Shuichi Saihara felt chillier by the second despite basking in the much needed warmth of his blanket. He knew he should be getting ready for school right now. On any other day he would be fussing over his uniform by now but he lacked any motivation to leave his bed. He imagined himself pulling his covers off and staggering to his closet and the mental image alone exhausted him.

Steady footsteps soon approached Shuichi's bedroom door. Footsteps that brought soft dread as Shuichi knew Father had no patience for laziness no matter what.

"Shuichi get up!" The elder Saihara huffed from the hallway. The door shot open mere seconds later, the blinding light from his lamp following a second later. Shuichi covered his eyes with his pillow, uncaring of the wrath that may follow his lack of discipline.

"The bus will be here any minute." Father barked, tossing the pillow aside as he faced his groaning son. Shuichi was paler than usual, his whine lacking any energy in it. The gears in the older Saihara's mind turned as he careful placed the back of his hand on Shuichi's sweat drenched forehead.

"Shit, you're burning up." Father mumbled. "How are you feeling right now?"

"Ughh." Shuichi grunted. Father hummed to himself as he studied his son. Shuichi was never one to lie, a boy who was normally excited to go to school. He certainly wouldn't go through the effort of faking an illness to stay home.

"Well, you certainly passed the eye test. Stay in bed." Father decided much to Shuichi's relief. As Shuichi felt a weight remove itself off his weakened shoulders, his father lifted his son's head and placed his pillow underneath.

"There you go, now I'll go call your school and let them know you're ill." Father spoke in rare delicacy.

Shuichi wanted to verbalize his gratitude but his aching body held his tongue back. He kept quiet at the risk of ruining this moment of tenderness. Unfortunately for him no matter what his action or lack thereof would be, moments like this were made to be interrupted.

As if on cue, a jazzy song rang out from Father's cell phone, his familiar ringtone. Father grimaced until he read the caller ID, hesitantly answering the call. He stepped away from his ailing son, turning off the lamp behind him. Shuichi tried to listen in to the phone call but could only pick up select words.

"My son isn't feeling good…" Shuichi heard his father plead to the other line. He heard nothing for a minute as Shuichi wondered what was being said to his Father right now. Was he getting called in to work again? Shuichi was told that a sheriff was never truly off the clock. Father was just lucky he wasn't getting called in around midnight again.

"I-I understand. I'll see you shortly.". A disappointing answer, but an answer Shuichi was painfully used to. Heavy footsteps approached his bedroom again, Father peeking his head through the cracked door. Shuichi recently noticed that Father never did look at him when he told him bad news. Could he not bear the disappointment that would fall on his child?

"I got… called into work for a meeting. Will you be able to take care of yourself for a few hours?" While Father phrased himself as if he was sincerely asking his son, Shuichi knew he would still leave even if he told him the truth.

"I-I'll be okay." Shuichi weakly lied.

Father sighed before retreating, returning with two water bottles from the fridge and placing them besides his bed.

"I'll try to be quick. I don't want to leave you alone like this for too long." Father assured, offering a small smile through his grizzled face. Shuichi turned his back, having heard that song from his father too many times to believe him anymore.

"Just get some rest. When I come back I'll bring you something that'll be easy on your stomach." Father assured as he left the room. He didn't bother looking back as he left his home to be anything but the hero he poorly masquerades as. He knew better than to keep Kuzuryu waiting though, she sounded particularly pissed.

Shuichi exhaled when he heard his fathers footsteps taper off from the background. He was alone now, likely for longer than promised. All by himself while he felt sicker than a dog, a saying he wasn't sure what it actually meant. Did dogs get sick a lot? He's never been around one longer than a couple of hours so he wouldn't really know.

Turning himself on his other side, Shuichi opted to follow Fathers advice and go back to sleep. His body surely agreed as his eyelids weighed down like stones in water. Maybe his father would be home when he awoke? A hopeful dream if there ever was one.

—

One year later.

—

Shuichi quietly stirred himself awake. He stretched his stiff back, his fingers brushing on the fabric back on the large couch. It felt like ages since the last time he's slept in the living room. In truth, it had only been four months. Shuichi didn't mind his familiar temporary bed though, he got the big TV all to himself. Yawning loudly, Shuichi felt his energy returning to him. More importantly, a residing chill crept up Shuichi's spine. His whole body ached, adding unnecessary fuel to his lethargic mood. He's felt this flu before, he knows it. He also remembered how Kaede missed school a week ago with similar symptoms. Perhaps sharing that straw at lunch wasn't a good idea after all.

"Rise and shine ursine." Komaeda sang as he approached the ailing child, a damp warm wash cloth in hand. "You feeling any better? Are you hungry at all?" He asked as he placed the cloth on Shuichi's forehead. Komaeda knew he's been acting like a mother hen all morning with his constant fretting but this is his first time taking care of a sick child. He made a note to thank Mikan for her eager advice earlier with one of the bottles of wine downstairs.

"I feel a little better at least, I think I could eat." Shuichi admitted as he stared up at the ceiling. "Could I have grilled cheese?" Shuichi humbly asked after pondering his guardians offer. He hadn't thrown up at all but his achy stomach was enough to deter any thoughts of a heavy meal.

"Absolutely, kiddo." Komaeda smiled. "Want any soup with that?"

Shuichi lit up at the thought of warm soup at this moment. A simple if effective remedy to his chills if he's ever heard of one.

"Tomato?" Shuichi simply asked.

Komaeda smirked. "Good choice, I'll go get started on lunch. Yell if you need me, okay?"

"Thank you Komaeda." Shuichi happily replied.

"You're most certainly welcome." Komaeda happily hummed.

Shuichi quickly turned his attention to the TV that had been running old Detective Conan episodes all morning. Who would have thought that Nanami owned the entire series box set on DVD? The inspiring adventures of the young detective were a nice distraction on an otherwise unpleasant day. In fact this sick day was infinitely more bearable than the first time he missed school. Shuichi wasn't used to having somebody like Komaeda dedicate their day to take care of him. He appreciated it immensely, even if he couldn't fully let go of the guilt of needing to be taken care of in the first place.

Shuichi removed the cloth from his dampened forehead, placing it right beside his 3DS. The same 3DS that was on the desk in his room earlier this morning. Nanami almost certainly placed it here for him, an unsurprising if appreciated gesture. The idea of starting the next Ace Attorney trial certainly sounded appealing now that Shuichi was waking up he did have to admit.

As Shuichi pondered how he was going to spend the rest of his day a distinct smell tickled his nose. Shuichi stopped and took in the buttery, cheesy aroma wafting from the kitchen. It smelled divine, his mouth watering thinking about his grilled cheese. Shuichi was so absorbed by thoughts of lunch that he failed to hear a car pull into the driveway outside.

Hinata emerged from the front door, a plastic bag in his hand filled to a near breaking point with bottles of sports drinks. He smiled at the sight of Shuichi looking content.

"Good afternoon Shuichi." Hinata greeted, closing the front door behind him with his foot. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little bit, my stomach feels less icky at least." Shuichi smiled.

"I'm glad to hear. You were looking pretty pale earlier this morning…" Hinata admitted, recalling his and Komaeda's collective anxiety while Nanami called in Shuichi from school for the day.

"Was I as pale as Komaeda?" Shuichi asked, far too delirious to remember what happened between waking up and falling back asleep on the couch.

"You were looking pretty ghostly… So yes, just like Komaeda." Hinata humored as he approached Shuichi.

"I didn't know what flavor of Gatorade you like so I got you a bunch of different kinds." Hinata announced as he gently placed the bag on the coffee table in front of his son. Shuichi perked as he searched the bag full of colorful drinks without getting up from the couch. Thumbing through the multitude of bold colors the choice became clear once he found fruit punch.

"Thank you Hinata!" Shuichi thanked with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

"Don't mention it buddy." Hinata smiled as he pushed the TV remote closer to Shuichi. "I'll put the rest of these in the fridge for later."

As he watched Hinata walk away to the kitchen an overwhelming impulse overtook Shuichi. An impulse he's been suppressing to say for a little while now. A little while meaning three long months for the timid child.

"I love you." Shuichi blurted out, a declaration he meant not only for Hinata but all three of his guardians. They selflessly opened their home to him. How could he not love them?

Shuichi went cold as Hinata stopped dead in his tracks. Turning around before the silence could grow awkward, Hinata had an unfamiliar joy gleaming in his multi colored eyes. A joy that quickly eased Shuichi before he could even feel the fear of rejection.

"I love you too, Shuichi."