Why Don't We Sickfics

Radio Interview

"Jack! Get up, we're going to be late!"

Jack arose from his slumber to realize he was being shaken vigorously by two of his best friends.

Daniel sighed. "Jack, did you sleep through your alarm again? Seriously, hurry up. We're leaving in ten minutes."

Jonah nodded. "Hurry up if you want something to eat. We have to get to the radio interview."

Jack groaned in response, dragging himself out of his bunk bed in the tour bus. It was normal for him not to be able to get up in the morning, but he felt especially exhausted today. His head was pounding and it felt like the room was spinning.

He heard Daniel close the door, the noise painfully echoing through his head. He stumbled towards the closet, barely able to open his eyes. The room was spinning, and he felt himself stumble into something.

"Oof." Corbyn grunted as Jack fell onto him. "You okay, bro?"

"Yeah." Jack replied, his voice raspy. "Tired." He felt his voice giving away, almost like it was about to crack.

Corbyn chuckled. "That's our Jack. Hey, we're leaving in like 5 minutes so you'd better hurry up."

"Mm." Jack barely felt like talking, let alone getting changed into his real clothes. He managed to take a pair of jeans and a sweater, not even sure what he'd chosen. His eyes were closing, and he couldn't force them open long enough to see what he wanted to wear. Jack's head was pulsing with pain, a feeling that he wouldn't wish upon his worst enemy.

He sat down to get changed. His head wasn't feeling any better at all-- instead, he was starting to feel a little nauseous. He managed to get one leg into his jeans before he had to stop, leaning his head against the wall.

Pull through. he thought to himself. You're just a little tired.

He took a deep breath and put the pants on. He managed to put the sweater on over the t-shirt he'd slept in. It would have to do.

"Jack!" It was Jonah again. "We're literally leaving right now, let's go!"

Jack stood up, feeling the nausea return even stronger. Black spots danced in his eyes, but he went over to the door of the bus, remembering to grab his phone and his water bottle on the way.

He staggered into the car, shivering as the cold morning air hit him.

"You good, Jack? You look like you haven't slept in years." Zach joked.

"That's how I feel." Jack had meant to say, but his throat was starting to scratch up, and all he could manage to say was, "Huerrrrrhhh".

"Dude, drink some water." Corbyn laughed. "You sound like a zombie."

Jack fumbled with the lid of his water bottle, trying to open it. The black spots in his eyes were getting worse, and he could barely see anything at all. Finally, Zach popped it open. "Jack, you better be awake by the time we get to the building. We're gonna make fools of ourselves if we walk into the interview looking like that."

Jack tried to laugh, but the strain on his lungs caused a scratchy cough.

"Jack, drop the zombie act already. We're almost there." Jonah warned.

Jack nodded, even though the added head movement just made his head hurt more.

"Hey, this is such a cool building!" Zach exclaimed. Jack felt the younger boy's body press closer to his as he moved to look out the window.

Jack blinked as hard as he could, trying to get his vision to come back. His vision was starting to go fully black.

I just need water, he told himself, taking gulps from his water bottle. The cool liquid flowed into his system, resting in his empty stomach. All it did was make his nausea worse. He felt himself heave as the car door opened, climbing out blindly. He had basically no vision left, but nobody seemed to notice. He held onto Zach's shoulder as tightly as he could, knowing that if he let go, he would be lost.