As soon as I walked into the house I could hear Michiru fussing over Hotaru—who seemed to be giving her a hard time.
"Whoa, what on earth?" I asked as I walked into the room and heard the little girl stubbornly arguing with Michiru, not wanting to stay home despite it was obvious that she was sick. However what surprsied me more was the fact that Michiru was being as patient as ever, her expression almost pleading with the child.
"Looks like this little firefly wants to force herself to go to school today even though she feels like garbage." Michiru stated, sending a glare at Hotaru who as glowering over at the both of us.
"Well that's too bad, she'll have to fight me to get out of this house and I doubt that she'll be able to do that!" I stated, sending a look at Hotaru who stuck her tongue out at me and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Okay little miss grumpy, you behave for Haruka." Michiru stated with a small smile as she gave our 'daughter' a light hug, which caused the girl to smile a bit.
"See you Michi, good luck on your test today." I stated with a sigh as I dodged a pillow that was thrown at my head by our kid, who started laughing and dunked beneath her covers as soon as I turned to her.
"Have fun you two and Haruka...Don't hurt her too much." Michiru snickered, letting herself kiss my cheek before she made her way out of the room. As soon as she was gone I turned toward Hotaru and threw the pillow at the lump under the covers.
"That is what you get you little rat!" I laughed as I sat down and helped unburied her from the mounds. I could tell when I felt her small hand on mine that she still had a small fever.
"Papa? Why can't I go to school?" Hotaru asked softly before coughing into her fist.
"because you're sick and you don't want to get everyone else sick now do you?" I questioned with a smile as I picked her up, covers and all before I headed toward the living room. She shook her head as an answer and sighed then rested against my shoulder.
"What would you like for breakfast squirt?" I asked earning a sigh from her.
"Nothing...my throat hurts." she whispered causing me to sigh.
"You have to eat something." I argued then sighed and added softly "Michiru will kill me but I have something that will make your throat feel a bit better."
She glanced up at me before she asked softly "what is it Papa?"
"well you like those frozen pop things right? Maybe eating a few of those will numb your throat enough that I can get you to eat something without too much pain...and if that doesn't work I'll take you to the doctor's office where Setsuna works." I stated with a sigh as I dropped her onto the couch.
"Don't like doctors." She stated nervously and I chuckled.
"neither do I...Setsuna had a hard time when I had to get my sports physical." I retorted before adding "Mom's the only one who can even get close to me when I have to get any kind of vaccine or blood work. I hate needles."
Hotaru's eyes widened at this and then she started laughing a bit though it ended with her starting to cough. I sighed as I watched her small form shake.
"lets go eat and we'll see how you feel after that okay squirt?" I added with a sigh as I managed to muss up her already messy hair.
"okay papa." she answered with a forced smile.