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Bokuto’s used to this.
He’s used to sudden calls from his raven-haired manga editor boyfriend. He’s used to seeing Akaashi with his cheeks flushed and the rest of his face pale after finishing a deadline. He’s used to having to rush to the pharmacy for Akaashi.
“You’re not coming?” Kageyama raises his eyebrow. “You usually never skip the Japan team hangouts.”
“Yeah, Bokuto-san. You’re no fun!” Hinata nods. “Even Iwa-san is coming with us!”
“Akaashi’s sick with a fever,” Bokuto sighs, his usual cheery demeanor poofs away in a second. “He needs me there and he’s bad at taking care of himself.”
“Understandable,” says Iwaizumi. “You might want to bring him some food to eat, though. You can try that porridge shack over there since their stuff isn’t too hard on the stomach.”
Bokuto bids his farewell to the rest of the team and his trainer before heading for the porridge shack for a takeaway, the pharmacy, and finally the subway station. Good thing we live together now.
He’d received a call earlier that day from a panting Akaashi, telling Bokuto he‘d driven himself home early from work after handing Tenma’s edited manuscript to the editor-in-chief since he felt like he was coming down with something. Of course it didn’t affect Bokuto during practice, being the “ordinary ace” he is now, but as soon as he gets off practice, his mind races with thoughts of Akaashi suffering.
The only thing he likes about Akaashi getting sick is how clingy he always becomes, unlike his usual self. Bokuto would always do his best to make him comfortable and nurse him back to health. He always tries to be there for Akaashi, as the latter is always there whenever Bokuto needs him for emotional support. The thought of Akaashi in pain almost brings tears to his eyes as he unlocks the door to their apartment and finds Akaashi curled up underneath two layers of blankets on the couch, his face red and damp with sweat.
“Hey, hey, hey! I’m home!” Bokuto puts on a bright smile. “I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well...”
“What’s that?” Akaashi weakly points at the plastic bag Bokuto’s been carrying.
“A care package! Hehe. Did you take anything?”
“Tenma gave me some advil before I went home but that’s it...I can’t move, Bokuto-san...”
A frown forms on Bokuto’s face. “Aw. Don’t worry, I bought you some pills and cooling patches...and porridge! Okay, let’s get you to bed. It’s uncomfortable there, isn’t it?”
Bokuto lifts the bundled up man off the couch. He can feel the heat radiating off Akaashi’s body as he sets the younger man on their bed and covers him with their comforter. As soon as Akaashi looks comfortable enough, Bokuto puts his palm against the raven haired man’s forehead, wincing at how hot it feels.
“Oh, ‘Kaashi, you’re burning up.”
The grey-haired man slowly removes his palm away from his obviously overworked boyfriend’s forehead, now waiting for the thermometer to beep. 39.3.
“Akaashi, that’s pretty high. You should’ve told me earlier!” Bokuto whines. “Here, I brought you some porridge. Iwaizumi said it wouldn’t be too hard on your stomach!”
Bokuto proceeds to help Akaashi sit up, having made the decision to spoon-feed his boyfriend seeing as he’s dizzy and trembling all over. Akaashi stops eating after the fifth time Bokuto brings the spoon to his mouth.
“My stomach can’t take any more...” he rasps out.
“Oh, Akaashi,” Bokuto sighs, putting the bowl of porridge away and laying Akaashi back under three sheets of blanket. “Okay, time to take your pills then. At least you don’t have an empty stomach anymore.”
“I’m sorry, Bokuto-san...for causing you all the trouble...it’s my fault I always get sick like this every now and then...” the raven-haired man whimpers, his shivers getting stronger. “You’re so healthy, I’ve only seen you sick once...”
“Hey, now. There’s no need to apologise for this. You’ve worked really hard and you naturally have a poor immune system, don’t blame yourself, okay?” the older man runs a finger through Akaashi’s hair. “Don’t worry. You’ll be okay under my care!”
“I’m very uncomfortable, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi whimpers softly. “My whole body hurts and I feel cold and hot at the same time.”
“I know, my angel, I know. I’ll get you some water and a cold compress and you can go back to sleep, alright?”
Bokuto hums as he walks out of the bedroom, searching for the water dispenser. He sighs, remembering how Akaashi gets sick like this a lot, and how he always has nightmares whenever he’s running a fever. All thanks to a combination of his naturally poor immune system, a demanding job, lack of sleep, and his overthinking brain giving him a high stress level. Bokuto can’t relate, but Akaashi’s pain is also his pain to bear, and it hurts him to see his usually independent boyfriend so helpless.
He returns to the bedroom with a glass of water, a basin, and a clean rag. Akaashi’s feline eyes slowly flutter open as Bokuto gently supports his back and helps him sit up.
“Here,” Bokuto hands him a pill and a glass of water. He helps Akaashi get back under the covers once the younger man finishes taking his pill.
Bokuto can’t help but smile at the sight of Akaashi’s pretty, flushed cheeks in contrast to the rest of his pale face as he dips the rag into the cool water and dabs the wet rag on Akaashi’s cheeks and neck, before placing it on his forehead.
“Better?” he asks, to which Akaashi nods.
The night goes as Bokuto expected. He holds a bedside vigil for Akaashi, calming his shivers and whimpers and changing the cloth on his forehead every time it dries up through the night.
And as expected, Akaashi’s subconscious doesn’t want to give him a break either. Memories of Tenma’s first manga being cancelled, his editor in chief telling him he had to speed up and the Mujinazaka match played themselves like a horror movie in his dreams, causing Akaashi to wake up in the middle of the night crying.
“Hey, hey. I’m here, babe,” Bokuto whispers, pressing the cool cloth in his hand against Akaashi’s forehead. “Your temperature is rising again. It was down to 38.7 for a while but a few minutes ago it’s 39.2. Do you want to go to the hospital?”
”B-Bokuto-s-san,” Akaashi stutters, his body trembling. “N-no need...I’ve had w-worse, remember?”
”I can get Ushiwaka to drive us there.”
”No...I just want to stay with you.”
Akaashi wakes up in the morning with cold sweat all over his body, still dizzy and shivering - with Bokuto nowhere to be found.
He gets up and walks towards the kitchen, covered in his blankets, only to find Bokuto playing with his owl plushies on the sofa.
“Oh, you’re up,” Bokuto grins, standing up to feel Akaashi’s forehead. “Your fever hasn’t broken yet...”
“B-but I need to...start editing the pages Tenma-san sent last night...”
A pair of strong arms catches Akaashi before he can fall to the floor. “Hey, hey, hey. You’re struggling to even stand. How can you work in this condition?”
“I told my boss...”
“No, Akaashi,” Bokuto croons, carrying a bundled up Akaashi back to bed. “I’m sure they’ll understand. You need to rest. Hey, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?”
A surge of vomit has risen up. Akaashi covers his mouth as he runs to the bathroom with all his might, throwing up whatever content is left in his stomach. Bokuto watches sadly as he wipes the sweat off Akaashi’s face, giving him small pats on the back when he finishes.
“That was gross, I’m sorry...”
“No, no, it’s okay. What do you take me for, Sakusa?” Bokuto chuckles as he rubs circles on his boyfriend’s back. He wipes the sick man’s mouth clean and gives him a glass of warm water to drink before carrying him to bed and pulling the covers up to his chin, as Akaashi is shivering.
“You’ve been working hard. Now rest,” Bokuto says as he pastes a cooling patch on Akaashi’s forehead, leaving it there to cool him down as the younger man closes his eyes. Cute. “This way it won’t fall off if you stir in your sleep.”
Noticing how the shivers won’t stop, Bokuto slips under the blanket, letting Akaashi snuggle closer for warmth. He wraps his arms around Akaashi’s shaky shoulders, fingers softly petting the younger’s head. Akaashi slightly smiles for the first time that week.
He’s always so reliable. Even at times like this when I’m gross with sweat and sickness.
“Koutarou.”
Bokuto flinches at his boyfriend’s use of his first name. It’s not everyday that the younger breaks away from his longtime habit of calling him “Bokuto-san.”
“Yes, babe?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Keiji.”
Akaashi breathes a sigh of relief, meanwhile Bokuto breathes one of worry. This is going to be another long week. But that’s okay, Keiji. I’ll always take care of you.