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Chapter 6: Damaged
He's gone from fire to darkness, and woken to cold. Parts of Hera are freezing, even though he can still feel the flames burning inside of him. No, that's the fever, isn't it?
He tries blinking, his eyes just barely opening to let the light in. It's bright here. It kind of looks like his own bathroom. But it can't be, because the fuzzy images of Sadik and Kiku are in here with him, and they're making out against the wall. God, these dreams...He whimpers. His head aches, and so does everything else. He hopes this won't be another nightmare.
The soft, uneasy whimper somewhere behind them is louder than anything Kiku's ever heard. He pushes Sadik away with a gasp and runs to Hera, his hands digging through the melting ice to pull his legs from the cold. "Hera-!" he gasps, looking to Sadik. "Help me get him out onto the floor for a minute."
Turkey should be sighing, rolling his eyes, something to prove he cares far more about kissing Japan than helping the brat. Instead he's laying out a big towel before kneeling to plunge his arms back into the ice. He takes most of Greece's weight and guides him to the floor while Japan gathers his legs.
"There we go. You with us, brat?" He brushes back the damp hair clinging to Hera's forehead. He's cooler now, and his body is shaking.
Japan watches him rush to Greece's aid, his heart still pounding with that blood-searing kiss. Oh, Kami-sama, he can't stop himself from blushing, just looking at Turkey. He begins to towel off the cold water, rubbing Greece's legs at the same time, trying to get the feeling back in them.
Hera blinks sluggishly. Definitely another dream: Sadik is being nice. He lifts his head so that he can see Kiku down by his legs. He wonders if he's going to suck him off again this time. While appealing, the thought doesn't arouse him as it did before. The aching cold and his swimming brain make him want nothing more than to curl up and sleep. He tries, but Sadik's hands force him to lie still.
"Stay. We'll take care of it," Sadik says. He glances at Kiku, who has a very pretty blush. "You, uh, do whatever it is you're supposed to do to bring him back. I'll fix his bed." He leaves, well aware that his worry is showing through. There's no way he's staying around Hera like that. Besides, he has a feeling it is rude to ogle someone's naked body when they're sick and weak and vulnerable... shit.
The erection in Sadik's pants is plain as day, and Kiku blushes a little bit harder, looking down again and wondering if that's for him, Hera, or both. He continues to massage Hera's calves, this time moving his hands harsher, waking up his nerves. "Hera..." he whispers, biting his lower lip as he watches Hera's toes curl. He must be feeling the pins and needles now. "Hera, can you hear me?"
Hera twitches his fingers, just to see if he can, when he hears Kiku calling him. The effort it takes to raise his head again is Olympic, and he falls back almost immediately. "Kiku. No cosplay?" He doesn't know what else to call all the outfits that he's been showing up in. He expects Kiku will soon open his usual robe to reveal some sexy fetish thing underneath.
Kiku has to smile a little, reaching out to place a hand on Hera's chest. "Why would I be in cosplay? We're not at a convention." He leans over him, only blushing a little when their bodies line up point for point. His palm rests on Hera's forehead for a moment. He's still burning up, but it's not as hot as it was. "Do you think you can stomach some soup, Hera-kun?"
Greece shivers, once again hot and cold. Can you feel sick in a dream? He doesn't know. But soup might be nice...dream soup. He can't vomit dream soup, right? "Yeah," he answers at last. Now that Turkey isn't here to stop him, he curls inward. His outsides are freezing, even though he's still so hot inside. "B-blanket?"
Japan frowns at the sight. He calls into the hallway, "Turkey-kun? Would you mind helping me get him to bed?"
Turkey has finally managed to switch out the disgusting sheets that Greece has been lying on for he doesn't want to know how long, and shaken out the blankets on the floor. They're going to want them now. He returns, smirking a little. "Mind? When he's conscious, it's all I intend to do." He leans down and gathers Greece in his arms, swaddling him in the towel like a child. Not like a child. He never did this when Greece was a young - Egypt did.
Kiku can't help shuddering a little at that, his mind going to places that don't make quelling his arousal any easier. Blushing hot, he takes Hera's legs and helps Sadik carry him to bed, his tongue running over his upper lip. Now that he has a taste to supply to the fantasy, it's going to be hard to forget. He swallows, setting Hera down on the newly made bed. "I'll reheat the soup, Hera-kun."
The second Kiku is in the kitchen, he grabs hold of the counter, leaning against it and trying to quell his shakes. Sadik... kissed him. Hard. And it was so good, he still feels electric with their static. Sucking in slow, deep breaths, he finally calms down enough to turn on the heat again. It was just frustration, frayed nerves. Really, they both know he's in love with Hera, so... It won't happen again. Even so, just the thought of it makes his stomach twist.
Kiku holds his breath for a moment, then breathes out and begins stirring the soup as it bubbles. It won't do to melt the tofu. He wants Hera to feel better. So he grabs the ladle and fills another bowl, making sure to get hunks of tofu and scallion in it, hoping that they will help him feel full.
Dreaming, Hera decides. He's definitely dreaming, because Sadik and Kiku are acting like newfound lovers. Stranger still, it is Sadik tucking him into bed, drawing up the blankets and smoothing them over him. He is finally allowed to roll to one side and bring his knees up to his chest, gathering all the warmth he can. He wants to sleep.
Sadik shakes his shoulder. "I don't think so; we just got you back, you're not sleeping again until you've got some food in you. Food that I will not be cleaning up if it ends up on the floor again, understood?"
He gets very little response from Hera, and frowns. He needs something to get his attention, to pull him fully into this world and out of whatever nightmare he's been walking. Then he has an idea. With a smirk, he leans in close to Hera's ear. "Guess what. I kissed Kiku. Really kissed 'im, I mean. It was good. And you slept through it."
Greece wrinkles his nose and tries to burrow a little further under the covers. "Didn't miss it. You did that a couple of times, once in the doctor's, and then as a fireman..."
Turkey's brow furrows. "Shit. I think that fever damaged your brain or something." He puts a hand on Hera's forehead, feeling the heat that is still there, even after being dunked in ice. "That can happen, can't it, Kiku?"
"In very serious cases, I believe it can." Kiku frowns as he carries the soup to Hera's bedside and sits on the edge. He waits until Sadik pulls Hera's head up to rest the mouth of the bowl against his lips.
Greece pushes himself up as best he can, doing his best to ignore how much of it is really Turkey maneuvering him. The soup smells incredible, and he is eager to swallow it. The heat is lovely against his throat. "M'not damaged," he says between sips. "'S true. You're the ones who were being weird. And then everything...burned..." He shuts his eyes against that image and drinks more.
Japan looks to Turkey, who looks at him with raised eyebrows. They both shrug.
"Take it easy there, brat. I already told you I'm not cleaning any more bodily fluids from you today." Turkey tugs on Japan's sleeve, silently asking him to take a break. They both watch Greece carefully, waiting to see how his stomach reacts. They jump when he leans over, but it's just another of his bitter coughing fits. He sighs and pats Greece's back; he can actually feel the force of it through his hand.
Kiku nods at him softly, resting a hand to Hera's thigh and keeping it there through the fit of coughing before finally sliding to his feet. "I'm going to make more tea. Would you like some, Sadik-san?"
"Yeah." Sadik likes tea, and he likes expanding his tastes. Kiku makes an excellent brew, whatever type he decides on. While Kiku's in the kitchen, he keeps rubbing Hera's back, trying to ease the tension of his lungs. This may be beyond him - no, it's certainly beyond him, but it may be beyond Kiku as well. They can't stay with Hera forever. They have their own issues to attend to, and at this rate the brat really will get brain damage. Isn't that just what the world needs? "You're going to make me do something stupid, aren't you brat?"
Greece hates the way he can hear his breath. It's been his wheezing, heavy companion for longer than he wishes to think about now. At least his stomach seems steady so far, and Turkey's hand is kind of...nice. That's probably why the only insult he can come up with, even given such a fantastic opening, is, "You're stupid."
Turkey taps Greece's forehead with one finger. He'd be smacking it if he didn't think that could knock him senseless at this point. "Brain. Damage. If that's the best you can do, I might just keep you this way. You're so much less annoying." And less fun.
Greece goes nearly cross-eyed trying to follow the finger. He's sure that doesn't help his case. With a groan he lies back, pressing himself into the pillows. "Leave m'lone."
"Never." Turkey grins.
Japan paces the kitchen as the tea heats on the stove. He's not sure how long Greece will last like this. Even the ice bath didn't do much to knock his fever down. He doesn't know what other methods he can use, but... He does know one person who may be able to help. He glances toward his phone on the counter. No. NO. He really doesn't want to call him. More importantly, he REALLY doesn't want to owe him anything.
Sighing with annoyance, he finally grabs his phone and texts China: "Please come to Greece's place. Heracles is ill."
Back in the bedroom, Turkey sighs as well. It seems like Greece is fading again, and while his near-constant naps are normal enough, these are almost disturbing. Greece isn't a deep sleeper, but these things he's been falling into swallow him up. He may have reacted to the ice, but even that did not immediately wake him.
Turkey shakes his head and pulls out his phone. Fuck, Greece has him actually asking for help. He texts Egypt: "Brat's sick as shit. Get over here."
Kiku returns with tea, offering Sadik his cup and peering down at Hera with worry. "He's sleeping again?"
With a nod, Sadik takes the cup. The smell of the tea is already soothing his nerves. "Probably. At least he didn't faint this time."
Kiku nods, dropping to the edge of the bed and resting his fingers on Hera's skin for a second. He's hot - too hot for having just been on ice. "This is really starting to make me worry," he sighs, turning away and sipping his tea, his knee brushing against Sadik's. Blushing hard, he slips over to the side a little more. He really needs to stop thinking about that kiss.
