hatesthefood

...Alright. You take it easy, don't hurry up for me! I'll just give you time to settle back and then knock on the door.

I promise I won't be doing much for a few days.

[ooc: spam away if you want. Mamoru might join in a while later. ^^]

[Screw the few hours of sleep she'd planned to get as soon as she was done with the house chores (she'd asked for the day off at Bridge of Birds, all due to this horrific weariness weighting her down as of late) Umi had her priorities clear. She hadn't seen Ken in far longer than she'd have liked. She was stopping next door before anything else.

Sure, she held true to her promise of giving her best friend his time alone to get comfortable. But she made it faster than planned through the "family album" Hikaru had so lovingly compiled and there you had her now, knocking on the door.

A little plate with the promised piece of birthday cake was there in her free hand, too. It was up to Ken whether he'd eat it or save it for when he felt like doing so.]

Ken? You there? It's Umi! ...Um. Did I come too early?

Ken answered after a long moment, half-smiling down at his adopted little sister before he moved to let her in. Of course, that just meant Bandit had to greet her with a happy bark, and even Gent managed a quick rub against her leg before he padded off after his master, and once Ken was back in the couch, don't think that the cat didn't find his way into his lap.

He looked much paler than usual and it was almost odd that Ken wasn't shirtless or in a tee since that was how he was always dressed when he was lounging around in his own place. Nope, this time, it was heavy sweats all the way.

"Not a bit too early."

That made her feel instantly better, even though seeing Ken so pale and worn sent a worried shiver up her back: her friend hadn't been alone. Not with these two to keep him cheerful company, now that Mamoru was busy with his job at the department.

Umi smiled past her concern, though she didn't bother to hide it. It was obvious she worried: Ken knew how much she cared, even if she had refrained from mentioning it earlier.

"Hey... Boy, you do look bad." This was an honesty she knew Ken would appreciate. "I couldn't really come too early! I'd have hurried up if I'd known. Look here, big guy." She held out the utterly girly plate. "Brought you cake."

He managed a roll of his eyes when she commented on how he looked. Leave it to Umi to point it out. Granted, he appreciated her honesty and knew she'd never lie to him even to make him feel better but still! His fingers moved to stroke along Gent's back, the cat purring softly at the touch. The offered cake looked good but for some reason, Ken just didn't feel like eating. In fact, just the thought of eating made him go a little paler. No matter, though. He still smiled faintly and nodded to the table he had his feet propped up on before he leaned back a little more.

"Should I even ask just how girly your party was?"

"Fuu arranged it. You do the math." Not that she was complaining. Someone who knew her as well as Ken did could see she was still elated. Oh yeah, he could see that from a mile afar. It'd been by far a birthday that'd surpassed all expectations, considering the place they were stuck in. The one thing that could have made it better was for Ken and Mamoru to have been there. But, hey. She could leave great enough alone as good as the next girl.

"And you'll get to see for yourself too!" Laying the plate on the table, she plopped down on the couch beside Ken and offered the album to him. It opened on the right page for him to check out their dorky smiling faces, flashing v-signs at the camera. Hikaru, Fuu, Presea... even Clef, with his dignity intact as usual.

"It was quite the blast. Everyone then went out on the beach for a walk... Um. Are you cold?" Only now she noticed the odd change in attire. It made her wonder.

There was no doubt that Ken could tell how much she'd enjoyed herself at her party and a ping of dismay ran through him that he'd missed it and had no idea why, but he still smiled a little, chuckling softly at the pictures he was looking through. He hadn't realized that he'd inched away when Umi had settled close to him and her question made his fingers pause as he swallowed a little.

"... yeah. A little. No big deal."

"Must be the illness..." Or... whatever was ailing Ken at the time. Umi hadn't failed to notice how he'd inched away from her, either, but didn't give the action much thought. She obeyed an impulse and lay a hand on his shoulder without prior warning. So cold. Did he have a fever...?

There was a very disagreeable feeling in her stomach. She couldn't put her finger on what it was. But it disturbed her and she set it aside at once. "Are you sure you shouldn't lie down for a bit? Or... I could make you some tea."

Ken felt a shiver run through him when she touched him and it took everything he had to keep from jerking his arm away. Glancing away, he cleared his throat softly, wondering why he was so jumpy.

"I'm not hungry."

Just hearing that word made his fingers twitch.

...why. She'd started to sense something was awfully wrong here, and the most frustrating part was... it almost felt as if she didn't want to know what it was. But something about the situation felt familiar.

Umi felt very awkward where she sat, and shifted there for a moment. She hadn't come here to make Ken feel uncomfortable. She only wanted to keep him company.

"...This is bad. I wish there was something I could do for you. But I have no idea where should I get started."

His eyes locked on a picture of Umi at her party, all smiles and he knew right then that he had to do whatever it took to make sure she kept smiling like that.

"... hey, I'm still getting over it, remember? I'm getting better. You just wait and see."

But how long would that take? Umi was willing to hope not too long, for Ken's sake and her own peace of mind. But something inside her insisted somehow matters weren't as simple.

She shook her head as if to get rid of that nasty hunch and tried to smile.

"...But you have to work to get there, you know? And that means resting, getting stronger... eating, when you feel you'll be able to keep stuff down." Great, now she was playing doctor here. She sighed in silence. Not for the first time she wished Fuu's magic could cure illness and not just wounds. "I'll be helping you with whatever I can. But you know that, don't you."

He nodded a little, swallowing hard when she mentioned eating. There was just something about the word that made him nervous...

"I know you will. You're not gonna let me mope about all this, but that's good for me."

No one was doing any moping there if she could help it, Umi decided. So she had to stop fretting like a dork and disregard the stupid hunches. It was just this mess of a place getting to her. She couldn't let it.

"You bet I won't. Even if I have to come every day to make sure of that."

Ken mock-groaned and let his head drop back to rest against the couch.

"But that means I have to clean!"

"You're going to make me offer to actually help with the house chores, you know?" She had to laugh a little at her friend's reaction. "Watch out. You're in real danger of having me ruin your laundry."

"Sad thing is that you'd be better at it than I would."

He closed his eyes, still smiling a tiny bit.

She really wished he could always smile, and that The City could just lay off of him. It seemed like it always took a special toll on Ken. That wasn't fair. And Umi sincerely felt he'd just been included to her list of the people she wanted to see smile no matter what.

"What? Your clothes end up in pieces when you handle them yourself?"

"It's so not my fault. I think the washer has it out for me."

The smile inched up a little more, glad for some simple silliness.

"Huh. Grudgy thing. Maybe you don't treat it right." Umi herself felt grateful to leave the morosity aside to laugh a little. She relaxed where she sat, feeling slightly more cheerful. But she had a point she intended to make, here.

"Um. Seriously, now. I mean it: you're still recovering. So I got no trouble helping out with the house chores until you're back in shape! Just..." She played with her bangs a little, smiling sheepishly. "I'm not the best housekeeper EVER, mind you."

"I can handle it, Umi. It'll keep me busy until I'm back to work."

He smiled over at her, hoping she wouldn't see just how tired he still was.

Umi had to hold back a sigh. She loved Ken, but this I can handle it attitude sometimes exasperated her with concern: it was so like Hikaru when her sister took it all upon her shoulders. "Are you sure? You won't get over whatever's ailing you right now if you overexert yourself. It wouldn't be a bother!"

Edited 2010-03-06 01:31 (UTC)

He let the smile fade a little, wishing that was was ailing him would pass on by.

"...I'd be happy for the help, Umi."

"Good. That's more like it." No, the fact he was considerably older than her wouldn't stop Umi from getting all big sisterly on Ken. It was what she did with everyone she cared about.

"And keep in mind we're right next door, alright? You don't even have to bother cooking if you're not in the mood. Just come over and we'll take care of that."

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