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Two men stood in front of a closed door. Each one hesitating and unwilling to move forward.
“I’m not going to go in there.” A honey smooth voice remarked.
“Well I’m not going to go in there either. Besides he likes you better.” A younger and louder voice answered.
“What gave you that idea? Come on Ken just peek in the door and see if he’s in there.”
“Well gee Yohji you didn’t try and kill the guy his first day here. So there’s no way I’m sticking my head inside that door. He’s probably waiting on the other side with his katana.”
When Aya didn’t show up for his shift in the shop Ken and Yohji looked at it like a mixed blessing. No glares and icy silences. No surliness aimed at the customers. But as the day wore on the pair became concerned. It wasn’t like their team mate to skip out on his shift. Aya’s car was in its usual parking spot so that meant he was probably in his apartment.
So during lunch break the two had gone upstairs to check on the missing swordsman. But once outside neither one wanted to disturb the sanctity of the red head’s much vaunted privacy.
“What’s the worst that can happen? Come on Ken we already knocked and no one answered. At least see if he’s in there.” Yohji lit a cigarette with practiced ease and leaned against the hallway wall. He took a deep drag and turned his jade green eyes on his team mate. “Pleaaaaaaase…” Yohji drew the word out like a caress.
Ken flushed and looked away. “No. I’ll get skewered.”
Yohji smiled at Ken’s flaming cheeks. It was so much fun to tease the teen. He took a long drag off his cigarette and looked thoughtfully at the door. “What if he’s hurt?”
“How the hell could he have gotten hurt?” Ken grumbled and refused to look at Yohji.
“Well Ken Ken they say most accidents happen at home. He might not even be inside.” Thoroughly amused Yohji nonchalantly stepped closer. He leaned down and whispered in Ken’s ear. “I’ll make it worth your while Ken Ken.”
Ken stumbled backward arms flailing as Yohji tried to grab the flustered young man.
“Gah! Stop it! Leggo! Yohji!!” Ken blushed even harder as Yohji’s amused laughter skated up his spine.
“What are you two doing?”
Ken and Yohji froze and glanced behind them. Omi stood there with his book bag over his shoulder and school uniform rumpled from a day spent in a hot class room. His cornflower blue eyes were narrowed and his mouth drawn down in a frown.
Seeing that Omi was not amused Ken rushed to answer.
“Well you see Aya didn’t work his shift today. He didn’t even come downstairs and we kinda got worried. His car’s still parked outside so we figured he was in his apartment. We knocked but nobody answered. We were trying to figure out who was going to go in and see.” Ken swatted at Yohji who had his arms wrapped around Ken’s waist.
Yohji rested his chin on top of Ken’s head and grinned. “Yeah the coward here thought Aya would ginsu his ass if he went inside.”
“Hey you didn’t want to go in either!” Ken squawked indignantly.
Omi rolled his eyes at their antics. Man they acted like bratty kids….and everyone thought he was the baby of the team. Age had nothing to do with maturity.
“Key.” Omi held out his hand.
Sheepishly Ken dug the spare key out of his pocket and handed it to Omi.
“It’s time to open the shop again. We had a half day at school. You’d better get down there before the herd of fangirls breaks down the door.”
“Come on Ken Ken my adoring public awaits. If you play your cards right I might even let you talk to a real live girl.” Yohji steered Ken away from Aya’s door and towards the steps.
“Yohji come on let go! Ack! No pinching! Cut it out!”
Their voices faded as they went downstairs.
Ken and Yohji were right though. Aya usually didn’t miss a shift. Omi fitted the key into the lock and opened the door. He poked his head inside the darkened apartment.
The tiny kitchenette was painfully neat and the living room devoid of any clutter or personal touches. Omi took in the sight a bit sadly. It looked like no one lived here at all.
“Aya-Kun are you here?” Omi called out as he walked to the bedroom door. It was mostly closed.
The blond thought he heard a slight rustling noise. He hesitated in the doorway.
“Are you all right?” Omi said into the dark room as he pushed the door open all the way.
A double bed was shoved all the way against one wall and on the opposite was a low dresser. A chair sat next to it draped with a light colored sweater. On the dresser top a sword stand proudly displayed the red head’s weapon of choice. The blinds on the one window were drawn and the room was almost stifling hot. Despite that a blanket draped lump covered the center of the bed. Omi cautiously approached.
“Aya?”
“Mmmmph…grrrrphlm…hmph.” Came a muffled reply which sounded suspiciously like ‘get the hell out and leave me alone.’ Punctuated by a rather loud sneeze.
Omi shook his head, looked up at the ceiling and cursed Persia for making him den mother to such a motley crew. Finding his resolve face Omi leaned over the bed and grabbed the covers. He gave a slight yank and uncovered a disheveled and shivering Aya.
The red head’s eyes were slitted in pain and slight tremors wracked his slender body. Sweat dotted his forehead and when Aya coughed his whole body curled inward. He flinched away from Omi’s outstretched hand and hissed.
“Oh stop it! Keep doing that and you really will live up to your code name. I just wanted to feel your forehead. You’re sick. Why didn’t you let anyone know?” Despite the warning glare Omi managed to rest his hand against Aya’s flushed face. Yup…it was pretty hot. Not alarmingly so but it could get that way if untreated. The blond looked around the room and did not even see a glass of water or bottle of aspirin. He sighed dramatically.
“Don’t you move.” Omi pointed a finger at the sullen red head. “I’ll be right back.” Omi ignored the glare shot his direction and headed back out to the tiny kitchen.
A quick search yielded no medications of any kind, no soup, juice or scrap of anything useful. Really…were they all helpless? Omi stomped back into the bed room.
“You will stay in bed until I say you can leave it. You’re not that sick yet. Also you’re going to take all the medicines I give you and eat the food I put in front of you. You need lots of liquids or you’ll get dehydrated. If you had just let us known you weren’t feeling well to begin with I bet you’d not be as sick now. Is that clear?” Omi used his best I’m-in-charge-and-you’d-better-not-forget-it voice.
Aya mumbled again and Omi caught a distinct air of ‘fuck off’ in the barely heard reply.
“Don’t make me tranq you. We really don’t want that to happen. Now are you going to behave?” Omi could return Aya’s sulky looks glare for glare.
“Fine, yes, ok.” Aya rasped and then coughed loudly. He wiped his nose on a crumpled wad of tissue he had in his hand and looked generally pathetic.
Omi perched on the edge of the bed and brushed Aya’s damp bangs away from his forehead. Aya felt too miserable to brush the hand aside and the light touch did feel nice. Even though he’d never admit it out loud.
Aya’s eyes drifted shut as Omi continued to stroke his face. Aya opened them again as he felt Omi get up off the bed. He watched as the blond straightened the tangled blankets and smoothed them over Aya’s huddled body.
“I’ll be right back. You don’t move from this bed unless you have to. Got it?” Omi waited for a reply.
All the surliness seemed to drain right out of the red head. “Yes Omi.” Aya replied tiredly.
He closed his eyes again and tried to get some rest. Aya jumped in surprise as he felt the tingle of cool lips placing a light kiss on his forehead.
Aya blinked at Omi which made the blond giggle. He waved cheerfully and jauntily left the room. Aya let a small smile grace his normally taciturn features. When their leader acted like this he reminded Aya of his sister before the accident.
Omi could not keep from grinning. He simply loved to shake things up. To yank his team mate’s chains. The look on Aya’s face had been absolutely priceless. He skipped down the stairs and into the flower shop.
The crowd was not too bad for a Wednesday afternoon and he located Ken easily. Omi grabbed the brunette’s arm and pulled him to one side.
“Hey Omi what’s up with Aya? I see you made it out of his room alive.” Ken teased.
“He’s got a really bad cold, fever and all. So I need you to get a few things for me.” Omi stepped over to the counter and scribbled a list of the things he’d need. Then he handed it to Ken.
Ken perused the list and frowned. “All this? Jeez Omi…Aya wouldn’t even spit on me if I was on fire. Why should I?”
“I think you’d be surprised at how Aya felt about you. Now come on…the list is not that big.” Omi turned his big blue eyes on the unsuspecting brunette.
“Huh? Aya? Ack! Not the eyes…don’t look at me like that. It’s not fair.” Ken whined.
Omi stepped closer trapping Ken behind the counter. Yohji looked on and tried not to laugh as he waited on the last customer.
“Come on Ken-kun. Remember last month when you threw your back out? Who brought you dinner in bed? Gave you a back rub? Went out and got your favorite manga?” Omi used the full power of his chibi-ness and Ken melted. It was too easy…really.
“Ok…ok I’ll do it. For you. Not that Aya would ever say thank you. Let’s see. Cough syrup, aspirin, cold compresses, tissues, juice and mint tea…got it. Anything else?” Ken sighed in resignation.
“Ooh yes a large order of egg drop soup from that take out place Aya likes. Get a large order of rice too. Make sure you do that on the way home so it is hot when you get here. Thanks Ken-kun!” Omi chirped as he hugged the brunette enthusiastically.
“Er…ok no prob…ah…Omi you can let go now. Yohji’s making gagging noises. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Ken slithered out of Omi’s grasp and snagged his jacket on the way out the door.
Yohji leaned causally against the counter and contemplated the diminutive blond. “You got them wrapped around your little finger.”
“Of course.” Omi answered seriously then looked at the lanky assassin with a gleam in his eyes. “You too Yohji-kun?” Omi wheedled.
Yohji laughed out loud. A sound that brought an answering grin to the youngest assassin. “Yes chibi me too. I can’t resist you either. As if you didn’t know.”
“Watch the store?” Omi hopped up on the counter and placed a kiss on Yohji’s cheek.
Yohji aimed a swat at Omi which he easily avoided and agilely vaulted over the counter to the other side.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll mind the shop. You go and inflict yourself on Aya…that amount of cheerfulness is likely to kill him. Go on off with you.” Yohji made a shooing motion as Omi went back upstairs.
Omi stopped at his rooms and hastily made a report to send to kritiker to take Aya off active duty status until he was well. He added a few other details and then went over some details on an upcoming surveillance mission.
Ken returned with the items on the list and Omi thanked the brunette profusely and shooed him back down stairs. He took the bags into Aya’s apartment and made up a tray as he heated water for tea.
Omi carefully balanced the tray as he entered the dim room. He placed it on the dresser and walked over to the bed. He rested a hand on a blanket covered foot and shook it gently.
“Aya…wake up. I have some food and medicine for you.” Omi quietly announced.
The red head blinked sleepily. “Go away…mmm..tired.”
“Come on now Aya you promised. Now I’ll help you sit up.” Omi went to the head of the bed and made Aya scoot back and lean forward. He piled pillows behind the red head until he was propped into a sitting position. Omi ignored Aya’s protesting growls.
“I’ve got a little soup, some hot sweet tea and the medicine. Take the pills and cough syrup first.” Omi placed the tray across Aya’s knees and waited.
Aya knew this was a losing battle…plus the soup did smell good…was it from that place he liked? Aya was surprised that Omi even knew he always ate lunch there after visiting his sister. Mint? In the tea too? Another thing he was fond of. That Omi knew these things warmed Aya a little bit from the inside out. He dutifully took the pills and grimaced at the taste of the cough syrup. The first sip of tea eased his aching throat. The soup eased his shivers as he slowly ate the rich broth thick with egg and mushrooms.
Aya ate all he could and as he watched Omi placed a box of tissues on the bedside table. Aya leaned back against the pillows with a contented sigh. He still felt like crap but with the TLC from his team mate he no longer felt so isolated and miserably alone.
“Thank you Omi. Really.” Aya said as he closed his eyes and sank into the warm bed.
“Any time Aya, any time.” Omi replied fondly as he quietly gathered the tray and walked to the door. He paused as he heard Aya clear his throat.
“You’ll be back?” Aya hesitatingly asked.
“Of course! I’ll come check on you in a couple of hours. Now get some rest.” Omi cheerfully replied.
Aya could not help smiling in return as he drifted off to sleep.