Caramel Blondie

7- vertigo

1300 hours, 27th December

Kirishima was to be found in his apartment, still in bed. One might think this was quite a late hour to be bundled up in bed, but Kirishima had a perfectly good reason. He had fallen ill with a cold on Christmas day, and it had only worsened. It was now progressing into feeling more like a flu than a cold, and Kirishima found himself assailed with all manner of symptoms, including a cough, stuffy nose, and even delirium.
He was quite dizzy and lethargic.
He was feeling so under the weather that he hadn't even cooked himself anything to eat yet today, and could barely muster the energy to make toast the night before in a dismal attempt at dinner.
He had let Todoroki know that he couldn't help out on the case, and he had been quite understanding.
Privately, Kirishima wondered if Katsuki was as understanding. He knew how important this case was to him.
He groaned softly to himself and rolled over, feeling very uncomfortable. He couldn't find a comfy position no matter how he tried. It seemed that he was stuck with discomfort.
It was as he was beginning to feel frustrated by this that he heard a sharp series of knocks on his apartment entrance door.
He froze for a few moments, and wondered who the hell could be knocking. Frankly, he didn't much care. He felt like shit, and didn't want to get up.
There was quite a lengthy silence, in which Kirishima thought the person would probably assume he wasn't home and leave, but then another series of knocks resounded through the place.
Kirishima flipped his blankets off and walked to the door in only his boxer briefs and a shirt. He unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door, prepared to berate his visitor and send them away.
Instead, he stopped dead, silence hanging in the air. Katsuki Bakugo was at his door.
"Hey," the blond greeted. He was toting a big tupperware full of what looked to be soup. Kirishima blinked. "You look like shit," Katsuki murmured. Kirishima frowned slightly.
"Thanks," he said.
"Can I come in?" Katsuki asked. Kirishima stood aside, totally unsure of how he wanted to respond. "Sorry for dropping by without any notice. I made soup for you, thought it might make things easier on you."
Katsuki Bakugo was standing in his apartment. Katsuki Bakugo was standing in his apartment, and he'd cooked for him.
"Thank you," Kirishima said, "but, you're going to catch my cold."
"I don't care," Katsuki replied immediately. He walked to the kitchen bench nearby and placed down the container. He was walking back towards him, now. Kirishima made the decision to shut the front door, twisting to do so. The door snapped closed, but as he turned back, Kirishima sort of lost his balance, vertigo taking him to his hands and knees. Katsuki rushed forward, as though to catch him.
He hadn't forseen the fall though, and wasn't quite close enough.
Kirishima winced as pain echoed through his knees and wrists at the shock of the impact.
Katsuki was right there, though. Without prompt, Kirishima was quickly pulled into Katsuki's chest. The blond pulled him to his feet and held him firmly against himself. Kirishima couldn't even be bothered to be embarrassed. He held himself up as best he could on his weak legs and leaned on Katsuki for help.
"Are you okay?" Bakugo smoothed his red hair back out of his eyes, and then placed his arm gently against his forehead. "You're burning up," he said quietly.
Kirishima leaned his head on Katsuki's shoulder sleepily.
Katsuki moved, and Kirishima frowned a little, but then he was swept from his feet, and carried bridal style through to his bedroom.
"I'm sorry..." Kirishima murmured.
"It's okay, no need for you to apologise," Katsuki walked to the bed and placed him carefully upon it, then pulled the thick layer of blankets up over him. "Wait here, I'll get medication."
Kirishima was suddenly alone in the room. He heard Katsuki moving around in the kitchen, and then the microwave going.
Katsuki returned with water and two tablets, which Kirishima sat up carefully to take. Katsuki left the water on the bedstand and disappeared into the kitchen again, then returned with a bowl of hot chicken soup and two pieces of bread.
"Careful, it's hot," he told him. He helped Kirishima position the bowl. Kirishima spooned some up. It smelled really yummy, but he was not in the mood to eat. Still, Katsuki made this for him. He was determined to eat as much as he could stomach.
It tasted really good, so that made the process easier.
"Todoroki told me you were sick. It took me half the day to get your address out of him."
Kirishima laughed softly, feeling a little of his energy ebb back into him. "It's good to see you focus on something other than the case," Kirishima commented.
"You sound like Shinsou," he smiled softly. Kirishima ate a little faster, actually enjoying the meal even though he wasn't feeling up to eating.
"You're a good cook," he smiled brightly at Katsuki between spoonfuls.
Katsuki smiled sort of bashfully back, and Kirishima wished he could freeze that look on his face a little longer, because he was downright adorable. "Sorry I'm not much of a host at the moment. The house is a mess, and I did a crap job of greeting you. I even fell over. I feel like a liability."
"You're just the opposite." Katsuki was suddenly serious, "I haven't been able to get any work done on this case because all I can think about is how you're not in the room with me, theorising."
Now that was a bit cute. Kirishima smiled around his mouthful of chicken soup.
"I want you better so I can have you back," Katsuki told him. Kirishima nodded his head.
"Well, I've been having a really bad few days too, if that's any consolation," he let out a short laugh.
Katsuki wasn't laughing, "no, I want you to feel good. I don't like knowing you're suffering." It seemed Bakugo was feeling very honest today. It was such a genuine thing to say. It sort of left Kirishima stunned. The redhead enjoyed the rest of his meal quietly, unsure of what to add to that. It was only a few spoonfuls anyway.
"All done?"
"Yep," Kirishima replied. Katsuki disappeared to the kitchen again, and Kirishima settled down into his warm, fluffy bed. He was feeling very sleepy now.
Katsuki couldn't have been gone more than a couple of minutes, but when he returned, Kirishima was fading in and out of consciousness. The blond crouched by the bed, his fingers brushed across Kirishima's forehead again, chasing stray pieces of hair.
"Katsuki?" Kirishima muttered.
"Mm?"
"Stay with me?" He asked.
"Of course," came the answer. "I'll just go get a chair, okay? And then I'll stay by you until you wake up."
"No," Kirishima gripped Katsuki's wrist.
"No?"
"Just stay. Play with my hair?" Kirishima half whispered.
"Okay, but I'm going to get a chair. I'll be back, I promise."
"Lay with me," Kirishima opened his eyes, peered up at Katsuki through his lashes.
"I- are you sure?"
He still had tight grip on Katsuki's wrist.
"Yes. Please lay down with me," Kirishima made eye contact with him.
Katsuki hesitated a moment more, but only a moment. He leaned down, slipped off his shoes and then skirted the bed. He climbed into the bed with Kirishima. The redhead rolled over, snuggled in close and wrapped an arm across his midriff, then laid his head on Katsuki's shoulder. Katsuki reached up and began to run his fingers slowly through his hair.
Kirishima closed his eyes, began to drowsily doze. The last thing he saw through his lashes before he blacked out was Katsuki's peaceful expression at this simple act of comfort.

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*this chapter published 15/07/2021