Hypothermia, chapter 2
Kouji woke up. Takuya moved next to him.
”Hey”, Takuya greeted. ”Still cold?”
Kouji’s body shivered. He rubbed his eyes and pressed closer to Takuya.
”Not sure?”
Takuya put a hand against Kouji’s forehead. Kouji closed his eyes and listened as Takuya hmmed.
”I think that’s a fever”, Takuya said. ”I guess that’s better than yesterday at least.”
”Mm”, Kouji agreed. He wasn’t sure how bad he had been when he collapsed, but it definitely felt better. ”I’m not gonna ski today.”
”Yeah, we’re not even letting you outside today. Maybe tomorrow.”
”Morning”, Kouichi said from the other side of the bedroom.
”Morning~”, Takuya singsonged back. ”How are you doing?”
”Tired, mostly.”
Kouichi yawned and Kouji had to yawn as well. Takuya snickered.
”You two are impossible and we’ll never letting you go travelling on your own again.”
”The rest of you hate cross-country.”
Kouji yawned again and sat up. Kouichi nudged Junpei.
”Bring me breakfast?” he asked.
”Yeah, yeah, just let me wake up first.”
”If you ever bring me breakfast to bed”, Kouji said and glared at Takuya, ”there will be murder happening.”
Takuya snorted and sat up as well.
”Princess has spoken, we’ll be eating in the kitchen. Izumi, Tomoki, you joining us?”
Tomoki jumped out of the bed and disappeared into the kitchen, while Izumi stretched.
”I think I can convince Junpei to bring me breakfast as well”, she said and smiled at Junpei,
Junpei blushed and pulled a hand across his face. Kouichi laughed.
”I can get food on my own, it’s fine.”
”You should be resting”, Junpei said and sat up. ”I’ll bring you both food, it’s no trouble.”
Kouji stood up. He stumbled, his legs not quite recovered from the day before. Takuya was quick to steady him.
”...you should probably be resting as well”, Takuya said.
”I can rest in the couch, it’s getting way to cutesy in here.”
”We could make it cuter”, Junpei said and leaned down to kiss Kouichi’s forehead.
Kouji made a disgusted noise and left the room. Takuya laughed and followed him, wrapped an arm around his waist when he noticed Kouji putting a hand against the wall for support. He gently lowered Kouji into a chair in the kitchen. Tomoki was already busy preparing food for them and Takuya left Kouji to help. Kouji leaned against the table and closed his eyes. His body shivered and he felt exhausted after the short walk from the bedroom.
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”I don’t actually mind you two being cute together”, Kouji admitted after breakfast.
He was bundled up in a blanket on the couch and Kouichi was zapping through the channels looking for something to watch. Kouji had given up any decision-power he held because he knew he’d fall asleep again.
”I know”, Kouichi said and decided on a soap opera Kouji didn’t recognize. ”How are you feeling?”
Kouji grimased.
”Feverish and weak. Pain’s gone though.”
”I really thought we’d have to call an ambulance for a while there”, Kouichi admitted. ”No chest-pain?”
”I’ll keep an eye out for any sign of pneumonia”, Kouji promised and yawned.
”Fever is a sign.”
Kouji rolled his eyes.
”That’s just my body overcompensating in the other direction. I’m fine.”
Kouichi didn’t look convinced. Kouji closed his eyes and curled up against the armrest, but Takuya appeared and shook him.
”Move over, I want to sit here.”
”Only if I can abuse your body as a pillow.”
”That’s not really abuse.”
Kouji sat up and Takuya sat down next to him, wrapped an arm around Kouji and pulled him close. Kouji put his head against Takuya’s shoulder and closed his eyes again.
”Aww, I thought we were gonna go to the black slope today”, Tomoki said.
”Tomorrow”, Takuya answered. ”Someone’s gotta make sure the twins take it easy today.”
”I’m staying in as well”, Junpei said and sank down between Kouichi and Kouji. ”Skiing is fun, but my muscles are aching after ereyesterday.”
”Y’all are being noisy”, Kouji mumbled.
He didn’t open his eyes. Takuya hugged him and kissed the top of his head and Kouji groaned.
”I’ll go with you”, Izumi said. ”The cabin is to small for all six of us to stay in here the whole day anyway.”
”Yeah, okay”, Tomoki said. ”You’re better at skiing that Takuya anyway.”
”Those are challenging words, little bro”, Takuya said.
He laughed. Kouji’s head pounded and he frowned.
”Think the fever’s getting higher”, he mumbled. ”I’m gonna go to sleep now.”
The others fell quiet. Kouichi lowered the volume on the television. Kouji listened as Izumi and Tomoki got ready to leave, said goodbye when they were prepared and then relaxed against Takuya again. Kouichi started a movie on the television. Kouji fell asleep before it even started.
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Someone was shaking Kouji. He blinked awake and glared at the assilant. Takuya. Kouji growled.
”I know, but you gotta eat or else Kouichi is going to murder me.”
Kouji’s stomach growled and he sat up. Food didn’t actually sound bad. Takuya smiled.
”...Where is Kouichi?” Kouji asked.
”Kitchen. They’re making cupcakes for Izumi.”
”Hmm…” Kouji grabbed the food Takuya held out for him. ”You’re not making cupcakes for me?”
”Are you sure you’d want that?”
Kouji took a bite out of the food. It was warm. He assumed Junpei had made it since it was edible. He glanced at Takuya.
”...do you even know how to make cupcakes?”
”Not really”, Takuya admitted with a laugh and sat down in the couch next to Kouji.
He started zapping through the channels while Kouji ate, looking for something interesting. Kouji wasn’t up for watching football, but he wasn’t going to say anything unless Takuya actually found a channel with that.
The word ”Avalanche” appeared on the bottom of the screen and Takuya stopped changing the channels. Kouji recognized the ski resort on the screen – it was the one they were at. He felt cold.
”I’m… calling Tomoki”, Takuya said and stood up.
”Yeah”, Kouji agreed. ”Maybe Izumi as well.”
Takuya left. Kouji listened as the news person talked about what slopes had gotten hit and how many possible victims there were. So far five people had gotten rescued from the snow. Kouji hoped Tomoki and Izumi weren’t among them, that they had managed to get away. He heard Takuya’s voice from the bedroom. One of them must have answered. Kouji heard his own phone ring in the bedroom, and two seconds later Kouichi’s started as well. Kouji put the food away and tried getting up, but his legs still felt unsteady.
Getting sick was the absolute worst and next time he’d just do as Kouichi say and not go out in a snowstorm in only a t-shirt and sweater.
Kouichi walked past him, crossed path with Takuya, who handed Kouji his phone. Kouji sank down into the couch again before answering.
”I’m fine, dad.”
”The news said there was an avalanche”, Kousei answered.
”Yeah, we’re trying to reach Tomoki and Izumi…”
Kouji glanced at Takuya, who gave him thumbs up.
”They’re at the jumping slopes”, Takuya said. ”Totally safe.”
”Never mind”, Kouji let Kousei know, ”we’ve found them. The rest of us stayed inside after the storm yesterday.”
”Good call”, Kousei answered. ”A big enough snow-storm always increases the risk of avalanches.”
Kouji decided not to mention that they stayed in because both he and Kouichi got a teeny tiny bit of hypothermia in the storm.
”I promise you’ll be the first person I call if I ever get stuck in an avalanche”, Kouji said.
Kousei laughed.
”Call emergency first. I’m glad you’re all safe.”
”We’re safe”, Kouichi said in the other room, probably talking with Tomoko. ”Kouji’s sick, but we’re safe.”
”I’m not sick”, Kouji called.
”You have a fever”, Kouichi called back.
Kouji hoped Kousei didn’t hear that. He leaned back in the couch.
”Thanks for checking in on us though”, Kouji said into the phone. ”We’re doing great.”
”Be careful in the slopes”, Kousei warned him. ”There might be more avalanches waiting to happen.”
Kouji tried really hard not to laugh. He wasn’t going to any slopes this year.
”We’ll take care. You’re still picking us up on Sunday?”
”Yeah. I’ll see you all then. Stay safe.”
Kouji ended the call and sighed. Takuya sat down as well. He reached for the remote, but instead his phone started ringing.
”Mom”, Takuya said with a wince before answering.
Kouji grabbed his food and curled up against Takuya while Takuya tried to convince his parents they weren’t stuck in the snow. It took him about five minutes.
”You know”, Kouji said when Takuya put his phone away, ”I would actually like a cupcake.”
Takuya snorted, kissed Kouji’s cheek and finally grabbed the remote.
”Junpei!” he called into the kitchen, ”Princess wants a cupcake as well, are you making extras?”
”Why do you call him princess?” Junpei called back. ”I never understood that.”
He appeared in the door and looked at them. Kouji rolled his eyes.
”Because he keeps having to carry me”, he answered. ”One day I’ll carry him and we’ll see who the real princess is.”
”You love it though”, Takuya said.
”I don’t hate it”, Kouji admitted. ”Izumi’s fine by the way.”
Junpei tilted his head.
”Why wouldn’t she be?”
”There was an avalanche in the slopes”, Takuya answered. ”But they had already left when that hit. They’re on the way back now, said it wouldn’t be as fun after they scared us like this.”
”Are you making extra cupcakes?” Kouji asked.
Junpei laughed.
”Yeah, we figured everyone would want some.”
Kouichi left the bedroom and tossed his phone into the couch. He crossed the living room and leaned against Junpei, who wrapped his arms around Kouichi. Kouji started eating again.
”Mom’s probably gonna try to dote on you when we get home”, Kouichi said.
Kouji realized it was meant for him and he grimased.
”You didn’t have to tell her about yesterday.”
”And keep secrets from my mom?” Kouichi asked and turned around in Junpei’s arms.
Kouji laughed and put the plate on the table. He was done eating.
”You didn’t tell her grandma told you about me.”
”That’s… different?” Kouichi also laughed. ”I’m going to finish the cupcakes now.”
Junpei let go of Kouichi and the two of them returned to the kitchen. Kouji wrapped himself in the blanket and laid down in the couch again, head in Takuya’s lap. Takuya put a hand on Kouji’s shoulder and squeezed it.
”Sleep well, princess.”
”I’m not sleeping”, Kouji answered.
Two minutes later he was asleep.
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