Chicken Noodle Coddling

Chapter 1

"Achoo!"

"What's wrong with you?" Masaoka asked the tangerine-haired enforcer. "You've been sneezing for the last ten minutes."

"Dunno. My nose is just itchy," he answered.

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"It's not like idiots can catch colds anyways," added Kunizuka.

"Hey!"

When Kagari turned to glare at the raven-haired beauty, it was to find her peeking at him over the top of sheet music she had been studying. When he caught her attention, she smirked before glancing down at the papers in front of her. Though Kagari pouted about her insult, she paid no attention to his antics and he eventually resumed his videogame playing.

Despite Kunizuka's claims, Masaoka hoped he was alright. This was the first time he had ever shown such a violent reaction when they were in the office. He discreetly glanced at their inspector currently present with them, but the man showed no signs that he had overheard their conversation. For all it seemed, he was hard at work, his nose buried in the abundant source of information in front of him.


Two Hours Later

"We're back!" Akane announced as she was returning from a trip out with Kougami.

"How did things go?" Ginoza questioned.

"Ah well…"

She approached the senior inspector's desk with her accompanying enforcer trailing behind her. On her way across the room, she smiled at Masaoka-san who glanced up at her. The other two were preoccupied with their own things, though she had come to realize it was just a façade. They were always alert when it came to new information, even if it seemed otherwise.

"It wasn't the primary crime scene like we had hoped it would be," she stated. "It does seem like something had taken place there, but not the actual murder. There were scuff marks that Kougami-san had been able to discover and some trace evidence that…"

Her update was cut short by the sound of a loud sneeze and she turned around to determine who had been the source of it. Kunizuka was still examining her sheet music unconcerned, but Masaoka was staring at Kagari with a hint of concern on his face. When he realized the discussion had stopped because of him, Kagari glanced up sheepishly.

"What is going on here?" Akane demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"It was just a sneeze. I apologize for interrupting, but you can still continue."

"He's been sneezing the whole time you've been gone," Masaoka informed her.

"It's quite normal for people to sneeze you know," Ginoza stated coolly, not pleased by the unexpected interruption.

She didn't say anything for the longest time as she stared at Kagari, to the point where he wondered if she was secretly as strict as Ginoza was. Eventually, her expression darkened before she turned around to slam her hand on Ginoza's desk. It startled everyone, though her outburst of anger seemed to be directed at her fellow inspector.

"Excuse me?" she drawled out. "It's normal for someone to be sneezing for hours?"

"He's fine. He said so himself."

"Hardly!" she exclaimed, turning to point at him. "He's completely flushed and feverish! Why didn't you send him to the medic center?"

"He said he was fine when Masaoka asked him earlier. If he's fit to work, then he is expected to be here."

"Just because he says he's fine, it doesn't mean he is," she retorted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "You are responsible for your team members, inspector."

With that, she whirled around, the status update completely forgotten. Marching directly towards Kagari, she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up out of his seat, his game console dropping to the floor. Since she was oblivious to the sudden tension in the room, Kagari struggled against her rough treatment, but actually did not have the strength to fight her off in his weakened state.

She had him standing and slung his arm over her shoulder while she placed her arm around his waist for support. Secretly amused, Masaoka snuck a glance at the inspector who had received a scathing reprimand from the fiery girl who also held the equivalent title. Since day one on the job, she had proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with.

"Where are you going?" Ginoza eventually demanded as the two were making their way out of the room.

"The medic center where you should have taken him hours ago!"

"Are you going to be alright, ojou-chan? Do you need my help?" Masaoka inquired.

"No, you stay here. Kougami-san, finish the rest of the update."

"Tsunemori-chan, I'm fine," Kagari protested as he could feel eyes like daggers drilling into his back.

"Absolutely not. You are going and that's final."


Another Hour Later

Akane returned to the office after she had taken Kagari to the medic center. There they had administered his medication and informed her that he needed to be in bed resting. When she inquired if he would be alright, they assured her that he would recover in no time. He just needed lots of rest and lots of fluids. The medication would help lower his fever.

"How did it go?" Masaoka asked.

"He's resting in his room and he's going to be out for a week, at least. It could have been a whole lot worse if we waited any longer."

At this, she shot a dark look in Ginoza's direction, but the man had regained his usual calm and ignored her. Since he chose not to comment, Akane continued the update for Masaoka's sake since he seemed to be the only one showing any concern. They were supposed to be a team where they looked out for each other which was why she couldn't understand their decision to disregard the situation.

"So I guess we'll have to cover for him while he's recovering?"

"Yes. He wouldn't be a help to anyone in the state he's in," Akane answered. "So did we come to any conclusions about the case?"

"Not yet. We're waiting for results from the lab."

"Oh alright. Let me know when they come in."

"Where are you going?" asked Kougami.

"To check on Kagari again. He's a terrible patient, if you must know. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay here before going back."

"Okay, we'll tell you immediately."

Smiling at Masaoka, she nodded and headed out of the room she had only stayed in for a few moments. Masaoka watched her go before turning back to the computer screen in front of him. It was delightful to have someone like Akane on their team because he was certain Kagari wouldn't have listened to him unless he forcibly picked him up and carried him down; not that Ginoza would have allowed that to happen.


The Next Day

Entering the main CID office, a sweeping glance of the room told Kougami that Akane was still not present. It was strange since she was usually present a full twenty minutes before her shift started. Ginoza was at his desk as were Kunizuka and Masaoka. The older enforcer was pulling a double shift to cover for the fact that Kagari was still suffering from his flu.

"Where's Inspector Tsunemori?" he asked.

"Ojou-chan was in earlier, but said she would drop in to check on Kagari before her shift started."

A slight flicker of emotion passed over his features, but he didn't say anything else as he took his seat. There was nothing he could say or do as she was in control of how she spent her time. It wasn't like she would show up late when she was conscientious of her responsibilities.


"Kagari-san, you need to be resting."

"But I'm hungry!" he whined.

"I know. That's why I went to get this for you."

He grimaced as he stared down at the bowl of broth she had brought along with her. It hardly looked appetizing when there was absolutely nothing in it. He wanted real food – like meat; at least something solid and not that watery concoction she had presented to him.

"It's good for you," she insisted. "They said you need lots of fluids."

"It looks disgusting. I won't eat it."

"You have to."

"Do not," he argued, being difficult.

"Yes, you do. It's exactly what they said you should have."

"I want steak and stir-fry!"

"Only when you're better," she promised. "And you're not going to get better if you don't eat this."

Still he fussed, wrinkling his nose at the thought. Akane inwardly sighed, wondering what sort of trick she could use to convince him. She knew he was somewhat of a food connoisseur, even cooking for himself in his free time. But in his current state, he was hardly fit to stand, let alone cook.

"What now?" she asked as she caught him grinning at her.

"I'll eat it, but only on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"If you feed me," he replied with glee.

"Fine, but you have five minutes before I need to go."

As she lifted the spoon from the bowl, he obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the spoonful she placed inside. Silently, he had been hoping she would become flustered by the idea, but she wasn't. Even so, it was a pleasant feeling to have her take care of him. Ginoza didn't usually pair him up with her and this way he could monopolize her time since the others wouldn't come to visit.

It didn't take him five minutes to finish and she made sure he was lying down, tucked into bed once more. He was still grinning at her as he informed her that that was the only way he would eat his so-called patient's food. Akane only sighed before shaking her head in disbelief, yet promising she would return again to check up on him.


Another Day Later

Akane was sitting with Kagari as he was protesting against his confinement. He insisted he was well enough to be up and about, but Akane knew otherwise. There were still traces of his fever and he was weak. It would be another day or two before he could move around on his own, but she was going to make sure he stayed in bed longer, if she could.

Despite his multitudes of complaints, he still followed her instructions, clearly enjoying the fact that he could make demands of her. Truly she didn't mind as she supposed it could be a whole lot worse. He fussed a bit here and there before he eventually did as she asked. In a way, she wondered if the attention seeking attitude related to his upbringing as she recalled him saying he had been labelled a latent criminal at the tender age of five.

"Are you hungry?" she questioned.

"Not if you're going to feed me that tasteless watery stuff."

"Then what do you want?"

"Ramen!" he exclaimed.

"Not happening. Soup – clear soup."

"Yuck," he complained.

"I guess more of the same it is," she replied with a grin.

"No!"

"Then what do you want?"

"Mm… Chicken noodle soup," he finally answered.

"Alright. I'll be back in a minute and you better be in bed still when I return."

About to stand up, she was stopped by the feeling of Kagari's hand wrapping around her wrist. Surprised, she glanced at him to see that he was watching her with a light smile on his lips. It was a sure sign that he had thought of something to add to his request, to make her task more difficult. It always showed up when he had a sneaky idea in mind.

"Not that machine crap," he stated. "Handmade Tsunemori-chan soup."

"What? You want me to make it?!"

"Yup!"

"But I don't know how to cook and where would I find the ingredients?" she countered.

"I'm sure there's something in my fridge. If you help me to the kitchen, I can give you instructions. I'm sick of staying in bed!"

Even as she narrowed her eyes at him, he only gave her a sweet smile like he had no ulterior motives in mind. She was trapped since he was still holding onto her. If she truly wished to escape, she could use force since he still hadn't regained his strength, but she didn't want to hurt him. Finally sighing in response, she agreed and he released her.

Kagari eagerly threw back his covers before slowly sliding his feet over the edge of his bed. She probably knew, but he had tried on his own while she was away. A wave of dizziness usually hit him before he could stand. He hated feeling this weak, yet it didn't seem so terrible whenever she dropped by to feed him and keep him company.

Shifting her position so she was seated next to him, she placed his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist. Little by little, they stood up together and she was relieved that he wasn't as weak as he had been that first day. She guided him to the couch which faced his kitchen before she went back to his room for his blanket.

"It's hot," he complained when she placed it over him.

"You'll make it worse if you don't stay warm. I already agreed to attempt cooking…"

"Oh fine."

"So tell me what I need to do," she said.

"There's chicken in the fridge, noodles and chicken broth in the pantry."

First she entered the kitchen to wash her hands before she went to retrieve the items he had listed. The noodles and chicken broth had been easy to find since they had labels, but she had no idea what she was looking for when it came to raw chicken. There were slabs of meat, an assortment of vegetables, sauces and drinks in his fridge.

"Chicken?" she questioned after searching around with no success.

"There should be two pieces – light pink in colour. One should be enough."

"Okay, got it," she stated as she spotted what he described.

"Mm, so you need to skim the fat from the chicken and cut it into cubes. The noodles need to be cooked separately first. There are pots in the drawer below the stove. Knives are in the first drawer left of the stove and the cutting board is on the shelf beneath that drawer."

"Uh… Think you can slow down for an amateur?"

He laughed at her question, slowly repeating the information one by one. It was comforting to watch her moving around in his space. Once she had located everything she needed, he had her start with the chicken as he realized she would never be able to multitask like he was used to doing. He genuinely wanted to try her cooking, not hurt her in the process.

It was a laborious task, especially for someone who was doing it for the first time. As she followed each of his instructions carefully, Akane finally realized how time consuming it was. The noodles had to be cooked first which took fifteen to twenty minutes to reach the desired softness. Cutting up the chicken had taken her equally long since she wasn't accustomed to handling a knife.

Yet at the end of it, it smelt fragrant in the room. Though she couldn't guarantee the taste, it had been a fun experience and she could understand why he enjoyed it so much. There was something satisfying about creating it with her own hands rather than relying on what a machine spit out at her input.

"Did you taste it?" Kagari asked.

"No."

"You should. It's an important aspect, to taste that it's seasoned properly. If there isn't enough flavour, you can add some salt."

"Oh…"

"Well, if you think it's ready, you can take it off of the heat and turn off the stove," he said.

Dipping a spoon into the pot, Akane had the first taste of her own creation. Since the flavour seemed alright, she removed the pot from the heating element and turned off the stove. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead and she brushed them away before glancing at Kagari who was watching her from the distance.

"So, how does it feel?"

"Complicated, yet really good," she answered with a smile.

"There are bowls in the cabinet behind you," he stated as he returned her smile. "Share with me. You deserve it since you made it."

Nodding in reply, she grabbed two bowls before portioning out the soup. It was hardly complicated compared to what she had already seen him make, yet this was her creation. Sure, she wouldn't be able to do this without his guidance, but it was still her work. As the filled bowls sat side by side, she felt proud of this accomplishment.

Pulling out a second spoon, Akane cautiously transported the bowls onto the cork potholders he had informed her about. It was really hot and she didn't want to waste all her hard work by dropping it. Once the two bowls were moved to the coffee table in front of the sofa Kagari was sitting on, she took a seat next to him.

"You're not eating?"

"Feed me!" he declared with a grin.

"Even after I made it?!"

"You promised."

"Are you insulting my cooking even before you've tried it?" she grumbled. "I was taught by an expert you know."

"And now that expert is hungry," he teased as he winked at her.

As he had intended, she chuckled before she complied with his second demand. Lifting the spoon from the bowl, she blew on it to cool it down as the liquid was piping hot. When she felt that it wouldn't scorch his throat, she moved it to his ready and waiting mouth. Slowly she pulled the spoon from between his lips while he took his time tasting it.

"The verdict?" asked Akane. "Did I pass?"

"It's not steak or stir-fry, but I'll accept it."

"So you'll feed yourself?"

"Nope!" he announced cheerfully. "I'm tired from giving you instructions."

"You big baby," she retorted lightly.


A Week Later

Walking into the CID office for the first time in more than a week, Kagari grinned happily. He was finally fully recovered to the point that Akane had deemed him fit for work. During the entire time he had been labelled unwell, she had visited three times a day to make sure he had food to eat and he even convinced her to cook on his behalf. It couldn't have gone any better.

"I'm back!" he announced.

"Welcome back."

"It's about time," Ginoza grumbled.

The only one not to say anything was Kougami as Kunizuka and Akane were both off. Not only did he pointedly ignore him, it seemed as if the dark-haired enforcer had glared at him. At least, that was the feeling Kagari got before he turned back to his work in front of him. Confused by that glimmer of hostility, Kagari turned to glance at Masaoka who only smiled enigmatically before also turning to his work.


Two Weeks Later

"Achoo!"

Glancing around the room at the sound of a sneeze, Akane carefully examined each member present in the room. It wasn't Ginoza as he was still staring at his report. Her gaze immediately swung to Kagari, thinking he was having a relapse since he had recovered not too long ago, but it wasn't him either. Kunizuka was busily typing away, her work undisturbed. That left Masaoka and Kougami. When she glanced at the oldest enforcer, it was to find him watching her with a grin on his face.

She didn't understand why he was looking at her that way, but he seemed perfectly fine. The remaining culprit was Kougami and she had a hard time believing such an active, healthy man would get sick. Yet as she watched him more closely, she saw him sniffle before rubbing at his nose. Without a care for his health, he continued to type away like nothing had happened when he was clearly coming down with something.

"You!" she exclaimed, jumping up out of her seat.

With her sudden outburst, everyone glanced at her, but she paid no attention to them. A militant gleam had entered her eyes as she stared straight at Kougami. He seemed startled by her, but didn't move from his seat. Next thing he knew, she was bearing down on him with ruthless determination. When she stopped next to his desk, she motioned for him to stand up.

"Not you too! You are going down to the medic center right now! I am not going to carry you there."

"Eh? What's going on?"

That was what Kougami wanted to know as well since Akane was staring at him with her hands firmly placed on her hips. Behind him, Kagari was confused by the confrontation while Masaoka just laughed heartily. Ginoza was glaring at them for the excessive noise and Kunizuka was ignoring all of them, still at work. When he didn't move as she had demanded, she started tugging at his sleeve, not strong enough to pull him out from his seat.

"Up! We are going down to the medic center. I won't have you spreading your germs to everyone."

Since she was persistently pulling on him, Kougami slowly stood up. She grabbed him by the hand and began dragging him to the door. He watched her for a moment before he caught Masaoka grinning like crazy when they passed by him. Kagari was avidly watching the exchange though he showed no signs of understanding what just happened and the other two had decided to overlook her spontaneous moments of eccentricity.

"Eh? Masaoka, what just happened?" Kagari asked when the man began laughing again once they were gone.

"Hm? Someone was just pouting," he stated as his laughter subsided and he wiped the tears from his eyes.

The look Kagari gave him indicated that he had no clue what he was talking about. Why would he when he had been out of commission for more than a week? After all, he had been the one who had drawn her attention away and someone hadn't been happy about that; that every time he had come in, she wasn't around because she was busy taking care of a certain young enforcer.


AN

This one's for you Brianne! There's no way I can possibly wait until it's your birthday to post this XD

Anyways, I hope the flow of the story was alright. It seems a bit choppy to me since I'm not used to writing such short scenes.

Edit: Since a request was made for a continuation, I decided to write one, making this chapter one. Though really, it was originally supposed to be a oneshot... Lol. -shrugs-