I haven't updated this thing in a while, jeez XD. This one isn't requested, but I really want to do it because it's going to be HILARIOUS.

It's not really a ship one this time, but BRO. 

tis gon' be good.

~

Falte woke up late in the morning - the sun was shining brightly through his curtains - and rolled tiredly onto his back to rub his eyes. He wasn't sure exactly what time it was, but he knew that he'd slept in late. He usually slept in on off days, but today it felt like he'd slept for longer than he normally did.

Slowly, he sat up and slid his legs off the side of his bed. When he managed to find his glasses case, he snatched it open and set the glasses on his nose, blinking away the sleepiness. He rolled his shoulders in a stretch with a yawn, placing his feet on the floor and standing up. 

Why was it so quiet? 

He hadn't realized that it had been extremely silent when he woke up, but now it was dawning on him that his house was much too quiet. Especially for - he looked at the clock - almost ten in the morning. Everyone else, even heavy-sleeper Abby, would be awake by then. 

Smoothing down his shirt, Falte trudged toward his closed door with another yawn. He pulled open the door with one hand and ran his other through his tangled hair. As he walked down the hallway, he realized that the two girls that slept in the living room were still asleep. 

Linda was in between the coffee table and the couch, sleeping soundly on her side with one arm tucked under her head to serve as another pillow. Her blankets were pulled up over her shoulders, her sides rising and falling evenly. 

Abby was on the couch, lying on her back with one arm bent over her head. She looked peaceful, her face tranquil and smooth. Her blankets were stretched up to her stomach, while her other arm was draped over her stomach. 

Was everyone still asleep? Falte wondered, pausing in the doorway of the hallway with a thoughtful frown. Had everyone else stayed up later than him last night? If so, how late had they been up? It was probably ten by now, and usually everyone was awake by then. 

Falte nearly jumped out of skin when startled and amused laughter abruptly came from the boys' room. Exhaling slowly, he turned around and began walking down the hallway again curiously, wondering who was laughing. 

The laugh paused, silence ensued, and then laughter erupted again, this time louder. 

Falte turned toward the door and pushed it open, revealing whatever was going on inside. 

Chase was nearest to the door, his back toward Falte. He was clutching his sides and doubling forward with delighted laughter, gasping in between laughs. Shintaro was standing beside Kai's air mattress, looking like he'd been about to bend down. He was holding a glass of water in one hand, but Falte wasn't sure what for. His expression was the best part of the scene: eyes narrowed in deep confusion and his mouth open slightly, his eyebrows furrowed in startled bewilderment. He blinked a few times as Chase continued laughing. 

"What the heck is going on?" Falte asked curiously, making his way around a wheezing Chase. Shintaro started at his voice, nearly spilling the water and wiping the expression from his face. 

Kai was lying face-down on his mattress, his blankets pulled up over his shoulders and his legs curled slightly. His arms were tucked under him and his body shaking, but he turned his head to where he was resting his cheek on the mattress below him. "Who's that?" he asked - more like grunted - and his voice sounded strangely thick and slurred. 

Shintaro lowered himself onto one knee beside Kai's mattress. "That's your father," he told Kai in a "duh" tone, pressing his lips into a confused line after he finished speaking.

"Mmmm," Kai mumbled, then buried his face back into his bed. 

Chase's laughter elevated. "Oh, gosh, I need to sit down," he gasped between cackles. Falte watched with an amused smile as Chase dropped onto the floor, burying his face in his hands with a few more giggles. 

"Oh," Falte said when he looked back at Kai and realized what was going on. A smile crawled onto his face as Shintaro set the glass on the floor with the same bewildered expression as before.

Kai was definitely sick - and when Kai was sick, Falte ended up laughing harder than he could remember laughing; because when his son was sick, he spluttered the most random nonsense like he was drunk. 

Yes, Falte was slightly worried for Kai because of how high his fevers got, but it was most amusing when Kai had a fever. 

"What are you laughing about?" Kai suddenly snapped, and it would have sounded angry if not for the tiredness behind his voice. He rolled onto his side and peered down at Chase. 

"You!" Chase answered without looking up, dissolving again into giggles. 

"Why are you laughing at me?" Kai asked, perplexed and embarrassed. Either that, or his fever was making his cheeks flush a bright pink. 

Chase couldn't answer, having broken into another bout of loud laughter. 

Kai huffed through his nose, shifted back onto his stomach, and dramatically dropped his face back into the mattress. 

"What is wrong with him?" Shintaro asked Falte desperately, flinging his hands out at his sides to make emphasis. 

"Nothing's wrong with me," Kai protested suddenly, his voice muffled by the bed under him. "I'm perfect." 

For a few moments, everyone was silent as they comprehended what Kai had said. And then Chase exploded into laughter again, throwing back his whole body and almost collapsing backward onto the floor. Shintaro's face immediately changed to complete shock and confusion, his mouth dropping open and mouthing the word 'what'. 

Falte chuckled freely at his son, being unable to hold back the laughter. He leaned forward, brushed some of Kai's hair away from the side of his face, and touched his fingers to Kai's cheek. As Falte suspected, he had a fever. "He's sick," he replied to Shintaro. 

"I already know that!" Shintaro shot back, pressing his palm against his forehead impatiently. "He's had a fever since last night. I mean what the heck is wrong with him right now?" 

Falte tilted his head a little. "Is that why the girls are still asleep?" he asked instead of answering Shintaro's question.

"Yes," Chase said, scooting forward and sighing to push away the laughter. "We were all up until three in the morning because we were worried for him. The fever got pretty high. We woke up this morning and he started mumbling nonsense at us." 

Falte held back his own laughter, grinning down at his son. "Yeah, he does that when he's sick. It's like the fever makes him drunk or something. I think it's hilarious." 

"It is," Chase agreed with a smile and a nod. 

"It's confusing," Shintaro protested. "I swear, I thought someone had come in while we were asleep and drugged him." 

Falte couldn't fight away the laughter this time, and Chase joined him.

"Stop laughing at meeeee," Kai commanded, rolling back onto his side and frowning at each of them. He curled his body up into a small ball and smooshed his face into his hands. "STOP IT." 

Falte and Chase only laughed harder, while Shintaro pressed one hand against his face and dragged it downward with a bewildered shake of his head. 

Kai suddenly jerked upward, startling Shintaro and Falte, but Chase didn't see because he was lying on his back trying to contain his giggles. Shintaro raised his eyebrows in confusion at Kai, who narrowed his eyes at Falte huffily. 

Then he snatched the glass of water from the floor and splashed it all over his father. 

Falte yelped, raising his hands to protect his glasses as the water rained down on his forearms, shoulders, and head. Some of it splashed onto the floor around Falte's feet, soaking his socks at the corners. Spluttering, Falte took off his dripping glasses and tossed a wet lock of hair out of his face. 

Chase had seen this and was laughing so hard Falte thought he would pass out from lack of air. 

"What the heck, Kai?" Falte asked exasperatedly, shaking his hands to get rid of the extra water. Shintaro shielded himself and scowled at Falte, shaking off his own fingers. 

"I told you to stop laughing at me," Kai spat flatly, slamming the glass back on the floor and dramatically flopping backward against his mattress. "That's what you get for not listening." He grabbed the blanket with unnecessary force and yanked it up to his chin with a pout directed at the ceiling. 

"Why is he so over-dramatic when he's sick?" Chase gasped, using one arm to push himself up. His face was tinted red from the unrelenting laughter, but it was slowly fading away as he composed himself. 

"I don't know," Falte answered with a shrug, his wet T-Shirt rubbing against his shoulders. "Why try to find out? It's funny enough as it is." Everything close to Falte's face was out of proportion and blurry, so he snatched up his glasses again and rubbed them clean on the dry part of his shirt. 

Kai harrumphed and pulled the blanket over his face. "I'm not some comedian you can watch for entertainment. Go away." 

"It's entertaining me," Chase laughed. 

"GO AWAY." 

Shintaro pinched his lips together, no doubt trying not to laugh. Chase obediently rose to his feet and brushed off his shorts, grinning. Falte stood as well, ready to go change out of his wet shirt and socks. 

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Chase said with a mock bow. 

He must have known that he was going to get a strong reaction from Kai, because the younger teenager flung the blankets away and sat up abruptly, nearly throwing himself forward before he met Chase's eyes. 

"I TOLD YOU, ENOUGH WITH THE YOUR MAJESTY STUFF." 

Shintaro's jaw tensed, and Falte was very sure that he was having a lot trouble holding back his laughter. Slowly, the taller man rose to his feet and walked away without looking back. 

Kai flopped backward again, sighing heavily through his nose. "I'm not a king. I'm just me, Kai." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Now go away." 

"I thought you were perfect," Falte countered with a rising grin.

Kai didn't open his eyes as he replied with sass, "I am." 

~