Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Geo, I will not say this again,” Alastor said gently yet firmly. He pinched his nose in frustration. “Take the medicine, and this will all be over with.”

Geo sat up in the bed with dishevelled hair and tired eyes. “But it tastes gross, Alastor.” He was having a physical battle to keep himself up right.

Alastor exhaled, annoyed but still remained calm with Geo. “Child, all medicine in Hell tastes unpleasant. There really is nothing more I can do about this. Just take the medicine.”

He held the spoon of red goop in front of the child, who wearily lifted his head to look at it. He tasted a tiny bit with his tongue, his face immediately scrunching up his disgust as his head fell back on the large pillow. He looked up at Alastor with pleading eyes. “Do I have to?” he croaked.

“Yes, the quicker you commit to it, the quicker it will be over with.”

Hearing that, Geo sluggishly lifted his head off the pillow and took the medicine. The stuff tasted awful, like a mix of treacle and tree sap, but Geo quickly swallowed it before collapsing back on the pillow and groaning. His head felt like it was carrying the weight of a hundred bricks, and his throat was almost as dry as a desert.

“There. That wasn't so bad, was it?” Alastor screwed the top back on the medicine bottle with a satisfied smile.

“It was.” Geo placed his hands on the sides of his head as if it would relieve his headache. He hated being sick with every ounce of his being. He felt gross, heavy, and worst of all; absolutely exhausted. He had to stay in bed all day, not even having the strength to put on his skates.

“Don't be like that,” Alastor said as he placed a cold hand on Geo's head. “I'll make you some tea. You'll feel better after you drink something warm,” he said as he moved his hand to his cheek.

“But I don't like tea. It's too bitter,” Geo whined. Despite his protests, he still relaxed at the refreshing touch of the hand on his warm face.

“Oh hush, child,” he said, smacking his cheek firmly, “I'll be sure to add honey to make it taste sweeter. Besides, it will help your sore throat.”

Geo froze. “I…uh…Can't I have hot cocoa instead?”

“No, that will only make you feel more congested.” Alastor noticed the anxiousness in the boy's voice when he brought up honey but didn't push. He plucked a tissue from the tissue box on the bedside table and offered it to Geo.

“But I still don't want tea, Mr. Alastor.” Geo took the tissue and wiped at his eyes, which he didn't realise were getting teary. He crumpled up and tossed the tissue into a nearby trash bin. “Can I have soup?”

Alastor sighed, not wanting to leave the boy alone for too long. “Fine. But try to get some rest while I'm gone,” he said as he stood up from the chair.

“OK, Mr. Alastor,” Geo said, already making himself comfortable under the covers of the red quilt.

“Would you like your stuffed frog as well?” Alastor asked as he took the stuffed animal off a high shelf.

“Yes, please,” Geo replied, reaching his arms out for the plush toy.

Alastor put the spotted frog in Geo's awaiting arms before placing his hand on his head and ruffling his hair. 

Geo smiled as he snuggled up into the pillow with his frog plushie in arms. He had to admit it felt nice to be cared for like this.

Alastor watched as the boy relaxed before turning and making his way out of the room, cane in hand.

“Can I have chicken noodle soup, please?” Geo called from his bed.

“Nope, you're having gumbo,” Alastor replied, leaving no room for argument as he shut the door.

Chapter Text

When Geo woke up from his short nap to Alastor opening the door with a steaming bowl of gumbo, he felt like he had been trampled by a dozen boulders. He could barely move or open his eyes, wincing in pain as he tried to sit up.

“Ow…ow…” he whimpered softly, still clutching his stuffed frog.

“Shhh…” Alastor soothed him as he helped Geo sit up on the pillow. He placed a cold hand on his red forehead. “Hm… you've gotten warmer. And you seem to be in more excruciating pain,” he said casually as he ruffled his hair. “Poor thing.”

Geo coughed weakly in response, not being able to muster a single word. He winced as Alastor removed his cooling hand.

Alastor tsked and sat down on the bed, setting the gumbo on his lap. He scooped up a small portion with a spoon and brought it to the boy’s mouth. “Open up.”

Geo managed to open his eyes a tiny bit despite the heavy pressure of his eyelids and looked at the spoon of hot gumbo. He pouted and turned up his nose at the offer.

Alastor narrowed his eyes in annoyance. “Geo, do not start this again,” he said sternly. “You need to eat something to help you feel better. I don't care if you're burning up or in any kind of pain right now. Just eat the gumbo.”

“No,” Geo whined, “don't…want…gumbo.”

“You haven't a choice in this matter.” Alastor was growing frustrated. “Now open up before it gets cold.”

Geo whimpered as he tried to squirm away, but to no avail. “No…”

Something in Alastor almost snapped. “Child, I am running out of patience now. Stop being stubborn and take the spoon before I force it down your–”

Alastor was suddenly interrupted as Geo suddenly went into a coughing fit. His small body convulsed under the heavy blankets as he gripped onto his stuffed frog for comfort. Alastor dropped the spoon back into the bowl as he moved to keep Geo upright as his fit subsided.

“Oh dear,” Alastor murmured as he let Geo rest back on the pillow.

Geo groaned as a few stray coughs slipped past his lips. “Ow…”

Alastor’s face softened as he saw how weak the boy was. He sighed and set the bowl of gumbo on the side table. He stood up from the bed and started unbuttoning his suit. “Scoot over, child.”

Geo, a tad confused, weakly tried to move his body, which resulted in him face planting into the pillow as he rolled over.

Alastor chuckled as he threw his suit jacket over the back of a chair. He pulled the red covers completely off of the boy, revealing his curled up form dressed in dark blue pyjamas patterned with various colored shapes. Geo relaxed as the cool air of the room embraced his feverish body.

Alastor lay down on the bed next to him. He stayed for a moment as he watched Geo curled up with his frog, still face down on the pillow. He then reached out, wrapping his arms around him and bringing him against his chest in a firm hug.

Geo squirmed a little at the sudden quick movement, whimpering another soft “ow” as the pain ached through his body.

Alastor hummed quietly, trying to soothe Geo as he kept him snuggled against his chest. He practically felt the heat radiating off the boy.

“A-Al?” Geo said weakly as he looked up at the demon.

“Hush, now,” Alastor whispered as he gazed down at the child. He leaned in and gently kissed the area Geo's nose could've been. “Relax and go back to sleep. I'll be right here.”

“N-No gumbo?” Geo asked, his eyes growing heavier with sleep.

“No gumbo,” Alastor confirmed. He watched as Geo slowly fell into peaceful slumber yet again, staying cuddled into the radio demon. Alastor smirked when he was sure the boy wasn't listening. “For now.”

He knew he had to get him to eat at some point, but that was a battle he was willing to face after he had rested.

Chapter Text

Geo hated how needy he had become since he got sick. He hated how dependent he was of Alastor and felt guilty for him having to put up with his stubbornness.

Right now, he was propped up against the large red pillow and wrapped in a thin blue blanket as Alastor fed him spoonfuls of gumbo. Occasionally, Geo looked over at his helmet and shape belt, which lay on a dresser on the other side of the room, and he'd feel another wave of guilt wash over his fevered and aching body. He was supposed to be a hero. A mighty maths hero. And he was just laying against a pillow doing nothing as someone did all the tedious work of taking care of him.

As much as he liked Alastor caring for him like this, he still felt like a burden. A selfish, lazy, stubborn, stupid burden.

“No!” Geo managed to exclaim through his croaky throat as Alastor offered him another spoon of gumbo. He could practically feel the radio demon shaking in anger at his continued stubbornness.

“G̶͙̫͐ě̶͔̗̀o̵͚̙͗͌…” Alastor said as his neck snapped and his eyes turned to radio dials.

Geo looked past the horrific changes of the radio demon and reached a weak hand out to take the spoon. “‘M can do it m’self,” he slurred through feverish words.

Alastor’s face and neck turned to normal as he raised an eyebrow at the boy's determination to feed himself. “Are you sure, kiddo? You seem a little too frail right now.”

Geo was about to reply, but he was overcome with a mini coughing fit, which Alastor helped him through by keeping him upright. As the small fit subsided, Geo’s guilt only grew as Alastor eased him down onto the pillow. He promised himself that he would make it up to Alastor once he was better.

“I don't think I should let you feed yourself at the moment, Geo,” Alastor said gently as he eased the boy back onto the pillow. Despite the deer's meek insistence, Geo still remained firm.

“No! I can–” He coughed “–do it!” His voice was thick with congestion.

Alastor sighed and let the boy wrap his small fingers around the handle of the spoon. “Alright. Just be careful and don't say I didn't warn you.”

Geo felt as the radio demon let go of the spoon. His shaky hand independently held the spoon that felt heavy without Alastor’s support. He slowly and shakily brought the spoon of gumbo to his mouth, Alastor keeping his eyes on the boy with an almost smug smile as if expecting him to fail.

Not even a second later, Geo accidently dropped the spoon, proving Alastor’s predictions. Hot broth splashed on the blanket along with small pieces of chicken and vegetables, making Geo yelp in pain as some splashed on his pyjama shirt.

Alastor sniggered and reached into one of the drawers of the bedside table, taking out a cleaning rag. “Perhaps it's best I take on all the indispensable tasks until you get better,” he said as he wiped the gumbo off Geo.

The boy felt like he was about to cry as a fresh feeling of guilt grew in his aching stomach. He coughed as Alastor finished cleaning him up, making him pat his back to help him through the fit.

“I take it you're still hurting, little one?”

Geo nodded. His body didn't hurt as much as it did before his last nap, but he still felt like he had been flattened by a truck or mauled by a cat.

“Hm…” Alastor hummed as readjusted Geo's position on the pillow. “Luckily for you, I have just the remedy for that.”

Alastor stood up from the bed and left the room, taking the half finished bowl of gumbo with him. He came back a few moments later with a small wooden bowl cupped in his hand.

Geo tried to get a look at the steaming broth inside of the bowl as Alastor sat back down on the bed. “Wazzat?”

“A little something my mother used to make for me when I was sick. It always helped me feel better, so I thought I'd make some for you.”

He held the bowl in front of Geo, who looked down at it through sleepy eyes. The broth was light brown like tea and smelled strong, making Geo wrinkle his nonexistent nose. “Wazz init?” he slurred through a stuffy throat.

“The usual stuff, some ginger, some turmeric.” He offered the small bowl to the boy. “Drink up, kiddo.”

Geo looked down questioningly at the concoction before placing his small hands on the bowl. He brought it up to his mouth with Alastor’s support and drank the medicine in small gulps. It wasn't nearly as foul tasting as the red slope Alastor made him take earlier, as his sense of taste was near gone, but he still tasted a strong hint of ginger.

Once Geo had finished the medicine, Alastor placed the bowl on the bedside table. Geo coughed weakly as he was eased back into a lying position on the bed. He felt so useless.

“‘M sorry,” Geo murmured.

The demon raised an eyebrow. “Whatever for, little one?”

The boy stammered, finding it difficult to word. “Bein’ a bur'en.”

“Being a burden?” Alastor’s expression softened at the sick boy. He ran a hand through his hair. “What nonsense. You're anything but a burden, kiddo. Why in Hell would you think that?”

Geo relaxed a little as his hair was stroked. “Can't do anythin’ m'self…” He didn't have the energy to explain further. He felt gross and heavy, and his stomach was starting to feel funny.

“That's not your fault, little one.” Alastor smiled softly at him. “Your body is exhausted from fighting this illness. Don't blame yourself if you feel weak. Besides, taking care of you is no trouble at all, with the exception of your occasional stubbornness, of course.”

Geo's eyes widened in hope. “Not a bur’en?”

“Absolutely not, kiddo,” Alastor said sincerely. He leaned down and pressed a small kiss to Geo's forehead.

Geo hummed happily as a small smile appeared on his face. He was too tired to do anything else.

For a moment, Geo relaxed more than he had the whole day. Despite his head aching and his body feeling like it had been bitten by countless venus flytraps, he felt at bliss as Alastor watched over him and played with his hair. 

It was peaceful and quiet for a while until Geo suddenly shot up from where he was wrapped in the blankets, clutching his stomach. Alastor retracted his hand in shock.

“Is something wrong, little one?” Alastor asked, concerned.

The boy gagged and covered his mouth with one hand as he kept his arm over his stomach. He immediately scrambled off the bed, making him fall on the floor before dashing to the bathroom (which wasn't easy for him because he was so used to skating instead of walking).

“Geo?” Alastor watched as he slammed the door to the bathroom.

Alastor exhaled, a little annoyed. He lay back on the bed as he mentally prepared himself to help the boy in the bathroom.

The boy's illness was taking a toll on both of them, but despite everything, Alastor was going to continue to help Geo in any way he could. Besides, it's nothing a little bubble bath can't help.