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]

[Oh my god why do they have so many communication failures.

That dazed answer and look of utter confusion spurs Kise into action. In the blink of an eye he's grabbing the compress and already rushing to the door.]

I'll get you a new one!

[jitensha]

[ ... and he's gone. Before she can even say anything, or do much, except feebly reach for him, but he's gone.

She's probably still in the process of reaching for absolutely nothing by the time he gets back, looking like an abandoned puppy in a cardboard box on a rain-drenched curbside. ]

[ex_doubly406]

I got it as fast as I could--

[Makoto no. THAT LOOK. THAT REACHING. Now he feels even worse.]

Makocchi, please don't do that!

[SOB, and he'll place the compress back on her forehead as he tries to tuck her back into a position where it doesn't look like she'll fall off the bed.]

[jitensha]

[ she goes easily, some of her desperation dissipating once she can focus on his face. It helps that her energy levels are at 10%, if that. ]

You came back...

[ex_doubly406]

I was right here!

[You know, except when he wasn't. Either way, he's right beside her now and that's all that matters!]

You scared me, I thought maybe you were going to fall off and break something...

[jitensha]

S-sorry.

[ that compress feels way too nice, which finally alerts her to just how high her fever is. It's why she doesn't retort that she definitely wouldn't have fallen, as she's dizzy enough as it is. ]

[ex_doubly406]

You don't need to apologize! Why am I always the bad guy?!

[Ah well, she looks like she could use the rest and he's not up for arguing either. He'll just plop himself down at the usual spot, highly tempted to call someone for advice after that fiasco.]

[jitensha]

[ and her very first reaction to that is to turn her head on the pillow and croak out a very raspy ]

Are you okay?

[ because he looks more than a little frazzled and stuff?? ]

[ex_doubly406]

[He sweeps his hair back and gives her his best 'shalala, I am a handsome model and I am perfectly fine and so is my life don't worry about me' look.

And then his shoulders droop as he plants his face into the mattress.]

... I'm not good at this.

[Sure he used to get extra laps for walking into practice late but this is exhausting in a completely different sense.]

[jitensha]

[ after a minute, she lifts her hand, dropping it onto his head. ]

Not true.

[ex_doubly406]

[He doesn't lift his head when she does that, only turning a little so that he's not mumbling.]

It's because you're nice, Makocchi. Aah, I though it'd be okay as long as I gave you medicine. I keep trying, but if I screw up one more time you might end up hating me.

[Talk about dramatic.]

[jitensha]

[ it's just as well, since she couldn't keep her hand there if he lifted his head. And for a moment, she's absolutely silent, eyes slipping away to regard the ceiling with bleary weariness. She can't think of anything he's done that she'd call "messing up"; she'd been the one to spit out cough syrup and make him worry.

But she's too sick to argue, so she relies on what she's always relied on. ]

I like you too much... to ever hate you.

[ex_doubly406]

[And of course-- of course-- that's what snaps him out of it. The first thing that made him think that she's amazing.

For the record, he still thinks she's amazing. She might even stay amazing because that's just how she is.]

... I lost. [A little louder.] It's Makocchi's victory again! When it comes to things like this I still lose no matter what! It's almost frustrating, you know!

[jitensha]

[ he's a little hard to understand right now; when she glances back at him, it's with a puzzled blink. ]

But I wasn't fighting...

[ex_doubly406]

It was just an expression!

[Oh here it comes: Kise making even less sense.]

Because I seriously hate losing. But for things like this it's okay if you win in the end. It's what I like about you the most!

[jitensha]

[ wait, what does he like about her the most? What did she win? At least he's smiling, so he's obviously not distraught or grumpy or pouty-- but she's still so confused.

So she just blinks at him once more, face still fever-flushed, and offers up a grateful smile, because even if she's baffled, it sounded like a compliment. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[... Yeah she didn't get any of that, did she. It's okay Makoto, even with that smile he can tell it went right over her head.]

I guess I ended up talking to myself... That's kind of disappointing.

[jitensha]

I heard you, I just...

[ ... didn't get any of that at all. Sorry, Kise, she tried. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Ahahaha...]

I shouldn't have expected much with your fever. But I'll tell you again once you're feeling better!

[jitensha]

Promise?

[ don't sound so wistful, Makoto. ]

[ex_doubly406]

Promise! I couldn't say no to Makocchi!

[And Kise shouldn't sound so cheerful.]

[jitensha]

[ she grins, albeit weakly. ]

That's dangerous... you know.

[ex_doubly406]

[Just a headtilt.]

Why? It's not like you to ask me for anything dangerous or impossible.

[jitensha]

That's true... I'm not Miki.

[ who makes guys swim out to the middle of the ocean... she's scrunching up her nose just thinking about requesting anything like that of him. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[Meanwhile he's imagining what Miki would request of him if they were dating. Probably something impossible like find a giant pearl in the middle of the ocean...]

So there's nothing for me to be careful about! [And he gives her a light pat on the forehead.] All I need to do if make sure you don't fall off the bed!