Chapter 10
"Brian?" A small voice whispered. Brian rolled over in his sleep ignoring who ever was nagging him. "Brian? You awake?" Go away, he thought, whoever you are. "Brian?"
"What!" He asked annoyed, finally opening his eyes. He found a pale and shaking Nick standing in front of him. "Oh man buddy, what's wrong." Brian asked, quickly sitting up and turning on the bedside lamp. Both boys blinked at the sudden brightness in the room.
"My head hurts! And I itch so bad!" Nick moaned. Brian felt Nick's forehead, unhappy to feel that his temperature had again risen. He stood.
"It's time for your medicine again." Brian said, glancing at the clock. 2 am. Yup, it had been four hours since they had put Nick to bed at 10. He went to the small bathroom and grabbed the Tylenol and the calamine lotion sleepily. He wasn't feeling too hot himself but he figured it was just because he was awake in the middle of the night, after caring for Nick all day. He was exhausted, but there was no way Kevin would get up and care for Nick. And Nick only woke Brian when he needed something, he was too afraid to go near Howie and AJ's for fear that AJ would kill him and the same reason applied for Kevin, especially since Kevin was sleeping on the couch. He was a grouch already. Brian searched high and low for a thermometer, but couldn't seem to find one. He was too sleepy to find the first aid kit so he figured he'd look in the morning. Wearily, he trudged back to the lit up room and handed Nick the pills along with a cup of water. "There ya go. Now lift up your shirt so I can put this stuff on ya." Brian told Nick, who had laid back down." Nick obliged, wincing when he felt the cold cream come in contact with his warm stomach.
"It's cold Bri!" He whined. Brian rolled his eyes.
"Too bad, I ain't warming it." He replied, applying the cream all over Nick's arms and face, carefully avoiding his eyes. He finished up and pulled the covers over Nick again. "Night bro, sleep well."
"Night Frick, thanks." Nick said, already half asleep. Brian climbed back into bed and turned out the light. Without me, he'd scratch his skin off. Thought Brian. Kevin could deal with Nick tomorrow, Brian decided. Or he was gonna finish off and kick him where Nick already had.
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Overnight, Nick's chicken pox had multiplied. They covered his face, arms legs and stomach. AJ was making fun of him at breakfast the next morning. "We could play dot to dot on him!" He laughed. Nick frowned. "Shut up AJ, I hope you get it too so you suffer! This sucks!" He complained unhappily. Kevin had made him put on gloves because he couldn't stop scratching. Well, actually, Kevin had wanted him to wear over mitts. Howie had told him the gloves would be fine. And he had stopped Kevin from taping them to Nick's wrists. The poor kid was uncomfortable enough. Howie had never seen chicken pox so bad before. AJ just shook his head, going back to his meal. Both Nick and Brian hadn't touched their breakfast. Howie frowned.
"C'mon guys, I thought you liked pancakes." Nick lifted his head off the table.
"The chicken pox are in my mouth and it hurts to eat." Howie closed his eyes. Could it get any worse?
"What about you B-Rok?" He asked the sleepy Brian. Brian shook his head.
"I'm going back to bed." Howie sighed. Today was the day they were supposed to go out and try some winter activities but Nick wouldn't stay alone and no one had volunteered to stay with him. Howie surveyed the table. Kevin was out getting more wood, to keep the house as warm as possible for Nick. Nick still had his head down and he was scratching his back on the chair and AJ was eating happily. At least he was happy, that was a definite plus to any day. And he was quiet. AJ quiet was never a good thing, most likely it meant he was hiding something. Howie looked again at AJ who seemed to be reading something in his lap. He stuck his hand out to AJ.
"Give it here Bone." AJ looked up innocently.
"What?"
"AJ, don't play dumb with me, give me the Playboy."
"I don't have a Playboy."
"Like hell you don't, you're too quiet and you have a big grin on your face, I know that look."
"I don't know what you're talking about D."
"Either give it to me now or I'll have Kevin beat you senseless when he comes back." AJ's eyes widened.
"Fine, here." Howie took the magazine and threw it away.
"Thank you." He said exiting the kitchen. AJ pulled out the Playboy and sat down next to Nick. "Lookie here Nicky, this should stop your scratching and stimulate other parts of your body." He said just as Kevin walked in. "AJ, I need your help chopping down the wood...ALEXANDER JAMES PUT THAT AWAY NOW!" Kevin covered Nick's eyes and took away AJ's entertainment. Nick pouted, pulling away from Kevin. "Can I come help you?"
"Absolutely not, you have fever and it's 15 degrees outside."
"I'm bored."
"Take a nap." Kevin suggested dryly.
"I'm not tired." Kevin sighed dragging AJ to the door. "Go get your coat on and get out there!" He yelled at him. He turned back to Nick.
"Read a book."
"I was, you took it away!" Nick protested.
"That wasn't reading material that was porn!"
"Who cares, I understood it just fine!" Kevin pulled at his hair.
"Nick I'm not gonna argue. Where's Bri and Howie?"
"Howie's in the shower I think and Bri's in bed." Kevin looked up.
"In bed?" Nick rolled his eyes.
"Is there an echo in the room?" Kevin smacked his head.
"Don't be wise. What's wrong with Brian?" Nick shrugged.
"I dunno." Kevin felt Nick's forehead.
"I need to find a thermometer, what happened to the one in the first aid kit?" Nick thought for a second.
"Look in the couch I think it may have fallen out when Howie got your splinter out." Kevin made a face.
"Well, Nicky, there's an activity for ya to do!" Nick shuddered.
"There's probably all kinds of gross stuff in there!"
"Too bad, you're the bored one!" And with that Kevin joined AJ outside. Nick sighed frustrated.
"Can't you at least scratch my back?!"