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"’Dashi...” Hiro Hamada shifted under the mound of suffocating blankets. He was drowning in a haze of fever and nausea and he was terrified. His sweat-slicked skin cried out for coolness, and his head was pounding.
“Tadashi!” he clawed at the cotton, peering over the edge into the blinding light for a moment. Tadashi appeared over him, blocking out the glare.
“I’m here, Hiro. Shh, it’s okay,” Tadashi’s calm voice was like a life raft, and Hiro clung to it with all he had. A cool hand settled on Hiro's forehead, and he sighed at the relief it brought. He could hear Tadashi pull up a chair next to his bed. The gentle splash of water as he wrung out a cloth was music to Hiro's blocked ears. He sniffled.
Tadashi folded the cloth and swept back Hiro's sweaty black hair. He placed the compress on his burning forehead, and the younger Hamada whimpered. Hiro's eyes attempted to focus on his brother's concerned expression.
"Hurts," he groaned. Tadashi's brow furrowed in pity. He refreshed the compress and placed it back on his little brother's forehead.
"What hurts, Hiro?" he asked as he stroked the back of his shaking hand. He was burning up all over.
"My head hurts," Hiro murmured, gazing up at his brother with tired eyes. Tadashi's heart sunk; he hated seeing Hiro in any kind of pain. He wished that he could swap places with him to wait out his sickness, no matter how severe it was.
"I know," he murmured, "you're sick, Hiro. You have the flu. It's bound to hurt."
Hiro groaned in response, reaching for a tissue and blowing his nose. He groaned some more as the pressure in his head shifted and his ear popped. Tadashi refreshed the washcloth.
"Let me take your temperature," Tadashi stood up and walked towards their shared bathroom. The thought of Hiro's temperature having decreased made his heart soar with hope. He retrieved the in-ear thermometer and some painkillers and walked back to their room. Hiro had managed to sit himself up as Tadashi stepped back into the room. He was shivering.
"Hiro, you need to stay warm," Tadashi pulled the blankets around his brother's shoulders. Hiro hummed in response, too out of it to protest. Tadashi shook some pills loose from their bottle and held them out for Hiro. He swallowed them with a gulp of water, shuddering at the bitter taste.
Tadashi slid the thermometer out of its box and slid the plastic cover on the end. He switched it on, and placed it into Hiro's ear.
"Hold still," he said, placing a hand on Hiro's shoulder to steady him. The thermometer took its reading. Hiro's eyes were heavy, the need for sleep clear on his face. The thermometer beeped, and Tadashi examined the reading.
"100.5 degrees. Your fever has gone down a little," Tadashi smiled, sighing with relief, "thank goodness."
"Huh?" Hiro's eyes were closing fast, desperate for rest. Tadashi gripped his shoulder and propped him up with extra pillows. Hiro relaxed into them, and his eyes fell shut almost immediately.
Tadashi rose to his feet, the chair squeaking on the floor as he did. Hiro's eyes flickered open for a moment, and he mumbled something.
"Stay with me," he said in a voice full of desperation, "don't leave me."
Tadashi melted. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his little brother's soft cheek.
"I'm not going anywhere, kiddo. I'll be right here," he fell into his seat again, reaching out to clasp Hiro's hand in his own. Hiro drifted off to sleep with a gentle sigh as Tadashi adjusted the compress.
"I'll never leave you, Hiro."