I own nothing
"Ah crap," Ritsu muttered, looking at the thermometer.
Ritsu Onodera wasn't feeling too good when he left the Marukawa Publishing Company yesterday evening. Not wanting to worry Takano, he told him he was busy with some editing and that was why he couldn't visit his place that night. When Takano said he could help him, Ritsu declined and told him he could do it on his own. Once he was home, he changed into his pajamas and got out a thermometer from the kitchen cabinet. He turned it on and stuck it under his tongue, waiting for the reading while he made himself tea. It beeped after pouring the tea into a mug. He had a temperature of 37.5°C. While not a fever, it was slightly higher than normal for him. So, Ritsu decided to turn in early after he drank his tea and relaxed for a little bit, deciding that he'll feel better in the morning after a good night's sleep. Later that night, however, Ritsu couldn't sleep. He had gotten a cough that kept on disturbing his rest. Then, when he woke up that morning, Ritsu felt absolutely awful. So he got up and decided to take his temperature again. He sighed deeply at the results.
"Ah crap."
His temperature was at 38.5°C.
He knew he couldn't go to work, not with the fever he was running, and he has editing to do for a manuscript that's due fairly soon. He sighed again, a cough escaping from his lips.
"I better call in," he muttered hoarsely.
He reached for his cell phone. But he suddenly stopped.
'I can't call him,' he thought. 'Takano would worry.'
He sat down on his couch and stared at his phone, thinking, occasionally coughing. Then, he grabbed his phone and began to dial Kisa's number.
'I'll have Kisa fax me the manuscript,' he thought, holding his phone up to his ear. 'And he could cover for me.'
The phone ran a couple of times before Kisa answered.
"Kisa Shouta," the older man said in a bored tone.
"Kisa," said Ritsu. "Can you fax me the manuscript that's sitting on my desk?"
"Yeah, I can," said Kisa as he reached over and grabbed the papers. "Why?"
"I'm sick today and can't come into work," the younger man answered, coughing a little. "Also, can you cover for me?"
"Why?" Kisa asked, getting up and going to the fax machine.
"I don't want Takano to worry about me," said Ritsu, leaning back on the couch. "He's got enough on his plate."
"Oh I don't know Ritsu," said Kisa, wincing a little, looking around as he punched in the fax number for Ritsu's fax machine. "If Takano finds out I've lied to him..."
"I'll tell him I told you to," he interrupted.
Ritsu heard a sigh on the other side.
"Ok," Kisa told him. "I'll do it. But you owe me if I'm caught. By the way, I'm sending the papers now."
"Ok, I will," said Ritsu with a nod, giving off a small cough. "And thank you."
"No problem," said Kisa with a smile but then turned serious. "But get plenty of rest, ok?"
"I will," the other repeated. "Have a good day."
"Thanks," said the other editor. "You too."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Ritsu closed his phone before setting it down on the table and going over to the fax machine. He grabbed the papers and sat down on the couch, beginning to work on editing them.