Chapter Text
Everyone hates being sick, that’s because being sick sucks. Charlie Spring is no exception, he hates being sick as much as the next person unfortunately for him he has a little brother who has a habit of bringing colds home with him.
As Charlie was getting into bed he felt a slight ache in his head and he hoped that it was just from tiredness. It took him ages to fall asleep that night which did not help his headache.
When he woke up the next morning he had the driest throat & his nose was completely blocked. He felt absolutely awful and was in no mood to go to school.
“Morning mum.” He croaked at as he filled up a glass with water, hoping to relieve his sore throat. “Can I have a paracetamol? I don’t feel well.”
Upon hearing that Jane Spring stood up from the kitchen table and joined her son by the sink, “what’s wrong?”
Charlie coughed after swallowing his drink, screwing up his face when he felt how much coughing hurt.
“I have a headache, my throat hurts and-“ he was cut off by a sneeze he caught into his elbow. Then another.
Jane sighed looking at her son, she had to admit that Olly had come home with a cold after spending the last two days at school with other germy children. Gently she brushed away Charlie’s curls to gel his forehead.
“You’re are a little warm, do you think if I let you stay home you’ll sleep it off?” She asked as she handed him two paracetamol tablets which he swallowed immediately.
He didn’t think he could get much sleep with the amount his nose was running but if saying he would try would secure him the day off then Charlie was willing to say he would just because he knew he couldn’t manage the school day.
“I hope so.” He replied weakly, his voice fill of cold. He sneezed again as Tori stood in the doorway.
“You look terrible, Charles. Sit down and I’ll make you some dry toast.” Tori said softening just slightly, pulling out a chair for her little brother on her way to the counter.
A cough rattled him as he dropped in the chair at the table, “thanks Tori.”
Jane just patted his arm weakly, “I’ll call the school and excuse you from today.”
True to her word Tori made her younger brother dry toast with a cup of tea & sat with him while he ate it.
Once his siblings were at school Charlie was left home alone with his mother and the house felt very quiet. Jane left him alone in his room whilst she worked at the kitchen table.
Charlie very quickly sent off a text to Nick letting him know that he was staying home under the weather. Due to Jane’s strict sick day rule “if you’re well enough for screens you’re well enough for school” Charlie decided to shut his phone away in his bedside table drawer & close his eyes.
As he suspected Charlie Couldn’t get much sleep because he kept coughing or sneezing, his throat was so dry. He kept taking sips of his water but it didn’t soothe his throat any. In the end he lay in bed clutching onto kitty with his eyes closed, at least it eased his headache slightly.
When her lunch break rolled around, Jane made her way upstairs to check on her oldest son. She walked in to see him laid in bed shivering, slowly she sat down on the edge of his bed.
“How are you feeling?” She asked feeling his forehead again, in his defence he did look rather ill and miserable.
Charlie pulled away and coughed into his elbow, “ow. That hurt my chest. I feel rough. Can I have another blanket?”
He sneezed again before his mum could say anything. Jane sighed sadly as she stood up, she hated seeing her children unwell.
“Of course. I’ll leave it outside your door with some soup and paracetamol. Would you like me to fill up your water bottle again?” She asked approaching the doorway.
“Please. And mum when you go fetch Olly would you get me some cough medicine and some drops if they have some?” Charlie asked wheezing slightly.
Jane just smiled sympathisingly, “I’ll see what I can do. Get some rest after your lunch, sleep is the best medicine.”
Charlie just nodded, he had no energy to argue with her today and knew she meant well deep down.
After his lunch of leak and potato soup, which he didn’t want due to a lack of appetite and the fact he couldn’t taste it, Charlie curled up under his duvet with his extra blanket and finally got a little bit of sleep.
The sleep didn’t last long and he woke up coughing so much he gave himself another headache.
Jane heard her son’s coughs and peaked her head around the door, “are you okay in here? What’s the matter?”
Charlie flopped back into the pillows exhausted, “head hurts.” Was all he could muster, his throat aching.
“Wet your flannel and rest it over your forehead. It might ease your head while I go fetch your brother and head to the pharmacy.” His mother replied, “can I get you anything before I go?”
Charlie just shook his head and closed his eyes.
“I’ll be about an hour hopefully not much longer, if you need anything Tori should be home in around 15 minutes.”
Tori gently knocked on the open bedroom door holding a plate of toast.
“How are you feeling? Do you do think you can manage some toast?” She asked softly as she sat down on the bed.
He took the plate and slowly started to nibble on the corner of the bread. “Still rough, Throat hurts.”
A cheeky smile appeared on the older teen’s face, “one of your friends came and found me at the bus stop, said he had something to give you back if you wanted it.”
Charlie racked his brain trying to remember who he’d lent something to but his mind was blank. He must have looked confused because when he finished his toast Tori simply said, “stay put. I’ll grab my bag.”
When Tori returned Charlie couldn’t see her school bag but he could see something behind her back. “Close your eyes and hold your hands out.”
He did, instantly something soft and cuddly met his fingers: Nick’s blue Adidas sweatshirt. Charlie held it to his chest, immediately comfort washed over him.
“Nick’s jumper.” A cough rattled his chest and he sat up abruptly grabbing his water bottle hoping to soothe it.
“He missed you today, as much as you missed him.” Tori revealed saving the jumper from any spillages, “he told me, said he had sarah bring him in a jumper at break so you could get it.”
“I wish he was here.” Charlie pulled the jumper over his chest like a blanket as his mum appeared in the doorway.
“Who do you wish was here?” Jane asked walking into the room with a paper bag from the pharmacy.
“Nick.” Charlie replied his voice raspy from all the coughing.
His mum put the back of her hand on his forehead, testing his temperature, he was still quite warm. A sneeze jolted his body and he put his hand to his head, “ouch.”
“Oh Charlie. Let’s get you some of this medicine I got. It should help with your cough and you can have some more paracetamol too.” Jane took out the cough medicine and shook it before pouring a dose out and handing it to him followed by two paracetamol tablets and a glass of water. “I managed to get cough sweets and a numbing spray for your throat if you want it?”
Charlie managed a small smile, his mum was really trying to help him feel better and he appreciated it. “Please, it’s really sore.”
Tori, who hadn’t left his side since she’d been home, rubbed his left shoulder lovingly as she laid her head on his right.
“MUM! I’M HUNGRY!” Olly could be heard calling from downstairs.
Jane walked to Charlie’s doorway and popped her head around it to shout back, “I’M COMING OLLY, GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES!”
After reading out the instructions on the throat spray to her older children Jane stroked Charlie’s cheek lovingly before saying, “after Victoria’s helped you administer your spray you can FaceTime Nick for fifteen minutes if you like. Just try not to strain your voice and only for fifteen minutes because screens only increase headaches.”
“Of course, Thanks mum.” He replied as his mum left the room.
Once she’d administered the throat spray Tori fluffed her little brother’s pillows and said: “Enjoy your call, text me if you want anything.”
Nick’s smiley face lit up Charlie’s phone screen and he felt himself smiling genuinely for the first time all day,
“Hi Char. I missed you today, I’m glad Tori gave you my jumper. How are you feeling?”
A coughing fit rattled Charlie’s body, he took a sip of water and a cough drop before responding, “been better, I’m so glad mum let me call you. Tell me about your day.”
“Oh sweetheart, you sound rough. I wish I was there taking care of you. Do you have everything you need?” Nick responded watching as his boyfriend tried pulling the blankets over himself further before being caught off guard by a sneeze, “Bless you.”
“I need you, but I know mum will say no. Just tell me about your day, please.” Charlie asked as another coughing fit took hold.
Nick obliged and recalled his day from form to rugby practice, both of which weren’t the same without Charlie. He even sat down next to Nellie’s bed so Charlie could see her through the screen, which they both enjoyed greatly.
As the call went on Charlie laid there yawning until Nick said, “Take a nap. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Practically as soon as he put the phone down Charlie could feel his eyes getting heavier until he was fast asleep. The next thing he recalled was his mum coming back into his room to take his temperature and give him another bowl of soup.
Charlie went to sleep early that night in the hopes of waking up well rested enough to reunite with his boyfriend in the morning.