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“You have to do it.” Mob met his gaze in that blank way that told Reigen he wasn’t getting out of anything. They were sitting, well Mob was sitting, at one end of the couch. Reigen was laying on it, like he had been ever since he’d been brought home by Ritsu. The first week after he’d seen the doctor had been a blur. He didn’t really remember much more than a jumble of worried faces, gentle hands, and soothing voices. The fever had been so high and it had been so hard to focus on anything but breathing through the rattling pain in his packed chest, but after a few days of antibiotics he’d come back to himself to find Mob glued to him and following every instruction from the doctor to the letter. He’d never been more hydrated in his life, he was sure of it.
“I know, Mob, just hurts.” Reigen paused to catch his breath. He barely remembered when breathing had been just an effortless thing he took for granted. “I’m working up to it.”
“Looks like you’re trying to get out of it.” From where he was reclining on the pillows, Reigen splayed his fingers on his chest in mock indignity.
“Me?” A cough interrupted his tableau and Mob grabbed his hands to lever him up.
“The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll get it over with.” Reigen wiped his mouth with a tissue, tossing it in a bin that would soon be full, and nodded.
“I can manage, if you’ve got something else to do.”
“You’re not getting out of it.”
He fell against the pillows behind him, closing his eyes and wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of one shaking hand. He felt dizzy and breathless from coughing up the junk in his lungs. After three weeks of breathing exercises this time with Mob had become something routine, something safe, and he didn’t let himself get hung up on how ridiculous it was.
How ridiculously hard it still was to breathe.
“I’ll give you another minute.”
“You’re a tyrant, Mob.”
“Strawberry today.” Reigen’s face twisted up. “What? You like strawberry. Does your stomach hurt?”
“So to the point.”
“I’ll give you an extra minute.” He chuffed and cracked an eye open. Mob’s face was almost expressionless, except for the tiny smirk. He was holding a bright pink bottle of protein shake at the ready and Reigen felt his stomach turn. To be fair, Mob gave him five minutes, just sitting in companionable silence, and by the end of it Reigen was falling asleep. “You can take a nap after you drink this.”
“Almost made my grand escape, didn’t I?” He felt Mob brush his forehead, checking for a fever, and he waved the hand away, frowning. “I’m fine.”
“You feel warm.”
“M’just tired.” He sat up with some difficulty, but on his own, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms, leaning sideways on the couch for support.
“Drink this and we'll both have a nap.” Mob pressed the bottle into his hand and Reigen did his best to comply, sipping slowly for a few minutes before handing it back. He’d managed about half.
“You didn’t finish it.” Mob’s face creased in worry and Reigen felt a pang in his chest that had nothing to do with the pneumonia. He didn’t like disappointing him, but he felt like if he drank anymore he’d be sick.
“Leave it here,” he laid down, exhausted, eyes half lidded, and tugged ineffectually at the blanket, trying to pull it up, failing, and let his hands fall onto his chest instead. “I’ll make my way through it.” Mob frowned, rightfully skeptical, but capped the bottle, placing it on the end table within easy reach.
“I’ll tell mom to check on you.” Mob flipped his phone open to check the time. “We’re a little late, she'll be coming down with your medicine soon anyway.”
“Mmm.” He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and sighed. “Thanks Mob.” The blanket came up around his shoulders and he slipped away.
Reigen woke blearily to a hand on his forehead. “Shige was right, you feel warm.”
“M’fine.” He mumbled, he just wanted to sleep. No such luck as a thermometer was stuck into his mouth.
“Hold it under your tongue,” he heard a dose of antibiotics being tapped out of the bottle. “You know the drill.” Akane sat beside him, running her fingers through his hair and he hummed, drifting, it felt so good. “37.9. We’ll have to watch it.” She helped him sit up, dropping the pills into his hand and trading out the glass of water for the strawberry protein shake.
“Ratted me out.”
“Mmhm.” she smiled. “Think you can finish it? You don't look like you're up for dinner and this is all you’ve had since breakfast.” He’d promised Mob, he could at least try. Reigen got through another quarter before he shook his head, grimacing, pushing it back into her hands, pressing the back of one of his own against his mouth.
“Mm, can't.”
“It's okay.” She tested his fever again and he leaned forward into her palm.
“S’cold, your hand.” He murmured, eyes closed, “s’good.” He was vaguely aware he was making a fool of himself but at this point each one of them had seen him at his lowest, what did this matter? She laughed softly.
“You need to drink some water.” He shook his head, still resting in her hand. “It’ll help.” He sighed dramatically, everyone was so demanding. “Here.” the rim of the glass was at his lips and he took a few slow sips before drawing away to lay back down. He just needed to sleep. Akane tucked him in and he heard small sounds around him, knew she was gathering the prescription, the empty protein shake bottles, the water glasses. A rush of guilt coarsed through him but he was asleep before he could think much on it.
“Chocolate today.” Mob sat back, giving Reigen his negotiated minute. “Are you feeling better?”
“Ah.” He found that he was, he’d probably been over tired yesterday, and sat up, taking the shake Mob offered, sipping experimentally to test his stomach. “A-okay.” Hisao had checked his temperature that morning and found it almost back to normal. He’d felt well enough for both breakfast and a walk around the house, escorted by Hisao, in case he fell over. “Big day,” he thought cynically.
With some difficulty he pushed down the feelings of guilt, Mob’s parents had both been over this with him several times. He’d been very ill, they’d said, he believed them, (it certainly felt like he’d been) and it was okay to accept their help. Akane had looked particularly worried when he’d been upset early in the second week, pulling him into her warm arms and holding him tightly. It had been so bad, she’d whispered into his hair, so bad she’d been afraid. After that, it didn’t seem right to keep fighting their care,but he could never hope to repay them for their time, or their kindness, or their money.
“I’m glad.” Mob’s voice from where he rested against the couch quietly, legs draped comfortably over Reigen’s, broke his chain of thought as he worked his way lazily through the drink.
“Mob,” he began, handing him the empty bottle.
“Mm? You finished,” the boy smiled, “that’s good.” Reigen half-smiled back, dropping a hand over the dark head.
“You know you don't have to do this with me everyday, right?”
“If I didn't, you'd probably talk mom or dad out of it.” Reigen threw up his hands, he liked spending time with Mob, liked to keep him close, and with the way his body currently was, it looked like this was it. But that wasn't fair, not to a kid who deserved so much more.
“I promise I wouldn't, not if it meant you were able to go do things, things you want to do.” Mob’s face fell, but he met Reigen’s gaze with determination.
“I want to do this.” He said softly, and Reigen had to blink away the moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes as Mob hugged him fiercely. “You feel warm.”
“I’m fine!!”
Reigen could feel someone staring at him out of the darkness and bolted upright, immediately folding over into a violent coughing fit, hugging his chest with one hand as it tore apart, reaching blindly for a tissue with the other. One was thrust into his fingers and he spat into it, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Now that he was stronger, he could cough up the stuff that was trying to drown him, it wasn’t pleasant.
“Sorry, sorry,” someone was whispering, “I didn’t mean to surprise you.” Reigen balled up the paper and tossed it in the bin, accepting a glass of water from Ritsu of all people. Reigen’s heart was pounding but he forced himself to be calm. He didn’t remember much of why he’d walked out of this house and back onto the streets, but he remembered it had something to do with the boy in front of him playing on his insecurities. It was hard to be around Ritsu and not remember the feeling of drowning on dry land. Looking into the young face made anxiety flutter in his chest. He didn’t know what was coming or how to prepare for it.
“S’okay.” He put the half-full glass aside, settling upright on the cushions, using the time to gather the pieces of himself into some semblance of before as a defense, keeping his voice light and detached. “What can I do for you, Ritsu?” During his recovery so far, Mob’s brother had been bare more than a shadow in his periphery, keeping his distance but watching closely. Reigen knew he took Mob’s well being very seriously. It was, perhaps, the only thing they had in common.
“I.” The small shoulders drew back as he stood there, staring directly at the scars decorating his neck, and it took everything he had not to touch his fingers to the them, to maintain the fragile image of control he’d managed to scrape together. But heady panic was welling up in the back of his throat, if this kid didn’t say anything soon, he wasn’t sure he could take it.
Hopefully his silence read as patience and not blood in the water.
Ritsu breathed in deep through his nose before continuing. “This is my fault.”
“Ritsu, this-” Reigen could barely choke out a response, leaning forward as Ritsu’s strong facade started to crack.
“I convinced you to leave, and you’d have never gotten this,” his voice dropped to a near-silent whisper, “sick.” He looked away, pressing the heel of his hand to his mouth, “if it wasn’t for me.”
“Hey, hey,” Reigen spoke softly, “there’s no way to-”
“I heard mom and dad, at night, they thought you might die.” That was new. Ritsu looked haunted, voice low, as if talking to himself. “I thought you were already dead when I found you. And Niisan-” He turned back to Reigen so fast it made him jump. “I’m sorry.” He straightened abruptly, looking down at him, at his scars, eyes hard. “That’s all I had to say.” Reigen nodded, it was all he could manage under Ritsu’s intense stare. “You should finish that glass of water.” And he was gone.
“Eh?”
That had been. Unexpected. As the tension melted away and his pounding heart slowed, Reigen sank sideways into the pillows, smoothing a hand through his bangs. He reached for the glass and absently finished it as he’d been instructed, laying awake for a time before sleep claimed him again.
“I got it, Mob.” Reigen laughed breathlessly as he made his way across the room, leaning slightly on the boy matching his slow pace. He’d made it up the stairs (mostly) on his own and he was already tired out, though flushed now from success instead of fever.
“You shouldn’t push yourself so hard.” Reigen waved him off, but knew he’d need to sit down soon, his legs were already shaking. Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure if he’d make it to the chair they were aiming for.
Maybe stairs hadn’t been such a good idea.
He felt Mob tugging his arm, trying to help him keep his balance, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough and closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact with the floor. It never came. Another set of hands, Ritsu’s, one palm gripping his shoulder, one spread wide on his chest, were holding him up on his other side. The three of them stood there together, letting Reigen get his balance and breath back, before settling him in a chair. Mob scolded him soundly, he admitted sheepishly that he deserved it, and Ritsu handed him a shake.
“It’s strawberry today.”