Notes: A couple of weeks ago I had a very bad fever and that kind of inspired me to write this little bit. I just wanted something short (and it came out really short) and fluffy so… I hope you enjoy!

38.2C = 100.76F

Ritsuka's sitting on a chair and watching Soubi do the dishes. It's a normal evening at the Agatsuma's household, and they have just had the dinner Soubi had prepared. Youji and Natsuo are on the floor, shoulder to shoulder, in the middle of an intense video game. Ritsuka could have joined in, too, had it not been for Soubi: the fighter's been acting suspicious all the evening…

The sound of water running out of the faucet is almost soothing when all of a sudden…

Cough. Cough.

Ritsuka's cat ears jerk up. "Aha! Soubi!"

"What?" he directs his gaze at him without stopping washing.

"I heard it! You just coughed!"

"Me? I didn't," Soubi's all innocence.

"No, you did!"

"Ritsuka…"

Before he gets to finish the sentence, Ritsuka stands up, walks over to him briskly, and reaches up on his tiptoe. Soubi looks caught off guard as the boy's small hand touches his forehead.

"Soubi!" Ritsuka falls back on his heels from surprise. "You have a fever!"

"He does?"

"Oh, does it hurt?"

"Can he die from it?"

"Ah, it's alright," upon the Zero's words, Soubi waves his hand airily and smiles.

"No, it's not! Soubi, your forehead feels hot! You need to take your temperature!"

"Is that an order?"

Soubi's eyes behind the shining lenses of the glasses give away nothing. For a moment, Ritsuka wavers. "No, it's a… request? Find the thermometer and take your temperature. Please," he adds semi-firmly.

"The dishes…"

"I'll do them."

Soubi tilts his head to the side. "As you wish."

Youji and Natsuo are saying something to each other, still playing their game, but Ritsuka pays no attention as his hands rub the translucent chine with the sponge. He knew it, he thinks to himself. There was something off about Soubi the whole evening; even though he talked and acted normal, Ritsuka still felt as though something was wrong. Well, his sixth sense wasn't lying after all: apparently, Soubi has a cold… The boy's fingers dig deeper into the coarse sponge.

Cough. Cough.

He spins around and dashes toward Soubi. "Are you okay? What is it?"

The thermometer is exposed to the room's artificial light, squeezed between the man's elegant fingers. "38,2?!" Ritsuka can't help but raise his voice. "Soubi, you idiot! Why didn't you tell us you had a fever?!"

"Ah, but I didn't want Ritsuka to worry."

Anger ignites in him anew. "Baka! Soubi, you're lying to me again!"

"Gomen."

Ritsuka hates this 'gomen', hates it with all his being, and the look of complete acquiescence that always comes with it—he hates it too. He issues an exasperated sigh. "Never mind. Go lie on the bed."

"Whoa, something interesting's coming!" Youji whistles, only to be ignored again.

"What are you going to do, Ritsuka?"

"Treat you," he fiddles with the kettle, pouring some water inside before putting it on the stove.

"Hm?"

"I'll make you some tea. Warm tea with honey helps recover from the cold. I remember Seimei doing that for me once when I had caught a virus."

When Ritsuka turns to him, what he sees on Soubi's face is sheer confusion. That's the answer he hadn't expected to hear. "But Ritsuka, I'm fine, there's no need—"

"You are not fine! 38,2 is not fine!" Ritsuka snaps. "Soubi, you… you're a moron! When will you stop being so careless about your health? You're pissing me off!"

"Gomen."

"Don't 'gomen' me!" Why is he so stupid? Anger surges in Ritsuka's chest; they've been together all evening and Soubi's been cooking and doing everything even though he obviously wasn't feeling well. "Stupid Soubi! Go to bed!" he points in the direction. This time, Soubi complies. The Zero boys shrug, unamused, and return to their game.

Five minutes later, Ritsuka walks up to Soubi's bed with a tray that has a honeypot and a cup of hot green tea on it. He carefully places it on the side of the bed, where Soubi's half-sitting.

"Drink it. And eat the honey."

"Sumimasen, Ritsuka," Soubi picks up the cup to take a sip from it. His hand stops halfway to the mouth when Ritsuka feels his forehead again. "Still hot," he sighs, then adds, "well, if you stay in bed long enough and drink plenty of liquids, you'll get better soon."

"Do I have to lie like this till the end of this evening?"

"Of course!"

"But what about Ritsuka? I have to walk you home…"

"I'm not going home tonight," Ritsuka states before he has time to think. He still remembers those days when he had a fever and how frail he felt back then, and how nice it was that Seimei was there for him. He just can't leave today knowing Soubi has a fever.

Soubi's brows rise in genuine surprise. "Why?"

"I'm staying here in case you get worse."

"But your mother…"

"She's asleep already and won't be up till tomorrow noon. She won't even know."

Soubi's expression is unclear, and it's as though he hesitates before asking. "But why…?"

"You should rest, not talk," Ritsuka blushes as he avoids the question. Soubi is stupid. Ritsuka won't let him just stay here all alone—well, with the Zero boys, but those two don't count, they're more of a nuisance—and get worse and worse. If he's been having the fever the whole evening…

Ritsuka's thinking about how Seimei helped him when he'd fallen ill and this time thoughts of his brother don't make him feel pained. All he can focus on now is Soubi and his fever.

He won't let anything bad happen. Not when it comes to Soubi.

The night was rife behind the window. Youji and Natsuo were long sound asleep, and so was Ritsuka. He was lying by Soubi's side—had plopped there for a moment and fallen asleep instantly.

Soubi couldn't help but smile. His hand caressed the boy's cat ear gently—so as not to stir him—and at this moment, even his fever and the unpleasant weakness in his body that has been bugging him all the day didn't matter.

"Ritsuka…"

Everyone had always wanted something from him: sex, drawings, following orders. Ritsuka didn't. He just was there. After all the lying Soubi had done, after all the hurt he had inflicted, Ritsuka still was there by his side.

Leaning in, Soubi gently planted a kiss on the boy's forehead. He didn't deserve Ritsuka, he thought to himself, Ritsuka deserved someone much better and less broken than him. Soubi's hands pulled the boy to his bosom, wrapping around him, and Ritsuka sniffed in his sleep. "Mmm… baka…" he murmured, shifting right into Soubi's embrace.

Soubi closed his eyes and smiled, drifting into peaceful sleep.