twelve

                                    

                                          
"You told him," I accuse, voice hoarse and throat sore.
                          
My mom looks at me guiltily before nodding, "I was worried."
                          
"Mom!"
                          
"You were in the hospital barely a week ago!  Of course I'd ask Ian to check up on you while your father and I went out," he says, cheeks coloring.
                          
I look away, jaw locked in anger.
                          
I should've known.
                          
"Look," he sighs softly, "I know you're mad at him, but I trust him with you.  Regardless of what's happened, you're family and he would never-"
                          
"I'm tired," I interrupt, wobbling where I stand.
                          
"Morgan, baby, wait," he calls out.
                          
I close my eyes and take a deep breath before I say something I'll regret, "it's okay mom.  I know why you did it.  But I'm tired now, and I have a headache."
                          
He nods, brows furrowed in his signature worry, "go rest, I'll go look for some medicine."
                          
I nod before trudging up to my room and flopping onto my bed.  I'm too tired to change or to take off my prosthetic, so I wriggle under my blanket as so.  Within moments I fall asleep, shivering despite the thick blanket keeping the non-existent cold in my room at bay.
                          
●■●■●
                          
"Morgan?"
                          
"Hm?" I hum sleepily.
                          
A soft hand touches my forehead, a soft curse escaping under the person's breath when they realize I'm burning up.
                          
I bury myself deeper in my blanket, muttering about how cold I feel and the pounding headache that's just on the surface.
                          
"Morgan, I need you to sit up," the voice orders.
                          
My brows furrow and I shake my head slightly, hating how it feel like my brain is wiggling inside with the movement but knowing it's just the pressure of the pain.
                          
"I'm sleepy," I moan softly.
                          
"I know that, but Matthew told me to give you this, it's for the pain.  Come on sweetling, sit up."
                          
I groan, failing to lift my weight with how sick I feel.
                          
He tsks, "I knew you were going to get sick."
                          
I snap my eyes open and stare up at Ian who's looking back at me in worry.
                          
"Go away," I frown.
                          
"Morgan," he sighs in mild exasperation, but before he can continue I grasp a pillow and throw it at his head even as my cheeks heat up.
                          
He manages to dodge the unexpected pillow, eyes darkening in annoyance.
                          
It's enough to make me sit up with a grumble, hand outstretched to get the medicine.
                          
"Here," he huffs, giving me a glass of water.
                          
I swallow the pills immediately, hoping to relieve the pain coursing through my body from this persistent fever.
                          
"I brought some food," he adds.
                          
I look at the plate, but I don't find myself hungry.
                          
I say as much and the worry seems to increase at that.
                          
"You need to eat."
                          
"I need to sleep," I retort, ready to slip back into blissful unconsciousness.
                          
"Morgan, I-"
                          
"Please go away," I whisper, peering at him through hazy eyes, "it hurts to look at you... to know you're so close, but realizing I can never... you will never love me."
                          
" Morgan, I do lo-"
                          
I shake my head, voice become more slurred as I fall asleep, "not like I love you, Ian.  I'm truly stupid, because I love you... I love you so much..."
                          
The relief of darkness overwhelms me, but at least I know I won't hurt as much as when I'm awake.