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Virgil awoke to coughing and sneezing. Logan lay still next to him, stirring slightly when Virgil moved to look at the clock. 5 AM on a Monday morning. He’d definitely need an extra shot in his coffee.
Knowing he wasn’t going to get any more sleep, he slipped out of bed, gave Logan a kiss on the forehead, and walked out into the hallway. The coughing seemed to be coming from every bedroom that wasn’t his.
“Papa?” Thomas’s small voice rang out. Virgil peeked in his son’s room. “I feel icky.”
“Papa’s asleep right now, so you’re stuck with me.” Virgil joked quietly, sitting down on Thomas’s bed. “What’s wrong, bud?”
“My throat has lemonade in it.” Thomas said, his voice slurring slightly. “Sticky. Runny boogers.”
Virgil reached over to turn on the lamp next to the bed. He placed a hand on Thomas’s slightly paler forehead, which was warmer than usual. “It’s not lemonade, bud, it’s phlegm. It appears when you’re sick. Looks like you’re not going to school with Papa today.”
Thomas’s eyes fluttered and Virgil smiled, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. “Why don’t you sleep right now, and I’ll get you breakfast when you wake up?”
Thomas nodded before shutting his eyes. Virgil headed out to the twins’ rooms, where someone was coughing. Both of the Michaels were sick, too. Roman’s forehead felt the hottest.
Before Virgil knew it, the sun was rising and Logan was up. Virgil was already in his day clothes, although they were sweats, and he was calling his office partner. Logan caught a few phrases from the conversation, but his suspicions weren’t confirmed until Virgil hung up.
“All three of them are sick.” He groaned. “Luckily, I’m not needed at the office or in court today, so I’m staying home.”
“Well, there’s been a bug going around, and flu season’s always worst with kids. Anything I can do before I need to go to school?”
“Stay home while I run out to get medicine?” Virgil’s lips quirked up in a small smile. Logan sighed but smiled back.
“You were the one who wanted kids.” Virgil pointed out.
“But what if I want to stay in bed and kiss you all day?” Logan pouted, and Virgil laughed.
“Later, I promise. Just stay with the kids.” Virgil gave him a quick kiss before grabbing his keys, phone and wallet and going out the door.
He practically bolted through the grocery store, grabbing ginger, fruit cups, ice cream, medicine, cans of soup, and a proper thermometer. The cashier only gave him a small smirk. “Flu season, huh?”
“Yep.” Virgil tapped his foot awkwardly, checking the time. He still had a good hour until Logan had to be in the classroom, but he didn’t want to cut it close. The minute the receipt was printed, he nearly flew out of the store, haphazardly shoving the groceries in the backseat.
Somehow, he got home safe and sound, as Logan was enjoying his first cup of coffee.
“Did any of them wake up?”
“Remus was for a little bit, but he ended up crashing on the couch. I think he wants to be around people more when he’s sick.” Logan shrugged, shutting his laptop and watching his husband bustle around the kitchen.
“Never saw that coming.” Virgil said, putting everything away. “Are toast and eggs a good idea for their breakfast?”
“Yes, but no jam or peanut butter, though. The artificial sugar won’t help.”
“Got it, Lo.”
Logan stood up, finishing the last of his coffee and setting the mug in the sink. “I should get going.” He pulled Virgil into a longer kiss than they’d shared earlier. When he pulled back, Virgil made a face.
“Ew, coffee breath.”
~~~
The kids slept for most of the day, and didn’t have the energy to argue about what they were eating. Still, the three of them insisted on being in the same room as Virgil at all times.
“You need to take the medicine if you want to feel better.” Virgil said for the umpteenth time in the last minute. “I know it doesn’t taste good but you can always wash it down with water.”
“It’s gross.” Roman protested, and Virgil sent him a stern look.
“Well it’s this or feeling icky for longer.” He said, and with three kids glaring at him, they took the medicine. They all made faces as the medicine hit their taste buds, but swallowed it regardless.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Virgil smiled, grabbing the little measuring caps and immediately washing them. “Do you want to go to bed or stay awake with me?”
The three of them clung to him, and Virgil laughed. “Okay, can you wait in the living room until I’m done setting everything up? Maybe you can get your blankets too.”
Slowly, the kids went upstairs, and Virgil watched them go up. Quickly, he grabbed the ice cream he’d been stowing away in the freezer all day, and scooped out four portions. He brought the bowls to the living room, giving one to each kid. As soon as he had sat down, Thomas and Remus crawled up on either side of him.
“I always watched this on my sick days.” Virgil said, pulling up Mary Poppins on the TV. “It’s okay if you fall asleep, we can always watch it when you’re not sick.”
Roman stayed up for the entire movie, his eyes transfixed on the screen. After it ended, Virgil turned the TV off, trying to coax the boy to fall asleep.
When Logan finally pulled up in the driveway at 5, all four of them were passed out on the couch. Remus’s head was in Virgil’s lap and Thomas’s was resting on Virgil’s stomach. Roman was on the couch perpendicular to them, curled up under a
Toy Story
blanket. Logan made a point to take a picture of the four with a smile on his face.
He’d show it to Virgil later. But for now, he set an alarm for 7 PM and headed to the kitchen to start on dinner.