Author's note: I did an oopsie! I uploaded the whole story as one chapter instead of two chapters ^^ ahaha… So yeah. I reread this chapter, and I started blushing and I was all like "Why am I blushing?! I WROTE IT!" XD Anyhow, hope you like.

Feverish Desire

Chapter 1: Fevered Dreams

The halls of Hyotei Gakuen were almost empty. The white light of the clouds shone down from the high windows. The rain fell with heavy thuds against the tin roof and glass windows. A few students could be seen stowing something in their lockers, or else jogging to class. Two boys, however, didn't seem to be in any particular hurry. The taller, yet younger of the two spoke up first.

"Ano Shishido-San…"

The light that glided from the windows shone on his silver hair.

"Yeah?"

The shorter boy barked back. His voice was obnoxious and harsh. The hair on his head was choppy and brown. He seemed to scowl, though he was not particularly angry at anything. The younger boy flinched and looked away, going pink.

"Chotaro, if you are going to say something say it. We don't have all day."

Ohtori, Chotaro blinked a pair of largish copper eyes and glanced over.

"It's nothing. I was just going to say that maybe tennis practice will be canceled because of the rain…"

Shishido shrugged.

"Shishido-San…"

"For God's sakes what?!"

Shishido snapped at his kouhai. He glanced up, realizing that Chotaro was not there.

"Chotaro?"

He looked back. The younger boy was leaning against a row of lockers.

"Chotaro, hurry up. We have to get to class."

Chotaro did not budge.

"I'm sorry… It's just; I don't feel very well…"

Shishido made his way over to his doubles partner and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Well you shouldn't. Your freaking 1000 degrees or something. I'll walk you to the nurse."

He tried to grab Chotaro by the arm, but Chotaro slid down the lockers. Shishido squatted down and caught him as he slumped sideways.

"Dude, pull yourself together! You are seriously starting to scare me!"

Chotaro said nothing. Shishido could feel the heat coming off of him. It was powerful and… He could not describe what came next… Intoxicating? Whatever Chotaro had caught was probably contagious, his face was so warm. Guys didn't tend to hold other guys the way he was holding his lower classman. Whatever, it didn't matter now. He was sick and he was too heavy for Shishido to move. He was simply dead weight.

"Yo, talk to me!"

"Shishido-San"

His heart jumped into his throat. That voice was so soft. It was, if possible, painfully beautiful.

Chotaro's head spun. He felt hot, ill, and he was so tired. Yet there was gentleness in the warmth coming from his doubles partner. Knowing it was Shishido made feel safer. He felt that everything was going to be alright. He felt himself slip out of consciousness.

A freshman girl snuck past the two boys, without noticing them.

"Yo!"

She jumped.

"Yeah you with the hair!"

She was alarmed. Her young eyes bulged at the sight of the two. Shishido was not very popular with the freshmen. Most of them were frightened of him and only put up with him because they adored Ohtori-Senpai. Chotaro and Shishido were always together outside of class. The sight of Ohtori-Senpai flushed and sick scared the living daylights out of her.

"Yeah! I'm talking to you! Get the nurse!"

She squeaked and ran off.

He shuddered. It was too intense. The body pressing up against him, the lips against his, the warm, soft, wet something invading his mouth. He did not know how much more he could take of this. It was too good. A pair of hands slid down his back and up his stomach. He was so hot. He could not breathe. Relief came when the… Someone… broke away and began to nibble at his neck and down to his collar bone. He gave a shuddering, moaning sigh.

"Shishido-San…"

Ohtori, Chotaro's copper eyes flew open and he gasped. What, in the name of God, was that?! He gave a little start when he saw the nurse, inches away from him.

"It's just me Ohtori-Kun."

She was an older woman with graying hair and laugh lines. She had kind eyes. They were the kind of eyes that nurses should have.

"He just has a fever. It is pretty high. How long have you felt ill?"

Chotaro was suddenly aware of another person's stare. He blushed, even though it did not show through the pink flush.

"Um… All day…"

"What?!"

The silver haired second year flinched. That bark could not belong to anyone else.

"Neh Shishido-San…"

Chotaro could not look at him.

"I did not want to worry anyone… People always fuss… I just didn't want any trouble…"

"Well you have trouble. You should tell people when you're sick!"

Chotaro finally met his Senpai's eyes and his heart skipped a beat. Quickly, he averted his gaze once more.

"Sorry… I caused trouble…"

His voice was very soft. He was scared. What was happening? Maybe it was the fever.

Shishido sighed. Chotaro made it very difficult for Shishido to stay angry at him. He was just so… Shishido was not sure what he was. Whatever it was, it made him go all mushy and he usually forgot what he had been angry about. Shishido did not think he could play doubles with anyone else. He would yell at them and drive them away. Chotaro was different. He just couldn't yell at him. Even if he raised his voice, his kouhai's feelings would be hurt and he would sulk quietly until Shishido apologized. This trait was infuriating, but it made him special. Shishido laid a hand on his shoulder.

"We called your mom. She's coming to take you home."

Shishido could tell Chotaro was pouting.

"My mom has enough on her mind without having to pick me up…"

"Chotaro, you need to put yourself first sometimes. Seriously, you're killing yourself for everybody else's sake!"

A soft smile crossed the silver haired boy's pink face.

"You are exaggerating Shishido-San…"

Chotaro's mother arrived and picked him up a half an hour later.

Shivers ran down his spine. That sensation had returned. That euphoria of intimacy. He was on his back, being held down, but not forcibly. One, warm hand held his wrists behind his head. It was gentle with him. He was very hot and sweat poured from his skin. The familiar wet warmth pushed through his lips. He shuddered, giving a little moan. The person on top of him was warm. A hand was in his hair, making goose bumps rise up his neck. He could get any air into his searing lungs. They begged for oxygen, but he denied them. This was better than breathing. He moaned, loudly this time.

"Mmh! Senpai!"

Chotaro was, once again, face to face with someone upon awakening. He flushed, though it was hard to tell from the color the fever had produced.

"Neh Shishido-San…"

He blinked wearily.

"Why are you here? Isn't tennis practice going on right now?"

Shishido snorted. Chotaro thought he was a little too close.

"You really are sick. Practice was canceled because of the rain. You even said you thought it would. Remember?"

Chotaro propped himself up against the bed post. His Senpai was seated in his desk chair, leaning forward. His blue cap covering his choppy new hair cut. Chotaro thought Shishido was too sensitive about his hair. Ever since he cut it, he had been self conscious about it. Chotaro didn't care what his hair looked like, just as long as he stayed who he was. He had loved Shishido's long hair, but it didn't matter that he had chopped it all off. He was still Shishido. Chotaro closed his eyes. Everything was confusing. His mind was a blur and his heart was racing. Why was it doing that? Did fevers normally cause that?

"I just dropped by to see how you were doing."

Shishido reached over and patted him on the arm. Goose bumps rose at the touch.

"I should probably let you get back to sleep."

Shishido knew how Chotaro was about people being in the room when he was sleeping.

"No…"

"Sorry?"

Chotaro was blushing again. It wasn't the color of his face that suggested it, but his expression and the shift of his eyes.

"I mean… That is… You don't h-have to…"

Shishido was sincerely alarmed at this.

"But I thought you couldn't sleep when other people are around."

Chotaro couldn't look at him.

"I can't… Well… What I mean is…"

He took a deep breath in and let it back out heavily.

"You're different…"

It was Shishido's turn to flush.

"Just stay until I fall asleep again… Please?"

Shishido sighed, averting his gaze.

"Fine…"