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

[ex_doubly406]

[He'll help her up, letting her lean on him again as he brings the cup to her lips.]

Heeeh... But the horse won't have a clue about what's going on during class.

[jitensha]

Actually-- [ and if she wasn't sick, she'd be brimming over with enthusiasm. As it is, she's a lot more subdued than that, swallowing another cough before she takes the world's smallest sip. ] The horse is really smart.

[ex_doubly406]

[Sorry Makoto, this fever. Also his mouth in general.

Anyway, he's anticipating pain even with her reassuring him that she will be gentle. So when she is gentle, he's... surprised. And then caught by the vague notion that this is pretty intimate.

But it still hurts because tensing and general body ache happens when you're down with the flu. His hands curling into the covers, he's caught between muffling himself with the pillow and trying to breathe steadily.]

[jitensha]

Ah-- [ if she's too light on the pressure, it won't help him at all, but she doesn't want to hurt him. After another minute, she pauses. He's still so tense... ]

Is it too much?

[ex_doubly406]

[He can be patient! He'll wait until she wants to go for another sip.]

I didn't know you were into these kinds of things, Makocchi.

[ex_doubly406]

['Yes' is the easy way out. But he's always been kind of dumb when it comes to things like this.]

It's supposed to help, right?

[jitensha]

It's such a good love story, though! And the horse helps a l--!

[ well, she didn't exactly want to have another coughing fit against him, but she got too adamant.

Whoops. ]

[jitensha]

... Yeah. But if it still hurts...

[ she's already messed up a bunch as is. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Welp. This is all his fault for not understanding the delicate art of shoujo.]

Ah, are you okay?? Was the water too much??

[ex_doubly406]

Doing things halfway... isn't me.

[Says the guy having another coughing fit.]

[jitensha]

N-no, I'm... [ wheezing a bit before she coughs again and her breathing evens out. She stays slumped against him, though. ]

[jitensha]

I know. [ and she says it fondly, though there's still a trace of concern as she rubs his back to try and help him through it. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[This would be be considered romantic at any other time. Unfortunately now is not any other time.]

You didn't have to say you're okay if you're not...

[ex_doubly406]

[The thought process here is that if he closes his eyes and drowns himself in his pillow, he might be able to fall asleep.

He still can't, getting interrupted by coughs whenever his breathing evens out, but he does start to unwind thanks to that gentle(!!!) massage.]

[jitensha]

The water... helped...

[jitensha]

[ it helps relax her, to be honest. It'd be good if he could stop coughing, but one thing at a time.

She'll even hum for him. ]

[ex_doubly406]

--Do you want more?

[Because she said it helped??]

[ex_doubly406]

Is that-- your image song?

[Which reminds him]

You still didn't... sing it for me.

[jitensha]

A little more... please?

[ at least he's looking perky about this. And it should help. ]

[jitensha]

Huh-- well, it's one of them, but... I don't think singing it now will help!

[ex_doubly406]

Okay, careful now!

[If he does this then he doesn't need to think about how much he wishes she were better.]

[ex_doubly406]

Aah, that's--

[You know, if he passes out he'll stop coughing.]

--stingy.

[jitensha]

[ she'll get there. It's just the process that's painful, and she's more than ready for it to end as she manages a few more sips before she's at risk at coughing and inhaling water instead. ]

Dad... would definitely say I'm being weak.

[jitensha]

[ a pause.

A sigh. Well, maybe there's something she can finally do right. ]

Do you want me to sing for you, Ryouta-kun?

[ex_doubly406]

Eh?

[Where did this come from and where is it going?]

This is sudden. Am I being compared?