Takatora frowned. His brother hadn't come down for breakfast yet. It would be time for school soon. Or maybe he had left already? He went to the front door. His brother's shoes were still there. Did he sleep in? But Mitsuzane doesn't usually oversleep; he always wakes up early, even earlier than me. He knocked at the door "Mitsuzane?" No response. He knocked again "Mitsuzane? It's me." No one answered. He turned the doorknob. The door was locked. Takatora started to get panic. He rummaged through his suitcase to find the master key and quickly opened the door.
Mitsuzane was sleeping on bed, still breathing. He sighed in relief. "Mitsuzane! Wake up! You'll be late. Mitsuzane!" He called. His brother didn't even stir. Takatora grab his shoulder to shake him but stopped right away. Mitsuzane's body was burning up. He had come down with a fever. What should I do now? Do I need to bring him to the hospital? He tried to recall what their mother used to do when he or Mitsuzane got sick. That had been nearly fifteen years ago. Maybe I can handle it myself. I'll call a doctor if he doesn't get better.
He went to the bathroom to find a towel and soaked it with water, then placed it on his brother's forehead. His hand stopped at Mitsuzane's cheek, caressing it. It worried Takatora that his brother was sick, although Mitsuzane got sick quite often as a child. You should take better care of yourself, Mitsuzane. He sighed.
He had called Mitsuzane's school for a day off and wondered if he could stay at home too. Just for today, besides I can finish the work here to. So it was decided. Takatora called his secretary to announce his absence. He sat at Mitsuzane's desk, started reading and signing some documents and didn't forget to look over his brother every few minutes.
"Nii-san…"
"Huh?" Takatora rushed to the bed "What is it, Mitsuzane?" Did his brother wake up? Mitsuzane's eyes were still closed. He put a hand on Mitsuzane's forehead. Still hot. So he was sleep talking then, as there wasn't any sign of him being conscious at all.
"Nii-san… I'm sorry…" Tears started running down Mitsuzane's cheek. Takatora quickly wiped them away. Don't cry. What are you dreaming about, Mitsuzane?
"I'm sorry… Nii-san… Don't leave… I'm sorry…" His eyes were half opened, looking at nothing; tears continued to stream down.
Takatora hugged him close "Okay, I know… I'm here… I won't leave… Go back to sleep." Mitsuzane slowly closed his eyes. Takatora sighed, put his brother back to bed. Mitsuzane must still be haunted by that time, particularly the time when he was Zangetsu Shin. Now Takatora was more worried about his mental state than his health. He didn't know when Mitsuzane would break down.
When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but a blur. His head was spinning. He tried to sit up but failed terribly, his hands felt like jelly. He couldn't even think straight. Suddenly a pair of cool hands grabbed his shoulders. "Mitsuzane, can you hear me?" Everything slowly became clear. The first thing he saw was Takatora's worried face. "Nii-san" his voice came out more like a whisper. He wiped his head around to find the clock, which made him dizzy for few seconds. It was nearly six in the evening. Why did he sleep so much? And why was his brother home? He should be at work now.
"You had a fever. I've called to school so just rest for today." Takatora's voice was low, cutting him from his thoughts. "How do you feel?"
"I'm fine." He said more like a reflex. He was fine after all, taking in that he was still living and breathing and well, considering the state that his brother had been in a few months ago, he was much better. "Thank you, nii-san." Mitsuzane raised his eyes to look at Takatora, but quickly lowered them down.
"No problem." He looked around the room, finding something to say. "So, just take a shower. I'll bring dinner for you later."
"You don't need to do that. I can come to the dining room."
"Are you sure?" Takatora raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's okay if you want to… Um… I'll leave now." He left, shutting the door behind him.