A/N I absolutely love Percy and Paul's relationship building (if you couldn't already tell) even though that was not the purpose of this fic... Anyways I'll try to update more frequently since it is summer but no promises. Also reviews are highly appreciated!
All rights to Uncle Rick.
Paul's POV
"He-hello?" Paul groggily answers his phone.
"Paul? You never sent me those lesson plans for your sub. You said you were going to last night." Amy reminds him. "Where are they?"
"Oh my gods! I am so sorry! I never got them done. Percy got worse right after I called you and I ended up taking him to the ER. They wanted to keep him here for observation so we've been here all night." Paul explains. He pulls himself up in the chair and scans the room, only finding his sleeping son.
"Oh! I am so sorry, Paul. I didn't know. Do you need anything from me? Is he okay?" Amy frantically asks.
"Yeah, he's okay. I'm gonna take him home pretty soon. I'll send you some assignments for my classes that they were supposed to do later next week. You can just have the sub give them those and I'll figure out what to do next week." Paul explains.
"That sounds good. I'll see if I can drop by later to give you Percy's homework unless you plan on dropping by to grab it."
"Yeah, I'll swing by on the way home. I'll be there in about an hour."
"Okay, see you in an hour Paul." The phone gets hung up and Paul leans back in his chair, exhausted. Percy rolls onto his side, making him groan in discomfort.
"Dad, what time is it?" Percy asks. Paul is immediately taken aback when Percy calls him 'dad'. He quickly recovers and moves to his teenager's side.
"Hey Perce, it's 7:15. Aria came over a little while ago and she said they'll discharge you once you're awake." Paul says.
"Okay. Then we'll go home?"
"Then we'll go home." Paul assures. "After we drop by the school to get your homework."
"Ugh. I don't wanna. I just wanna sleep this off."
"Thanks Amy. I think we'll be back by Monday." Paul says.
"I hope he starts feeling better." Amy hopes.
"Me too." Paul walks out of the school and back to the car to find his step-son leaning his head against the window. "Ready to go home?"
"Very." Percy agrees. They arrive at their apartment 7 minutes later and Paul shoves Percy into his bed without much protest from the latter.
"Go to sleep."
"Okay."
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Paul asks as Percy emerges from his room with his backpack in tow.
"Yeah. You've missed too much school and my fever broke yesterday morning. Plus I haven't thrown up in a couple days." Percy says.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you need to go to school. You look exhausted." Paul counters.
"I'm fine Paul. Chill out. Now let's go or we're gonna be late." Percy shoves his way around Paul and starts making his way to the car.
"This is not gonna end well." Paul mutters under his breath. Regardless, he jumps into the car behind Percy and drives them both to Goode High School.
Percy's POV
Algebra II is Percy's least favorite subject, by far. His ADHD and dyslexia made it torture. But at least the teacher was nice and was very good at taking the time to make sure he knew how to do it. No other teacher was really that considerate or patient with him so he wasn't used to it.
In short, is his favorite teacher.
Mr. Peters tried to make math as fun as he possibly could and usually Percy couldn't help but pay attention. Usually for the sake of his grades, but sometimes he was just waiting to hear what he would say next.
Today though, everything flew in one ear and out the other. The only thing Percy could concentrate on at the moment, was the severe pain in his stomach.
Percy raises his hand and stops to call on him. "Can I go to the bathroom?"
"Sure." Percy quickly rises and jogs to the bathroom. Once there, he sprints to a stall and kneels over the toilet to vomit. His breakfast of a bowl of cereal and water eject themselves from his stomach and into the toilet. His knees give out from underneath him and he collapses onto the bathroom floor.
Henry's POV
ended the lecture and gave them a very rare opportunity to start on their homework. 5 minutes into their work time, Percy's still not back.
"Henry, can you go get Percy? He's been gone for ten minutes and I can't have him just skipping my class." instructs.
"Sure." Henry drops his pencil onto his desk and walks to the nearest bathroom. He pushes open the door but sees no sign of Percy.
"Perce?"
Some shuffling can be heard from the end stall and Henry moves towards it.
"Percy? Is that you?" Henry asks as she pushes the unlocked stall door open.
"He-Henry? Wha-what are you doing here?" Percy asks from his position on the floor. His knees are pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them and his face buried in between his knees.
"Percy! Are you okay? You've been gone from class for about 12 minutes. sent me to come get you." Henry asks, concerned.
"I-I'm okay. Just didn't feel good. Help me up and we can go back to class." Percy insists.
"Are you sure? You're really pale and you're shaking. What happened?"
"Yeah. My stomach didn't feel right so I came in here and threw up."
"What?! Why didn't you tell anyone you were still sick?!" Henry frantically asks.
"I just got back and my dad's taken enough time off, he doesn't need to stay home with me, but if he finds out, he will."
"Okay, well," Henry presses the back of his hand against Percy's forehead. "You have a fever and you're throwing up so I'm taking you to the nurse."
"Okay." Percy gives in. He holds his hand up and Henry takes it to hoist his friend to his feet. Henry wraps Percy's arm around his shoulder and they walk out of the bathroom and to the front office.
Shit. Percy must be feeling awful if he gave in that easily. He didn't even put up a fight.
Their walk is silent and they have to stop a few times so that Percy can catch his breath.
Finally after walking for 10 minutes, they finally make it to the office.
"Oh no. What's going on here?" Amy asks, concerned for the two boys.
"Percy got sick in the middle of math." Henry explains.
"Okay, take him to go lie down in the nurse's office and I'll call Paul." Percy looks ready to pass out right there and then, so Henry quickly shuffles into the dark room and has Percy sit on the cot.
"Lay down. Amy's calling Paul and he'll come down here and take you home." Henry informs him. "Stay here, here's a trashcan in case you have to throw up again while I run back to the classroom to grab your bag."
Paul's POV
"Why do we have to learn how to give speeches?" A student asks at the start of their 3rd period class.
"Because, one: you need it to graduate, and two: it's a useful life skill." explains. "So, for your first speech, it'll be an easy one. You're going to give an 'All About Me' speech. Here's the rubric." Paul walks to the front of every row and hands the respectable amount of papers to each person.
"Everything you need to know about this speech is on this sheet so do not lose it. Today we're just gonna start on the outline-" Paul's lecture is cut off by the classroom phone ringing. He crosses the classroom and picks up the phone, confused as to who would be calling him at this time. "Hello, this is ."
" , we need you to come down to the office right away." As if Amy could hear his unasked question, she answers. "It's Percy, he's in the office and you need to come right away."
"What?! Amy, wha-" Before his question is fully asked, the dial tone rings into his ear. "Um, class, stay here and wait for a sub. Whoever the president is, make sure you all behave until a sub gets here." Faster than anyone can respond, Paul rushes out of the room and speed-walks to the office.
"What's wrong?!" bursts through the door.
"Percy got sick during 2nd period. Henry said he left to go to the bathroom and when he went to go look for him, he found Percy curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor. He's been throwing up and he has a fever of 101.4."
"Oh no. Where is he?"
"He's laying down in the nurse's office."
"Okay, thanks." Paul pushes the door to the dark room open and finds the son of Poseidon leaning over a trashcan next to the bed. He heaves as his dad rushes to his side to rub soothing circles on his back.
"It's okay. You're okay. I'm gonna take you home, okay?" Percy nods and lays back down on the cot.
jogs up to his classroom and runs into his room to find a substitute with his class.
" . I was sent for the rest of the day." declares.
"Oh yeah, I just came to grab my bag and coat." Paul proceeds to collect his items and begins heading out of the room before turning around. "Have the students start their outlines and share them with me. All my other classes I'll assign a World Teen News in our online classroom and they can work on that."
"Sounds good. I hope your son feels better."
(Time skip)
"Here, I'll take your backpack and then once we get inside you can hang up your coat and go lay down." Paul guides his son into their apartment before dropping their bags by the door and hanging up their coats. "Let's go lay down."
Percy lets his dad shove him into his bed without any fight.
"Did you feel sick this morning?" Paul asks.
"Yeah." Percy responds.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Paul questions, taking Percy's shoes off his feet and covering him in a comforter.
"You've taken enough days off to stay home and take care of me and if I told you, you would've stayed home with me, so I decided I was fine since I didn't have a fever anymore." Percy explains.
"Oh Perce, you shouldn't have to worry about that. You're the kid and I'm the parent, there's no need for you to worry about me taking days off to take care of you. From now on you are not allowed to worry about adult things, like money, and workdays, and bills. And you're not allowed to apologize for things you cannot control." Paul commands.
"But-"
"No buts. You've been expected to take care of everyone and everything for most of your life, now's the time to learn how to be taken care of."
"Thanks Paul."
"You're welcome. Now, is there anything you need or want?" Paul asks, accenting the 'want' part.
"Um, can you get me some water? My throat is kinda raw." Percy requests.
"Of course. Is there anything else you want?" Paul asks again.
"Can-can you wrap my ribs again? And maybe get me some ice for my… y'know?" Percy continues, looking guilty.
"Percy, it's okay to want things. Asking for ice and bandages to help soothe the pain is the bare minimum of wanting something. I'll go get that for you and then I'll be back." Paul starts leaving when Percy starts talking again.
"Hey Dad, can you get some Tylenol and Gatorade too?" Percy's eyes flash with fear and hope.
Why does he look scared every time he does something wrong or anytime he asks for something?
"Absolutely. I'll be right back. Hang tight." Paul runs to the kitchen to grab Percy's Gatorade and ice. He then heads to the bathroom and shuffles through the medicine cabinet to find the previously purchased ACE bandages and a bottle of Tylenol. Once he has the requested items, he makes his way back to his son's room.
"Okay, here's your Gatorade and here's some Tylenol." Percy takes the medicine gratefully and swallows the pills with a quick swig of blue electrolytes. "Sit up and I'll help you take your shirt off."
The son of Poseidon sits up with a groan and Paul helps him slip off his sweatshirt and his t-shirt soon after. After his clothes are discarded on the floor, the father figure takes the bandages and tightly wraps them around the teenager's torso.
"I'm tired." Percy says.
"I know." Paul places his hand on the boy's back and gently guides him back onto the pillows. "Do you want anything else?" Paul catches the quick flashes of mixed emotion play across Percy's face.
He's scared again. He looks guilty. Why does he always look guilty?
"Percy?" Paul pushes. "I won't be mad or whatever you think is going to happen."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You don't need to apologize."
"It's just, I don't wanna be alone. I'm scared to fall asleep. I was just gonna ask if you could stay here for a little while, y'know for the physical touch thing."
"Of course." Paul walks to the other side of the bed and kicks his shoes off before climbing under the covers next to Percy. Paul is almost ready to ask how much physical touch is too much when Percy scoots himself so that he's nestled in Paul's side. The 17 year old's head lays on his dad's chest and Paul's taken by surprise as his breath catches in his throat.
Percy's muscles clench and his body becomes stiff at Paul's sudden reaction. He moves to get up and move back when the father-figure takes his hand and pulls his son's head back onto his chest. It takes a moment for Percy to relax but once he does, he falls asleep to Paul's steady breathing and his hand massaging the son of Poseidon's raven locks.
I need to make this boy feel as loved as possible.