The night seemed to drag on at two hours increments for Takashi. He came to treasure the moments where he woke Kurama up and loathed the moments when Kurama woke he up. When dawn finally came, so did another dose of medicine for Hikari.
Takashi noticed she did have a little more color under her skin each time he stayed up with her at night. They were also able to get her to wake up for her second dose and even sit up on her own unassisted. That did not prevent Takashi from sitting next to her though as she took the medicine. Kurama tried to persuade her to eat something in case the medicine was rough on her stomach, but she refused, saying all she wanted to do was go back to sleep. It took Takashi going to the tray of food that was brought for their breakfast and getting a bland piece of toast from it for her to get her to eat just that. She refused to make eye contact with either of them as she quickly ate as if to please him. She went back to sleep afterwards, not saying anything.
The rest of day played out the same. Coaxing her awake to eat or take medicine or to do anything she could do to take care of herself. Kurama managed to coax out of her her side of the story, which seemed to embarrass her into apologizing to Takashi.
She had said it while he sat next to her, holding a plate of food for her to eat for dinner that was gentle on her stomach.
"I... I'm sorry... for teasing you, and for the rocks," she said, not looking up at him. "Thank you," she said, daring herself to look up at him, meeting his eyes. "For saving me."
He stared into her eyes, sensing like an afterthought that it was too long a length of time. They were red, yes, but with undertones of soft pink. They were blazing now, like they usually did when she was angry. Rather, they were soft like the glow of a warm sunset.
"You're welcome, my lady," he said formally.
She turned and looked away, continuing to nibble on her own meal. He watched, feeling self conscious as he felt Kurama watching both of them as well.
When Kurama stood up abruptly and went to the window, resting his hands on the sill. He back was rigid and his whole body looked tense.
"What's wrong?" Hikari called out to him.
He turned around, a haunting look on his face. "Takashi, come with me," he ordered, heading out the door and into the hallway.
Takashi watched from his seat next to Hikari on the bed. He passed her her plate. "I'm sure it's fine," he lied, standing up. He brought a gentle hand over and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face and behind the crook of her ear.
He walked out of the room and into the hallway with Kurama. Kurama shut the door slowly and carefully behind him. He turned back towards and Takashi and stepped over to him, stopping closer to him than Takashi would have liked.
"Hikari is recovering, but she's not better yet. She needs to finish the course of medicine on time before she can risk seeing anyone who is not fully demon," Kurama explained in a low whisper. "She still needs someone with her to take care of her in case something goes array."
"I know that," Takashi said, voice getting softer when Kurama raised a hand into the air. "We'll be with her, you and I. We can make sure of that."
Kurama shook his head. "You're going to have to make sure of that now." He pursed his lips. "Hiei and I have been communicating on and off mentally. Izo is fine and should be recovered by morning. Nanashi won't wake up though. Hiei has decided to take her to a Human World hospital and I am going with them."
Takashi stuttered out, "but I saw..." he was unsure how to finish that sentence.
Kurama brought his hands down on Takashi's shoulders. "You have to stay with Hikari and make sure she recovers. I don't know how long we will be gone."
The door to the spare room next door where Nanashi had been opened. Asa's distressed voice resounded within it, "you can't take her to the Human World. You run the risk of bringing the disease there and spreading it."
Hiei emerged from the room with Nanashi cradled in his arms. She was so pale, almost ashen and lifeless. "We're going. Doctors deal with diseases that are blood born everyday and it's fine."
Asa followed him, but stayed standing in the doorway. "She wouldn't want that."
"She wouldn't want to die either," Hiei countered. He turned away from Asa and to Kurama. "Ready?"
Kurama nodded. The two of them took off at a run down the hall.
Takashi called after them, "wait!" He ran after them. Only Kurama bothered to stop long enough to hear him out. He rushed out. "I've seen her. I've seen her grow old. I've seen her with gray hair and nearly blind in old age. She's going to survive this."
"What? What are you talking about?" Kurama asked him bewildered.
Before Takashi had a chance to explain, both of them heard Hiei shout for him. Kurama clicked his teeth, turned back around, and ran after Hiei and Nanashi without another word.