Soubi was right about needing to eat right when you're sick. Most of the time, those who are stricken lose their appetites, but when they can manage to put something in their empty tummies, they never regret it! Soubi was a smart person, after all! Anyone who knew him could testify to it, and he'd definitely been sick enough to know what he was talking about! Ritsuka did need some food!

…

But he never did make it to the restaurant. He collapsed halfway there, and Soubi had no other choice but to haul him up on his back and run him to his apartment, where two restless but curious adolescents were waiting. Neither of them expected to see the state of them both, but it wasn't something they'd never seen before.

Although he wasn't exactly confident about it, Soubi left Ritsuka in the Zero's care, only brief time, as he ran to meet Kio with some supplies. He tried to take a little time as possible and rushed right back… to find Youji wordlessly poking the feverish boy in the cheek, grinning. Obviously not amused, Soubi handed the bag of supplies to Natsuo and swatted Youji's hand away before taking a seat on the side of the bed.

Ritsuka hadn't made hardly a sound since he'd collapsed, and at the moment, seeing him resting so still on the pillow, chin-deep in his fluffy white comforter, Soubi felt helpless. …And delighted. Ritsuka was tough- far tougher than any child his age should have to be, but Soubi could not help but think it was cute, seeing him relax, even in unconsciousness. The flush in his cheeks was not at all comforting, though, and he set his hand back on the boy's forehead to guess his temperature. Youji sighed.

"Oiii, Soubi. When's Ritsuka gonna get up? This is boring."

"Mm… Ritsuka is very sick. He'll be taking it easy for some time."

"Aw, that's no fun!"

"Well it's not fun being ill either." From the low table, Natsuo chuckled, having been searching through said bag of "goodies".

"Telling him that wont do any good! He never was very bright, or considerate of others!" I return, Youji stuck his tongue out at him.

"Even if it is true…! We've never been sick! Not once!"

"That's right. So maybe we can't understand it!" Soubi removed his hand and half-smiled up at the two.

"Well, now would be a good chance to learn something, wouldn't it?"

While they talked, Ritsuka had started to wake up. His head felt light but his body and especially his chest, felt extremely heavy, like someone had been sitting on him. He groaned low in his throat, amazed at his quickly his voice had begun to hurt again. But then again… if it had just been a little while, then where was he, and… why couldn't he remember getting there? His movements obviously alerted Soubi, and the older man, as well as the two others, turned their attentions back to him.

"Ritsuka. Are you awake now?"

"S-Soubi… water…?" The fighter quickly complied and lifted the boy's upper body high enough to help him get water before setting him back down and tucking him back in. but Ritsuka couldn't stand it. He was already far too warm to be comfortable under the covers, and yet he was also shivering.

"I'll open a window." Ah, Natsuo… he was, between the two of them, the nicer of the Zero roommates, and Ritsuka was grateful. It took him a minute of looking to realize he was in Soubi's home, but still, he could not remember walking there, getting into bed, or… even getting changed! Though he couldn't see past the covers, he could feel that he wasn't in his normal clothes- it felt more like a nightgown. Irrational waves of panic began to take over the small boy, and as he struggled to figure out his situation, Soubi had to lightly hold him down.

"Ritsuka, calm down; it's okay!"

"H-how did I get here?! Soubi, what-" Quite suddenly, a thermometer was stuffed into his mouth, strangely, but efficiently silencing him. Still, the boy was still worried, so Soubi took a breath and lightly strokes the boy's right ear.

"Ritsuka, you collapsed again." Ritsuka actually seemed shocked. But Youji was enjoying the situation a bit too much, and he rose his hand in the air, speaking very enthusiastically.

"And we undressed you!" that made Ritsuka want to receed into the comforter, but with the troublesome thing still stuck in his mouth, there wasn't far he could go. Once the beeper went off and it was removed, he could lick his lips and move around a bit more, but the news wasn't so good.

"Your fever is still very high…"

"I was afraid… of that." Soubi tilted his head.

"How could it have gotten this bad? You usually take such good care of yourself."

"No thanks to your mother." Youji added. But Ritsuka ignored him.



"I haven't… been sleeping well, lately."

"That can't be all." Ritsuka lowered his head at Soubi's tone. He couldn't hide anything from him, could he?

"No… I… I also got up early… for school. I had to wait outside for some time and then wait in the hall before sensei let me into the room."

"You were out in the cold this morning? What a dumb idea!" Youji pointed out. Not in the condition to argue back, and not like he disagreed in the first place, Ritsuka only nodded his head. His sad demeanor obviously caught Soubi's full attention. The blonde sighed and reached out to continue petting the young boy's hanging ears. Something was definitely starting to show… Ritsuka's attitude had changed dramatically sometime within the past few days, but for the life of him, he could not figure out why. Ritsuka wasn't normaly one to open up about what was bothering him, but this was serious! Why was he so depressed?

As he was thinking, however, the boy in the bed began coughing something fierce. So, Soubi lifted him up again to give him more water and laid him back down. The coughing fit subsided and it left Ritsuka terribly weak and breathless. The boy was obviously distressed and uncomfortable, but Soubi would make absolutely sure the boy recovered his health.

"That's enough talking now, Ritsuka. Get some rest."

"S-Soubi…"

"Don't worry… I wont leave." And with his reassuring smile, Ritsuka closed his eyes and prayed for a long, dreamless sleep. But would his prayers be answered?