Poseidon froze from the blank he was filling out. Percy rested his head on his shoulder which sent the red flags to go off. Percy was never the cuddling type, he hated any sort of physical affectionate contact. Frankly, the last time Percy had done this was when he was eight and was ill with influenza. - Chapter 9 Treading In The Unknown.
Poseidon blinked groggily not knowing what woke him up. He rolled over to face his wife who was still sleeping soundly besides him.
He closed his eyes intending to go back to sleep.
He wrenched them back open once the sound made itself present again. He sat up in bed, the noise came from either Triton's room or Percy's?
He got onto his feet after he glanced at the time, it was one in the morning. None of his sons should be up, or if they were up they were doing something they shouldn't. Percy is eight and Triton just passed his eleventh birthday a couple of weeks ago, they had no reason to be up out of bed unless it was to use the bathroom.
Poseidon crept out of his room and stood silently in the hall waiting for the noise to occur again.
What he originally thought the noise to be one of his sons being mischievous, turned out to be a sickly cough coming from Percy's room.
Poseidon walked up to Percy's closed door and knocked on the door, "Percy, buddy, is everything okay?"
After getting no response other than coughs, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Percy laid in his twin sized bed with his blankets tucked to his chin. Even with all the blankets, he was still shivering.
Poseidon sat down on the side of his bed and reached for his son's forehead. Percy didn't give any indication that he was ill other than he was a bit quiet during dinner. There was no mistaking that he was sick from the heat that radiated off from his forehead.
"How long have you been feeling sick?"
Percy shrugged, "I don't know. I just woke up coughing."
Poseidon stroked Percy's forehead before standing back up, "I'm going to go grab a thermometer. From the sounds of it you either have a cold or the flu, I'll see if we have any medicine for it. Do you want some water?"
Percy nodded and Poseidon went back to his room to access his master bathroom where they stored the medicine at.
He rummaged through the medicine cabinet and came across some left over children's cold and flu medicine from when Triton was sick last winter.
He paused as the memory struck him, it's June. June isn't even in the cold and flu season as it was in full swing in the fall and winter. Did Percy come into contact with anyone who was sick? He didn't know where he would as he's always with him in the aquarium.
Poseidon flipped the medicine over to figure out the correct dosage, he poured the medicine into a tiny plastic cup before grabbing the thermometer.
He walked back into Percy's room, "You know the drill, put this under your tongue."
Percy put the thermometer under his tongue while his father set down the medicine and water on the nightstand.
"Did you come into contact with anyone who was sick?"
Percy shrugged as the thermometer was still getting a reading. Poseidon sat back down on the bed waiting for the thermometer to be done. He only had to wait a few seconds before it beeped.
"101.8. Hopefully it will not get any higher." Poseidon grabbed the cup of medicine, "This should lower your temperature and also make you feel more comfortable."
Percy drank from the cup with a grimace as the cherry flavor didn't over power the strong chemical taste. Poseidon handed him water to help wash it down.
"Do you need anything else?"
Percy shook his head.
"It's still very early in the morning. The medicine should kick in soon so hopefully you are able to fall back to sleep. I'll leave your door slightly open in case you need something."
Poseidon exited his son's room and headed back to his room, he left both Percy's door and his door slightly opened. He settled back into his bed being careful to not disturb his sleeping wife. It didn't take him long to fall back to sleep.
Poseidon was rudely awakened by his alarm clock. He blearily opened his eyes before reaching to turn off the alarm on his nightstand.
Amphitrite groaned besides him burrowing deeper into the covers. It was seven in the morning and both of them needed to get ready for work.
He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He'll need to wake up the boys as he took them to the aquarium during their summer break. He sat up in the bed stretching his back and arms.
Amphitrite begrudgingly got out of bed, stretching. "I'll cook breakfast."
His wife always cooked as he would burn the house down if he tried. Although there's a safety hazard when he cooks, it didn't resolve the guilt for not contributing.
He trailed after his wife before stopping in the hall, furrowing his brow. Percy's door was open and heavy snores were emanating from his room.
He quickly remembered that Percy was sick earlier in the morning, and from the sounds of his snores, Percy was still probably under the weather.
He fully opened Percy's door to check on him, and stepped inside. Just like earlier in the morning Percy was shivering and had the blankets tucked under his chin.
Poseidon lightly shook Percy's shoulder to wake him, "Percy, can you wake up for a minute?"
Percy opened his eyes, and Poseidon grabbed the thermometer he set on the nightstand last night.
"I need to check your temperature again."
Percy obediently placed the thermometer under his tongue looking purely miserable.
"102.0. You're staying home today, grab some blankets and pillows and go lay down on the couch downstairs."
Percy grumbled but complied, dragging a couple of blankets and a pillow down the stairs. Poseidon refilled the plastic cup for another dosage and grabbed Percy's water before trailing after his son.
Poseidon waited for his eight year old son to settle down before handing him the medicine and water. After Percy drank the medicine and the rest of his water Poseidon went into the kitchen to disposed of the glass.
His wife stood at the stove scrambling some eggs. He washed the glass in the sink, "I'm staying home to watch Percy, he's sick."
Amphitrite waved the spatula in the air, "He sounds like he has a cold, he should be just fine."
"I'm not comfortable with bringing a child that has a 102 fever to the aquarium, and I'm sure his mother wouldn't allow it either."
"Sally is overbearing, besides it will build his immune system."
Poseidon turned his back to the sink and raised a brow to his wife, "Weren't you the one who screamed at me when I took Triton to school when he had a temperature of 99.2?"
Amphitrite shoulders tensed up, "That's different, and you know that."
Poseidon rolled his eyes, "Yes it's different as Percy has a much higher temp than what Triton had. I'm working from home and it's final."
Poseidon put the glass into the dishwasher before grabbing a new glass and filling it up with water. He exited the kitchen and set the glass down on the living room table where Percy can reach. He picked up the remote and handed it to Percy, "Turn it to whatever you want."
Poseidon settled down to the recliner opening his laptop and prepared himself for multiple hours of paperwork.
After a half hour in the emails, Amphitrite walked by the front door with her bag and keys, "I'm leaving. Wake up Triton before the eggs get cold."
Poseidon winced as the door slammed shut behind her. He shook his before diving back into the mountain of paperwork. He only looked up from his laptop when loud snores emanated from the mound on the couch.
He should probably call Sally, he fished for his blackberry in his pocket and dialed her number.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Poseidon frowned, "Well hello to you too."
"Poseidon, you never call unless something happened to Percy."
"That's not true."
"Yes it is. I'm the one who calls to see how he's doing, not the other way around. If I'm wrong, name one time you called other than to inform me something is wrong."
Poseidon paused, "Maybe you're right, I'll try to call more often. Anyways Percy's sick, I think he has a really bad cold or the flu."
"Do you have a thermometer, or any cold and flu medicine for children?"
"Yes I have both. I already gave him two doses and took his temperature. You do know that I have another child that lives with me year-round, right?"
"I'm making sure you know what to do. You're not the brightest with childcare."
Poseidon scoffed, "I know plenty when it comes to taking care of my sons."
"Uh-huh, what his temp?"
"102."
"That sounds too high to be a cold. Do you plan on taking him to the doctor?"
"If it gets any higher, there are some walk in clinics I can take him to."
"Good. I have to go back to work. Is Percy up or is he asleep?
"He's sleeping."
"I'll call back later tonight and speak with him."
"Alright, I'll talk to you later."
"Tell Percy to feel better."
"I will, bye."
"Bye."
Poseidon put his phone back to his pocket. Please, he know what he's doing. What gave Sally the idea that he didn't? He cracked his neck before continuing his dive through the paperwork.
His eyes wondered to the stairs as footsteps trekked down the stairs. Triton emerged rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning. It's ten in the morning and you're just getting out of bed?"
The eleven year old shrugged, "No one woke me up. Why are we home and not at the aquarium?"
"Percy's sick." Poseidon winced as he remembered his wife's instruction before she left, "Your mother made you eggs but I'm pretty sure it's cold by now."
Triton went off to the kitchen to see if the eggs were salvageable, and Poseidon resumed his work online.
The eggs must've been edible as Triton exited the kitchen without a complaint fifteen minutes later, he tried to sneak his way upstairs.
"Do your chores, and do Percy's as well since he's sick."
Triton scrunched up his face, "I think he's faking it."
"He's not, he has a temp."
"You can fake the temperature by putting a thermometer on something that's hot."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Go do your chores, no buts."
Triton groaned and stomped his way to the kitchen to start with unloading the dishwasher.
Once Poseidon was sure he began the early stages of carpal tunnel, Percy let out a wet series of coughs.
Poseidon grimaced at the sound but set his laptop aside, and stood from the recliner to help Percy sit up to ease his coughs.
When his coughs ceased Poseidon grabbed the thermometer and handed it to his son. Percy shakily put the thermometer in his mouth, noticing this Poseidon took a seat on the couch besides his son. Percy rested his head on his shoulder startling Poseidon.
Percy never really sought out affection from him, he didn't reject it like Triton did, but it still concerned him. Maybe he's like this when he's sick? This was the first time Percy was sick while living with Poseidon over the summers. He'll ask Sally when she calls him later.
The thermometer beeped and he checked the damage, 102.8. He'll need to take him to a walk in clinic to get him checked out.
"Alright bud, we need to take you to the doctors."
Percy vehemently shook his head no.
"You don't really have a choice. You're not getting any better with the medication, and your mother will kill me if I didn't." Poseidon tried to lighten the mood a bit.
He put his a hand on Percy's back to reassure him, "The faster we get this done, the sooner you can go back to bed."
He helped Percy off the couch before calling out to the kitchen, "Triton, we're going to the doctors. Finish whatever you're doing and get in the car."
Triton groaned, "I have to go too?"
"Yes. I'm not sure how long this will take, and you're too young to stay home alone for a longer period of time."
Poseidon led Percy out of the house and helped him settle in the backseat of his car. Poseidon started the car and blasted the air conditioner, "Is this too cold?"
Percy shook his head no, but tightened the blanket he took with him. Poseidon lowered the air a bit, waiting for his eldest to get in his car.
Much to his annoyance, Triton sulked out of the house minutes later. Deciding not to comment on his purposeful tardiness, he pulled out of the driveway and on the route to the closest clinic. The silence of the ride was being interrupted with Percy's coughs.
"He's coughing on me!" Triton whined squirming in the passenger seat.
Poseidon rolled his eyes, "He's not coughing on you, the seat is blocking any contact from any droplets."
"I don't wanna get sick."
"Sick? I thought he was faking it." Poseidon sarcastically replied.
"I'm not faking it!"
"I don't think you're faking it, Percy. I'm poking fun at your brother."
"Half." Triton and Percy spoke in unison.
Poseidon rolled his eyes, neither of them like to acknowledge that they are related. He parked his car in the closest space that wasn't a handicap spot.
Poseidon held the clinic doors open for his sons to enter, "Go find a seat and sit down while I talk to the front desk."
The waiting room was empty much to Poseidon's relief, this should be a quick in and out.
"May I help you?" A middle age woman sat at the front desk.
"Yes, my eight year old son picked up a virus and he's not getting any better."
"When has he started to show symptoms, and what are those symptoms?"
"He was more quiet than usual last night, but developed a cough, runny nose, fever, fatigue earlier this morning."
The lady at the front desk clicked on her keyboard with her nails, "Alright, fill these out and a nurse will be with you shortly."
She handed him a clipboard with papers clipped onto it, he took the clipboard and faced the waiting room. Percy and Triton was seated at opposite corners of the room, he took the chair besides Percy.
Like Percy did at the house, he rested his head on Poseidon's shoulder. Even if he did it before it still alarmed the father and he filled out the paperwork as fast as he could.
In no time Poseidon finished the last blank on the paperwork before handing it back to the lady at the front desk.
Within five minutes of waiting, a nurse in scrubs walked into the waiting room, "Perseus?"
Poseidon and Percy stood up and Poseidon waved for Triton to follow. Triton grumpily followed the group, trailing the furthest behind he could without losing the sight of them.
The nurse took Percy's temp and tsked at the reading, "The doctor will be with you shortly. He'll be taking some tests to figure out what this virus is."
The nurse left the room she led them to, and Percy sat on bed/table that had the paper sheet covering it. Poseidon and Triton sat on the uncomfortable chairs the room offered.
Poseidon was comfortable in the silence the room held as his sons weren't bickering. True to the nurse's word the doctor walked through shortly after she left.
"Hello, what seems to be the problem today?"
Poseidon relayed everything that happened throughout the day making sure to not miss any details.
"We're going to do some tests to figure out what this virus is and what to do to treat it. For the tests there's going to do some swabs."
The doctor had to put some cotton swabs up Percy's nose and another swab to swab the back of his throat. Percy didn't like either of the test if he judged on his facial expressions.
"The tests will take up to fifteen minutes to process. I'll let you know what the test results are."
The doctor left the small room leaving the three family members alone.
"I don't know why you brought me here?" Triton whined.
"Because you're too young to be left alone. I told you this back at home."
"I'm eleven."
"Yes you are, but that's not old enough to be left alone for an unexpected amount of time."
"Then when can I be left home alone?"
"You can for thirty minutes to an hour. I didn't know if this trip would take longer so I brought you here."
Triton leaned back into his chair and groaned, while Percy coughed miserably. Other than Triton's short outburst and Percy's coughs the room remained silent until the doctor came back in.
"Percy tested positive for Influenza type A."
Poseidon tucked Percy into bed before touching his forehead to check if he still had a temperature. It was warm not as hot as it used to be, much to Poseidon's relief.
He called Sally back to tell her what Percy had and let Percy chat with his mom for a bit on the car ride back to the house.
Before he stopped at the house he had to stop at the convenient store to get the medications or remedies the doctor recommended.
Now the house reeks of Lysol and Vic's vapor rub, but Poseidon didn't mind as long as Percy's was a bit more comfortable.
"Good night Percy. You get to sleep in a bit as your still sick and we will not be going to the aquarium tomorrow."
"Good night."
Poseidon exited Percy's room and he left his door slightly opened in case he needed something in the night.
Poseidon trekked down the stairs to watch an episode of survivor with his wife as it was still pretty early in the evening.
Amphitrite had been cold to him since she came back from work, but Poseidon ignored her behavior.
As they settled on the couch, Triton let out a series of coughs.
Poseidon buried his head into his hands, Great.
Percy - 8
Triton - 11
Poseidon- 29
Amphitrite - 29
Sally - 28