Chapter Text
As the nurse's aide, Hirose’s used to bringing classmates into the nurse's office.
But he’s not used to being the one going instead.
Admittedly, when he woke up this morning, there were signs. His room kept blurring, his limbs were heavier, and it felt like a permanent heater was stuck to him, despite it being winter. Breakfast didn’t taste as good as usual and it was harder to put on shoes.
Maybe he should’ve stayed. But staying home meant not seeing his boyfriend and he hasn’t seen him since Friday.
Usually Hirose walks to school with him, but as soon as he walks out the door, he gets a text from the said boyfriend: my mom’s car is stuck so we’re shoveling it !! i think im gonna be late today, it’s probably better to walk without me !! ill see u as soon as i can :)
Hirose smiles. Nakamura’s always considerate of how he feels. He sends a quick no problem, see u there! :> text before walking to school.
The walk should be cold, going through the snow, but his body’s still burning hot. Weird.
He doesn’t remember getting to school. He also doesn’t remember making it to the classroom. Everything must’ve been muscle memory because he’s sitting in his usual chair, bag set beside him.
“Hirose?” Takeuchi is waving a blurry hand in his face. Hirose squints, trying to clear it. That was weird too. His two friends stand in front of him with worried looks. “You good? You haven’t said anything in like a minute.”
“Uh,” Hirose had an answer. But he couldn’t remember the question anymore. “Huh?”
“He doesn’t look good.” Mukai says, crossing his arms.
Takeuchi eyes him up and down. “You’re right. Okay, Hirose, let’s go.”
“No way!” Hirose scowls, crossing his own arms. He wasn’t going anywhere. “I’m fine.”
He could feel his breath getting thinner. It was hard to concentrate on anything going on around him, and his eyes kept drooping, beckoning him to sleep.
But he didn’t want to leave the classroom. His blurry vision looks around, heart on the search. Still no Nakamura.
“You can see your boyfriend later, bro. We’re taking you.”
Hirose only had the energy to weakly push Takeuchi’s hand before it came back onto his arm, guiding him out of the chair.
Everything moves through molasses. At one point, he remembers almost tripping on his heel, Takeuchi and Mukai moving to balance him upright. He’s glad they cared about his health, but he didn’t want this right now. There was only one thing he did.
He should find Nakamura. He should find him.
“Sit back down, child. You have a fever.” Is that the nurse's voice?
He's under a blanket. It did feel nice. He’d find Nakamura eventually. He just needed to close his eyes for a second.
Awareness comes back to him slowly. His entire body still feels heavy, but there’s an extra weight on his hand, intertwined with his fingers. It’s a nicer heaviness.
He tries to open his eyes, but the lights are too bright, instantly triggering a headache. He groans, shutting his eyes tight. It was awful.
Something soft gently lays over his eyes. It darkens the room enough on its own that Hirose relaxes into it. It’s cool and nice. Really nice.
The coolness slowly moves up to his forehead, moving back his bangs. Then it rakes through his hair.
It’s easier to open his eyes this time. He slowly blinks, trying to make out the figure beside him.
“Naka - ” His voice is dry and cracked. He coughs, but it hurts more than helps. He missed him.
“Hey, hey, it’s alright. Please don’t push yourself, Hirose.” Nakamura gently cuts in, hand still running through Hirose’s hair. He leans over to the bedside table, holding out a glass. “Want some water?”
Hirose graciously takes it, sitting up a bit. It runs down smooth and cool.
“Is it too cold? I wasn’t sure what was too cold or warm. Or what about the blankets? Too hot? Are the pillows comfy for you? I tried to fluff them up a bit without waking you but I’m not sure it helped. What about the -”
“Nakamura,” Hirose interrupts, smiling. Most of what Nakamura just said went in one ear and out the other, but it left a bubbly feeling. He’s happy to see him. “I’m okay.”
Nakamura sighs, looking relieved. “That’s good. I was so scared.”
Hirose feels like he missed something important. The thought of Nakamura scared causes his stomach to stir. “Why? What happened?”
His boyfriend blankly stares at him, gently taking the glass from him and setting it back on the table. Now it really feels like he missed something. “You - you have a fever. Your friends told me and I came as fast as I could.”
Fever? That wasn’t good. Now that he mentioned it, everything did feel off. Hirose hums, laying back down. “Oh. That makes sense.”
His eyes flutter shut, enjoying Nakamura’s hand in his hair again. He feels his nails brush his scalp, leaving small, nice tingles behind it. It’s nice.
When Nakamura’s hand freezes, Hirose blinks and opens his eyes again.
His boyfriend stares down at the floor. There’s a small frown on his face, his lips pursed in thought.
He probably didn’t realize he stopped, but that didn’t matter so much anymore. Hirose hates it when he looks sad. Why's he sad?
He pushes himself up and maneuvers to sit up in front of him, part of the blanket dropping to his lap. Then he gently places his hands on Nakamura’s face and lifts it up, putting them at eye level. “Why’re you sad?”
Nakamura’s eyes dart away from him. “Maybe if I walked to school with you, I could’ve brought you home and helped sooner.”
“Help with what?”
Nakamura looks back at him, eyebrows furrowed. He spends a few seconds looking like he’s about to say something before shaking his head. “Ah - nevermind. It’s alright. Let’s get you back to…”
Hirose presses each of his thumbs on the edges of his boyfriend’s disheartened frown, then pushes them up into a smile. He didn’t really know what Nakamura was talking about, but he hated seeing him sad. He’s proud of the solution. “There’s your smile. I love it.”
A genuine one breaks on Nakamura’s face.
“You’re always helping, Nakamura.” Hirose rubs his thumbs on his cheeks. “You being here helps me. I really missed you.”
Nakamura lets out a small, shy laugh. It’s cute. “Thanks, Hirose. I - I missed you, too. I… always do.”
His boyfriend’s face is pink. His cheeks are heating up under his hands and - that wasn’t good - “Uh oh,” a dreadful feeling squeezes the bubbly feelings. “I think you might be sick.”
Nakamura huffs a laugh again, shaking his head. He gently pulls Hirose’s hands away from his face, standing up. Then he puts a hand on Hirose’s shoulder and another behind Hirose’s head. “Okay, to bed you go.” He leans him back onto the pillow.
“What? But I want to be with you.” Hirose pouts, cheeks puffing. Why was he going to bed?
Nakamura’s face hovers right above his. He leans in, planting a tiny kiss on Hirose’s forehead. “I’ll be here.”
Hirose’s fingers come up to lightly brush the place Nakamura kissed. “No fair. I wanna kiss you too.”
“Maybe - maybe when you’re feeling better?”
Better? Now that he thought about it, he wasn't feeling very good, but Hirose felt too heavy to open his eyes or ask about it.
He just thinks about the lingering of Nakamura’s kiss until he falls asleep.