Damaged

Chapter Eight.

The thing about fevers is, you never see them coming. One minute you're alright then the next thing you know you have a head-splitting headache and your eyes are burning, then you start feeling all worn out even though you've done nothing but lie around all day and your back aches like there's no tomorrow. You're only dimly aware that your body is radiating heat and you just blame it on the weather, then comes the dizziness every time you stand up and that's when you start realizing that something is seriously wrong, but you still can't pinpoint it. Then all it takes is for someone to touch your forehead and tell you you're burning up and then BAM, everything makes sense.

"Diana, this is not gonna work." Kage protested for what seemed to me like the fifty-fourth time in an hour as he dabbed the wet cloth in the bowl of cold water. "Your temperature is too high, this is doing nothing."

I only sighed in response, determined to stand my ground. "I'm not going to shower Kage, I'll probably faint before I make it to the bathroom."

That was only half the truth since the bathroom was literally two feet away from my bed and the dizziness I had earlier stopped, but then the effort of taking a shower and letting the icy cold waterfall over my body would probably make me faint.

He huffed in frustration and placed the cloth on my forehead. "No, you won't, you've taken enough meds to keep you stable on your feet."

Crossing my arms stubbornly, I said, "Well I've also taken enough meds for my temperature to drop, so there's no need for me to leave my bed."

Today Kage looked like he fell out of bed to find himself in my apartment. Tousled hair, light scruff, a wrinkled t-shirt and jeans. Maybe that's what actually happened, he woke up and came straight here.

What happened was that Jess had plans with Adam today, and she canceled them when I got sick because she's God-sent and she wanted to take care of me. Adam, in turn, told Kage about it, and it was only half an hour before Jess found Kage on our doorstep. From what Kage told me, Jess hugged the life out of him when she saw him. I couldn't blame her. If I had enough energy I would have probably done the same thing. I mean, how often do you find a guy who wouldn't hesitate to take care of you when you're sick?

Somehow, for the past week Kage and I always seemed to find a reason to hang out. They weren't dates but we weren't acting like friends either. Personally, I had no idea what we were, if someone asked me to introduce Kage to them I would be at a loss of words trying to describe what he is to me. However, Jess likes to describe our relationship as 'Friends who liked to drive each other mad with sexual frustration', which, unfortunately, is an accurate description.

Kage, like the major tease he is, kept doing the butterfly touches thing, and it wasn't long before I decided that two can play the game.

So we've been like this for nearly a week now. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it a little... maybe more than a little.

His head was bowed down, lips pursed and eyes closed. From where I sat I couldn't see his hands but I knew they were curled in tight fists, the blue veins becoming more visible under his skin. He was running out of patience and this was his way to stop himself from doing or saying something he'll regret later. I knew this because I've seen him doing it twice till now, it lasted for about three seconds each time.

His voice was void of emotion when he spoke next, "There's nothing I could do to convince you, is there?"

I had only known the man before me for a little over two weeks, but I liked to think I knew a thing or two about him, one of those things were that he doesn't just simply give up or let go of something he wants.

With suspension buzzing through me, I gave him a leveled gaze and nodded slowly. He let out a breath I didn't know he was holding, and got up. For a moment I was worried he was truly crossed, and my stomach tightened at the thought, but I was proved wrong he closed the space between himself and the bed and picked me up in one swift motion, carrying me to the bathroom.