To Be a Hero

Chapter 14

Toby was woken up the next morning by his throbbing skull. God, it was worse than it had been last night.

Fuck-

he groaned, not wanting to move, not wanting to open his eyes. It felt like someone was trying to drive in two ice picks in the sides of his head and into his brain-

"Hey, you alright big man?" He heard Tommy ask, and there was definitely concern in his voice.

Toby cracked an eye open to see Tommy, already dressed for school, standing in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. He shook his head

"I think my brain is trying to hatch from my skull-" he said miserably

"I'll get dad-" Tommy nodded, running off. Toby could hear him barrelling down the stairs, with the call of, "Daaad!"

A few moments later, Phil poked his head in, "Hey mate...Tommy said you had a really bad headache?"

Toby nodded slowly, not wanting to jerk his head too fast. "Mhm..."

"Alright, let me take a look at something real quick, alright?"

Toby nodded again, and Phil walked over to the bed.

"Did you hit your head or anything?" He asked, crouching down by the bed.

"Not that I can think of..." Toby said, "I've been getting headaches more frequently over the last couple weeks...but this is worse than any of them..."

He thought it had just been his powers at first, and some of them probably were, but this...this was something else. Something different.

"Just headaches..?"

"Mhm..."

Philza leaned in closer, looking over Toby's head, frowning a bit. "You've got two bumps here...one on each side of your head"

"What?" That didn't make sense. He didn't know what they were. Weird...

"Yeah...yet look like you bumped your head or something.."

Tommy and Wilbur poked their heads in, Wilber matching Tommy's look of concern on his face. Techno was probably sleeping in still, or out on a morning patrol.

"He's got bumps?" Will asked, walking closer, and gone into full "worried older brother" mode. He gently felt for the bumps, which made Toby wince.

"Sorry, Sorry-" Wilbur gasped, pulling his hands away, "There's definitely bumps there...and if your head hurts so bad maybe you should stay home for the day, right?"

He glanced at Phil for confirmation, and their dad nodded, "Definitely-"

Toby glanced at Tommy, who was making his way over to the bed as the other two backed off "Sorry Tommy, I might not make it to boys night this time if my head doesn't stop trying to kill me-"

"It's alright, just focus on resting and getting better, alright big man?" The blonde boy grinned, giving him a thumbs up, "You can beat a stupid headache, you'll be fine as long as you take care of yourself yeah?"

"Sounds like a plan..." Toby grinned back weakly, and Tommy nodded, waving as he walked out.

"Do you need anything mate?" Phil asked as he and Will started out of his room as well.

"Uhh, something for my headache? Please?"

"Of course.." Phil nodded, smiling at him, "I'll be right back, ok?"

"Thank you..." Toby smiled again, and Phil walked out.

The pain meds did help a little bit, but his head still felt like a drunk dwarf was hammering away at the inside of his skull. His phone was on his bedside drawer, but he was hesitant to grab it, since screens didn't necessarily help with headaches.