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It was bound to happen eventually... if not now, it would have happened at the worst possible moment.
Multi finally fell ill—and quite severely; he kept losing consciousness in his office, his cough was worsening, and a runny nose had set in... Naturally, he thought he could handle it himself—after all, he was a scientist! But this time, he was wrong... No medicine or method was working quite right...
He began to lose faith in his own abilities, unaware that sometimes the worst colds are best fought with simple remedies—namely, the love and care of another person.
That was something he had yet to discover...
~~~~
Multi really shouldn't have gone outside, but he had no choice... It might have seemed a bit foolish, but perhaps Katie would know what to do—maybe she had some other medicines he didn't have?
He was hoping for anything, really, since there was simply no one else he could turn to...
Standing at her door, he also realized he should have told her he was sick a long time ago... After all, he and Katie were... No... no... Multi was just imagining things, right? Katie... didn't share those same feelings.
Finally, he gathered the courage to knock on her door and wait for Katie to open it.
"Katie, it's me... Multi." Immediately, he heard quick footsteps from behind the door, as if she were running toward it...
Multi smiled slightly to himself; moments like this made him realize just how much Katie liked him.
A second later, Katie opened the door with a smile, but it vanished the moment she saw him... "Man... what happened to you?" Katie looked him up and down; he looked like a walking zombie.
"I'm sorry... I just didn't know what to do... I'm sick, and nothing's working..." Multi covered his mouth to cough... his nose was slowly turning red.
"Don't apologize, you goof! You should have messaged me right away!" Katie grabbed his hands and pulled him inside, quickly closing the door; when she turned back to him, she placed her hand on his forehead.
Their faces were so close... they were practically the same height, something Multi had always liked... but now wasn't the time for thoughts like that!
"I think you have a fever... It's a good thing you came here! You're in good hands." Katie grabbed his hands again and led him upstairs to her bedroom.
"Um... where are we going?" Multi followed her like an obedient puppy, a flush visible on his pale face...
"First of all... you should have been lying here wrapped in a blanket ages ago!" Katie led him into the bedroom and immediately pushed him onto the bed.
"Hey! I can do it myself—" Katie pounced on him and started wrapping him in the blanket... he looked just like a burrito.
"There you go! Now I'll go make you some tea and look for some cough syrup!" Before leaving, Katie admired the "burrito-fied" Multi, then walked out of the room.
Multi sighed and tried to wriggle free—or at least get his hands loose—but, of course, he failed... just how strong was she? Multi tried to stay calm; he didn't like being unable to move or feeling trapped... it was one of those fears he never shared with anyone.
A few minutes later, Katie returned with the syrup; she looked surprised the moment she entered the room—Multi was in a completely different position... "How did you get out of the burrito wrap?"
"I... never mind." Multi sat on the bed and rubbed his nose.
"Damn... here's your tea... I'll get you some tissues." Katie handed the tea to Multi and dashed out of the room again...
Multi gazed into the tea; after a moment, he took a sip and tasted a hint of honey and sugar... he could pick up a trace of lemon, too.
Meanwhile, Katie returned with tissues and set them down next to Multi; before leaving, she patted his shoulder and quickly ran out of the room again... Maybe Multi should have come here right away? It was clear Katie really wanted to help... plus, it gave him an excuse to spend more time with her.
It was slowly getting dark outside; did that mean Multi would be staying the night? Possibly... he hoped so... he wanted to... but he didn't want to sleep in that bed alone.
Those thoughts vanished when Katie came back into the room with syrup and nasal medicine...
"One spoonful of syrup, a few sprays for your nose... and also—" Katie dug something out of her nightstand drawer. "A special cream! You apply it to your back and chest; I'll help you with it."
Katie set everything down on the nightstand and decided to give him the syrup first.
"It might taste pretty gross..." Katie poured the right amount of syrup onto the spoon and slowly guided it toward Multi's mouth.
"I'm used to—" As soon as he put the spoon in his mouth and tasted the syrup, his face instantly twisted... but he swallowed it. "Damn... what was that?!"
"I wish I knew myself... but it’ll help!" Katie then picked up the nasal spray and administered it into both his nostrils. "And the last thing... the cream! Lift up your shirt."
Multi hesitated a little; he never showed his body to others or let anyone touch him, but for Katie... he would always make an exception. He slowly took off his lab coat and lifted his shirt; meanwhile, Katie applied some cream to her palm and gently spread it over his chest. His skin was pale and had a slight greenish tint, but she wasn't put off by it at all. Then, she applied the cream to his back with the same gentleness and quickly helped him pull his shirt back down. "Is everything okay...?"
"Yeah... thanks." Multi smiled at her; he really did feel better.
"Next time, come straight to me... don't put it off, you goof." Katie lay down beside him and smiled back.
"I thought I could handle it on my own... but nothing—no methods or medicines—worked..." Multi looked a little downcast; he had thought his skills would be enough...
"Sometimes... the simplest methods work best... and a little bit of love, too..." Katie slowly snuggled up to him, bringing her face close to his....
"Well... that might be true..." Multi looked away, but the blush on his face gave him away.
"I guess you've never cuddled with anyone, huh?"
"What? What are you implying?"
"That I'll be kind enough to let you cuddle with me!"
"What?! You'll get sick too! And I don't want to cuddle!"
"Alright, alright, you don't have to beg... come here!"
"Are you even listening to me?!"
Katie quickly scrambled under the covers and launched a cuddle attack on Multi.
"Get off me!" Multi tried to break free... normally he would have dreamed of this, but she had phrased it in a way that felt like a declaration of war!
"You're lucky I'm so merciful!" Katie just tightened her arms around him and even climbed on top of him.
"What are you doing... I'm sick and need to rest, you—" Multi chuckled softly when he felt Katie start to tickle him.
"What was that?" Katie's fingers were everywhere... she really wanted to cheer Multi up, and it was actually working! "It's a tickle attack!"
Multi just laughed and tried to shake her off, but his muscles wouldn't cooperate; he lost all his strength whenever he laughed!
"See? You feel better already with me around—" In that moment of distraction, Multi lunged at her, pinning her underneath him; he wasn't about to give up, so he started tickling her mercilessly!
"So, who's in charge now? Me, of course!" Multi wore a mocking grin while Katie was practically dying of laughter...
~~~~
"I'll be right back... I'm taking these papers to Katie." As Ash and Don walked past Katie's headquarters, they had the chance to quickly hand something over to her. Ash stepped inside and didn't see her anywhere, so he put two and two together and figured she must be in her bedroom, as was usually the case...
As he walked up the stairs, glancing over some papers, he approached the bedroom door; but before opening it, he heard sounds coming from inside... so, being nosy, he pressed his ear against it.
"Ahh! Ahh hahah! Multi, slow down a bit!"
"You wanted a war! Now you're going to pay for it~"
"Mmmm! ahah!"
While Don was waiting outside for Ash, he saw him return a moment later... but with a strange look on his face.
"Why do you look so surprised? What's going on in there?"
"Man... I really don't want to fucking know." Ash quickly walked off toward the casino... the poor guy thinks something else is going on in there...
~~~~
"Alright, you win! I give up!" Katie raised her hands as if waving a white flag.
"Do you promise?"
"I promise!"
"Are you sure?"
"Screw you." They both laughed, but Multi, having a soft spot for her, finally let her go and lay down beside her.
"I'm glad you came here..." Katie quickly snuggled back up to him; she didn't care if she got sick too...
"I'm glad too... I should spend time alone with you more often; you always cheer me up..." Multi couldn't believe he’d managed to get those words out, but he was happy he did.
"You should go to sleep... you're sick and I'm wearing you out..." Katie giggled.
"That's a great idea... I'm dead tired." Multi got comfortable, hugging Katie back. "But you'll stay with me... right?"
"Of course..." Katie gave him a light kiss on the forehead... while playing with his dreadlocks. Multi blushed at the gesture once again and closed his eyes contentedly... he would certainly sleep soundly tonight.
"Damn... I thought you'd ask for a few more kisses..."
Multi snorted with laughter, but who was he to deny Katie that satisfaction? "Could I ask for a few more kisses?"
Katie smiled and began planting kisses all over his face—first his forehead, then between his eyes, on his nose, and on his cheeks—finally landing a quick, tiny kiss on his lips that left them both blushing as red as tomatoes... Yes... this way, they could certainly drift off to sleep peacefully together now, and the conversation about their relationship could wait until morning...
For now, what matters is that they have each other in their arms.