Summary: Tao isn't coming down with a cold. Really.
Tend To
By Dark Ice Dragon
Tao was sniffling as M-21 and Takeo walked into the security room. M-21 narrowed his eyes and shared a look with Takeo.
He got a small nod in return. So Takeo had heard it too.
The rate of Tao tapping on the keys seemed to be same as usual, but if it was just the start of Tao coming down with something...
"Heeey," Tao said, a cable slithering out from his sleeve and waving at them. "It's not that late."
"And you're not so engrossed you haven't noticed the time," M-21 said, a smirk curling his lips. "Good."
The cable swatted at him and M-21 flicked it away.
"It's time for dinner," Takeo said, shaking his head at their antics.
Tao stopped, the cable slipping back under his sleeve. "Oooh, right."
"You're still busy enough you forgot when dinner was," M-21 said as Tao stretched, pushing himself away from the desk.
"I was multitasking other things." Tao stuck his tongue out at him. Tao didn't look sick, the bags under his eyes the same as they usually were.
Hm. They'd still have to keep an eye on him. If Tao was showing signs of being ill, he was probably close to needing bedrest.
"But I'm not gonna multitask dinner!" Tao said, hooking his arms around M-21 and Takeo's elbows. "Who cooked tonight?"
"Not sure..." Takeo said as they left the security room.
"Well," Tao said, swinging from M-21 and Takeo's arms, "one way to find out!"
xOx
Tao hadn't been seen since dinner, so once he'd finished making the hot chocolate, Takeo brought it down to the security room.
Tao was there, and he didn't seem any different from what he was normally like, slight sniffles aside. Tao hadn't done it much at dinner, but enough that Takeo was sure the others at the table had picked up on it but were too polite to bring it up.
While the room did house the security pc and that heated up the room whenever Tao made it do something that he was used to doing himself, the room was still large enough that it took a while for it to warm up. Hm.
"Hey, Tao," Takeo said, and smiled when Tao turned his head towards him.
"Mm - oooh, Takeo, you're the best!" Grinning, Tao took the mug from Takeo, bringing it close to his face and breathing it in, his fingers curled around the mug.
Tao blew over the drink and sipped it. "Mmm-!" Tao curled up one of his cables, flattening it so it became a coaster. "Was I working that long?" Tao said, glancing at the clock at the corner of his monitor.
Takeo shook his head.
"Heh. Checking up on me then?"
Takeo smiled again. "Of course."
"I'm fiiine," Tao said, waving the mug a little. "And I'll make sure I go to bed early."
That might have been too late for whatever Tao had caught, but it would help with his recovery.
xOx
When M-21 brought down a hot water bottle the next day, he was greeted with a sneeze and a grumble.
Tao squinted at the hot water bottle before taking it from M-21's hands, sighing as he wrapped his arms it. "I know why you're doing this," Tao said, his breathing sounding a little deeper than usual. "I'm fine."
"Which is why you're hugging it," M-21 said, making no move to take it back.
"That's because it'd be a waste if I didn't use it!" Tao said, hugging the bottle tighter. "And the project should be getting finished by now!"
"Was that deadline actually given to you," M-21 said, raising an eyebrow, "or self-imposed?"
Tao huffed, his gaze sliding away for a second. "Self-imposed," he admitted, "but really, something like this shouldn't take this long."
"Then you shouldn't be working that hard on it," M-21 said and Tao groaned.
"I'm gonna get this done," Tao said, determination written all over his face and M-21 sighed.
"Don't overwork yourself."
"I won't."
xOx
Tao didn't notice when Takeo slipped in, still focused on what he was working on. His typing was slower as he paused to sneeze, squinting at the screen.
When Takeo placed his hand on Tao's shoulder to get his attention, Tao twitched before smiling up at him. His eyes widened at what was in Takeo's hand. "You're a lifesaver, you know that?"
"I don't think a box of tissues would save your life," Takeo said, smiling as Tao opened it.
"Hey, if you're really creative, I bet you can!" Tao grabbed a handful of tissues and cleared his nose. "Whew, that's better!" He leaned back after dropping the tissues in the bin. "And I wouldn't want my snot all over my baby, right?" Tao patted the tower.
"How long do you think you have left of the project?" Takeo asked.
Tao shot a sullen look at his pc. "Not long now, if nothing else crops up.
"Argh, I don't get it!" Tao said as he grabbed more tissues. "My immune system is better than this! They can totally take on different viruses at once!"
"Only if you're well rested."
Tao waved a hand. "Gah. Soon. Then I'll rest. Maybe for a week." Tao wrinkled his nose, and then dived back into work.
After making sure the tissues were within reach, Takeo left Tao to it.
xOx
The security room was suspiciously quiet when M-21 and Takeo entered, and M-21 peered in Tao's direction. No movement, but he could see Tao was in the chair.
Tao had listed to the side, his eyes almost fully closed.
"You done?" M-21 asked as Takeo checked the pc.
"Huh?" Tao jerked and blinked at him and Takeo. "Y-yeah, wh-" His face scrunched up and he sneezed a second later.
"Because we're taking you straight to bed," M-21 said, lifting Tao out of his chair.
Tao didn't even protest, leaning against M-21 with a sigh, which said how ill he was.
Takeo tucked the chair away and brought what was left of the tissues.
Tao was already dozing again by the time they reached M-21's room and he didn't stir when M-21 put him down on the blankets Takeo set out on the floor.
That done, M-21 and Takeo curled up on either side of Tao, making sure he wouldn't be able to slip away without them noticing and drifted off to sleep themselves.
xOx
Tao woke up, warmth pressing on all sides, his nose almost completely blocked. He stared up at the ceiling for a second before reaching for the box of tissues by his head.
Even that movement made Takeo and M-21 tighten them arms around him, and Tao wheezed a chuckle.
"M'not going anywhere," he promised their sleeping faces. Now that he wasn't focused on finishing up, he could tell just how sick he was. He was hotter than he should be, even accounting for Takeo and M-21 being there, and he could hardly breathe through his nose.
He sank back under the blankets once he was finished with the tissues.
He was going to sleep the damn sickness off. No more work. He'd earned the break.
Written for the anon who asked for 'Tao coming down with a cold and refusing to stay put because he has a lot of work to do, and Takeo and M-21 taking care of him'.