Prompt fill for AO3 user erihan who said- 'Maybe one where Mizuki works himself into a fever and Sei takes care of him?'
Mizuki's life was hectic, to say the least. He woke up six days a week at 7am, got out of bed, worked out, showered, had breakfast and went on his rounds with Dry Juice. That lasted til about 10am and often involved fights, turf disputes and more emotional strain than most men could handle. Then he had to head back across Midorijima to open the always fully booked tattoo studio and bar. He got a half hour break at noon, where he would have a cigarette, eat reheated leftovers or instant ramen and watch TV. Then it was back to the tattoo studio, piercings were only available in the afternoon, so he at least got some relief from the constant buzzing of the tattoo gun. The tattoo and piercing studio shut about 5, when he got another short break to shove something lacking nutrition down his throat and have a calming cigarette before the busy evening and night shift began. From about 7pm-2am the bar was always heaving with Dry Juice members and no-marks alike. He of course had hired staff who helped out, but he was reluctant to have any time off. He enjoyed his work, and being the head of Dry Juice, it was like being part of a huge family and he'd hate to be away from that for even a short time.
The early mornings and long nights took their toll, and his one day off, a Monday, he'd spend sleeping until midday, order takeaway and spend the rest of the day vegging in front of the TV. Of course Sei had changed his life massively, but his basic routine was the same, now it just involved home cooked meals and gentle encouragement to quit smoking.
So it came as no surprise to either of them when Mizuki eventually fell ill. Literally.
"Mizuki! It's nearly eight!" Sei's voice cut through Mizuki's muggy brain, barely making sense as he rolled over to his left.
"Wh-" He paused to swallow, his throat felt thick and gloopy and his voice sounded distorted and strange. "Why are you up? You hate mornings."
He tried to lift his head to look at his alarm clock, which he hadn't even heard go off, though it undoubtedly had. His neck was stiff and his head pounded as he twisted to sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Mizu..?" Sei's voice was uncertain as soft footfalls approached the bed, slender hand resting on the bartenders tanned shoulder. "Are you okay?"
No, he wasn't okay. That was the truth of it, his head was throbbing and he felt like he was going to throw up. Why was the room so cold? He rubbed his arms absently, wondering why he was sweating. "I'm fine, I'm gunna be late for Tio."
Tio was one of the oldest Dry Juice members, he also bartended four nights a week and as such had a key to the Black Needle, letting himself in every morning about 8am to wait for Mizuki so they could walk to meet the rest of the team together.
"He'll wait, are you sure? You look sick.." Sei's voice trailed off as Mizuki stood, stubborn to a fault, determined to prove to everyone just how well he was.
"I told you I'm..." his world span, the walls blending into one and making his stomach churn, he could hear his blood pumping in his ears and thought for a horrifying second he was going to pass out. Then, everything magically righted itself, the cabinets stopped wobbling and the wallpaper wasn't forming psychedelic patterns anymore. "Fine."
One step, two steps, Sei watching his every move like a hawk from where he stood beside their bed, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Honestly babe, you shouldn't worry so much, I'm comple-" the word wouldn't form, his brain was fuzzy and he didn't know what he meant to say. He took another step, and that was his downfall. His knees caved beneath him, he couldn't see properly, the carpet sprang up to meet him and he collapsed heavily, opening his eyes to wonder absently why the floor was so icy cold. He didn't hear Sei's cry of his name as he collapsed, nor his pleas for him to talk to him, to say something, anything. The fingers on his skin were sharp and prickly, everything was spinning spinning spinning-
The voices were distorted, but there was more than one person in the room. He wondered where he was, was this his studio? Or maybe he'd been knocked out in a fight, but the floor was too familiar to be some strange alley.
"Sei, I heard shouting? What's-" The loud, familiar voice, who was it again?, broke through his haze for a second, eyes moving painfully slowly to focus on booted legs.
"Don't- collapsed- bed?" Sei's words were patchy and Mizuki wondered if he was missing words out on purpose or if he'd gone deaf.
Then there were strong hands under him, grabbing him under the arms and heaving him upright, his head lolled back, the ground was the ceiling and the walls were unfamiliar, where was he?
His stomach convulsed violently and he felt warm liquid splatter down his front, from somewhere far away he heard a noise of distaste and one of concern, but he figured it wasn't important.
"Tonight- bar- Maio?"
"Yeah- okay? Mizuki."
"Thanks."
"Phone-"
The tiny snippets of conversation weren't enough for Mizuki to work out what was going on, he was so cold, his arms were icy and heavy, like they'd been submerged in freezing water. Suddenly fear washed over him, comparable only to what he had felt at the hands of Virus and Trip in Oval Tower all that time ago. He was confused, searching for something familiar in the mess of his brain, looking for a face or a name or something of comfort.
"Sei..?" He didn't know who that was. Who was Sei? He couldn't bring a face to the name, but he knew that this.. Sei person would help, had always helped. Something damp was on his forhead and he tried to move an arm to push it off, but his limbs were like lead and wouldn't move. "Sei?"
"I'm here Mizu, I'm here. You're okay." The damp thing on his head dabbed gently against his hairline, cool liquid trickling down his face so soothing despite his cold body.
"What-?" There were a million questions he wanted to ask, what had happened? Where he was. Who Sei was.
"You collapsed." The voice paused, sighing heavily. "I think you have a fever. You're burning up."
"Cold." He muttered, confused by the sweat on his limbs and how his shirt seemed damp.
"That's the fever, you've been sick. I need to take your t-shirt off."
He still didn't know what was happening as he was sat forwards carefully and something foul smelling passed his face. The room was too bright, he shut his eyes to stop everything spiraling and control the once-again increasing nausea.
"Phone- Tae- sleep.." The words blended into one, gentle voice lulling him into a restless slumber.
The room was dark when he opened his eyes, he didn't know where he was or what had happened. He was covered in sweat and the sheets were wrapped around him tightly like a shroud, his throat was dry and his attempt to speak just made him cough. His head filled with a stabbing pain that made him grimace and grit his teeth together.
"Mizuki! You're awake, thank god." The voice was familiar, it was his angel, the one who, in his frequent lucid periods gave him water to drink and cooled his boiling flesh with comforting hands. "Drink this."
Hands pressed firmly above those already on the glass, Mizuki raised it to his lips, the other supporting most of the weight, cool liquid trickling down his throat and making him sigh in pleasure. A small light beside the bed he was in had been switched on and he could see the dark haired boy replace the glass on the table.
"What- what day is it?"
"Saturday." A pink lip was worried between white teeth. "You've been asleep almost 48 hours."
"The bar, my team! I gotta get up.." And he tried to do just that, lifting his weight off sweat soaked pillows and trying to struggle out of bed.
"You will do no such thing." The voice was unexpectedly stern, the hand on his chest firm and unmoving as it pushed him back. "The bar is fine, Tio sorted out some people to help him run it. He rang everyone who had appointments with you and rescheduled them."
Mizuki blinked, everything sounded under control, he supposed another couple of hours sleep wouldn't hurt then...
He didn't know how many days he spent in that bed, tossing and turning in fitful bursts of sleep. He did know that every time he woke, he was there, the boy with black hair who's name he couldn't quite find. Sometimes he'd feed him chicken soup, or help him stumble to the bathroom, or lay cool towels on his skin. Sometimes he'd surface for mere seconds to the feeling of a hand carding through his hair over and over, soft voice humming a soothing lullaby. He always slept better after that.
It took four days for the fever to break, olive eyes opening without the mist over them that had been present for so long.
"Babe?" His voice was dry and croaky as he searched the room, the sound of running footsteps was soon followed by Sei's appearance in the doorway. Mizuki was so relieved he could have cried. "Sei."
"Mizu? How do you feel?" A cool hand rested against his forehead, dark eyes smiling down at him.
"Tired.. and confused." Mizuki was still hazy on what had happened, he remembered some snatches of conversation.
"You collapsed." The worry on Sei's face was evident, and with some effort, Mizuki gripped his hand where it lay on his blankets, earning a small smile. "Tio helped get you into bed. You had a fever, you were sick. All over yourself actually."
Mizuki's expression of disgust must have been obvious, as Sei gave a nervous giggle before he continued, scooting nearer.
"You slept for two days straight." Sei's face fell, mouth twisting into a frown and his eyes becoming teary. "I was so scared.."
Mizuki wanted to interrupt, to apologise for worrying his boyfriend, but his mind was still slow and the words wouldn't form properly, instead pulling him into a hug.
"I didn't know what to do." Sei whispered from his position against Mizuki's chest, not even complaining about how sweaty and smelly he no doubt was. "Grandma said the fever would break after about two days.. and you woke up and I thought it had but.."
"But what?" Mizuki managed to ask, ignoring the irritating pangs of pain from his empty stomach.
"You didn't know who I was." Mizuki froze, listening to Sei sniff. "You called for me, but you didn't know who I was. You kept asking, where is Sei, get Sei."
He couldn't remember, he knew someone had looked after him, and now he was fully conscious and the fever had mostly gone it was obvious that it would have been Sei. "I'm sorry babe, I didn't know what was going on. I just.. knew I needed you. Even if I didn't know you were you."
The apology made little sense to Mizuki when he replayed it in his head, but it must have done to Sei, who laughed lightly and planted a kiss onto his greasy hair.
"It's not your fault. You were ill." The bartender was tempted to argue again, but Sei shot him a stern expression that made him close his mouth again. "I'm tempted to tell you off for working too hard.. but I think I'll save that til you're completely better."
Mizuki smiled sheepishly, almost wishing he didn't have to get better and incur Sei's anger, or at least a firm talking to.
"Anyway, you must be hungry. I'll bring you some soup." Sei went to stand from the bed, brushing relieved tears from his eyes.
"Sei!" Mizuki called just as he reached the doorway, making him turn around, eyes alarmed as he scanned his boyfriend. "Thankyou. And.. I'll get Tuesdays off from now on, okay?"
Sei didn't respond, but the soup took it's time coming and when it arrived, Sei's face was streaked with tears and he threw a tea-towel at Mizuki, muttering something about stupid bartenders making him worry. Mizuki was only sad the fever hadn't completely gone so he couldn't kiss his boyfriend and show how grateful he was.