Disclaimer: "SERVAMP" belongs to Tanaka Strike, Frontier Works, Kadokawa, and affiliates. This is a non-profit fan fiction.

The Sick Series: Mahiru & Kuro

Getting sick was a pain in the ass – what with the constant aching, and sneezing, and coughing… Yeah, Kuro simply hated troublesome stuffs like that, and he was lucky to be free from illnesses. The same thing, unfortunately, couldn't be said for the human in front of him who now looked as if he had been inside the hot spring for hours.

"I'm going to lie down for awhile, okay?" Mahiru announced weakly as he switched off the light and staggered to his bed. "If you don't mind, there are leftovers from yesterday's dinner in the fridge… or you can always have your favorite instant noodle, it's at the usual place."

"Nyan, I'm fine…" the vampire answered lazily. "You want anything?" Not that he would actually do it, but it was always polite to ask - and in case, you know, Mahiru complained that he never cared for him.

"I'm good, thank you... I'm sure this is just fatigue, I'll be up and running in no time after a good rest," the Eve answered as reassuringly as possible, though the rather hoarse voice wasn't very convincing.

Despite that, Kuro brushed it off and exited the room, wondering what games he should play while waiting for Mahiru to wake up and perhaps cook for him if he felt better. He didn't want to admit it, but he always preferred his Eve's homemade cooking – no wonder the brown-haired boy was always asked to help out at the Home Economics Club.

With that musing in his mind, he flopped down onto his bed, turned on his PSP, and continued where he left off.

They said time flew by quickly when you played games, but even Kuro felt that he had waited far too long after he saw yet another "The End" flickering on his game console's screen.

Mahiru would usually wake up around this time after a nap, even on very hectic days. He would then tell the vampire off for playing too much games or something – the Servamp never really bothered to listen and remember what his human master scolded him about anyway.

"Nyan... how troublesome…" he voiced out to no one before pulling himself up and went out of his room to check on the high schooler.

"Mahiru…? Oi… are you awake…?" the Servamp called out slowly from behind his Eve's door. There was no answer.

"Still asleep, huh...?" Kuro mumbled to himself as he scratched his head and stifled a yawn. Perhaps he should just go to sleep as well. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. He had been staying up all day after all.

"But… maybe I should go check on him for a bit," he changed his mind after a long deliberation. "Though it's pretty tiresome. Oh well."

"Mahiru… I'm coming in…" the immortal said in a softer voice before slowly opening the door – he wasn't sure if it was a bad habit or not to never lock it properly – and stepped inside.

Kuro was soon greeted with sheer darkness. Unlike those cool vampires in the movies Mahiru told him about, his ability to see in the dark was just as good as any human's; and Kuro was honestly not very comfortable not being able to see where he was heading to.

Sighing, he tiptoed his way in and lightly cursed when he accidentally hit a backpack on the floor. He made a mental note to chide Mr. Housewife on that oversight later.

"Mahiru," the vampire called out after he reached what felt like his Eve's bed, "it's 9 PM… Don't you think you should-"

He paused when he heard a labored breathing coming from under the blanket. "Mahiru…?" Kuro repeated, though he received no reply from the other. He searched about and gently pried open the blanket covering the boy.

He was instantly exposed to heat-wave. His hand moved and felt something damp over Mahiru's t-shirt. The Eve was sweating profusely. He was burning hot from fever and mumbling incoherently in his sleep.

"… Damn. How annoying." Kuro said under his breath and quickly went out to get something.

What did humans do to treat the sick again? It had been so long since he was in the company of mortals that he forgot what he needed to do. Something about ice packs… Or hot water bottle… Ah, but if Mahiru was burning hot it should be ice packs, wasn't it? And was it placed on the temple or the legs? Or was it the back?

The more Kuro thought about it, the more confused he became – and he eventually gave up since it was way too troublesome.

"I think Lily knows about this best, that Kisama-chan always falls sick anyway…" the vampire mumbled before going to the living room to pick up the house wireless phone.

"Let's see… Mahiru mentioned something about speed dial, didn't he…? What number was it again… '5'?" Kuro said to himself as he pressed the glowing number pad.

The phone rang for a couple of times before a familiar voice boomed out of the speaker, "Yeah?! This has BETTER BE important, Shirota Mahiru! Licht-tan is going to KILL me!"

Kuro paused for awhile before replying, "… Lawless?"

"Eh, Nii-san? I thought it's your Eve... Anyway, is it something urgent? Cos I'm reaaaaaally busy right now! Angel-chan fell sick and I'm left aaaall alone to take care of him and he made all sorts of freaky demands and I- GYAAA!"

The line was abruptly cut.

"Meh." Kuro shrugged and pressed another random number. This time, it was picked up within the first ring.

"'Tis the White Onsen! How may I be of service, O Wanderer of the Night?"

Kuro quickly hang up. He counted to three before pressing another number. Finally, he seemed to be spot on.

"Oh dear, Mahiru-kun as well?" the concerned voice of the Servamp of Lust was heard after Kuro explained what happened to his Eve.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... Misono just caught a flu bug and was sneezing non-stop. I have been tending to him, and it seems like he managed to catch some sleep now."

"Kisama-chan as well, huh…? Geez, what's wrong with Eves falling sick at the same time… So bothersome…" Kuro huffed.

"Anyway, if Mahiru-kun is having a fever, all you need to do is get him the- Oh no, talk to you soon, Misono is calling for me!" Before Kuro could say another word, Lily hanged up on him.

"…" Kuro stared at the phone receiver in his hand, speechless. This was harder than he thought.

"I guess there is no other way, then…" he sighed as he made a bee-line to Mahiru's room. He transformed into his cat form and jumped onto his Eve's bed before settling himself beside the pillow.

The Eve's condition was affected by the Servamp's, and vice versa. Since Kuro was in a good physical condition, he would more or less help Mahiru recover from his illness sooner. At least, he hoped so.

The vampiric kitten felt drowsy immediately after touching the soft spring bed – and before he dozed off, he thought about asking Mahiru tomorrow for that new game he had been eyeing the other day.

After all, it's not like he didn't deserve it.