Kerosene Hearts

vi.

December
Anderson Residence
Zelda

I hated being sick.

I always had, still do, and would continue to. Aside from the fact that I'd feel pretty gross, I also hated the fact that I was so much less productive once I'd fallen sick. I hated the idea that I was wasting time when I had so much to do.

With another heavy sigh, I rolled out of bed and stumbled downstairs with my empty bottle, pushing back my throbbing headache. I winced when I leaped down the last four steps, feeling a sharp pain at the side of my head due to the harsh movement. I felt like throwing up.

"Down for some food?" Christian asked when he spotted me, not noticing anything wrong.

"More water," I mumbled, closing my eyes briefly to block out the blinding light in the kitchen. Fuck. That hurt. "Maybe some food as well. By the way, do you guys have a thermometre I can use?"

"Why- are you sick?"

Hearing the sudden concern in his voice, I decided not to worry him. "Not sure. Could be just a headache. Still wanna check, though."

I heard him shuffling to his feet. "I'll go get it. Give me a sec."

I filled another water bottle with water and wondered about what I could eat. I wanted to eat, but I wasn't even hungry. Still, in case I ended up throwing up, I made myself ate some salty biscuits while I waited for Christian. He returned soon enough. Chewing slowly, I took the temperature.

38.8°C. Fucker.

"So?" Chris probbed as I pretended to take the temperature with my other ear.

When I "checked" again, I ended up with a nice 36.5°C. I returned the thermometre to him and shrugged, not missing how he glanced at the temperature before I said anything. I let out a breath of relief internally.

"A bit higher than normal, but it's nothing serious. Probably just a bad headache," I lied smoothly, ready to retreat to my room. "I'll just rest in my room for a bit."

He didn't stop me as I went, even though he looked like he wanted to.

I didn't really rest back in my room. Of course I didn't. Ain't nobody got time for that. I pulled out a plank of wood as a hard surface, and brought some of my homework to the bed with me. I made myself comfortable, snuggling against the thick, soft blankets, creating my own man cave where I could still finish work in comfort, undisturbed, with soft music playing in the background. I didn't need my headache to throb along to the beat of the music, thank you very much.

I was just getting into the zone when I heard two knocks on the door, too crisp and solid to be missed. I paused my music while calling out, "Come in."

I wasn't expecting Jeremy to walk through the door.

I blinked. "Jeremy?"

He was smiling sheepishly, his cheeks pink. "Am I disturbing?"

"No, not really," I was quick to say. "I just wasn't expecting you."

His smile turned into a small grin then. "I heard you are feeling a bit sick, so I brought you something."

I was going to politely decline whatever it was that he brought, but when he set a bag on the floor and unzipped it, my voice died in my throat.

Socks, eager to leave the small bag, leaped out and started exploring my room. She was quick to find me though, and had chosen to snuggle me on my stomach. I couldn't resist making an awww expression when she headbutted me and purred, a sound vibrating from the depth of her throat. I lovingly scratched her head and stroke her curled back.

"Well she's quick," Jeremy commented, pulling the chair to sit by my bed. "And shouldn't you be resting?"

"I'm not tired," I said honestly, smiling at him. "I'm not even that sick. Just feeling a bit under the weather, that's all."

He raised an eyebrow at me, not believing me. "What was your temperature?"

"36.5," I lied naturally. I diverted my attention to Socks, who was snuggling closer to me than usual, to avoid having to look at Jeremy.

"Are you lying? Don't move." He stood, and I looked up at him with wide eyes. With a slight frown, he kept a hand on my head to keep me from moving away, and pressed the back of the other hand on my forehead. "Jeez, Zelda, you're burning up. What's your real temperature?"

I hugged Socks closer to me, as if she could protect me from getting busted. Before I could continue with my lie, however, Jeremy stopped me with narrowed eyes.

"Okay, I lied," I confessed reluctantly, suddenly feeling like a child. "But my temperature wasn't that high. I just need to keep drinking water and keep peeing."

"You should take a nap," Jeremy said, ignoring what I just told him. "You look really tired. Like, half-dead kinda tired. Have you been resting?"

The fever must be burning up pretty high at the time, because I actually pouted at him. I was sure he could tell too, with the way his shocked gaze was momentarily drawn to my lips. And then I started whining, like the five-year-old I could be when I was way too tired to be awake. "Oh, come on. I'm perfectly fine. Especially now that Socks is with me. Isn't that right, baby?" I cooed, nuzzling Socks.

Jeremy actually looked worried now.

"I'm fine, really," I finally said serious when I realised he didn't believe me. "Nothing a little sleep can't fix." A wild smile.

"You need sleep. I'm taking away your homework," he announced, then proceeded to do what he said he would. Well, he tried.

"Noooo," I whined, swatting away his hand. The movement startled Socks, making her stare at me accusingly. I stroke her again, apologetic, even though the sudden action got my head hurting even more as well. "I'm not tired," I repeated with my eyes closed, slightly pissed off now. "I know you mean well, but I'll manage."

I felt a hand on my head, Jeremy's thumb stroking the area between my eyebrows to sooth the frown that settled there. Reluctantly, I relaxed under his touch.

"Zelda..." he mumbled, his whiny tone matching mine. I smiled. "What do I do that would make you go to sleep?"

My tone became chirpy. "Nothing."

"I'll let Socks stay the night."

My smiled widened, and with eyes still closed, I let my body slid further down the bed. "Socks isn't even yours, Jer. She can stay the night if she wants to. I don't think she cares much about your opinion."

I couldn't see, but by the sound of it, he pulled his chair forward to sit closer to me. Good. That was good.

"That's mean, Zelda," he said, flicking my nose before going back to stroking my hair. I scunched it briefly. "I brought Socks to you today."

"Yeah," I coaxed, my eyelids growing heavy. My pounding headche dulled with his each stroke on my hair, and I felt my breath growing steady, in sync with Socks' quiet purrs. "Thanks for that."

He chuckled. "Get some sleep, Zelda. Okay?"

I was out before I could object.