Slowly coming into consciousness, Akutagawa raised his hand and pressed it to his forehead.

"Man, my head is killing me." He reached his arm out, grabbed the cough syrup bottle, sighed, and threw it beside him on the bed.

"I think I'm thirsty."

So he threw his legs off the side of the bed, and kicked something laying in the floor.

"Oooooow, what time is it??" A groggy Atsushi rolled over onto his back and put his arm over his eyes. He realized now he probably should have taken Akutagawa's boots off last night.

"Dunno, I'm getting some water. What are you doing on the floor?"

"I just fell asleep." He didn't want to tell him about the whining earlier, he knew he'd be embarrassed. Atsushi pulled himself into the fetal position up close to the wall.

"Alright, I moved."

Akutagawa proceeded to stumble out of bed, and walked into the kitchen for a glass of water.

Damn, what exactly happened last night. I vaguely remember Gin calling.

He massaged his temples. It had to still be pretty early in the morning, the apartment was pitch black. He sat the glass down on the counter and shuffled back to bed, sat on the edge and pulled his shoes and jacket off.

"Go lay on the couch."

He was met with silence.

"Tch. Suit yourself." Akutagawa climbed under the covers and tried to think about yesterday.

"Mmm I passed out at the pharmacy." He remembered Atsushi helping him home, but honestly not much after that. He can never think straight when he gets a fever.

"Thanks for walking me." He mumbled into the darkness, and to his surprise the darkness replied,

"It was nothing." Atsushi lied. He had been thrown into this situation and really just felt awkward.

The answer startled Akutagawa.

"I thought you were asleep." He sighed deeply into the pillow and closed his eyes tight.

"I think I was, but the floor isn't that comfortable. I keep waking up, but I'm too tired to move." It was hard to understand Atsushi, he was talking really quietly and had that sleep drunk voice.

"Man, you really are useless." Akutagawa flipped over so his back would be facing Atsushi.

Atsushi wasn't sure why, but those words really made his blood boil. He sat up, and slammed his fist down on the floor.

Ouch, my arm is asleep.

"How can you say that? I spent my day off helping you get back home, I didn't have to do that. Anyone else would have left your moody ass on the sidewalk. Not only that, but after you made a complete idiot of yourself by getting so drunk on cough syrup that you fell on the floor, I didn't leave you there- I should have. I don't know why I felt sorry for you. I'll just leave right now." And he tried to stand up, but it was proving difficult. The left half of his body was still tingling.

Akutagawa felt that annoying tug inside his chest, and he was glad it was dark because he was sure he was red faced a bit, and not from a fever this time.

"You don't need to feel sorry for me. I can manage just fine on my own. Maybe I wouldn't care if no one picked me up when I fell."

"How can you thank me and berate me in nearly the same sentence? I had plans last night, but I chose to help you instead.. you're extremely ungrateful."

Atsushi pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head down on them.

What's with this guy.

Akutagawa was gritting his teeth again. It pained him to feel so many emotions at once. He pressed his face into his pillow and screamed. Atsushi's head jerked up from his knees, and he looked in the direction of Akutagawa, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sorry. It's hard enough for me to say that, but I mean it, ok? I'm sorry, but I also think you should have left me yesterday. I'm the one that's useless." And he'd said enough, he pulled the covers over his head. It wasn't sympathy he was looking for, he really believed what he said.

Atsushi didn't really know what to say..but saying nothing didn't feel right either. He inched toward the bed and laid his head on the edge.

"I don't think useless is the right word. Your sister seems to think highly of you." That's all he could think of. He really hadn't seen many redeeming qualities in Akutagawa, but his sister had said he wasn't a bad guy.

She probably just said that so I'd stay.

"I'm a burden on Gin. She left because she was tired of taking care of me, which is humiliating. I should be taking care of her."

"Even so... I know she loves you."

"This really isn't about Gin right now." He huffed. Akutagawa didn't like talking about his family situation to a guy he barely knew.

"I said thanks for getting me home, let's just get to sleep so this night can be over." He reached for the cough syrup on the bed, opened it and took a sip.

Atsushi sighed, "I really think you should lay off the cough syrup."

Thump

Akutagawa had held the bottle out for Atsushi, but rapped him in the head with it. He was closer than he'd expected. Atsushi took the bottle and sat it on the floor.

"Thanks." He rubbed his head where the bottle had hit it.

"I have to drink it. I've had a cough for as long as I can remember. It helps me."

"You haven't coughed for a while now, not even while you were asleep."

"I need it, ok?" God what's with this guy? He's not my mother.

At least he'd gotten the bottle from him tonight, "Ok." He didn't know why Akutagawa felt so dependent on it, but he decided to drop it for now.

"Mmm so.. were you having a bad dream?" Atsushi was feeling more awake now, and he always felt chatty when around other people.

"I don't remember my dreams, ever. Why do you ask that?"

"I dunno, you were whining a little bit in your sleep, but it was probably a fever nightmare."

Akutagawa felt his face flush. Had he been whining? Is that why Atsushi was laying beside him on the floor. He felt like he could explode with embarrassment.

A moment of silence had passed, and Atsushi tried to change the subject, he fumbled with his shirt tail and said, "So uh, the curry was pretty good."

" Can we not just go to sleep?" He really didn't feel like making small talk before the sun was out.

Atsushi stood up and walked over to the couch. I guess that's that. He flopped down and closed his eyes as sleep fell over his body.

Akutagawa couldn't fall asleep. The words kept repeating over and over in his head, "You were whining in your sleep", he kept hearing Atsushi say those words and he strained to remember a hint of what had been going through his mind. Pointless. He sat up and looked at the nightstand. He could just make out his phone laying there, so he grabbed it and gave it a shake. 4:26.

Fuck, it is early.

How long had he been laying there? He got up again, walked over the couch, and leaned down to look at Atsushi's face. He shined the light from his phone screen on him and saw he was breathing deeply, and squint his eyes against the light.

Asleep. Well, I'd guess so.

Akutagawa put his finger in his mouth and bit down on it.

How can I show him I really am greatful, even after acting like an ass last night?

"When you wake up, I'll make you some breakfast." He whispered to Atsushi.

That should be enough.