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Agonizing headaches.
Sore, bitter throat.
Shuichi had symptoms he would describe as agonizing to deal with. He was unable to drink water properly. It was painful to do so. In fact, it was a bit excruciating, in a way… no, definitely in a way.
Well. Compared to what it usually felt like, it was.
Headaches were another thing too, if not worse than the water situation.
Shuichi thought about things quite often. How the weather was today, how much he’ll have to pay for his taxes. His brain worked as a proper and dutiful “student” towards the possibilities the day had in store for him.
Not being able to think about the simplest of things—not even the weather—was definitely not something Shuichi had anticipated to happen. Like anyone else, he needed to think about things. It was only human nature to, wasn’t it?
Not being able to do such a thing was similar to shedding a layer and opening a wound of vulnerability. It was not ah, a very fun experience to deal with.
He had friends that joked of him being a detective, becoming one, secretly one–sarcastically or not. Shuichi had a tendency to analyze things and the such, using more logical thought processes than irrational emotions. Both sides, though, could get the best of him.
At times.
Sometimes.
Really.
Usually once he was tired, or brimming to life with coffee in the system. Perhaps even tipsy; on rare occasions, he never did drink much.
And the most problematic thing was not being able to stop coughing nonstop; not being able to take down liquids properly without the stinging in the back of his throat; not even the nauseating feeling once he ate food.
The worst thing of all was Kokichi, in good faith and bad. He was capable of increasing a headache to full capacity without even trying; sometimes trying, as that was his proto move to annoy and aggravate people; Shuichi could tell the difference when he wasn’t, and, shit, was this a strange scenario for him. Kokichi was giving him one without being near him—as in making Shuichi worry. For his well being, his day, his moods, just in general about his well being.
That’s what being married did to him. Honestly, Shuichi wouldn’t expect any difference in himself—without being married either, he would no doubt be fussing over Kokichi.
Hmm.
Probably.
Shuichi, while in the pitiful state, kept tucked in his bed for most of the day. Sometimes, it could be straining just to do that. He would burn up in no time flat, and the blankets would have to come off.
At other times, Shuichi would become quite cold. Like his guts had been drenched in a cold water bucket filled with ice, he’d be shivering nonstop and the blankets would have to go back on—just to come back off in a few hours or so.
Shuichi was used to being kept in one place for long periods of time. When he worked, he worked behind a desk. Ass planted into the chair, glue, unable to move while his eyes focused intently on whatever work his computer screen was displaying.
But, to say the least, the comparison wasn't viable here. His tiredness and exhaustion couldn't compare to what he felt at work. He had trouble moving his limbs; loose and wobbly, like they had been implanted there recently.
And then Kokichi would come home to check on him. No doubt that was the light of his week.
Though, Kokichi did tone down his usual rowdiness around Shuichi. He showed a rare side that didn't come out often. He was more caring, careful with his words, more soft and friendly, like he was talking to a little child.
Which… was nice of him, Shuichi supposed. He was grateful that he had him.
On one particular night when Kokichi came home, he was grinning from ear to ear. It wasn't that he usually didn’t—as far as Shuichi was aware, he loved his job. Didn't once complain about it during the time he was together with Shuichi. A few years, just about.
And during that time, he didn’t usually come running to the door while smiling like that.
Shuichi peeked at Kokichi over the blankets he was snuggled under. He was stone cold, about everything numb. The blanket didn't help that much for some reason…. even though it usually did….
Was he getting more sick? Shuichi had been looking up things online to try and ease the effects of the sickness. Results went along the lines of drinking plenty of water, gallons , and devouring soup.
Watery stuff, that is.
What a way to boost an already low appetite.
Kokichi went over to Shuichi's bedside and sat on the edge of it. He tossed Shuichi a cough drop, wrapped in violet wrapper with golden edging. It lay stiffly on top of Shuichi’s chest as he did not take it.
Yet.
Preferably not.
“Still feeling icky?” Kokichi’s tone was ginger and soft.
Shuichi snuggled further down his blankets in response until Kokichi was out of sight. He could feel the pressure of the bed grow as Kokichi was moving about, getting closer to Shuichi, scooting up while the blanket was pressed up against Shuichi’s frame.
Heat spread throughout him, a tingling, fuzzy feel. It got hot enough to the point that it became somewhat unbearable, and he peeked out his head again and saw Kokichi quite close to him, leaning over so that their foreheads nearly touched.
He was grinning still, and the grin turned less mischievous and a little more kinder as he saw the look on Shuichi's face. Shuichi himself had to guess that he looked concerned as he felt. It was very tiring being this sick and unable to do the things that he usually did.
Kokichi gently lifted his hand and pressed it against Shuichi's forehead.
“...Oh, wow. You’re really burning up,” Kokichi murmured, and gave a tiny laugh after. It wasn't that he was mocking Shuichi, he was just probably surprised by the warmth. “You were really cold yesterday. Remember? You wanted cuddles every second of the day even when I wasn’t there to attend to your needy self. And now I don’t think you're able to get any because you’d suffocate from the heat. Ugh, that actually sucks, but I don’t really want you to kick the bucket, so…”
Shuichi nodded his head in hesitant affirmation.
In the back of his mind, he wanted, needed Kokichi to be snug up against him. That was the only thing that he looked forward to during this terrible state.
Why did diseases have to spread…? It was such a pain in the ass already. It should’ve kept the victim to suffer alone without the risk of spreading it to anyone, especially loved and dear ones, friends and whatnot.
Shuichi was glad he didn't have pets. Chances are, they’d become wary of him.
He wasn't positive if he could get pets sick but the thought made him giddy for some reason, and he laughed, and he coughed until he was heaving.
Shuichi eventually stopped out of terrible willpower to not cough directly in Kokichi’s face, but there were still tiny coughs as he repressed some. Agh… this was the worst… Kokichi really did look concerned now…
Kokichi leaned forward to give a quick and loving peck on Shuichi’s forehead. “Stay right here, okay?” He pulled away. “I'll be back.”
Shuichi nodded his head and watched as Kokichi left, and no more than a few minutes later, Kokichi returned. He was holding a glass of water in his hand.
Kokichi walked over and handed it out to Shuichi. “Drink. Losing you would be problematic, y’know? So, um. Drink.”
Hopefully his throat wouldn't say otherwise—well, who was he kidding? Of course it would.
Shuichi reluctantly took the glass cup and stared at it, as if it had toxic waste floating around in crystal clear water. He needed to drink this, he knew, but his body was screaming “Noo, don't do it, it's going to make you worse...”
Ah, well.
Shuichi gave a gravelly sigh and closed his eyes. Without much thought, he chugged it down.
He nearly choked and spat it out in the process, but he didn’t. Commitment did wonders.
Half of the water cup was gone after a long, anguishing amount of time later. Kokichi seemed fairly pleased at this, and Shuichi shook his head back and forth like a pouting child, trying to get the taste secretly out of his system by gently scraping his tongue against his teeth
Kokichi took the cup from him while he was still shaking his head, adding to the dizziness he already felt. He wasn't even sure what he was doing, truthfully. Restless, Shuichi was somewhat. The not explainable, offhand tantrum of a sick person.
He snapped out of it, though, when Kokichi put away the cup on a nearby nightstand, dipped himself forward on Shuichi’s chest, knocking off the cough drop to the side; he was snuggling up against Shuichi's neck, under his chin. He was breathing softly and Shuichi could feel the light inhale and exhale against his temple.
Kokichi shouldn’t be this close when Shuichi was sick.
Shouldn’t he be?
Should he?
Shuichi ignored rationality that he did not care to explore, did not bother to acknowledge.
Still under the fiery heat provided by the blankets, Shuichi nuzzled his head gently against Kokichi’s as a sign of the affection he could give. The moment was long and content, Shuichi not daring to move an inch, comfortable silence overwhelming.
A rational voice, so faint it was barely audible, spoke to him though. You'll get Kokichi sick. He doesn't need to be, does he?
Shuichi could hardly hear it, but it was still there, there to bother.
He couldn't keep Kokichi near him with a risk like that…
With a tender exhale of his own breath—although it sounded very clogged because it was, his nose was stuffed beyond saving and that did something to his throat—he gave one last little nuzzle of love for Kokichi and gently used the blanket, which was over his body, to push Kokichi away.
Kokichi did appear to understand the hesitation for cuddles, as he only sighed and messed with a loose strand of hair.
“Can we watch a show, babe? My sweet blueberry muffin?”
Shuichi choked out a laugh. He glared, one that said; what kind of pet name was that, but Kokichi either didn't catch on or ignored it because he smiled wide. “You know, I think that name suits you a lot. You’ll call me your ripe grape in favor once you get better, won’t you?”
Shuichi made a face.
Kokichi gave a humorous pout and chuckled, potentially finding his reasoning to be somewhat flawed—and those pet names, too! Urgh. Not very amusing ones… made him embarrassed, made him want to sink into the black hole under his bed.
Kokichi straightened himself and sat at the very edge of the bed. The remote was around there. Maybe. Shuichi was watching a show earlier to eat away at the time.
Ah. Time . It felt surreal nowadays. It passed slowly enough to the point that he didn't have anything to do besides experience it. Sleeping through most of the hours cured the sluggishness, made time pass by ten times faster than it usually did. Which should be a good thing. He didn’t know…
Shuichi focused on his breathing, tiredness hitting him in waves of gray and blue.
Kokichi flicked through the channels, the low rumbling of voices reaching timidly to Shuichi's eardrums. His head wasn’t splintering needles through his skull anymore. The sensation still made him want to squirm around quite a bit, but… there was a chance that the water did something?
Kokichi turned up the volume on one of the channels, making it louder and not as quiet. The sound came in blaring for Shuichi, and he glanced over at Kokichi, slightly startled.
Kokichi could have felt the eyes behind him staring not very humbly, as he said, “Ever seen the Pumpkin King guy before? The one that hated Christmas?”
Uh.
A pumpkin king.
Right, then.
Shuichi sorted through his thoughts a bit and grasped on a vague memory. It differentiated quite largely from what Kokichi said, if what Shuichi recalled was correct; the Pumpkin King cherished Christmas but… did not like Halloween all too much.
What was the point, anyway?
Shuichi lulled his head, closed his eyes. He was tired, sleep dawning on the very front of his doorstep. He barely registered when Kokichi scooted up next to him, resting his head on his shoulder.
It was so warm.