Kise gets sick during a photoshoot. When he heads home, Aomine spots him and helps him get there.
Kise leaned against the wall, coughing. He’d managed to fake being fine during his model shoot, but now, facing the real world and the bitter cold, he couldn’t stand the thought of the rest of the day at school. However, there was practice this afternoon, and he doubted Kasamatsu would consider him able to miss it. He turned, thinking that he could walk back to Kaijō, despite the distance. Maybe he’d feel better. His stomach wasn’t doing loop de loops, though he felt really warm. Way too warm. That was why the walk back to school in the cold might help him. He reasoned this to himself, stopping to rest. He was so tired.
“Kise, what are you doing here?” The voice wasn’t one Kise had expected to hear, and he turned, wondering if he was imagining things. But he wasn’t.
“Hello, Aominecchi. I was just going to school from a photoshoot.” Kise tried to do his best to sound healthy, but he felt he wasn’t doing a good job. He was leaning against the wall of a convenience store, after all.
“You’re going to walk back to Kaijō? In this weather?” Aomine sighed. “Stupid. Come on, the train station’s this way.”
“I’m fine…” Kise suddenly was seized by coughs again. He leaned back against the wall, and his coughing sounding more like a hoarse dog choking than a normal cough. When he was through almost hacking up his lungs, he felt something getting set on his shoulders. He realized it was Aomine’s jacket.
“Come on, model boy. I was mentioning the station’s this way.” Aomine had only a thin shirt keeping his upper body warm. Kise tried to pass him back his jacket.
“You need this more than I do.”
“Like hell I do. Hurry up, we need to get you home and warm.” Aomine grabbed Kise’s arm and guided him to the train station. Kise hated to admit it, but he followed Aomine’s guidance without question at the moment. He felt far too warm, and the coughs hadn’t reassured him to his ability to walk back to Kaijō
On the train, Kise went between coughing fits and trying to sleep. Aomine sat next to him, and Kise wondered why Aomine was skipping school to bring him home. He didn’t complain, though. He’d probably miss his stop without Aominecchi there.
By the time they reached Kise’s stop and got off, Kise knew there was no way he could even try to go to school today. He texted Kasamatsu.
Senpai, Sick. Can’t make it to school. Sorry to miss practice.
Aomine led him home, waiting when Kise had to stop, his coughing getting louder and harder to control. Kise told Aomine thank you, and tried to go inside, but Aomine came with him. “I’m not going to leave you in your apartment alone while you’re sick.”
“Aominecchi, you need to get to school.”
“Momoi already called in for me. I told her I had a personal problem and couldn’t be at school today.”
“When did that happen?” Kise asked confusedly.
“During one of your brief unconscious spells on the train. Let’s get you home.” Aomine said, as he helped Kise stumble up the stairs.
The second they were inside his apartment, Kise stumbled into the bathroom and puked. He could hear Aomine in the kitchen, rummaging around for something. Kise flushed the puke and washed his face.
“Are you okay in there?” Aomine asked through the door.
“If I can be classified as okay.” Kise opened the door, and Aomine looked him over.
“I’ll have to wait a few minutes to take your temperature since you washed your face. I’m glad your thermometer wasn’t hidden.” Aomine went back towards the living room and Kise followed.
“Why are you doing this, Aominecchi?” Kise asked as Aomine led him to the couch.
“Because you’d do the same for me.” Aomine made him lie down, and fetched a thermometer. Finally, he asked Kise to take his own temp while he cooked some food. Aomine claimed he was making soup, and Kise knew that was the only thing Aomine could cook, so he let him. Kise stuck the damn thing under his tongue and waited for a reading.
39.1 C /102.5 F
Aomine returned with some soup and read the thermometer.. “I thought so. Do you feel cold, or really hot?”
“I’m really hot.” Kise murmured.
Aomine went back to the kitchen and brought Kise some ice water. “Little sips, or I’ll take it away from you. I’ll get you a sheet to sleep under, and leave a blanket folded up in case you want it.”
“Are you leaving?” Kise asked, suddenly afraid he’d be left alone.
“Just for a little bit once you fall asleep. I’ll be back after that.” Aomine suddenly did something that Kise hadn’t expected. He leaned over and kissed Kise’s forehead. It was a gentle kiss, and it took Kise by surprise.
“Aominecchi?” Kise asked, the surprise seeping into his voice.
“I made you soup. Little amounts are better than a lot.” Aomine took the thermometer into the kitchen, and Kise lay on the couch, puzzled. He reached over and sipped at a bite of soup. It was good, but his stomach seemed to protest any food at the moment. He gave up and took another sip of water before trying to sleep.
He was confused. Aomine was always acting so tough, but the second he’d seen Kise coughing, he’d brought him home and was caring for him like a parent for their child. And then that kiss…
He felt a sheet being spread over him, and before he could thank Aomine, Kise was fast asleep.
* * *
Aomine waited until Kise was asleep before he slipped outside to call Momoi.
“WHY WEREN’T YOU AT SCHOOL?!” She shrieked at him when she answered.
“I had something I had to do. I’m not finished yet, either.”
“Practice is one thing, Aomine. School is another. You’d better be here tomorrow. I won’t cover for you a second day.”
“You might have too.”
“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?”
“Thank you for covering for me today, Momoi.”
“AOMINE, IF YOU’RE NOT AT SCHOOL TOMORROW, I WILL…” She was silenced by the snap of his phone, ending the call. She tried to call him back, but he didn’t answer. Aomine headed to the nearest store and bought Kise some food. He’d taken a quick stock of the cupboards and the fridge and determined that Kise must be planning to starve in the near future. He’d barely been able to find a can of broth to make Kise soup with.
He returned and filled the shelves with food. Aomine didn’t let this side of him come out often, but Momoi had once told him he was good in crises. He’d get what needed to be done done in as little time as possible and, if people were involved, as gently as possible. Kise’s terrible cough and fever might not make Momoi’s list of what was a crisis, but it did make Aomine’s.
He then sat down in a chair and fell fast asleep as well.
* * *
Kise woke with a small headache, but much better overall. A few cautious sips of water proved to relieve the headache, though he felt a little wobbly when he stood, and still utterly exhausted. He looked around and spotted Aomine in the chair, arms outstretched, legs pulled up in what must be a very uncomfortable position and snoring. Kise grabbed the sheet that had been lying over him and carefully wrapped it around Aomine.
Kise looked down at the sleeping Aomine, and by perhaps the same impulse that Aomine had had earlier, lightly kissed him on the forehead. Aomine didn’t wake, but his head moved a little, almost a response, and Kise would swear his mouth moved up into a small smile.
After that, Kise reheated the soup Aomine had made him, ate the whole bowl and got ready for bed. He came back to the couch and pulled the blanket over himself, remembering the kiss Aomine had given him earlier and wondering why.
He went to sleep pondering this question.
