Whumptober 2022 Oneshots + Alt List Oneshots

Prompt 20 : It's Been A Long Day

Subprompt : Fetal Position
Fandom : The Owl House
Pairing : Hunter & Camila
Chronology : Vaguely between the end of season 2 and the start of season 3
Warning : Vomiting

It was a long day for everyone. Amity, Gus, Willow, and Hunter were all still getting used to the Human Realm, Camila had needed to stay a bit late at work and still cook dinner when she got home, and Luz was... Well, just not doing well.

Camila had been making more simple meals for the witch kids while they adjusted to human food, so as to not make them sick. This particular night, their dinner had been rice with some boiled chicken and a little bit of lemon juice sprinkled over it. A fairly bland meal to most (Camila, Luz, and Vee always had a more seasoned version of whatever the others had), but it amazed the kids each time they got meat that wasn't living.

After dinner, everyone went to bed, ready to tackle the day ahead. For the time being, there was no big, bad Emperor to worry about. No apocalypses brought upon by childlike little dudes that could completely wreck your shit in an instant. No, the only worries on their minds were getting back home and, for Amity and Hunter, adjusting to a home life where they were accepted as they were.

All was well in the world...

Until Hunter woke up in the middle of the night, incredibly nauseous.

This wasn't just normal nausea, no. He was used to always feeling a little bit sick, whether it be from exhaustion or stress. That was normal, he could deal with that. No, this was the kind of nausea that was clearly going to try and leave his body through force, so he quickly stumbled from where he was lying, bolted up the stairs, and raced to the bathroom. Upon reaching the bathroom, he hastily opened the toilet lid and immediately began gagging.

After a few painful gags, he began vomiting up all he had eaten that day. Even after his stomach was empty, he kept dry heaving, tears coming to his eyes as his whole body strained with each one. He coughed a few times and eventually, when the gagging died down, lied on the floor in the fetal position. The cool tile on the floor felt nice against his overheated body, even through his pajamas.

He half-heartedly glanced down to confirm no puke had gotten on his pajamas- It hadn't- And then flinched when he heard the door open. Oh, Titan he thought nervously, realizing that he hadn't locked the door nor flushed the toilet of his shameful expulsion. I'm in so much trouble

"Oh, mijo" the familiar accented voice of Camila said gently, causing Hunter to begin crying again. She was always so nice to him and he couldn't fathom why, because he hadn't done anything to earn it. Sure, he did the dishes and other chores every chance he got, but that was the least he could do. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry" he muttered wetly, forcing himself up from his position despite the pain and exhaustion. He reached up and flushed the toilet so she didn't have to look at it any longer. "I threw up" he told her, though she'd already gathered it from the sight of the toilet and how he was curled on the floor, a bit paler than usual. "I'm so sorry"

"Enough of that" she told him firmly but not in a way that sounded angry. "You got sick. It happens. You don't need to apologize for that"

"I'm above it"

"That's ridiculous" she dismissed, sitting down so he could sit in her lap, which he did after a moment of swallowing down his pride. He wasn't a child. He didn't need this... But, he was a child, wasn't he? Sure, he wasn't a little boy but he wasn't an adult either. It was easy to forget that sometimes, with all the pressure he was under. "No one is 'above' getting sick" she insisted. "Was it the food?"

"I don't know" he responded miserably, wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die.

"How about this" Camila started, nudging him off of her lap, standing up, and helping him to his feet. "We'll get you some water and you can go back to bed" she told him. "I'll find you a bucket in case you get sick again, and you can come find me if that happens" she continued. "And then I'll get you some anti-nausea medication tomorrow if it persists, okay?"

"You don't need-"

"I insist" she told him before yawning. "Now, let's get you that water, yeah?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Noceda"

"Don't mention it"