Warning: Fluff. Glorious twincestual fluff. Don't read it if it's not your thing.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue =]

Hikaru Hitachiin did not get sick. Ever. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been ill, and anyway, he was far too stubborn to let anything slow him down. So, two days previous when he'd started to just feel a little too sluggish, kind of achy and had totally gone off food, Hikaru just chalked it up to the constant Host Club work, or possibly something the twin's new cook had made (the fact that she always talked about 'secret ingredients' generally made Hikaru more than a little suspicious to be honest).

After a solid two days of feeling like crap, however - the finale of which being Hikaru just about making it to a bathroom instead of puking all over the Host Club girls, he could hardly even pretend to himself anymore: Hikaru Hitachiin was... not well (not 'sick', Hikaru Hitachiin didn't get sick) , and had subsequently crawled straight into bed and decided to shun all human contact until he willed himself better again, convinced it was obviously just fatigue.

This is how Kaoru found the somewhat pitiful form of his twin that evening; curled up under his blanket pouting and looking very sorry for himself.

"Hikaru," Kaoru reached into the bunk to stroke his fingers down Hikaru's cheek. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"I'm not sick," Hikaru shook his head as best he could with his head laid down on the pillow. "I'm just…uh," he faltered. Maybe he'd be able to think more clearly if he wasn't so… tired.

"You're sick," Kaoru cut in with a sigh at Hikaru's never ending ability to hide the truth even from himself when it suited him. Oh, and his ability to channel the mentality of a five year old child. "You look kinda… and your voice sounds all… and you feel like you've got a temperature," he shifted his hand to Hikaru's forehead instead, letting out another frustrated sigh when Hikaru immediately pulled the covers over his head and curled himself further into the bedding. "What?" Kaoru asked the lump formerly known as Hikaru when a series of muffled sounds came from under the blanket.

"Don't touch me, I'm gross," Hikaru whined after opening a tiny gap in the duvet.

"Hikaru, just - come on," Kaoru managed to pull the cover back after a couple of attempts, exposing Hikaru who was now squinting out at him, the other male immediately raising an arm to cover his face. "Let me see you properly."
"Why? Are you a medical expert suddenly?" Hikaru lowered his arm to look at Kaoru, a teasing smile on his face. "Tell me Kaoru, is it serious? Am I gonna die?"

"Only if I smother you with a pillow," Kaoru rolled his eyes, huffing at Hikaru. "You know I hate when you get all sarcastic, as clever as you think it is," he couldn't even keep the smile from tugging at his lips though.

"Oh please, you love it," Hikaru grinned back at Kaoru, propping himself up in his bunk. "I mean, we are the -"

Kaoru never got to find out what they were as Hikaru's chest was suddenly racked by a vicious cough, the force of which actually driving his body backwards and making Hikaru hit his head on the back wall of his bunk.

"Ow," Hikaru frowned as he quickly rubbed his head with one hand before collapsing back onto the pillow.

Kaoru frowned, rubbing a hand soothingly back and forth over Hikaru's chest. He managed a weak smile in Kaoru's direction, the younger twin still frowning at Hikaru.

"I brought you this," Kaoru disappeared from Hikaru's view for a second and came back holding a small bottle of what Hikaru realised looked suspiciously like medicine of some sort, his fingers closing around the edge of the comforter as he considered pulling it back up over his head.

"Is that...medicine? You just happened to be carrying that around with you?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow at Kaoru.

"I got it earlier because I'm tired of your coughing keeping me up all night. Besides, I'm the only person who'll be able to get you to take it," Kaoru realised his mistake too late. Not only was Hikaru going to be reluctant to have any cough syrup to begin with, but Kaoru had just accidentally made it a challenge; determinedness instantly flashing in Hikaru's eyes.

"Not," Hikaru actually crossed his arms as he curled up a little more, shifting further back into his bunk and under his duvet, the covering now up around his chin.

"Hikaru-"

"I'm fine!" he protested, but seconds later Kaoru saw him wince as he fought to suppress another coughing fit.
"You're not fine," Kaoru sighed exasperatedly. "Look, you want to be able to Host tomorrow, don't you?" he asked, already unscrewing the bottle.

"Yeah," Hikaru mumbled into the material of the comforter.

"Then come here and sit up a little," Kaoru insisted gently, not wanting to provoke another bout of stubbornness from the older twin.

"Stop treating me like I'm five!" Hikaru pouted even as he did as he was told.

"Maybe I would if you stopped acting like it," Kaoru said pointedly, pouring some of the dark, rather thick looking liquid onto a spoon he'd produced from his pocket.

Hikaru immediately made a face and glared alternately at Kaoru and the spoon he was holding, the other male simply waiting as he stared Hikaru down. Eventually Hikaru heaved a melodramatic sigh and leaned forward to take the spoon into his mouth, straight away making another face as soon as he'd swallowed it.

"See?" Kaoru smiled. "That wasn't so –"

"I hate you," Hikaru huffed as he turned over, curling back up under his duvet facing away from Kaoru.

Behind his back Kaoru looked to the ceiling and let out a silent scream of frustration. Hikaru was stubborn enough at the best of times, but when he was sick, and Kaoru thanked God for the rarity of such situations, he was damn near impossible to deal with. Taking a deep breath Kaoru reminded himself that someone had to be the mature one sometimes.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" he addressed the Hikaru shaped lump he could make out in the semi dark of their bedroom and found himself rolling his eyes again when he only got a muffled response again. "I can't hear you."

"Instant coffee," Hikaru rolled over, peeking out from his cocoon of blankets. "Please?" the pathetic look on his twin's face was almost enough for Kaoru to automatically agree.

"I was thinking more like... soup."

"But coffee would really make me feel better. Or someone to come and snuggle with me." Hikaru suddenly had such a puppy dog look on his face Kaoru was fairly certain he must have been taking lessons in manipulation.

"We'll see," Kaoru leaned into the bed to place a kiss on Hikaru's warm forehead.

"About what?" Hikaru asked as Kaoru backed away, intending to go and scavenge for soup wherever he might be able to find some.

Kaoru just smiled in response before walking away.

R&R =]