Chapter Text
Barok was the first one to fall. Just a few days later, when Ryunosuke was starting to feel better.
He stayed in the apartment that Ryunosuke and Kazuma shared, because Kazuma didn't trust Barok enough to leave him alone in his mansion. He was sure Barok would ignore the sickness and try to work.
Ironically, Kazuma was also ignoring his own health. Denying what his body was telling him. He soon found out that he had fallen to the illness too, but he held on, for Ryunosuke's sake. He couldn't leave him alone to take care of two sick boyfriends at the same time.
He uncovered the vegetable soup they were cooking, and took a deep breath, trying to get the steam to help with his nose. At that moment, Ryunosuke entered the kitchen.
“It’s done" said Kazuma, putting the lid back on the pot. Ryunosuke took a tray and went to give Barok some soup.
The room where Barok slept was dark, except for the few rays of light coming through the windows. A light that fell on his body, and made his image even more majestic.
Every time he entered those chambers the attorney thought the same thing: Barok had no right to look this beautiful when he was sick. Ryunosuke had looked like a complete mess of sweat, mucus and coughing. Barok's image, however, looked like the painting of some martyr saint.
He was lying in bed, asleep, and for once his expression looked peaceful. The feverish blush on his cheeks gave some colour to his face, which was so rare to see on him. His body lay stretched out on the bed. He was covered by a fancy shirt whose buttons were open, revealing part of his chest.
Ryunosuke put a hand on his shoulder, touching him gently to wake him up. It was a simple thing to do. Barok's eyes opened, and he met his lover's face.
Barely awake, coughs flared in his chest. Barok took a silk handkerchief from the bedside table and coughed into it gently. Even his coughs were elegant. It didn't shake his body, he didn’t look like he was about to spit out his lungs. Rather, they sounded like the coughs of a romantic lady, about to stain the handkerchief with blood, showing her terrible fate.
Ryunosuke took the handkerchief to wash it. There was no blood on it. That was just a particularly nasty cold that wouldn't take anyone's life. Though sometimes it was hard to explain that matter to his boyfriend.
“I've brought you a bowl of soup" said Ryunosuke, setting the tray on the table.
“I have no appetite" said Barok, and the pouting began.
“Come on. Eat something and go back to sleep.”
“What for?” he mumbled. “I only want you to give me something to ease my agony and let me die.”
Ryunosuke held back a sigh. He was at it again.
It was still less dramatic than the night before. When he had woken up at five in the morning, delirious because of the fever, and screaming that his brother had come for him, to take him to the afterlife.
No one had slept too well that night.
“What end is this for the Reaper of the Bailey?” the lament kept going, as Ryunosuke took a spoon. “So many attempts to take my life by the most cruel men in London, and it is my own body who betrays me in the end?”
“You're not the Reaper, remember?” Ryunosuke said as he filled the spoon with soup. “You were found not guilty. I defended you.”
“Oh,” said Barok. “That's right. Thank you for that.”
Ryunosuke brought the spoon in his mouth. The salty taste of the broth seemed to bring him back to reality. Or at least it reminded him of how hungry he was.
Ryunosuke put the tray in his lap and handed him the spoon. Barok began to eat slowly. After a few seconds, Ryunosuke thought he could leave him alone.
“I'm going to help Kazuma in the kitchen. I'll be right back.”
Before leaving, he kissed his forehead, softly.
He closed the door to the room quietly, and headed back to the kitchen. Kazuma stood with his back to the cooker, one hand resting on the counter. With a blank stare, he didn't even seem to notice that Ryunosuke had returned.
“Kazuma?” asked the young man.
The hand Kazuma was leaning on faltered, and his body began to lean forward, without him having the strength to stop it.
Ryunosuke did many things at that moment. First, he screamed. Then he ran to Kazuma, trapping his body in his arms. Then he helped him lie on the ground.
On his lap, Kazuma opened his eyes, and noticed the fear on his face.
“I'm sorry," he whispered, "I got dizzy.”
“Don't ever scare me like that again!” Ryunosuke exclaimed, making Kazuma grimace at the noise. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he added, then.
He began to run a hand through his hair, trying to ease the situation. His fingers brushed aside his bangs, and touched his forehead.
“Kazuma, you are burning up.”
“I know," he replied weakly. “I have resisted as long as I could.”
“Kazuma...”
“I didn't want you to have to deal with all this on your own.”
“And I don't want you to keep these things from me!” Ryunosuke cried again, unable to contain himself. There was too much fear in his chest. “First the head, and now this! How many more times am I going to watch you faint and think that...that...?!”
He couldn't control it. He put a hand on his face as he wanted to cry again. Still, he managed to hear Kazuma's weak words.
“I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I'm trying to change that...”
Kazuma tried to sit up. He reached for Ryunosuke's face and put a hand on his cheek.
They looked at each other for a few seconds, in a wordless apology. But Kazuma let out a whimper, and lost his balance again. Ryunosuke held him.
“Let's get you to bed, alright?” All Kazuma could do was give him a weak “yes”.
He took him in his arms. He was too heavy for his weak muscles, but he managed to carry him to one of the bedrooms. He laid him on the bed, as calmly and gently as he could. He put a hand on his forehead again.
“I'm sorry you have to do everything by yourself," said Kazuma, sinking into the blankets.
“It's alright. I know you two weren't planning to get sick at the same time.”
“That's why I didn't tell you," said Kazuma. “It's not because I don't trust you... I just wanted to help you. You were already burdened enough with Barok, as dramatic as he is... And I really thought I could handle it...”
Despite his tiredness, Ryunosuke smiled.
“I like him as dramatic as he is. And I like you as stubborn as you are.”
He kissed him on the forehead. He planned to leave and let him rest, but Kazuma grabbed his arm.
“Wait," he said, "Can you... stay for a while? Until I fall asleep?”
Ryunosuke looked at him tenderly, and sat down on the bed next to him. Kazuma leaned against his chest and snuggled into him. When he was at his most comfortable position, he was shaken by a sneeze.
Kazuma groaned. Ryunosuke took a handkerchief and held it out to him, with a small laugh.
“What's so funny?”
“You sneeze like a kitten.”
Kazuma whimpered again, hiding his face in Ryunosuke's shoulder. His boyfriend stroked his hair gently.
***
Barok was feeling a little better. At least, he seemed so. Though he was still sick, the delirium and drama had left him. But Ryunosuke forced him to remain bedridden, not wanting to risk him exceeding himself.
Sometimes it could be fine. Like times like this, when Ryunosuke had Barok’s head on his lap, and he was stroking his hair.
“You're such a good boyfriend," Barok murmured, almost unintentionally. It had been a thought, but he ended up saying it out loud. Maybe because of the fever, maybe because he'd picked up his boyfriend's habit. But Ryunosuke smiled, so he didn't regret speaking. “We'll find a way to make it up to you. Maybe some dinner at a nice restaurant...”
“I'd like that," he replied softly. He tried to enjoy the moment, the warmth, the silence he treasured so much these days. Before Barok had a coughing fit or Kazuma called out for another blanket.
Ryunosuke closed his eyes. God, he was exhausted. For a moment he thought he could fall asleep right there, take a little nap, rest for a while.
The moment was broken when he heard footsteps in the corridor. He almost sighed.
“Kazuma," he said, when he saw him open the door to the room, walking slowly and carrying a blanket as if it were a cape. “You shouldn't be out of bed.”
“I missed you," he replied, his voice weak and his puppy eyes brightening with fever. And Ryunosuke knew he couldn't say no to him.
“Go back to your bed, Kazuma," said Barok, instead. “He's with me now.”
“But I need him more," said Kazuma. “I have a higher fever.”
“Can you prove it?”
“Of course I can. Let's bring the thermometer and see who needs Ryunosuke the most...”
“Don't bring anything," Ryunosuke interrupted them, almost desperately. “Kazuma. Come here.”
He moved aside on the bed and pulled up the covers for him to lie down. He hoped that would be enough to shut them both up.
Kazuma crawled into the bed, and rested his head on the empty space left in Ryunosuke's lap. He made a little sound of satisfaction.
The lawyer tucked him in warmly, and asked if they were both comfortable. Little hums answered him.
Ryunouske leaned back against the pile of pillows on the headboard, and allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment.
As much as they exhausted him, the company of his boyfriends, their presence on his lap, it felt good. Lulled by their warmth, he drifted off to sleep, with the small hope that when he awoke they would feel better.