A/N: I received some awesome news today. My Twilight FF Meetings, Memories, and Destiny was nominated for top ten finished Twilight FF of August. If you would like to vote for me, I would greatly appreciate it. The link is www dot twifanfictionrecs dot com. You can vote once a day per device. THANK YOU! I know that this is an Ouran story, but since some of you read all genres and I'm not below just asking for the votes. LOL. Also, if you have not seen, I have completed a two shot for Tamaki/Haruhi entitled Against All Odds, and a one shot for Kyoya/Haruhi entitled Coffee IV. Check them out if you would like. For this story, poor Kaoru is sick, but at least the person he loves is his own personal nurse. Enjoy!

Chapter 7 – Force Fed Kiss

A cool hand brushed against his skin and Kaoru stretched in order to follow the sensation. It felt good on his heated skin and he didn't want to lose it. His fever was making his skin burn and he felt like he was on fire, and he desperately needed something to quench the burning ache. His skin felt as if it would melt off his body, his joints and muscles protested with every little movement he made, and his head screamed at him as it throb and pounded, turning his brain to complete mush.

What was he doing again? Where was he? He no longer knew, and honestly, he wasn't sure he actually cared; and yet, as much as he didn't want to respond, didn't want to do anything except to sink into blissful oblivion where he might find an ice bed to lie upon, a grating voice wouldn't leave him alone. Whoever said that some people's voices reminded them of angels when one was sick had certainly been delusional. To Kaoru, the voice added to his discomfort and was more demonic than angelic. People talking while he was sick were certainly from the devil and could in no way come from heaven above.

"Kaoru, open your eyes. I need to you drink this medicine," Haruhi tried to coax her friend to wake up.

Scrunching his face, he remembered why that was such a bad idea. He felt the lip of a cup press against his mouth and attempted to bat it away, and when that awful voice started speaking again, he tried to slap that away as well. Why wouldn't the sound stop?

"Kaoru!" The brunette was trying to be understanding and caring because her friend due to her friend's sickly condition, but pushing away the cup of medicine she prepared and making it spill in her lap…her patience was wearing a little on the thin side. If he didn't take the medicine, she worried his fever would continue to increase in temperature. It had already gone up from 102.1 to 102.7. The fever patch wasn't working as it should and if he refused to take the medicine, it might just be better to get him to the emergency room. Of course she had made that suggestion an hour ago, and her father put the kibosh on that saying he had talked to Kyoya and the Shadow King said Kaoru didn't need a hospital. As the numbers on the thermometer continued to go up instead of down, she once again wondered if they weren't wrong about the analysis of the current situation. If he wouldn't take the medicine, then she might not have a choice in the matter.

Haruhi called out to him again, and still he did not open his eyes. The only movement he made was the slightly furrowing of his brow. Did she dare? She had turned the fever meds into a powder and mixed with water so that they would be easier to take, however, if he wouldn't drink up, then she would have to use other measures available to her.

One more time. Getting up, she pulverized the pills once again and mixed them in with another glass of water. If this didn't work then she was calling for an ambulance. She took her place next to Kaoru's futon, lifted his upper body using an arm behind his shoulders, took a swig of the bitter tasting drink, and then pressing down on his chin so that his mouth would open, she sealed their lips together and forced the liquid into his mouth. Now that his mouth was open, she massaged his throat forcing him to swallow the medicine, and when the liquid had disappeared, she gathered more of it and repeated the process. Lips to lips. She tried to tell herself that she was helping her friend, but it felt more intimate and she couldn't help but noticed how soft his lips were against hers.

Through the fog that had eclipsed his mind, Kaoru felt something pressing against his mouth. Were they what he thought they were? Slowly opening his eyes, he caught a glimpse of ivory skin and a mop of brown hair. At that moment, the only person that came to mind was Haruhi. Haruhi was kissing him, and therefore, this was a dream, and in a dream you could do anything you wanted to. Lifting his own arm, he wrapped it around her neck taking away her ability to pull back. Holding her prisoner, he mumbled, "I love you, Haruhi. Only you." With his declaration made, he sealed their lips together once again, and when she gasped in surprise, he took full advantage and plundered her mouth with his tongue. This was a dream anyway, so it didn't matter what he did. Ending the kiss, he was now satisfied and fell back into his dreamless state with a ghost of a smile appearing on his lips.

One minute her patient was confessing and kissing her breathless, to the point she couldn't think properly, and the next, he passed out and fell against his pillow. He was out cold and her emotions were in a frenzy. Did he mean what he said? Maybe it was just the fever talking, but he had called her name. Her name. No one else, only her. Suddenly, there was a new hope in her chest and she couldn't wait for Kaoru to feel better.

Her ministrations worked. Within 30 min, his temperature had gone down ever so slightly, and within an hour, he wasn't as hot to the touch. He would be all right, and she could finally breathe a small sigh of relief. He was still sick and she still had to watch him like a hawk – or so she believed – but at least his fever was going in the right direction now.

Taking a towel and a bowl of cool water, she stripped him of his shirt and started to wipe down his body. It wasn't as if this was indecent; after all, she had seen him in his bathing suit on more than one occasion. This was fine. Still she couldn't help but admire contours of his chest or how his flat stomach dipped here and there...her eyes following a couple of lines until they disappeared into his pants.

"Haruhi, why are you all red? Are you starting to run a fever too?" Ranka exclaimed and rushed to his daughter's side. "You're a little warm. Maybe you shouldn't have taken care of Kaoru!" He tried to jerk her to her feet, "Come on. You need to get in bed."

"I fine dad! I'm not running a fever, so you don't have to worry," she grumbled and continued with her task as soon as she freed herself from his bear hug.

Ranka took a step back and watched her for a moment before a knowing smile appeared on his red lips, "Oh I see. Giving him a sponge bath and my innocent little girl is embarrassed."

"I am not!"

"Then why are you red?"

"It's just a little warm in here. Open a window and let's get a breeze in here. Besides, it might help him to get a little fresh air as well."

"I see. Of course," he grinned and did as she bid; and as soon as he was in his room once again, he sent a text to Kyoya. A few minutes passed and he couldn't stand it any longer. He pulled out his phone and hit the call button.

At the Ootori mansion…

Hearing that he had received a text message, Kyoya opened it to find a video attached and as he watched it a smirk appeared. This was at least a little bit of progress.

"Takashi, why does Kyo-Chan look like he is about to have fun destroying the world?" Hunny asked his cousin. Indeed Kyoya did appear as if he was the cat that ate the canary.

"Mommy, you're scaring me…I mean the others! You're scaring the others!" Tamaki yelled.

His smirk growing, Kyoya announced, "It would appear that Haruhi managed to get Kaoru to take his medicine and then was duly rewarded."

"How?" The four other people asked.

Instead of telling them, he decided to put the video up on the big screen for all to see. Tamaki screeched before passing out muttering something about his daughter's lost innocence. Hikaru commented, "I didn't think she had it in her." Hunny inquired, "Does this mean they're together now?" And Mori shrugged in order to answer his cousin's question.

Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya announced, "This only means that the groundwork has been laid. My guess is that Kaoru may not actually remember what happened while he had his high fever; however, this is a step in the right direction." Before anyone could say anything else, his phone started to ring again. Seeing who the caller was, he immediately answered and put the phone on speaker, "Ranka! Your directorial debut is a success."

"Oh you are too sweet! Thank you!" Ranka giggled coquettishly. "And do you know what she is doing right now?"

"Saying her prayers and hoping her daddy will forgive her?" Tamaki pulled himself together in time to ask.

"YOU WORM! I'M HER ONLY FATHER!"

The blond could practically see the redhead coming through the phone and yelped. Afraid of what would happen to him, he dove behind the couch to hide.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses again and asked, "What is she doing?"

"Well, my dear boy, she is giving Kaoru a sponge bath and turning red doing it!" Ranka announced loudly.

A small squeak came from behind the couch, "A sponge…"

"I think that broke the boss again. His soul is escaping," Hikaru disclosed looking over the back of the couch and seeing the white cloud escaping from Tamaki's mouth.

"Leave him," Kyoya instructed. His attention back on his phone call, he said, "This is an interesting turn of events. How is the patient doing?"

"His fever seems to be coming down now that she was able to feed him the medicine," Ranka snickered. "Ah, my little girl is growing up and in love with such a nice man."

Hikaru's head tilted, "She is?"

"Of course she is! Did you think she didn't return your brother's feelings?"

"I wasn't sure. She's kind of…well…she's a little…

Mori and Hunny helped their friend, "Dense and doesn't show emotion."

"That would be it," Hikaru agreed.

"People change," the father responded. "Now if you will excuse me, my little girl is calling. I'll report in again later." He hung up without another word.

"So are we going to wait, Kyo-Chan?" Hunny inquired.

Nodding, Kyoya told the group, "It would seem Kaoru's illness has been a blessing in disguise. We will continue to monitor its progress." Inside, he couldn't wait to see what the next report would bring…maybe a wedding announcement?