Chapter 4

Mugetsu tracked his every move with hardened silver eyes, licking his fangs in undisguised threat as Doumeki laid the prone spellworker out across his bed, after beat of hesitation, began stripping off his wet clothing. The young man's lips were blue with cold. He shuddered and shivered in his sleep, fingers twitching towards Doumeki's warmth when it passed close.

The Archer coaxed a tiny fire to life in the hearth, and spread the caster's clothing over stones that would soon warm to dry.

He moved to stand, awkwardly, in the middle of the single room. He didn't know what to do with himself, so he pulled the bedclothes up to the young warlock's chin, feeling a bit silly.

Then, with a sigh, he stepped back and lowered himself to sit cross-legged on the floor by the warlock's head. Looking down to Mugetsu, the fox's head on his paws, the Hero nodded in Watanuki's direction.

"Think he'll take sick?" He mumbled, unwilling to disturb the quiet of the room.

The animal flicked its ears.

Doumeki sighed again, deeply this time, his chest swelling briefly with air. Moving stiffly, he peeled off his own sopping jacket, vest and tunic, and tossed it in the direction of the fire.

Bare-chested, the Hero shivered once, violently, and leaned back against the warlock's bed. He felt his body grow heavier as he slipped into sleep.

He woke again to a square of sunlight in his lap and Mugetsu stationed, whimpering, at the warlock's hand. As Doumeki shook himself awake and stood, the fox whined and licked the young man's fingers.

Doumeki touched the backs of his fingers to the warlock's forehead, guessed at his temperature. He'd never been particularly good at it, but as soon as their skin came into contact, he knew all that he needed to. The warlock was too hot.

He was burning with fever.

The Hero swore, and glared down at the fox as Mugetsu's rumbling growl filled the interior of the home.

"I won't leave him like this," He said to it, tone biting.

"But." He continued. "I'm no physician. I have to go to Bowerstone to get the medicine."

The animal chuffed at him, smacking him with four tails as it jumped onto the warlock's bed and snuggled against his side. It followed the Hero with its eyes as Doumeki strode around the little room, pulling on damp, musky smelling leathers and strapping his gear in place. He paused beneath the mantel and smirked at the cool-eyed fox.

"Take care of him," He ordered with a hard look, and smiled only after he reached the path at Mugetsu's pointy-eared reaction.

--

The path to Bowerstone seemed longer. The Archer felt as if the road stretched two steps for every one he took. Then the guards outside the town seemed to take their sweet time confiscating his equipment, the greeter wanted a bit more than their usual tit-for-tat conversation. And the shopkeeper, shouldn't he know where he kept his own stock? How did he keep customers, if he spent all that time looking for each item?

It felt like hours. Doumeki couldn't force himself to be still, and his foot tapped, his legs twitched like an idiot, impatient Novice. He almost skipped through Greatwood, struggling to pick a stride between a run and a fast walk.

In reality, he was away for less than two hours. The morning sun was still bright and new when the Hero pulled a three-legged stool to the warlock's bedside and painstakingly measured out the correct dose of the smoky, amber medicine. Trading a look with the fox, Doumeki gently angled the caster's head back and tipped the liquid off the spoon, aiming the stream down his throat. Watanuki coughed as Mugetsu nosed his cheek worriedly.

Doumeki sat back, frowning. His foot began to tap again.

He knew the tonic would work; he'd called upon its healing attributes himself before.

But the fever had clearly set into the warlock's slim body. His cheeks were bright as hot coals, and his breathing was abnormally heavy. Doumeki fidgeted restlessly on the stool, once reaching to push sweaty black bangs away from the warlock's face.

"Wake, now," He said breathily.

--

The Hero woke to coarse hair irritating his nasal passages. He sneezed once, blearily looking about himself and flinched back with a yelp when he recognized Mugetsu's quicksilver fur. The animal watched him moodily, kicking his back foot out into the Hero's ribs.

Watanuki laughed. He was seated on a short bookcase against the opposite wall, his hands resting on the bundle of the folded blanket in his lap. His eyes shined mischievously as he grinned at the Hero.

"Thank you muchly, Shizuka Doumeki. You have done me a good service, I can tell."

Doumeki grunted as he knuckled gritty sleep from his eyes.

"Was that not what you called me for?" He asked in a gravelly tone, though his voice was not as rough as the warlock's. His throat probably hurt him.

Watanuki smoothed creases from the blanket, shaking his head and smiling to himself. "Mm…no, it wasn't. I only asked that you catch me when I fell." He laughed softly at some private thought.

Doumeki rose slowly from the bed, mindful of his popping bones and stretching his arms over his head. "Well," he said, when they dropped back to his sides. "You are welcome, all the same."

"I ought to show you proper thanks,"

He attempted to wave off the thought. "Unnec-"

Watanuki suddenly appeared before him, standing close enough that the Hero's chest would brush him if he took an especially deep breath. His smiling face was turned up to Doumeki's

"-essary…" The Archer finished with a breath. "How did you…?"

Watanuki took his face into his hands and guided him down so they were almost eye-to-eye. "I am grateful, Doumeki." He said. His eyes wandered over the planes of the Archer's features, lingering on his mouth.

Doumeki tensed.

The warlock stood on his toes to leave an innocent kiss in the center of the Hero's forehead.

"I look forward to your future visits." He smiled, looking as if he was going to laugh.

I don't think I have any notes about this chapter. You get three little sections, because I'm impatient to get to other parts :)

-Oceans