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"Little sips, Philip," Mrs. Clawthorne gently instructed the unwell boy as the mother held a straw to his lips.
He was currently dealing with a case of common mold while laying down on the guest room bed inside the Clawthorne household.
After sipping his water, he murmured a soft thank you when Mr. Clawthorne wiped his chin with the corner of his blanket.
After slipping a bowl of pre-cut flesh and blood fruit into Philip's hands, which the sugars in the sweet, exotic fruit would help his human immune system out, Evelyn changed the damp washcloth on his forehead.
Philip closed his eyes and snuggled into his blanket once his brother finished fluffing his pillow, and he felt the elder's hand gently pat his head.
"Don't worry, Philip," Caleb whispered with the softest of reassurance.
"I know things seem to be unpleasant now, but you're going to be okay. This illness is something you can overcome."
Everyone was making every effort to lower Philip's fever.
...
Philip turned his head away from the spoonful of cloudy brown-colored medicine being held to his lips.
"I don't want to take it," a stubborn and stuffy-nosed Philip pouted as he crossed his arms in defiance.
"It smells icky," he huffed.
"But, Philip, it's crucial that you take this," Mr. Clawthorne said calmly and carefully as he pulled the spoon back, not wanting to rile up the brunette.
"It will aid in your recovery," Mrs. Clawthorne tried to persuade with a sweet smile.
However, Philip frowned and shook his head.
"Caleb...," Evelyn whispered as she and her parents looked to the blonde in hopes that he could convince Philip to take his medicine.
"Oh, Philip, won't you please take your medicine?" Caleb asked with a small smile as he took a seat on the side of the bed, his tone lively.
At first, Philip wouldn't budge, but then Caleb proceeded to bring out the overly pleading puppy dog eyes.
"Pleaaaase? For me? For your big brwother?" he implored in a sticky-sweet voice, his eyes big and full of sparkles.
After some silence, Philip finally sighed.
"... Fine," he agreed with another huff, frowning about the fact that he had given in so easily as Caleb and the Clawthornes released breaths of relief and smiled at each other.
"But," he continued, developing a giant smirk on his face as he was about to make a deal, pointing a finger at everyone.
"You all have to take it with me."
Those certainly weren't words that Caleb, Evelyn, and Mr. and Mrs. Clawthorne were expecting to hear.
"But, Philip, we're not sick," Mr. Clawthorne gently stated with a tender yet visibly nervous smile, which only made Philip return to crossing his arms.
"I won't take that medicine unless everyone else takes it with me!" he declares assertively and adorably, causing everyone to sigh.
It looks like they didn't have a choice.
...
"... Mmm!" Philip hummed in delight as he sucked up and swallowed all of his medicine, removing his spoon from his mouth.
"Wow, that actually tasted really good!"
The medicine possessed both a sharp burst of tartness and a sweet, apple-like flavor.
"More, please!" Philip politely requested as he held his spoon out, smiling an innocent, closed-eyed smile at everyone with cheery, flushed cheeks.
Meanwhile, Caleb and the Clawthornes had extremely exaggerated puckered faces as a result of taking the medicine while healthy.
They appeared as though they had all sucked on the sourest lemon ever for a considerable amount of time.