Chore Day

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Hello again my lovelies! bestofallthefandoms requested sick Percy with some oblivious friends and I could not be happier to oblige. I hope you like it and definitely let me know what you think down in the comments! As always, feel free to shoot me a private message if you have any prompts or ideas for me! Read on my lovelies!

P.S. Wow this is such an old request and please don't hate me!

Percy woke up from a dream that he couldn't remember in a tangle of sweaty sheets and blankets. He brushed his damp bangs off of his forehead and wondered who had turned the heat on in the ship. Percy tried to shake off the groggy feeling of sleep and slowly noticed how his shoulders and arms ached as if he had been holding up the sky again. The smells of breakfast wafted into his room and made Percy's stomach turn in an extremely unappetizing way. Percy took stock of the rest of his oddly achy and hot body before remembering something that made him feel even worse. It was chore day.

If there was one thing Percy Jackson hated more than the gods meddling in his and his friend's lives, it was chore day. Why couldn't Leo have made robot cleaning ladies when he was building the ship? Percy made a mental note to bring that up at the next meeting. It wasn't that the chores were hard to do, Percy just figured there were better things for the seven to devote their time to than scrubbing the toilets and sweeping. Nevertheless, Percy cringed at the sight of a chore list already on his bedside table.

Deciding that Annabeth would come find him and force him out of bed eventually, Percy figured it was best to get up of his own accord. The same odd ache that radiated through Percy's arms and midsection shot down his legs as he stood up, making him a wobbly.

"Good morning, Percy." Hazel greeted as Percy made his way into the dining room where there was what would usually be considered a delicious spread of different breakfast foods. Today however, Percy couldn't muster the least bit of an appetite.

"Morning Hazel." Percy replied as he sat down in his usual seat beside Annabeth.

Percy plucked a few pancakes off of a plate and doused them in syrup, hoping some food might settle the uneasy feeling in his stomach. However, after a few bites Percy was sure he would be sick so he resorted to drinking apple juice and trying to distract himself by listening in to conversations happening around the table. Annabeth and Jason were strategizing, Hazel and Frank were talking animatedly about some sort of creature they had seen on the night watch, and Leo was trying to explain something that sounded very mechanical to Piper, who still looked half asleep.

"And now for the reason we're all here, chore day." Annabeth said as if it were some long awaited event.

"I know that none of us actually enjoy this, but since this ship is home for the foreseeable future; we have to keep it clean." Annabeth argued as moans and various curses were heard around the table.

Percy could almost feel his energy being drained. He thought of his bed wistfully.

"I've taken the liberty of making a list since some people like to run away and spend the whole day in the engine room and make house hold objects sentient to do their chores rather than doing it themselves." Annabeth looked pointedly at Leo.

"It was one time!" Leo protested.

"Hazel nearly had a breakdown." Annabeth pointed out.

"Anyways, Percy is on dishes, Jason is on sweeping and mopping, Piper and I will do Laundry, Leo is cleaning the engine room from the "mishap on Thursday, and Hazel and Frank are tending to the Pegasi."

Annabeth finished her spiel and looked over at Percy, who looked asleep.

"Seaweed Brain!"

"Hmm?"

"It's chore day, c'mon!" Annabeth said with way too much enthusiasm.

The rest of the seven got up and started filtering out of the dining hall to do their respective chores.

"Y'know, I'm not feeling that great I-"

"Oh no you don't Perseus Jackson. I know you way to well to fall for that. I've fallen for that way too many times."

"But-"

"No ifs, ands, or, buts. Now get to work." Annabeth concluded sternly. She glared at Percy for a moment before striding toward him and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and leaving to go help Piper sort through laundry.

Percy sighed heavily. He was really starting to not feel well. He felt clammy, achy, and shivery, and his stomach still felt really uneasy. Deciding that pleading probably wouldn't help, Percy resigned himself to the mountain of dirty dishes in the sink.

"Why couldn't Leo have built a dishwasher into the ship? That's a common household object!" Percy ranted under his breath as he put more soap on the sponge he was using. 

"Are you talking to yourself?" Leo asked from behind Percy, making him jump.

"Ah-Leo, you can't just sneak up on a guy like that." Percy replied with more bite in his voice than he'd meant.

"Well, I just-um-if-just don't go into the engine room okay?" Leo said with a panicked laugh.

"Why?"

"Just trust me. Also, don't let Annabeth go in there. She'd throw me overboard."

"Whatever, Leo." Percy shook his head and turned back to the dishes. He had only felt worse since breakfast and just wanted to finish his chores and go back to bed.

"You doing okay man?" Leo couldn't help but notice how Percy's usually tan skin had a gray ashen look to it.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Something just seems off with you today."

"I guess I haven't felt great today." Percy admitted.

"Oh, I thought you were just saying that to get out of chores." Leo came up beside Percy and placed his hand on Percy's forehead. The playful smile faltered.

"You're hot."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Valdez."

"Shutup. I think you've got a fever. I'll finish the dishes, you go take a nap or something." Percy would have argued, but Leo actually looked worried.

"I just need a nap and I'll be fine." Percy felt the last of his energy drain away as he shuffled to his room.

"You do that buddy. Maybe take some Tylenol while you're at it." Leo agreed. It was weird to see Percy looking so vulnerable. Percy was the one that everyone depended on. He was always helping Hazel with the pegasi or helping Jason and Annabeth strategize.

Everything hurt. Percy was starting to think Leo might have been right about the fever. He had just enough time to pull the blankets over himself before falling asleep.

"Percy? Seaweed Brain?"

Percy felt like he could have been asleep for five minutes or three days. He groggily opened his eyes to see Annabeth sitting on the bed beside him.

"Hey" Percy's voice crackled.

"Leo said you weren't feeling well."

"I just needed a nap is all." Percy reassured her, even though he felt worse than before.

"Percy, you're sick. What you need is to rest. I'm really sorry I didn't believe you this morning."

"S'okay."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Jus' tired." Percy replied, already half asleep once again.

"Okay. Call me if you need anything." 

A light snore was all Annabeth got in response. She tucked the blankets up around Percy's neck and walked to the door. As Annabeth turned back to get one last look at her Seaweed Brain, his eyes popped open.

"Annabeth"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go in the engine room." And then he closed his eyes.

Annabeth closed the door and walked down the hall.

The last thing Percy heard before falling asleep was Annabeth yelling "Leo!" and a crash, promptly followed by an "ow!" that sounded a lot like Leo. 

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