Cold

Bleary eyes squinted at the roof, a loud clangorous noise jolting her body awake so harshly that she nearly fell out of bed. Estelle stared, utterly perplexed by the strange noise as her head turned to the male on her right, and her confusion grew as she detected the evident perspiration on his face.

She was silent as Katsuki lurched up, coughing like a possessed man into his hand. When she moved her gaze up to his eyes, she noticed he was wide awake, yet his globes were filled with overwhelming fatigue. His hand moved, gripping onto his heart for dear life as a heavy breath left his lips, and it was then that Estelle shot up from the bed, noting how the air had come out as a wheeze.

Estelle observed his state on her knees, sitting on the bed with evident uneasiness as Katsuki fell back into another round of coughs. He flopped back onto the bed, looking as pale as a ghost and like he was on the verge of passing out from the lack of air. Estelle felt her heart stop, her body moving on all fours to lean over him in question. Her hair hung between them, essentially trapping their sights to they couldn't drift away from one another as Estelle scrutinised him, her thoughts raging in her mind as she softly asked, "Katsuki?"

Katsuki tried to turn his head away when Estelle inched closer, his coughing muffled as he tried to prevent the coughs from reaching her. His eyes stayed on hers, barely able to get his words out as he hoarsely responded, "Yes?"

Feeling apprehensive the more she observed him, Estelle could only question, "Are you...okay?"

Katsuki's eyes broadened from the query, his mouth beginning to tip down the longer their eyes met. Despite the apparent uncertainty in her expression, he could help but give a hoarse cry, "Do I look alright!?"

Startled by the yell, Estelle felt heat flood her cheeks as she tried to give a verbal answer. Completely flustered by the dumb question, Estelle was given a second of reprieve when the blonde hacked his lungs out once again. As the racket strengthened in sound, Estelle was brisk to shoot up from the bed, a layer of nervousness on her face as she shuffled off the covers.

Her feet touched the floorboards, and it was only seconds later that she was hurrying around the bed to reach his side of the covers. The tiny pitter-patter of her feet and the quickness of her movements had caught Katsuki off guard, his stare following her the whole time she rapidly moved. Katsuki would have found the action breathtakingly adorable if he weren't so sick.

As Estelle got closer, his eyes never left her frame, and her palm was placed on his forehead to check his temperature. Despite not activating any abilities, the blonde had never noticed how cold Estelle was, and he couldn't stop the groan from slipping past his lips as he grasped it to keep it in place. Closing his eyes to enjoy the brief reprieve from burning in what seemed like hellfire, Katsuki relaxed enough that he could fall back asleep.

"-Burning up!... Ruby?!"

Katsuki jerked from the sudden yell, pulling his eyelids apart to check what was wrong with the frantic tone in her voice. Estelle wasn't the type to shout very much, so the fact she was doing so right now instantly caught his attention. Blinking up at her, he recognised that her wide globes were staring with an unbridled fear that made his gut clench.

Tightening his grip on her hand to reassure her, Katsuki forced a mumble through his tired lips. "M'kay. It's jus' a cold."

Pausing from the answer, Estelle frowned, "You should have put your snow gear on last night. Why didn't you?"

"You were wearing them."

Estelle could have groaned if she wasn't jittering with concern. She had made a joke about it yesterday, but colds were life-threatening; it was why she had told him to put them on. She shouldn't have been so careless as to forget it last night in the face of their snowball fight. "You moron! I don't get sick! I would have been fine!"

"Tch doesn't mean you can't feel cold."

"Doesn't matter what I feel, not when your sick now!"

Taking a moment to scan her, Katsuki realised that her voice was on the brink of hysterical. Knowing that she wouldn't back down from the argument if this continued, Katsuki glared as he sternly responded. "Why are you freaking out, woman!? It's just a damn cold!"

Estelle closed her eyes as she attempted to gather a calming breath. The adrenaline rushing through her body made her feel like she was amidst a battle, and since she wasn't expending the energy, it made her feel like she was about to explode. Estelle had heard about the flu from her human comrades, who had informed her that it would be a significant detriment if it was severe. She never thought of it much at the time, but now, Estelle had no idea if this was an extreme case, and the thought made her restless. She didn't like the notion of Katsuki being ill; the stupid boy should have listened to her.

Observing the evident panic on Estelle's face, Katsuki stared as she whirled to the cupboard to grab a blanket before strutting over to him. The male was shaken by the determination, gaping like a fish as she manoeuvred his body however she wished. Blatantly ignoring his grunt of disapproval, Estelle practically manhandled him as she bundled him up like a burrito.

Flushing a little from the satisfied expression crossing her face, Katsuki didn't know if he was blushing or if it was his fever. Estelle ignored the dumbstruck expression, her eyes flickering in the air like she was looking at a checklist. Hitting her temple slightly, Estelle growled in irritation as she tried to recall their words, not realising she was talking loudly.

"What did they say?! Wrapping up nicely avoids certain death. Find some medicine. Soft foods? Shouldn't humans be able to keep anything down? Maybe I should call a doctor-"

"Estelle. Calm the fuck down."

Freezing from his garbled words, Estelle peered down at the wrapped-up burrito like a lost child, awaiting a response on what the hell she should be doing. Katsuki glared for a moment, his frown deepening as he tried to move under the constraints she had placed on his body. "I don't need a doctor, and I am not dying, for god's sake. It's a harmless cold, so get me some medicine, and I'll sleep it off. I'll be fine, dammit!"

Estelle considered his words, unsure if he was correct from the lacklustre behind them. Yet, her body still relaxed in consolation, gratefulness in her bones remaining at the fact it wasn't deathly. Though, that information confused her. "But I've heard of humans dying from the cold?"

Katsuki felt exhausted enough that his whole body could probably sink through the mattress from its weight. Though all he wanted to do was ignore her so he could turn over and catch up on his lost sleep, Katsuki knew she needed him to explain so she could breathe easier. Honestly, though, he doubted he could sleep knowing she was wrecked with so much anxiety for him. "Your world is not as advanced, remember? We have the medicines to treat them, so I'll be fine. Seriously."

Finally breathing like a normal human being, Estelle slumped slightly as the tension finally departed from her body. Giving a quick nod of understanding, Estelle wasted no time leaving the room with a mutter that she would be back. Once the bedroom door closed behind her, her footsteps quickened as she went downstairs to the unsuspecting classmates who were having breakfast. Now that the female was given a moment to think, Estelle noted that she probably should have realised the information herself, but seeing him on their bed looking so pale made her panic.

Struggling in the kitchen, Estelle had no idea where the medicine was and gave up on her search. Heading directly towards her classmates, her gaze flickered over the students chatting around the table. Stopping a foot away from the table, it wasn't long after that the class noticed that she hadn't taken a seat and was awkwardly standing like a lost puppy. Taking note of her worried expression, Iida was the one to speak up. "What's wrong?"

Fidgeting with her shirt sleeve, Estelle murmured, "Katsuki has a cold, and I don't know where the medicine is."

"Oh! I'll grab it! Just a minute, I'll be right back!" Momo called out, immediately standing and heading into the kitchen.

Thankful for Momo's eager help, Estelle remained where she stood, shuffling her two feet as she avoided the gaze of her classmates. She knew she probably looked like an idiot, but Estelle didn't know what to do in this situation.

"Um. Estelle?"

"Yeah?"

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?" Izuku questioned, his tone knowing as he stared up at the female who was too anxious even to take a seat.

"Not a clue. Help me."

The students were startled by the blunt demand, but their eyes flashed to each other in amusement moments after, not used to seeing Estelle a jittering mess. Biting back their grins, they tried to keep calm so she wouldn't catch on to them.

"Estelle, there's no need to worry! We'll tell you everything you need to know!" Ochako beamed, finally happy to return the favour for all the training Estelle had provided her.

"Yeah! We got you!" Kirishima chuckled, his gaze moving to Momo, who had just returned with a few boxes in her hands.

Handing the medicine over to Estelle, the students surveyed as Estelle curiously scanned over the letters, a cloud falling over her head as she bit her lip. "Um, how do I know which ones to use or how much to give him? I won't kill him, will I?"

Biting back her laugh at the clueless expression on Estelle's face, Momo placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, her head nudging towards the box as she replied. "It's all on the back of the boxes, Estelle."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Okay! Now onto the lesson!" Kaminari chirped, a massive grin on his face, "You gotta nurse him back to health!"

Estelle nodded thoughtfully, her back straightening up as her mind mentally placed his words onto a checklist. She was too busy to notice what he was trying to instigate, yet the class caught on, smiling as they eagerly spoke up, one by one.

"He'll need soft foods, so we'll whip up some soup for you to feed him!" Sato added, already standing up to make food for their ill classmate.

"Thank you."

"Make sure he drinks plenty of water!" Koda chimed in.

"Got it."

"Wear a mask!" Iida spoke, his hands moving frantically in front of him.

"That shouldn't be necessary, but okay."

"Make sure he gets plenty of rest, and have a bin close by if he needs to vomit," Momo murmured to her side.

"He may feel weak for the first two days, so he might need to lean on you for help!" Ashido beamed, her hands under her chin as she excitedly leaned forward.

"Yeah! Swoop him up into your arms if necessary!" Hagakure added on.

"He might not feel hungry, so you'll need to force-feed him too! He'll need it to heal!" Sero cheered, his hand raised in a thumbs up.

"He needs to eat before taking any medicine," Tokoyami replied, eating his food calmly as he observed his classmates with a hint of a smile.

Estelle nodded earnestly, taking all the information provided with layers of gratitude since she finally had a better idea of what she needed to do. Feeling her cheeks lift, Estelle muttered, "I think I understand now. Thanks, guys."

The class responded with their own smiles, nudging each other with blows of glee as Estelle stared at the boxes in her hand with a determination that couldn't be hidden. She was going to nurse that boy back to health; honestly, Katsuki should thank them for the opportunity. No doubt he would revel in it like the lovesick boy he pretended he wasn't.

"Glad to be of service! If you need anything else, just ask! We're happy to help!"

Iida gave her some tinned soup so Sato had enough time to make a homemade batch. Estelle had her mask on, a tray in her hands that held the soup, medicine and a glass of water. Kicking open her bedroom door, it didn't take long for her to notice that Katsuki had fallen asleep.

Placing the tray on the bedside table, Estelle lifted her hand to gently wake him up. The male crumpled his eyebrows from the motion before blearily staring at the pillow as she spoke, "Ruby, you need to eat something."

Katsuki groaned in response, still wrapped up in a burrito, as he shuffled to a sitting position. Estelle found that she loathed his appearance, ignoring how much her heart fell. He looked like a wreck when she woke up, but now, he was the picture of the illness. He was a far cry from the chaos in his training matches, and the longer she witnessed the sight, the more her need to see him better rose inside of her.

Hazily looking at the tray Estelle placed in front of him, Katsuki scanned the soup before grumbling, "I hope it wasn't your cooking."

Snorting at the remark, Estelle shook her head. "It's just tinned soup. Sato's currently making a fresh batch for you."

"Tch, I'm fine. I'm not a weakling."

Estelle hissed at the prideful comment, "Of course you aren't. That doesn't mean you can't get sick. Now open your mouth."

"I can feed myself."

"Keep your arms in the blanket, or I'll strangle you in it. You need to stay warm, so open up."

Grumbling under his breath, Katsuki complied, his eyes observing her as she slowly fed him, spoon by spoon, with the utmost patience. He recognised that she probably didn't even notice what she was doing. She looked precious, opening her mouth whenever he did, as if she needed to gesture to him every time in instruction.

When he finally finished his meal, Estelle was quick to take out some pills and a glass of water, plopping it into his mouth before tipping the water into his mouth, her hand hovering below the glass in case any droplets spilt.

As soon as he was done, Katsuki immediately placed his head back onto the pillow, his eyes closing as if he had fallen asleep again. Estelle didn't speak, satisfied she had done all she could, knowing he needed as much rest as possible to fight off the cold. Standing from the bed, she was startled when she heard a weak voice whisper behind her, "Don't you have to go to work?"

Estelle froze, her mind alerting her that work hadn't even crossed her mind when she woke up. Typically, it was one of the first things the female thought about until she could be distracted by something else. Anything related to the war felt like an itch Estelle couldn't scratch; it was as if she had a deadline coming up, and there was no time left on the clock. It felt overwhelming knowing that it was all she could do to fight against Nyx.

Today just wasn't typical for her.

The thought of leaving him to go to work felt strange. Even though Estelle had a lot of work to do, the list never ended, and she felt even worse at leaving him like this. Estelle wasn't sure if it was because if she did leave him, the job fell to her classmates to check on him, and Katsuki had too much pride to allow them to see him sick. What if he got worse when she wasn't here? Honestly, that felt more alarming than the impending doom of the final battles.

"The world won't crash and burn if I skip a day."

Katsuki was quiet, almost as if he was simmering in her response and could not make anything of it. Eventually, he croaked out, "You'd do that for me?"

'I'd do anything for you.'

Estelle physically jumped, the tray in her hands rattling from the movement. She was glad he couldn't see her face because her mouth was agape, unable to comprehend the thought that had intrusively entered her brain. Shaking her head as if to tell herself that it wasn't true, Estelle took a harsh gulp as she forced her voice to remain steady. "Of course."

Taking another few moments to soak in her words, Katsuki stared up at the ceiling as he answered. "Tch, well, at least take off the mask. You don't even need it, and I have the right to see your pretty face."

"Fine."

"Good, now cuddle me."

Sighing, Estelle lay down by his side. She was glad that she couldn't get sick, or at least; it was difficult for her to do so. Her spirit side was good at boosting her capabilities, and her immune system was a part of it. A warrior couldn't get sick days, not when there were battles to fight. She had told him that ages ago; she was surprised he remembered.

Feeling the chest beneath her even out, Estelle closed her eyes to the soft heartbeat next to her ear. The occasional sniffle would cause her to open them momentarily, a quiet reminder ringing in her brain that he was as okay as he could be.

"Katsuki..."

"I'm going to kill you, woman! I can do it myself!"

"You stubborn man! I'll throw you out of the window at this rate! Hurry up and lean on me!"

"Gahh, I'm not a cripple!"

Currently, Estelle was wrestling with his arm in an attempt to help him to the bathroom. She had accepted his initial request to go alone, but as soon as he began to tumble, Estelle was by his side in an instant. The prideful male immediately refused, his body adamantly trying to move but only continuing to fail.

Her eyes watched him like a hawk, her body already hovering next to him in position in case he fell. Katsuki growled to himself in frustration, annoyed that he had failed at his attempt at doing something on his own. Forcing his body straight, the blonde halted when Estelle mumbled to his right, her words zipping right to his heart enough that he couldn't refuse.

"I know. Just let me help you; I hate seeing you like this."

"Tch. Try being me right now," He muttered, his body beginning to lean on her as her arm wrapped around his middle tightly. Hobbling along to the door, Katsuki discreetly observed her expression with avid attention. Though he was trying to put up a fight, the teen knew that a deep part of himself loved the attention he was getting from the girl. Estelle always had a million things to do, and without even thinking about it, she tried to fit him into her day, even if it was just getting into bed together.

The action could be tooth-rottenly domestic. Katsuki would enter the room after she changed, fall into bed (which he had now deemed his side of the bed), and cuddle before they fell asleep. There were no arguments about it anymore or her half-hearted words that he should stay away; she simply fell into his embrace like she had been waiting all day for the moment. Katsuki couldn't deny that he felt the same way. For him, it was like everything outside her bedroom door didn't exist, and it was just the two of them; it was all they needed.

The fact that Estelle was fussing over him like a worried mother hen was enough for him to get over his frustration that he was so helpless right now. Yeah, she had been protective over him and the class, but he had never seen her so concerned, and the picture made him want to cheese like a cringy protagonist in a romance novel. So, just having her all to himself was a steady stream of dopamine to his brain.

Estelle easily took his weight as she pushed on, finally reaching the bathroom before leaving him at the door. Relieved when she moved back, so she wasn't standing directly in front of the door, Katsuki was at least glad the woman wasn't going to hear him piss. He found the image horrifying and probably would have melted into the bathroom floor before he even left it.

Finishing his business, Katsuki found Estelle heading back to him, her pace picking up when he leaned on the door to steady himself. He didn't argue this time, his body automatically depending on her as she shuffled them back to the bedroom.

"Heh.."

"What is it?" Estelle murmured, her eyes focusing on their feet.

"You haven't even seen my bedroom, and I've spent ages sleeping in yours."

Estelle realised he was right. It was a little strange, but she could understand how it came to be, considering Katsuki was the one who instigated a lot of their meet-ups. It usually tended to be the living room or the bedroom; he would just show up wherever she was. Plus, there was no need to go to his bedroom if he was already present.

Shugging, Estelle responded, "Ah well, I'm sure it's too messy anyways."

Whirling her head to her like she had given him sweets, Katsuki baulked in indignation before he yelped, "Hah?! You're the one who had maps of Japan covering every inch of your room! I had to put them away!"

Estelle conceded to his point, Laughing, continuing, "Well, I did see your room at your parent's place."

"Oh, yeah. It's the same. It has fewer posters."

"What about your books? I saw them in your bedroom last time, but I've never seen you pick one up," Estelle questioned, her eyes sparking as she remembered her thoughts at her visit.

"Tch, it's because my free time is filled with you," Katsuki answered nonchalantly, his shoulders giving a weak shrug.

Frowning, Estelle didn't know what to make of that answer. She didn't like him giving up something he enjoyed just to see her. "Oh. Well, that's not fair. You could always bring one next time."

"But then I wouldn't be talking to you."

Pondering his statement, Estelle ignored the warm feeling building inside her as she peered at him. "You could always read one to me? I've never read a story before."

Katsuki jolted, his eyes staring at her with overwhelming bewilderment as he took in her unsure expression. He noted how Estelle moved back slightly at his action to ensure he was giving all his weight to her and bit back his smile at the subtle tell. He didn't linger on the thoughtful movement, too distracted by her words as he slowly worded, "You...haven't read a story?"

Suddenly embarrassed by his reaction, Estelle bit her lip before ducking her head with a mutter. "Uh, yeah..."

Turning his head away so Estelle couldn't see the anger flooding his expression, Katsuki hid his clenched fist at his side as he was again reminded of the world Estelle came from. It burned his chest, rising up to his throat, and he forced the rage down so he could respond as calmly as possible. "Tch. Your world is so shitty. I'll read whatever you want."

The class sneakily observed Estelle shovelling food down her mouth like she was on a time limit. Honestly, they had never seen the woman move that quickly, and they all knew it was likely because of the sick blonde lying upstairs alone.

They watched as Estelle's phoned pinged with a notification, her spoon stopping as she peered down at the lit screen, her eyes moving as if she was reading. They stopped when a small smile broke out on her face, her fingers moving on the keypad as the other continued to feed herself absentmindedly.

"Who are you texting?"

Still typing away and eating, Estelle muttered, "Ruby."

The class grinned broadly, not afraid of her seeing since she was so caught up on her tasks. Nudging each other, they all collectively agreed that the scene they caught was the peak of charming.

Taking advantage of her occupied state, Hagakure questioned, "What are you guys talking about?"

"He's telling me to hurry up and get my cute butt upstairs."

Izuku choked on his food, his body sliding off his chair and hitting the ground with a thud as he wheezed for air. The rest of the class were in similar states, disbelieving that the explosive male could even say such a thing. Despite the oddity of Katsuki's text, the excitement thrumming in their veins skyrocketed at the reveal. Unable to hold the energy in their bodies, the nudges they were giving each other increased in intensity, practically punching each other's shoulders as they mouthed words of shock and amazement.

The class knew Katsuki's affection for her, as he was more vocal about it. The teen had a religious night schedule and threw it out of the window as soon as Estelle returned after Kamino Ward. They couldn't forget the care hidden under his aggressive words and how he was always the closest body to her whenever she was in the room. He gravitated to the woman; it was easy to catch on to.

Estelle was more difficult to gauge. It was hard to tell if there was anything on her end, mainly since she had been trained to be as emotionless as possible. But, as time went on, it became more evident. They wondered if it was because they had gotten to know Estelle a whole lot better, and therefore they could see the subtlety in her actions or if she was struggling to hide it anymore. But they knew Estelle felt something in return; Katsuki being sick was like icing on the cake.

They saw it in the subtle looks they gave each other, like silent conversations nobody else was privy to. They noticed it when she subtly checked on him throughout the day. They could hear it in her voice, especially when speaking to him. They felt it through her demeanour whenever she was around him.

They especially witnessed it in her worry this morning, a layer of concern covering her like a cloud as she tried to figure out how to help him. They were seeing it right now, how she was eating so quickly so she could return to him. Estelle cared for him so much more than maybe she even realised. She gravitated to him just as much as he did her, and they hoped, wished and prayed that she would figure it out before returning home.

They were whole together. It just didn't seem right anymore to see them apart.

"I don't like you tiny-brained humans, but that doctor of yours seems to be able to make the impossible happen. I could give him bodies of dark spirits, beings of more power than you all can comprehend. I want him to make what you call...Nomu's out of them."

"What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. I want them to ruin the world after I win the war. Undefeatable chaos, and everyone will die. It's an easy win."

"What happens if you lose?"

"Estelle will die trying to kill them."