Touko liked to think she was a smart woman. She wasn't a college graduate, but she had a decent head on her shoulders and used it liberally. She was great at those crosswords that Shigeru liked to think he could do, and there was an art to her method of couponing that made the local mothers jealous. That being said, she was beginning to suspect that her son had other ideas about her intelligence.

"Takashi, where are you going?"

Natsume, so pale yet with cheeks bright red, stops in his tracks on his way to the door. He blinks at her, eyes glassy as he points to the door, "To school?" As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Touko frowns, "Why would you go to school?" She walks forward, touching a hand gently to his cheek, too warm just as she thought, then to his forehead. "You don't have any tests today, right? It's no big deal to stay home and rest." She says it in hopes to make him feel better about staying home, but really he looks so terrible she'd have him stay home even if there were tests. Takashi's teachers would understand.

"But, I-" Takashi tries to protest, because of course he would, but Touko didn't budge. She moves behind him and places her hands on his shoulders, frog-marching him to the dining set with all the force of a gentle breeze so he could sit down.

"I'm going to make you some soup, and after you eat that, you can rest, alright?"

Takashi nods, looking down at the table with embarrassment clear, even if his blush was hidden by the fever. Honestly, Touko didn't know what he was planning on doing, even sitting there at the table he looked like he could be blown over by the rickety air conditioner. He'd sat down hard, probably barely having enough strength to stand let alone walk to school. One of these days she was going to find him passed out in the side of the road, her stubborn boy. How could one so passive have such an iron will when it came to things like this? Where the only thing that would happen was pain and suffering for himself.

She brings the soup (at this point she should just keep some ready on hand) to the table, sitting next to the frail boy as he sips at the broth. His eyes are heavy lidded, exhaustion written in every line of his body. She'd have to call the doctor for him, but first she had to get him to bed.

Touko wasn't sure he would make it up the stairs at this point, though... "You know what, why don't you sleep on my futon?"

Takashi looks like the offer is something as foreign and impossible as her offering the moon (and she wished she could), already protests forming on his tongue and manifesting as a soft shake of his head. It was sad, how instinctual his protests were, as if he were somehow unworthy of even this small gesture of care. To Touko, this wasn't any more than a common courtesy, but for Takashi who's past was filled with so much hurt and so little love...

She reaches for him, because how could she not? Wraps him in her arms even as his head still moves slightly and he's so warm against her but she wants to make sure that her warmth, her love reaches his heart.

Takashi melts into her hold, and for a brief moment she's worried his illness took a turn and made him pass out, but then thin arms wrap around her as well. "Thank you."

She pulls back, enough to keep him safely in her arms but able to see his face. She cups his chin, "Of course. Now let's see if we can get you better, hm?"

Touko leads him to her bedroom slowly, setting him down and pulling the covers up to his chin. She pats the sheet softly, making sure it's unwrinkled and that her boy is safely tucked in. Takashi's eyes are already closing, fever and exhaustion pulling him under into unconsciousness even as he fights it.

"You won't get better if you don't rest, Taskashi." She places a hand on his head and he leans into the touch, seeking love that she will never deny.

"Thank you." He whispers, and she smiles sadly.

"Sleep well, my sweet boy."

A/N: I really hope you enjoyed this! Please let me know what you think?