Soulmates || A Newsies Alternate Universe

Chapter 43 - Albert

Warnings: Sickness
Third Person POV

"Albert," Elmer whines, trying to push Albert away from him. "Let me get up."

"No." Albert pushes him back onto the bed.

Elmer looks up at him. "I have to go help my siblings."

"Emmalyn, Ethan, Specs, and Romeo are helping them." Albert responds. "I am helping," He points from himself to his boyfriend. "you."

"But I'm fine..." Elmer mumbles, before he starts coughing again.

"Define 'fine'." Albert responds, crossing his arms.

Elmer shoots him a glare. "I can still move, I haven't hurt myself yet, and I'm still breathing, so I think I'm fine."

"Okay, and I think you aren't." Elmer groans. "And as your boyfriend, the older one, and someone who's known you for years, my judgement is probably better than yours."

"How so?" Elmer raises an eyebrow.

"El, I really don't want to fight you on this." Albert was almost pleading with him now. "Please stay in bed. Let us take care of this."

Elmer looks into his boyfriend's puppy eyes.

He sighs. "Okay. I trust you guys. You're my brothers."

"We're all family." Albert smiles. "Well, except for you and me."

Elmer laughs a bit, laying his head down on the pillow.

Albert kisses his forehead, before leaving the room.

When he walked out, he immediately saw Specs with a sick looking Eleanor in his arms.

She was half asleep and sucking on a pacifier.

Albert walks over to her, feeling her forehead. "How are we doing?"

Eleanor let's out a weak cough in response, causing Albert to frown.

"I just took her temperature," Specs starts, rocking her in his arms. "She has a fever, but it's not at a dangerous point yet."

Albert warily scratches his arms. "What is it?"

"100.9, nothing terrible yet." Specs answers. "We just have to keep an eye on it."

Albert nods. "What are her other symptoms?" He asks.

"Other than a fever, looking really pale and out of it, she has a slight cough, but she won't tell me what's actually wrong." Specs tells Albert, who frowns.

Ethan slowly closes the door to Eddie and Eden's room. "They're asleep now."

Albert nods. "Thank you, Ethan."

Ethan nods, before looking at Specs and Eleanor.

Ethan looks between Specs and Albert, before smiling a bit. "Is she not telling you what hurts?" He asks.

"She's too much like Elmer sometimes." Specs responds.

Ethan chuckles quietly. "Hand her to me, I'll help."

Specs gently hands Eleanor to Ethan.

Ethan cradles her in his arms, her head laying on his shoulder, with her pacifier and stuffed dog in her lap.

"Hey Ella." Ethan whispers. "If your head hurts, say cat. If your mouth hurts, say bunny. If your tummy hurts, say fishy. Alright?"

Eleanor tucks her head inside Ethan's neck.

For a minute, they didn't hear from her.

"Fishy." Eleanor whispers.

Ethan nods. "Thank you."