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Blackstar groaned, throwing his head all the way back and shifting from his back to his side. He pulled the blanket over his shoulders but just as quickly threw it off.
"No!" He yelled, sitting straight up in bed. "I am the mighty Blackstar! A fever can't-- can't…" His pounding head swirled him in circles and forced him to lay back down. He groaned and pressed a pillow into his face.
Kid walked into the room carrying a tray of food. "Tried to get up again, did you?" He placed the tray beside Blackstar's head and encouraged him to sit up.
Blackstar threw the pillow into his lap and stared at the ceiling. "This is stupid."
"I'm genuinely amazed you're still human enough to get sick." Kid took the soup off the tray and offered it to Blackstar. "Now don't eat too quickly, you'll just throw it up again."
Blackstar sat up as fast as he could but immediately regretted it. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.
"Drink," Kid encouraged. "Slowly."
Blackstar took the bowl of broth and brought it to his lips with trembling hands. The soup stung his tongue, but he kept drinking, the warmth building in his chest with every slurp. Kid put his hand on the lip of the bowl, encouraging it down.
"I told you not to drink too fast."
"I feel fine," Blackstar rasped. "As if a little soup could hold me back." His words were followed by a coughing fit.
Kid took the bowl and put it back down on the tray. He produced a lollipop from his pocket and handed it over with a bottle of water.
"I do not need -- cough -- some dinky -- cough -- little lollipop." Blackstar continued with the coughing fit until he caved and guzzled down the bottle of water. He released the lip with a sigh and eyed the lollipop. "Fine," he spat. "Stupid kiddie stuff," he grumbled, tearing the plastic off and stuffing the sucker in his mouth. His throat started to feel much better almost immediately.
Blackstar crossed his arms and laid back down. Kid pressed the front and back of his hand to Blackstar's head.
"You're still burning up. I'm surprised you have so much energy in your condition."
"Would you really expect anything less?"
"I suppose I shouldn't."
Blackstar grabbed the hand against his forehead and gave the back of it a kiss.
"Gimme a kiss."
Kid leaned down. "No."
"Come ooooon. You can't even get sick."
"Not that we know of." Kid collected the tray and stood up. "I'm making you some tea."
"How long have you been a full fledged death god?"
Kid glanced at the ceiling. "Five years, I think." He turned for the door. "Maybe six."
"Don't ya think you would know by now?"
"You can never be too sure about these things."
Blackstar sighed and settled back into the futon. Kid made his way back to the kitchen where he put the kettle on and started washing the dishes. Blackstar had gone through three cups of tea and two bowls of soup and had refused to rest the entire afternoon, constantly sitting up and declaring himself well enough to move around, only to collapse seconds later.
Kid could understand the frustration, and dealt with it accordingly with little objection. He finished putting the dishes away just as the kettle started to scream. He brewed another cup of tea and carried it back to the bedroom where Blackstar was laying on his back with his arms thrown over his eyes.
Kid knelt down beside him and placed the tea on a ceramic coaster. Blackstar blindly reached one hand towards Kid’s face, and successfully poked him in the forehead.
“What a time for Tsu to go away. Lord Death himself gets to take care of me.”
“Well, the gods have to look out for each other.”
Blackstar peaked out from under his arm and smirked. He sat up on an elbow and gulped down his tea.
“It’s not going to help if you drink it so fast,” Kid said, crossing his arms.
Blackstar laid back down and wagged the cup in the air. Kid rolled his eyes, but took the glass and carried it back to the kitchen to refill it. When he returned he placed the cup back on the coaster. Instead of taking the tea, Blackstar grabbed Kid’s wrist and tried to pull him down onto the futon.
“Come ooooon,” Blackstar urged. “You can’t seriously be afraid of getting sick.”
Kid wouldn’t budge, but he let Blackstar pull helplessly on his arm. “You’re all sweaty and snotty and gross, I do not want to cuddle with you right now. When’s the last time you washed your futon?”
Blackstar groaned and rolled onto his side. He pressed his face into Kid’s knees and gripped his thigh.
“I can’t believe you would deny a god.”
“Technically you’re the one being denied by a god.”
Blackstar threw his arm over Kid’s lap and pressed his face to his knees. Kid slipped a hand under Blackstar’s sweaty tank top and gently massaged his shoulder blade. Blackstar started to relax, and after a while Kid thought he might have fallen asleep.
Kid was in the middle of thinking about all of the work he’d have to catch up on, when Blackstar started to stir. He pushed himself off the floor and onto his hands and knees where he sat for a while not moving.
“What?” Kid asked. “Do you need me to get you something?”
“I wanna take a shower,” Blackstar grumbled, rising to his feet.
Kid stood up with him and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Alright. I’ll get you a towel.”
Blackstar shuffled to the bathroom while Kid retrieved a towel from the closet. Blackstar was half dressed and sitting on the toilet seat by the time Kid reached him.
“You can always wait,” Kid said, hanging the towel on the bar. “You’re still not doing very well.”
Blackstar rubbed his aching head with his hands. “No fucking way. A stupid fever isn’t gonna stop me from taking a shower.”
Kid sighed. “If you insist.” He slid the door halfway closed. “Yell if you need anything.” His voice carried down the corridor. “Or I’ll just hear when you fall in the shower.”
Kid heard the water go on by the time he reached the end of the hallway. He crossed into Blackstar’s room and considered cleaning the futon mattress, but decided it would take too long. He could do that on a different occasion, one where Blackstar would not need immediate use of his bed. It then occurred to Kid that Blackstar and Tsubaki might have a spare hiding around there somewhere. Their apartment wasn’t very big, so the only place Kid could think to look was the narrow linen closet.
He didn't find a spare mattress, and didn’t feel like expanding his search by rooting through Blackstar and Tsubaki’s entire apartment. It wasn’t often he spent a great deal of time there. If Blackstar and Kid were spending the night together, or just hanging out, they usually ended up at the mansion. There was more space, but not necessarily more to do. Kid hated to feel as though he were intruding on Tsubaki’s space, despite how many times she insisted his presence was not an intrusion.
Tsubaki was visiting her family in Japan, and had the trip planned for weeks when Blackstar got sick the night before she was supposed to leave. Kid immediately offered to take care of him, an offer Blackstar immediately refused, claiming he did not need help through a silly fever.
Of course, come the following morning, Blackstar could barely move or open his eyes, and he conceded to calling for help, though would never admit that’s what Kid was there for. In Blackstar’s mind, Kid was merely keeping him company.
Kid did find a clean mattress cover, blanket and pillow, and went so far to replace those. He figured climbing into a nice clean bed after a refreshing shower was far more desirable than climbing back under the same sick covers. Kid didn't want to know the last time Blackstar had cleaned his bedding.
When Kid was finished with the bed he moved on to the kitchen. He finished cleaning everything up, wiped the counter, and started making another batch of tea.
He watched the fire beneath the kettle and counted the little flames over and over again to keep his mind off of far more unpleasant things. When the water started to boil, he turned the heat to low and shifted the kettle so it was halfway off the burner. Before making the tea, he crossed through the house to check on Blackstar.
Kid knocked on the half open door. "Can I come in?"
It took a moment for Blackstar to respond, when he did his voice was weak. "Yeah."
Kid slipped into the warm bathroom and found Blackstar sitting down on one side of the tub.
Kid frowned. "Are you alright?"
"Just takin a break," Blackstar claimed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "Even the gods gotta take a break." He took a deep breath. "I can finally breathe through my nose."
"I'll prepare you some more medicine."
Blackstar sneered. "I am not taking that cough syrup shit. That stuff is disgusting. I'd rather fight a million keshin."
"Blackstar, you'd rather fight a million keshin over anything."
Blackstar cracked an eye open and looked at Kid. "Not anything."
Kid knelt down, leaned over the tub and tested the water with his hands. "Most things."
Blackstar smiled and gave Kid a blind kiss on the cheek.
"This water is boiling."
"That's how I like it."
Kid stood up and wiped his hand on a towel. "Well, let me know when you're done, I'll help you back to bed."
Blackstar wiggled his brow. "You'll help me to bed, eh?" The cheekiness of his tease did not translate well through the sniffles and sore throat.
Kid rolled his eyes and vacated the bathroom and prepared another cup of tea with honey. He placed the cup on a plate over a low burner to keep it warm, then returned to the bathroom to check on Blackstar.
He was still sitting at the end of the tub, half conscious. Kid knelt down and took one of Blackstar's scarred hands.
"You're all wrinkly."
"I'm fucking dying," Blackstar groaned.
"Really? Done in by a shower? I thought you were better than this."
Kid helped Blackstar to his feet and out of the tub. He gave him a set of fresh clothes and went to make sure the bed was warm and comfortable while Blackstar sat on the toilet seat and got dressed. He emerged from the bathroom with his eyes half closed wearing nothing but his boxers, and immediately fell into bed atop the blanket. He shivered despite the sweat, and drew in on himself. He looked so much smaller, far from the big man who would and could stand up to the Gods.
Kid felt his forehead again. "We have popsicles, I'll get you one to suck on."
Before Kid could get up, Blackstar's hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve.
"You're really cold," he grumbled through the fatigue, unable to keep his eyes open.
Kid pressed the back of his hand to Blackstar's warm cheek, and the skin immediately relaxed.
"Well--" Kid started to unbutton his shirt. "I suppose we'll find out if the gods can get sick."
He removed his shirt and undershirt and stripped down to his boxers. He laid down in front of Blackstar and gave his partner control of his hands. Blackstar pressed the icey palms to the burning skin of his chest and face, his body going lax as the overwhelming heat dissipated under the cold touch.
"That's what you get for taking a boiling hot shower," Kid grumbled with little conviction.
Blackstar pressed his forehead to Kid's shoulder and sighed.
"My own personal cooling pad."
Blackstar pressed his sweaty cheek into Kid's chest and pulled them closer together.
Kid wrapped his arms around Blackstar's shoulders. "For now. As soon as you're done being sick, I'm going to send you on the hardest mission I can find."
Blackstar smiled, settling in. "Can't wait."
Kid kissed his forehead, closed his eyes, and smiled back.