Title: Isn't it Romantic?

Author: tarotgal

Rating: er, it's m/m but PG I suppose?

Fandom: Gravitation

Pairing: Shuichi/Yuki

Spoilers: This takes place during episode 6, but doesn't really give anything away at all

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, Maki Murikami does, and this is all just for fun, not money or fame or any of those other things one might expect from a simple little sneezefic. LOL

Summary: Shuichi does catch a cold after Yuki kicks him out one night. But Yuki's weakness for the younger man brings them both to bed in the end.

Notes: Most of the beginning section's dialogue is taken directly from the actual episode 6 fansub. I didn't write it myself, only added a little for the plot :-)

This is also my very first attempt at the fandom ever.

 

 

 

Isn't it Romantic?


     Next time Yuki kicked him out, he was going to demand a sweater or a jacket come with him. He closed the door behind, shivering still. He ran his hands up and down his arms and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. He could hear the sounds of Yuki Eiri moving around at the end of the hallway. Shuichi took a deep breath and walked in. He had been rehearsing his apology all morning. "Um... sorry... are you still angry?" He asked, rocking in the threshold nervously. "You must be, since I was so loud... I didn't realize... but I wanted to apologize."

 

     It was too early yet for beer, but he needed a few sips to head this one off. Then Yuki crossed the room and sat down on the couch with a soft sigh.

 

     "I had Mika-san drop me off," Shuichi continued, trying his best to think of more to say.

 

     But Yuki finally spoke up. "I acted wrongly. Did you catch cold?"

 

     Shuichi looked shocked at first at the words, but then his heart warmed, tingling like his skin as it adjusted to the heated home. He brought his eyes up from the floor as his face broke out into a smile. Yuki cared enough to apologize as well. And he cared enough to ask how Shuichi felt. "Yuki!" he breathed happily. "No, no, not at all!" He jumped onto the couch beside Yuki snuggling up beside him. The man was so warm to the touch. "I mean, it was my fault, and I'm stupid. So I'm fine." His nose had a slightly different opinion as it ran, but he sniffed quietly. Yuki seemed to notice, and pulled him closer. Shuichi curled up, head in Yuki's lap.

 

     "Mika-san told me that I didn't know anything about you." He felt the older man's hand sift through his hair soothingly. "But I didn't ask her anything!" Shuichi squeezed Yuki's knee back in appreciation of the touch. "I want to get to know you by myself. I want to hear it from you." He rubbed more at his nose. "But I wonder why Mika-san said that. She sounded as if I needed to know something but I didn't. What is this about Yuki?" Shuichi closed his eyes and let the rest pour out. "I want to know everything about you."

 

     There was silence for a moment in which Shuichi thought Yuki might actually confess something. But what he said was, "Why do you want to know?"

 

     Shuichi opened his eyes wide. And this was the man who always insulted him for asking stupid questions? He pulled back and say up, giving his nose another quick rub with the back of his hand. "It's only normal! It's sad that I don't know about you. It's not fair... " He trailed off, breath hitching with the need to sneeze.

 

     "That's enough!" Yuki said, his voice full of anger. But he took hold of Shuichi and kissed him hard. Hard enough that all questions and needs and memories of this conversation quickly flooded out of Shuichi's mind. Shuichi went weak in his arms, shoulders raising in pleasure as the kiss took him over.

 

     The young man pulled back finally, closing his eyes. The urge to sneeze could be resisted no longer. He turned to the side, body shaking as it tensed up. "hehhhh-Kshiii! Hihhh-Kshhhii!" He sniffled and rubbed his wrist against his nose.

 

     "Didn't catch cold, you say?" asked Yuki. "And what are you trying to do now, not give it to me?"

 

     "Ahh!" Shuichi exclaimed angrily. "You were the one who kissed me!" He turned his head, this time quickly cupping his hand over his nose. "ehhh-KSHHiiii!" The sneeze pitched him forward and seemed to take much out of him. He sniffed and closed his eyes, feeling weak.

 

     But Yuki reached out and took a gentle hold of his bare arm. "Come. You need to be in bed." Shuichi was again surprised at the man's display of caring as he was led to the bedroom and deposited beneath the covers. Shuichi snuggled himself into bed, pulling the covers around himself exactly how he liked them and letting his head sink into his pillow.

 

     Yuki walked to the bathroom, coming back with a box of tissues he placed beside Shuichi's pillow, and a thermometer he looked a bit hesitant to use. Shuichi sunk beneath the covers. "I'm fine, Yuki," he said, voice muffled so that his words were barely distinguishable. Then the covers shook with him as he gave another sneeze. "hhhKshhmmm!" After a few seconds of sniffling, he gave up and poked out from the covers to retrieve a tissue.

 

     Yuki grasped his shoulder hard to keep him from slipping back down again. He shoved the thermometer into Shuichi's mouth. "Yuki!" Shuichi growled around the thermometer, but Yuki gave him a look that told him not to protest. So he crossed his arms over his chest and waited it out, sniffling pointedly more often than perhaps he needed to. Yuki walked around the bed, sitting softly on his side to wait as well.

 

     When time was up, Yuki took the thermometer back. "No," he said softly and with a bit of frustration. But then he gently pulled the covers up to Shuichi's chin, tucking them around him tenderly. "You are not fine." He got up to put the thermometer away and returned with a cool compress. He sat back down on the bed before placing it against Shuichi's forehead.

 

     Shuichi pouted. "I need to go into the studio today." Though he didn't want to do anything that required getting out of Yuki's warm bed.

 

     "You need to stay in bed and feel better," Yuki said, patting his side through the blankets.

 

     "hehhh-Keshhiii! huhhh-Kshhhiii!" With another sneeze on the way, he reached blindly out for another tissue, missing the box by about a foot. "hehh... huhh..." Getting desperate, he pulled his other hand out from beneath the covers and cupped it around his nose and mouth as he continued to try for the tissues. "hehh-ehhhhhh-" Taking pity on him, Yuki reached over him and retrieved a tissue, pushing it into Shuichi's hand. "hehhKeshhh! huh-KShhiii! hehKishiiii!" He sneezed weakly. It looked as though it took him a bit of effort to regain his breath afterwards. He blew his nose and opened his eyes to see the phone dangling in front of his face. "Ah?"

 

     "Call Hiro. You're staying in bed. Tell him I'm forcing you if you like." Shuichi's cheeks flushed red with the implication and he grinned. "Not that sort of in bed. Now call, and I'll go make you some tea."

 

     Reluctantly, he took the phone and dialed, waiting to press the last button until his eyes had finished watching Yuki leave the room. He didn't mind Yuki listening in, but he wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to notice Yuki's rear. Shuichi grabbed a tissue from the box, waiting for the sneeze that was sitting there at the edge. "heh..." He sniffed hard to try and get the tickle to go away. Giving up on it after nearly a minute, he finished dialing and had to sit through three rings before Hiro picked up. Instead of replying to the greeting as he'd intended, the sneeze took that moment to strike. "hahKshhiii!" Quickly, he rubbed his nose dry.

 

     "Shuichi?"

 

     "I can't come into practice today," he explained. "I have to stay in bed." He grinned stretching with his free arm and tucking his hand beneath his head to look relaxed in bed.

 

     "Shuichi!" Hiro exclaimed with a laugh.

 

     "No, I'm actually feeling sick this time. I have a real cold and I'm running a fever." He wiped his nose again.

 

     "Oh... Shuichi-chan... I heard the sneeze... are you getting enough rest and drinking juice?"

 

     Shuichi shrugged. "I just got into bed, actually."

 

     Hiro sounded insistent. "But you will?"

 

     "I will."

 

     "Okay. I'll call K and the others then. Feel better. And you tell that Yuki of yours that if he doesn't take good care of you he'll have me to deal with."

 

     Shuichi smiled. "Thanks." He sniffed hard and spoke quickly, "I have to go... gonna sneeze again..."

 

     Hiro laughed. "Bye."

 

     Shuichi just had time enough to hand up before the sneezes struck. "hehhKushhhii! heh-Kshhiii!"

 

     Yuki came in from the other room, blowing gently into a mug of tea to cool it just a little. He settled back onto his side of the bed and gave the tea a stir. He gave the spoon a lick, then left it in his mouth as he handed over the cup. Shuichi made a face. "Thanks but I don't really like tea." He pushed it back in refusal.

 

     Yuki didn't know exactly what to say to that. "Well, I added a little honey. It will make you feel better." What sort of a person didn't like tea? Especially when sick. "This is the kind of tea all the great singers drink when they're sick. It keeps the cold from hurting your throat too badly." Yuki nudged him a little to take it again.

 

     "All the great singers?" Shuichi asked. He took the mug and sniffed at it. "Well, I don't want a scratchy throat..." He took a small sip and made a face at the taste, but then continued to drink it. He drank quickly so as to taste it less but finished it off completely. Yuki took it from him, patting his head in reward. Shuichi snuggled back under the covers so just the top of his head was visible.

 

     "You should get some rest," Yuki advised, starting to get up so Shuichi would have the bed to himself for as long a nap as he needed.

 

     "Climb under and warm me up?" Shuichi asked hopefully, smiling.

 

     Yuki rolled his eyes. "Idiot. I have no intention of catching your cold."

 

     Shuichi pouted and sniffled, his lower lip quivering. "But you made me stand out in the cold... and I don't feel very well... and... and... hahShhiii! ehhhKShahhh!" He sniffled weakly and rubbed a balled-up tissue at his nose.

 

     Yuki sighed and lay down beside him, above the covers. After exchanging Shuichi's used tissue with a fresh one, he took the younger man in his arms and patted his head gently. "I'll stay until you fall asleep," he promised.

 

     Shuichi smiled playfully. "Then I'll have to stay awake for a long time." But he was already yawning and his eyes were already trying to close with tiredness. He felt a gentle kiss on his cheek as he finally allowed his eyes to close, and before he could thank Yuki for it, he was asleep.

 

 

 

 

     Yuki had a meeting with his editor that afternoon, over the concept draft he had submitted for his next novel. The meeting ran long, and the notes Yuki came away with were longer still. He could never remember being given so many notes and wondered what in the world had been so different about the subject of his story this time. On the way home, he flipped through his proposed copy, searching for some clue as to where the imperfections had come from. But, as he closed the door behind him, he decided that the change had not been in the story but in himself. With a sigh he tossed the folder of papers onto his desk and went immediately to the fridge for a beer.

 

     He felt a bit better after half a beer and a few drags on a cigarette. Leaving both on his desk, he peeked into the bedroom. Shuichi was lying on his back in a tangle of blankets and pillows. A bunch of used tissues were strewn about the bed as well. With a soft sigh, Yuki shook his head. He walked in silently and tugged the blankets back into place so they covered him better. The young man purred and pulled the blankets around himself in reaction. Yuki smiled at how angelic and quiet Shuichi was when asleep. Even the soft smile he had in sleep was endearing. Yuki cleaned up the bed a bit as well, throwing away the discarded tissues and tucking the sheets back beneath the foot of the mattress.

 

     Yuki returned to his desk, going straight for the cigarette. There was no doubt in his mind now that he'd changed. This childish little idiot who annoyed him to death had changed him back to the person he'd always wanted to be but tried to hard to forget. His throat seized and he coughed as he stubbed the cigarette out. He knocked back the rest of the beer and propped his feet up on the corner of his desk.

 

     He spread the papers across his lap and legs, looking from the notes to his words. Every so often he would make some notes in the margins. The sun slowly set as he worked, light retreating from the room through the large windows. He didn't notice how dark it had gotten until he was squinting at his papers. But as he went to flip on the light, another feeling overtook him. He quickly pressed the back of his wrist to his nose. "ihhChoo! ihhhChooo!" Blinking, he sniffled and reached towards the lamp, taking instead a tissue from the small box. He blew softly at his nose, then cleared his throat. That little idiot...

 

     "Yuki?" came a tired voice from behind him. He swung his head over his shoulder to see Shuichi standing there, blanket around his shoulders, clutched tightly to his stomach. "I did't hear you cub hobe."

 

     "And I didn't want to wake you. I do have more things to think about in my life than you and your little problems, you know." He gestured towards the pile of papers, brushing the used tissue beneath a few so that Shuichi wouldn't notice it. "How are you feeling?"

 

     "I ab feelig buch better," he replied with a shrug. "hehKishhhii! hehKashhii! hehKSHhhh! Sniff! Sniff! Though still a little stuffy add sdeezey." He scrubbed two fingers beneath his nose. Then he dug a tissue out of his pocket and blew his nose to make himself sound much clearer for a while.

 

     He certainly sounded the part, but there was more color in his face now. "You should get back to bed then," he said. A moment later, he wished he had made the comment sound much more insistent for his nose tickled with the urge to sneeze. He certainly did not wish for Shuichi to see him sneeze. He tried to say something else but his body pulled back with a deep breath, then rocked forwards just a little as he let it out. His eyes closed and face went slack as he drew another deep, sharp breath. "ihhChoo! ihhhChahhh!"

 

     "Yuki?" He watched as Yuki sniffed into the back of his wrist and then reluctantly reached for a tissue. "Ohhhhh... Yuki..." In a flash, Shuichi was at his side. He pulled off the blanket and wrapped it around Shuichi's shoulders instead. "You caught my cold, didn't you?" It was pointless to disagree, so he nodded. "I'm so sorry, Yuki," he whispered. "But I guess then it's my turn to take care of you." He reached beneath the blankets and pulled out Yuki's hand, tugging on it gently. "Come on, you should be in bed."

 

     Yuki shook his head, sniffing a little. "No, I've got a little work to finish. I'll be all right. I don't need to go straight to bed."

 

     But Shuichi would hear none of it. "Nope, right to bed. Right now. With me. Come on." He managed to drag Yuki to the bedroom and tucked the covers around him loosely.

 

     He headed to the bathroom and returned with the thermometer, shaking it in the air. When Yuki's gaze fell on it, he tried to pull himself out of bed. "Oh no, I definitely don't need--"

 

     "Awww, of course you do. We need to find out how bad your fever is." He bounced onto the bed and stuck the thermometer into Yuki's mouth. Almost immediately after, his face began twitching around his nose. Knowing the feeling quite intimately, Shuichi grabbed two tissues from the box and placed them over Yuki's nose, pinching it closed tightly for him.

 

     They waited a minute, with Yuki struggling around gasping breaths, until Shuichi took the thermometer out. Then Yuki took charge of the tissues on his own. "ihhChooo! ihhhChuhhh! ihhChooo!"

 

     "Awww, bless you Yuki," he cooed, reaching out and stroking Yuki's hot forehead gently. He did indeed have a fever, higher in fact than Shuichi's had been. "Can I get you something? Have you had dinner yet? Or would you like some tea?" Sniffing, Yuki nodded behind the tissues. Shuichi left immediately, eager to do his best in making some tea. Yuki could hear him sneezing in the kitchen. But he returned after a while with a mug of tea. "I don't think I did this right... but it could be close enough?"

 

     He offered it over and Yuki took a sip, then nodded. It certainly wasn't the best he'd ever tasted, and he guessed Shuichi had skipped a step in the straining. "Close enough," he verified.

 

     With a slight shiver, Shuichi crawled under the covers as well, inching closer to him beneath. "Romantic, isn't it, Yuki?" he said absentmindedly, reaching over to pet Yuki.

 

     Yuki pushed his advances away to concentrate on the tea. "Romantic? Catching your cold? I feel sick and tired and awful, yes, but not roman...tic..." He reached past Shuichi and took a tissue from the box. "ihhhChooo! ahhhChooo! ihhChoo!" He sniffed hard and blew his nose one-handed, still holding onto the tea. "I write romance novels, you idiot," he said. "And this is certainly not my idea of romantic."

 

           "Yes, romantic," Shuichi repeated dreamily as though Yuki had said nothing whatsoever. "Lying in bed, sick together, keeping each other warm, taking care of each other." He reached over took the tissue box, setting it in between their pillows so Yuki had easy access as well.

 

     The elder man finished off his tea and set the cup to the side. Then he slid down under the covers and rolled onto his stomach. He always slept on his stomach. "ihhChuhhhh!" He sneezed, reaching up for a tissue, though Shuichi already had one ready for him. Yuki blew his nose miserably and tossed the tissue aside, just narrowly missing his trash can. He swore in frustration.

 

     "It's okay," Shuichi soothed, pushing some of the bright blonde hair from the man's face so he could gaze into those deep, beautiful eyes. "Just get some sleep, I promise that will bake you feel better." He leaned over and kissed Yuki gently on the lips, then pulled back smiling as Yuki pushed him off with a frustrated grunt. It was because of this kid that he was sick. And he supposed it really was his fault that Shuichi was sick in the first place.

 

     Cheek-first, Yuki's head sank back down into his pillow, but he looked up at Shuichi. "Why are you being so nice to me?" he asked.

 

     Shuichi shrugged and laughed lightly. "Because I love you and care about you and I want to do everything I can to make you feel better. Always. I never want to see my Yuki not feeling well when there is something I can do about it." Taking a big risk, he snuggled close to Yuki to keep the fever-ridden man warmer.

 

     Yuki coughed and froze for a moment, seeming to consider this new, intimate position. "You don't know anything about love." He really didn't know a thing at all. But from what Yuki had seen so far, Shuichi was certainly a quick study. But still he draped his arm around Shuichi, pulling him as close as possible, and closed his eyes. Shuichi grinned at the approval and kissed his cheek before closing his own eyes.