Only Losers Get Sick

That...hadn't gone so well...

His breathing heavy, Masaru sat, leaning his back against abandoned, old, wooden building. His eyes were closed as opening them would only bring a rush of dizziness to him.

The mission was meant to have been simple, easy hollow horde annihilation. A few had appeared in the Rukon and they'd needed to be taken care of...

His subordinates were already swamped; he was as well, but this was supposed to have been simple. He hadn't realized his body's state at the time. He'd neglected his health like a food, as reluctant as he was to admit that...and it'd led to this.

He'd been lucky to avoid getting hurt, considering how dizzy he'd gotten during the fight. After it'd been dealt with though, he'd collapsed...

Just a little rest and he'd be fine...That was his belief anyway. He could rest a little and he'd be ready to head back and get back to work. No problem.

No...problem...


"Hnnn~" Kaimu blinked, his hand reaching out to poke the unconscious noble in the cheek.

Kaimu had come out to sever ties with certain places, and inform some acquaintances he'd been pardoned, and just when he was heading back he'd come across this. The head of the Shirakawa Clan lying unconscious in the dirt.

He wasn't waking up either...

Exactly as he thought...The kid was burning up with a fever. Kaimu retracted his hand and gave a sigh. Really...

Collapsing out here in the middle of the Rukon, if anyone bad recognized him he'd get himself assassinated.

That in mind, Kaimu reached into the sleeve of his yukata, pulling out his garganta device that he still had. He could use it to get back home at least. Home was better than lying out here in the dirt after all~

He'd need to inform Mia as well, once he got the kid back into Seireitei anyway.

Without another word, he situated the other male under his arm before activating the device. To Lakshmi's~

Masa...Masa...you...dummy! Mia repeated those words like a mantra, rushing to Lakshmi's mansion as fast as her shunpo would allow. The dark cloak she wore waved behind her like a flag... She had seen Masaru felt unwell and told him to get some rest! He had promised...promised to be careful! Aoi was gone now, he'd been swamped with work while she settled into her new division...

She had been worried but there had been a few things she had had to worry about as well, leaving her not as much time to make sure during work he was relaxing. She had let Nozomi and herself down with this.

Papa had found him in Rukon passed out. It was good he had been there, so good or else... Crying, she did not even knock as she landed on the doorstep with rather good precision in one final step.

Pushing open the doors, Mia didn't wait one second for anyone to greet her, she ran at top speed through the mansion and up the stairs to where she felt Masaru's faint signature. "Stupid stupid stupid stupid!"

Kaimu had returned with Masaru in tow, and Lakshmi had gone to get Nozomi for the time being once Mia had been informed. So he was here on standby...or babysitting, he couldn't exactly put a term to it.

He was still unconscious, though he looked more like he was just sleeping now instead of completely knocked out. He'd probably wake up soon. For now though, that wasn't the case, and so Kaimu sat...on the floor, leaning back against the bed.

"Hn?" His attention was grabbed as he noticed Mia's presence enter the mansion, and as she grew closer to the door he could here her words. She was upset, though that was to be expected.

Mia's headlong dash ended as she reached the door where Masaru was sleeping. Lakshmi was out apparently, leaving her father with the knocked out man. Without knocking, she entered the room Masaru and Kaimu were in.

Her eyes took in Kaimu sitting on the floor against the bed before they went to Masaru and stayed. Closing the door behind her, she unhooked her cloak and let it drop as she rushed over. Today she wore another of her dresses, though her hair was up in an intricate braided headpiece that she had let a cute member of her squad do. She was talking to some of them...sometimes... She was glad because it kept her hair from flowing all over.

Leaning over the bed, she felt Masaru's forehead and the fever there was not good... But if Lakshmi left then that meant he had been given what he needed. She trusted the doctor but the worry was not rational. She cried softly and silently, too worried as she took Masaru's hand that was sitting outside of the blanket. "Thank you Papa. He's going to be fine right?..."

Kaimu's eyes followed Mia as she entered the room, a frown on his face as he noticed tears. She was worried out of her mind right now...

"Welcome." He replied, "He'll be fine, just as long as he doesn't push himself when he wakes up."

Considering what he did know about Masaru, the man would probably try to jump back into work...which, in his state, he shouldn't be allowed to do. He'd exhausted himself, and hadn't watched his health...

"...He will not be pushing himself. He will be resting when he wakes up." Mia's voice was calm, too calm. There was a dark aura surrounding her, a certainty that yes, he would be resting. Mia would make sure he rested, if she had to sit on him and hold him down.

She wiped the tears with her free hand and turned to give Kaimu a weak smile, all she could really form at the moment. "He's silly sometimes... I know you don't like him...but still thank you Papa for watching out for him. If it was me he would be panicking and rushing around, but I know you and Lakshmi already did all you could for now."

Turning back to stare at Masaru, she leaned down and kissed his forehead softly as she brushed aside bangs. "I'll make some soup for him to have when he wakes up. Do you want anything in particular? I can make something to do with it so it won't just be soup for dinner."

It was something she could do to make them all feel better.

Well...Masaru would definitely be getting his rest. The dark aura Kaimu could feel radiating from Mia confirmed it with one-hundred percent certainty. He almost wanted to feel bad for the man, but...he'd gotten himself into this...

Kaimu had to look away at Mia's words, especially considering the conversation he and Lakshmi had had pertaining to the currently unconscious man.

"...I never said I didn't like him." He responded much how he had with Lakshmi, though his tone was a bit sheepish. He...This was a subject he was still unsure about approaching now...

At the mention of food he shook his head, "You don't need to make anything for me, I think soup should be just fine..."

"It'll be leek soup then, he needs the nutrients... Hm... maybe some sweet bread to go with it..." Mia plotted a dinner, not paying attention for a moment as she tried to figure out what would be best for them. Leek soup was not bitter in the least, so Masaru should be fine with it.

She almost jumped though at Kaimu's words, turning to stare with a bit of shock. Her mouth hung open before she closed it. "...I must be...hallucinating? Do I have Masaru's fever too?"

"But...you always scare him and make him super nervous?" Mia was just confused... Even the news she wouldn't have to make something special for him did not dent her confusion. What...

"Grk..." He kept his head turned away, Mia's tone radiating disbelief at his statement. That...He almost wanted to crawl off again...How was he supposed to say this...? "I'm an overprotective idiot...That's why I acted like that...I don't know how to act any other way around him..."

It was...awkward, they didn't know each other, yet he was the man that was dating his daughter. He didn't know any other way to act when he thought about it that way, considering his protective side...

...Mia hid a smile behind her hand. The confused air disappeared to be replaced by something else, something softer and happier. Her father was a silly person, as amazingly silly as the sick man. Moving Masaru's hand to her left hand, she knelt a bit and reached her hand over to Kaimu's head. Petting it softly, a small smile finally was allowed to show.

"He's a person. Why not just talk to him? Say hello and get to know him? You are a really social person Papa."

Kaimu felt a weight on his head as Mia's hand came to it and began petting him. He risked a glance back at her, noting her smile before he averted his eyes again.

"...Awkward..." He replied, "It's awkward."

That first encounter hadn't exactly...he'd been mad, so either way, both impressions hadn't been the best.

Was Papa pouting? She had rarely seen him like this before. Mia tried to hide the growing smile, Kaimu's mood chasing away her worry over Masaru for now. She could bet... "He's really nice I promise. I bet he feels just as awkward around you... I mean he was the one who from your point of view messed up. He probably feels really guilty."

"But neither of you are sexist prigs who would assume my Papa the right to police who I let into my love life, right?" Mia blinked as her tone shifted just a bit. It was slightly dangerous. "Its only because he's worried that he made a bad impression for messing up and not the act in the first place. It had better be at least."

"Grk-!? I-I said that night that it was your rules." Kaimu quickly responded.

He'd told Shirakawa it was Mia that made the rules, not him! He was not going to police her love life, he...he'd already admitted that overall Shirakawa was probably the best type of person she could have ended up with...

"I know~" Mia's tone was one of that fake happy, her violet eyes almost glowing with evil menace. "I know my Papa wouldn't say one thing and act an entirely different way and thus scaring my sweetheart more than necessary and send fake signals."

"...Just talk to him. Say hello...those sorts of things. He's feeling just as awkward as you, you know. And... just don't trap him places. He gets...really nervous when he's trapped." Mia spoke, looking away and lifting her hand from Kaimu's head as she turned to watch Masaru with a sad expression.

Kaimu kept his mouth shut, especially as Mia explained not to make him feel trapped. That...He kept silent, and repeated to himself mentally that he couldn't have known...just like Lakshmi had said. He couldn't have known...

"I'll go start the soup now... I think I know where the kitchen should be at least." Mia spoke quietly, though she was reluctant to leave Masaru's side. It was obvious as she spoke, her hand holding his as the other joined it in spite of her words.

If she could make it up here, she would. Glancing over at her quiet father, she wondered what was wrong? Had she been...to mean? Turning a bit red, her eyes glanced away. "Sorry Papa. I get...protective over people...and I don't...I react bad to bullies..."

"G...It's alright, really." Kaimu turned to look at Mia after she'd spoken, trying to give her a small smile in hopes to reassure her. "I get it."

Mia looked reluctant to leave, and he could understand why; "I'll keep an eye on him, promise. The kitchen isn't too far from here, if he wakes up in the time you're gone I'll get you."

Mia looked back with a relieved sigh, smiling just a bit as she let her father know without words he had soothed her. Kaimu was perfectly capable of watching Masa, he would need food more than he needed her standing here. Her hands slipped from Masaru's as she bent down to carefully kiss his cheek, his fever having lessened just a bit. It seems whatever they had done was lowering it, that was good.

Turning, she bent down and kissed the top of Kaimu's head too and gave him a little grin. "I'll make the best dinner! Don't you worry. Thank you... Take good care of him for me."

Stepping back, she turned and moved to head out of the room. Soup! Soup needed making.

"Alright, take your time; I'll keep my eye on him." Kaimu replied just as Mia stepped back and spoke, returning her grin with a slightly bigger smile before she turned and left the room.

He glanced up at Masaru who was still out before looking towards the door. The bedside tables were clear, so if drinks or the soup Mia ended up making needed somewhere to be placed it could always go there.

There were probably also trays she could easily find in there as well.

When Mia reached the kitchen, lead there by the smell of something cooking, she entered and saw an older woman. Mara was her name and she gracefully gave up the kitchen to Mia as Mia explained the situation. It seems Lakshmi had set her before she left to making soup, leek soup as well. Most of the ingredients were already cut up and in. Bread was already rising, so Mia gave a happy sigh.

There were a few things she could add and do though and Mara left as she got to work. A few things Mara's recipe didn't have... a few herbs and spices to change the flavor a bit...

Mia was utterly confused by the giant bowl of vanilla pudding, but she did not question the contents of the fridge too much at least. The most time consuming parts were done other than simmering!

Feeling better and a bit more at home despite the large and unfamiliar kitchen, and despite her utter stuttering to the poor confused lady... She could help Masaru like this!

She'd finish the bread, deciding to work on that for now while waiting for the soup to cook down more.

Things were rather uneventful on Kaimu's end, Masaru hardly moved other than his breathing. After awhile though he did turn over on his side, which Kaimu assumed was a good indication that the man wasn't just out and than he was actually getting some form of rest.

If he was moving, perhaps he'd wake up soon?

It took Mia a bit, but the bread would have to rise more. It wasn't as if Masaru could eat any right now anyways...

Getting a tray, she had explored while waiting for the soup to get done, she put the soup in a special bowl with a lid meant to keep it warm while waiting. Setting that, a pitcher of water with a glass and a bowl of the pudding on the tray, she moved to carry it all upstairs.

Carefully, very carefully, she made her way up. Down the hall a bit, she entered the room with the door she had left open so she cold come back. Seeing Masaru had moved, she smiled softly and spoke as she set the tray near the bed. "He likes his side for sleeping it seems."

"He moved, so I guess that means he's getting some rest." Kaimu replied as Mia reentered the room and noticed Masaru had moved to his side. "Oh, right, there's medicine for him to take when he wakes up; should be on the bedside table."

Unless some mysterious forces had moved it, that's where the medicine should be.

"Mhm. He's sleeping instead of passed out." Mia agreed, a pleased smile on her face as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Shifting the blanket up a bit, she made sure there were no leaks where colder air could get in since Masaru had moved.

Glanced at the table, the medicine was next to the tray and she turned back to Kaimu with a small sheepish grin. "Thanks. I'll make sure he gets it... Don't you want to sit somewhere more comfy Dad? That can't be good for your old back."

Mia teased lightly, staying seated on the edge of the bed as she looked down at Kaimu.

His...his what

Her teasing had had it's effect, and he looked at her with an expression of disbelief. He...

"I...My back is not old!" He quickly exclaimed, his voice not loud, but mostly quick and obviously...He was not old! He was still young, damn it! How could she say such a thing to him!?