Forever
Chapter 3: Fever time
A fanfiction by Kyo
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Thank you all for your reviews! I'm glad you like it! Here is the third chapter! Enjoy!
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There they stood. Each one of them on their very own puddle of water, shivering. The water was cold, the night was chilly and they were completely soaked, it was obvious that they would be shivering.
"You kids are so reckless! I believe it from Tanuki, but you Ken-san! You are unbelievable."
Kaoru, even in her state of coldness, could not help but protest at the nickname. "Don't call me tanuki!"
"B- b- but . .. Me- Megumi-san, it was m- my fault, I star- started." Kenshin's teeth were chattering.
Megumi sighed. "You two need to take a bath immediately. You'll catch pneumonia thanks to this, you two reckless kids."
Misao had gone for towels for them both, ignoring the mess the kitchen was and handed them to them trying not to slip in the wet kitchen floor.
Kaoru smiled at Misao and covered herself. "Th- thanks, Mi- Misao." Kenshin thanked with his chattering teeth.
"It's okay, Himura. I'll lend you some of Sou-chan's clothes. Megumi could you help Kaoru-chan to my bathroom?" Megumi nodded and they were off.
Soujiro was Misao's younger brother by two years. Kaoru had been his crush for the longest time, but Kaoru had gently declines all of his advances. Over time, he had given up, and started looking girls somewhere else. Kenshin and Soujiro were about the same size, even if Kenshin was older than him.
Misao lent him a pair of drawstring black pants and a white cotton T. Kenshin nodded his thanks and entered Soujiro's bathroom. After taking a long warm bath, Kenshin emerged dressed in the clothes Misao had lent him. Kaoru had just finished bathing too. She was dressed in some baby pink and blue PJ's Misao had lent her. Kenshin thought she looked cute in them.
In their absence, the guys had decided to make some changes in their sleeping arrangements. Now they would all sleep in the living room. There was more than enough space for them, in sleeping bags. Each one of them had their own sleeping bag. Boys would take one side of the living room and the girls would take the other, but they would still be in talking range.
"Misao-chan, where's Sou-chan? Isn't he supposed to be home?"
"Well, not exactly, there was a party at some friend's house, so I don't expect him till four or five in the morning, you know how he is."
Kaoru smiled. "Right. Sou-chan always liked hanging out with friends."
They prepared for bed. Kaoru didn't like sleeping in the middle, so she took one side. Misao took the other, and Megumi had to sleep in the middle.
None of the guys wanted to sleep in the middle either, so they made a game of dice. Sano lost, so he was forced to take the middle. Kenshin took the side in front of Kaoru and Aoshi took the other.
They talked for a while, about things without real importance, just small talk. Kaoru noticed that Kenshin was too quiet, but she thought that maybe he was tired from the day, and the week that had been hell. Misao was still lively when everybody only wanted to close their eyes and have sweet dreams.
Soon afterwards, though, Misao took notice of their condition and talked in whispers. Aoshi was still listening to her. Sometimes it didn't seem like it, he just closed his eyes and made no movement, but every time Misao stopped whispering, he would shift and turn and ask her why had she stopped talking. That kept Misao talking long after everybody was sleep.
She stopped for a moment. As usual, Aoshi turned to look at her. "What is it?" He asked in a whisper, noticing the sudden change in her attitude. She was sad or upset about something, and he didn't like that.
"Aoshi-sama. . .?"
"Hai?" He asked when she didn't continue.
"I was wondering . . . why is that you smile so little, Aoshi-sama?"
Aoshi was taken aback by her sudden and quiet question. "I . . . don't know . . ." Came his answer after some moments.
"You know you can talk to me, right, Aoshi-sama?" She looked at him with such hope that he couldn't resist opening his heart to this lively woman.
"I guess it all started after our parents passed away . . ." Aoshi murmured. He had never told anyone this sort of thing, but it felt strangely right to do so.
Misao nodded and coaxed him to continue. "I had to take care of Kaoru-chan who was only fourteen then, and Yahiko-chan, who had just turned ten. It was difficult. The government wanted to separate us and send us to different orphanages. Of course, there was no chance of us being adopted. I was sixteen then. Only with Okina's help could we stay together. It's been five years since then, but the hurt still remains, I guess. I felt so alone. We took it differently though. Kaoru-chan took it with a smile, while mine was erased from my face . . ." Aoshi finished. Misao thought she had seen something shine in his eyes, but it could have been only her imagination.
Misao pulled herself from her sleeping bag and crawled nearer to Aoshi.
"You are not alone anymore, Aoshi . . ." She whispered in his ear before placing a sweet kiss on his forehead. He closed his eyes tightly and nodded. She would never know how grateful he was for that simple sentence.
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Kaoru woke up with a shiver running down her spine. During the night, she had kicked aside the covers. She blinked a few times to get rid of the sleepiness. It was still dark. She covered herself again in exasperation. She was about to fall asleep again when a sound, so low she almost imagined it, caught her attention. It was low moan, of someone in pain or suffering. She sat up, startled, the last of the sleepiness washed out.
That's when she saw Kenshin, curled up in a fetal position, small and shivering. She neared him, alarmed. He was hidden inside the covers, all of him, without leaving his nose out to breath. Kaoru knew it was cold, but not that cold. She knew something was wrong.
"Kenshin? Kenshin?" She called, shaking him gently. The only sound he emitted was a low moan. She uncovered his face, worried.
"Kenshin, are you alright?" Kenshin looked at her with glazed over eyes, unfocused. He nodded, despite the fact that it was obvious that he wasn't alright.
She put a hand to his forehead, feeling his temperature. "For God's sake, Kenshin! You are burning up!" She exclaimed in a whisper, not wanting to wake up the others in such a sudden way.
"Kaoru, I'm so cold." He said in a tiny voice that melted her heart. He took her hand with his own when she motioned to leave to wake up Megumi. If someone knew what to do with a sick person, it was her. "Don't leave." He whispered. "I'm so cold, Kaoru. Don't leave me." Her heart melted some more.
"Don't worry Kenshin, I'm just going to wake up Megumi. She'll know what to do with you." She murmured, stroking his hair, damp with perspiration, even though he was shivering with cold.
"Don't leave me!" He insisted when she motioned to move to wake up the young doctor-to-be.
"Sshh, it's okay, I won't leave you." She had never seen Kenshin so vulnerable. "I'm right here with you, see?" He usually was the protector, never the protected. She sat beside him with her legs tucked underneath her. She placed his head on her lap and held his hand. Seeing that she couldn't very well move in that position to wake Megumi, she decided to wake up the closest person there was: Sano.
Without letting go of his hand, Kaoru punched Sano in the gut. He groaned and rolled over, but did not wake up. Kaoru groaned in exasperation. She tried again. This time Sano did wake up, almost screaming colorful curses to left and right.
"Sano!" Kaoru reprimanded after a particularly colorful one.
"What is it jou-chan? What are you doing in this side? You are supposed to be on the other side with the girls! If you wanted to make out with Kenshin that's fine with me, but do not wake me up! I was having a very nice dream, you know? No peace and quiet whatsoever with you around . . ." He murmured.
Sano was about to continue when Kaoru punched him again. Mentally, she promised to get back at him in the morning, when Kenshin wasn't sick. "Sano! Shut up and wake up your girlfriend! Kenshin is burning up with fever!" As if on cue, Kenshin moaned lightly and shivered.
"Damn! You should have said before!" Sano complained and moved to wake up Megumi.
Suddenly, a male voice that wasn't Sano's nor Kenshin's was heard. "What is it?" It was Aoshi.
"Nii-chan! It's Kenshin! He has a fever!"
Moments later, all the gang surrounded the shivering Kenshin, whose head was still on Kaoru's lap.
"You two shouldn't' have played with the water. That's why Kenshin is sick. Okay . . . no use reprimanding you for that now. Tanuki, go get some wet towels."
"Okay." Kaoru said and tried to move.
"No!" Kenshin's weak voice pleaded.
Megumi sighed. "Okay, stay with him tanuki. Misao, get those towels. Sano prepare some tea, it will help bring the fever down. Aoshi, please search for a thermometer."
They nodded and went for the things they had been asked for.
After an hour of expert caring from Megumi, Kenshin's fever broke down. They all went back to sleep, but Kaoru stayed with him. It was late, and she was tired. She guessed it would be three or four in the morning, but she refused to leave Kenshin.
There was a sound, like a door opening and closing. Kaoru squinted to see better in the darkness. "Who's there?" She asked in a whisper.
"Kaoru-chan?" An uncertain voice answered.
"Sou-chan!" Kaoru exclaimed quietly in recognition. She smiled.
Soujiro lightened a lamp to the minimum, only to see his surroundings and don't trip with anything. "Why are you awake, Kaoru-chan?"
"Oh! Right. Kenshin had a fever, and I'm making sure he doesn't get it again. If he does, I have to call Megumi."
"Right . . ." Soujiro murmured. In the dim light, he could see the way Kaoru tenderly stroked Kenshin's red hair and the way he held tightly to her hand even in his sleep. He felt a little pang of jealously but he was also happy for the two. Somehow, he had always known that Kaoru always declined his advances because she wanted to be with Kenshin. He had no hard feelings, he could not have hard feelings toward someone as gentle and caring as Kenshin. He had been his true friend, oblivious to his petty jealously.
"I'm going to sleep, Kaoru-chan. I wish Kenshin a speedy recovery." He said quietly with his ever present smile. Kaoru found his smile endearing but only in a brother-sister way. She couldn't see him any other way. She had known him for too long.
"Thank you, Sou-chan. Sleep tight."
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Kenshin woke up with the scent of jasmine on his nose. He blinked a few times to get rid of a dizziness he didn't know where came from. He had to smile at the sight that greeted his eyes once the dizziness was over. Somehow, over the night, Kaoru had ended sleeping next to him. Red and black mingled on the pillow. He stroked her cheek, as if making sure she was really there and that he wasn't dreaming. Kaoru sighed in her sleep and opened her eyes.
"Ohayou!" He greeted gently. Kenshin did not remember everything from last night, but he did remember that Kaoru had taken care of him.
Kaoru yawned and sat down. "Ohayou, Kenshin. Are you feeling better?" She tried to act cool and collected, but a hot blush spread over her cheeks.
He nodded. He noticed with some amusement that already bright light was illuminating the vast room. When he was with Hiko, he was forced to wake up before sunrise. Sweet aromas from the kitchen could be smelled, washing out any trace of sleepiness they might have had.
"Are you hungry?" He asked while he, too, stood up. They did not bother to roll up the sleeping bag, though, none of the other four had done so.
Kaoru entered the kitchen rubbing her eyes and yawing, in her PJ's and barefoot. Kenshin entered behind her in the same state of dress. The guys were preparing hotcakes.
"Ohayou!" Kaoru yawned to them.
"Ohayou lover girl and lover boy!" Megumi greeted with fox-ears. Kaoru and Kenshin almost passed out from embarrassment.
"Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!" Sano laughed after seeing their red faces. Misao tried not to giggle, without much success and Aoshi just regarded them kind of coldly.
"You know sis, your face looks funny when you blush." Aoshi said, which caused Kaoru only to blush harder while everybody just gaped at him. Aoshi had said something funny? (close to funny).
After tormenting them some more, Misao decided to take pity of them and let them have breakfast. The kitchen was still a mess, but at least it was not wet anymore. After the laughter subdued, Megumi asked Kenshin if he was alright and if he remembered anything that had happened last night.
"I'm fine." He murmured with a blush. It felt strange having everybody worry about him, he was usually the one worrying about them for some thing or another. "I remember little of it, though."
"What do you remember?" Misao asked slyly. Misao wanted to see if he remembered clinging to Kaoru almost desperately while he was sick, if he did so, then he would blush fiercely and they would laugh at his expense.
He blushed again. "I remember being very cold and then a voice, a sweet voice, calling my name." He said dreamily as if trying to picture the owner of the voice.
"That voice would be Kaoru's . . ." Megumi announced just as slyly as Misao. Kenshin's eyes widened at the comment and he refused to meet Kaoru's gaze. Not that he could have met her eyes. She was looking down at her plate of hotcakes, blushing hard.
"Anyways . . . " He continued. "I was very cold. Then I felt something wet and cold pressed to my forehead, and I drinking something bitter and horrible in taste." He said making a face. Kaoru giggled at that. She had had to convince him to drink it after the first sip, because he refused to do so. He made her promise it would taste better afterwards. It didn't though, but he didn't seem to remember.
"I also remember someone telling me to go back to sleep. I felt better after that. What's the real story?" Kenshin asked out of curiosity.
"Ask jou-chan." Sano suggested. He turned his curious amethyst eyes toward her. She smiled at her.
"Well . . . I woke up in the middle of the night. You were shivering. I went to check on you and when I was about to wake up Megumi you stopped me. So . . . I had to wake up Sano."
"Yes. She woke me up. None too gently, I tell you. So I woke up Megumi."
"Their voices woke me up . . ."
"And Aoshi-sama woke me up . . ."
"And then Megumi broke down your fever. That's the real story."
Kenshin nodded pensively. "Why did I got sick, though? Kaoru was just as wet as me and she didn't get wet."
Megumi shrugged. "Sometimes it happens. Anyway, it is getting late. I have to go home or Tsubame-chan will get mad at me. I promised I would help her in some project today."
"I'll give you a ride, kitsune."
"Oh my God!" Kaoru exclaimed suddenly. Kenshin looked at her with concern in is eyes. "What is it?"
"I completely forgot about Yahiko-chan!"
"Me too . . ." Aoshi admitted.
"We have to go." Kaoru urged. Kenshin looked at her with puppy teary eyes. He didn't want her to go. He had the perfect excuse to make her stay.
"You are still wearing your PJ's though." He said quietly.
She blushed. "Oh man!"
"Sis!" Aoshi whined.
"I'll be ready in five minutes!" Kaoru promised.
Kenshin tried to hide his smile by drinking from his glass of milk, but Aoshi saw right through it.
"I don't kick you only because my sister would kill me if I did."
"And because I'm faster than you." He quipped. "Besides, you wouldn't have let her go outside in PJ's, would you?"
Aoshi's eyebrow twitched. "Thought so." Kenshin added. "I'm going to see if my clothes are dry." With that said, Kenshin went to the laundry room.
"Misao-chan! I cannot find that top I had here, the one with the flowers?" Kaoru shouted from the top floor. Misao rolled her eyes from her place in the kitchen. "Coming!" She shouted. "I'll be back in a minute, Aoshi."
Aoshi blinked. He definitely noticed the change. When they were alone . . . she didn't call him Aoshi-sama, like last night. He kinda . . . liked it.
"Yep! They are dry!" Kenshin came into the kitchen with his dry clothes in hand, almost hopping in joy. Aoshi snorted at the sight.
"Really, Battousai. . ." He started, using Kenshin's nickname from school. After all, he was an expert in battoujutsu. "If you get any more girlie you get to be a woman."
Kenshin's eyes flashed amber for a moment. But was stopped from any further comments by Kaoru's presence. Just that moment, she entered the kitchen wearing a triangular top with flowers all over and hip-hugging jeans.
Kenshin's eyes lost all edge that very moment. She came hopping through the door. "Hey there. Told ya I was ready in five minutes. Let's go." She said lively. Misao came behind her, panting.
Aoshi looked at her with puzzled frown. "She came running all the way from my room, which you know is in the third floor."
They walked to the door. "Good-bye! See you later!" Kaoru greeted. Before she could even surprise herself, Kaoru kissed Kenshin on the cheek, he was delighted with that.
He waved to them till they were almost out of sight.
"So?" Misao asked slyly with a nudge.
"What?" He asked obliviously, unaware of the fact that his hand still held the spot where Kaoru had kissed him.
"When are you telling her?"
He blinked at her.
"Oh! Never mind!" And he locked him outside.
To be continued . . .
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Soooooo . . . this is the third chapter. Plz, if you liked it, write a review. It makes me happy! You wanna make me happy, right? My happy-meter need to be full for me to write another chapter! If you write ten reviews it will be full . . . plz? If not, I won't be happy enough . . .
