In Sickness and in Hell
Summary: Mamoru has the flu. Haruka wishes she were dead. Set in the same universe as Untethered.
AN: This all started from one of Smokingbomber's picture on Tumb- No, scratch that. This all started when I Googled myself. Apparently Smokingbomber and Antigone2 were gossiping about me. (And it was the good kind of gossip! Yay!) Then I saw a picture on SB's Tumblr that I read before I saw the whole picture. This was supposed to be short and funny. Instead it's long and a convoluted mess of emotion. (Seriously I figured closer to 2k, not near 6k!)
In short: This story can be blamed on Smokingbomber and Antigone2.
PS Did you know live beta was a thing? We didn't, but it's awesome!
Yesterday
"Please, Haruka?"
She tried hard to ignore the tone, but even through the phone Haruka could see Usagi's wide eyes threatening to brim with tears.
"It's not that I don't want to, Kitten." She really didn't want to. "It's just that I've never really been good at...that sort of thing."
"But Mama says I have to go." And here, Usagi sniffed. What's worse, she tried to hide it. "It's been a plan for months. I tried! And no one else is able to. Luna offered, but what if he needs something?" Another damn sniff. "I can't ask her to try to carry tea up the stairs!"
Haruka sighed. Why couldn't Michiru have been home to answer the phone?
"Would it be so bad if he just stayed by himself?" Haruka knew she preferred it that way. Or liked to pretend she did.
That had been just about the worst thing she could have said. By Usagi's reaction, one would assume Haruka suggested she take him out back and put him out of his misery.
"No! He can't be alone!" Her voice took on a panicked quality. "He was always alone, and even though he says it doesn't bother him I know it does! And it's worse now, because he says he'll be fine on his own but I know he won't be."
There were few things in life that sent dread to Haruka's stomach. Her kitten in a state of sheer panic topped that list. "Fine, okay, we'll watch him."
It was possibly her imagination, but Haruka felt the relief through the receiver like a gentle breeze. "Oh thank you, Haruka! Thank you, thank you!"
Her cheeks warmed and the flutter in her chest was annoying. It was different from the thrill she always felt for Michiru, of course, but the reaction she had every time she caused Usagi happiness was still so unfamiliar.
"Yeah, yeah." Haruka rubbed the back of her neck. "So when are you bringing him by? Tonight?"
"Oh, well. No. Mama thinks I'm at Rei's..." Haruka could hear the girl's cheeks turn pink. "I'm already packed, so as long as I'm home before lunch. I'll drop him off around breakfast?"
Her eyes widened. Usagi getting up that early when she didn't have to meant things were probably more dire than she let on.
In that case.
"Want me to ask Michiru if she'll make crepes?"
"Oh, yes! Please!"
Damn that flutter.
xoxoxox
Day Before Yesterday
The brochure she had picked up on the benefits and risks of flu shots was now nothing more than flutters of confetti ripped by nervous hands. For the most part, they laid in her lap, but every so often the door would open and the resulting breeze would catch some and dance them through the air.
There was a tired sigh beside her as Mamo-chan returned some scraps to her pile. "It'll be fine. Stop fretting."
He sighed again and any sting his slurred admonishing might have inflicted melted away as he shifted to lean against her. Normally his warmth was a soothing blanket that spread through her. Now he was an inferno.
"You've been saying that, but it's been getting worse and worse." The back of her hand burned against his forehead. He leaned into the brief cool reprieve. "Why didn't you come here sooner?"
His chuckle was a breath. "I still wouldn't have if someone hadn't dragged me here."
She could feel his thick swallow and his wince, and the barely repressed sound of discomfort caused her eyes to burn. Usagi twisted off the cap of her thermos and poured him some tea. The scent of honey, lemon, and herbs wafted between them. "Drink this? Please?"
He made a face but took the cap, taking sips as small as humanly possible.
Usagi watched to make sure he drank it all. He could be so stubborn at times. What had started as a small sniffle had escalated dramatically over the course of the week. She had already been worried, but there'd been a matching escalation of panic when, in the midst of a fever spike, he had practically begged her not to leave the previous evening. Compared to previous assurances that he was fine, that stark contrast caused her to stay out well past curfew.
She'd called Ami right when she woke up. When her mother had answered instead, it being one of the rare mornings she saw dawn from her own home, Usagi had broken down and cried as she begged an appointment for him.
"Chiba?" At the receptionist's voice, Usagi shot out of her chair. Mamo-chan was slower to stand. "The doctor's ready to see you now."
For a moment Usagi floundered. Was she supposed to wait here? Or go with? He wouldn't tell her what was wrong, though, or he'd downplay it. But if she insisted on going, she'd be That Girlfriend, wouldn't she?
Her internal debate was answered for her when he paused and grabbed her hand. "You dragged me here, you may as well come."
While she hadn't completely forgotten, it was not until they reached the doctor's office that her body remembered she did not like hospitals. The charts displaying reproductive organs caused her to flush, and her focus turned instead to the torture devices of tongue depressors and blood pressure cuffs. As the nurse told them to have a seat, Usagi clutched Mamo-chan's arm and tried to hide from the varying sizes of gauze.
Why was it that whenever someone said a doctor was ready to see a patient, there was even more waiting? Usagi was convinced it was some cruel mind game doctors enjoyed to play. Either that, or they wanted to make sure whoever it was that went really needed to be there.
The door opened and Usagi squeaked as she jumped up to hide behind Mamo-chan.
"Good to see you again, Mamoru." Dr. Mizuno saw Usagi and gently shook her head. "And you, too."
Usagi gulped.
Ami's mother shook her head. "You're fine outside the hospital, but here you choose to get shy?" Having suspected something would happen, the doctor pulled a lollipop from her pocket and handed it to Usagi.
Taking the candy, Usagi's shoulders relaxed some as she unfurled herself from her ball of fear.
"Now." The woman went to work, taking his temperature, checking glands and heart beat, and even doing blood pressure. While normally the work of her nurse, she was aware of her patient's phobias. "Well, I have some theories, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take some blood."
"What's wrong with him? Is it the flu? Scarlet Fever?" Usagi gasped and clutched her hand to her chest. "The plague?" Images of her in medieval clothing nursing a dying Mamo-chan back to life flitted through her mind. Oh, she would, too, even if she got the plague herself and died from it!
The doctor sighed. "I can say with absolute certainty it isn't the plague."
Usagi heaved a sigh of relief. Her boyfriend, however, was looking as though Dr. Mizuno had confirmed the plague. His face was even paler than it was and his labored breathing had little to do with his fever. Her heart went out to him as she placed a hand on his arm.
The doctor's eyes softened. "I would do it myself, but I have to get some other labs done. Will you be okay?"
He swallowed, jaw tense, before he nodded.
"Alright. I can lead you there, but you'll have to wait for me in the waiting room again."
The needle was thick enough that even Usagi had to look away from it. His breath hitched as he turned away from the sight of it, his free hand reaching out and gripping hers as hard as he could. Given his current state it wasn't enough to hurt.
It took an agonizing five hours (or five minutes) for the phlebotomist to find a vein. Each unsuccessful attempt triggered a mild jerk through his body. When the needle finally hit paydirt they both relaxed.
"When we're done here, I'll make you some more tea. And order soup. I promise I won't make the soup."
His only response was a vague nod as his arm was bandaged up. Still shaking, he flexed his arm and eyeballed where the needle had pierced skin, almost as though he could see the wound through the gauze.
On their way back to the waiting room they passed by a set of restrooms. Breaking away from her grasp he staggered through the door marked for men. She leaned against the wall, hearing only the sound of a faucet run for several minutes.
When the door opened again he was putting a piece of gum in his mouth. Tendrils of hair stuck to his face as he leaned against the wall beside her. His head tilted up, he breathed a sigh and his shoulders were less tense than they had been.
Usagi's eyes widened when she realized what he'd been doing in there. She leaned against his shoulder and mirrored his sigh.
"Soup sounds good."
xoxoxox
Today
Haruka was a night person by nature. High school and Michiru made sleeping until noon impossible. Instead of giving away the night time hours, she lived on as little sleep as possible and took more naps than she cared to admit.
Still, despite being awake most mornings, she was not a morning person. So groggy and ready to kill, she staggered toward the rhythmic staccato of knocks at her front door and promised herself that whoever it was would suffer before they died.
When she saw it was Usagi that had been doing the knocking, her murderous impulses were immediately quieted. When she saw Mamoru, words died on her tongue.
Grunting, she stood aside to let them in. As Usagi guided Mamoru through the door, her leg felt as though it had been caressed by a fluffy white cloud.
A brief sniff of the air let her know where Michiru was. Opening her mouth, a series of grunts and half formed words filtered through to the kitchen.
"They're almost done, Haruka! And don't worry, the coffee's already brewed."
With a happy sigh, Haruka waved her hand toward the couch for their guests. Collapsing in a chair, she tried to appear as though she were more coherent than she really was.
A few moments later, Michiru came into the room carrying a tray laden with mugs. "Tea for Mamoru, cocoa for Usagi, and coffee for- oh my."
Setting the tray on the coffee table, Michiru tapped her chin with a finger as she tilted her head. "Usagi?"
Cup of cocoa already in hand, the young girl looked up with a dollop of whipped cream on her nose. "It's the only thing he has that isn't made out of sandpaper. I brought other things, though!" She held up a bag almost overflowing with assorted men's wear. Haruka hoped she wasn't expected to dress him on top of everything else…
"Well. It certainly looks...comfortable. However, Mamoru doesn't strike me as the type who would wear a fluffy white robe in public." Michiru tapped her chin in thought.
"I was more wondering about the stuffed rabbit." Her words were muffled by her mug of coffee. Haruka would need about ten more of these if things kept going this way.
Usagi leaned forward and her voice raised into an exaggerated whisper. "He's very druggy right now. It was this or him being all...well…" She cleared her throat as her cheeks took on a pink hue. "Not...clothed."
Michiru's coy giggle made Haruka's disgusted groan more pronounced than it otherwise would have been.
A delectable derriere perched on the arm of her chair. A breath whispered in her ear. It was far too early for this.
"Haruka, do you still have those sleep pants?"
She flashed her lady a smoldering glower, but she was no match for that kind of look, for those eyes.
She harrumphed. "Yeah. Closet."
Beaming, Michiru leaned back. "These pants are very comfortable. I don't think you would find them sandpapery at all, Mamoru."
At the sound of his name, Mamoru looked toward the two, eyes glazed. He nodded and stood, then looked utterly confused for a moment.
Michiru cast Haruka an impish look. "I could assist you, if you wish."
Before Haruka could respond there was a blur of pink and blonde as Michiru found herself blinded by tiny hands and both were deafened by a shriek. "No!"
Clearing her throat, Usagi stepped back and rested folded hands against her stomach. "Um, I mean...I could do it. It should be fine…"
Grabbing her boyfriend by the hand, Usagi dragged him toward the back bedroom, face far more red than it had been.
"She's adorable." It was the first coherent sentence out of Haruka's mouth all morning.
"She's taken."
"Jealous?"
"Maybe."
"Mamo-chan, wait, no, you're not- eek!"
There was a flourish of white and skin in the living room. While still technically wearing the robe, the sash had loosened and he now had the arms tied around his chest.
"The hell, put that thing away!" Haruka tried to shield Michiru's eyes. She was unsuccessful.
"Yippee! I'm the Moon Princess!"
"Usagi, what did they give him?"
Trying to at least tighten the sash and return some dignity, Usagi shrugged. "I don't know...he was fine last night, but today he's not. Mamo-chan?"
With a gentle hand she turned his face toward hers. He stilled and his expression softened. With a sigh, he caressed her cheek. "Pretty."
Haruka wanted to hurl. She wanted Mamoru better now. It didn't matter if Usagi looked as though he'd just barfed up the biggest diamond and handed it to her or something else really sappy. World's largest milkshake machine, maybe?
Michiru sighed as Usagi managed to lead him toward the bedroom again. "Well, show's over. Back to making breakfast, I suppose."
Haruka managed to muster up a growl. After a moment she stood and followed Michiru's invisible trail. In the kitchen, she topped off her coffee.
"It was sweet of you to say we'd help."
"Not really. She was gonna cry if I said no."
Soft lips brushed her cheek. "Okay. Then it was sweet of you not to make her cry."
She grumbled and groused as her cheeks warmed.
By the time breakfast was ready, Mamoru was in Haruka's pants. Which really, she never thought that there would ever be in a situation in which that phrase could be uttered. He also appeared far less dopey. Though his eyes were still glazed, he was far more coherent. He still clutched that silly rabbit, though.
Usagi happily ate her crepes and finished before Haruka had downed her first. Michiru had prepared a light soup for Mamoru, but he kept staring at it. Unless Usagi flashed him large, watery eyes. Then he'd pick up his spoon, take a bite, set the spoon down, and start staring again.
"Don't worry, Usagi. If he doesn't finish, I'll make sure he eats later." Michiru took a delicate nibble of her crepe.
Eyes brightening, Usagi asked if she could have more.
After the dishes were cleared and not a remaining crepe in sight, Haruka started to see why Usagi suggested coming over at breakfast when she didn't have to leave until lunch. When she left his line of sight or, heaven forbid, the room, Mamoru would look around and get up until he found her. Haruka rolled her eyes when she heard a yelp after Usagi opened the bathroom door to see him waiting for her.
Men were such babies when they were sick.
When Usagi was finally ready to go, she'd had to coax Mamoru into taking a nap. Haruka could tell Usagi didn't much care for tricking her boyfriend, but it was about the only way to cut him loose from her hair.
She left with hugs and cheek kisses and the promise to call.
With Michiru gone for practice and their house guest more or less settled, Haruka decided to take a cat nap. Turning off the hallway light she sprawled on the couch and settled down for however long she could. The sound of the bedroom door clicking closed was the last thing she heard for awhile.
The next sounds she heard turned her dream from mediocre to frightening in a flash. One minute she was chasing down an anthropomorphic badger and the next her dreamscape was a zombie apocalypse.
Another yell jerked her awake. It took a moment to regain her bearings as she blinked at the coffee table. The next had her falling off the couch in her rush to see what was going on. If the neighbors complained about yelling, she was going to be pissed.
She burst into the room just as her sleep pants were shimmering and changing and her face was greeted by the brim of a top hat.
"Get those shoes off the bed, or Michiru will flay us both alive!"
He wasn't listening. His grip around the rose was so tight she could see droplets of blood through his fingers.
"Hey, come on, snap out of it." Haruka grabbed him by the shoulder, giving a hard jerk as she did. The rose went flying and imbedded it in a picture frame. Fortunately it was an art print she had never really cared for. Unfortunately, Michiru did.
However, since he had missed the vase her girlfriend had just bought, both of their lives would be spared.
With an annoyed sigh, Haruka pressed the light switch. The shock of sudden light stilled his struggles, but even through the skewed mask she could see his fright. Must have been some dream.
Her fist tightened at by her side. She was not cut out for this.
Mamoru's nose was about point-zero-two seconds from getting really bloody really suddenly when Haruka spotted that damned rabbit on the floor. Picking it up she threw it at his head. "Snap out of it. What's wrong?"
He was quiet for a moment, but after a few heartbeats he registered the rabbit. It wasn't until he was gripping it tightly with a bloody-gloved hand that he said anything. "Nothing."
"Bull." That bloody nose became an even more real possibility. "You don't get to scream like Death itself is at your door and tell me it's nothing, so I ask again. What the hell is going on?"
"Nothing!" By now he was as agitated as she was. "It's always there, lurking in the shadows and the somethings but the nothing is always waiting for the somethings to go away again."
Haruka frowned at him. What sort of riddley gibberish was he spouting this time? He returned her frown, but didn't see her. Instead, he was again seeing whatever had awoken him.
"Am I a seed again?" He blinked and looked straight at her. "Or still?"
"What the actual fuck?" Had he dreamt of being a plant?
"No, Mamoru. Usagi saved us all, remember?"
Haruka jumped. Damn it, her confusion had dulled her senses. "When did you get home?"
Michiru shrugged. "Around the time you threw the rabbit." She glided toward the bed and sat on the mattress, taking his hand in hers. He calmed down somewhat but his shoulders were still tense. After a moment Michiru reached into their nightstand and pulled out a picture before handing it to him.
Slowly his muscles relaxed as he focused on the picture. Haruka lifted to her toes. It was a simple picture but she could see why it would soothe someone sick out of their mind. If someone gave her a picture of Michiru when she wasn't around and Haruka was drugged out of her mind, she'd start to calm down as well.
"Haruka, do you ever think about that time? We were seeds once, too."
Her brows drew together. Seeds? The only time she could think of was - oh.
With a disgruntled grunt she crossed her arms and turned away. "Nope."
"She does. So do I." Michiru brushed his bangs from his forehead. "How much of this nothing do you remember? It wasn't very long for us. Still disconcerting."
He didn't say anything, but the look in his eye chilled Haruka to the bone. "How is he not a drooling ball of crazy?"
"Don't tell Usako." It was both a plea and a command, both of which rose the hackles in her neck.
"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with us." Reaching over, Michiru flipped the small night light on. It had become a permanent fixture when Chibi-usa would come over. And, though she'd never want it known, Usagi.
Mamoru kept his eyes between the picture and the night light. Soon he was wearing nothing but the sleep pants.
Michiru stood after she was sure he was settled. Walking out, she touched Haruka's wrist, who followed her out.
"How did you know that's what he was talking about?"
Michiru shrugged. "I know you've had a few nightmares about it. So have I. We just never talk about them."
Haruka wanted to argue that it shouldn't matter if Usagi knew or not. But even before the words reached her tongue she sighed in defeat. She never told Michiru about her own nightmares. And until just now, she hadn't known Michiru had even been having them as well.
A hand far too soft for a violinist caressed her cheek. "Someone looks like they need a cuddle."
Haruka scoffed and crossed her arms. "Took you that long to notice? The glow must be fading."
The answer was a gale of laughter as she was dragged to the couch.
The rest of the afternoon was pretty lazy, as far as playing nurse maid went. Actually, Michiru took on most of it, especially after Haruka nearly doused Mamoru in hot soup for being a stubborn ass.
Eventually, the round of drugs was mostly out of his system. Coherency more or less returned, but once it did, he withdrew into himself. The first few times Michiru checked on him after that, Haruka could hear vague grunts from the bedroom. Eventually, after he held their shower hostage for about an hour (or fifteen minutes) he took to locking the bedroom door.
The act of being locked from a room in her own home irritated Haruka. It didn't matter that she could easily open the door with a straightened hanger. It was the principle of the thing.
Michiru took to leaving tea, water, and soup by the door. A gentle knock on the door and leaving him in peace would have them discovering an empty tray about an hour later.
When Usagi called, he opened the door, took the receiver, and Michiru was witness to the most magnificent lack of consideration for the belongings of others he'd ever displayed, as he closed the door on its spiral cord in order to speak with his girlfriend.
When it was actually, and thankfully, time for her to go to sleep, Haruka hoped she would not have to do too much cleaning in the room. She made a mental checklist as she stripped to her underwear. Bed sheets, despite how loudly she suggested it, would be washed instead of burned. Same with her pyjama pants.
As she set up the futon, she tilted her head at Michiru. "Usagi's coming back in the morning, right?" Please God let it be morning.
"I get the feeling it would be closer to late afternoon."
If Haruka were prone to tears, she would have started bawling. Instead, one of their throw pillows would have been torn to shreds if Michiru hadn't intervened.
"He reminds me of you when you're sick."
Haruka scoffed as she chucked the pillow back on the couch. "Then you're remembering wrong. I'm not that much of a baby."
Michiru giggled behind her fingers. "Of course not, dear."
Hating that she was being placated, Haruka harrumphed and flopped on the futon. She stole as many blankets as she could before rolling toward the wall. Then she harrumphed again for good measure.
Still giggling, Michiru slid in beside her before wrapping an arm around her and nuzzled her shoulder. "It's okay, I like taking care of you when you're sick."
She scoffed and said nothing more, but she took Michiru's hand in her own and kept it close to her chest.
Sometimes it was nice being the little spoon.
xoxoxox
Tomorrow Morning
Mamoru hated being sick. Worse, he hated being a burden to others. The last few days had been nothing but Mamoru embodying nearly all he hated.
He remembered bits and pieces from his drugged out haze. He wasn't sure which was worse, being thrown awake from a terrible nightmare in front of other people or the irrepressible need he'd had to try to keep Usako there for as long as possible.
Why was she even with him again?
When he finally woke up, his fever had broken but he still had a sore throat and aching, tired muscles. He was at the worst part: right between 'sick' and 'well'. While he was definitely improving, he just wasn't better yet.
He tried to leave, having gotten dressed in the mishmash of clothing Usako had thrown in a shopping bag. Haruka's deadly glower was not quite as effective at getting him to stay as Michiru's offer of tea and her reminder that Usako would be there later to check up on him.
When he could escape to the quiet of the bedroom he did. But he had slept enough for a week and he was not tired enough to endure the threatening possibility of another nightmare.
So he just slumped to the floor near the door and stared at the bed. It taunted him as the one in his apartment did. You may sleep, but you'll never rest again.
xoxoxox
Tomorrow Afternoon
"Alright, Usagi, we'll drop you off at Haruka and Michiru's. Just please try to get some sleep, okay?"
"Hrng."
Usagi stared for a moment at the elevator door, trying to remember how such things worked. After a few times her finger found the arrow button and after waiting a bit she just stared at the open box in mild confusion. It wasn't until the doors almost closed again that she remembered what she was supposed to do.
Somehow she managed to step out onto the right floor. She found their door and stared at the blurring numbers. Having found success, she allowed herself a momentary victory rest as her head thudded on the wood.
"Ow." She sighed in relief as she found an odd sort of comfort. He was just over there, and now that she was here she knew he would be okay. So it wouldn't hurt if her eyes slid closed and she took a moment to relax.
The door opened and she barely reacted as she fell against a warm soft wall of Haruka. With a sigh, she snuggled down, dangerously close to falling asleep standing in the entryway.
"Well, someone's bright eyed and bushy tailed this afternoon."
"Hmm." Usagi snuggled down and sighed. "Haruka's so comfy."
Her soft pillow expanded and contracted quickly as Haruka let out a sigh. Slender fingers stroked the back of her head.
"Glad to see you again, too, Kitten."
There was a sound of a spoon stirring delicate china. "Someone's jealous."
Usagi looked up at Michiru. "You can be my pillow too if you want!"
Michiru bit back a grin. "Not me." She tilted her head toward the bedroom, but all Usagi saw was a door as it clicked shut. "Besides, I'm content enough being Haruka's pillow."
"He's been a right ass since you left." Haruka groused. "How do you put up with it?"
"Mamo-chan is never!" That news shocked her and her eyes filled with worry. "Is he okay? Did he have a dream again?"
Haruka's eyes widened. "You know about the dreams?"
A bit unsettled, Usagi stepped back and twisted her hands in front of her as she nodded. "He doesn't tell me what they are." She took an unsteady breath and looked up, trying to smile. "I know he wants to. Maybe one day he'll let me be strong for him? Do you think he'll tell me then?"
Haruka's expression softened. "I think you're strong for him now. Just keep being you."
Michiru hummed in agreement. "One day he may tell you. Don't be discouraged if he doesn't."
Usagi was still exhausted but now too concerned to let herself feel it. Trying to perk up again, at least for show, she waved at them both. "Thank you for both looking after him for me. I'll go ahead and take him home now. I mean to his home. Not mine. And it's not like we have a home. Papa would murder him."
Haruka sighed again and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just...you look like you're about to keel over any second. Go take a nap, would ya? Oh crap."
Usagi's eyes welled with tears. The thought of being able to sleep before going anywhere was really just too good to be true. After giving Haruka a tight hug she skipped toward the door and knocked. "Mamo-chan!"
The conversation that took place behind Usagi as she waited made her cheeks burn.
"What, no, I meant the futon!"
"Leave them be, Haruka."
"No, I must defend her honor!"
"I'm pretty sure he's already scaled the walls of her honor, dear."
"Gyah!"
"You're so cute when you're flustered."
By the time the door opened, Usagi's face was seconds away from turning into cinder and ash. Before he could see it, she rushed at him and hid in the safety of his shirt.
It was a second before his arms tightened around her. She felt the knotted muscles in his back and shoulder blades relax some and wondered if she could convince someone to teach her how to give a halfway decent massage.
When her face wasn't an inferno she shifted so she could look up at him. "I'm sorry I had to leave you. Are you feeling better?"
Even as she asked she felt his warmth through the shirt. Still warm, but closer to the comforting blanket of him she was used to.
He nodded, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it as he sighed instead.
Glad he was out of the woods, or at least really close to the treeline, she snuggled back against him. "Good. I'm so happy."
"Did you sleep at all on your trip?"
Usagi nodded. "Yes. At least an hour. So I'm good."
He sighed again and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, then."
He pulled away and she swayed forward. "No." It was a small whine and she latched onto his arm.
"I'm just going to tuck you in."
"Can I tuck you in?" She only allowed herself to sit on the mattress. Any more and she'd lose by default. After all, it was hard to negotiate napping terms when one was unconscious.
"I'm not tired." His voice was, though. She had no doubt he'd slept, but she didn't think it had done him any good.
"Please? You don't have to sleep. You can just rest." She tugged at his shirt and he pulled it off before handing it to her. Pulling it on over her head and over the tank top she wore, she made happy little sounds in the back of her throat and she snuggled into it.
While she was distracted with that, he peeled the socks off her feet. She wiggled her toes.
"Please?" She implored once more. "I can be your pillow."
At that he arched a brow. "What, has my pillow status been reduced now?"
Usagi blinked before she giggled. "Of course not. On a pillow scale of one to ten, Harukas may be eights, but Mamo-chans are at least a billion."
"Oh really?" He climbed in so that he was between her and the wall.
Happy with her victory, she turned to face him. "Oh yes! Maybe even a bajillionty!"
"That's not a real word, you know."
"You're just jealous because my Mamo-chan pillow defies logical definition."
He snorted in the back of his throat.
It took some convincing and maneuvering, but she finally convinced him she could make a pretty good pillow, too. When they were both settled, she sighed against his hair and rubbed her fingers against the base of his neck.
His breathing evened out, and even though she herself was exhausted, sleep would not claim her. Words were busy in the back of her throat and if she didn't at least try to get them out they would keep her awake even longer.
"Mamo-chan?" Her words were quiet. She decided even if he were asleep she'd say them.
She almost did when she felt his response before she heard it. "Hmm."
"I don't have to know what they are. But I'll try really hard to chase your nightmares away, okay?"
His response was not verbal. It was a rasping breath and a tightening of his arms.
And then she was able to sleep.
-End