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]

Because-- [ oops she's still got a bit of a cough. ]

Because the prince would be alone otherwise.

[ex_doubly406]

... Wouldn't the prince be suspended on the spot for that?

[Though hey, at least he's also asking if she'd like a sip of water.]

[jitensha]

[ there's a pause in which she tries to sit up again and-- fails miserably. But she nods, and manages not to wince this time, as much as the action hurts. ]

He's royalty, though-- he could get away with it.

[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]

[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.

[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. ]

[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??

[jitensha]

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

[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...

[jitensha]

The water... helped...

[ex_doubly406]

--Do you want more?

[Because she said it helped??]

[jitensha]

A little more... please?

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

[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.

[ex_doubly406]

Eh?

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

This is sudden. Am I being compared?

[jitensha]

No... [ sheepishly, because she's saying this into his chest. ] I just sort of feel that way, too.

[ex_doubly406]

[...

Wow this is way less worrying than he thought it'd be.]

Is that what you're worried about? You're the strongest girl I know, Makocchi!

[jitensha]

I can't even sit up straight without your help.

[ and she says this flatly, a trace of frustration underlying her tone. She hasn't been this sick since she was seven. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Hey, we all get sick. But maybe Kise's oblivious cheer and earnest confession can help lighten her up.]

Ah, that's true right now, but I still think you're really strong! I seriously respect you for coming at me all the way!

[jitensha]

Coming at--

[ she's interrupted by a cough rough enough to get her eyes watering, forced to a subdued level of speaking once again. ]

Ryouta-kun... you make it sound like a fight.

[ex_doubly406]

[That wasn't good. He panics for a split second, before making a grab for the glass of water.]

Can't it be a fight for love?

[That was incredibly cheesy and he knows it, but he's not going to give her a chance to answer when he's got the water so close to her lips.]

[jitensha]

[ she'd reply, or at least be a good patient and drink the proffered water, but there's another cough lurking in her throat, and either one could set her off in another fit. She doesn't like the way it leaves her drained and shaking, and she'd rather not do it while Kise's got the glass so close. Not when she could cough water all over him.

So she presses her lips together with a little noise of discouragement, not pushing the glass away but making no motion to drink. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Oh. Okay, no water then. Though to be fair, she's already gotten cough syrup all over him, so the water can only help wash it out.

Anyway, he'll try not to look too discouraged when she refuses the water. That was his lifeline. If she doesn't want that, what does she want?

Taking care of someone is hard.]

[jitensha]

[ She's fine like this-- as fine as she can be, turning her head further into his shirt and breathing out slowly with raspy, fragmented noises. That's basically just her getting the cough out in bits and pieces, which is kind of uncomfortable and has her all sorts of tense, but it's better than hacking up a lung. ]