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

[jitensha]

Don't apologize...

[ it's less of an order and more of a plea, and she has to poke her face out again because it's too sweltering like that.

Even though she's got goosebumps.

... She really hates this.

But sleeping might be a good idea. If she can rid herself of the headache long enough for it to happen-- but if she sleeps, isn't that going to leave him lonely? Or maybe he'll go home.

Stay, that one super feverish and utterly selfish part of her mind wails plaintively. She shuts it up. ]

You don't have to stay, Ryouta-kun... it'll be boring.

[ex_doubly406]

[He's a little confused that she'd say that. Doesn't she want him around? Sure it might be boring, but she's going to send him home just like that? Is it the fever talking?]

... Do you not want me here?

[He should probably sound more serious when he asks that. Instead he sounds flippant like he's asking her why she doesn't like a certain flavour of ice cream.]

[jitensha]

That's not-- [ she begins, a little panicked, like she'd missed the nonchalance of his tone entirely, and she tenses in an effort to sit up.

It fails when another paroxysm of coughing seizes her, her limbs protesting until she stops struggling and the sound ebbs away. That still leaves Makoto in the uncomfortable predicament of trying to allay Kise's possibly nonexistent hurt while her throat feels like she took a strip of sandpaper to it. ]

T-that's too... selfish.

[ and she shouldn't feel exhausted just from that. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[So it's not the fever, but the fever just bringing out her best and worst quality.

Or so he'd calmly assess if she wasn't flailing around like a fish-- and, a small part of him thinks, he should probably stop getting her to talk when she sounds like this but how else is he supposed to know what she's thinking? Looking longingly into each other's eyes doesn't exactly work here-- and his hand waving doing nothing to help any of this. Luckily she stops before he decides maybe holding her down with her covers could work.

It's only when he's sure that she won't start doing that again that he wipes off the concern that set over his features through that short coughing spasm.]

... Actually, I'd be happy if you were selfish enough for that. Even if you weren't, I'd be a terrible person if I left a princess in her time of need.

[jitensha]

[ any other time, Makoto would turn red(der) and laugh in a pleased mixture of embarrassment and happiness. She really was weak for his princess lines.

And she is happy to hear that from him, relieved even, but the emotions slam into her with such force that before she even realizes it, her vision's blurring not from dizziness but from tears. Even though she's sick and pathetic, is it okay to think that he really wants to stay? It's okay to say-- ]

Please don't go.

[ex_doubly406]

--Eh?!

[Oh no, why's she crying?? No no, that wasn't what that was supposed to do at all! This wasn't part of what--]

Wait, Makocchi, don't cry! See, I'll stay right here! Please don't cry, if your parents come back to see this I'm dead! [And because he can't find her hands, he wipes away her tears carefully, hoping that that will console her for whatever he did wrong this time.]

GO TO SLEEP

[jitensha]

[ there's one hand now, and that's because she has to clear off the few tears that made it down to her chin. Kise's done a good job of gathering the rest, leaving her to try breathing through a stuffed nose and a clogged throat.

She wants to thank him, but maybe she should stop looking like a kicked puppy first. ]

I-I won't let them hurt you.

I DID

[ex_doubly406]

They would probably get to me before you could say anything to them...

[She really should. He looks around briefly to find the tissue box, setting it beside her to offer her one.]

GOOD

[jitensha]

[ she accepts it with a tiny, grateful smile, and works on being semi-presentable here. Except now her face is probably blotchy and still red and it hurts to talk and being sick really sucks. ]

They won't-- know, then...

[ex_doubly406]

[He was never expecting her to look like an staggering epitome of beauty anyway. He does, however, offer her another tissue because she looks like she could use it.]

That helps but just in case, let me hide in your closet too. I don't know what would happen if your dad caught me.

[Because he doesn't know that the person to be feared is her mom.]

[jitensha]

You'll be fine... I promise.

[ says the one staunching further sniffles with a tissue as she sinks a little more into the mattress. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Right right, he should really stop talking, and it doesn't seem like she cried because he said the wrong thing.]

Makocchi, want to sleep now? I'll be right here if you need me!

[jitensha]

[ her smile is sheepish, almost apologetic. ]

I'm not sure if I can...

[ex_doubly406]

Huh? Why?? [WAIT NO TALKING--] Sorry, am I too loud? Should I tell a bedtime story? That's a yes, right? Okay, I'll go with one that's less energetic! Let's see, the last time I went on a group date with everyone was boring so...

[... He's doing his best?]

[jitensha]

[ he really is, and it makes that ruefulness fade into something wearily fond, like maybe it's not what anyone would have expected, but it's Kise, and he's trying so earnestly.

She won't even make disconsolate faces about him going on group dates, just listening until the coherency of his words start to blend into something soothing and almost lyrical. ]

[ex_doubly406]

--In the end I had to give all of them to Moriyama-senpai. He's going to scare them but it's not like I can take any of their numbers.

[And wisely, he doesn't tell her about that one girl who managed to sneak hers into his pocket. Though the silence makes him pause.]

... Makocchi, are you asleep?

[jitensha]

[ somehow yes, or close enough to it; she mumbles something, maybe a protest that she's still listening, but her eyes are closed and her breathing's taken on a deeper, raspy quality that she would have tried to control otherwise.

If he'd mentioned that one girl, maybe he would have gotten more of a reaction. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Haha nope. Maybe one day, if she catches him off-guard. He's not about to wake her when she's finally dozing off.

Scooting a little closer, he leans against the bed to look at her. Well, it might get boring from now on but watching her sleep isn't the worst way to pass the time. She's cute too, that's a bonus.]

[jitensha]

[ she'll only sleep for an hour or two, at least. And she's likely entertaining when she mumbles softly from time to time, until she eventually coughs herself awake. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[By this time he's found other ways to entertain himself. Until she starts mumbling that is, and then he's right back in her face listening in and he may have taken a few pictures with his phone.

When she manages to wake herself, he'll be there to greet her with a shoujo manga in his lap. No he wasn't laughing at it, of course not...]

Ah, you're awake?

[jitensha]

[ never show her those pictures. For a minute, Makoto blinks owlishly, eyes unfocused and expression one of sleepy confusion. There's Kise. With a shoujo manga. And, before her brain catches up, she murmurs ]

'm I dreaming...?

[ex_doubly406]

Dream?

[Oh no--]

I've heard my face is the stuff of dreams, but don't worry I'm very real!

[Kise pls.

Also, stop waving around that manga, what if you damage it.]

[jitensha]

[ ... Oh. She'd nod, but her head feels heavy. She at least looks satisfied with this answer and brings up a hand to rub at her eyes. ]

G'morning.

[ex_doubly406]

Mornin'! Though actually it's still afternoon!

[HE'S SO HAPPY SHE'S AWAKE it was starting to get dull and her taste in shoujo is weird.]

Feeling better?

[jitensha]

[ don't judge her! She still can't nod, so she has to settle for a pretty dry, raspy "yes". She still sounds awful, but when she clears her throat, she can talk a little better. ]

Thanks... for staying.