These Lavender Petals | Semi Eita

five

"You did well today." I said, mentioning his training. "Although you just sat around doing nothing."

He was carrying my bag on his right shoulder. Its something he would constantly do after every training because I stayed back overtime.

"Hey. Didn't you see the dump I did?" He smirked. "I saw your face. You were impressed."

I only rolled my eyes at his cocky attitude. He brushed a finger under his nose in pride, the smirk never left his face.

We had early dinner at a small barbecue buffet and I ate too much since Eita kept adding more and more meat to my plate, and I ate everything without complaining. He liked to watch me eat. He said that ever since we were little.

Now that we're walking home, I felt lethargic.

"I heard you went to the nurse's office. Are you feeling sick?" Eita inquired. He was now staring at me and I can't help but avoid it, staring everywhere but his face.

How could I look at him again? I just coughed up a goddamn flower bud out of my lungs because of this guy.

Not because I'm mad at him or anything. I just feel embarrassed because I had thought he was interested in me.

"Who'd you hear from?" I questioned, trying to act as discreet as possible. Eita noticed.

"Someone." He whistled a low tune. "Are you hiding something from me?"

I chuckled, trying to hide my wavering eyes. "What? Why would I hide anything from you?" I said, as if he was crazy. "Come on, Eita. You're my best friend."

"Right..." He said, hesitant.

"Who'd you hear from? Tendo?" I tried asking casually.

"Tendo?" Eita asked, confused. "Tendo Satori? You met him?"

So its not Tendo. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, in the nurse's office." I stated.

Then it must be Quell.

Eita was quiet for a moment, eyes planted on the ground with a slight furrow in between his brows.

"Who told you?" I interrupted his train of thought, his eyes settled on mine.

"I actually saw you." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders lazily.

I felt a pang in my heart. The one where it shoots pain up your throat and pinched your lungs as if I lack electrolytes.

I swallowed. "Why didn't you come see me, then?"

"I was giving a tour to Briell." He chuckled shyly, placing a hand behind his neck. "Teacher's order."

And he couldn't spare a second or two to check up on me?

Was that why I felt so nauseous?

I'm assuming he's thinking about her because he had the face he had when he mentioned her to me earlier today.

When we were eating lunch.

I felt an itch in my throat. I needed to cough it out, but I know what will happen if I do.

Hold it in. Hold it in.

I gripped Eita's biceps, squeezing it in my hand. He grew alert, bending down quickly to my level.

My hand hovered above my mouth and I shut my eyes quickly, squeezing it so tightly I didn't realise a tear ran down my face.

Why wasn't the pain going away? I'm touching him!

Gripping his arm harder, I begged and begged for the pain to go away. But it never did.

"Hey? Hey! Meraki!" I felt Eita's warm hands rest gently above my cheeks, forcing me to look in his direction.

The feeling faded away slowly at his touch. His thumb wiping away the tear escaping my eye.

It only resided when he touched me, not the other way around.

"Meraki, are you okay?" Eita's brows were furrowed. Worried clouded his dark brown eyes which were searching mine for any sign of pain, sadness, anything. "You've been coughing a lot today. You couldn't have caught a fever, could you?"

My hand were still above my mouth, too tired to move. Too tired to do anything to be honest.

This disease is really draining.

"It's still summer." He mumbled quietly. His hand rested against my forehead, to feel my temperature. "You don't feel hot."

I wanted to joke about it, replying with I am hot, dimwit. But I couldn't. I can feel my energy leaving my body, replenishing only when Eita held me.

"Get on my back." Eita said suddenly, crouching in front of me. His bag was now strapped in front of him, my bag above his.

"Eita, no—" He backed up into me, making me stumble on top of him. He wasn't affected by my weight at all. Didn't even grunt as he wrapped my feet around his waist.

"It's fine. You don't look so well." He said as continued to carry my home.

There wasn't any exchange of words. I rest my head against his shoulder, breathing in his scent. It comforted me so much I felt like that was the only thing that could help me get through life.

It was musky with a hint of lavender and vanilla. He smelled nice. Really nice.

"I'm sorry." He apologised. "I wouldn't ask you to stay back if I knew you were this sick."

I didn't reply. Because I was mad at him.

Because he could've just visited me, just for a short while at the nurse's office. But he didn't.

When he was at practice he didn't even bring it up, no matter how many times he stopped by me to take a swig from his water bottle that he left for me to guard.

So I just listened, feeling the vibration emitting from his back.