* * *
Kalix opened his eyes feeling something anxious yet refreshingly pleasant. His body felt too light. This lightness—Kalix momentarily checked Alexander sleeping attached to his side, then quickly checked the time.
“Sasha, you’re late.”
Training time had completely passed, and now it was meal time. As expected, both of them seemed to have slept more than usual. They said that if the military department missed morning training, they had to make up for it during meal time. No matter what, wasn’t that abuse?
He didn’t want to wake him, but Kalix had no choice but to carefully and gently touch Alexander’s bruised shoulder. Alexander answered with his eyes still closed.
“Can’t go anyway.”
His low, hoarse voice was a mess. Kalix hurriedly examined Alexander. Come to think of it, even when he opened his eyes, Alexander had been frowning uncomfortably. It seemed he hadn’t slept properly. Was it because it was too cramped?
“Where does it hurt?”
Alexander still kept his eyes closed and shook his head slightly, then stiffened as if something was uncomfortable. Kalix asked, unable to hide his anxiety.
“Should I call for a doctor?”
Where exactly did it hurt? He looked clearly less energetic than usual. This was the first time seeing Alexander like this. What should he do? Was there a doctor who could come right away if called now? When Kalix tried to get up, Alexander grabbed Kalix’s wrist.
“It’s not that.”
That hand had no strength at all.
“Then should I call a dormitory supervisor at least?”
At those words, Alexander finally opened his eyes.
“Absolutely not. One of the supervisors is Freddy’s friend.”
“What does that matter?”
Not all supervisors knew Alexander’s brother, and besides, when you’re sick and need help, what did that matter?
“CC, why would I be sick?”
So he was sick after all.
“Where does it hurt?”
“My muscles hurt. From exercising last night.”
Kalix quietly looked at Alexander for a moment as if thinking about those words. The tired face and the bruised skin visible between the loosely worn robe, Alexander’s words. Last night, exercise. His face heated up instantly.
Alexander looked at such a Kalix, then smiled briefly and raised his hand to tap Kalix’s cheek with his finger.
“Just resting will do, so please give the princess a kiss.”
What? When he stayed still because the title didn’t register in his head for a moment, Alexander wiggled his hand.
“Alright. Prince, give me a kiss.”
Kalix naturally kissed Alexander’s cheek and then secretly checked Alexander’s body. Had he grabbed too hard? Was that why it hurt? Or was the position strange? And did sleeping cramped make it hurt more? But Kalix was fine. Kalix first carefully massaged Alexander’s waist, which looked most uncomfortable.
“Does your throat hurt? Do you want water? Should I bring some?”
When he asked, remembering that even speaking seemed difficult, Alexander nodded.
“Yeah.”
Kalix, who brought water, hesitantly reached toward Alexander, afraid that grabbing carelessly might hurt him.
“Sasha, can you sit up?”
Should he support his back? When he worried without being able to place his hands anywhere, Alexander just looked at Kalix intently while lying in that position.
“Hold it in your mouth.”
“Huh?”
Kalix reflexively asked back, then looked at the water cup.
“Me?”
“Don’t swallow.”
When he held water in his mouth as told, Alexander pulled Kalix to him. Then, he kissed him. Alexander gently swept inside his mouth, then lightly bit his tongue and released Kalix again.
“CC, this is how you do nursing.”
Kalix blankly stared at that Adam’s apple that moved as he swallowed the water.
“Understand?”
“Yeah.”
Kalix immediately kissed him again. Really, he liked Alexander too much. Looking at him always made him anxious. Even when touching, he wanted to keep touching. But while Alexander seemed to respond readily at first, he soon turned his head away.
“Want more water?”
When he asked, thinking maybe his throat was dry, Alexander looked at Kalix again and smiled.
“You’ll be late.”
At that voice that seemed to urge him while lightly stroking from Kalix’s shoulder to his back, Kalix said matter-of-factly.
“I don’t want to go.”
“What?”
“How can I leave you alone and go out?”
That was really nonsense. Kalix knew how lonely it was to be alone in a room. Besides, Alexander was sick now. Naturally, Kalix should be there.
“Then come here.”
At that sight of him smiling and spreading his arms, Kalix naturally smiled back and immediately lay down in his embrace.
“Ugh.”
At Alexander’s reflexive voice, Kalix checked his face in confusion.
“Am I heavy?”
When he moved away slightly with the question, Alexander cupped Kalix’s head and made him lean against his chest.
“No. You’re just right to hold.”
Relieved by those words, when he hugged Alexander tightly again, he felt their touching bodies gradually stiffen. He must be heavy.
“CC, go eat breakfast and come back.”
Sure enough, at those words that came out not long after, Kalix reluctantly came out of his embrace. Alexander really seemed to be in physical pain. Usually it was fine. Would it be a little better if Kalix was sick too? Having done the same thing but only Alexander being in pain was too pitiful. He wanted to be sick instead.
“I’ll bring yours too.”
When he said this, thinking eating something might help him regain energy, Alexander took Kalix’s hand and rubbed his palm with his fingers as if playing with his hand.
“While you’re at it, if you meet anyone from my department, tell them I can’t come today. Ask them to tell the professor.”
“Okay.”
When he touched the spaces between his fingers, he flinched automatically, but Alexander said calmly.
“If you’re not going either, tell a friend to mark you as sick leave. You haven’t missed any classes yet anyway.”
“Yeah.”
When he answered while looking at those hands, Alexander’s hand was suddenly withdrawn.
“Should I really go?”
Alexander did need to bring food, but it felt regrettable for no reason.
“Baby.”
At that voice that really came out like coaxing a child, Kalix regrettably gave a brief kiss to that cheek.
“I’ll go and come back quickly.”
Alexander was lying quietly on the bed and would return soon, but still, having to leave the aching Alexander alone even for a moment made his feet reluctant to move.
* * *
Fortunately, going to the dining hall allowed him to meet all the people he needed. After asking them to tell his professors he couldn’t attend classes today, he got painkillers from Dylan’s friend who only showed his face a few times but carried all kinds of medicine. After bringing food and feeding it to Alexander who could barely sit up properly, and even giving him painkillers, fortunately Alexander seemed to feel better around lunchtime.
“Did you originally want to come here?”
Still not comfortable moving around, Alexander just hugged Kalix while lying down and stroked his hair. The atmosphere of chatting together like that was just comfortable.
“Yeah.”
“Why? Your family doesn’t usually come here.”
“That’s true, but when I was little, we had this incredibly fancy barometer at home. When I was young, I thought it was amazing. People could look at it and know the weather.”
Alexander waited for Kalix’s story while gently caressing his earlobe.
“But the person who made it was acquainted with my godmother. So my godmother introduced me to him when I was twelve, I think.”
The childhood memories were hazy, but actually, now all memories not related to Alexander were like that. Everything only became clear when Alexander was there.
“That person was from here. Since I was young, I wouldn’t understand whatever he told me. So he told me stories from when he was here. He said it was fun and beneficial. He made lots of friends too. So I thought I wanted to come too. I had never been outside the territory, and even when I did go out, it was just to visit family and relatives. I thought there would be many good things if I went outside.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
