pairing: ritshou
2,617 words
rating: General
chapters: 1/1
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His eyes felt heavy, and his skin felt flushed and clammy. Pairing it with the scratchiness of his throat and completely stuffed nose, Shou concluded he had a cold. Maybe a fever. It was still to be determined.
The sun was too bright through the blinds, and the blanket was too stuffy. Everything was overwhelming.
Shou coughed into his elbow again before kicking his blanket off of the bed, making him shiver at the open air, a drying sweat on his skin. Nothing could go right for him right now.
He shuffled off of his bed, pushing through the aches in his bones, and making his way to the kitchen across from his bedroom door.
A bowl of cereal was a little bit more than Shou could manage honestly, but he was starving and needed something if he wanted to survive this virus.
The weight of the new milk carton strained his weak arms and reaching for a bowl made his shoulders sore, but he managed. He manages like he always has.
The milk was too cold, but felt nice on his throat, and swallowing the crunchy cereal hurt, but it tasted good.
He moved to squint painfully at the bright microwave numbers, reading a worrying 6:45am. Great.
Shou’s eyes we’re drooping, and his coordination was getting sloppier than before. It was his que to get back into bed, unless he wanted to pass out on the uncomfortable cold tile of his kitchen.
Before making his way back to his room, he grabbed a cool tie, soaking it and plastering it to his forehead. It helped ease the uncomfortable warmth of his skin if not a little bit.
Shou all but crawled back to his bed, pulling the blanket off the floor (not without straining the muscles in his lower back and arms). Pulling the blanket back over himself to reduce the shaking, he distantly had the feeling that he was forgetting about something, but he wasn’t awake enough to process that thought before falling back asleep, the sun shining uncomfortable in his bleary eyes.
An undefinable amount of time later, Shou’s phone rang sharply somewhere vaguely to his left. He rubbed harshly at his eyes and noted how the sun was now on the opposite end of his wall. Huh.
By the fourth ring, he’d managed to flip his phone open and press the green answer button.
“Bwuh?” Shou sat up quickly and coughed into his blanketed knees, forgetting that talking for the first time today with a sore throat wouldn’t be so pleasent. Now that he thinks about it, he should probably get some water or something…
“Did I wake you up?” The voice on the other line is soft. Softer than a voice like that seems it should be. Shou’s still a little bit not-here enough to decipher who the voice actually belongs to, but something deep in his gut has him smiling at it.
“Mm…yah, ‘s fine. What’s up?” Shou fights to stay conscious for the short phone call.
“Are you dead?” The voice asks now, much further from the soft voice it was before.
“Uhhh…no? Not quite, no. Who’s asking?”
“Shou, are you sick?”
Shou squints at nothing, scrutinising the wall, maybe. “Nnnno. Why do you ask?”
“You missed our plans to hangout. You never miss them unless something’s wrong.” Oh. It’s Ritsu, he can tell now.
…
Oh shit its Ritsu. He totally bailed on him by sleeping in. Oh he was so dead.
“Oh shit, ‘m so sorry dude, It must have slipped my mind when I woke up and chose to sleep in,” Shou held back the painful need to cough, trying to sound as awake and normal as possible.
“You didn’t answer my question.” Ritsu plowed through.
“…What question?”
“Are you sick?”
“No, i’m fine. We c-can uh reschedule for another time. Sorry for bailing on you on accident,” Shou’s throat was painfully scratchy.
“I’m on my way over.” Ritsu’s voice left no room for countering, but Shou would try anyway.
“What— No i’m fine, really. Seriously, Ritsu, it’s most likely best if you stay home.”
“I’ll see you in a bit,” Ritsu hung up. It’s like he didn’t even hear Shou! So rude.
Shou flipped shut his phone and nudged it away from him, accidentally making it tumble to the floor. He’d get that later.
He slid down in his bed again, pressing the side of his sweaty face uncomfortably into the down of his pillow. Fighting the exhaustion that tried to overcome him was a fruitless effort, and one that Shou gave into with ease, despite his discomfort.
The sound of knocking on glass startled Shou awake, which found him standing quickly, disoriented and dizzy. His stomach lurched but he swallowed it down to blindly find his window. He rubbed at his eyes before using what little strength he had to push the window up and out, leaning himself against the wall, panting, and squinting at the form backlit by sunlight.
“Dude, you look like shit,” Ritsu crawled in, the smallest hint of genuine worry in his voice. He lead Shou back to his bed, and Shou smiled despite himself.
“Mm hello to you as well,” Shou yawned and landed on the covers with a soft groan.
“I’m leaving the window open because it’s stuffy, and some fresh air will do you well,” Ritsu moved to put his backpack (that Shou just noticed he was carrying) on a beanbag chair, rifling through it for something.
“Have you eaten today?”
This feels like a doctor’s office appointment.
“Because it is. Answer the question.” Did Ritsu learn telepathy or had Shou just said that thought out loud? He wasn’t sure.
“Yah,” He shuffled around in his bed to get as comfortable as his body would allow, “Had cereal.”
“That’s it?” Ritsu looked up at him quickly, exasperation on his face.
“Uhhh. Yup,” Shou smiled, proud that he’d at least done that much.
Ritsu sighed, his brows furrowing, “Okay. When did you eat?”
Shou looked up, scrunching his nose in thought. “…Sometime before seven. I’m pretty sure.”
“Jesus, Shou, it’s past noon!” The look of genuine worry was much more apparent now.
“I-i’m sorry?” Shou flinched, frowning and sputtering, face flushing in embarrassment. He wasn’t sure what he was even embarrassed about, but he felt like a scolded child.
“You don’t have to apologise to me. What do you have that I can make?” Ritsu questions, pulling out a thermometer from somewhere in his backpack.
“Uhh…Soup maybe?” Shou sniffled, rubbing at his eyes with the balls of his hands.
“I can work with that. Open up, tongue over the thermometer. Keep it there until it beeps, i’ll be right back,” Ritsu cupped Shou’s face gently, a tender worry radiating from his aura. It was honestly hurting Shou’s eyes with how strong it was.
“Ahh…” Shou said, just to humor Ritsu. He put the thermometer under Shou’s tongue and closed his mouth, standing and leaving the room in what seemed like just as quickly as he’d arrived. He came through like a hurricane, in Shou’s mind. Though he supposed be wasn’t one to talk.
Sitting still for some odd minutes, Shou’s eyes began to droop. The sharp beeping of the thermometer startled him wide awake though.
101°F. Not too bad? Maybe?
Ritsu came back, wiping his damp hands on the thighs of his pants. “What’s it say?” He walked around the small room to Shou.
Shou held the thermometer proudly up, the blinking numbers flashing at Ritsu. “Not bad!”
Ritsu’s brows furrowed, taking the thermometer and shaking his head. “Shou, you definitely have a fever. I’m making some miso soup right now, but it’ll take a little bit longer,” He frowned down at Shou. “How do you feel?”
“Great now that you’re here,” Shou put on his brightest, cheesiest smile, a little bit ruined by his flushed cheeks and snotty nose. A little bit.
Ritsu rolled his eyes fondly, but leaned down to move Shou’s hair from his forehead, using his other hand to press the back of it to Shou’s skin. “Seriously, Shou. I’m trying to take care of you and make sure you don’t die.”
“Oh, i’m fine. I take care of myself every time I get sick. You being here is really weird actually. Also this isn’t the worst virus i’ve gotten, back in 5th grade I got this crazy bad fever and I—“
“Shou.” Ritsu looked at him, a look that communicated his tender worry from earlier, and also one that said ’You’re rambling.’
“Sorry,” Shou’s smile was sheepish.
“You’re burning up, by the way.”
“I can feel that pretty well,” Shou teased.
Ritsu looked like he was going to say something, but the sound of a tea kettle being done startled him into tending to it instead.
For a few minutes, Shou just sat in his room, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of the breeze from the open window. It had been pretty stuffy in here, but he hadn’t realised.
“Soup’s done. It’s hot though so i’m going to set it by the window to let it cool off—“ Ritsu walked back in, steadily holding one of Shou’s ceramic bowls with both hands, a towel separating his bare skin from the bowl itself.
“Oh.” Shou looked at him, brain feeling like mush.
And then he felt tears prick at his eyes. Then said tears started to roll down his flushed cheeks, leaving streaks in their paths. Why was he crying?
“Shou?” Ritsu asked, worry so evident in his voice, it made a sob rack through Shou’s body.
“I—“ His voice cracked, and he coughed violently into his elbow, the sound of it wet with the tears streaming down his face.
“Shou, what’s wrong?” Shou hadn’t noticed Ritsu step up to him until he started to rub soothing circles into his shoulders.
“N-nothing,” It came out mumbled and slurred together, barely forming a word. He was being so pathetic right now. His chest ached for air he couldn’t give it, and his body shook as he cried harder. If Shou hadn’t already been sick, then he would’ve had a runny nose now.
He laughed a little. In hindsight , it was all a little bit funny.
Ritsu stayed silent, his brows furrowed and such an evident look of sorry plaguing his features that it kind of sort of almost made Shou wanna throw up. But only almost. He didn’t feel he deserved that look of worry.
“ ‘M okay. Fine.” Shou sniffled, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his face in them, every part of him shaking with a newfound vigor.
“You don’t seem alright,” Ritsu spoke in such a quiet voice that Shou almost didn’t hear it over his own sobs.
“I don’t-“ He hiccuped, “Dunno why ‘m crying,” Shou’s voice was thick with mucus and tears. “ ‘M sorry…” He breathed deeply, trying to regain some semblance of composure, but the outlook wasn’t looking too bright.
“It’s okay. Just breath,” Ritsu reassured, ever the patient and caring friend he was. That same care is what had made Shou begin to sob in the first place. He truly did feel so small, and childishly pathetic. Helpless.
“You’re t-too nice to me. It makes me…feel bad,” It was a wonder Ritsu could understand Shou at this rate.
“What? Why…Why would you feel bad?”
“ ‘Don’t deserve it…” Shou mumbled, the tears having slowed down significantly and his breathing going at least somewhat back to normal. “And I feel s-so…so small.”
“Shou…” Ritsu breathed, moving his hands to scratch lightly up the base of Shou’s neck and in his hair. “It’s okay to feel small sometimes. You deserve to have someone take care of you, and you shouldn’t feel so bad about it. I’m taking care of you because I care about you, and i’m worried about your well-being. You deserve at least the bare minimum of someone caring about you, right?”
Shou sniffled, rubbing his cheeks against his bare knees. “I dunno. Maybe?”
“You do. And you deserve a lot more than that, but I can work small,” Ritsu kissed the crown of his head, still scratching lightly at the nape of his neck. He spoke and acted so soft it almost made Shou start crying all over again.
“Mm…” Shou lifted his head just slightly to turn it, pressing his cheek onto his knee and looking at Ritsu with tired eyes. Though he held a sort of softness in them for the one before him. “Thank you.”
Ritsu smiled down at him, giving him another gentle, almost mother-like kiss to the top of his head,” Of course, Shou. I mean it when I say you deserve so many nicer things. You’ve been through enough,” His fingers started to comb through Shou’s hair now. It felt so good.
“I…I’ll work on that. ‘M sorry.”
“No need. I’ll be here with you to work through things.” He sounded so patient, if Shou weren’t so tired maybe that also would’ve spurred on a new round of tears.
“You sound so sappy right now,” Shou smiled tiredly, but despite it, a hint of teasing managed to break through.
“Shut up,” Ritsu laughed, smiling. “And move over, we’re going to lay down for a bit. You can have your miso later.”
“Fine by me,” Shou shuffled to the other side of his (rather small, twin sized western bed), coughing roughly into his elbow. Then pair got comfortable, shifting in the bed until they were comfortably tangled together. Their legs were wrapped around one another, and they laid with their bodies side by side, arms draped over each other’s waists, Ritsu’s head nestled into the crook of Shou’s neck. Shou could die right here and now and he’d be content.
“You’re so gonna get sick.”
“Whatever. It just means you’ll have to take care of me then, and I can’t wait to find out if you have a mother hen side of you.” Shou groaned in embarrassment. He prayed Ritsu didn’t get sick solely so that he wouldn’t find out the answer to that question.
“Sure, whatever. It’s your funeral.”
“It better look nice, i’m leaving you in charge.”
“Worst mistake of your life.”
“Go to sleep.”
“Hold on,” Shou moved to give a small kiss to the crown of Ritsu’s head, “Thank you. For everything. And for putting up with me, and everything I do in the future.”
“I’d rather do nothing else. Now stop talking, i’m trying to sleep,” Ritsu briefly squeezed Shou’s waist
“You are so annoying. I hate you.”
“Love you, g’night,” Ritsu mumbled into the collar of Shou’s shirt.
“Yah whatever, love you too,” Shou hid a smile in the tamed mess of Ritsu’s hair, nuzzling him to make sure he knew he meant it (though they both always understood each other without extra words, Shou knew. Just to be safe).
He’d explain to Ritsu later, when he wasn’t so exhausted (If Ritsu asked or wanted to know) that he’d gone his whole life just taking care of himself. That every time he was injured or sick, he took care of himself and put on a brave face, lest his father take notice and find something new to…scold him for. In light terms. So Ritsu’s tender patience and overwhelming love was so startlingly different from what he was used to.
But for now, he was very content just staying here, wrapped comfortably around the best person in his life.