A Gallagher Girls & The Listen Series Promptober

"Joe" Has a Cold

Haven't read Gallagher Girls? Please do not continue if you wish to avoid spoilers.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out. Comments, feedback and any interaction are appreciated and loved!

Joe Solomon POV / Timeline: Takes place before the Gallagher Girls series, Cammie is 2.

Oct. 24th | "Joe" Has a Cold:

His chest felt like it was full, too tight. He was hot and cold at the same time, his neck sweaty, but his hands and feet freezing. His head felt like someone was inside of it pounding to try to get out. And his nose was alternating between being unable to breathe out of it and needing a tissue to stop his snot from flowing.

He was sick, but he'd never admit it.

Joe Solomon does not get sick.

The phone ringing was shrill and he groaned, throwing his pillow over his head.

It stopped finally and he sighed, removing the pillow and it rang again.

He rolled off of the bed, towards the phone, not even standing as he crawled to the desk and picked it up, "What?"

"Joe?" Matt's voice asked.

He coughed, "Yeah."

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Uh-huh, are you home?" he could already hear the keys being grabbed.

"No, Matt, don't-"

"Rachel, Joe's sick, do we have any of that soup my mom made left?"

Muffled talking and then back into the receiver, "We'll be there soon."

"No, don't-"

The dial tone rang in his ears and he dropped his head.

He crawled back into bed, cradling his tissue box, taking another serving of his cold medicine.

He didn't remember falling asleep, but he shot awake at the sound of a giggle and he sat up right, too fast, his head swimming.

He groaned and closed his eyes.

"Woah, easy buddy," Matt's hands on his shoulders pushing him back into his bed.

"Morgan, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Easy on the swearing, Cammie's with. She's in a repeating phase."

He blinked his eyes open, "Why is Cammie here?"

Matt was straightening his blanket over him and he shrugged, "Rachel wanted to come with and check on you too. Can't really leave a two year old at home alone. As smart as she is."

He beamed at him as he fluffed the pillows around him and Joe rolled his eyes, "I'm fine. Just a cold," Matt's fingers were moving to his forehead and Joe recoiled, "I'm not a kid Matthew. I'm fine."

Matt sighed, shoving the back of his hand against Joe's forehead, "It wouldn't kill you to let people take care of you every once in a while."

Joe coughed, closing his eyes, "Actually, it would."

"Atually-would," a tiny voice from the door whispered and Matt smirked.

Rachel kicked the door open, a steaming bowl of soup in her hands and Joe eyed it, "You didn't make that did you?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Watch it. I'm the one with the steaming bowl of hot liquid in my hands Joseph."

He watched as Cammie crawled across his floor, right for the loose board and pulled.

He sat up, "Holy shit, Matt, grab-"

Cammie stopped what she was doing, "Hole ship."

Matt pointed to Joe, "What did I say?" He stood on the floorboard as Cammie tried to grab around it.

Joe groaned.

"What wong?" her tiny voice babbled as she crawled to the desk, pulling herself up to standing with the chair.

Matt smiled at her, "Uncle Joe's sick."

"Spit."

Rachel leaned against the doorway, "Sick, kiddo. With a k. Cah sound."

Cammie grinned and crawled to the side of his bed, pulling herself up and staring at him.

He smirked, "Hey."

"Hi."

He watched her eyes dart around the room, taking everything in and Matt sat on the edge of the bed and she smiled at him, using Joe's legs to steady herself as she walked towards the foot of the bed.

Matt picked her up, and Joe closed his eyes.

"Nuh-nigh," Cammie whispered.

Joe smiled, keeping his eyes closed.

Rachel spoke quietly, "Joe, eat the soup."

He huffed, but kept his eyes closed.

Matt squeezed his foot through the blanket, "It's my mom's magical lemon chicken soup. Cure ya in no time. Whole new man by tonight."

He opened his eyes to see Matt and Rachel both standing, Cammie in his arms, all three staring at him and smiling.

Matt whispered something in Cammie's ear and she pulled her fingers out of her mouth with a pop before whispering, "Soup, Joe."

He rolled his eyes, grabbed the bowl and sat up, taking a spoonful of it and raising his eyebrows at them all, as if to say, 'happy now?'.

Matt nodded as if to say 'yes, yes he was.'

Rachel started towards the door, "There's another container in the fridge and some tea on the counter too."

Matt nodded, "Feel better."

Cammie nodded almost identically, "Bedder."

Joe smiled as she waved and they pulled the door closed behind them.

He waited a solid five seconds before letting a tear fall out of his eye and wiping it, but he should have waited longer because the door swung open again, Matt holding a package of crackers.

He stared at Joe, Joe stared at him and Matt smiled, setting the crackers on the bed.

"Morgan, don't even-"

"I love you too, Joe."

He closed the door and Joe sighed, closing his eyes.

Damn those Morgans and their love.