Favorite : Change for the both of us

Chapter 14

I should have known my flu would get worse overnight.

I wake up in a cold sweat at, like, one in the morning. I can't remember much of the dream, but it definitely involved Hugh and a flashback. When I'm awake, I take a moment to remember it was only a dream. Then, all I can think about is the horrible aching in my limbs; the fire in my stomach and caveman in my skull. I try for a few minutes to fall back asleep, but it's useless. How does your health deteriorate so fast? From a small cold to...increasing agony. Not being, funny, but I call bullshit. As I said, sleeping is useless; especially after having a nightmare. I throw off the sheets and scurry out of my room, ignoring the pain from my scraped feet. Its not as though I have anything to do in here except lie in the bed.

Poseidon's bedroom door is open a crack. That's how I know whether or not he's in his room – when he's not, the door is completely closed. I hesitate for a second before slipping inside, swaying dangerously as my vision spins. See, this is what happens when I get ill; one small illness can escalate into this. I hold back a couple of coughs too, my throat painfully itchy, and hurry across the room. Poseidon is lying on his back, sleeping deeply. I notice how we have different sleeping habits - I tend to curl up into a ball, like my mom. Should I wake him?

Waking him doesn't sound like a good idea. I'll look like a baby. I'll just stay quiet instead. I climb on to the bed slowly, careful not to move the mattress. I'm freezing, but I don't dare get under the covers. Just in case. What if Poseidon gets mad at me? He'll probably yell and tell me to go back to my own room. Then in the morning he'll probably yell some more...

No, I tell myself. Man up. He's your dad. You have to stop thinking like that.

Before I know it, I'm shuffling closer. And closer. Soon, I'm curled against my father's side. Poseidon's arm has draped over me, even though he is still asleep. I'm trembling from the cold, yet sweat is breaking out on my forehead. I try not to whimper at the increasing pain. You know when you wake up in the night with an earache or toothache and there's nothing you can do about it until morning and it's so bad you want to cry? Yeah, well that's how I feel. Just spread the pain through my stomach and head and multiply the pain by five and you've got whatever it is I have. And all because I was stupid and ran away...

Poseidon must eventually feel my movement, because after a few minutes he turns slightly to face the side of the bed that I'm on. "Percy?" he mutters, voice thick with sleep. I can just make out him blinking blearily in the darkness. "Whassup?"

"Nothing," I mutter, voice weak and croaky. Hopefully, he takes my tone as exhaustion.

"You're freezin'..."

Still half-asleep, Poseidon shifts and moves the blanket for me to slither under. I curl into the tightest ball I can muster, taking in deep, shuddering breaths. To my surprise, Poseidon kisses my head before falling back to sleep. No matter, I think. He won't remember this in the morning. Maybe I can get out before he wakes up. If he does remember this he'll worry...and I've caused him enough trouble...

I spend the rest of the night close to agony. My stomach is literally eating itself. My previous meal is starting to grow restless, the acid of it burning my throat. I think that my entire body is on fire, judging by the heat. But at the same time I'm unbearably cold and find myself wishing for more blankets. I don't know how much time passes until I have tear-tracks on my cheeks, which I almost don't care about wiping away.

I'm so preoccupied with the pain and misery of it all, I don't even notice Poseidon stirring. Before I'm able to slip back to my room unnoticed, his green eyes open.

"What's wrong, son?" he asks. He doesn't sound as tired as he did earlier, as though he's been awake for a few minutes but simply kept his eyes closed. His hand touches my damp cheek.