5986 & 27 & R & B SHORT-STORY ~ FEVERISH DAY
Requested by: Carla
Topic: Nursing | Theme: Not specified when requesting
BLACK DOTS TURNING INTO A FAMILIAR CEILING
"… hmm…" "Ahiii! Gokudera-san, you're awake? Please tell Haru you're awake!"
Gokudera blinks a couple times. His eyelids feel heavy like lead, and his tongue feels all sticky and uncomfortable, and most of all, hot, so hot…
"Ah, wait! Don't try and move. You have a fever. Resting-time-desu…"
A fever… what is this stupid woman saying… and even before that, what is she doing h…
TILT. Gokudera's eyes snap awake as he shoots glances left and right.
These hanging metallic spotlights on the ceiling with dark powder stains from his dynamite training… These shelves filled with "The Wonders and Mysteries of the World" magazines neatly sorted by chronological order in-between stocks of dynamite… These grey bed sheets with a skull-pattern lining… it's definitely his apartment! So why is this stupid woman sitting there on the only chair available… why are her vest and umbrella and shopping bag resting on his study desk on the left as if she had been there for a while… Wait a sec'... She said 'fever'…?!
BAM. At trying to get a hold onto the bed table to stand, Gokudera makes a pile of medicine and ice-bags collapse and fall on the ground.
"Aaaah! What are you doing, Aho?! Haru took so much trouble to prepare all of that! And go back to bed or Tsuna-san will worry!"
TILT. More than her hands on his shoulders, the mention of Tsuna's name makes Gokudera react and he raises his wavering feverish eyes towards Haru.
"… the 10th…?" "Aye-desu! Tsuna-san asked Haru to take good care of you until they come back because he said Bianchi-san can't stay too close of you." "… guh, Aneki… no way…!" "Uuuuhhh! Gokudera-san, lie down, lie down, your face is all blue-desu! Here, water, water!"
Once Gokudera back under the sheets and his Bianchi-anticipating nauseas calmed down, he shoots a suspicious glance at Haru.
"So why are you here, anyway, Stupid Woman…" SNAP. "Haru is not here for an ungrateful aho like you! Haru is here because Tsuna-san and Reborn-chan asked Haru a favour! They were worried you never came to school and asked Bianchi-san for your address. Haru just met them on the way after school, and came with them to…" "The 10th… came…?!" "Of-course-desu! They helped to buy everything for you but then Reborn-chan discussed something with Tsuna-san and they left with Bianchi-san to let Haru take care of you." "… this twisted Aneki agreed to leave?! Are you messing with me?!" "Haru is not lying! Tsuna-san asked Haru to go and tell Bianchi-san I will help and that she could leave, and Bianchi-san even said she would support Haru because she understands the feeling!"
TILT. Gokudera's thoughts suddenly connect and he throws his face the other way with a huge ashamed headaches turning into an angry blush.
This stupid woman! How could she say something like that to Aneki?! Don't tell me Reborn-san messed around with this damn love-blinded sister of mine again to force her to leave believing she was leaving me with my girlfriend?! Damn it!
A couple minutes of cooling down later, Gokudera brings his head back in normal position, quite unhappy with the situation.
Summing up, I got sick, dozed off and missed school without even noticing, tsk… I should be by the 10th side ready to protect him instead of lying here! I am so unworthy to be his Right Hand! I caused him and Reborn-san trouble too… Damn it, even making the 10th come here… so lame!
BAM. The bed table is swayed again as Gokudera's hand falls clumsily on it for support.
"Ahiii, Gokudera-san, w-what are you doing?! Reckless-desu!" "S-shut up, Stupid Woman…"
BADABAM. Haru rushes back just in time to have Gokudera collapse on her like a dead-weight after having tried forcibly to stand up.
"Buuh, heavy-desu!" "… kof…" "Aho-desu! Baka-desu! Gokudera-san no baka!" "… s… shut… up…" "Buuh! Haru is mad!"
After long minutes fighting against gravity – this physics concept she majors in reminding her that it takes consequent strength to move a heavy mass from above you – Haru manages to struggle enough under Gokudera to slip out and stand up. She stares at Gokudera still lying and panting on the floor with a mixture of exasperation and concern, feeling his burning skin under her hands when she kneels by his side.
"You even made your fever worse! Annoying-desu! Haru won't let you mess up Tsuna-san's trust in Haru! Haru said she will take care of you, and she will take care of you! Fight-desu!"
Numerous pull-and-grab later, she manages to secure Gokudera on her back, piggy-back style, and drags the both of them towards the bed at the motivated speed of a tortoise under its heavy shell.
"Ahiii! Heavy-desu! Gokudera-san, you need a diet! Why so heavy…?!" "… sh… ut… up…" "Buuh, you'll have the right to talk when you'll get better, baka! Don't waste Haru's efforts when I promised Tsuna-san!"
BAM. Unable to take it anymore, Haru collapses head first on the bed, before trying to roll on the side and discharge her 'load' on the narrow bed.
Gokudera's arms leave her shoulders and she kneels on the bed to try and haul him up properly for his legs to get on the bed and his head to reach the pillow.
"Ahiii! Why so heavy…?! Baka, baka, bakaaaaa!"
Countless minutes of hard efforts later, Haru is panting heavily while finally pulling the bed sheets over Gokudera again, and she collapses on her knees on the ground to recover.
"Huf huf… So tiring…" She sighs while untying her messed-up hair to tie it properly again on the side before going for the shopping bag and its content.
From under the blurry veil of fever, Gokudera can't help gazing on the side at the one preparing another bag of ice and a glass of warm water to go with the medicine pills.
Why is this stupid woman trying so hard… It's not like the 10th will bother to know if she cooked congee properly when having nothing else than instant one and a kettle for hot water… It's not like he will be grateful to her or anything if she picks up his clothes and put them for laundry in the basket while preparing something clean for him to change from his sweaty outfit… It's not like he ever wished to see her making herself at home in his own room and care for him as if it was the normal thing…!
The aggravating thoughts make Gokudera's headaches worse and the fever even more painful, and he thus doesn't insult Haru when she holds the flu-medicine and glass of water to him.
"Mom always said it's easier to swallow when it's warm, so no-complaining-desu!"
TILT. Gokudera's annoying thoughts come to an unexpected end at the comment, and he can't help feeling suddenly blue.
Of course this stupid woman would do stupid things when she grew up in this stupid parent-children environment… It's not like he can relate with his own family being so messed up… Somehow, would it feel similar to this to have your mom taking care of you when you're sick… His only memories are the one of a long-haired silhouette sitting at a piano…
"Ahiii…?" Haru startles at seeing Gokudera hold out his hand to her like a zombie in a daze, and she comes closer to check if he is saying anything.
The next thing she feels is her hair brushing the skin of her neck and falling down on her shoulders as the hair-tie joins Gokudera's fingers on the bed sheets.
Why are his tired green-eyes so serious suddenly… he doesn't really look sad but still it hurts inside to see him look like that… not saying anything… just gazing… gazing with his shining green-eyes trembling feverishly and not letting go of her hair-tie… why isn't he letting go of it no matter how she tries to pull it out… his fingers feel so hot and sweaty with fever too… too hot… and why are his fingers squeezing not only the hair-tie but only her own fingers trying to get it back…
DOKI. Haru feels her cheeks burn at the contact and she walks away while abandoning her hair-tie.
After long seconds lost in thoughts while gazing absent-mindedly at the shopping bag, she tries and focus on getting the instant congee ready as it is already dinner time, but only manages to spill half of it out of the cup when looking more often at the patient in his bed than at the mixture. When she finally manages to finish stirring it into a decent white-looking thing, she turns to bring it to the bed, only to find that Gokudera has fallen deeply asleep, the medicine having quickly made effect.
"Ahiii…" Haru's expression crumbles a little, half dejected and half relieved, and she cautiously places the bowl of congee with its spoon on the bed table, before coming to sit quietly by the bedside.
His eyes are closed, but the eyelids are trembling imperceptibly, just like his green eyes were trembling before when he was gazing at her… His breathing sounds quiet but his forehead still feels very hot, probably as much as his hands from before… His heartbeat sounds a little erratic too, maybe… Haru is not sure when trying to compare with hers: is it a little faster for boys, usually… or is it that her heartbeat is not at the normal pace either… maybe she's becoming sick too… she feels hot too…
About two hours later…
"Why aren't we going in, Bianchi…? We came all the way too!" "No way. Love is a very important time for girls! I won't let you interfere." "Whaaat?!" "You're too loud, Tsuna." "BAM. "Ugh, what was that for, Reborn?! I'm just worried for Gokudera-kun and Haru!" "If Bianchi said it's alright, then no need to bother." "Reborn, my love! I knew you would understand!" "So that's it: let's just go home, Tsuna. Mama will be happy we're not home late." "Wait, you mean to let Haru stay over the entire night?! We were supposed to relay her!" BAM. "I said you're too loud, Tsuna. Haru is already asleep anyway, so let's just come early tomorrow." "Ugh! W-wait, what do you mean already…?" "Shhh!"
Inside Gokudera's room, Haru is indeed sleeping soundly on the edge of the bed - having collapsed after having sat for too long on the chair without anything to do - sleep-talking various things such as 'Tsuna-san being proud of her and giving her a reward hug' or 'Gokudera-san being an aho, so worrisome, why so worrisome, ahiii'.