A/N: This is a really long chapter because my mom said once I finish this chapter I have to do chores. : ). Actually, I was already on the fourth page when she said that but either way, I get to indulge myself in my fan fiction fantasies and get out of scrubbing the floor, killing weeds, and washing dishes. It's a win-win situation here. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: You get the picture, right?
After Yuki had set Kyo in bed, he rushed downstairs where Shigure and Tohru were discussing what to do with the stupid, sickly cat.
"I don't think it was necessarily his fault," Tohru was saying.
"What do you mean?" Yuki interjected. "Kyo keeps getting out of bed when he shouldn't. Of course it's his fault. We should just tie the idiot to his bed."
"Actually, I think Tohru has a point," Shigure yawned. "Kyo didn't look like he wanted to be up. I think it's just the simple matter of no one hearing him call for help."
"Please," Yuki snorted. "He's too proud and stubborn to call for help. Just look at the way he tried to climb the stairs himself."
"You may be right. Either way it doesn't change what needs to be done," Shigure sighed. Yuki began to get a bad feeling about what was coming next. "Someone needs to stay in the room with him. That way if he does call for someone they'll hear it, or if he doesn't but tries to get up someone will be there to stop him. Of course, Tohru being a girl can't do it. And sleeping in someone else's room would throw off my artistic balance for the book I'm writing…"
"So you expect me to do it?" Yuki normally hated the way Shigure always made jokes but this time Yuki prayed that this was one.
"Well, since you're volunteering," Shigure answered as if Yuki had had a choice. Yuki grimaced but accepted his fate and went to move his pillow and blankets to the floor of Kyo's room.
Yuki didn't particularly mind sleeping on the floor though it wasn't one of his favorite places. It was more of the teasing that would follow this event that concerned Yuki. But the wasn't anything he could do to prevent it so Yuki settled down and let his breathing slow down to match Kyo's. With one last glance at the orange-haired boy, Yuki nuzzled into his pillow and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, Shigure was downstairs debating on whether or not to call Hatori. For what he remembered, nearly passing out wasn't one of the symptoms that Hatori had listed. That meant he didn't have to call him, right? Shigure decided that he'd take Kyo's temperature in the morning and deal with Hatori accordingly. Besides, Shigure was busy investigating. Kyo had been acting different lately but the cat was sick so Shigure didn't think much of it. But Yuki…?
The rat had no excuse for acting so oddly. He had once considered it was just stress building up since he couldn't release it on Kyo. But why had Yuki taken Kyo with him on the trek trough the woods? Something was going on and Shigure was dying to find out. How great would it be if he found out the big juicy secret first?
So Shigure stayed awake, pondering all of Yuki's actions. How could he describe Yuki's behavior at the dinner table? Irritated, of course. But the way he had just flipped out…maybe moody was a better word. Yuki was definitely acting moody. But there was something else, another word that escaped him. When Shigure and Ayame had teased him Yuki had acted….
Shigure grinned. He had it. He was pretty sure he knew what was going on. Because Yuki knew what Ayame and Shigure acted like. That didn't stop Yuki from being annoyed and agitated with them. But really, no one acted the way Yuki had acted if they weren't covering up something. Yuki never had to behave that way unless what they were saying was true.
Yes, Shigure had the perfect word to describe Yuki's behavior: Defensive.
Hatori paced in his room. He had known it was stupid to trust Shigure with instructions but he was sure someone else in the house would have listened. If Shigure had even bothered to relay the message that is. There was no way Yuki and Tohru let Kyo walk around when he was sick. Sure, Yuki hated Kyo but that didn't mean that he was wishing the cat would get sick enough to die. Not that Kyo was to that point…yet. So why had Yuki taken Kyo outside on some random hike?
Actually, if Yuki hadn't known Hatori's orders, it was just as unlikely that Yuki would do that. Something wasn't clicking. Hatori heard Akito call for him so Hatori pushed these thoughts aside. He'd find out the answer to these anomalies later.
Daylight was just peaking through the windows when Yuki was rudely awakened. Something had kicked his side and then fell right onto Yuki's stomach. Yuki's immediate response was to toss whatever it was that had disrupted his sleep into the wall.
"What the heck!" Yuki heard Kyo cough. Yuki lifted his head off his pillow and looked at his surroundings through half-lidded eyes. Why was he in Kyo's room? And why was Kyo in a heap next to the wall still coughing? Then Yuki remembered the previous night.
"Here," Yuki said as he extended an arm out to Kyo. Kyo reluctantly took it to pull himself up.
"What the heck were you doing on my floor?" Kyo growled but his voice was coarse and not all the words came out right. Kyo coughed even more until his eyes began to water.
"What were you doing getting out of bed?" Yuki countered. Kyo shrugged innocently and climbed into bed.
"How are you feeling?" Yuki bent over Kyo and felt his forehead. Kyo coughed as an answer.
"Did you need something?" Yuki sounded irritated but worry was in his eyes. Kyo shook his head feebly.
"Why were you getting up?" Yuki continued his interrogation. Kyo shrugged, not wanting to answer and hurt his throat even more.
"You really should take better care of yourself, Kyo," Yuki's voice sounded sweeter this time causing Kyo to turn his head and examine Yuki. Yuki noticed that Kyo's eyes looked slightly red and puffy. Yuki felt Kyo's forehead once more but he couldn't detect it being at a higher temperature.
"Just go back to sleep," Yuki sighed, wishing there was some way he could help Kyo. Kyo nodded, needing no further encouragement. Yuki stayed by Kyo's side gently stroking the cat's hair. He knew he should go back to sleep as well since he didn't cope well with waking up early but Yuki found himself too content to move elsewhere. Sighing, Yuki looked down at Kyo's bed longingly. It would be easy to fall asleep right here next to the cat. It would definitely be comfier than the floor. But someone would have to wake Yuki up to go to school and that would be an awkward scene to walk in on.
Besides, Kyo had said he hated Yuki just last night. This should have angered Yuki and made him ready to leave Kyo's side but instead it brought sadness. This would probably the only time when Yuki could enjoy Kyo's company without some mean comment. Yuki reluctantly parted from his dozing kitten and climbed into the jumble of blankets on the floor. Yet even when he got comfortable, Yuki's mind raced endlessly. Kyo seemed worse this morning. Maybe it was just because it was the morning. Anyone who is tired can have red, puffy eyes. Besides, Kyo didn't seem to have a fever. But his throat was obviously hurting him. Was it because of his late night journey for a glass of water? Or was of it because of his escapade through the woods? Yuki peered once more at Kyo which appeared to calm him enough to drift off into a dream.
At the more reasonable hour of seven o'clock, Tohru was just finishing making breakfast.
"I should probably go wake up Yuki-san," Tohru mentioned to Shigure with an anxious glance at the staircase.
"Oh, no. I'll do it," Shigure said just a bit too eagerly.
"O-okay," Tohru agreed. "Be careful not to wake Kyo."
"Of course-of course," Shigure sang though he wasn't entirely sure what Tohru had said. Hew was too busy imagining the scene that would greet him in Kyo's room. Did Yuki climb into bed with Kyo? Probably not. It wasn't like Yuki to be that forward. But it would be a great help to confirm his suspicion. Shigure still hadn't figured out a way to prove that Yuki was in love with Kyo. Yuki wouldn't just come right out and say it if Shigure confronted him on the matter so his best shot was to catch them in the act of hugging or kissing. But as far as Shigure knew, this could be a one-sided love. Actually, Yuki might not even realize that he was in love with Kyo. He was most likely in denial.
Which gave Shigure the best idea. He was going to make Yuki realize he loved Kyo. Even if Shigure's theory was wrong, Shigure was going to make sure that the cat and the rat ended up together. Shigure chuckled at his own genius. Shigure quietly creaked Kyo's door open and saw, to his utter disappointment but not surprise, that Yuki was sleeping on the floor being strangled by his covers. Kyo was curled up on his bed, his breathing sounding a little raspy.
"Yuki," Shigure said in what was meant to be a whisper but failed. Shigure nudged Yuki with his foot.
"Nnng" Yuki grumbled.
"It's time to get up," Shigure once more sort-of whispered. Yuki sat up and rubbed his eyes. Shigure covered his mouth to keep from laughing at how horrible Yuki looked in the morning. 'Now is not the time to laugh,' Shigure scolded himself. He donned a serious face.
"Any problems with Kyo last night?" Shigure watched as Yuki whipped his head to look at the cat in question. Yuki's eyes widened and Shigure could of sworn he saw concern on Yuki's face before he rubbed it once more and resumed his worn out appearance.
"No," Yuki shook his head to emphasize the point.
"He didn't cough too much or anything?" Shigure wanted to confirm. Once more, a look of distress passed upon Yuki's features.
"Not from what I know but if you wanted someone to monitor him, you should have picked someone who isn't a heavy sleeper," Yuki answered, finally getting up and walking to his own room to get dressed.
At the table eating breakfast, Shigure kept making remarks about Kyo and gauging Yuki's reactions.
"You know," Shigure put in yet another remark, "Kyo really does lighten up the household. He keeps things fresh but now we are doomed to miss his presence. In his time of need and suffering, we failed to notice his struggles. I hope to see him well soon so that we can enjoy his wonderful company at the table."
"Why are you glorifying him now that he's sick?" Yuki yawned.
"Well, I would like to have said something nice about him in case he dies and-"
"He's not going to DIE!" Yuki roared.
"Yes, yes," Shigure nodded, hiding a grin. "I was just saying, I'd hate to be one of those people who only speak nice of others once their dead."
"Saying it when their sick isn't much different," Yuki grumbled, settling back down.
"Why don't you say something nice about Kyo?" Shigure remarked.
"Because there is nothing nice to say," Shigure noticed the wince when Yuki said these harsh words.
"Oh, come on," Shigure egged. "What's your favorite thing about Kyo?" Yuki blushed faintly and went into deep thought, trying to figure out what was best to say.
"He's quiet when he's sick," Yuki grumbled. "That's a nice change." As if to just prove Yuki wrong, a coughing broke the quietness that settled over the table.
"Oh, should we give him cough syrup?" Tohru jumped from the table and rushed for the medicine cabinet.
"Yes, but why don't you let Yuki deliver it?" " Shigure suggested.
"Why Yuki?" Tohru was frozen in her tracks, one foot on the stairs and cough medicine in her hands.
"Because if Kyo spits it back out, he'll have less regrets if it lands on Yuki," Shigure reasoned trying to cover the fact that he was trying to get the two to spend a lot of time together.
"Oh, thanks," Yuki growled. He snatched the medicine from Tohru's grasp and headed up the stairs to Kyo's room. Yuki knocked on the door frame since the door was still open from his exit, which explained why they heard the coughing. Kyo turned over to see who was at the door but didn't sit up or anything. Yuki walked forward so Kyo could get a better view of who it was.
"I brought some cough medicine," Yuki held up the bottle. Kyo just stared at Yuki with such an indifferent expression that he couldn't decipher what Kyo was thinking.
"Can you sit up?" Yuki walked over to the edge of Kyo's bed. Again, Kyo just stared. Actually, as Yuki got closer, he realized it was more of a glare. Yikes, so he really does still hate me. Yuki had thought they were getting along a little better but just because Yuki's feelings had changed, it obviously had no effect on Kyo. Yuki sighed and decided to get this over with as soon as possible.
"It's easier to swallow the medicine if you sit up," Yuki grasped for something to say that wouldn't cause Kyo to give him a more deadly glare. Kyo seemed to lighten up though Yuki had no idea why. He sat up but became dizzy and fell back onto his pillow.
"Here," Yuki set the medicine on the nightstand and put his arm beneath Kyo to help sit him up straight. Yuki let Kyo lean on him as Kyo had another round of coughing.
"Hopefully this will help," Yuki poured the cough syrup into the spoon he'd brought with and carefully glided it in front of Kyo who merely eyed it warily.
"Come on. Open up," Yuki laughed at the disgusted look on Kyo's face.
"Don't make me force you, Cat," Yuki warned as Kyo continued to keep his jaw locked together. Kyo gave Yuki a suspicious glance at the threat but still refused to open his mouth.
"Why must you always behave like a two year old?" Yuki grumbled. Kyo started to object to this statement but Yuki took this opportunity to shove the cough syrup down his throat. Kyo gagged at the awful taste but dutifully swallowed it down. He childishly groaned and gripped his stomach as the foul liquid stirred there.
"There, there, Kyo," Yuki pacified the sickly feline. Without putting much thought into the gesture, Yuki rubbed Kyo's back along the spine. This caused Kyo to prickle and Yuki took that as his cue to exit.
Shigure watched Yuki and Tohru head off to school together. At last he was alone to concoct a more structured plan. He forgot all about his intention to check Kyo's temperature in the morning and instead plotted ways to get Yuki and Kyo to spend more time together until they confessed their love. He didn't get far in his plan but he was so absorbed in it that he was surprised when he heard someone enter the house. Were Tohru and Yuki home from school already? He glanced at the clock but it was only ten. Had his editor stopped by unexpectedly? That was very unusual especially since his manuscript wasn't due for a week. Hmm, he should probably start that soon.
But wait, there was still the matter of someone walking through his house. Shigure rounded the corner to come face to face with Hatsuharu.
"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" Shigure was thrown off by this unexpected arrival.
"I heard from Tohru that Kyo was sick. I thought I'd stop by and cheer him up," Haru explained.
"You skipped school just to say 'hi' to Kyo?" Shigure was stunned. Maybe Yuki wasn't the only one with a crush on Kyo.
"I was skipping anyway," Haru shrugged. He stepped around Shigure and headed toward the stairs. Shigure dismissed the house guest from his thoughts and went back to concocting the plan of playing matchmaker.
Kyo didn't like it when Yuki came to give him medicine. He had to remember that he hated Yuki but it was hard to do when his brain was fuzzy and Yuki was being so nice. He tried to glare at him meanly but it didn't seem to affect the rat. And then Yuki had insisted that he should sit up. Kyo was going to refuse to show he was still mad at Yuki and the fact that he felt dizzy doing so encouraged this decision. But then Kyo had seen an opportunity. Kyo couldn't sit up by himself so Yuki would have to help him, right? With Yuki's arm around his waist holding him up, Kyo wanted nothing more than staying curled up next to him all day. But Kyo knew that once he had swallowed the horrible cough syrup, Yuki would leave him alone. That would be terrible because somehow, with Yuki around, the pain didn't seem so bad. It was still there, gnawing at the back of his throat or drilling his stomach but it definitely softened the bite of it.
Yuki hated him. He loved Tohru and hated him. Yet when Yuki had held Kyo for those moments, Kyo could almost pretend that it wasn't true. That maybe Yuki loved him back.
'No!' some part of him argued. 'You don't love Yuki!' But it was very hard to deny something to yourself when you were sick and your mind was all foggy. So Kyo continued to think of himself as in love with the rat and he felt miserable at his absence. It was horrible spending time with Yuki because every time he left, Kyo missed him that much more and the pain felt that much worse. Right now it felt as if something heavy was pressing against his chest ad the task of breathing seemed strenuous.
The door creaked open, dispersing his gloomy thoughts. For a brief second, hope flashed through him that Yuki had come back. This wasn't the case, of course, and Kyo slumped even further into misery as he recognized the white and black hair of Hatsuharu.
"Hey, Kyo," Haru gazed curiously at the sunken figure before him. "I didn't know you were up."
'So you normally try to sneak into someone's room while their sleeping?' Kyo mentally rebuked. Haru didn't appear to notice as Kyo tried to express this thought without speaking.
"I hope you're not contagious," Haru added somewhat awkwardly. Kyo deliberately coughed trying to scare Haru off. Haru just stood there and in what seemed like an endless silence.
"What are you doing here?" Kyo croaked, trying to get to the point of Haru's visit so that he'd leave.
"Hmm?" Haru broke away from his inner thoughts. "Oh, right. I brought you some soup." He held up a thermos and brought it over to Kyo. Personally, Kyo didn't think he could down anything after that cough medicine so he nodded for Haru to set it on the nightstand. Haru did so and then turned around as if to leave. Kyo sighed in relief but suddenly Haru stopped and made himself comfortable on Kyo's bed. Again the room was filled with silence. Kyo could only wait for Haru to speak up because his own throat had practically killed him with the few words he had said.
Ugh, his throat hurt and he was sure something was pounding on his head and pushing on his chest. He felt himself shiver and he lifted the blankets up higher. The pain in his arms from moving them was unrealistic. Body aching, uncontrollable chills, and a splitting headache, Kyo felt his body encouraging a nice long sleep. Yet Haru was still there. He was saying something but his words seemed muffled and far away. Kyo tried to stop the cough that was building inside his chest so he could try and focus on whatever the cow was trying to say. Of course restraining it only made the cough worse as he coughed so hard his body jerked forward.
Kyo gave up on listen to what Haru was saying and instead focused on keeping himself together. How was it possible to feel this horrid? Haru's voice was getting louder now but he got the feeling he wasn't talking to him. He became aware of another shadow dancing across the floorboards and he assumed that Haru's shouting was to call Shigure. He briefly glanced up at their worried expressions before he pulled the blanket completely over him, curled up in a ball, and tried to go to sleep where he wouldn't suffer this agony.
Yuki wasn't really paying attention to the teacher's lecture. He figured he could borrow notes from someone later or even ask the teacher to review the material for him. He wasn't particular concerned with any of today's school lessons so his mind kept drifting to Kyo. It probably would have been better if he threw himself into the schoolwork so he would be too busy to worry, but anxiety filled him and made focusing impossible. Yuki kept trying to reassure himself that Kyo wasn't that bad, he would be fine, and Shigure was there to watch him but Yuki still felt fidgety and had the urge to rush home and check on him. Maybe during lunch he could stop in and make sure everything was okay.
An officer worker knocked on the door and hesitantly made his way into the classroom. Yuki welcomed the distraction from the class he had no idea what was going on in. What class was this anyway? History? Science? He lost track of the period hour.
"Sohma-san," the teacher called to him after a brief whispered discussion with the man from the office. Yuki stood up and walked to the hallway where the man was waiting for him.
"We have just been informed that your relative Kyo Sohma has been admitted into the hospital." Yuki froze upon hearing these words.
"You are permitted to leave the school to be there for him if you want," the office man continued. However, before he had even finished the sentence, Yuki was bolting down the hallway and out the door.
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's my longest yet! Which of course you probably noticed but I feel so accomplished because it filled five pages on my computer so I had to point that out. Yay! I will quickly be on my way to finishing the next chapter.