Julio and Noriko

[x-kaminari.livejournal.com]

Given a choice between her psychotic teammates and her sick boyfriend, Julio's going to win every time...



The suite that Julio had once shared with Kevin was dark as a cave. There was a pile of blankets on the couch, numerous dirty mugs in the sink, and the wastebasket overflowed with tissues making it look like a snowy mound. Yes, it was time for Julio's annual sinus infection. Julio shambled into the kitchen and turned on the light, blinking and rubbing his eyes. He fumbled in the cabinet that contained both spices and over-the-counter drugs and pulled out a box, squinting at the label. His glasses were oh-so-unhelpfully left on his bedside table. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"It's open," he called hoarsely.

Noriko was in a good mood as she bounced into the room, although she pulled up short at the darkness, blinking around. "Eh? No light, Julio?" she asked, the light coming in from the hallway enough for her to see him, sort of, standing in the kitchen. Damping her charge as much as possible to prevent a spark, she reached over and flipped the switch for the overhead. And then deeply regretted it at the sight of the room. "Julio is sick?"

Julio flinched, "Ah, no, it burns," he muttered, which turned into a coughing fit. "Julio is very sick," he said when he came up for air. "Mas enferma," he reached for a tissue. "Lo siento, is too fucking cold outside."

"Sorry," she said, flipping the light back off and closing the door. She knew his rooms well enough not to trip in the dark, although she wasn't going anywhere near his Couch of Germ-Doom, dropping instead into one of the armchairs and swinging her legs over the arms. "Is very warm here..." The air in the room was stifling, and she wasn't really sure that was healthy for him - wasn't fresh air better? But the number of home-remedies and medical cures Nori knew could be counted on one hand with fingers left over to spare. "Can Nori help?"

"Probably not," he sniffled. He finally located the cold medicine he was looking for, and putting the pill in his hand, he poured water from the faucet directly into his cupped palm, and then swallowed both with one movement. He coughed again and wiped his hand on a dishtowel. "Kirei-na Nori, you might not want to be here. I don't want to get you sick."

Noriko wrinkled her nose at him. "Maa, Nori is not want sick also. But out..." she waved towards the hallway and the rest of the schoold. "Out very stupid. Angel and Inez is fight, snow cold, homework is don't want to do."

"Right, so I guess being in here would be better than out there," Julio said. He flopped on the couch next to Nori's chair, and ran a kunckle down the side of he leg in affection before withdrawing as another bout of coughing overcame him. "Sorry. Ugh. So wait, Nessie and Angel had a fight? Was there any mud?" he said mischievously.

Noriko rolled her eyes at him, frowning slightly. "Next time is Catseye throw in lake, but no mud. Inez is was say Angel jealous from me." She shrugged then grinned. "Everyone jealous from me, but not see Julio now."

It took a minute for Julio to fully comprehend, but then he sat up and propped himself on his elbow, looking at Nori. "What?" he said, looking utterly mystified at the prospect.

She shrugged. "Now Julio sick, not much for jealous..." Nori was teasing, pretty sure that wasn't the question Julio had, but she couldn't help it.

Julio snorted, and then laid back down on the couch. "Bah, let them fight," he waved a hand dismissively. Somewhere inside he still felt like a little bit of a jackass for breaking up with Angel, but she had been completely fine with it, so he never really spared much thought for it. "The guys used to give me shit for taking the hot one off the market, so there you go."

Noriko laughed at that. "Is true. Julio have very taste. Two thumbs up."

Julio grinned as his mind went straight to the gutter, but he didn't say anything out loud. He coughed again, sounding utterly miserable. "Can I just drill a big hole in my head and get it over with?" he groaned, covering his eyes with his arm.

"Poor Julio," she said with a sigh, leaning over to smooth his hair away from his face. "I wish is can help..." But somehow she didn't think he'd be keen on the idea of raw egg in hot sake.

"Can you make me some tea?" Julio asked. He usually didn't like asking for people to do things for him, but he was sick and hopefully would get a pass for this.

"Mochiron," Nori said, sliding her feet down to the ground, and she couldn't quite help dropping a soft kiss on his forehead as she headed into the kitchenette, flipping on the sink light and hoping it wouldn't be too much for him. "Is want green?" she asked as she refilled his kettle.

"Is fine," Julio mumbled, fishing for a pillow and then shoving it under his head. "How are things going for you out in the land of not sick?"

Noriko shrugged faintly as she pulled out the nice teapot she'd bought to keep in Julio's room, rinsing it quickly before filling the basket with tea leaves. "Karo is still, eh... say not happy... complain? Still complain over punish. Is more fun when she not angry." And with Julio sick, that didn't leave a lot of people for Nori to hang out with who weren't highly stresful and/or stupid.

"Still?" Julio rubbed the back of his neck. "How long was her punishment for anyway?" Julio really didn't understand Karolina some days. There was bitching about the unfairness of it all, and then there was obsessive. But then again, he was the kind to explode and then be over it, so what did he know?

"Pff. Karo is say 'forever' if Nori ask." The kettle began to whistle and she plucked it off the heat to pour the hot water into the pot, capping it to let it brew a bit. "Is really three kana... four punish together."

"I'm sorry, Nori. That can't be fun," He coughed and then reached for a tissue. "'Scuze me," he said in-between coughs and then blew his nose, making a face afterwards.

She turned her attention to finding a clean cup, and seriously considered if she was up to doing his dishes for him before finding a spare shoved in the back of the cupboard. "Atta," she muttered to herself, pulling it down and pouring out the tea. By the time Julio was composed again she brought over the cup and handed it to him before settling into the chair again.

"Gracias," he said hoarsely, and then smiled in appreciation. Nori could make a mean cup of tea. "Sorry I am not much fun today. You are more than welcome to stay, though. I was just going to watch tv and nap on the couch."

"Hmmm, is sounds fun to me," Noriko said softly. "Julio is rest, get better."

Julio fumbled for the remote on the coffee table, it was buried under a pile of sports magazines and school notebooks, and then handed it to Nori. He then leaned back on the couch with a sigh, shifting so he could get comfortable. "If anything, the Japanese channel should be entertaining," he added.