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]

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. ]

[ex_doubly406]

I'm sorry.

[Because there's not much he can do or say here. He's squeezing her without knowing it because she's so small and she keeps on tensing and trembling whenever she breathes. It kind of hurts, in a way that wasn't expected.]

I'm sorry, I didn't bring anything else with me and--

[jitensha]

[ No, she wants to insist, don't apologize, and she wants it to be powerful, she knows how to use her voice-- but all she can croak out is "Don't--" and then the sound cracks pitifully. She can hardly feel Kise's grip on her.

After a minute, she tries again. ]

You're here.

[ex_doubly406]

[But, he starts off. But. He's hasn't done a single useful thing while he's here. He hasn't done anything period.

And he's never the one sitting on the sidelines unable to do what he can. He's always the one people look to.

So no matter what she says he's going to think this is a failure on his part.]

Like I said, you don't need to keep saying stuff to make me feel better. Actually, I should probably get you to stop talking.

[jitensha]

[ she probably should stop talking. But much in the way that Kise can't believe that he's useful in this situation, Makoto can't let this go. It's why she (slowly) moves an arm up, fingers rolling into her palm, and has to give the limb a bit of a yank to get it to reach his forehead for a gently reprimanding bump. ]

I'm not... saying it for that. I mean it. [ cough and all. ] I actually... didn't want to be alone. At all.

[ex_doubly406]

Eh?

[The light tap on his forehead wakes him up to everything.]

You didn't? But, didn't you say I didn't need to come? You were doing so much to make me stay away-- ah, but you told me not to go a while ago too-- but I thought that might be because you're feverish since you even cried and

[Oh my god Kise, are you actually this dumb.

The answer is yes.]

[jitensha]

[ explaining this honestly wouldn't be a problem, but this cold's making everything ten times harder than it has to be, and she can't hold her arm up; it falls back to the blanket and she regards him with fever-bright eyes. ]

... I was scared. I didn't want to get you sick, and I thought if you stayed, you'd definitely--

[ex_doubly406]

[This is like a scene from a drama, except the heroine is usually dying on a well-made hospital bed as the hero clutches her hand in tears swearing to never love anyone else.

He's not crying though. His eyes are more terrified than tender when he looks at her; of the fever and how she can't seem to do anything. When he opens his mouth, it's definitely not to profess eternal celibacy in honour of her memory.]

I'm really going to be okay! I might not look it but I'm tougher than your average guy!

--Wait, don't say anything back Makocchi! Aaah, why do I keep forgetting about not talking?

[...]

But... I can say it feels good to have you worry, right?

[What an idiot. Still, Makoto has a point. Because he will get sick. Oh well.]

[jitensha]

[ well, it's hard to reply when he doesn't want her to, and it's hard not to reply when he's looking at her like he's worried she's about to die if she lands herself in a coughing spiral yet again.

She settles for furrowing her eyebrows and giving him her best "Like I wouldn't have worried" Look. She's pretty sure this is likely contagious. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[As much as he likes talking, he'll take it as a good sign that she's decided not say anything else. He'll take the opportunity to lower her back down, fussing with the pillow and blanket.]

You should worry about yourself first, even if it's sweet of you to think about me.

[He can guess what her look says, and it gives him some relief that she's well enough to do at least that.]

[jitensha]

[ she misses the residual warmth the instant she's back to being placed under the blanket, which is silly, because she's still giving off too much heat. She manages to shake her head, as earnestly as she can, because he knows her better than that. It's not in her nature to worry about herself, and she's already sick, so no need. He's the one at risk here. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[He should know better, but she should know better too. It's not like him to fret over things like that when he's determined to do what he's set out to do.]

Please? For me, Makocchi?

[Yeah, he's using that on her.]

[jitensha]

[ that's unfair. As cliché as it is, there's very little Makoto wouldn't do for him. It's just that he typically doesn't ask her to do things like put herself first.

She sighs, the sound barely a whisper, but it's accompanied by a small smile. A sicker version of her "I'll do my best" grin. ]

[ex_doubly406]

Thanks. That makes it easier on me too, you have no idea!

[Someone's inappropriately happy about this. But he's wiping her forehead, tucking in loose strands behind her ear.]

They say that the road to recovery starts with rest, so rest as much as you want!

[jitensha]

[ but she just slept-- does she really have to do it again so soon? Even if her lashes lower under the touch of his hand, she'd rather not pass out again, and she even looks a little pouty at the thought. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[??? But she looks so out of energy, isn't it natural that you want to sleep?]

Why are you looking at me like that? Do you need another bedtime story?

[jitensha]

Do I really have to sleep again?

[ the closest Makoto will come to whining. And on a subject that has nothing to do with her femininity, even. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[... It's honestly cute since it's so rare that she ever does whine. Uwaaa, my girlfriend is so sweet and cute even when she's sick-- wait that sounds like the title of a sitcom?!]

You don't have to! I can't force you to do that...

[Ahem okay back to reality.] Um it's just that you can't talk with that cough and there's not much else to do. Aren't you tired?

[jitensha]

I don't [ swallow that cough, Makoto, SWALLOW IT. ] -- want to miss this time with you. I'll probably... sleep a lot tonight, anyway.

[ you thought she was sincere before, fevers apparently make her FIVE TIMES WORSE. ]