I awoke slowly, swallowing a bad taste in my throat. The room was a little hotter than I remember it being before I fell asleep but when I kicked the covers off of me I suddenly felt cold. The room swam above me when I opened my eyes, making me want to curl in a ball to try and hug myself. As pleasing at that would be at the moment, I found my limbs not wanting to respond to my commands. My stomach churned and I realized why I had woken up so suddenly. Forcing myself to roll over, I grabbed a pillow and held it close while repeating to myself that I was not going to throw up. Unfortunately my body won the battle against my mind and I could feel my body prepare for it. ‘Great…’
I’ll Take Care of You II
By: Satashi
Honoka stumbled out of bed and almost fell on top of Nagisa as she tried to make it out of her room with her hand over her mouth. “Honoka?” She heard her name being called lightly but she still continued along her way. The cold outside did nothing to make her feel better and her stomach told her that if she didn’t get out of it soon, it would make it clear that it was upset with her at the moment. As she reached the bathroom she felt herself fall down next to her bathtub and lean against it while panting. “ Honoka?” The voice repeated itself as Nagisa peeked, actually turning on the lights since the first one in forgot to do so. “Hey, you okay?” She knelt beside her.
Seeing Honoka shake her head, Nagisa sighed and scooped up her friend’s hair into a sloppy ponytail and held it as she got sick. The blond turned her head and made a grossed out expression. “Bleh. Reminds me of that one single time I was talked into drinking beer. Though at least then you didn’t have to hold my hair up…”
Honoka fell backwards against the wall and panted heavily. “Wha…..water please…”
“Sure thing,” Nagisa reached up to the sink and filled a cup for her before helping the girl to stand. “One glass of water,” she handed it to her and sighed. “Poor thing…”
“Oh wow I feel better.” Honoka giggled as best she could. “Thank you darling; I’ll owe you one.”
“Don’t mention it…” She scooped the girl up in her arms and smiled when no complaint was given. “Ready to get in bed?”
“Very much so.”
“Here we go then,” Turning the corner; she made her way back across the house and into the Honoka’s bedroom. “You going to be okay?”
“Mmhmm,” Honoka nodded sleepily and soon felt the bed sink down next to her once she was placed. Fingers gently ran through her hair as she lay on the pillow, making her sensed dull. “That feels nice…”
“Doesn’t it? I love it when you do it to me.” She got a small murmur in response, making the girl give a light grin. “Hush little Honoka, don’t say a word. Nagi’s gonna buy you a mocking bird. And if that mocking bird don’t sing… Nagi’s gonna buy you a diamond ring…” She continued the soft song for a little longer before Honoka’s breathing settled down and was already sleeping again. Very slowly she stood from the bed and tucked the girl in before falling onto her futon on the floor and trying to regain some sleep herself.
“I don’t know,” Honoka rubbed her eyes softly. “What time is it?”
“A little after noon. Do you want anything to eat?” The blond went about fixing the other girl’s hair, pulling it a ponytail to keep it off her neck. “Waffles maybe?”
“Yes please.”
“Anything else?”
“Water?”
Nagisa stood and gently pet the girl on the head. “Coming right up.” She made her way to the kitchen and began to prepare her friends brunch, a little surprised to find the girl following her. “Should you be walking around?”
“I don’t want you to burn my house down,” She replied with a voice that still seemed a little dazed.
“I can make waffles just fine,” Nagisa informed her, making the girl sit in a chair. “Just you watch.” And watch she did. Honoka saw her friend take out some frozen waffles from a box and pop them in a toaster before getting her a glass of water and soon returning to her with breakfast ready. “See? Piece of cake.” Honoka giggled before cutting some of it and slowly nibbling. “Say,” the blond slid her arms down the table and rested her head on them. “When you get better, what do you want to do?”
“Make out,” Honoka told around her food. “While snuggling in front of the fireplace.”
“With hot coco?”
“And marshmallows. The little ones.”
Nagisa gave her an amused look and watched her finish half of her meal before slowing down and starting to stare into space. “Starting to get to you again?”
“… I’d like it a lot if you could carry me to bed? I don’t think I can stand…”
The sandy blond carefully lifted her lover from the chair and carried her, a little sad at feeling her friend’s head fall lazily against her chest. “You’ll be good as new in a day or two, right?”
“Mmhmm,” The girl mumbled, already starting to doze off again.
“Don’t sleep just yet; you need to take some medicine.”
“I’m sorry,” Hikari gasped between laughing. “It’s just so funny! You help me with everything imaginable, but you call me when you need to cook something.”
“Well, it’s for Honoka…” Nagisa told her lightly. “I can’t mess up; I’d feel really, really bad if she got worse because of my cooking…” Honoka brought a hand up to cover her smile, leaning against the wall leading into the kitchen. Although she couldn’t be seen there, she could hear just fine and was keeping tabs on Nagisa’s hectic attempt to make her dinner. “No, I didn’t put too much salt in.” Nagisa’s voice came up again as she walked around. “I promise. Now what do I do…?” There was a small pause. “Hikariiiiiii you can’t leave me now! I need you! Tell Akane-san that you’ll do it later? But….But… All right, I understand. Yeah. Okay tomorrow it is. Bye bye.” The phone clicked off and she put it on the counter. “I can’t believe this!”
Deciding that now would be a good part to stop eavesdropping on her friend, Honoka walked back to her room where she proceeded to fall onto the bed and cover herself up to get another few hours of sleep in before dinner.
“Nuh-uh, I woke up a few minutes ago.” Honoka pulled herself up and sat Indian style. “What you have there?” She already knew the answer but asked anyway.
“Stew,” Nagisa sat the tray on a nightstand and smiled. “But first, I need your temperature. Open for me,” She picked up the thermometer and held it out. “Under your tongue.”
“Yes, mother,” Honoka nipped the device with her mouth and then moved it into place. “How was cooking?”
“Don’t talk till it’s done,” Nagisa grinned at the look she received. “But it was okay. I can do things if I try hard enough.” She got a hum from the girl as she sat the try on Honoka’s lap and put a few crackers for her. Once she was settled, she sat her own food on the desk before retrieving the small glass device from her friend’s lips. “Let’s see….101.3; Not really sure how far you are along running this thing out, but it’s better than your first one so I guess that’s a good sign. Are you feeling any better? Can you eat?”
Honoka smiled to herself at being pampered so much. “Yes, I think I can eat. And I’m feeling about the same I think.” She had given up on lying to her friend after the first hundred times she was asked how she was feeling. As she looked into her soup she wondered on just what exactly it would taste like. Nagisa was great at presenting a meal, but the taste more often than not totally disagreed with how it looked. The worse the meal looked normally meant the better it would taste and vice-versa.
“It’s not poisoned… I think.” Nagisa spoke uneasily, looking into her own bowl. “I tasted it as I went but…”
The sick girl picked up her spoon and stirred it in her bowl before bringing it to her mouth and softly blowing on it. Nagisa held her breath as she watched, unconsciously bringing a hand up to bite her nails. Normally Honoka would smack her hand when she did it but thankfully this time she wasn’t paying attention, or could reach her if she wanted to. “How is it…?”
“It’s very yummy,” Honoka got another spoonful after biting into a cracker. “You did a great job.”
“Oh thank god…” Nagisa let out her breath and turned to her own dinner, eating it a little faster than her roommate.
When her steaming bowl started to cool down a little more, Honoka realized just how hungry she was. She drained the first helping and almost the rest of another. Nagisa was happy to see her friend eat again since the first day the girl barely downed much of anything. “I’m so full…” Honoka fell back, resting against the headboard of her bed. “That was wonderful, thank you.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” Nagisa took her tray and sat it on the desk before sitting next to her. “Do you want to lie back down?”
“Ugh, I’m sick of being in bed. I want to do something else.”
“Movie? Game?”
Honoka looked at the discarded backpacks and grinned. “How about homework?”
Nagisa literally felt herself almost fall over. “Homework… It’s the day after vacation starts and you want to do homework…”
“Yup!” She closed her eyes and smiled at her. “Please?”
“I’ll never understand you… Ever.” Despite her words, Nagisa still scooped the girl up and carried her to the table in the room before sitting her down. Next she draped a light throw cover over her shoulders and then proceeded to get the backpacks. “What subject?”
“Science.”
“Should I even have asked?” Nagisa tossed them on the table and sat herself down as well. “Okaaaaay… We need to outline two chapters and answer the questions at the end.” She opened her book and instantly flipped to the end of the chapter. “Right then,” A hand covered the questions, making her blink and look up at Honoka.
“I’m not going to let you read the questions and then just skim for the answers.”
“… You never let me have any fun.”
“Your grades also went from D’s and F’s to C’s and B’s.”
“Doesn’t mean I like it…” Nagisa pouted at her. “Come on, its Christmas vacation!”
“No means no,” Honoka smiled happily. “Lets answer them together; it’ll be more fun that way.”
Letting out a sigh, Nagisa reluctantly agreed. “Fine, fine.”
“I’m going to be sick…”
“You’re already sick,” She replied absently as she turned the page.
“I mean I’m going to throw up.”
“Again!?” Nagisa quickly hopped up and over to her, helping the shaking girl get to her feet. “Going to make it?” After seeing her shake her head, Nagisa lifted her up and trotted to the bathroom where Honoka proceeded to lose everything she had managed to eat earlier in the day. “Take it easy honey…” Nagisa gently rubbed her back in a small circle. “You’ll be okay…” She waited till her friend nodded weakly before getting her a cloth to wipe her mouth with and a glass of water. “Wow you hurl like a champ,” She teased her to lighten the air.
“Remind me to hit you later…”
“Not a chance,” Nagisa sat down behind the girl and wrapped her arms lightly around her, pulling Honoka back to lean against her front. “Just relax a moment before we move you again okay?”
“Okay…” Honoka weakly rested against her, sliding down so her head was nestled against Nagisa’s shoulder and neck. “Sorry I’m such a pain.”
“You’re not a pain,” Nagisa gave her a gentle squeeze. “A little flu virus isn’t going to make me love you any less.”
“I’m sure I don’t look like a good lover right now.”
“Well besides bed hair, bad breath, the smeared makeup we never took off, puffy eyes…”
“Mou…”
“I still love you,” Nagisa kissed the top of her head. “You’re still pretty, even now.”
“You spoil me…As much as I want to go along with this conversation; I think I’m going to lose it again…”
Nagisa shifted her and rubbed her back again as the girl started to cough. “There-there, honey…”
“Slimy,” Honoka replied with a light lop-sided smile. “I want to take a bath but didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Nagisa stumbled to her feet and stretched out. “What time is it?” She leaned herself backwards and popped her back.
“About eleven,” Honoka gave her a disapproving look. “I’ve told you countless times you’re going to hurt yourself if you don’t stop that.”
“Sorry,” She said it even thought she obviously didn’t really seem to think about it. “Hikari is going to come over around lunch time so let’s get a bath now before she gets here.” Nagisa got out a pair of cloths for herself before raiding Honoka’s closet and picking out some loose fitting sweatpants and a baggy shirt. After tossing them over her shoulder she walked over to the bed and once again lifted her lover up into her arms.
“Mou, what is it with you and carrying me all of a sudden?” Honoka looked up at her. “I don’t think I’ve taken twenty steps in the past three days. I’m going to forget how to walk before I get any better.”
“Then I’ll carry you everywhere,” Nagisa promised, winking. “Although if I bash your head into a doorframe or something, you’ll have to forgive me.” The words made Honoka curl up on her and look at the doors they passed through with a skeptical eye. When they reached the bathroom Nagisa sat her friend on her feet and proceeded to turn on the bathwater. “How hot?”
“Nice and warm, a fever is the body’s way of fighting off infection. As long as you’re comfortable it doesn’t really matter…Why are you grinning like that?”
“It’s the first time you’ve ranted about a topic since you got sick, I’m kind of happy to see you going back to normal. Ack, speaking of going back to normal I didn’t take your temperature this morning!”
“100.7,” Honoka informed her as she started to take off her cloths. “I just wish I felt as much better as my fever would imply…”
“Don’t think about it or you’ll start to feel worse,” Nagisa tossed he own cloths to a small pile before guiding the now nude Honoka to the shower showering section of the bathroom. She had always been jealous of Honoka’s house ever since she saw the bath. Although their apartment had a shower in it, Honoka had a traditional Japanese bathroom with a section to shower in and then a huge bathtub meant for soaking. “Here, sit down.” She moved a stool for her. “I’ll wash your hair.”
“You do spoil me…” Honoka did as she was asked and was rewarded with a warm stream of water over her head. When her hair was wet soft fingertips started to massage in the shampoo for her, making the girl almost want to fall asleep right then and there. “Mmmmm…”
“Like that?” Nagisa got a small nod. “Good.” The hair washing turned into a sponge bath, much to the delight of the sick girl and the torture for the one doing it. The soft moans of pleasure from having her back rubbed to the intakes of breath when her front was rubbed, each one started to work its way into the sandy-blonde’s mind. “Finished,” she spoke finally. “Lets get you rinsed and into the bathtub before I lose my mind.”
“Sorry,” Honoka looked a little sad. “When I’m better, I promise…”
“No, no,” Nagisa took her hand and walked with her to the bathtub. “Don’t be silly. I’m enjoying just being with you.”
“If it makes you feel any better, the thought crossed my mind too.” She looked down at her friend’s body a moment before turning away and slipping into the bathtub. “But I don’t think you want to get me all worked up and have me throw up on you.”
“Bleh, talk about a mood killer.” Nagisa went back to the showerhead and started to clean herself while her sick friend relaxed. “Remember that time Hikari walked in on us?”
“Don’t remind me,” Honoka sank deeper in the water. “She couldn’t look me in the eye for a week… I think we scarred the poor girl.”
“It wasn’t like we were doing anything really bad…”
“You were screaming my name.”
“I was not!”
“A little,” The girl adjusted the heater so it was closer to her friend. “Her fever went down and she hasn’t thrown up yet today but she’s still only awake for an hour or two at a time.”
“Ohhh…” Hikari looked at the bed a little sad. “Poor thing; right at the start of vacation…”
“How about you? Aren’t you working already?”
“Akane said I could take any day off I wanted since it was break time for me. Honestly, it’s a lot more fun to be at work, I get terribly bored at home.” Hikari’s thoughts were interrupted by a slight sneeze. “Brrr…”
Nagisa put an arm around the girl and rubbed her shoulder. “You’ll get used to it after a while. I wish Honoka would have let me take her to my place till she was better since I have central heating, but she would have none of it.” Hikari giggled softly to herself, making some snow fall from her hair. “Hey… is it snowing out there?”
“Yeah, didn’t you know? It’s been snowing for over an hour.”
“Kya!” Nagisa held back her gasp and crawled over to the door, peeking out. “It is! Come on Hikari, lets play!”
“But…”
“Come on, come on,” She pulled the younger girl to her feet. “If we stay in here talking we’ll just wake her up.” Nagisa smiled brightly at her, getting a small grin in return.
“Sometimes I wonder which one of us is the oldest.” She followed her friend outside and laughed as Nagisa ran out in the yard with her arms held out wide. “Nagisa, you’re such a dork.”
“Hey!” She pouted at her. “At least I have a girlfriend.” Reaching down, she scooped up some snow and packed it.
“Who wants one?” Hikari also got a few handfuls of the white powder and eyes her friend’s snowball.
“Don’t pull that one me!” Nagisa threw the ball, smacking her in the chest. “I’ve seen the way you look at your friend Nao!”
“What!?” Hikari reared back and threw her own weapon, missing horribly. “Don’t say stuff like that!”
Both girls went to pick up more snow before circling each other. “In the closet, eh? It’s okay, I understand!” She dodged another snowball and threw her own, once again hitting the target.
“I’m not in the closet!” Hikari quickly threw another sloppily made snowball, blushing horribly. “Shut up!”
“Knock, knock!” Nagisa teased, once again using her lacrosse training to land a direct hit. “Open up Hikari, let me in, it’s Nao!”
“I don’t like her!” Hikari ran forward and pounced her friend. “Don’t say that!”
“Hikari’s got a crush! Hikari’s got a crush!” The two rolled around in the snow a moment before Nagisa pinned her. “How long have you liked her?”
“I don’t like girls!”
“Suuuuuuuuuuuure!”
“Mou! Get off!”
“Not until you admit it.”
“Nagisa!” Hikari wanted very much so to cover her blushing cheeks but found them still held down. “Please!”
“Come on, it’s just me!”
“….” Hikari looked to the side. “I… don’t know…”
“You’re not sure?” Nagisa blinked.
“Um… How did you… you know?” she looked up at her.
“What?”
“You know!”
“…Oh! How did I realize I liked Honoka?”
“Yeah…”
“I don’t know. I just did.” Nagisa grinned. “So you’re not in the closet, you’re just thinking about opening the door.”
“Don’t say that!” Hikari felt herself be unpinned when Nagisa had to hold her sides laughing. “Why you…” She pushed the girl over and pinned her this time.
“Like you can hold me down,” Nagisa lifted her arms up, pushing the weaker girl’s hands in the process.
“Who said I wanted to?” She gave her the best evil look she could muster before quickly grabbing the neck of Nagisa’s shirt with one hand and using her other to shovel snow into it.
“Ahhh! Cold! COLD!” Nagisa rolled over as she was freed and quickly shook the snow out. “You little brat, come here!”
“No way!” Hikari ran away from her.
“You’re not getting away!” Nagisa quickly caught up and grabbed her, tossing the girl over her shoulder and carried her back to the front of Honoka’s room as her hostage laughed out, begging to be sat down. When they reached her destination Nagisa carefully sat her friend down before falling next to her and leaning against a support beam. “If you’re confused,” She began after a moment. “You can talk to us anytime you want. I won’t tease you for real.”
“… Thanks.” Hikari scooted a little closer to her for warmth. “You and Honoka make a good couple. I’ve been envious for a while now, actually.”
“Don’t we, though?” Nagisa smiled happily as she looked out in the snow. “It’s too bad she’s sick. I wanted to be alone with her.”
“But you are alone with her?”
Nagisa grinned. “No, I mean alone with her.” She winked. “In front of the fire place, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh gross!” Hikari closer her eyes. “I don’t need to hear about that.”
Nagisa sang a little song playfully. “I’m gonna make love to you womaaaaaan! Gonna lay you down by the fire!”
“Oh my god, mental image!” Hikari shook her head quickly to try and rid herself of it.
“Lighten up, you know how much we love each other.”
“But I don’t need to know what you two do. You’re my best friends, that’s disgusting!” Hikari eyed her. “I bet you’re the man of the group too, you tomboy.”
“What was that!?” Nagisa glared at her and get a tongue stuck out at her in return. “Just for that, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.”
“Eh?” Hikari blinked.
“You know last time Honoka and I stayed at your house for the night?” She got a small nod and Nagisa gave her a big grin. “And you went to sleep during the late night movie?” She got another nod, to which she leaned in closer and smiled larger. Hikari blinked again before realizing what she meant.
“You had sex in my room!?” Hikari gasped out, shocked. “With me in it, asleep!?” She watched Nagisa’s smile get even bigger. “On my bed!!!” She suddenly went into shock, giving a look as if her dog had just been shot. “Oh my god I slept on those sheets before I washed them! Ew! Ew! Ew!” She hit Nagisa’s shoulder each time she said the word.
“I had to bite your pillow to keep from waking you!” The sandy-blond continued as she was hit more.
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”
“Aren’t you two lively today?” Honoka asked as she stepped out of her room with a blanket wrapped around her.
“Honoka! Make Nagisa stop!” Hikari hugged the girl when she sat down and hid herself under the blanket along with her friend.
“Nagisa, stop teasing Hikari.” Honoka wrapped the covers around her and let Hikari sit in her lap while hugging her.
“I’m not doing anything,” Nagisa said evasively.
“She’s telling me all sorts of gross things you two have done!”
“Nagisa, don’t tell Hikari about our private lives,” Honoka told her gently while Hikari gave Nagisa a look that clearly read ‘Ha ha, you’re getting scolded!’ and then smiled in triumph. “I’m positive Hikari doesn’t want to know all the wonderful things you can do with your tongue.”
“Oh gross!”
“Not bad,” Honoka allowed Nagisa to sit on the bed with her and nuzzled up under her arm. “Didn’t feel like getting sick all day.”
“You didn’t eat much of anything all day,” Nagisa counted in a whisper, gently kissing the girl’s temple. “Let me take your temperature.” She got a small nod and soon she took the thermometer from Nagisa’s hand with her mouth, giving her a cute puppy-dog look as it did its thing. Giggling, Nagisa waited for the beep and plucked the device back, looking at it. “100.1, getting better slowly.”
“Mmhmm,” Honoka yawned softly. “I’m so sick of being in bed, but I’m so tired…”
“The medication is supposed to make you sleepy, so I guess you’ll just have to deal with it.”
“But I feel bad. You’ve been here for three nights now and I haven’t spent more than twelve hours with you total... and even then, a few of them was me holding you while trying not to lose my mind in the stupid fever dreams.” Honoka looked up at her girlfriend a little sadly. “I wanted to spend our vacation doing more fun things… I’m really sorry I ruined it for you.”
“Honoka,” Nagisa said her name a little firmly. “I like just being here. I hate that you’re sick, but because of it mom let me stay here for so long. I’m happy to take care of you so please don’t feel bad.” She brought her free hand to her mouth and kissed a finger before offering it to her girlfriend, who touched her finger to it and then kissed her own.
“Thank you,” Honoka wrapped her arms around the girl and snuggled up against her. “Hey, Nagisa?”
“Hm?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, silly girl.” Nagisa giggled to herself.
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