16. Fever

PE was a time I got to skip class legally. But this time, I decided I was too lazy to move from the roof. Lunch break just ended and it was currently the class where everyone rushed out to change, and I headed for the infirmary, but I didn't want to move.

I think I overworked myself last night. Sleeping at four wasn't a good idea, after all, especially when you're training the whole night and have to wake up an hour later for breakfast duty.

My body felt heavy. Weak. Hot. The sun wasn't even shining that brightly, but it was blinding me with its rays. My uniform seemed stuffy and sweltering to wear, but my arms wouldn't lift to take my tie off.

I drooped sideways, ending up in a lying position on my side. A gentle breeze blew by, and I shivered at the cold.

Yeah, I'm sick. Definitely sick.

"Herbivore."

I buried my face deeper into my arms. This wasn't good. I don't have the strength to fight the prefect today. I just wanna sleep. A shadow covered the sun from shining down on my face. Like a cloud, I amusingly thought as I opened my eyes weakly.

Hibari was staring down at me, his usual unreadable expression on his face.

"Hibari...-senpai." I mumble. My eyes drop closed again as my breathing eased. I curled up into a tighter ball, unable to handle the coldness of the breeze and the heat of my body temperature- I was sweating, my body confused as to whether it was actually feeling warm or cool. "It's cold..." I mumble under my breath.

I felt myself get lifted. Huh? I opened my eyes to find my head resting on someone's chest. I looked up and-

"Hi-Hibari-senpai?!?" I freaked out.

He looked back down at me and tutted. "I can't bite to death a herbivore that's already down." he said, "You belong in the infirmary."

I blushed. I'm being carried- by him- bridal style- Please don't get me wrong, this is probably any girl's dream. But- I'm a guy, am I not? That kind of makes it a little more embarrassing-

And no matter the gender, getting carried like this is embarrassing!

"I-" I spoke up quickly, "I can get there myself!" I say, "You- You can let me down!"

Hibari looked skeptic. He eyed me for a long moment, but ultimately his answer was a simple and final, "No."

Eh-

"I'm bringing you to the infirmary." he said.

Huh? Wait- What-

-----

The whole trip there, I covered my face with my hands. We passed by quite a few classes, and to be perfectly honest all of them were gawking.

I covered my face- which was bright red in embarrassment- as Hibari Kyouya walked on calmly, unaffected, glaring at crowding herbivores.

No but why? Let me go-

He opened the door with his feet, and he laid me down on a bed. He huffed. "Just this once, you get to skip class," he told me.

I gulped. Mentally slapping myself- Okay, Rei, go with the flow!

I chuckle. "Yessir, Hibari-senpai." I gave him a mock salute, still lying down on the bed. "Thanks for getting me here." I say, looking the prefect in the eye, holding up as confident a face I could muster.

This seemed to surprise Hibari, as his eyes slightly widened in surprise. His lips curved upwards in a smile. He put a hand at my forehead- I jolted at the cold hand- and sighed.

"You have a fever. Sleep." he ordered.

"Yes, sir." Pulling the covers over myself, I turn away, pouting.

He sighed once more, and I heard him leave, closing the door behind him. Three seconds later, I pulled the covers over my head and decided to die from embarrassment.

My face was bright, beet red, and my head was screaming.

That was the most embarrassing experience in my life.

Meanwhile, Kuma-sensei who had been hiding at the other bed pushed away the curtains and whistled. "The pureness of youth." he mused.

"Shut up, Kuma!" I snapped.

-----

"No, seriously, next time, come straight to the infirmary, please." Kuma's voice sounded annoyed, "If it was anything worse, you'd be in trouble. I'd be in trouble, too."

"Haha!" came a gruff voice, "It's just a sprain! I'm absolutely fine!"

Rousing awake, I pulled myself up from the bed, rubbing my eyes. The curtains were closed, but there was definitely something going on in the infirmary. I climbed over to the other edge of the bed and pulled apart the curtains a little-

"Oh, good morning, Ninomiya." Kuma noticed me first.

"Oh, it's Ninomiya!" Sasagawa Ryohei was extremely excited even as he was getting his wrist bandaged, "Extreme good morning!"

"Hm?" I was still groggy, "Oh, good morning..."

"Your bedhair is extreme!" Ryohei laughed.

"Is your fever down?" Kuma left the chair and walked over here, placing a hand at my forehead while the other hand was trying to smoothen out my hair, "Nope, not yet. Back to bed with you."

"Oh, you're sick?" Ryohei was loud as usual, "Get some extreme rest!"

The curtain was pulled close in my face.

I blinked.

Okay, back to sleep then.

-----

"Ciaossu," was what woke me up the second time.

I groggily pulled myself up, yawning. "Ciaossu," I imitated. I crossed my legs and rubbed my eyes, "What time is it now?" I ask, "Is school over yet?"

"No," Reborn reported to me, "It's a little into the last period." He jumped onto my lap and settled down there as I leaned against the wall.

"So, for what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, Reborn-kun?" I ask, fixing my bedhair and clipping my hair up properly.

"I just have a little question." Reborn turned to me. His expression were as usual: unreadable, undiscernible. I wonder- was he reading my expressions too?

"A question?" I chuckle, a simple, empty smile on my face. "Please, fire away."

"Then," Reborn's voice sounded cold for a moment. His gaze seemed to grow serious- although it was very faint on his empty features. "How much do you know about the Mafia?"

My smile froze on my face. Then, it just melted away into a resigned, relieved sigh. Standing up with Reborn in my arms, I brushed the curtains aside to walk towards the teacher's desk. I sat on the chair and rolled to the window. No one was outside. Reborn remained silent the whole time, waiting patiently for my response.

What should I reply? I smiled.

"It's a Magicians secret!" I say cheekily.

Reborn didn't seem to like the response. Leon crawled off his hat and into a pistol at his hand.

"Woah, stop stop." I chuckle nervously, "I mean no harm." I say, "I definitely know a lot, but I promise- I'm not an enemy of the Vongola."

"So you know about the Vongola, too." Reborn mused, Leon turning back into a chameleon and resting on the fedora once more.

I grinned. "Tsuna-kun and Takeshi are my friends, so I'm not gonna do anything that might harm them!" I say.

Reborn didn't speak further. He was probably contemplating, and I couldn't read his expressions at all. I chuckle.

"Reborn-kun," I told him, the expression on my face not a smile, "I'm just another passer by in this storyline." I said, "You shouldn't worry too much about a side character like me, and focus on your own student."

I picked Reborn up so he was facing me on an eye level.

"You guys have a lot ahead of you, after all." I smile.

Reborn, at that, leaped to my head and settled down there. "You're still feverish," he said. "Sleep."

-----

The third time I woke up, I was being carried on someone's back. It was a bumpy ride- but a familiar one. I know this back.

"Mhm.." I whined slightly, waking up, "...Takeshi?" I asked. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, yawning, my mind foggy from sleep.

"Oh, you're awake." Takeshi turned to me briefly, "Did you sleep well?"

I leaned back down on his back, my arms wrapping itself around his neck to gain a more comfortable position. "Mhm." was the only answer I could muster.

I felt a hand on my forehead.

"Your fever's down, at least." Takeshi chuckled, "That's a relief."

"Mhm." I say again. My eyes remained close as I enjoyed the warmth radiating from his back. "The girls...?" I asked.

"Your dad called and said he'd do it for you." Takeshi told me.

Urk. That meant that they know I'm sick. That meant more coddling from Daddy dearest and Sae and Sui. "You told them?" I asked, pouting.

Those three never settled down when I got sick. It didn't rarely happen, but each time they worried and fretted and- They always wear that mortified expression on their faces. The same expression they wore every day when I was hospitalized the last time I had an attack.

I never want to see Sae and Sui wear that expression ever again.

"Yeah, I did." Takeshi hoisted me up to a higher position on the piggyback. "I told them we're having a sleepover!" he grinned at me.

I lifted my head, surprised. "Sleepover?" I had to inquire in case I heard wrong.

"Well, I'm bringing you over to Takesushi for the night. You don't wanna go home, right?" he grinned. "It's been a while since we hung out, anyways!"

I leaned in to the crook of his neck, unable to contain the smile gradually growing wider and wider on my face. "Sleepover it is, then."  I say.

I'm so blessed.