Yo yo! I was really enjoying writing this chapter, AND THEN MY COMPUTER DECIDED TO DELETE A FUCKIN HOURS WORTH OF WORK! After cursing for 20 mins and convincing myself I DIDN'T want to punch my laptop… I sucked it up and typed it again ahaha DX SO, hope you enjoy this chapter, bring on the comfort! Thanks for following and commenting, you keep me smiling! 😉
"Koushi is unwell, but his parents are leaving him at home while they go on vacation?"
Mrs. Sawamura squinted through the blinding light of the sun rising as they drove, her brows lowered with disbelief. Beside her, Daichi sat in the passenger seat and scrolled through his texts. He too had his brows drawn down, irritation and worry overriding everything else.
"Not exactly, his older brother is in town and his parents planned a two-day trip." He said, his voice low as he read over the messages again.
"But their son is incapable of caring for himself, and they're still leaving?"
Daichi sighed as he skimmed over his four unanswered texts to Suga and then the text from Yuuto through Suga's phone.
Me: Hey, how are you feeling? Yesterday 6:19 PM
Me: I'm going to guess you're still passed out, text me when you wake up. I know you sleep like the dead, but I want to make sure you're not actually in a coma. Yesterday 7:30 PM
Me: Are you STILL sleeping?! I guess you weren't kidding when you said you were tired. I hope you wake up to eat or drink something. Yesterday 8:41 PM
Me: I'm headed to bed, but I'll reply in the morning if you finally text back. Get some rest, night Yesterday 10:21 PM
Suga: Hey, my parents are insisting they take me to a baseball game in Tokyo, and we're going to be out of town until Tuesday. Koushi has a wicked fever and told me not to bother you, but could he stay at your place until we get home? Sorry for springing this on you, I'm worried about him. -Yuuto Today 6:07 AM
Me: He's still running a fever? Damn. Alright, my parents are fine with that, we'll pick him up after breakfast. Today 7:12 AM Unseen
His eyes fixated on the small 'unseen' beside his response, and he frowned. Daichi was trying to be calm, but his blood was boiling. What would it take for them to pay attention to Suga? Winning the Nobel Peace Prize? Discovering the cure for cancer? Dying?
"I don't get it either, Mom. Maybe they can't get their money back or something. What I know is Suga is stubborn and won't ask for help. If we don't drag him out of that house, there's a good chance he'll end up in the hospital again. He's been acting weird… I don't think he should be home alone."
He gnawed on his thumbnail as he continued to re-read the texts, and his mother glanced out of the corner of her eye at him. Reaching over, she laid a hand on his knee and rubbed it gently.
"Quit biting your nails, honey, it's such a bad habit. Take a deep breath, everything will be okay. We'll get Koushi and bring him home. There's nothing a little smothering of Sawamura love can't fix, hm?"
With difficulty, he pulled his hand from his mouth and took a deep breath as she instructed. He rested his hand on hers and nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He exhaled. "Thanks for doing this."
"Koushi is practically one of my children, of course, we'll take care of him. You don't need to thank me for that, but you're welcome. Kokoro will be over the moon when she finds out he'll be staying for a couple of days, she adores him." She said, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she laughed."
Daichi scoffed and rolled his eyes with a smile. "Yeah, she does."
By this point, they had pulled onto Suga's road and were slowing down as they approached his residence.
"Right there, it's the one with the flowers on the porch." Daichi directed, pointing to the home, and noting the absence of the black car in the driveway.
Pulling their spacious SUV up, Mrs. Sawamura put the car in park and twisted the keys out of the ignition. As they stepped into the freezing morning air, they wrapped their arms around themselves and quickly made their way to the front door. Before his mom could question how they were supposed to get in, Daichi tilted the potted plant on its side and retrieved the key beneath it. He had half a mind to chuck the plant into the bushes, considering how much Suga's mother loved it but resisted. Had his mom not been standing there, he might have done it.
When they pushed open the door, the house was just as cold and uninviting as every other time he'd been there. The lights were off, and it was dim, but he did notice a piece of paper folded in half on the coffee table. He could see his name scrawled largely on the front and slipped his shoes off before retrieving it. Stepping into the light the nearby window offered, he opened it and read over the contents. The writing was scratchy and thin as if it were written in a rush.
Daichi,
I couldn't stick around to see your answer from Koushi's phone, but knowing you, you'll pull through. Thanks for coming on such short notice, I seriously owe you big time. Again. Anyway, Koushi's meds are on his bedside table, take the papers from the hospital with you. I could barely get him to eat last night, but maybe you can. Last I checked his fever was a little over 102, keep an eye on it. He's probably going to try to stay home, but don't take no for an answer. If anything happens or you need to get ahold of me, here is my number: (559) 658- 4474. Let me know when you get this.
Seriously, I owe you,
Yuuto
"What's that?" Mrs. Sawamura asked, toeing her shoes off as Daichi re-folded the paper and tucked it in his back pocket. He approached the stairs as he responded, and she followed behind him.
"A letter from his brother." He said, mulling over Yuuto's confidence in Daichi showing up. Before he'd had a chance to agree, the elder Sugawara had been convinced he'd come and left a note. Was he that predictable or did Yuuto simply have faith in him? Either way, he'd guessed right, and Daichi wasn't sure what that said about either of them.
"He said Suga's medicine is upstairs and to bring his medical papers too."
"It's a little reassuring to know someone in his family is concerned, Koushi must take after him." She replied.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Daichi led them down the hall and to the room at the furthest end of the house. The door was cracked open, but no light spilled out, an indication that Suga was likely still asleep. Daichi rested his fingertips against the dark wood and carefully poked his head inside as he spoke in a soft voice.
"Suga, you awake?"
There was no answer, and when the door was pushed open, they found him curled up and shivering on a messy bed. The covers had been kicked half to the floor, and Daichi could guess it was because of the sweat shining on his face and neck. He still wore his jersey under his warmup jacket and sweats, his hair a tangled mess. Although his hands were balled up and held close to his face, Daichi could see the bruising had spread across his cheekbone and morphed into purple outlined in yellow. The cut on his lip had scabbed over, but at least it wasn't bleeding any more.
Beside him, Mrs. Sawamura took in a breath and raised a hand to cover her mouth, her words muffled as she flew across the scantly lit room to perch on the edge of the bed. She smoothed her hand over Suga's messy hair and murmured fervently.
"Oh, baby, Koushi, look at you. How dare your parents leave you like this, you poor child."
Her voice was filled with emotion as she stroked over his head, and Daichi noticed Suga relax just slightly beneath the touch, the furrow between his brows softening. It had only been a little over a day since the match against Kita Wasaki, but the setter looked thinner, his flushed cheeks sallow and pronouncing the bruises beneath his eyes.
"Daichi, pull the blinds up to give us some light. He looks dreadful, I want to get him home and into a hot bath. Goodness, look at your face, poor baby…" She said, her hand repeatedly brushing the silver hair back from his damp forehead. "Do you know where he keeps his clothes? Can you pack a bag for him, honey?"
Without hesitance, Daichi went to the window and pulled the string of the blinds, nodding as pale morning light filled the room and further illuminated Suga's disheveled state. "Yeah, most of it is in the closet, I'll get some stuff together."
As he went about scavenging for Suga's overnight bag and necessities, his mother gently chaffed the teen's bicep, her words soft but rousing.
"Koushi, wake up, can you hear me?"
From the open closet, Daichi could see his friend begin to stir and blink blearily. His eyes unfocused, and his lids heavy as he tried to keep them open. When he spoke, his words were muddled and unclear.
"Mmh… Mom?...Thought you… Hmm…Thought you… Left? "
His mother's worry grew as he struggled to wake up, and she took his face in her hands as her thumbs brushed over his cheeks. "It's Mrs. Sawamura, baby. We're going to take you home and get you cleaned up, you'll feel so much better." She promised.
This seemed to rid some of the confusion, and he blinked a few more times to right his vision. "Mrs. Sawamura? Daichi?" He asked, looking around as he tried to make sense of what was going on. "What are you… Why are you here?" He asked, clearing his scratchy throat, and groaning as it likely irritated his ribs. His voice was gravelly and rough like he'd spent a week stranded in a desert.
"Yuuto texted me," Daichi replied, sliding a dresser drawer open and selecting a couple of cotton long-sleeved shirts. "He said your family was going out of town and he didn't want you at home alone, not like this."
Suga groaned and brought a hand to his face as he began to sit up, Mrs. Sawamura moving back to give him space to do so. "Enn… I told him I was fine. Thanks for checking on me… I can stay here, don't worry about me." He murmured.
Appalled, Daichi's mother's eyes grew incredulous, her temper flaring. "No, you most certainly will not. You are a child and you're injured and sick. I won't allow you to remain here alone, someone should be taking care of you. Although it doesn't seem as though your parents think so."
Startled, Suga blinked wide eyes and Daichi had to fight the urge to snicker. If he thought he was going to weasel his way out of this, he had another thing coming. Mrs. Sawamura might be kind and caring as a saint, but she was still Daichi's Mother, where did they think he got his temper? Despite everyone's assumptions, it wasn't his mild-mannered father.
"Uh- Uh… Really, Mrs. Sawamura—"
"Don't you 'Mrs. Sawamura' me, Koushi Sugawara. You're coming home with us and that's final. Now, open your mouth." She demanded, picking up the thermometer from the bedside table and promptly sticking it in his mouth as he tried to speak.
"Hold still." She said, gripping the thermometer and his chin keeping it in place as it took his temperature. With little option, he submitted to her demands, and let his shoulders sink as he shuddered.
When it began to beep, she slipped it back out of his mouth and frowned. "102.5, my goodness, it's so high. We can't leave you here, honey, it wouldn't be safe." She told him, her words softening but earnest as she put a hand on his knee.
He looked exhausted but nodded, the fight he had in him to resist, gone. "Okay, I'll come." His words were quiet, and Daichi had to remind himself they were doing what was best. His fever could reach dangerous heights if he were left here alone, and no one would know. Daichi wasn't going to let that happen.
"Make sure to pack him underwear and socks, everything he's wearing is going straight into the wash when we get home. Can you stand up, Koushi?"
Suga looked back and forth between Daichi and his mother, his ears tinting red with embarrassment. "Uh- He doesn't have to do that, I can pack."
He winced as he pushed himself to the edge of the bed and pulled his bandaged hand to his chest with a grimace.
"Don't worry about that, Daichi will finish up while we get you to the car."
"B—But I can-"
"Already done," Daichi said, tossing his briefs on top of the stack of clothes in the duffle bag, then maneuvering around an untouched bowl of oatmeal as he scooted the meds off the table and into the bag as well. Lastly, he unplugged Suga's phone charger and tossed it inside, along with his phone and the papers from the hospital. "Nothing left to pack, let's go."
Suga looked as though he wanted to resist but was out of excuses. He was outnumbered, and the Sawamura's were a force to be reckoned with. Daichi assumed he knew there was no point in being difficult because he nodded with reluctance and gingerly got to his feet. He swayed as he stood and put a hand to his head, but Daichi was there to grip his bicep and steady him.
"Easy, take it slow, there's no rush."
He was glad Suga accepted the assistance, and he allowed him to grip the fabric of his jacket with his left hand as they traversed their way back down the hall. After the near-disastrous fall off the bus steps, Daichi made sure they carefully took on the daunting task of descending the stairs. They halted whenever the setter felt dizzy, and they managed to reach the bottom without any casualties. When they arrived at the front door, the trio paused to slip their feet into shoes, and per his mother's insistence, Suga put on his winter coat. Daichi was beyond ready to get out of the cold lifeless house and back to the warm comfort of his own. He was relieved to be taking Suga with them.
When the injured teen was bundled up in a jacket and a light blue scarf, they stepped onto the porch and waited for Daichi to lock the door behind them, that is until Suga gave a violent shiver and prompted Mrs. Sawamura to usher him to her SUV. He was settled in the passenger seat as Daichi re-hid the house key beneath the potted plant, once again resisting the urge to trash the thing. The mental image of punting it across the yard came to mind, but he had to forgo this desire as the thump of the closing car door reminded him of his reason for being here. To help Suga. Making his life even harder by destroying his mother's plants would do more harm than good, so he abandoned the pot and jogged off the porch.
When he made it to the vehicle, he found his mom had taken the liberty of buckling Suga in before he could even try to reach for it. The captain was relieved to have his mom with him on this retrieval mission, she was thorough and Daichi knew Suga struggled to say no to her. On the drive to the Sawamura residence, Suga trembled despite the hot air blowing from the vents, and he watched from the back seat as his arms wrapped around himself, teeth chattering.
Because they didn't live far from one another, the ride was a short and quiet one, and Daichi used this time to shoot Yuuto a text, pulling the note from his pocket and typing the number into his phone.
Me: We've got him, and his fever is still really high. We're taking him home now, I'll text you with any emergencies. Today 9:09 AM Unseen
As he hit 'send' they pulled into his driveway, parking the car inside the garage, and triggering the light above as the door rolled shut behind them. His mom put the car in park and when the engine went quiet, she unfastened her seatbelt and turned her head to Suga.
"Koushi, are you hungry? Have you eaten anything today?"
Trying to focus as he unbuckled his seatbelt, Suga shook his head. "Um, no thank you, I haven't had much of an appetite." He confessed, shifting his body slowly to let his legs hang out of the car and stepping to the side so he could allow Daichi to shut it.
"You haven't been eating? No wonder you're running a fever, your body needs nourishment." His mom sighed, her expression full of worried exasperation. "Daichi, take him upstairs and draw a hot bath. Use the lavender soap and I'll make him some zosui and tea. Bring me his clothes when he's out of them, they'll need a good soak."
Daichi nodded, unbothered by the requests, and adjusted the strap of Suga's bag on his shoulder. "Sounds good, I'll bring them down once he's settled."
Suga looked ready to curl up in a closet and hide himself away, his shoulders hunched, and head bowed as if he'd done something wrong. He continued to shiver as they stood there, and Daichi could practically feel the fatigue radiating off him. It wasn't difficult to see he was very much unwell, and this bothered Daichi. Why couldn't the Sugawara's see how much he needed them, why did they make him work so hard for their acceptance? He didn't deserve to be an afterthought, and he wouldn't be while at the Sawamura household.
Just as he placed a hand on Suga's back to steer him forward, the setter jerkily bowed at the waist and squeezed his eyes shut. His voice was hoarse, but he spoke loudly as he remained bent.
"I'm sorry for burdening you! I'm sorry you have to take care of me—I—" His words cut off and Daichi suspected it was to cover a sob. After a moment, he spoke in a much quieter voice, and it came out in a broken whisper.
"I- …I'm sorry."
Silence echoed in the garage when he went quiet, and it was almost louder than Suga's apology. It lasted a few seconds, and then his mom rounded the car, squeezing Daichi's shoulder first and then reaching down to place a hand on the bruised side of Suga's face, urging him to straighten. He reluctantly did so, and it revealed his eyes were red and watery.
With the same tenderness she'd use with any of her children, Mrs. Sawamura brushed an unruly lock behind Suga's ear, her touch soft and light.
"Please don't apologize, baby, it's breaking my heart." She said, her voice oozing sympathy. She caught a tear that spilled over and ran down his bruised cheek, swiping it away gently. "We want you here, you're not a burden. Don't worry about anything while you're with us. We want to take care of you, it's our choice."
Speechless, Suga opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, then closed it. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and his brows pinched together as he responded in a wobbly voice.
"…Thank you."
…
Making it to the second floor of Daichi's house was an exhausting task. By the time they climbed their way to the top, Suga could have justified laying on the ground right there and calling it a day. Yes, he would have been content curling up on the cold wooden floorboards, but Daichi urged him onward, leading them toward the bathroom. He was decidedly over dealing with the constant headache that plagued him, but it showed no signs of letting up.
Giving out a sigh, Suga bemoaned Daichi tugging him along by the elbow. "Can't I just go back to sleep? Who cares if I smell?"
"My mom for starters," Daichi chuckled, pushing open a door on the right and flipping the light switch before guiding him inside. "But if you're staying in my room for the next couple of days, I don't really want a smelly roommate."
Suga grunted as he shielded his eyes from the glaring light above, his lower lip protruding in a petulant pout. "You wouldn't have to worry about a roommate if you hadn't kidnapped me, you know."
Daichi ignored Suga's dour mood as he slipped the bag from his shoulder and set it on the bathroom counter. It was a very traditional Japanese-style bathroom with plenty of space for them both to move around. On one wall was a sink and cabinet, and the other a large rectangular tub, a toilet beside it. "And I wouldn't have had to kidnap you if you'd seen logic and come willingly." He replied.
Suga didn't respond to this, but further set his chin in a stubborn pout as his body was wracked with another shiver. He was freezing and sweating at the same time, the last thing he wanted was to strip the warm clothes from his bruised body, but that's exactly what Daichi ordered him to do as he pushed his sleeves up and turned toward the tub.
Hesitant, Suga unzipped his warm-up jacket, then gripped the cuff of the sleeve and carefully maneuvered it over his throbbing hand. Looking down caused him dizziness, but he pushed through it and pulled his arm out of the other side before dropping the article to the floor. With a grimace and a deep breath to steady himself, he moved on to his sweatpants and slowly shimmied them down before stepping out of them. He'd only just begun his one-handed struggle with his jersey when Daichi stood back up and shook the water from his hands. Seeing the grimace on his injured friend's face, he offered his assistance.
"Here, let me help."
As much as Suga wanted to accomplish the task on his own, he had to admit he didn't think he could manage without further aggravating his many sore spots. With that in mind, he allowed Daichi to take hold of his jersey sleeve so he could get his arms out, and then they worked together to pull the collar over his head without disturbing the cut hiding beneath his hair.
While Daichi went to rustle around in the cabinet beneath the sink, Suga hooked his thumbs into his shorts and briefs, pushing them down, then kicking them into the pile with the rest of his clothes. In the middle of the bathroom, Suga stood naked and shivering, his arms wrapping around himself while he waited for the tub to fill. He knew the bruises covering his body were on full display, but he kept his eyes on the steam rising from the surface of the water to ignore his reflection in the mirror.
"Here, put this on," Daichi said, returning to him with a plastic shower cap and prompting Suga to raise a brow.
"Uh, I should probably wash my hair, don't you think?" He asked, reaching up to pinch a greasy lock between his fingers for emphasis.
"It's not for your hair, it's to keep your hand dry. Give it here, I'll show you."
Suga's fevered brain was too scrambled to decipher his meaning, so he did what he was told and offered his bandaged hand to Daichi, watching with curiosity as he slipped it on. To hold the cap in place, he procured a hair elastic and slid it onto his wrist. "There, see? Now it shouldn't get wet."
He gave a contemplative hum and inspected Daichi's handiwork with approval. "Good idea, I completely forgot about that."
Daichi gave an easy smile as he went back to the counter to retrieve the lavender-scented soak. "I broke my wrist when I was nine, my mom came up with this So I could shower. It works better than you'd think. Let me put the soap in the tub and you can get in."
Lagging behind the other teen as he went back to the bathtub, Suga gave a tired smirk despite the chills that continuously assaulted him. His teeth chattered, but that didn't stop him from razzing his friend. "You'll m-make a good housewife one day, D-Daichi."
Daichi rolled his eyes as he squeezed a liberal amount of soap into the water. He deadpanned as he snapped the lid closed and stared at him. "Shut up and get in before I fill the rest with cold water."
Shuffling to the side of the tub, Suga held onto the edge with his good hand and wobbled. "So m-mean, Daichi."
"Yeah, I'm the mean one. Be careful."
To ease his anxiety, he took hold of Suga's arm until he was fully in the tub. As soon as he sank beneath the water, his eyes closed, and the teasing smirk left his lips. Warmth engulfed him, and the relief was so intense he involuntarily let out a soft whimper. The noise must have alarmed Daichi because he leaned over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
Keeping his eyes and mouth shut, Suga nodded minutely and absorbed the first bit of solace he'd had in a while. The lavender fragrance mingled with the steam floating around him, and it added another level of peace. He took in a slow deep breath, then let it out in a sigh as he leaned his back against the wall. It eased the soreness in his muscles, and immediately he felt the desire to fall asleep. He wanted to do just that, but Daichi's voice interrupted him.
"I'll give you some time to warm up and soak while I run your clothes down to my mom. I'll help you wash your hair when I get back, I don't think you'd get far one-handed. Call if you need anything."
Suga's response was another soft sigh as he nodded, then he let his heavy head sag forward. Daichi must have understood, because there were soft footsteps that drifted away from him, and then the sound of the door squeaking open and clicking shut.
He hated to admit it, but he was so thankful the Sawamura's had forced him to come. Being a burden on them and forcing them to worry about his welfare, still weighed on his mind… But maybe… Maybe for just this moment, he could let them care for him and let go. The voice in the back of his head lectured him for needing so much help, but their kindness felt so genuine. Would it really hurt to enjoy this brief peace?
His thoughts swirled around in the limbo of half-sleep, half-conscious, for an unclear amount of time, and then there was a noise fighting for his attention. A repetitive sound knocked at his awareness, but what was it?... Possibly, knocking? As his mind drifted back slowly, there was a new noise, and it was accompanied by a sudden cold breeze.
"Hellooo, is no one in here?"
Suga's eyes were heavy as they fluttered open, but then he gasped, and his hands flew beneath the water to cover himself. From the bathtub, he opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, his mind went blank. "U-Uh-"
"Who left the bathroom light o- AHH!" A scream followed the appearance of Kokoro Sawamura, and she slapped her hands over her mouth as stammered, red from her neck to her hairline.
"S-Suga-chan!"