CHAPTER 70

I do not own skip beat. Yoshiki Nakamura does.

A sprinkle, A morsel, A bed:

A galaxy of care.

Part three.

Despite knowing where they were going, she was still surprised when Ren directed them right away toward the bathroom as if he had always known where it was. But she was still stunned at her unexpected docility in letting him carry her to it.

He entered the room and closed the door, then stopped in front of the traditional encased Japanese bath, and she was reminded why it was in fact such a bad idea.

Forgetting about her condition and where she was, she hit her head against his hard shoulder and groaned at sparks of agony shot into her forehead from the former headache she had earlier.

"Is it the fever that make you want to hit yourself or did you develop some masochistic tendencies?" Commented her carrier with some mild amusement tinted with concern.

Disregarding his words as she rubbed her forehead with one hand and fought the new light-headed feeling, sign her fever might be rising again; she decided to address things. To her relief, talking only required her lips to move and she did not need to lift her head for this. Which was just as well as it was awkward enough as it was and she felt too weak for it.

"…Ren," She sighed against his neck before apologizing and moving away a few inches when she felt him shudder, "I think you might have failed to realize-… But I don't have enough fever again that-huff-…-I can't see there would be several issues in your plan…"

"What do you say of-cough…- profiting of the fact my fever dropped to let me bath like a big girl?" She tried out, "I should be able to do that." She added, putting up a brave front like she was feeling it. It was just a bath, she was not going to be beaten by a bath. Even feverish and coughing, she should be able to do it. Maybe. It was still better than the humiliation of having to be helped for it.

"I'm sorry."

"So that's a no." She mumbled with a new cough and some irritation.

"The doctor said I couldn't let you out of my eyesight until you had no more fever and no more coughing because there is a risk of complications," he said in an apologetic tone, "and you couldn't even do three steps without stumble so even without the doctor advices, I would still have preferred keeping an eye on you as your fever is already rising back."

She hit her head again in frustration and regretted it instantly.

"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!"

"Would you please stop doing that!" Grumbled Ren. "It's really distressing seeing you hit yourself and you are already sick, no need to make it worse."

She refused to reply or look at him, and just rested her face against him. She knew it was for her own good. She also knew he was just trying to help and applying the doctor advices. But she couldn't help it. Bathing meant stripping, thus being naked in front of him. She knew he only considered her a friend. And wouldn't think twice of it. But she couldn't prevent her mind to wonder what he would think of her, of her body. She felt so inadequate. At least, clothed, she could always fool herself by telling her he hadn't seen everything. That had he seen her, maybe he wouldn't have been completely indifferent. No, that was a lie. That wasn't that. She was fully convinced he would never find her attractive no matter the circumstances.

The truth was, clothed, she could tell herself he only knew what she had been willing to show. The clothes were her shield. It was the inconspicuous perception he could only judge a part of her. And it was self-preservation. Knowing he wouldn't be attracted and seeing it with her eyes were two different type of shards in her heart. While avoiding delusion, the first one permitted her to keep a little dignity and shelter.

The other would rob her of even that. Plus add embarrassment and humiliation to it.

She sighed, feeling caged. It was better to stay dirty, she decided. She was about to voice just that when Ren spoke as if he had felt it wasn't just about embarrassment.

"Just so we are clear," he stated softly, "I have a solution to avoid to put the both of us in too-much of an uncomfortable situation."

"You are going to-… cough- let me wash in peace?" she said with sudden hope, and just lifting her head slightly to look at him with pleading eyes.

He smiled comprehensively at her and she could see he felt bad for imposing her this, but after pecking her hair, he shook his head. She felt herself blush and wondered if it was only because of his nonchalant tenderness or if her fever was rising again. What she knew was that she felt dizzier than before, and she dropped back her head against his shoulder.

"Nice try." He said. "I'm going to wash your hair." He told her as if it explained everything.

"You are insufferable." She said against his neck again and she felt the reverberation of his laugh in his chest against her.

"I know. But really I have a solution."

"I really don't see-…cough-cough-cough-how it resolve anything…"

"Well," He started, "the doctor said you need to take a bath and that I needed to always keep an eye on you but it also true you fever dropped a fair share. So, while I will stay in bathroom…Am I wrong to think you should be able to-…take care of the rest?" He inquired to her. "Well, besides your hair."

She lifted her eyes to him as he was looking down at her, and she arched a brow.

"Yes, thank you, I should be able to do that just fine." She replied, grouchily before being overtaken by a new harsh fits of cough. "But I still don't get-…it."

"So grumpy," he said with a smile though she could see he was more worried than before after her last coughs, "though I understand why."

She just stared at him, too tired from the coughing to attempt even small banter.

He smiled and moving around in the tiny room, he softly sat her on the side cabinet of the sink, making sure she could rest her back against the wall behind.

"Do you trust me?" he asked with reassuring pleading eyes.

As she could refused him anything after this. She closed her eyes. Fine, whatever. She knew she had not been fair to him, and that her main refusal came from immature and ridiculous considerations. She just hoped she would forget it all.

"That's an unfair question." She grumbled ironically. "Of course I do."

He chuckled and there were a whoosh of air on her closed eyelids as he replied.

"Just give me a minute then."

She heard the water running then and soap smell.

She must have fallen asleep again because she only came back to present when Ren shook her shoulder lightly.

"Bath is ready." He told her. "You okay?"

She nodded, feeling bad to see him so concerned. Here she was, all annoyed and all when he was taking care of her. She knew she tended to be more irritable when she was ill but it was still no excuse.

"Just sleepy."

He slipped his hands around her and under legs again and lifted her back from her position.

"I'm sorry for being so cranky," She mumbled, admitting to herself she was indeed too badly sick to handle it all on her own, "I tend to be-huff-…well, grumpy, when I'm sick."

"I noticed." He said and she could just hear his smile. "But I don't mind. I even find it endearing."

She choked on her next cough.

"You are weird."

He snorted.

"Maybe."

He approached her to the side of the bathtub then and that's when she finally noticed it was filled with water and bubbles. Such a thick layer of foam it was amply covering all the water under it.

"I hope it will suffice into making it less uncomfortable for you." He sheepishly said and she could have kissed him.

"Thank you," she said, melting despite how sick she felt, "for thinking about all this."

He just smiled.

He dropped her on the side of the bath then, and she figured it was the only moment where there was no avoiding making things embarrassing and lifted her hands. But he quickly turned around and sat crossed-legs by her side but his back to her.

"My estimations might be wrong but I guessed you should be able to strip by yourself and enter the tub by yourself," he rushed the words out like if he was embarrassed. Well, even not affected, she guessed the situation could still be embarrassing for anyone.

Then, he pushed his elbow backward, bringing it of her own level, but still turned away from her.

"If you feel unsteady or staggering then you can use my arm as support until you are stably sat in the bath." He explained and this time, she couldn't resist. She kissed him on the cheek. He jumped a bit in surprise.

"You really did think about everything. Thank you." She mumbled out before hasting into stripping and entering the bath as much as her hesitant state permitted her. She didn't know if it was the fever but she felt more brazen than usual and that, that was dangerous. Once she removed her clothes, she did take support on his arm to slip into the water, shaking a bit because of new coughs but also because of how close he was from her naked form. But mostly because, all of sudden, she cared less if he was to see her in simplest form. Sure, it didn't change a thing about his disinterest but she was reminded how much she could trust him. And if in those circumstances, it was to happen, he wouldn't mock her, he would only worry or care. Her fever had made her anxiety rose but she still couldn't believe she had forgotten such simple yet truest thing about him. She had been so stupid. Her tension finally eased and she slided into the bathtub. The water was a bit fresh and it was making her shivers but she knew it was good for her fever.

Now if that damn bug would be willing to leave her alone, she would be even happier.

"All settled?" Ren's voice came after a few minutes and she hummed her affirmation. He then proposed to wait she would have cleaned to take of her hair, and she did her best to do it quickly. Admittingly, in the level of tiredness she was, it took more than a little effort to do so. She could feel the slight freshness of the water cooling down her body, but quantity of new soreness and pains were also brought back to the surface as the fever didn't dissimulate them anymore. Her throat ached a hell more than it had seemed before and she really had a hard time swallowing. And it wasn't without counting the throbbing in the back of her arms, thighs, legs and back. She wasn't so sure anymore which kind of evil she preferred.

She groaned as she sluggishly finished to rinse off the soap of her arms and tried to find a position where everywhere wouldn't hurt so much.

"You okay?" Ren asked, still facing away. "You can add a little warm water if it became too cold but not too much."

She pulled open the tap and a wild stream of crystalline water gushed out into the tub making more bubbles appeared.

"I'm okay," She replied and had to cough to get the words out. Now that the fever was totally down, speaking felt nearly as painful as it sounded to her ears. Like scratching sandpaper. "My fever is -argh cough-cough- down…I think. It's a bit hard to talk, sorry. But my mind is finally clearer." She tried to perk up.

Her cough was really becoming some sort of wet roughness. It was kind of making it painful further down her tracheae and in her thorax.

"…So you feel even sorer in every place, as well as for your throat."He guessed.

"…Yeah."She admitted, cursing a bit his intelligence at picking on things she was unwilling to say.

He heard her annoyance because he joked about the fact he too now knew about how you felt when you were sick, and he hadn't forgot.

"I can try massaging you to help you ease the pains, if you'd like." He added and she shrank in the water, mumbling there was no need and that she could handle some soreness. Then she rested a couple of minutes, a new bout of tiredness bringing back some sleepiness.

"Are you finished? Can I turn around?" He asked eventually pulling her out of her groggy state. She confirmed she was and she heard him move.

He was quick to be closer and feeling him looming over her head, she lifted her face up to look at him and saw he was bent over one knee to support himself.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You look tired." He commented.

"I'm good."She said on reflex, tilting her head further to the side to rest her left face on the cold tile of the tub. Less tiring.

That response made him roll his eyes at her but he still grinned at her.

"Let's finish this quickly so we can put you back in bed."

"Okay. But maybe I could-…"She mumbled but didn't finish when after coughing, he pointedly arched a brow.

She slided down further in the water until it reached her lips, and grumbling while silently chewing on her bruised independence.

"You will survive being pampered once in a while…"He commented with assurance, guessing once more where were directed her thoughts.

She refused to comment on this but he came even closer and knelt fully just behind her head. Then, she saw his hands quickly fold and push back the long sleeves of the casual tee he was wearing before grabbing the shower head. The fact she was again able to notice how beautiful and fluid the moves of his hands were and how sexy his forearms looked was certain proof to her that she had recuperated her full brain capacity; even in her state of fatigue. And liking or not.

He asked her to slightly lift her back so he could have access to the full bundle her hair, and she executed herself sheepishly. Then draping her eyes and up to her nose, he let water soak them softly and massaged her head with his fingers on the passage of the spray. He asked if water wasn't too hot and cold, being extra careful and she pinched her lips in amusement.

Which he noticed as he changed the angle and started to apply shampoo.

"You are mocking me." He accused.

She opened her lids briefly to look up at him and smiled tiredly so.

"It's just, you are so attentive, it's adorable." She admitted with a fond stare and he blushed a tint and turned his face away.

So cute!

She closed her eyes back as the soft way he was massaging her head was way too relaxing, capturing the sweet image behind her lids. He had to stop rubbing the base of her neck and behind her ears like that, it was making her drowsy.

He kept massaging though, well she had long hair so she knew it took time.

She felt when he begun to rinse them and fought against her urge to fall asleep -though the throbbing persisting inside her head helped a great deal with that-, while he finished removing any remains of soap in her locks.

"Could you pushed back to lift your head closer to me and out of the tub?" He demanded to her surprise as she thought they were done. But too tired to question anything, she just proceeded with it and heaved her head a bit further out of the bath.

She was shocked out of her drowsiness temporarily when she didn't get the sensation of cold tile under her nape but something firm and warm instead. She pivoted her face to the side and looked to see he had in fact set her head on the cap of his knees to rest.

She wanted to ask. But a new rise of coughs came so she gave up and simply looked at him.

"I'll try to massage your temples. I know your head is still pounding." He explained and she blinked in understanding before turning back and away from him.

He rubbed his thumbs and forefingers on the side of her face, and she felt the headache slowly receded with each circles he made until it vanished completely. She sighed in contentment and her miserable exhaustion pushed and nabbed at her savagely. She felt herself be drawn to slumber deeper and deeper and was glad Ren was there and holding her head, preventing her head to slide down and under water, was she to truly nap in the bath.

She thought she heard him tell her to not fall asleep but she wasn't even sure she mumbled something in return.

Eventually though, her ears still picked up on her name being repeated several times as her awareness boomed up.

"…might have a risk making you sicker, so it's time to get out." Was what Ren was telling her and she pushed open her eyes to look back at him. Her head was still resting on his knees and she did her best nodding at him in that position.

She still felt as weary as before but her headache was gone and the fever didn't seem to have spike back yet again.

He slowly dropped her head on the top part of the tub again and stood, saying he would bring back a large towel. Kyoko used that time to gather some of the foam bubbles, as some had vanished, so it would keep her hidden under them.

He swiftly came back with some large towel he unfold in front of the tub and her. When she didn't move and just stare, he closed his eyes and tilted his face up.

"You can come out."

She gazed at him, moved. As embarrassing as it was, she had to give him that, he was doing his best to ease the situation to her. And she was so happy he hadn't propose to help her getting out.

She heaved herself to stand in the water, supporting her at the edge of the bath, testing out her legs, and feeling how much sorer they felt now that fever was fully out.

Her drowsiness barely kept at bay she grabbed the towel and wrapped herself in it, Ren's closeness itching at her skin like a sunburn.

She stepped over the tub with her leg but had overestimated the tenuous of her legs' strength right now and hadn't seen some water had splashed around, and she slipped. Firm arms were instantly there though, fold around her waist and back, so she didn't fall. She heard him growled and thought she had hurt him.

"Sorry," She said in her rough voice, holding a yawn back and rising her face to stare in his eyes. "I slipped."

What she saw inside his eyes at that moment disturbed her. He seemed, tortured. Instead of replying, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, hiding his beautiful conflicted eyes from her. Not that she understood what was the matter. And she was just about to inquire about that when another harsh cough erupted and she had to hold herself to stay upright, so brutal it was.

And then the moment was gone and when she finally calmed down, only determination was in his eyes.

"As soon as you are clothed, you'll have some food and syrup and then straight back to bed," He said before circling her waist once more and passing his other arm around her nude thighs -the towel was only going down mid-length-, making those places tingle as he carried her to sat her back on the sink cabinet again.

Once done, he fully let go of her and looked down at her while Kyoko felt overcome by a sudden disappointment. Despite the incoherence of her feelings, she had wished for the moment to be prolonged, just a bit more.

She closed her eyes, tired again, and wanting to remember the touch of his hands where they had been as she knew it would most probably be the only time it would happen.

"You are…"His whisper came, unexpected, and she breached open her eyes again and looked up to him. Again, he was staring, frozen. Looking groggy or stunned, she did not know. His eyes somber.

"Ren?"

But he didn't reply. He just continued to stare at her in full unbothered silence. And she felt herself blush under the keen insistence. She brought her legs against her chest and crossed ankles, trying to shield her from his perceptive gaze. But it only resulted in his eyes moving to follow her every move even more than before. The magnitude of the pull he was unconsciously exerting on her weighed with obliterating force on her, and she started to breath harder.

His intensity was like an heatwave of the softest silk and with the taste of an oasis to parched woman, and she wanted nothing more than to succumb to it. He placed each hand on either side of her back resting on the wall behind her, and she felt if she didn't escape him she was going to admit defeat to her urges.

But she has nowhere to hide.

"Ren?"She attempted again and not only did it sound like a mewling squeak to her but it also ended in another cough. Then another and another.

She felt his hand at her temple, checking her temperature again for sure. Then his lips. Before he mumbled so fast she had a hard time catching.

"Stay put. I'll be back with clothes and the syrup."

And then he was gone out of the room; and she nearly slipped off the cabinet so stunned and exhausted she suddenly felt.

Of course he was only checking her condition. He was only worried about her state and sickness. That's why he had been observing her.

And to say for one second there, she thought she saw-…

Desire.

I'm so stupid.

Here he was, taking care of her and worried because she was sick and she was projecting her own wishes and dreams on him.

His voice came out from behind the door and he asked -the tone rough to the point she was questioning whether he had already the bug before realizing it was too fast to be already that- in which drawer he could find some PJ.

He came back with her pajamas and placed it on her side. He asked if she would be able to handle it and when she confirmed it, he was gone again.

She was starting to pull on the top when he talked from behind the door again.

"I didn't want to intrude too much so I took the liberty of putting some boxers of mine in place of undergarment." He rushed the explanation just when she found the item in question. She thanked him and said it was no problem at all, all too happy for the door as she turned scarlet for a second.

I'm going to die from too much change in the blood direction…

She finished dressing wearily, and carefully slipped down from her sitting place; walking slowly to the door.

"I'm done."She said sheepishly before growing self-conscious as the huge grin that developed on Ren's face as he stared at her. Again.

"What?" She grumbled.

"You look adorable in this blue pattern full of kittens." He said and she blushed at she looked down at her PJ.

"It's a pajamas, it's not supposed to be fashionable but comfy."

He gave her his dazzling smile.

"It looks good on you."

She pretended she didn't hear him and looked away.

"But you are not done. You forgot about your hair." He pointed and she remembered she hadn't dried them.

He went in the bathroom, asked where hair-dryer was, and brought it back. Then he carried her back to the living room despite her protestations that she could walk. He ignored her but after giving her a spoon, he at least, let her take the cough syrup by herself, and she even diligently ate a bit. Her nausea was lesser but not so far either so she wasn't that hungry.

He dried her hair and brushed them, despite more protestations from her side, though at some point she kind of gave up.

Once all done, he carried her again to her bedroom. Which was no good. She was going to get addicted to this carry thing. Being able to be held right against him each time was too soft of torture.

He placed her on her bed and under the fresh sheets and covers.

She was bad. So bad. Because, despite everything wrong, she was loving to be pampered. She knew she had to resist indulging but he was not making it easy.

"I will wake you up when you need to take the second fever-killer. Sleep."

She was tired to question anything. She fell asleep instantly, holding his hand.

PS: Here we go. New chapter. Sorry, it took some time. Had so much going on I couldn't finish it before. Hope you will enjoy it and hope it isn't too sloppy. I had less time to check things than usually. We are not done with this part. Hope you will enjoy as much as I do. Thank you for all the sweet reviews you let me. I adore them. No promise on anything but you are allowed to speculate all you want.

God, do I love to tease those two, LOL ^^. Yay to us because we reached chapter 70! Dear lord, this fic is a monster...buahahah

Enjoy and lot of kisses.

Reviews are food, feed me.

Mimagfan.

AUTHOR OUT.