Fever by MissCaster
Now it was Rin's turn to battle against Archer's stubbornness over a simple thing called fever.
A hiss escape Rin's mouth as she jerked up on her bed with an annoyed groan. There were a few seconds of silence in which was closely followed by a series of sneezing. It's Saturday morning for heaven's sake, she grunted to herself and yet here she was, awaken way too early in the morning by the constant sound of sneezing. But this time, not from her.
Yawning groggily, she got up to brush her teeth and make her bed before heading downstairs to investigate on the disaster of a sound. Trailing the staircase with a scowl, her eyes darted to a taller figure whom was sitting on the couch. A few grocery bags laid atop of the coffee table in front of the latter. She crossed her arms as she descended the stairs, still inspecting the whole scenario in which she found rather peculiar.
This was the first time Archer had looked weak as studied by his master. As she walked closer to his resting figure, she found out that he was closing his eyes and for a moment she thought he looked serene rather than his usually annoying self. She leant in closer to his face only to make the servant blinked his eyes open suddenly. The close distance between the two had made Archer fumbled a little.
"What are you doing?" he started, trying to sound as composed as ever.
Rin then backed off and walked dramatically to the seat across him as he watched her settling down with a constant scowl on her face. She then crossed her arms on her chest and stared down at him.
"I'll do the questioning and you'll do the answering." She commanded, hands still crossed. And right at that moment, Archer had noticed that Rin was in one of her bad-start mornings and he of all person, knows that he shouldn't cross her in any way. "Was that you causing all those noises?"
Even without a reply from Archer, the answer to her question was quite obvious. Unfortunately, the ego in him stated otherwise.
"No." he answered casually before walking for the kitchen to store the scattered groceries on the coffee table before his master could make a complaint out of it.
His unexpected answer had left the Tohsaka heiress to gape in amazement. It was so obvious that it was him and yet he was too stubborn to admit it? Feeling her anger boiling up in her, plus the lack of sleep as mentioned, she followed Archer to the kitchen. She went to the dinner table and slammed her palm on the table, with purpose or without one, thus making Archer glanced over her before continuing keeping the frozen in the fridge.
"Is there anything that's been bothering you this morning?" he asked straight-faced.
Rin had been trying to refrain herself from unleashing her infamous rage over small matter, but does it really been that hard for him to admit his flaws?
"Well yes, I was awaken from those," she paused while trying to think of a substitution word but was unable to think of one, "noise." She blurted in gritted teeth.
She stared up at him but he showed indifference. "Oh, really?"
She rolled her eyes as she followed him out to the living room, footsteps echoed through the humongous space as they walk. Patiently, she waited for him to settle down on the couch, and again she saw the lack of energy in him as he closed his eyes with a hint of exhaustion for the second time today.
"You don't look well." She tried again, softer than her tone before.
He cracked open an eye to look at her before closing it again. "I'll be fine with a quick rest."
Unknown of what to do, she stared at his figure for a while. Concerned thoughts started to fill in her blank mind one after another before she decided to give in to the invading thoughts. Sighing, she went to the latter and touched his forehead to obtain temperature in which had resulted in Archer grabbing her wrist in alarm and jerked up a little before shooting her a glare and released his own firm grip in a more relaxed posture.
"I've never expected you to fall asleep within seconds and worse yet, you couldn't even recognize your own master?" Rin stated in disbelief while he let out a low groan that doesn't go unnoticed by her. Before he could speak, she cut him, "And by the way, you had a fever."
"I'd told you, I'm fine."
"No, you're not." She retorted quickly before realization hit her, hard.
She had just argued childishly and that could not settle well in her thoughts as well as her reputation as the ice queen. She inhaled deeply to clear up her mind.
"You have a high temperature." he was about to speak up again but she raised her hand to stop him, which he did. "Which means, you are having a fever." She said matter-of-factly as if talking to a child.
"I can handle it on my own." He insisted before a whole fit of sneezes came right after.
He then shot Rin a short glare in which she smirked triumphantly in return. There's nothing that tastes sweeter over the fact that she's right.
"I'll fetch the medicine while you, on the other hand, don't do anything but rest." She noted before dashing off to the kitchen. Disobeying as ever, he stood up to follow suit only to be stopped by her again. "Don't make me use my command seals." She turned to him with an innocent smile in which had made him sat back immediately.
Typical Rin, he had thought to himself with a scowl. As much as he wanted to ensure his master wouldn't grow all concern on him, he could not do so as he started to experience a stronger headache. Soon, he laid down on the couch completely, finally admitting defeat to the so called sickness after a full day of yesterday, unknown to Rin.
She had noted Archer's severing headache as she caught sight of him laid down on the couch. She then handed him some paracetamols and a glass of plain water where Archer had consumed rather swiftly before landing his head on the plush pillow once more and managed a nod of thanks.
The bitterness of the medicine still lingered somewhere in his taste buds but he could no longer mind it as he slowly drifted to sleep.
When she was back from the kitchen to clean off the glass, she saw Archer had fast asleep after consuming the medicine. A flash frown was seen on her face as she stared at his sleeping figure without much of her own notice. She sighed a bit as she ascended the stairs to get him some layers of blankets.
A few weeks prior, she was the one who had feel ill and now, he's in her shoes. It was only a natural deed to do to take care of her sick servant even though it wasn't stated in one of the rules. She, of all the others, was well aware that he is just a servant who serves as the sword and shield to her and will only be used for the purpose of the war. It was similar to a game of chess where she is the one who moves the pieces where as he struggles hard in the battle field for the sake of his master. So, what will she lose if she had treated her servant well?
Shiro's right, she pondered a bit before reaching out for a thick wool blanket in her cupboard. A small smile crept upon her lips as she reminisced the moments where he had taken care of her despite her bad mood. It had been a long time since someone had cared for her so much and Archer was the first person whom had treated her so since she's a little girl.
As she reached the couch, she carefully covered a total of two layers of the wool blankets without causing him to be awaken by her. She carefully tugged his hand inside the blanket as well when his hand took hers and squeezed it a little.
"Thanks, Rin." He muttered in his sleep-like state causing her to blush a little, thankfully he couldn't see her.
"Hmm." She muttered back, too flustered to come up with something in her mind right away. When she had finished, she stood up straight with a sigh. "Get well soon."
She turned to sit on the couch across him as it was better to keep a close eye on him. "I will."
She stopped in her steps and glanced back at him. When one serves as a servant, they will continue to be aware of their surroundings even when they're sick or in this case, half-asleep.
"I know." Rin muttered back with a smirk.
Archer shifted in discomfort. He cracked open an eye only to close it again when he came to see the bright ray of sunlight that penetrated through the thin blinds. Across him, she saw Rin doing some reading, probably it has to do with her studies since she is one of the honoured student in her class, in fact the whole school.
He then decided to back into sleeping again as his head throbbed. That medicine should do the trick but he could only feel himself getting worse. For a moment, he felt helpless.
Rin took a glance over to him. Concern graced her features again. She's not good in taking care of a sick person but still wanted to be dependent of herself before consulting help from the doctor. Walking over to him, she then placed her palm against his forehead to take his temperature. It had seemed that the fever hasn't reduced.
Pulling back her hand, she could feel herself feeling restless over his condition. She had tried to calm herself down as she collected some thoughts. Rin then went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and a damp cloth. Making sure of that the cloth was folded perfectly, a perfectionist personality that she had developed thanks to him, much to her chagrin, she then proceeded to place the cloth atop of his forehead. The gentle contact of the cloth had made Archer shifted a bit but still asleep.
She then checked the clock only to see that it was already late afternoon before walking back to her spot, still wondering. As if on cue, her stomach growled. Usually, Archer would make their meals. As much as she hated to admit, Rin find Archer's meals to be delicious and that reminded him so much of Shiro's. But right now, nothing seemed to be suiting her appetite, so she went on with a cup of coffee to fill in her demanding stomach.
After what felt like a long time, Archer was up from his long nap. He sat up and started to stretch his neck only to catch sight of Rin snuggled in a blanket, still fast asleep across him but in a sitting position much to her own displeasure. No matter how many times he had told her to practice a good sleeping posture, she was still too stubborn to listen. And then, it had occurred to him that she had stayed up late last night judging from the cold coffee mug not far from her.
Removing the now dried cloth from his forehead, he could feel himself gotten much better than yesterday. He then got up to keep the blankets he had used as well as the glasses on the coffee table without waking his master. He was well aware that she had not gotten herself a good sleep last night. As he was pondering about her, Rin jerked up suddenly, wide awake now.
"How are you feeling?" she stood up and tiptoed, still looking groggy, to feel the temperature of his forehead.
Still amazed by how fast Rin had reacted, he only managed a nod. "Better."
She heaved a relieved sigh. "Good."
Not even bothering to fix her long tangled up hair, she bowed to reach for the glass only to stiffen at her back later. She groaned in annoyance while Archer shot her an 'I told you so' look in which she had replied with a glare as sharp as the weapons he wielded.
"By the way, your hair looks," he paused as he took the glass out of her reach. "Out of shape."
She rolled her eyes at his remark. If that was that the best he can come up with, it was quite pathetic, the Tohsaka thought.
"You've witnessed worse, so don't bother." She waved at his back as he started to the kitchen in which the latter chuckled.
"You've done quite a good job on taking care of others." He remarked during their breakfast.
"You're the only one that I had ever taken care of." She blurted absent-mindedly only to regret it the moment after.
Archer smirked. "Well if you wanted to put it that way, I'm honoured."
Rin was drinking from her glass of fresh milk when she had choked. Just like what she had thought, another misunderstanding thanks to her words that came out of the temporarily malfunctioning mind of hers.
"I had no idea that a servant like you could catch a fever." She decided to strike back.
Feeling challenged, he looked up at her. "Not every master is concerned about that fact. But lucky for me to have such a caring and talented master when it comes to this."
The sudden praises had caused Rin to shudder in annoyance. He is always full of sarcasms sometimes a day more than the other.
"I'm not." She weakly retorted.
"Was it because of even the simplest technology, even a thermometer, freak you out?" he chuckled while Rin blushed in embarrassment.
"It's just because I don't simply rely on those things. And they do not freak me out." She hissed.
"Whatever you say, master."
It had seemed that their morning was ruined over their current conversation. But as for the duo, it was just a normal morning for them to bicker, even in the most sarcastic way as ever.
"And I really do appreciate all the effort you had put up on trying to get me healed." He showed his rare smile that goes noticed by Rin immediately.
She rolled her eyes again. "Would you stop being annoying." She smiled. "It was the least I can do."
In just that mere seconds, their morning was lightened up again when they exchanged smiles before continuing their breakfast.
A/N : I would like to steal this chance to voice out my gratitude towards fellow readers/authors that had faved, followed as well as reviewed my story. They had simply made my day. :)
Regarding this story, it was supposed to be a one-shot but since reviews had somehow inspired me to write, I had decided to make it a two-shot. I hope you'll enjoy the second chapter as much as you did for the first one.
Happy Valentine's Day and thanks again for the support. :D
MissCaster