly as Caden ate

The latter paused, then nodded. "You probably have the flu." Notch sighed. "I should have ensured you were vaccinated…"

"'m grown, I can get my own shots." Caden mumbled around a spoonful of soup.

"Are you caught up on immunizations?"

"I dunno. Probably not." Caden sipped at his soup. "I only got shots when there were like… um, things at my school." Notch hummed.

"I should take you to the doctor at some point."

"Mm."

"Do you have any other symptoms?"

"Head feels…" Caden tapped his cheek. "...heavy."

"Alright…" Notch sits quietly while he finishes his soup. "Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"'m not really sleepy."

"Do you want to go downstairs and watch a movie on the couch?" Was Notch's next question. Caden shifted, his gaze going back to his laptop. "It can wait, Caden." Notch reminded him.

"Alright." Caden said at last. "Sure."

"Alright. Can you get down the stairs?"

"Think so…"

Despite his insistence that he wasn't tired, Caden had fallen asleep on the couch.

Notch paused by the couch, glancing up at the action movie that was still playing quietly on the TV. He opted not to turn it off in case the disturbance woke his patient up, instead reaching down to hold the back of his hand against Caden's forehead. Still burning up. Notch tsked softly, raking his fingers through Caden's sweat-dampened curls as he drew his hand back. Poor kid.

There was a glass of water on the coffee table that looked untouched, and Caden was wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, his face obviously flushed in the midday light that flowed through the windows. His cough had remained while he was watching his movie, Notch could hear him where he was on the phone rescheduling their commitment in the other room. He'd begun to complain of a sore throat, so Notch had provided Advil and cough drops, but apparently all those did was put him to sleep.

Influenza typically lasted around a week, which Notch expected would be fairly rough on poor Caden. The boy preferred to keep busy at all times, being confined to bed or the couch would make him antsy. Notch was already planning on passing off some of his workload to Jeb so he could stay at home and take care of him.

Caden's behavior led Notch to draw the conclusion that he had simply worked through illness for the majority of his life. It made sense - he had lost his mother at a young age, and Notch could only guess that his alcoholic father hadn't been keen on caring for an ill child. Notch was again impressed by his resilience, but at the same time decided that he definitely needed to be coddled for a while.

Notch gave him a final pat on the head, then turned back to the kitchen to make some homemade soup.

go vote in the poll on my profile btw

~FFF