Archive of Our Own ^beta

Winter had come, and snow was covering not only the courtyard but also the roofs and roads around the mansion.

Most of the siblings stayed inside the house. It was warm, and there was less work to do in the winter, so they didn't have to go out on missions and just lazed around inside their home.

Taiyo, being a relatively new spy despite being silver-ranked, had not been given many missions during this time of year. As such, he spent his time doing chores around the house and shoveling snow outside the house.

During this time of the year, because of their boredom, the Yozakura siblings often spent their time holding countless hotpot parties. They invited their friends or just kept it within the family. But the most important thing was that they loved taking out their special cherry blossom wine (Yozakura Blizzard), and emptying most of it.

This didn't affect their daily lives, however. On some days, the siblings would be hangover, while on other days they'd play in the snow or have a karaoke day.

Because the human body is fragile, neither Mutsumi nor Taiyo were allowed to go out for a long time. Even though Taiyo thought this was pointless because he could no longer be considered "human". The siblings still worried too much.

Well, it's not like the Yozakura siblings couldn't get sick. They could. It was just not as fast as how a normal human could get sick.
_________

"It's snowing a lot today, huh?"

As Taiyo was staring out at the snow in the garden, Mutsumi creeped up behind him. She smiled when he turned to look at her.

"It is. Are you sure you're warm enough like that?"

Taiyo couldn't help but worry. She was wearing a thick jacket, yes. But due to his nature, he couldn't stop thinking she might end up sick as soon she gets back home.

"I'm fine," she giggled. "I'm not that fragile!" She proudly showed her 'muscles', trying to look tough. Although, the vest she wore didn't show anything, just the wrinkles of the thick fabric.

"You should worry about yourself, if you end up getting sick, the whole family will follow." Pointing at him, she explained her concerns with a light frown. A warning he must keep in mind.

Taiyo laughed off her words, "No way, I'm not that important." He assured. Only getting a sigh as response.

"That's what you think."
With those words, she pat his back and smiled before walking back into the house.

"Don't stay out too long!"

Taiyo waved, watched her go in and turned his head away as soon as she did. He kept on staring into the distance, his face flushed and the warm breaths escaping his mouth and coming back to hit him once the cold ran through them made him shiver. He groaned softly at the sensation. He liked the cold, it wasn't uncomfortable to him. He could exercise without sweating too much, he could do many activities without feeling dizzy.

Long minutes passed by. Taiyo wasn't doing much, he sometimes took a few steps into the snow. It was very deep so he didn't walk much. He made some doodles in the snow, he drew Mutsumi, his family and the siblings. Though, he hesitated when drawing one of them.

"Feeling nostalgic?"

A sudden voice echoed behind him. After jolting from the surprise, Taiyo had turned around to notice Kyoichiro standing tall behind him. Hands in the pockets of his thick cloak, and the same usual smile on his face.

"Haha... not really," The red head waved away the question with his hand. He promptly got up and dusted the snow off his clothes before looking at Kyoichiro once again. He stared at the man for quite some time and smiled at the sight before him. "So even you get cold, huh?"

His words earned him a confused head tilt from Kyoichiro. Of course, the man wouldn't notice it, but Taiyo sure did.

"Hm? What does that mean?" Kyoichiro probed.

Taiyo stared at him for a few more seconds, admiring the flush on the taller man's face. Taiyo had always thought of Kyoichiro as someone who was immune to everything. Nanao mentioned that Kyoichiro was immune to all poisons except for one. So, naturally, Taiyo just assumed that Kyoichiro would also be immune to cold or heat or sickness overall.

"Your face is red." He pointed out.

"Well that's to be expected," Kyoichiro shrugged his shoulders before turning and walking away. "I'm still human, despite what you might think."

While that was true, Taiyo just couldn't picture a sick Kyoichiro. The red head started to trot behind the spy, a way to try and catch up to him.

"Have you ever gotten sick before?" His curiosity was beyond him, he felt like he needed to know.

"When I was younger, yes." Kyoichiro huffed out.

"What about when you got older? Like, in the past year or so."

"Why are you so interested in that?" He scoffed. "Are you planning on attacking me when I'm at my weakest? Even for you, that's a bit low." He added sarcastically.

Taiyo awkwardly laughed, that was obviously not his intention. "Of course not..." He sighed.

Though, when he managed to walk side by side with Kyoichiro, he looked up at him curiously. He's oddly friendly today. He wondered what was up with him.

Once they got to the front door, Taiyo was about to open it but he couldn't feel anyone behind him. He turned around, watching Kyoichiro standing there, about to walk in the other direction.

"You're not coming?" Asked Taiyo.

"No." Kyoichiro replied. "I have some errands to run first."

"But once you go in, find Nanao and ask him to prepare what I asked of him yesterday. I'll be back soon." After hearing that, Taiyo nodded and once he blinked, Kyoichiro was gone.

Taiyo huffed out warm breaths and went inside. He wasn't one to pry into people's lives, so he didn't really care about most things people ask of him. But Kyoichiro was naturally a mysterious man. He's the type of person who's hard to read when you don't know him. After receiving so much bullying from him, Taiyo learnt his habits and attitudes pretty well. And when Kyoichiro acted friendly, calm and distant, it just meant he was hiding something. He wasn't trying to disappear again, was he?

Taiyo frowned in thought while removing his scarf and folded it. "Haha, no way." He shook his head. Kyoichiro wasn't that stubborn, he thought.

---------------

He walked further inside the house now fully changed into his inside clothes. He roamed around, turning his head in every direction in search for Nanao.

"Looking for something?"

Taiyo happily turned around and nodded.

"Hey, Kengo. Have you seen Nanao around?" Taiyo greeted.

"No idea. You probably already looked through his room or infirmary. If he's not there, then he left the house." Kengo shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't one to care about his siblings' whereabouts anyway.

"Why you looking for him?" He asked.

"Kyoichiro asked me to tell him something. I don't want it to wait but I guess I have no choice." Taiyo sighed in disappointment.

"You're not the type to take it easy, huh?" Kengo giggled as he gave Taiyo a light tap on his side with his elbow.

"It's fine. Knowing Kyoichiro, if he asked you to deliver words to someone and disappear for the rest of the day, it just means it's not that important. Otherwise, he'd do it himself." Kengo reassured him, to which Taiyo felt grateful about. The red head nodded in appreciation to Kengo's words, hoping they were true.

"Anyway, I'll dip now. If you need me, you know where to find me." Kengo happily trotted away to his room. The rest of the siblings were also in their rooms, most likely. Taiyo didn't feel like bothering them, so he decided to go do some personal training instead.

_______________

It has been a couple of hours and no sign of Kyoichiro. Taiyo had finished training, he showered and even finished reading the book Mutsumi lent him. It was already past 11pm and Kyoichiro was still not back.

As he sat on the couch of the living room, Taiyo knew not to worry. Kyoichiro was strong and dependable, he also had his own reasons to do what he usually does. So, Taiyo didn't think he should worry. Yet, his emotions took over his rationality. After noticing how odd it was for Kyoichiro to act so calmly earlier today, he just couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling that something went wrong.

He did bring his concerns to the other siblings but all of them shrugged it off, saying that Kyoichiro was old enough to do what he wanted to anyway. Even so, Taiyo was a worrywart. Despite the fact that the rest of the family all went to sleep, Taiyo couldn't rest his eyes. Was he tired? Yes, very much so. However, he couldn't sleep.

He sighed loudly before quickly covering his mouth, not wanting to wake up anyone. He kept looking up at the clock but time felt like it was just getting slower by the second. The house was already dark with the lights out, the snow outside added a bluish hue to the atmosphere, which under normal circumstances would be very cozy and beautiful, but this only added more anxiety to Taiyo.

The boy leaned against the couch, deep in thought. "Should I call him?"

He stared at the ceiling for a second, contemplating the idea.

"No, what if he's in the middle of something important? That would just burden him."

He groaned and stared at his phone for a little while. Staring at the profile of Kyoichiro in his contacts. There was a picture of his dark sweet tea box, how fitting, he thought with a smile. Quickly, he snapped out of it and got off the couch in a sudden motion.

"No, I have to call him." He spoke with a determined stance. "He's been out for 12 hours, surely he's done with his mission and is on his way back." He nodded, trying to persuade himself.

He paused. Getting progressively unsure of himself. He drops on the couch yet again and sighs, burying his face in his palms.
"Knowing him, he'd probably just ignore my call..."

He looked back at his phone and shook his head.
"No... I don't think he ever rejected my calls before. Yeah, he'll definitely answer."

With this newfound confidence, he was about to finally hit the call button. He hesitated, he didn't want to be a burden but then again, he was worried. As soon as he pressed on the button, he heard a loud noise at the door. He jolted and turned his head around to the front door slowly. He couldn't sense who it was, so it must be a spy of a close level to him.

He slowly got off the couch and approached the door, carefully pushing the handle outside. Once he opened the door, he was greeted with the freezing cold breeze of a late winter night, he closed his eyes and groaned at the sensations, shivering at the cold due to very thin clothes. But he opened his eyes soon enough when the cold stopped hitting him. He looked to his right and saw Kyoichiro leaning on the walls of the house, his head rested his shoulder.

Taiyo stared for a second, he breathed out silently but then spoke. "Kyoichiro?"

His words were met by silence. The man wasn't reacting. This left Taiyo to wonder whether something was wrong. Right now, the cold which was slowly catching up to him wasn't important. He was about to walk toward Kyoichiro but stopped when Kyoichiro suddenly groaned and moved. Taiyo was relived and smiled at the action.

Kyoichiro was, however, walking very slowly. As if his body was way too heavy for him.
"Kyoichiro, are you okay?" Taiyo whispered, but Kyoichiro was still not answering him. Which was weird and out of character.

Kyoichiro finally reached the steps of the front door, and as soon as he climbed one, he wobbled around and fell forward, right into the arms of the younger man in front of him. Taiyo had prepared to catch Kyoichiro as soon as he noticed his weird movements, but he didn't expect that Kyoichiro would actually fall.

"K- Kyoichiro...!?" Taiyo called out frantically. This was the first time he ever saw the man so weak and unresponsive. He pulled the man up the small few stairs but it was hard, since the cold had already affected his bones, and since Kyoichiro was surprisingly very heavy. He groaned throughout his efforts but managed to get him inside the house but the weight and the wind from outside caused him to fall back on the floor with Kyoichiro on top on him. With the wind outside, the door closed itself, so this was one thing solved.

Taiyo groaned again, trying to steady himself despite the weight on his chest. He sat up, still on the floor, and looked down at Kyoichiro who's head was rested on his shoulder. Taiyo took a hold of his arm, and gently tried to shake him awake but it didn't seem to work. This time, he wanted to try and call out to him again but stopped midway when he noticed the heavy breathing against his ear.

Was this really Kyoichiro? Because this would be a first. Taiyo wasn't sure of what to do in this situation. It's like those times when you fully studied for an exam but get a question that you've never seen before so you get totally panicked.

Taiyo tried to pull himself away from Kyoichiro so he could carry him to a room and on a bed, but when he squirming around, he felt Kyoichiro's arms wrap around him and keep him close. This situation.... was completely unheard of. What's going on...!? This wasn't like anything he experienced before!

He sighed silently, mostly out of confusion. He wondered what to do. He hummed for a moment and brought his hands up toward Kyoichiro's face and slowly, gently, turned his head over so he could see him.

In the darkness, the dim lighting from the moon which shined through the windows was all he needed to noticed the redness on Kyoichiro's face. He paused and stared. This was... new.

To confirm his thoughts, he brought a hand to Kyoichiro's forehead and quietly gasped at how burning he felt.

"Kyoichiro..." He whispered. "Are you, sick...?"

Once he asked his question, he was only met by a soft groan from the latter. Kyoichiro then leaned into the touch, finding solace in the coldness of Taiyo's palm.

"So you can get sick too, huh? I didn't know." Taiyo was almost fascinated by this fact. Is that also the reason why he acted so calm this morning? Because he was already weak? He found this to be... comforting. It might sound weird, but knowing that even someone like Kyoichiro had moments of weakness like these.... it made him so much more human than he tried to conceal.

Well, now, it was time to bring him to a bed.
___________

After getting home, his bones had gradually regained their strength. With Kyoichiro's arm around his shoulder, he managed to get him to a room. Since Kyoichiro's room and study both didn't have a bed inside, and since there was no guest room available, Taiyo had no choice but to get Kyoichiro to Taiyo's own room.

He put down Kyoichiro on his bed and helped him sit straight up. "Kyoichiro, you should change before going to sleep."

Taiyo said that but... he didn't know where Kyoichiro stored his clothes. So, there was one thing left. Thanks to Kengo's vast fashion sense, he got Taiyo lots of clothes of different styles as everyday and house wear. Many of them were oversized, just how Kengo liked them to be. Hopefully they'll fit Kyoichiro, he thought.

He hesitated to get up and leave Kyoichiro unattended, but he'd be quick. He ruffled through his closet and found some clothes which he thought would fit the man. Just a sweater and shorts, nothing fancy. With these in hand, he walked back to the bed and sat on a nearby chair. He handed the clothes to Kyoichiro and waited for him to take them.

"It's better to have comfortable clothes, come on." He whispered.

Kyoichiro was seemingly staring at the clothes and with a strained groan, he began to unbutton his coat. It was slow, his hands were trembling and he had trouble with each button he opened. Now out of breath, he finally managed to remove his thick over layer. Upon revealing the clothes he had underneath, Taiyo's eyes widened slightly.

"Why are your clothes so wet??" He asked, very surprised.

"I had to... the ocean.." Kyoichiro gasped a whisper in between heavy breaths. Taiyo got up and began to help him unbutton his shirt and remove the wet clothes that had gotten stuck to his skin.

No wonder he was so sick. If he was already under the weather in the morning, going into the ocean during winter time is just suicidal. Any sane person wouldn't do it just out of fear for their lives. But then again, Kyoichiro wasn't exactly human or sane for that matter. He was always in his own league in his own world. However, he looked just as vulnerable as Taiyo would be when he's sick. So they ressembled each other in this moment.

This may be silly, but he liked this fact. It made him feel closer to the man whom he looked up to so much.

Once Kyoichiro was now completely bare, Taiyo tried his best to look the other way but... every now and then, his eyes would wander back to Kyoichiro. He would notice the many scars that covered his body. The way he looked lanky when he had so many clothes on but he was surprisingly very well built. Taiyo found himself growing restless, this situation was just too awkward.

Kyoichiro had a lot of trouble when putting on his new clothes and underwear. "....Cold.." He said.

Taiyo finally turned back his head to see that Kyoichiro had fully changed now. With warm and comfortable clothes, he'll feel much better. Taiyo got up and went to grab a towel and his hairdryer before quickly trotting back toward the bed and sitting down next to Kyoichiro. He put the towel over the other man's head and began to gently rub left and right. He'll need to use the hair dryer soon. Thank goodness these walls weren't thin, he wouldn't want the other siblings to hear.

"Hehe, sorry. My pants would be too small for you, so shorts is all I can give you." Taiyo clarified this fact to him.

"Is your head hurting? I'm about to make some noise, so I'll apologise in advance." He added. He stopped using the towel and put it aside. He plugged the hairdryer in the wall and waited for an answer before starting.

"I'm... fine." Kyoichiro grumbled. He shifted uncomfortably in the bed and Taiyo seemed to think about why he was doing that. The room wasn't that cold but... to a sick person, it was probably freezing.

Taiyo grabbed his blanket and slowly wrapped it over Kyoichiro. While he was doing that, he felt Kyoichiro's hands grabbing him and holding him in place. He was being pulled toward the man and soon enough, he found himself being embraced by him with Kyoichiro's face nuzzled in the crook of his neck.

'he's really warm...'

While the closeness and touchiness were nothing new, he was certainly not used to such intimacy with Kyoichiro. Well, he has been held like that before. By Mutsumi, Ayaka and ...Hoshifuru. Kyoichiro was different, though. He was the touchy type but not like this. He's more like a bully than a gentle soul...

Taiyo sighed and tried to push Kyoichiro away without being too forceful. He's sick, he doesn't know how resistant he is in this moment but he would rather not test his luck.

"I need to dry your hair... otherwise you'll get more sick." He said quietly. Only earning a very small groan from Kyoichiro.

"Can you let me go?" He asked.

"I don't want to." Kyoichiro replied with a muffled voice, sounding quite determined as his hold became tighter.

Taiyo hummed in thought, his brows furrowing. He stopped trying to push the man and instead just gave up. His arms dropping down and his body relaxing slightly.

"Listen," he began. "I'll dry your hair like this, but once I'm done, you'll have to let me go okay?"

Taiyo hoped that Kyoichiro was still conscious enough for negotiation (?) He just wanted to nurse him without having to deal with the consequences a few days later when he feels better.

"...you won't leave, right?" Kyoichiro mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Once you're done... you won't leave me, right?"

Taiyo didn't know what to answer for a moment. He couldn't believe this was Kyoichiro right now. Someone who was usually so independent was now depending on someone. Taiyo, no less.

"Of course not, this is my room..."

Kyoichiro let out a very tired giggle and buried his face even more in the crevice. "Okay." He said softly.

Taiyo let out a sigh and turned on the hair dryer. He put it on the warmest option and began drying Kyoichiro's hair. He went up and down, in circles, and so on. He made sure that Kyoichiro would be as dry as a sheet by the end of this. He occasionally would run his hands through the dark locks just to feel the areas where it was still wet. Thankfully, his hair was damp so it wasn't taking a lot of time to dry. Sometimes, he'd lower the head of the hair dryer down toward Kyoichiro's body to heat him up some more, which would result in Kyoichiro groaning in satisfaction.

"There, all done."

Taiyo turned off the the hair dryer and put his hands up, waiting for Kyoichiro to release him. Which, he reluctantly did after a while. Taiyo walked toward the side of the bed and helped Kyoichiro lie down. He covered him with the blanket and put a hand on his forehead.

"You're super warm. Do you feel okay?" He asked with a worried look.

Kyoichiro, despite his closed eyes, was staring at Taiyo for what felt like forever. He leaned into the touch and grumbled something under his breath.

"Hmm... I'm fine.."

"You're definitely not. I'll bring you something to eat so you don't sleep on an empty stomach."

"No, I'm okay.." Kyoichiro reached out to Taiyo and weakly grasped his wrist in an attempt to stop him.

Such weak hold... you'd have a hard time believing you're dealing with Kyoichiro here. A cold weakened him that much? That must mean that this was a super strong cold that would kill any normal person. Would Taiyo be okay if he caught it? Well, he faced death many times. Nanao will surely help him up as always.

"Wait here for a moment, I'll bring you food and come back, okay? It won't take long." Taiyo couldn't help but insist. He didn't know how Kyoichiro's body worked, but he'd rather do this much than just wait.

Kyoichiro's hold became tighter for a split second before he finally let go. He reluctantly nodded and looked away. It was childish, Taiyo found it cute.

'I guess even Kyoichiro can act like that when sick. I thought he'd be more of the resistant type.'

Taiyo cracked a smile and took off. He walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. He had to hurry since he didn't want to leave Kyoichiro alone for too long. There were packets of instant porridge in the fridge, so he used that. While he waited for it to heat up, he wondered if Kyoichiro will go back to his usual nature once he's all energised again.

It didn't take long for the food to be ready, he had been kicking his feet against the ground silently, impatiently waiting for the timer to end. Once it did, he put a finger in the pot and quickly took it back out. Great, it was hot. Too hot, but it's fine.

He prepared a tray in a hurry and scurried back upstairs. When he came into his room, he noticed Kyoichiro had laid down in bed. At first, he thought that he must've been tired, but thinking back, it's the first time he's ever seen Kyoichiro lay down on a bed. Or lay down somewhere at all for that matter.

He walked closer and sat on the chair next to the bed. He put the tray over his lap and stared at the man who appeared to be sleeping. But then again... Kyoichiro always had his eyes closed. His breathing was stable now, yes, but it didn't mean he was asleep.

"Kyoichiro..?" Taiyo hesitantly called out. "Are you sleeping?"

It took a couple moments before the man stirred and somehow opened his eyes. Taiyo was about to greet him but froze at the realisation. He opened his eyes!?

Taiyo stared at Kyoichiro. His eyes were dark but not black. He couldn't tell because of how dim the lighting was in here but it must be an interesting color.

Taiyo was fascinated. He had seen Kyoichiro open his eyes before, but it was when he used his blooming. Therefore, he didn't see their real color. It's a shame he won't be seeing it this time either. Taiyo stared at him fondly, gently, he tapped Kyoichiro's forehead with his knuckles and smiled.

Whatever his eye color was, it was fitting for him. Kyoichiro always had a mysterious vibe, but he's too sensitive to have a color void of emotions. A bit ironic considering his blooming.

"Come on, I brought food."

Kyoichiro squirmed for a little bit. His limbs felt too weak to move right now. He groaned softly, not wanting to move from this comfortable position. But, his stomach was practically begging for food. Duty calls and he must obey. He shakingly sat up on the, tiring himself out and heavily breathing afterward.

"Sorry.." muttered Kyoichiro.

Taiyo had prepared a spoonful of porridge, ready to feed Kyoichiro but stopped in his tracks. "Hm? Why are you apologising? Surely not to me."

"I've been... picking on you a lot.." Kyoichiro spoke, his voice strained, and his panting coming in heavy between his words.

"But you're doing this..." He added.

Taiyo tilted his head. "So what? Am I supposed to ignore you?" He sighed.

Even if Kyoichiro acted all high and mighty, he always managed to revert back to his actual nature. A complete people pleasing worrywart. He's someone who's filled with guilt. Everything someone does to him turns into guilt. The guilt of not deserving their care. Taiyo didn't need any of it.

"You know," Taiyo sighed. "You said many times that, even if you may want to kill me, you'll never let me die."

Kyoichiro slowly looked up from his lap to look at Taiyo.

"I'm sure that someone as weak as me, constantly changes your plans and annoys you since you're always protecting me."

He went silent for a minute before eventually looking back up at Kyoichiro.

"Think of this as me paying you back. Even if it's trivial like this."

Kyoichiro wasn't sure what to say. Being told something like this wasn't unusual. His siblings always reminded him how grateful they are to him when they helped them or when he was there for them. But, Taiyo wasn't his sibling, nor was he a stranger. Still... coming from him, this was a little embarrassing for Kyoichiro, who now hang his head low.

As if both of them understood each other, they let the silence take over. Taiyo blew on the hot porridge while wondering if it would be a problem for Kyoichiro to eat it hot. After all, body strength doesn't equal internal strength as well. Wouldn't this burn his tongue? He wasn't sure.

In any case, once he was done, he grabbed the pot of porridge and placed it on Kyoichiro's lap. He wasn't expecting an answer or anything. He just wanted to see Kyoichiro comfortable.

Kyoichiro stared at the pot and at the gentle stream of hot steam coming out of it. In an act of clumsiness, he hesitantly nodded, trying to replicate a bow of gratitude. It was shy, awkward and childish. But this was enough to make Taiyo feel warm. Taiyo, who's face was now redder than before.

Caring for someone wasn't uncommon for Taiyo. Even back when his family was still alive, he used to take care of his brother a lot. When they were little, Taiyo used to hover around Mutsumi and check if she was okay sometimes at school. He's also the type to make sure his friends were doing alright. You could say he's a natural born caretaker. It didn't bother him in the slightest, in fact, it gave him a sense of self. It made him feel good about himself.

Yet, somehow... caring for someone like Kyoichiro was entirely different. The principle may be the same but the vibe was totally opposite. Taiyo saw Kyoichiro as someone who was out of reach, someone who always stood up high and the pillar of the family. Someone like him who carried a lot of responsibility, was always detached from the rest of the family. The siblings are all nice, they're close and stick together. Despite that, Kyoichiro felt out of the norm. He was there, sometimes he wasn't. He never talks about himself and never shows his true feelings about something.

That's why, when Taiyo opened the door and witnessed Kyoichiro's fleeting moment of weakness and how he could get sick, he felt a bit... relieved? Happy, maybe. Though, saying it like this is disturbing. Taiyo wasn't happy because Kyoichiro was sick, that's totally wrong. He felt that way simply because even Kyoichiro needed to rely on someone for once, and Taiyo was glad to be that someone.

Once Kyoichiro was done with his food, Taiyo grabbed the pot and got off his seat as he wanted to place it back in the kitchen.

"I'll be right back, alright?" Once he said that, he turned around and took one step further before feeling like something was stopping him. He looked down and noticed pairs of hands holding him from behind.

"...Kyoichiro?"

Kyoichiro said nothing. Taiyo could feel that the man had his head pressed against Taiyo's back. He could sense that the hands which were holding him in place were squeezing him tighter with each passing second.

Since Kyoichiro didn't say anything, Taiyo felt as if he shouldn't speak as well. He could feel his own heart beat faster, and himself growing restless. It wasn't due to the situation itself... but mostly because he's being held in a very tiring position.

His back his benched forward and he was holding quite a heavy pot right now. His legs were barely keeping him in place. He wasn't great in physics but he knew that he'll definitely fall if Kyoichiro let's go of him. He could move and stand comfortably, but he didn't want to bother Kyoichiro who seemed to be very content...

Now that he thinks about it... even if Kyoichiro was currently sick and needed attention and care, he's the type of person to refuse that kind of thing. Coming from Taiyo was also a no go. So, him suddenly holding Taiyo like this, even earlier; this was totally out of character. Was he THAT desperate for care and nurturing? Well, sure, Taiyo didn't mind but he did feel like the situation was unlike him.

"I.." suddenly, the silence was broken by Kyoichiro. He spoke in such a soft tone, it almost felt like a whisper.

"I'm not sure, whether this is a dream or not." He said. "It might be one. It must be."

Taiyo wanted to turn around and look at him but his position wasn't allowing him to.

"Even so, since it has to be a dream... that means I can pretty much control it." Kyoichiro took a deep breath and nuzzled against Taiyo's back further. "If that's the case... I want.."

"I want you to stay a little longer."

...
Taiyo said nothing.
So that's why. Kyoichiro was thinking this was all a dream. Well, humans tend to stop thinking rationally when they're tired. But then again, could Kyoichiro be considered human? Does he even get tired?

Taiyo sighed softly, he looked down at the pot in his hands and decided to not go down to the kitchen after all. He'll just put this somewhere in the room, and hope to take care of it in the morning.

The problem is, Kyoichiro wasn't letting go.

"Kyoichiro, I need to put the pot down.."

"Put it on the ground here."

"It would smell, I don't think you'd like to sleep next to that."

Kyoichiro rubbed his head in both sides.
"I don't sleep."

"I think you should, you're tired after all."

"I can't sleep in a dream, I'll just wake up faster."

Taiyo groaned for a moment and decided to just let it go. He bent down, placed the pot down on the ground and pushed it away with his leg until it was far enough from the bed.

"There. Now you can let go, I won't leave."

There was a long silence followed by Kyoichiro squeezing Taiyo against him further. Taiyo didn't say anything, he understood that insisting on the issue might hurt Kyoichiro. After all, this man acts tough but he's a big softie.

"...can't you just sit next to me?" Kyoichiro finally broke the silence, he spoke, his voice muffled and low but Taiyo could still hear him.

Taiyo thought about it, and after all, it's not like he has anything to lose. He might be dense but... even he knows when to feel embarrassed. The feeling of Kyoichiro's arms around his waist, the way the warmth that came from being sick enveloped him so well... this was all things he considered. If he complied, that would just mean that Kyoichiro would cling onto him for the next 8 to more hours. Which wasn't a bad thing in itself, it's just that, it might be awkward in the morning since Kyoichiro seems to think this was all a dream.

"...sure."
Finally, he decided to go along with it. He accepted to face the consequences tomorrow, and worry about the present first.

Without much of a warning, Kyoichiro pulled him backwards and onto the bed with him. Taiyo held the mattress and tried to keep himself steady but failed miserably. He was now laying down next to Kyoichiro who was still interlocked with him.

Taiyo hesitated, but he managed to turned his head over and look at Kyoichiro who rested his head on Taiyo's shoulder, his legs were all over and between Taiyo's own and his arms were still holding onto Taiyo's waist, albeit slightly lighter this time.

His breathing was steady, he seemed comfortable. His eyes were closed now, what a shame.

'What am I thinking...? It seems as though the cold has gotten to my head also..Ugh.'

Taiyo promptly erased any pestering thought that came his way.

This position was undeniably comfortable. Kyoichiro was warmer than average already, but with the cold he had now, he was basically a portable heater. It felt nice. Taiyo liked the warmth as it was now. A blanket on top would be too much, he thought.

The feeling of their bodies grazing each other felt light, intimate. It was awkward and ticklish but definitely not unwanted. Despite Kyoichiro's usual animosity with Taiyo, they were always surprisingly touchy. Even though it was mostly one sided, Taiyo never declined the touches or thought anything bad about them. It was as if his body allowed Kyoichiro to do whatever he wanted, be it subconscious or else. However, Kyoichiro wasn't bold enough to do what he was doing now. The usual Kyoichiro would probably puke at the idea.

Taiyo stared at the ceiling, with no thoughts in his head. He kept replaying the situation over and over, thinking nothing much of it. His hand unconsciously began to caress Kyoichiro's hair, gently pulling the strands up and letting them fall back down. Like petting a cat.

'how am I gonna explain this situation tomorrow...? Should I just accept any punishment without a word? That's what I planned on doing anyway.'

Taiyo internally sighed to himself.

'but for now, I feel super tired... maybe because I stayed awake for longer than I should've... or maybe because nursing something is harder than I imagined...'

He softly groaned and eventually closed his eyes, letting the weight of Kyoichiro serve him as a make shift blanket.

'mom, you were so tough for doing this as your job on the daily...I could never do that...'

After this last thought, he slowly let himself be taken by the drowsiness and fell into the realm of dreams.
_____________

"Ugh... my head.."

Kyoichiro slowly opened his eyes after long hours of sleep. Despite the thick curtains, he could still tell it was morning.

"Did I sleep? That's weird... where am I?" He groaned from the pain of his aching limbs. He felt the heat emanating from underneath him, it was rafter comfortable. He assumed it was a pillow that had gotten warm over night.

Kyoichiro rubbed his eyes slightly before focusing on his surroundings. This was a room he wasn't familiar with. It was plain, it had nothing. No decor, no added furniture, no sign of personality at all- this must be Taiyo's room.

That's weird though, why would he be here? He doesn't even think of visiting this place at all, not during the day and certainly not at night.

The 'pillow' beneath him had something resembling a heartbeat. Kyoichiro wasn't sure whether it was the usual occurrence that happens when you can hear your own heartbeat through the pillow or if this was a totally different case.

Despite his reluctance, he eventually forced himself to sit up, only to be met with a sleeping Taiyo who seemed to be completely exhausted and in deep sleep. Now... this was a situation he hadn't thought about. After all, who in their right mind would think about what to do if they accident sleep cuddling their brother in law, it makes no sense.

Kyoichiro stared at Taiyo for a while, then he looked down at himself. Great, both of them were fully clothed. He trusted himself well enough not to do stupid things, he's grateful he kept his dignity. Something was different though, his clothes weren't the same. Darn it, he really can't remember anything. Was he drunk? Unlikely, he doesn't get drunk. Was he high on something? Again, unlikely. He can't get drugged.

Did he turn into a child again? He's been told that happened a few times and that he always ends up in Taiyo's room. But this time, he wasn't naked. He also didn't take any medicine- ah.

Medicine. He was supposed to take that. He felt feverish in the morning but he didn't expect it to get worse throughout the day. Kyoichiro scrunched his face in thought.

'What did I do yesterday...?'

He desperately tried to recall his actions. First, he had a mission to do. He went to the location and conducted the mission perfectly but after a sudden turn of events, he had to dismantle a missile under water.... then he... he...then what?

That's all he remembered. But he can basically make out what happened next. He probably came home sick and Taiyo took care of him. As much as he wants to hate the man, he can't bring himself to. Taiyo was always too caring for his own good.

'I should go.'

Kyoichiro sighed and decided to go back to his room and get started on his report. He also doesn't want to talk about this moment ever. This was way too embarrassing. Considering how fast his heart was going, this was a dangerous situation to live and think about.

But just then, he couldn't help but look down at the sleeping figure next to him, who was breathing soundly and occasionally letting out a soft snore. Without realising, Kyoichiro's hands had started tracing out the contour of Taiyo's face.

'this is dangerous..'

_________________

"Ugh... so cold.."

Taiyo had finally woken up at around midday. It's unusual for him to get up so late and even more unusual that his alarm didn't go off or explode and destroy his whole room.

When he woke up, Kyoichiro was gone and so was the pot of food he had left there. Taiyo grumbled for a moment and sat up on the bed. He could barely open his eyes and felt himself shivering slightly.

"I guess I caught his cold now.."

He sighed. He was just glad that Kyoichiro was able to move again.

Taiyo kept silent. His mind was blank as well, only showing him memories of yesterday night. He lowered his head down and opened his eyes. His hands tightened their grip on the blanket as his face grew warmer despite the coldness he felt.

"This is... dangerous.."

_______

The end !

Winter had come, and snow was covering not only the courtyard but also the roofs and roads around the mansion.

Most of the siblings stayed inside the house. It was warm, and there was less work to do in the winter, so they didn't have to go out on missions and just lazed around inside their home.

Taiyo, being a relatively new spy despite being silver-ranked, had not been given many missions during this time of year. As such, he spent his time doing chores around the house and shoveling snow outside the house.

During this time of the year, because of their boredom, the Yozakura siblings often spent their time holding countless hotpot parties. They invited their friends or just kept it within the family. But the most important thing was that they loved taking out their special cherry blossom wine (Yozakura Blizzard), and emptying most of it.

This didn't affect their daily lives, however. On some days, the siblings would be hangover, while on other days they'd play in the snow or have a karaoke day.

Because the human body is fragile, neither Mutsumi nor Taiyo were allowed to go out for a long time. Even though Taiyo thought this was pointless because he could no longer be considered "human". The siblings still worried too much.

Well, it's not like the Yozakura siblings couldn't get sick. They could. It was just not as fast as how a normal human could get sick.
_________

"It's snowing a lot today, huh?"

As Taiyo was staring out at the snow in the garden, Mutsumi creeped up behind him. She smiled when he turned to look at her.

"It is. Are you sure you're warm enough like that?"

Taiyo couldn't help but worry. She was wearing a thick jacket, yes. But due to his nature, he couldn't stop thinking she might end up sick as soon she gets back home.

"I'm fine," she giggled. "I'm not that fragile!" She proudly showed her 'muscles', trying to look tough. Although, the vest she wore didn't show anything, just the wrinkles of the thick fabric.

"You should worry about yourself, if you end up getting sick, the whole family will follow." Pointing at him, she explained her concerns with a light frown. A warning he must keep in mind.

Taiyo laughed off her words, "No way, I'm not that important." He assured. Only getting a sigh as response.

"That's what you think."
With those words, she pat his back and smiled before walking back into the house.

"Don't stay out too long!"

Taiyo waved, watched her go in and turned his head away as soon as she did. He kept on staring into the distance, his face flushed and the warm breaths escaping his mouth and coming back to hit him once the cold ran through them made him shiver. He groaned softly at the sensation. He liked the cold, it wasn't uncomfortable to him. He could exercise without sweating too much, he could do many activities without feeling dizzy.

Long minutes passed by. Taiyo wasn't doing much, he sometimes took a few steps into the snow. It was very deep so he didn't walk much. He made some doodles in the snow, he drew Mutsumi, his family and the siblings. Though, he hesitated when drawing one of them.

"Feeling nostalgic?"

A sudden voice echoed behind him. After jolting from the surprise, Taiyo had turned around to notice Kyoichiro standing tall behind him. Hands in the pockets of his thick cloak, and the same usual smile on his face.

"Haha... not really," The red head waved away the question with his hand. He promptly got up and dusted the snow off his clothes before looking at Kyoichiro once again. He stared at the man for quite some time and smiled at the sight before him. "So even you get cold, huh?"

His words earned him a confused head tilt from Kyoichiro. Of course, the man wouldn't notice it, but Taiyo sure did.

"Hm? What does that mean?" Kyoichiro probed.

Taiyo stared at him for a few more seconds, admiring the flush on the taller man's face. Taiyo had always thought of Kyoichiro as someone who was immune to everything. Nanao mentioned that Kyoichiro was immune to all poisons except for one. So, naturally, Taiyo just assumed that Kyoichiro would also be immune to cold or heat or sickness overall.

"Your face is red." He pointed out.

"Well that's to be expected," Kyoichiro shrugged his shoulders before turning and walking away. "I'm still human, despite what you might think."

While that was true, Taiyo just couldn't picture a sick Kyoichiro. The red head started to trot behind the spy, a way to try and catch up to him.

"Have you ever gotten sick before?" His curiosity was beyond him, he felt like he needed to know.

"When I was younger, yes." Kyoichiro huffed out.

"What about when you got older? Like, in the past year or so."

"Why are you so interested in that?" He scoffed. "Are you planning on attacking me when I'm at my weakest? Even for you, that's a bit low." He added sarcastically.

Taiyo awkwardly laughed, that was obviously not his intention. "Of course not..." He sighed.

Though, when he managed to walk side by side with Kyoichiro, he looked up at him curiously. He's oddly friendly today. He wondered what was up with him.

Once they got to the front door, Taiyo was about to open it but he couldn't feel anyone behind him. He turned around, watching Kyoichiro standing there, about to walk in the other direction.

"You're not coming?" Asked Taiyo.

"No." Kyoichiro replied. "I have some errands to run first."

"But once you go in, find Nanao and ask him to prepare what I asked of him yesterday. I'll be back soon." After hearing that, Taiyo nodded and once he blinked, Kyoichiro was gone.

Taiyo huffed out warm breaths and went inside. He wasn't one to pry into people's lives, so he didn't really care about most things people ask of him. But Kyoichiro was naturally a mysterious man. He's the type of person who's hard to read when you don't know him. After receiving so much bullying from him, Taiyo learnt his habits and attitudes pretty well. And when Kyoichiro acted friendly, calm and distant, it just meant he was hiding something. He wasn't trying to disappear again, was he?

Taiyo frowned in thought while removing his scarf and folded it. "Haha, no way." He shook his head. Kyoichiro wasn't that stubborn, he thought.

---------------

He walked further inside the house now fully changed into his inside clothes. He roamed around, turning his head in every direction in search for Nanao.

"Looking for something?"

Taiyo happily turned around and nodded.

"Hey, Kengo. Have you seen Nanao around?" Taiyo greeted.

"No idea. You probably already looked through his room or infirmary. If he's not there, then he left the house." Kengo shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't one to care about his siblings' whereabouts anyway.

"Why you looking for him?" He asked.

"Kyoichiro asked me to tell him something. I don't want it to wait but I guess I have no choice." Taiyo sighed in disappointment.

"You're not the type to take it easy, huh?" Kengo giggled as he gave Taiyo a light tap on his side with his elbow.

"It's fine. Knowing Kyoichiro, if he asked you to deliver words to someone and disappear for the rest of the day, it just means it's not that important. Otherwise, he'd do it himself." Kengo reassured him, to which Taiyo felt grateful about. The red head nodded in appreciation to Kengo's words, hoping they were true.

"Anyway, I'll dip now. If you need me, you know where to find me." Kengo happily trotted away to his room. The rest of the siblings were also in their rooms, most likely. Taiyo didn't feel like bothering them, so he decided to go do some personal training instead.

_______________

It has been a couple of hours and no sign of Kyoichiro. Taiyo had finished training, he showered and even finished reading the book Mutsumi lent him. It was already past 11pm and Kyoichiro was still not back.

As he sat on the couch of the living room, Taiyo knew not to worry. Kyoichiro was strong and dependable, he also had his own reasons to do what he usually does. So, Taiyo didn't think he should worry. Yet, his emotions took over his rationality. After noticing how odd it was for Kyoichiro to act so calmly earlier today, he just couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling that something went wrong.

He did bring his concerns to the other siblings but all of them shrugged it off, saying that Kyoichiro was old enough to do what he wanted to anyway. Even so, Taiyo was a worrywart. Despite the fact that the rest of the family all went to sleep, Taiyo couldn't rest his eyes. Was he tired? Yes, very much so. However, he couldn't sleep.

He sighed loudly before quickly covering his mouth, not wanting to wake up anyone. He kept looking up at the clock but time felt like it was just getting slower by the second. The house was already dark with the lights out, the snow outside added a bluish hue to the atmosphere, which under normal circumstances would be very cozy and beautiful, but this only added more anxiety to Taiyo.

The boy leaned against the couch, deep in thought. "Should I call him?"

He stared at the ceiling for a second, contemplating the idea.

"No, what if he's in the middle of something important? That would just burden him."

He groaned and stared at his phone for a little while. Staring at the profile of Kyoichiro in his contacts. There was a picture of his dark sweet tea box, how fitting, he thought with a smile. Quickly, he snapped out of it and got off the couch in a sudden motion.

"No, I have to call him." He spoke with a determined stance. "He's been out for 12 hours, surely he's done with his mission and is on his way back." He nodded, trying to persuade himself.

He paused. Getting progressively unsure of himself. He drops on the couch yet again and sighs, burying his face in his palms.
"Knowing him, he'd probably just ignore my call..."

He looked back at his phone and shook his head.
"No... I don't think he ever rejected my calls before. Yeah, he'll definitely answer."

With this newfound confidence, he was about to finally hit the call button. He hesitated, he didn't want to be a burden but then again, he was worried. As soon as he pressed on the button, he heard a loud noise at the door. He jolted and turned his head around to the front door slowly. He couldn't sense who it was, so it must be a spy of a close level to him.

He slowly got off the couch and approached the door, carefully pushing the handle outside. Once he opened the door, he was greeted with the freezing cold breeze of a late winter night, he closed his eyes and groaned at the sensations, shivering at the cold due to very thin clothes. But he opened his eyes soon enough when the cold stopped hitting him. He looked to his right and saw Kyoichiro leaning on the walls of the house, his head rested his shoulder.

Taiyo stared for a second, he breathed out silently but then spoke. "Kyoichiro?"

His words were met by silence. The man wasn't reacting. This left Taiyo to wonder whether something was wrong. Right now, the cold which was slowly catching up to him wasn't important. He was about to walk toward Kyoichiro but stopped when Kyoichiro suddenly groaned and moved. Taiyo was relived and smiled at the action.

Kyoichiro was, however, walking very slowly. As if his body was way too heavy for him.
"Kyoichiro, are you okay?" Taiyo whispered, but Kyoichiro was still not answering him. Which was weird and out of character.

Kyoichiro finally reached the steps of the front door, and as soon as he climbed one, he wobbled around and fell forward, right into the arms of the younger man in front of him. Taiyo had prepared to catch Kyoichiro as soon as he noticed his weird movements, but he didn't expect that Kyoichiro would actually fall.

"K- Kyoichiro...!?" Taiyo called out frantically. This was the first time he ever saw the man so weak and unresponsive. He pulled the man up the small few stairs but it was hard, since the cold had already affected his bones, and since Kyoichiro was surprisingly very heavy. He groaned throughout his efforts but managed to get him inside the house but the weight and the wind from outside caused him to fall back on the floor with Kyoichiro on top on him. With the wind outside, the door closed itself, so this was one thing solved.

Taiyo groaned again, trying to steady himself despite the weight on his chest. He sat up, still on the floor, and looked down at Kyoichiro who's head was rested on his shoulder. Taiyo took a hold of his arm, and gently tried to shake him awake but it didn't seem to work. This time, he wanted to try and call out to him again but stopped midway when he noticed the heavy breathing against his ear.

Was this really Kyoichiro? Because this would be a first. Taiyo wasn't sure of what to do in this situation. It's like those times when you fully studied for an exam but get a question that you've never seen before so you get totally panicked.

Taiyo tried to pull himself away from Kyoichiro so he could carry him to a room and on a bed, but when he squirming around, he felt Kyoichiro's arms wrap around him and keep him close. This situation.... was completely unheard of. What's going on...!? This wasn't like anything he experienced before!

He sighed silently, mostly out of confusion. He wondered what to do. He hummed for a moment and brought his hands up toward Kyoichiro's face and slowly, gently, turned his head over so he could see him.

In the darkness, the dim lighting from the moon which shined through the windows was all he needed to noticed the redness on Kyoichiro's face. He paused and stared. This was... new.

To confirm his thoughts, he brought a hand to Kyoichiro's forehead and quietly gasped at how burning he felt.

"Kyoichiro..." He whispered. "Are you, sick...?"

Once he asked his question, he was only met by a soft groan from the latter. Kyoichiro then leaned into the touch, finding solace in the coldness of Taiyo's palm.

"So you can get sick too, huh? I didn't know." Taiyo was almost fascinated by this fact. Is that also the reason why he acted so calm this morning? Because he was already weak? He found this to be... comforting. It might sound weird, but knowing that even someone like Kyoichiro had moments of weakness like these.... it made him so much more human than he tried to conceal.

Well, now, it was time to bring him to a bed.
___________

After getting home, his bones had gradually regained their strength. With Kyoichiro's arm around his shoulder, he managed to get him to a room. Since Kyoichiro's room and study both didn't have a bed inside, and since there was no guest room available, Taiyo had no choice but to get Kyoichiro to Taiyo's own room.

He put down Kyoichiro on his bed and helped him sit straight up. "Kyoichiro, you should change before going to sleep."

Taiyo said that but... he didn't know where Kyoichiro stored his clothes. So, there was one thing left. Thanks to Kengo's vast fashion sense, he got Taiyo lots of clothes of different styles as everyday and house wear. Many of them were oversized, just how Kengo liked them to be. Hopefully they'll fit Kyoichiro, he thought.

He hesitated to get up and leave Kyoichiro unattended, but he'd be quick. He ruffled through his closet and found some clothes which he thought would fit the man. Just a sweater and shorts, nothing fancy. With these in hand, he walked back to the bed and sat on a nearby chair. He handed the clothes to Kyoichiro and waited for him to take them.

"It's better to have comfortable clothes, come on." He whispered.

Kyoichiro was seemingly staring at the clothes and with a strained groan, he began to unbutton his coat. It was slow, his hands were trembling and he had trouble with each button he opened. Now out of breath, he finally managed to remove his thick over layer. Upon revealing the clothes he had underneath, Taiyo's eyes widened slightly.

"Why are your clothes so wet??" He asked, very surprised.

"I had to... the ocean.." Kyoichiro gasped a whisper in between heavy breaths. Taiyo got up and began to help him unbutton his shirt and remove the wet clothes that had gotten stuck to his skin.

No wonder he was so sick. If he was already under the weather in the morning, going into the ocean during winter time is just suicidal. Any sane person wouldn't do it just out of fear for their lives. But then again, Kyoichiro wasn't exactly human or sane for that matter. He was always in his own league in his own world. However, he looked just as vulnerable as Taiyo would be when he's sick. So they ressembled each other in this moment.

This may be silly, but he liked this fact. It made him feel closer to the man whom he looked up to so much.

Once Kyoichiro was now completely bare, Taiyo tried his best to look the other way but... every now and then, his eyes would wander back to Kyoichiro. He would notice the many scars that covered his body. The way he looked lanky when he had so many clothes on but he was surprisingly very well built. Taiyo found himself growing restless, this situation was just too awkward.

Kyoichiro had a lot of trouble when putting on his new clothes and underwear. "....Cold.." He said.

Taiyo finally turned back his head to see that Kyoichiro had fully changed now. With warm and comfortable clothes, he'll feel much better. Taiyo got up and went to grab a towel and his hairdryer before quickly trotting back toward the bed and sitting down next to Kyoichiro. He put the towel over the other man's head and began to gently rub left and right. He'll need to use the hair dryer soon. Thank goodness these walls weren't thin, he wouldn't want the other siblings to hear.

"Hehe, sorry. My pants would be too small for you, so shorts is all I can give you." Taiyo clarified this fact to him.

"Is your head hurting? I'm about to make some noise, so I'll apologise in advance." He added. He stopped using the towel and put it aside. He plugged the hairdryer in the wall and waited for an answer before starting.

"I'm... fine." Kyoichiro grumbled. He shifted uncomfortably in the bed and Taiyo seemed to think about why he was doing that. The room wasn't that cold but... to a sick person, it was probably freezing.

Taiyo grabbed his blanket and slowly wrapped it over Kyoichiro. While he was doing that, he felt Kyoichiro's hands grabbing him and holding him in place. He was being pulled toward the man and soon enough, he found himself being embraced by him with Kyoichiro's face nuzzled in the crook of his neck.

'he's really warm...'

While the closeness and touchiness were nothing new, he was certainly not used to such intimacy with Kyoichiro. Well, he has been held like that before. By Mutsumi, Ayaka and ...Hoshifuru. Kyoichiro was different, though. He was the touchy type but not like this. He's more like a bully than a gentle soul...

Taiyo sighed and tried to push Kyoichiro away without being too forceful. He's sick, he doesn't know how resistant he is in this moment but he would rather not test his luck.

"I need to dry your hair... otherwise you'll get more sick." He said quietly. Only earning a very small groan from Kyoichiro.

"Can you let me go?" He asked.

"I don't want to." Kyoichiro replied with a muffled voice, sounding quite determined as his hold became tighter.

Taiyo hummed in thought, his brows furrowing. He stopped trying to push the man and instead just gave up. His arms dropping down and his body relaxing slightly.

"Listen," he began. "I'll dry your hair like this, but once I'm done, you'll have to let me go okay?"

Taiyo hoped that Kyoichiro was still conscious enough for negotiation (?) He just wanted to nurse him without having to deal with the consequences a few days later when he feels better.

"...you won't leave, right?" Kyoichiro mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Once you're done... you won't leave me, right?"

Taiyo didn't know what to answer for a moment. He couldn't believe this was Kyoichiro right now. Someone who was usually so independent was now depending on someone. Taiyo, no less.

"Of course not, this is my room..."

Kyoichiro let out a very tired giggle and buried his face even more in the crevice. "Okay." He said softly.

Taiyo let out a sigh and turned on the hair dryer. He put it on the warmest option and began drying Kyoichiro's hair. He went up and down, in circles, and so on. He made sure that Kyoichiro would be as dry as a sheet by the end of this. He occasionally would run his hands through the dark locks just to feel the areas where it was still wet. Thankfully, his hair was damp so it wasn't taking a lot of time to dry. Sometimes, he'd lower the head of the hair dryer down toward Kyoichiro's body to heat him up some more, which would result in Kyoichiro groaning in satisfaction.

"There, all done."

Taiyo turned off the the hair dryer and put his hands up, waiting for Kyoichiro to release him. Which, he reluctantly did after a while. Taiyo walked toward the side of the bed and helped Kyoichiro lie down. He covered him with the blanket and put a hand on his forehead.

"You're super warm. Do you feel okay?" He asked with a worried look.

Kyoichiro, despite his closed eyes, was staring at Taiyo for what felt like forever. He leaned into the touch and grumbled something under his breath.

"Hmm... I'm fine.."

"You're definitely not. I'll bring you something to eat so you don't sleep on an empty stomach."

"No, I'm okay.." Kyoichiro reached out to Taiyo and weakly grasped his wrist in an attempt to stop him.

Such weak hold... you'd have a hard time believing you're dealing with Kyoichiro here. A cold weakened him that much? That must mean that this was a super strong cold that would kill any normal person. Would Taiyo be okay if he caught it? Well, he faced death many times. Nanao will surely help him up as always.

"Wait here for a moment, I'll bring you food and come back, okay? It won't take long." Taiyo couldn't help but insist. He didn't know how Kyoichiro's body worked, but he'd rather do this much than just wait.

Kyoichiro's hold became tighter for a split second before he finally let go. He reluctantly nodded and looked away. It was childish, Taiyo found it cute.

'I guess even Kyoichiro can act like that when sick. I thought he'd be more of the resistant type.'

Taiyo cracked a smile and took off. He walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. He had to hurry since he didn't want to leave Kyoichiro alone for too long. There were packets of instant porridge in the fridge, so he used that. While he waited for it to heat up, he wondered if Kyoichiro will go back to his usual nature once he's all energised again.

It didn't take long for the food to be ready, he had been kicking his feet against the ground silently, impatiently waiting for the timer to end. Once it did, he put a finger in the pot and quickly took it back out. Great, it was hot. Too hot, but it's fine.

He prepared a tray in a hurry and scurried back upstairs. When he came into his room, he noticed Kyoichiro had laid down in bed. At first, he thought that he must've been tired, but thinking back, it's the first time he's ever seen Kyoichiro lay down on a bed. Or lay down somewhere at all for that matter.

He walked closer and sat on the chair next to the bed. He put the tray over his lap and stared at the man who appeared to be sleeping. But then again... Kyoichiro always had his eyes closed. His breathing was stable now, yes, but it didn't mean he was asleep.

"Kyoichiro..?" Taiyo hesitantly called out. "Are you sleeping?"

It took a couple moments before the man stirred and somehow opened his eyes. Taiyo was about to greet him but froze at the realisation. He opened his eyes!?

Taiyo stared at Kyoichiro. His eyes were dark but not black. He couldn't tell because of how dim the lighting was in here but it must be an interesting color.

Taiyo was fascinated. He had seen Kyoichiro open his eyes before, but it was when he used his blooming. Therefore, he didn't see their real color. It's a shame he won't be seeing it this time either. Taiyo stared at him fondly, gently, he tapped Kyoichiro's forehead with his knuckles and smiled.

Whatever his eye color was, it was fitting for him. Kyoichiro always had a mysterious vibe, but he's too sensitive to have a color void of emotions. A bit ironic considering his blooming.

"Come on, I brought food."

Kyoichiro squirmed for a little bit. His limbs felt too weak to move right now. He groaned softly, not wanting to move from this comfortable position. But, his stomach was practically begging for food. Duty calls and he must obey. He shakingly sat up on the, tiring himself out and heavily breathing afterward.

"Sorry.." muttered Kyoichiro.

Taiyo had prepared a spoonful of porridge, ready to feed Kyoichiro but stopped in his tracks. "Hm? Why are you apologising? Surely not to me."

"I've been... picking on you a lot.." Kyoichiro spoke, his voice strained, and his panting coming in heavy between his words.

"But you're doing this..." He added.

Taiyo tilted his head. "So what? Am I supposed to ignore you?" He sighed.

Even if Kyoichiro acted all high and mighty, he always managed to revert back to his actual nature. A complete people pleasing worrywart. He's someone who's filled with guilt. Everything someone does to him turns into guilt. The guilt of not deserving their care. Taiyo didn't need any of it.

"You know," Taiyo sighed. "You said many times that, even if you may want to kill me, you'll never let me die."

Kyoichiro slowly looked up from his lap to look at Taiyo.

"I'm sure that someone as weak as me, constantly changes your plans and annoys you since you're always protecting me."

He went silent for a minute before eventually looking back up at Kyoichiro.

"Think of this as me paying you back. Even if it's trivial like this."

Kyoichiro wasn't sure what to say. Being told something like this wasn't unusual. His siblings always reminded him how grateful they are to him when they helped them or when he was there for them. But, Taiyo wasn't his sibling, nor was he a stranger. Still... coming from him, this was a little embarrassing for Kyoichiro, who now hang his head low.

As if both of them understood each other, they let the silence take over. Taiyo blew on the hot porridge while wondering if it would be a problem for Kyoichiro to eat it hot. After all, body strength doesn't equal internal strength as well. Wouldn't this burn his tongue? He wasn't sure.

In any case, once he was done, he grabbed the pot of porridge and placed it on Kyoichiro's lap. He wasn't expecting an answer or anything. He just wanted to see Kyoichiro comfortable.

Kyoichiro stared at the pot and at the gentle stream of hot steam coming out of it. In an act of clumsiness, he hesitantly nodded, trying to replicate a bow of gratitude. It was shy, awkward and childish. But this was enough to make Taiyo feel warm. Taiyo, who's face was now redder than before.

Caring for someone wasn't uncommon for Taiyo. Even back when his family was still alive, he used to take care of his brother a lot. When they were little, Taiyo used to hover around Mutsumi and check if she was okay sometimes at school. He's also the type to make sure his friends were doing alright. You could say he's a natural born caretaker. It didn't bother him in the slightest, in fact, it gave him a sense of self. It made him feel good about himself.

Yet, somehow... caring for someone like Kyoichiro was entirely different. The principle may be the same but the vibe was totally opposite. Taiyo saw Kyoichiro as someone who was out of reach, someone who always stood up high and the pillar of the family. Someone like him who carried a lot of responsibility, was always detached from the rest of the family. The siblings are all nice, they're close and stick together. Despite that, Kyoichiro felt out of the norm. He was there, sometimes he wasn't. He never talks about himself and never shows his true feelings about something.

That's why, when Taiyo opened the door and witnessed Kyoichiro's fleeting moment of weakness and how he could get sick, he felt a bit... relieved? Happy, maybe. Though, saying it like this is disturbing. Taiyo wasn't happy because Kyoichiro was sick, that's totally wrong. He felt that way simply because even Kyoichiro needed to rely on someone for once, and Taiyo was glad to be that someone.

Once Kyoichiro was done with his food, Taiyo grabbed the pot and got off his seat as he wanted to place it back in the kitchen.

"I'll be right back, alright?" Once he said that, he turned around and took one step further before feeling like something was stopping him. He looked down and noticed pairs of hands holding him from behind.

"...Kyoichiro?"

Kyoichiro said nothing. Taiyo could feel that the man had his head pressed against Taiyo's back. He could sense that the hands which were holding him in place were squeezing him tighter with each passing second.

Since Kyoichiro didn't say anything, Taiyo felt as if he shouldn't speak as well. He could feel his own heart beat faster, and himself growing restless. It wasn't due to the situation itself... but mostly because he's being held in a very tiring position.

His back his benched forward and he was holding quite a heavy pot right now. His legs were barely keeping him in place. He wasn't great in physics but he knew that he'll definitely fall if Kyoichiro let's go of him. He could move and stand comfortably, but he didn't want to bother Kyoichiro who seemed to be very content...

Now that he thinks about it... even if Kyoichiro was currently sick and needed attention and care, he's the type of person to refuse that kind of thing. Coming from Taiyo was also a no go. So, him suddenly holding Taiyo like this, even earlier; this was totally out of character. Was he THAT desperate for care and nurturing? Well, sure, Taiyo didn't mind but he did feel like the situation was unlike him.

"I.." suddenly, the silence was broken by Kyoichiro. He spoke in such a soft tone, it almost felt like a whisper.

"I'm not sure, whether this is a dream or not." He said. "It might be one. It must be."

Taiyo wanted to turn around and look at him but his position wasn't allowing him to.

"Even so, since it has to be a dream... that means I can pretty much control it." Kyoichiro took a deep breath and nuzzled against Taiyo's back further. "If that's the case... I want.."

"I want you to stay a little longer."

...
Taiyo said nothing.
So that's why. Kyoichiro was thinking this was all a dream. Well, humans tend to stop thinking rationally when they're tired. But then again, could Kyoichiro be considered human? Does he even get tired?

Taiyo sighed softly, he looked down at the pot in his hands and decided to not go down to the kitchen after all. He'll just put this somewhere in the room, and hope to take care of it in the morning.

The problem is, Kyoichiro wasn't letting go.

"Kyoichiro, I need to put the pot down.."

"Put it on the ground here."

"It would smell, I don't think you'd like to sleep next to that."

Kyoichiro rubbed his head in both sides.
"I don't sleep."

"I think you should, you're tired after all."

"I can't sleep in a dream, I'll just wake up faster."

Taiyo groaned for a moment and decided to just let it go. He bent down, placed the pot down on the ground and pushed it away with his leg until it was far enough from the bed.

"There. Now you can let go, I won't leave."

There was a long silence followed by Kyoichiro squeezing Taiyo against him further. Taiyo didn't say anything, he understood that insisting on the issue might hurt Kyoichiro. After all, this man acts tough but he's a big softie.

"...can't you just sit next to me?" Kyoichiro finally broke the silence, he spoke, his voice muffled and low but Taiyo could still hear him.

Taiyo thought about it, and after all, it's not like he has anything to lose. He might be dense but... even he knows when to feel embarrassed. The feeling of Kyoichiro's arms around his waist, the way the warmth that came from being sick enveloped him so well... this was all things he considered. If he complied, that would just mean that Kyoichiro would cling onto him for the next 8 to more hours. Which wasn't a bad thing in itself, it's just that, it might be awkward in the morning since Kyoichiro seems to think this was all a dream.

"...sure."
Finally, he decided to go along with it. He accepted to face the consequences tomorrow, and worry about the present first.

Without much of a warning, Kyoichiro pulled him backwards and onto the bed with him. Taiyo held the mattress and tried to keep himself steady but failed miserably. He was now laying down next to Kyoichiro who was still interlocked with him.

Taiyo hesitated, but he managed to turned his head over and look at Kyoichiro who rested his head on Taiyo's shoulder, his legs were all over and between Taiyo's own and his arms were still holding onto Taiyo's waist, albeit slightly lighter this time.

His breathing was steady, he seemed comfortable. His eyes were closed now, what a shame.

'What am I thinking...? It seems as though the cold has gotten to my head also..Ugh.'

Taiyo promptly erased any pestering thought that came his way.

This position was undeniably comfortable. Kyoichiro was warmer than average already, but with the cold he had now, he was basically a portable heater. It felt nice. Taiyo liked the warmth as it was now. A blanket on top would be too much, he thought.

The feeling of their bodies grazing each other felt light, intimate. It was awkward and ticklish but definitely not unwanted. Despite Kyoichiro's usual animosity with Taiyo, they were always surprisingly touchy. Even though it was mostly one sided, Taiyo never declined the touches or thought anything bad about them. It was as if his body allowed Kyoichiro to do whatever he wanted, be it subconscious or else. However, Kyoichiro wasn't bold enough to do what he was doing now. The usual Kyoichiro would probably puke at the idea.

Taiyo stared at the ceiling, with no thoughts in his head. He kept replaying the situation over and over, thinking nothing much of it. His hand unconsciously began to caress Kyoichiro's hair, gently pulling the strands up and letting them fall back down. Like petting a cat.

'how am I gonna explain this situation tomorrow...? Should I just accept any punishment without a word? That's what I planned on doing anyway.'

Taiyo internally sighed to himself.

'but for now, I feel super tired... maybe because I stayed awake for longer than I should've... or maybe because nursing something is harder than I imagined...'

He softly groaned and eventually closed his eyes, letting the weight of Kyoichiro serve him as a make shift blanket.

'mom, you were so tough for doing this as your job on the daily...I could never do that...'

After this last thought, he slowly let himself be taken by the drowsiness and fell into the realm of dreams.
_____________

"Ugh... my head.."

Kyoichiro slowly opened his eyes after long hours of sleep. Despite the thick curtains, he could still tell it was morning.

"Did I sleep? That's weird... where am I?" He groaned from the pain of his aching limbs. He felt the heat emanating from underneath him, it was rafter comfortable. He assumed it was a pillow that had gotten warm over night.

Kyoichiro rubbed his eyes slightly before focusing on his surroundings. This was a room he wasn't familiar with. It was plain, it had nothing. No decor, no added furniture, no sign of personality at all- this must be Taiyo's room.

That's weird though, why would he be here? He doesn't even think of visiting this place at all, not during the day and certainly not at night.

The 'pillow' beneath him had something resembling a heartbeat. Kyoichiro wasn't sure whether it was the usual occurrence that happens when you can hear your own heartbeat through the pillow or if this was a totally different case.

Despite his reluctance, he eventually forced himself to sit up, only to be met with a sleeping Taiyo who seemed to be completely exhausted and in deep sleep. Now... this was a situation he hadn't thought about. After all, who in their right mind would think about what to do if they accident sleep cuddling their brother in law, it makes no sense.

Kyoichiro stared at Taiyo for a while, then he looked down at himself. Great, both of them were fully clothed. He trusted himself well enough not to do stupid things, he's grateful he kept his dignity. Something was different though, his clothes weren't the same. Darn it, he really can't remember anything. Was he drunk? Unlikely, he doesn't get drunk. Was he high on something? Again, unlikely. He can't get drugged.

Did he turn into a child again? He's been told that happened a few times and that he always ends up in Taiyo's room. But this time, he wasn't naked. He also didn't take any medicine- ah.

Medicine. He was supposed to take that. He felt feverish in the morning but he didn't expect it to get worse throughout the day. Kyoichiro scrunched his face in thought.

'What did I do yesterday...?'

He desperately tried to recall his actions. First, he had a mission to do. He went to the location and conducted the mission perfectly but after a sudden turn of events, he had to dismantle a missile under water.... then he... he...then what?

That's all he remembered. But he can basically make out what happened next. He probably came home sick and Taiyo took care of him. As much as he wants to hate the man, he can't bring himself to. Taiyo was always too caring for his own good.

'I should go.'

Kyoichiro sighed and decided to go back to his room and get started on his report. He also doesn't want to talk about this moment ever. This was way too embarrassing. Considering how fast his heart was going, this was a dangerous situation to live and think about.

But just then, he couldn't help but look down at the sleeping figure next to him, who was breathing soundly and occasionally letting out a soft snore. Without realising, Kyoichiro's hands had started tracing out the contour of Taiyo's face.

'this is dangerous..'

_________________

"Ugh... so cold.."

Taiyo had finally woken up at around midday. It's unusual for him to get up so late and even more unusual that his alarm didn't go off or explode and destroy his whole room.

When he woke up, Kyoichiro was gone and so was the pot of food he had left there. Taiyo grumbled for a moment and sat up on the bed. He could barely open his eyes and felt himself shivering slightly.

"I guess I caught his cold now.."

He sighed. He was just glad that Kyoichiro was able to move again.

Taiyo kept silent. His mind was blank as well, only showing him memories of yesterday night. He lowered his head down and opened his eyes. His hands tightened their grip on the blanket as his face grew warmer despite the coldness he felt.

"This is... dangerous.."

_______

The end !