Author's Note:
Alright, I'm trying to be consistent with this but don't always count on a fast update. Haha.. *sweats nerviously* Anyways..so here it is, Chapter 2. Enjoy! :)
Chapter 1: Unexpected Visitors
Ritsu was once again in the kitchen pouring yet another cup of water. This evening was unexpected and definitely not going the way he had wanted it to. Shigeo getting sick was probably inevitable, Ritsu thought to himself. His brother had said it once before that after using a huge amount of his psychic powers that he'd feel a little under the weather. However, what had transpire upstairs could not have been what he meant.
Ritsu had never seen his brother this bad and it honestly worried him. Like, even after his fight with Claw's boss, he could still lose his brother. That was still a valid possibility. And to lose him over something as simple as a sickness just seemed almost absurd with all the dangers they had just lived through. It wouldn't be fair like cheating, or foul play or just very...unexpected.
Ritsu hated things like that. Hated not knowing or constantly being on his toes but then again who did. He scoffed at his own thoughts, realizing how silly it was to think he was the only one who felt that way.
After filling the cup with some water, he closed the fridge then just as he was about to leave the kitchen a nerve wrecking chill went down his spine. He turned around quickly, water nearly spilling from his hand as he nervously scanned his surroundings. There was no one but he could've sworn he felt something behind him, lurking. It was very unsettling. Maybe he was just being paranoid and he would've dismissed it if it wasn't for the small trace of psychic energy that lingered behind in the emptiness of the house. Someone was outside, distant yet fairly close. Close enough to feel like a threat for an insecure Ritsu who wouldn't let his guard down.
Ritsu crept to his living room window, trying to peer to the sides of his house when there was an unfamiliar knock at the front door. The younger esper froze in place, they weren't expecting company so who could that be? It couldn't be his parents otherwise they wouldn't have called earlier. A sick feeling of Deja Vu reminded him of when Shou had come that fateful day. Ritsu didn't want another incident that would disrupt the peace within his family. Not now at least; it was too soon. He quietly tiptoed to the door where he could faintly hear two voices talking from the other side. Then, there was another knock.
"Are you sure this is the right address?" one voice said.
"Just who do you think I am? I'm positive! I'm surprised you've known your student for this long and still don't know where he lives!" the other argued.
"I'm his mentor not his babysitter! How would that look for my image if I was meeting an underage child at his house!?"
"Alright, alright! Let me go check if anyone is home."
Ritsu was just about to ask who was there but nearly jumped out his skin when a neon green, flaming wisp floated through the door.
"DIMPLE!?" exclaimed Ritsu, holding his chest from the sudden fright.
"Oh, Ricchan!" Dimple raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing, d-don't just appear out of nowhere like that! You scared the crap out of me!"
"Sheesh, calm down! What else am I supposed to do, I can't just open doors the normal way you know. Like I mean I have hands but I'm a ghost, it doesn't work that way." the spirit explained, raising his transparent arms, waving them in and out through the door. "Anyway, it's just me. There's no need to be so jumpy, Ricchan."
Ritsu sighed, "You're right." Part of him was relieved with the familiar presence. Being alone with his brother sick like this made him feel vulnerable. "I don't know why I've been so anxious lately."
Dimple examined the kid, his hair was a mess while his dark eyes showed signs of stress. "Yeah, you look terrible," Dimple said bluntly. "What happened- actually hold that thought, can you open the door for this idiot already? We were here knocking for quite a while."
"We? Wait, if you're here then..." Ritsu scowled.
"Hellooo-? Dimple? What's going on in there? Is this Mob's house or not?" Reigen stood at the front door of Mob's house dressed in his usual grey suit and purple tie. He was holding a plastic bag that contained some groceries he took the time to buy for the kids to eat something and some off the counter medicine. He flipped his wrist to glance at his watch. Fifteen minutes passed already, he didn't think it be this long. A click finally came from the knob, and Reigen returned his attention back at the door. He waited patiently as it slowly turned and opened.
"Mister Reigen." Ritsu addressed very sternly. "What brings you here?" Ritsu took a chance to survey the front of his house for anyone suspicious besides the creep standing in front of him. What was Mister Reigen doing here anyway? Not that he really suspects this idiot to be the one who emitted that psychic energy he felt moments ago but he could never be too careful. On another note, that energy had seemed to disappear entirely. Very odd. It honestly didn't leave the young esper feeling any less insecure.
"Well hello Mob's brother, you look happy to see me as always." The proclaimed psychic greeted with his upfront grin, ignoring the grimace he got back from the preteen. "Is Mob home?"
"I'm sorry that you took the time to come all this way but my brother isn't fe-"
"So it's true. Mob's sick, isn't he? May I come in?" It was more of a demand than a question as he walked in without consent from the boy.
"Hey! What are you- How did you!?" Ritsu was left baffled. There was no way this man could have known his brother was sick unless Dimple had somehow been there when it happened. Yeah, somehow. He pondered hard, thinking of every possibility but that wouldn't have made any sense. It never occurred to Ritsu that Reigen had heard the whole commotion through Shigeo's phone which left the man quite worried for the child's well-being.
"Look, an explanation isn't really what's important right now, so where is he? Upstairs?" Reigen asked the boy. He didn't need to be a real psychic to tell how suspicious Ritsu was of him and who could blame the kid, he did just barge into his house uninvited but with a good reason he mentally reasoned with himself.
Reigen couldn't ignore the worries that manifested after that disturbing phone call. Ritsu's screams, the fear in his voice. Reigen had assumed that they were home alone when the incident with Mob had occurred. How could he turn a blind eye to that? He tried calling back several times but no one picked up and he didn't have Mob's house phone number. It was enough to convince him that they needed help.
"I'm not the enemy here, you can trust me. I'm just here to help?" Reigen persisted, trying his best to convince the boy to comply.
Ritsu stared back at him then sighed knowing full well how pointless it would be to argue with him. If he had, he'd be subjected to hear the man talk senseless and quite effectively to get his way in the end because for some darn reason Reigen was really good at winning debates, so much so it was irritating. With that in mind you could say Ritsu had ran away from a possible argument prematurely and so, he reluctantly escorted Reigen upstairs to his room where his brother was resting.
Shigeo laid soundly on Ritsu's bed, his body wrapped tightly under the covers. Only the sound of small labored breathing could be heard and it sadden Reigen's heart to see Mob in that state, so weak, so fragile. Shigeo was still awake when they gathered in the room, he turned his head slightly trying his best to face his guest.
"So this is what my disciple has been up to." Trying to sound up lifting in the dense atmosphere. "Mob you need to take better care of yourself." Reigen said shaking his head side to side with his hands on his hips.
"Master...!" Shigeo's eyes widened. "So you came after all." He smiled for a second but it quickly receded with his next comment, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble, I just...I just..."
"Don't apologize Mob," The boy's Master stopped him with a wave of his hand. "It was an emergency, there's nothing to be ashamed of," Reigen comforted, he knelt down next to him by the bed and placed his hand on top of his round mushroom head. "I'm glad that you called me. I'm here now, that's what matters. "
Shigeo nodded watching his Master in awe. He was happy although his face didn't really show much expression, you could still see the sparkle in his eyes.
Ritsu was surprised to hear this. When did his brother have time to make a call and why did he call Mister Reigen instead of his own brother? Even if Shigeo had attempted to call him, Ritsu's phone would have been dead. Ritsu clenched his fist. He wasn't there for his brother when he needed him most. Guilt and regret filled the younger esper's heart. It was like no matter what he did for his brother, Reigen would always be one step ahead of him.
"Mob, how are you feeling right now?" Reigen cupped his hand onto Mob's cheek to feel his temperature. He really was burning up.
Shigeo swallowed hard, his throat ached. "Ngh... Not good," was all he managed to say but that would be considered an understatement compared to the amount of pain he was really feeling. The slightest movements made his body hurt all over and his head dizzy to the point of nausea, he felt utterly weak.
"What's wrong Shigeo? Your aura feels unstable. It's going up and down like waves in a stormy sea," Dimple notified, it was very alarming for the spirit. He was trying his best not to accidently get exorcised by the boy's sudden surge of psychic energy.
Shigeo was unaware of this though.
"Here." Reigen popped a thermometer into Shigeo's mouth. He had bought it on his way here. After a minute the device started beeping and Reigen took a look at the numbers, his eyebrows wrinkled slightly though his face stood as calm as his voice, "Mob is definitely not in good shape. Your temperature is at a high 106°F, we need to bring down your fever- fast! Hey, Mob's brother," he turned to the other boy.
Ritsu flinched, his train of thought disrupted, not expecting to be called out so sudden. Reigen handed him a bottle of Tylenol.
"Give your brother two tablespoons of this and make sure he drinks that cup of water. Keep him hydrated. There's another bottle in that bag there if he's still thirsty. I'm going to bring a pot of water and more towels." With that said the grey-suited man exited out of the room, Dimple followed afterwards.
"I'm impressed. You actually sound like you know what you're doing for once." Dimple teased, grin outstretched his ghostly face.
"Ha, ha, very funny Dimple," Reigen entertained, then waving his finger in a scolding manner. "I'll have you know I am a man of many talents." He wasn't trying to have his pride trampled on, especially not by some rude and arrogant ghost.
The green spirit scoffed. "Yeah, talents."
Reigen ignored the annoying spirit's obvious sarcasm, there were more important thing to focus on. Reigen went downstairs to the kitchen, when he checked the cabinets he soon realized there were no pots anywhere in sight. He scanned the area, quickly noticing the boxes everywhere.
"This place is a mess."
After searching the sea of cardboard, he was able to find a pot from one of the already opened boxes on the floor. He then started filling it with room temperature water.
"If I can treat the problems of my clients then I sure as hell can do the same for Mob." What kind of Mentor would he be if he couldn't do a simple task such as nursing his student back to good health? He was determined to make Mob feel better, and it didn't matter what it would cost him.
Reigen wouldn't be ashamed to admit that Mob meant a lot to him. Honestly, he viewed the boy as a son that he didn't know he needed until that fateful day he had come into his office. Watching Mob grow from a young boy was something more special than he could have ever asked for. Mob was his dear student, his partner, his friend. With that reason alone is exactly why Reigen absolutely needed to do this, for Mob's sake.
"Just hang in there kiddo, stay strong. I know you can. You've always have been."
Author's Note:
Originally, this chapter was super long so I had to split it into two separate chapters with this one and chapter 3. So I hope this chapter didn't seem boring. I promise, things will get more intense next chapter. Tell me your thoughts. And thanks for reading! ;)