Greer slowly sat up, feeling weak and tired. The food poisoning from the day before really did a number on her. She had been so sure the food looked off, but Sato was insistent that the staff was very good about it. He didn’t realize they had several temp workers that day, and they didn’t normally help with cooking. She had to get help from Blake and then go to the doctor. By that point she was so feverish and ill she didn’t remember much about getting back to the apartment. Greer looked around and saw some fresh ice water on the coffee table. She gently sipped it, only to see Dewi in the armchair, looking like he had dozed off.

These guys were far too nice. Here she was, some rando off the street and they not only gave her a place to stay but helped her get to the doctor and it looked like helped her during the night. Greer honestly wondered if she’d be that kind if the same happened to her. The last time anyone outside her family had been this kind, it had honestly been a set up. She pushed the thought out of her head quickly.

They were odd though. She reward money she gave them was still on the table. The most that had happened with it was Dewi was playing with it- she currently saw some of the cash folded into dollar dogs. Maybe it didn’t matter to them? She had discovered Dr. Holmes, or Sato as he kept insisting she could call him, was a very famous scientist in the research world and his abilities helped him make a small fortune. Dewi turned out to be a famous model; not surprising with his abilities. Blake was currently working two jobs still, but was almost done with his book which already had critics very excited. Luce was the only one that had a ‘normal’ job working at a restaurant, but that seemed to very much be by choice. But even then, Luce was the one that seemed to keep everyone going fine without problems. She’d seen him make sure everyone was awake and moving, even going as far as to make lunches if he deemed it needed. Money seemed to be the least of the worries with this… family?

She still wasn’t sure if everyone was married yet or not. It didn’t seem like it. And Dewi had been right, the Cronos/Blake/Dewi thing was a little complicated. She’d seen Cronos show up two more times, but never actually saw how he showed up. The second time she had gone to get Blake a drink but came back a bit late, seeing Cronos standing in the room instead looking far calmer. He had just asked Greer told Dewi who was going on the date had changed and went to Blake’s room for some different clothes and such. Just the normal thing of ‘Don’t tell Luce’, which Greer was happy to do since it didn’t really seem to cause any trouble. In exchange, he had told Greer the head pat thing which had gotten.. weird.

Greer started to stand up. She wanted to at least try some crackers. This was a mistake since when did she quickly started to feel nauseous. She tried to hurry to the sink but ended up getting sick on a chair instead. When she’d finished, Greer looked at the chair and felt mortified. The chair was fine because Dewi’s current favorite jacket was covering it instead. At least she was certain it was his favorite, he had worn it almost every day this past week. She saw Dewi start to stir and grabbed her backpack and the jacket, throwing it into the wash with her things. After it had been going a few minutes and she had cleaned up a tad, Dewi had woken up and looked at her. “Hey Greer… feeling better? Don’t go too fast. You’ll just make it worse.”

Greer stood there a moment. “Oh um… yeah… I will… I’m sure it’ll be fine though. Got some laundry going.”

Dewi gave her a look and started leading her back. “Lay down already. Sato took care of things at your job, and it’s Friday so 3 whole days of rest.” Greer nodded as he continued, “By the way, you need anything from the store? I’m heading out to take my jacket to the dry cleaners.”

Greer felt herself go a little pale. She had never bought anything dry clean only and didn’t think to check the tag first. “Can’t it go in the washer?”

Dewi shook his head. “No, Dry clean only. Why?”

Greer looked awkward now. “It’s um…. In the washer… with my stuff. I got sick…”

Dewi looked at the washer and sighed. “Greer… lay down and rest ok? I’ll take care of this.”

As she laid down, Greer mentally kicked herself. It had been one thing after another with Dewi. She had been messing up time and time again. Greer was certain of it, between some really bone headed questions, like what does he really look like, and things like this… Dewi had to just about hate her by now and she still had to live with him. Maybe someone would help her out later on smoothing things over with him.

As she laid there stressed about this, she didn’t notice as Dewi started the load back up, having taken out the jacket.

“I know that look, Blake used to get it when we first started dating….. You’re blaming yourself for something, aren’t you?”

Greer started getting under the old quilt she had brought with her. “I didn’t mean to mess up your jacket… I get paid soon I can maybe replace it…”

During the head pats that had suddenly stopped as mysteriously as it had started, Greer had started looking less nervous around him. Although when she stopped, she had started looking awkward again. Around Sato, she seemed to be mostly fine but had a look of respect towards him. Luce it was mild annoyance although that was since neither of them had budged on the money issue. Otherwise she seemed pleasant enough around him. Blake she would get worried at times when he looked stressed. It was Dewi she seemed to keep getting the most nervous around.

He smiled, trying to make her feel at ease. “That old thing? I have, like, four others just like it. You feeling better is much more important than a jacket, Princess.”

“Oh… I thought… never mind. I should probably rest.” Greer laid down, but wasn’t closing her eyes. She seemed a bit lost in thought.

Dewi had enough. She was a stubborn one to be sure, good thing everyone here could be stubborn as well. “Alright, that’s it. What did your parents usually do when you felt sick as a kid?”

Greer looked a bit surprised. “Um not much normally… I almost never get sick. Gran Gran…” She held the quilt a bit tighter. “I think the last time I actually got sick she was alive still. We just watched movies and she made some soup, told me stories about fairies and stuff.” Greer smiled a tad, remembering her Gran Gran.

“Then, decide on a movie and I’ll put it in for you. And while you watch I can heat up some chicken noodle soup for you.” Dewi walked over to the movie case to be able to tell her what they have. “If you get sick of watching movies, I have dozens of stories I could tell you.”

“Um I guess… Mulan if you have it? Most Disney movies are good.” She watched him a moment. She struggled to decide what to ask. Would he believe her that Cronos told her? After a moment she got the courage. She was sick, maybe he’d take pity. “...did… the head pats cheer you um… up?”

Oh good, she was maybe going to explain what happened. He had a theory at least. “It was Blake’s idea, right? He’s always doing things like that…. It’s like my calming trigger so I think I do feel more comfortable around people who do it. My mom used to do it all the time before I moved out.”

Greer looked at Dewi, starting to sit up. “So…. Cronos wasn’t messing with me?”

He shook his head as he continued to look through the movies. Mulan was here somewhere. “No, he was messing with me so he could see my surprise at someone else petting me. Probably as revenge for all my petty pranks towards him. All harmless, but it’s part of how we show each other affection.”

She was turning a bit red, part in frustration and part in embarrassment. She was part of a prank? He could have told her. But then she probably would have said no to it. She didn’t need Dewi more annoyed with her. All she could get out was a “um… sorry then…I guess.”

Ah, there was the movie. He started setting it up as he continued. “Why? I said I didn’t mind it.”

“I just haven’t been the best guest is all. Ma…” she trailed off before switching back. “Anyway, you all are letting me sleep here, which is better than being on the street by a long shot. I just don’t want to annoy you.”

Dewi got a sorrowful look in his eyes. “You really don’t have to apologize. You’re nowhere as annoying as most of the people I work with on a regular basis. I’d rather have someone like you petting my head over any of those creeps.”

Greer nodded a bit. “If you say so.” She started to sip some water again, very slowly. She didn’t want to vomit over the quilt next. “But you really don’t need to do this extra stuff. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.” She rubbed her eyes a bit, they felt itchy. Maybe allergies?

Dewi finally got the movie started and put it on before heading to the kitchen. His voice is barely audible over the opening scene. “I really do, Princess. I can’t explain it now, but I really have to do this.”

Greer didn’t hear him really as she started watching the movie. She snuggled under a bit, feeling a little better that he didn’t seem annoyed at least. Still, she missed home. She couldn’t even call. She missed hugs and being with family and well, all of it. Greer hesitated a moment. “..do… you want head pats again? Cause… I don’t mind…” By the time she asked, Dewi was already coming from the kitchen with a large bowl of soup. He set it down on the side table by her head. Dewi sits on the floor in front of the couch.

“Sure.” He leaned back towards her so she didn’t have to move much, smiling a bit. Greer slowly put a hand on his head and started patting it. After a minute or so, he noticed the hand had stopped, and Greer was taking long slow breaths as she drifted off to sleep.