Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or any of its characters!

Tohma Seguchi struggled to sit up, using his hands to support him. The black satin sheets of the bed he and Mika shared clung to his sweat-drenched chest. He was breathing heavily. He looked at the clock and through sleep-blurred eyes read five o'clock. His normally silky, blond hair was soaked and like the sheets, clung to his body. He looked beside him and Mika was still sleeping peacefully. He wanted so badly to snuggle up to her, to feel her comforting touch drive away the demons that were tormenting his dreams.

He swallowed and cringed at the feel of even his own saliva touching the back of his throat. "Just dry," he thought as he started to climb out of bed to go to the restroom for a drink of water. His moving woke Mika.

"Tohma, where are you going?" she asked.

He tried to reply, but instead of his voice, a hoarse squeak emitted from his throat.

Mika sat up and quickly flipped on her bedside lamp. "Are you okay?" In the lamplight, she could see the new shade of pale her husband's face had donned with the exception of his cheeks which were as red as the sunset they had watched that afternoon.

"I'm fine," he whispered hoarsely, speech bringing a cringe of pain to his face.

She put her hand where he had been sleeping and instantly recoiled at the feel of sweat. "Come here."

He muttered as he sluggishly walked around to her side of the bed. She placed a cool hand on his forehead and gasped at the heat radiating from her husband's forehead. She moved her hand to his cheeks and felt the same heat. Before he knew what was happening, Mika had lifted him to the bed and laid him down.

"Stay," she barked.

"Mika."

"Stop talking."

"But I have…"

"I'm calling the other members of Nittle Grasper and the doctor. You are staying in bed, Tohma Seguchi, and that's that."

As Tohma lay in bed and Mika called his band members, Mika ran cool water over a wash cloth. Then she sat by Tohma on the bed and placed the washcloth on his forehead. He drifted in out of consciousness and the next thing he remembered he looked to his side and there was Kumagoro.

"Ryu?"

"No, it's Kumagoro."

"That's right, Kumagoro."

Mika shushed both of them, "Ryu, Tohma needs his rest."

"Tohma sick?" Ryu asked and poked his head over the bed. "Tohma sick." He crawled into the bed and snuggled up next to Tohma.

"Ryu!" Noriko sighed. "Leave Tohma-san alone."

"It's okay," Tohma whispered.

"Noriko, let's leave the two blockheads and get some tea." Mika started to leave, but Tohma placed his hand on her leg.

"Don't leave me, Mika. I need you."

Noriko smiled and said, "It's okay. Stay. Come on, Ryu. Let's leave Tohma-san alone."

"I don't want to go," Ryu cried and clung to Tohma's arm.

"Ryu, I'll be okay," Tohma said.

"Okay, bye-bye, Tohma." Ryu sighed, squeezing Tohma's arm one last time before slinking off after Noriko.

"Tohma, did you really mean it? Did you really mean that you need me?"

He nodded.

"Tohma, I love you. I don't expect…"

"I love you, too, Mika."

"You don't have to lie for my sake. I know you love my brother."

"Eiri would never have taken care of me so well. I really truly love you." He sat up and claimed her lips, pulling her down with him when he fell back. He ran his hand under her shirt along her bare back.

She pushed away and looked at him. "You're delusional, Tohma. You never want to do that with me of your own free will. I have to beg."

"Mika, I want you."

"Tohma, relax. You're going to…"

He collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

"Over-exert yourself." She smiled and pushed his damp, blond bangs from his eyes. Then she kissed him and said, "I love you, Tohma. I really do."