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"Hng...." The wizard's eyes fluttered open, slightly glazed over. "Kur...Kurogane...?" His arms tugged weakly at the restraints and he stared up at them, puzzled. "Ah...?" He couldn't seem to place where they were... or much of anything else. "Huh, too hot...." he whined. Hair was plastered to his head, although the sweat had long since evaporated.

Kurogane's eyes widened. Heatstroke, he was certain of it. He himself had already started to sweat the second he stepped foot back in the accursed place, and wasn't Fai from a cold world? And he had been in this room all that time, with his heavy cloak draped over his body, unable to move?! He snatched the cloak off and quickly covered the lower half of Fai's body with the lighter blanket. Then, dropping the cloak onto the floor, the swordsman stormed out of the room in search of Surrulin. That bastard!

"Oi, hairball! Why is it so hot in here?!" The image of Fai's slender wrists bound in heavy chains made him let out a growl. "Where the hell are you?"

His eyes snapped to him as he sidled around the corner; the green-eyed one again. He pretended not to be relieved. He could handle this side of the cat much more easily.

"Ah, right here..." the feline gave his hand a little wave, flinching slightly as Kurogane's intense gaze landed on him. "Um, I'll go change the temperature," he said quickly. Once that was done, he clamped a large, heavy hand on his shoulder, steering him into the room Fai was in. "I don't give a shit whether this collar shocks me, you better get those fucking chains off, now!"

Once the links had withdrawn, he strode away to the kitchen. He knew where everything was after raiding it earlier, and he knew what to do with heatstroke. He filled a large container with ice, set one with water atop it, and topped a cup with both. He carried it all into the bedroom with a few rags thrown over his shoulder. He paused for a moment at the doorway, witnessing Surrulin holding the feverish wizard as he stroked his hair and whispered reassuring words into his ear. He felt his temple throb in annoyance; it was the damn cat-man's fault he was sick in the first place!

"Go away," he grunted, striding forward and kicking Surrulin off the side of the bed, who landed on his butt with a satisfying thud.

"Hey, that was very rude!"

Kurogane ignored him as he put the glass on the endtable. He set the tubs on the floor, moving about a quarter of the ice into the water, and dipped a cloth in. He wrung out the excess water before bringing it up to gently rub at Fai's heated skin, starting at his forehead and working his way down. The blond made a pleased sound and nuzzled the wet cloth in his hand. Those slender fingers curled around his wrist. His motions stilled when he felt that soft grip. He reached around with the other and settled some pillows beneath Fai to prop him up, and then took the cup of cold water and held it to the man's lips.

"Here. Drink," he ordered gruffly. It wasn't like... it wasn't like he was enjoying this or anything. ..Someone had to help Fai while he was in this state, and he didn't trust anyone else to take care of the idiot except himself. His companion slurped at the water greedily, although he needed Kurogane's help with it.
"Thank you... Kurogane..." the other whispered hoarsely. He stared down at the empty cup mournfully. The guy obviously wanted more.
"I'll go get more," he offered, then left for the bathroom. There was a sink in there, and water was water. When he returned, the cat-man was, yet again, sitting at the edge of the bed in his place, giving Fai a drink of cold water that he had somehow fetched from the kitchen quicker than Kurogane.

Damn thing was fast. Surrulin glanced over at him, looking smug as all hell.

"I've already got everything under control, big man." He fluttered his hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. Kurogane's grip on the cup tightened, close to breakin the fucking thing. The furball was bathing Fai's chest and abdomen with the soaked cloth while he held another cup to the blond's lips. Goddammit, it looked like the twerp was doing a better job, too.

"...." He could use this time to get some well-deserved rest. He could be doing things besides taking care of that idiot. ...But that idiot... fuck, that idiot was his idiot!

"I don't give a shit," Kurogane growled, stalking forward and looming over the green-eyed creature. A dark brown cat ear twitched. "Leave!"

The collar shocked him, but he only wavered slightly on his feet and held on to the bed post for balance. He reclaimed his seat beside Fai a few seconds later when their captor bolted out of the room. He lifted the cup to Fai's lips, frowning all the while as he fully began to realize the... implications of his reaction. The wizard's pale fingers curled around his wrist again, a welcome interruption to his disturbing thoughts.

"Feel better, yet?"

Fai made a sound of agreement as one of his stupid little grins crossed his face.

"You can stop smiling, idiot," he growled, leaning forward and kissing his forehead. Before he had time to figure out what had gone wrong with his brain at that moment, he felt another pulse from his collar and slumped bonelessly down to the floor.

"Fuck you!" he snarled. Not this again! He preferred the pain version, at least he could fight those... "Goddamnit!!!"

The green-eyed Surrulin leaned over into his field of vision, smirking. "Well well well, look at the big mighty man now." He drew closer and took Kurogane's arm, dragging him out of the room. The swordsman's glare was almost tangible.

"Get your fucking hands off of me, furball!" He didn't, of course. He found himself with his arms painfully bound, like before, but this time he had clothes on (thank god for that). He glared at the feline now standing triumphantly on his stomach.

"I bet you regret kicking me, now!" the feline crooned, as he slapped a strip of tape over his lips. He could only glare as he went back into the bedroom. "Did you miss me, pretty?"

"Kurogane!" He clearly heard the wizard cry his name out a few minutes later, even from here. Whether or not it was because he was sick, Fai sounded desperate; the fucking bastard was doing something dirty to him, he knew it! All he could do was let out something like a muffled roar, his eyes trained on the closed bedroom door. He fucking hated this, being so helpless! Especially when someone he was supposed to protect needed him. So helpless, so useless!

The hated Surrulin must have released him, because he could move again some three hours later. The cat didn't come out, and whenever he so much as touched the door, he collapsed into another heap for about as long as the previous time. There was precious little he could do but hover near the door. When the feline finally emerged, it was the red-eyed one. He shoved him out of the way without even glancing up at him. Kurogane would have done something about it, but he was worried about Fai. He peered inside the opening, certain that if he tried to go near it even now, he would collapse again. He wouldn't know how he was doing if that happened.

The wizard was sprawled out in the middle of the bed, narrow chest raising and falling slightly as he slept. He found himself unable to keep from noticing that he was also very, very naked. He had known that, already, of course, but... seeing it was a different situation. He didn't think he'd even feel guilty about it if Fai hadn't looked so pathetic right now.

Wait, what?! What the fuck... damn idiot, causing these weird thoughts... He forced his eyes back to the other's face; he better get well soon. His hands clenched into tight fists. He was shoved aside again when Surrulin went back inside, and this time, he nearly lost his balance. He stumbled against the wall, wishing his arms were free so he could strangle the bastard. Kurogane noticed, abruptly, that the door had been left open. He straightened and glared inside again, just in time to see their tormentor pour a spoonful of something black down the wizard's throat. The blond curled up almost immediately into a small ball, shivering. The swordsman's eyes widened at the sight, and narrowed. He kicked the wall until he had fucking asshole's attention; it wasn't the red-eyed one anymore, but the first.

A slow grin crossed the feline's lips and one hand rested on the wizard's waist. "I have to warm him up now, Kurogane," he all but purred. The door slid shut in his face. He kicked it, and promptly collapsed. He felt that it might have been worth it.