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“Kazuha-!”
Kazuha barely had time to register the voice calling his name from behind, when the weight of another person suddenly slammed into his back, nearly throwing him off balance entirely. He staggered a few steps forward, while the mystery-person behind him proceeded to wrap their arms around his waist like a needy child.
“What the- Heizou, what the hell?” Kazuha exclaimed, looking over his shoulder and recognising the mob of dark red hair.
“Hello.” Heizou greeted him, propping his chin up on Kazuha's shoulder. “Whatcha doin’?”
“... getting lunch? What does it look like?” Kazuha asked, confused, holding up the brown paper bag with his lunch.
It was a typical Wednesday, and most of Kazuha's classes were over and done with. He had one more class left that day before he could finally go home and put his feet up. Heizou charging into him had not been on his schedule.
“Hm.” Heizou mumbled. “Can I borrow your car?”
“What?” Kazuha blinked.
“M’ got a fever. I want to go home.”
Kazuha finally managed to wiggle himself out of Heizou's grasp, turning to face him. Now that he was able to actually see Heizou, it became obvious that he was under the weather. His face was uncomfortably pale, save for the bright red splotches on his cheeks. Without thinking, Kazuha promptly placed a hand over his forehead, whistling through his teeth.
“How long have you been sick?” Kazuha asked, frowning. “You shouldn't be here.”
“That's why I want to borrow your car.” Heizou said bluntly. He didn't answer the question.
“Where's your car?”
“Itto’s using it.” Heizou dramatically threw back his head, groaning loudly. “He and his buddies went somewhere, he talked me into letting him use my car. Please Kaz?”
“I can't, Gorou and I still need to get home.” Kazuha said, shaking his head. “Have you tried asking Aether?”
“He's not here today.”
“Sara or Shinobu?”
“Sara is mad at me. Shinobu's with Itto.”
Kazuha sighed, reaching up to rake his fingers through his hair. “Alright, fine, tell you what. I'll drive you home. I have enough time before my next class.”
“I will owe you big time.”
Kazuha didn't really mind giving Heizou a lift home. If anything, it'd put his mind at ease, knowing Heizou got home safe. That was worth the small annoyance of having to rush back in time for his class.
Heizou gratefully flopped into the passenger seat of Kazuha's car, immediately reaching over to switch on the air-conditioning. Kazuha had half a mind to scold him for turning the AC on when it wasn't that hot out, but he reminded himself that Heizou was running a fever, and let it be.
“How long have you been sick like this?” Kazuha asked when Heizou leaned forward, putting his face right in front of the air conditioning.
“Yesterday.” Heizou muttered.
“Why were you even at class today then?”
“Because I haven't actually had a fever up until now.” Heizou said, sinking back in his seat. “I've just kind of been feeling like crap. But that's not really enough of an excuse to skip my classes.”
Kazuha had several arguments in response to that statement, but chose to only sigh and shake his head. He drove out of the campus parking lot onto the road, beginning to head in the direction of the neighborhood Heizou recently moved into.
“Will you be alright at home?” Kazuha asked.
“Uh, yeah. Why?”
“Heizou, you are notoriously terrible at looking after yourself.” Kazuha said blankly. “And if Itto's not going to be home anytime soon-”
“Oh, please, if you think Itto’s any better than I am, you are gravely mistaken.” Heizou said, snorting softly. “I've driven him to the emergency room twice since moving in, both times because he accidentally ate something he's allergic to.”
Kazuha only rolled his eyes. It was alright, after he and Gorou finished class that day, he'd swing by again to check that Heizou was doing alright.
It wasn't that far to Heizou and Itto's place. Kazuha pulled up in their driveway, watching as Heizou undid his seatbelt and hopped out, tossing his bag over his shoulder.
“Text me if you need anything at all, okay?” Kazuha called after him.
“Will do. Thanks again, Kaz!”
Heizou waved him off, before trudging up to the front door. Kazuha didn't start the car again, waiting to check that Heizou got inside alright and locked the door again behind him. He watched as Heizou stopped in front of the door, patting down his pockets. Then he opened his bag, rummaging through it. After a moment he sheepishly turned back to look over at Kazuha still sitting in the car.
“What's up?” Kazuha asked, getting out.
“I left with Itto this morning.” Heizou said, sounding defeated. “We used his key. I must've forgotten mine inside.”
“What?” Kazuha asked in disbelief, walking up the porch steps towards Heizou.
“You can pick locks, right?” Heizou asked hopefully. “Get me inside? Please?”
Kazuha pulled a face, leaning down to inspect the lock. His eyebrows furrowed. “I can't pick this type.”
Heizou groaned loudly, sinking down heavily on one of the plastic porch chairs. He shoved his head into his hands, before pointedly groaning again, like the end of the world was upon them.
“This is it, this is how I die.”
“That's a little over the top, won't you say?” Kazuha asked, standing up straight again. “When does Itto get back?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“Well.” Kazuha sighed. “Get back in the car then. I'll drop you off at our apartment. You can stay there until he gets back.”
“Really?” Heizou asked, lifting his head from his hands again.
“Yeah, of course. I'm not going to leave you here on the porch.”
“Oh you are an angel sent from heaven.”
Heizou hauled himself off the plastic chair again, trudging back after Kazuha. He pointedly dragged his feet along the concrete driveway, like the mere act of lifting his feet was too much of an ordeal — despite the fact that he had been perfectly capable of walking normally less than two minutes ago.
“Are you going to eat this?” Heizou asked when they were on the road again, finding Kazuha's paper bag of lunch between the seats. “Ohh this smells delicious, can I have it? I haven't eaten a thing today.”
“That's supposed to be my lunch.” Kazuha said in exasperation. “Why didn't you at least have breakfast?”
“My stomach wasn't feeling very well.” Heizou had already begun helping himself to Kazuha's lunch. “I’ll pay you back for this.”
Kazuha just sighed, shaking his head. Whatever, he didn't have time left for lunch anyway with all the driving around. Heizou might as well have it instead of it going bad.
After arriving at the apartment complex, Kazuha hurried in with Heizou to unlock the front door for him — He really needed to have a new spare key made, seeing as Gorou managed to drop and lose his key when they went hiking a couple of weeks ago.
“Ah, finally.” Heizou said, dropping his bag onto the floor and collapsing onto the couch. He stretched out, burying his face into one of the couch cushions. “I thought I was going to perish before I got to lie down! I feel like a deflated balloon.”
Kazuha rolled his eyes at Heizou's dramatic choice of words, quickly plucking an apple from the fruit bowl in the kitchen to have on the drive back. Heizou didn't budge, happily curling up on the couch like he was planning on going to sleep right there without even taking his shoes off.
“I need to dash or I'm going to miss my next class.” Kazuha said, reaching for the door. “Please remember to drink water, and help yourself to any food in the kitchen. Stick to something light if your stomach bothers you again, okay? I'll keep my phone on me in case you need me.”
“Thank you.” Heizou called after him, as Kazuha closed the door.
—
Kazuha made it to his last class just in the nick of time, panting and red in the face. By the time the class wrapped up, he was ravenous and silently cursing Heizou for snatching his lunch.
Gorou's last class of the day ended not long after Kazuha's, and they met up at the edge of the parking lot as they usually do. Kazuha had been half-sitting on a fence post, getting up and holding his arms out to Gorou for a hug.
“Hey.” Gorou greeted cheerfully, pulling Kazuha into the hug, and planting a kiss on his cheek. “You look beat. Long day?”
“You don't know the half of it.” Kazuha said, chuckling. “Heizou cornered me at lunch, asking for a ride home. He was running a fever. Drove him all the way back, only to find he locked his key inside the house.”
“You've got to be kidding me.” Gorou looked like he was fighting not to laugh. “Could he use Itto's key?”
“Nope, Itto's on a trip.” Kazuha said, exasperated. “I'm sorry I didn't check with you first, but I was late and in a hurry, so I just dropped him off at our place.”
“That's cool, I don't mind.” Gorou grinned. “It'll be like old times.” Before moving in with Itto, it was a very common occurrence for Heizou to be crashing on their couch. The three of them had gotten quite comfortable living together.
They spent the drive home talking about their day, how their classes went, and their plans for the rest of the week. Halfway they stopped to buy some take-out — primarily because Kazuha said he was going to starve if he had to wait until after they made dinner. Gorou got a good laugh out of it when Kazuha told him how Heizou had helped himself to his lunch.
The lights were on inside their apartment when they got home, and as they were unlocking the front door, Kazuha could hear something softly playing on the TV inside.
“We're home!” Gorou announced when they stepped inside.
Heizou was sitting on the couch, bundled up in a blanket like a cocoon, watching the TV screen with half lidded eyes. He glanced over at their arrival, before maneuvering one arm out from inside his blanket cocoon, reaching for the remote to switch the TV off.
“Hey, Heizou.” Gorou draped himself over the backrest of one of the armchairs, grinning. “It's been a while, good to have you here again! Even if I wish it was under better circumstances. Kazuha tells me you're sick?”
“I feel like I have the plague.” Heizou announced bluntly, reaching for the tissue box that sat on the coffee table — a sea of crumpled tissues already surrounded him.
“Awh, I'm sure it isn't that bad.” Gorou playfully ruffled his hair, before pushing himself off the backrest again.
“Have you eaten anything since lunch, Heizou?” Kazuha called from the kitchen. “I can make you some chicken noodle soup.”
“I'll pass.” Heizou called back.
“You can't run on empty.” Kazuha scolded. “I'll make you the soup anyway, in case you feel up to it later.”
Heizou only grunted softly in response. Then he shifted on the couch, before he dramatically plopped down on his side. Gorou watched him bury his face into one of the couch cushions, before he groaned, loudly and deliberately.
“Heizou if you keep those noises up, the neighbours will be knocking on our door asking if there's a dying animal in here.” Kazuha called from the kitchen.
Heizou only responded with another pointed groan, although he did lower his voice this time.
Gorou's face softened slightly, and he found an open spot on the couch next to Heizou to sit down. He reached over, brushing back Heizou's dark red hair and holding the back of his hand to his forehead.
“You're not that warm at all.” Gorou said, a little surprised. With how Heizou had been acting, he had expected to feel a raging fever.
“I don't caaare”. Heizou grumbled. “I feel craaap.”
“Heizou, language.” Kazuha's voice came from the kitchen again.
Heizou only huffed, and Gorou chuckled softly.
—
Despite Heizou’s initial reluctance to accept the chicken soup Kazuha made, his tune changed quickly once a pleasant smell wafted in from the kitchen. His earlier discomfort conveniently vanished enough for him to inhale a good two bowls of soup.
He also complained relentlesly when Kazuha offered that they leave him alone to get some rest.
“I thought you felt oh-so-miserable.” Gorou had said, trying to hide a knowing grin as he rested his shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed.
“Can't I be miserable and want company?” Heizou complained, from where he was dramatically sprawled out across the couch on his back.
That was how all three of them ended up on the couch that evening — Gorou and Heizou both with video game controllers in hand, while Kazuha observed their virtual match like an amused spectator.
“I call BS!” Heizou complained, fumbling for a tissue to blow his nose on. “There's no way you won that! This game is rigged!”
“It's not rigged! I told you I'm really familiar with this map!” Gorou defended fiercely. “Kazuha, tell him!”
“I'm not getting involved in this.” Kazuha said matter-of-factly. “Though I have half a mind to make myself a bowl of popcorn, this is highly entertaining.”
“You are finding enjoyment in grave injustice and that is-” Heizou had to stop, turning his head to the side, coughing into his elbow. “-a crime!”
“Okay, okay.” Gorou laughed, putting his controller down. “You are getting too worked up for a sick person. Shouldn't we switch to watching a show or something, you know, so you can actually rest?”
“You're just scared I'm going to beat you in the next round.”
“Gorou’s right.” Kazuha said, shaking his head with a grin. “As much as I enjoy watching you at each other's throats over your pixelated high scores, it's getting late.”
Heizou huffed, crossing his arms. He didn't look very intimidating, his nose already beginning to run again. Even if he still looked marginally miserable with his flushed cheeks and army of crumpled tissues, it was obvious he was feeling better. Enjoying himself, even.
“I'll go make us all some tea, and I'll put some honey in for your throat.” Kazuha said, getting to his feet and patting Heizou's shoulder. “You two pick something for us to watch.”
Heizou's face immediately lit up at the prospect of picking a movie or show.
Kazuha chuckled to himself as he walked into the kitchen, switching on the kettle to boil, and taking three mugs out of the cabinet. Once he had made tea for all three of them — with an extra scoop of honey in Heizou's, as promised — he made his way back to the living room. Kazuha stopped in the doorway, when he heard Heizou and Gorou's voices.
“Thank you for dealing with me today.” Heizou was saying softly. “This was… much nicer than being stuck at home with no one around. Forgetting my key was a small blessing.”
“Heizou, you know we love having you here.” Gorou responded. “You could have just asked, you're always welcome here.”
There was a small pause.
“I've leeched off the two of you enough in the past.”
“Nonsense.” Kazuha said, stepping into the living room as well. He carefully placed the mugs down on the coffee table, before taking a seat next to Heizou on the couch. “Gorou's right, we love having you here. We were always happy to have you staying here, and we never felt like you were taking advantage of us.”
“What he said.” Gorou matter-of-factly hugged Heizou from the side.
Heizou laughed softly, the sound somewhat relieved, as he leaned into Gorou's hug. “You guys gotta stop, you're gonna make me emotional and I'll never live that down.”
They all laughed, and Kazuha wrapped his arms around Heizou and Gorou as well. Despite the red rims of his eyes, Heizou's smile was genuine and happy.
“That's decided then, you're staying here until you're all better.” Kazuha said, ruffling Heizou's messy hair when they all finally pulled apart. “In fact, probably longer than that, because I expect you to wait on the two of us when we inevitably catch this flu of yours.”
Heizou only laughed sheepishly, and the red flush across his cheeks deepened.
“Thank you, guys. You really are my best friends.”