Disclaimer: I do NOT own PoT
Pairing: Inui Sadaharu X Ryoma Echizen
Note: Some of you guys asked me if I'm dropping this and my answer is NO. It just takes me some time to write but I'm definitely writing this to the end. Same goes for my other fic. So, please, try to be patient and keep sending your love. Thanks and enjoy!
Word Count: 1, 446
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Chapter 3
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A couple of hours passed before Ryoma blinked his eyes open, feeling strangely sluggish. It took him a moment to realized that he was lying down on a bed. And another moment to realized that there was a hand resting on the side of his head. He turned to see Inui reading a book. The older boy seemed unaware that his thumb was making small circles on Ryoma's temple.
"Senpai," Ryoma called, his voice sounding rough and small.
"Echizen," Inui immediately turned to him. "How are you feeling?"
Automatically, Inui's hand moved to brush back Ryoma's fringe.
"Fine," Ryoma answered, feeling otherwise. He closed his eyes.
After a few heartbeats, he opened them again and looked up at Inui. White-tinted eyeglasses met his stare. Ryoma felt the familiar curiosity rise within him. Along with it came the familiar annoyance at not being able to see the older boy's eyes. Not for the first time, he found himself wanting to reach up and snatch those annoying glasses away. He considered it now, thinking he'd probably be the first person outside of Inui's family to see those mysterious eyes. He wondered what color they are. Probably blue. Striking dark blue.
He was about to reach up – suddenly wanting badly to confirm his thoughts – when the hand playing with his hair moved to cover his eyes.
"If you don't stop staring, you're eyes are gonna tear up," said Inui.
Ryoma pulled the hand away and glared at the older boy. He stuck out his tongue and received an amused chuckle in return. Ryoma glared even harder.
Just then, the door opened and in bounced Kikumaru. Following him at a more sedate pace were the rest of their team members.
"Ochibi~!" And then came the death-hug. "How are you feeling, nya~?"
Before Ryoma could even recover from being suffocated, his face was already being pinched and prodded as Kikumaru took it upon himself to check his temperature. "You're so warm, Ochibi~!" Kikumaru observed. "You still have a fever, nya~!"
Ryoma just blinked. "Your hands are cold, Kikumaru-senpai," he observed back.
Kikumaru paused. He seemed taken aback by Ryoma's deadpan voice. But then he grinned like a Cheshire cat, pats Ryoma on the cheeks, and cheerfully announced his conclusion. "I see you're the same as ever, Ochibi~! You're gonna be fine, nya~! Hai, hai~!"
Momoshiro nodded enthusiastically, obviously in agreement.
Ryoma stopped paying attention to them.
"It's a good thing that Inui was there with you," said Fuji as he sat down on the foot of the bed.
"That's right, Echizen," seconded Oishi, ever the concerned one. "What if Inui wasn't there when you fainted? It would have been too late when someone finds you."
Ryoma scowled. That sounded a little too extreme to him. Apparently, Kawamura think so, too, because he commented with a sweatdrop, "T-too late? It's not as if he's going to die, Oishi . . ."
The Vice-Captain, already busy scolding Kikumaru for playing with the medical equipment, didn't hear this. "Eiji! What are you doing!? You can't use that as a ball! Mou . . ."
"Still," said Fuji, addressing the – somewhat – normal people in the room. "I think it's better for Echizen to stay home for at least a couple of days." He looked over to Tezuka and he continued, "Ryuuzaki-sensei will probably order it anyway when she finds out . . ."
Tezuka readily nodded his assent. He was already thinking on it even before he received word that Echizen was brought to the Nurse's office. Fever is a nasty business and for Echizen to experience it for the first time, the boy was probably feeling more than worse.
Tezuka looked at Echizen now and sure enough, the boy was pale and he's looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. He was about to open his mouth when he noticed Inui's hand playing with Ryoma's hair. He raised a brow but the data-gatherer just looked at him blankly.
Ryoma, for his part, have his eyes closed and is ignoring everyone in the room.
Tezuka heaved a sigh. "I'll talk to the coach. Oishi, you're with me. Inui, you take care of Echizen. The rest of you, go home. Dismissed!"
….
Someone, tell me again how I ended up here?
Ryoma wanted to ask for nth time that afternoon.
He was in a car with his senpai-tachi. To be more specific, he was in Fuji's sister's car with four of his senpai: Inui, Momo, Kikumaru, and Fuji. The tensai was sharing the front passenger seat with Kikumaru while Momo and Inui sat on either side of Ryoma in the back. It wasn't exactly a tight fit, but it wasn't very comfortable either. No. In fact, the short ride home was making Ryoma's head ache something fierce.
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Ten minutes ago . . .
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"Can you walk home, Echizen?" Inui asked him.
Ryoma twitched. "Of course. I'm not an invalid, senpai."
"Demo, Ochibi. You can't walk home. You're gonna make yourself even sicker," reasoned Kikumaru.
"That's not possible, Kikumaru-senpai." Ryoma answered dully.
"But, Echizen," said Momo. "If your fever get worse, you won't be able to play for weeks!"
Ryoma paused. He was sure that was an exaggeration. Right?
"Stop exaggerating, Momo." See? Kawamura-senpai thought so, too.
"76 percent says that walking home will exhaust you and make you even weaker, thus making your fever wors– "
Ryoma glared. Inui's speech came to a sudden halt.
" . . . hai. Arigatou, Nee-san." Came Fuji's voice as he reentered the room, phone on his ear. "I'll wait at the front gate. I hope it's not any trouble . . . Yes . . . Bye."
"That's it!" Kikumaru exclaimed. He grinned at Fuji and gave him a thumbs up.
Fuji blinked.
Five minutes later, they were pushing inside the car, trying to make themselves comfortable in the small space.
Thank God, Fuji-senpai's sister was understanding.
…..
"Daijoubu ka, Echizen?" Inui asked as he watch the scowling boy. Obviously, Ryoma wasn't. He could feel Ryoma's body heat through the minute distance that separated them and he could easily tell that the fever was getting worse.
Ryoma had been staring at his lap during the ride, but he looked up at Inui's question. He sniffed. "My head hurts, senpai."
Inui blinked then promptly blushed. He coughed and looked to the side. Why was his face heating up?! He cleared his throat and looked back down at Ryoma.
The boy's eyes were glassy and wet – as if he was about ready to cry. There was a slight blush on his cheeks, and his lips were pale but red-bitten at the same time. Inui, being a man with a wide range of vocabulary, immediately thought of words to associate with the look. Cute. Flustered. Hot. Sexy. Ravished. Orgasmic- Shit. What? WHAT? Stop.
He cleared his throat.
"It's the fever," Inui said, trying to sound clinical. "It won't be long now. You can rest comfortably as soon as you get home. I recommend that you drink lots of water before going to bed. That will help your body cool down."
Ryoma nodded then rubbed his arms. He was already wearing his jersey but he still feels cold. Suddenly, a much bigger jersey was covering him.
He looked at Inui and found him looking out the window, the slightest of blush on his face. He was down to his school shirt, looking uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassed. Ryoma smiled.
"Thank you, senpai." He burrowed deeper into the jersey-blanket, leaned sideways to Inui, then closed his eyes.
Inui didn't say anything. He continued looking outside, telling himself to think about something else. Like the training menu. Or his Vegetable Juice Drink. Or that book about mosquito bites that he'd been reading earlier at the Nurse's Office. Surely, it'll be so much more productive than thinking about the golden-cat-eyed boy beside him. Inui frowned. Why was he thinking about him, anyway?
….
"Saa," Fuji intoned, smiling to himself. "This is interesting."
"Hmm?" Kikumaru asked distractedly. "Nani, nani? What's interesting, Fujiko~?"
Fuji's smile widen. He shared a look with his sister. Both of them glanced up at the rearview mirror and watch the three boys at the back. Two of them were asleep. Momoshiro have his head tilted to the side, against the window. He was snoring, having fallen asleep five minutes into the ride.
The other one that was sleeping was Ryoma. He was leaning against Inui. No, Fuji corrected himself. Ryoma was cuddling against Inui. He would probably deny it but that's what it was. But well, Ryoma was sick so the needy action was understandable. Inui's reaction, however . . .
"Really interesting."
"Fujiko," Kikumaru said as he tried to inch away. "Y-your smile . . . It's kinda creeping me out. Could you please, stop doing that, nya~?"
Fuji's sister chuckled.
….
Heh. So Inui was starting to become aware of Ryoma and Ryoma was starting to get comfortable with Inui's presence. Yes. It's definitely a good – and cute – progress. Don't you think so?
Please, write me a review. I would really love to know what you think. Particularly about Fuji. Suggestions are welcome, as well.
Thanks and much love,
Eftela.
