Model Idol Combi: so you had a sick day

[jitensha]

[ so the thing was, Makoto didn't get sick. It took a series of unfortunate events, a moment of stress-induced weakness, and doing the idiotically chivalrous thing of trying to make her way home in the pouring rain and likely spending too much time in soaked clothing, despite Kise's best efforts.

But the point was, Makoto didn't usually get sick, and when she did get sick, it had to be sick enough to buckle her knees and keep her under her covers with a fever that could warm cold palms in an instant. She'd tried to go to work, but hadn't made it further than her own doorway before she'd gotten too dizzy to stand without the aid of the frame and had been promptly ushered back to bed.

And of course, she hadn't wanted to worry Kise, but that had backfired and for some inexplicable reason, she felt worse than ever. She'd have to change the compress again, she thinks distantly, as she tries to push herself up on her elbows to give him a properly chastising look. At the very least, her parents were now out for one of her dad's races, but... ]

You... really didn't have to come.

[ what if she's contagious? It's bad enough that she feels awful and she's sweaty and her hair's a mess and her face is all red and this isn't very romantic at all-- ]

Comments

lmao no

[jitensha]

[ she settles without complaint, though she's looking at him so wistfully it's like she's about to ask him to hold her hand or start rambling about how much she loves him for coming over and taking care of her because it's nice not being alone--

But she doesn't, instead curling under the blanket and trying not to shift too fitfully when the aching persists. He's doing this much for her, the least she can do is be as good a patient as he wants. ]

I'll... do my best.

[ never mind that her arms feel too heavy to move, she shakily liberates a hand to form an expectant fist to hold up. ]

[jitensha]

[ it's incredibly adorable, but she can't give into the urge to kiss him for it. Instead, she smiles and hopes it doesn't look as helpless as she feels. ]

A little more, but then I'm taking your temperature, okay?

sob i thought i won

[ex_doubly406]

['You shouldn't do that' is at the tip of his tongue. You're forcing yourself too much, he wants to say. But she looks so hopeful that he bumps fists with her regardless.]

Okay, let's both do our best!

[Which is easier said then done. He's not sure what he can do now, other than place the compress on her forehead again. As soon as he thinks she's not looking, he lets his expression fall back into one that's completely lost.]

[ex_doubly406]

[Suppressing his coughs, he nods. He can't really do much else here. Well, that and have a mental battle where he tells himself he's not going to let that soup win because oh god he feels it rising up again but he can't do that, no way he can, he can't he can't--]

you usually beat me anyway

[jitensha]

[ just because her lids are half-lowered and she looks for all the world like she's going to pass out, she's still observant enough to see his face.

Her hand drops down on the blanket, and somehow, tucking it back under seems like too much effort. Which is a shame, because she wants to touch his cheek to reassure him.

But she also has to cough first and that headache's still present. But... ]

Ryouta-kun... will you talk to me?

[jitensha]

[ only Kise would be this dumb over wanting to eat when he feels nauseous, but it's not like Makoto knows, and if he's that eager-- well, it's good for him to get something in him, so she brings the spoon back. ]

well. true.

[ex_doubly406]

Eh?

[She looked so out of it he was sure she would've fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.]

Talk? But...

[ex_doubly406]

[Hahaha oh god. He can only blame himself for this.

Though this is what, the sixth? Maybe even the seventeenth spoonful? It's hard to keep track when you're burning up. Either way, he thinks that's enough to have eaten at least half the bowl. If he gets halfway through he can tell her that he's not hungry anymore.]

I--

[And then he stops himself abruptly. Because oh no.]

[jitensha]

... Please?

[ usually when she was sick, she either forced her way through it and went to school and work anyway, or she'd curl up in bed and more or less take care of herself while her parents weren't home. She'd been raised to be pretty self-sufficient.

But right now, she thinks maybe it's okay to accept something like this. She feels awful, but she's got enough energy to look at him imploringly. ]

I... really like hearing your voice.

[jitensha]

[ and here's Makoto, looking worriedly puzzled when he suddenly cuts off like that. ]

What's wrong? Was it still too hot?

[ex_doubly406]

[And here he was thinking he was the best at making those faces.

She's not being an amazing patient, not in the sense he was thinking of. But he finds he can't refuse her either. It gives him something to do, and she's still got a hold on his heartstrings looking at him like that. It's not exactly the teary scene in a drama beside your lover's bedside, but then he wouldn't want her to be actually dying.

She did say she liked his voice too.]

... I guess I can consider it a fanservice for today. So, what should I talk about?

[ex_doubly406]

[Yeah he. He can't.

He covers his mouth with his hand, trying to breathe. He can't. He can't--

He can't do this.

There's only time to throw her a look of absolute panic before he musters up every ounce of his remaining strength to throw himself out of the bed. He nearly trips over her on his way to the door, flinging it open with desperation.

... But the rush of cool air on the other side makes him realize that he's too dizzy to get much further. His legs hurt too; he's so close to buckling under his own weight.

Still, he manages to take one step, then a second...

And then proceeds to crumple and throw up everything that was in his stomach. Which is next to nothing so it's about as painful as it sounds.]

[jitensha]

Anything. [ and she exhales on a harsh cough, dropping her head back on her pillow. It's a little annoying that even the pillow's gotten hot, but no use complaining. ] Anything you want.

[jitensha]

R--

[ it's all she can get out, eyes wide with shock when he suddenly bolts right past her. Thankfully, she's only frozen for a minute, and the sight of him suddenly dropping and vomiting like that spurs her to move at full speed. In no time at all, she's crouched beside him and reaching out to steady him.

Why? Why hadn't he said anything? He had to have been feeling unsteady before, so why had he insisted on eating? Had she somehow pressured him into it?

And that look he'd given her was enough to break her heart. She's not sure what to say, what she is saying, except she's murmuring a stream of something that sounds soothing enough. And then, finally, with the air of someone absolutely guilt-stricken-- ]

Ryouta-kun...

[ex_doubly406]

[A minute twitch, and he fusses with the blanket a little.]

Hmm... Anything is pretty broad... Ah, I know! I heard something interesting from Momocchi! She went shopping the other day, and there was a sale at this one store where--

[... She did say she wanted him to talk about anything.]

[ex_doubly406]

[He has never felt more miserable in his entire life. He's on the floor, staring at his own vomit. Shivering. Trying to breathe. It's disgusting. It might be even worse than losing.

He thought he wanted to die before. He was wrong. He wants to die now and then disappear.

She might hate him for it, but he can't help but lean against her helplessly. His coughing drowns out whatever she's saying to him, so he just hopes she's not telling him to get away from her. There's only her or the wall for support, and the wall doesn't seem as inviting.

This is such a mess, he didn't want this at all... Why couldn't he keep it down...?]

[jitensha]

[ yes she did. And, to her credit, she's actually listening as intently as she can. His voice is soothing enough. ]

[jitensha]

[ if he's worried about Makoto reacting with disgust, she should remedy that fairly fast by wrapping an arm around his waist and coaxing him to lean against her even more. Her free hand cups his cheek while she very stubbornly ignores the smell. First things first, which is why she's braced to stand. He's shivering ... ]

I'll help you back to bed, so just keep leaning.

[ex_doubly406]

--And then Aominecchi threw it away! He can be really insensitive, don't you think that's why he doesn't have a girlfriend like me? But Momocchi can be pretty insistent too, so I guess it's not a surprise that happened. Anyway, she called me right afterwards complaining about it, and then she asked me if I wanted to go with her to get another one. I told her that I can go with her this weekend, but turns out the sale is over by that time. I was in the middle of practice when she called so I said I'd talk to her later to sort it out. But guess what? She ended up asking Kurokocchi instead! When I called Kurokocchi afterwards to invite him-- for Momocchi's sake, you know-- he said he's going with her tomorrow and that Momocchi didn't say anything about inviting me! Isn't that depressing? I understand that she would want alone time but it's like she completely forgot about calling me! It's cute how Momocchi only has eyes for Kurokocchi but it's scary too.

[He can go on forever...]

[ex_doubly406]

[At first he pushes her hand away, because he doesn't think he's done.

Except that he is, because there's basically nothing left inside that can come back out. So he ends up looking even more pitiful leaning over like that.

Yeah bed sounds nice. But he can't go back without washing his mouth. And, probably this. Of course it's not easy to try to communicate this.]

[jitensha]

[ ... wow. Were this anyone else, it's likely they would have zoned out ages ago or regretted asking him to talk. But even though this really annoyingly bad cold isn't doing Makoto any favors, she's as alert as she can be, eyes fixed on his face like this really is story time. She's even trying to be discreet by scrunching up and coughing into her blanket while he's talking, shifting underneath it. She's too hot, but when the blanket lowers, she starts shivering. She just can't win. ]

When there's... someone you really care about, I guess it's easy to forget about a lot.

[ not that Makoto ever forgot her friends or Kise shirked his teammates, former and current, but she could understand being distracted. ]

[jitensha]

[ she's kicking herself a little for not being able to understand exactly what Kise's trying to convey. Except no, before he goes and crumples over again in abject misery. Shouldn't she be better at this by now? She'd even missed the fact that he was feeling that poorly... ]

Ah... should I take you to the bathroom first?

[ex_doubly406]

Well, it's like Momocchi to get carried away with stuff like that. It's what makes her cute. Anyway I guess that means I'm free for tomorrow. I wouldn't want to interrupt them.

[Says the guy who stalked them in middle school.]

... Actually, maybe Kasamatsu-senpai will want to come with me! We might end up bumping into them!

[Never mind.]

[jitensha]

Ryouta-kun...

[ wow this is the weakest scolding look ever. It probably doesn't help that she's still shivering. ]

Don't... actually try to... okay?

[ex_doubly406]

[Somewhere, in the haze of 'oh my god I'm so gross' and 'I threw up in front of my girlfriend I want to die', there's a part of him that can still understand what's going on around him.

So he nods, reaching out for the hand he pushed away unsteadily.]