Chapter - 41
The mansion was silent.
Too silent.
Nani walked downstairs carrying a glass of water, expecting to find Sky already in his office terrorizing someone over the phone.
Instead-
Nothing.
No phone calls.
No irritated voice.
No footsteps.
Nani frowned.
"Tee?"
Tee appeared from the hallway.
"Nani?"
"Where's Sky?"
Tee hesitated.
That alone was suspicious.
"His room."
"Why?"
"...He's sick."
Nani froze.
"What?"
"Fever."
Nani immediately put the glass down.
"How high?"
"Not dangerously high. But he's refusing to rest."
Nani's expression changed.
"Oh, he's getting murdered."
Tee blinked.
"By whom?"
"Me."
---
Nani stormed upstairs.
He opened the bedroom door.
Sky was lying against the headboard, still wearing a black shirt, laptop open beside him.
He looked pale.
Still intimidating.
Still somehow managing to look like he'd personally declared war on the concept of illness.
Nani walked over.
"You're sick."
Sky looked up.
"I'm fine."
"You're literally burning."
"I'm not."
Nani pressed the back of his hand against Sky's forehead.
Sky went quiet.
Nani frowned.
"You're hot."
Sky's eyebrow lifted.
"That's a strange way to compliment me."
Nani stared at him.
"...You have a fever and you're still flirting?"
"Apparently."
Nani grabbed the laptop.
Sky immediately sat up.
"Give that back."
"No."
"Nani."
"You're resting."
"I have work."
"You have a fever."
"Business doesn't stop."
Nani closed the laptop.
"Neither does your mouth, apparently."
Sky stared at him.
Nani pointed toward the pillow.
"Lie down."
Sky didn't move.
Nani folded his arms.
"Do I need to call everyone and announce that the terrifying mob boss is afraid of one thermometer?"
Sky slowly lay back down.
"...You're enjoying this."
"Very much."
---
Ten minutes later, Nani returned with medicine, water, and a bowl of soup.
Sky looked at the tray.
"You made that?"
"Yes."
He tasted the soup.
Sky watched him carefully.
Nani frowned.
"What?"
"You look cute when you're concentrating."
Nani almost dropped the spoon.
"Eat."
Sky smiled.
"Yes, doctor."
"I'm not a doctor."
"My mistake."
Nani held the spoon toward him.
"Open."
Sky stared at it.
"...You're feeding me?"
"Yes."
"I can feed myself."
"Then do it."
Sky immediately opened his mouth.
Nani blinked.
"...You're ridiculously obedient when you're sick."
"Don't tell anyone."
"Your reputation is safe."
Nani fed him another spoonful.
Sky watched him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're staring."
"I like being taken care of."
Nani's expression softened.
"You could've just said that."
Sky looked away.
"...I'm not used to it."
That caught Nani off guard.
He lowered the spoon.
"Sky."
"Hm?"
"You can get used to it."
Sky looked back at him.
Nani smiled.
"I'll take care of you."
For once, Sky didn't have a clever answer.
He simply reached for Nani's hand.
"Stay?"
Nani squeezed his fingers.
"Obviously."
---
An hour later, Nani woke up.
He'd apparently fallen asleep beside Sky.
His cheek was resting against Sky's shoulder.
He blinked.
Sky was awake.
"You didn't wake me."
"You looked comfortable."
Nani rubbed his eyes.
"How's your fever?"
"Better."
"Good."
Nani sat up.
Then noticed something.
Sky's hand was still holding his.
Nani smiled.
"You were holding my hand the whole time?"
Sky looked away.
"No."
"You are."
"I forgot."
Nani laughed.
"You're such a liar."
Sky pulled him closer.
"Maybe."
Nani rested against him.
Then quietly said,
"Promise me something."
"What?"
"Next time you're sick, tell me."
Sky nodded.
"Promise."
"And no working."
"...I'll try."
"Sky."
"Fine. No working."
"And you'll actually take medicine."
"Yes."
"And you'll let me feed you."
Sky smiled.
"That part wasn't exactly difficult."
Nani's cheeks warmed.
"You're impossible."
Sky kissed his forehead.
"And you're staying."
Nani smiled.
"Yeah."
Outside the room, Dew whispered to Tee-
"Is Boss still alive?"
Tee listened.
From inside came Nani's voice:
"STOP TRYING TO WORK!"
Then Sky:
"Okay, okay!"
Dew stared at Tee.
"...Our boss has been domesticated."
Tee nodded solemnly.
"Completely."
Inside, Nani pulled the blanket over Sky.
And for the first time, Sky didn't fight anyone's orders.
He simply closed his eyes-
with Nani's hand still wrapped around his.
...
Nani woke up with a problem.
His favorite hoodie was missing.
He searched the chair.
Nothing.
The closet.
Nothing.
Laundry basket.
Nothing.
He stood in the middle of the bedroom, hands on his hips.
"Where the hell is my hoodie?"
A suspicious silence came from downstairs.
Nani narrowed his eyes.
"...Sky."
---
He marched into the living room.
And stopped.
Sky was sitting on the enormous sofa.
Reading a report.
Wearing Nani's hoodie.
Nani stared.
Sky looked up.
"...Morning."
Nani pointed.
"Take it off."
Sky looked down at himself.
"No."
"That's my hoodie!"
"I know."
"Then why are you wearing it?"
Sky calmly turned a page.
"It's comfortable."
Nani walked closer.
"Give it."
"No."
"Sky."
"No."
"That's mine."
Sky finally looked at him.
"You have twenty-seven hoodies."
Nani blinked.
"You counted?"
"I notice things."
Nani held out his hand.
"Give."
Sky shook his head.
"No."
Nani gasped.
"You're stealing from me now?"
Sky's mouth twitched.
"You stole my jacket."
"That was different."
"How?"
"It looked better on me."
Sky stared at him.
"...Fair."
Nani reached for the hoodie.
Sky caught his wrist.
Nani narrowed his eyes.
"Release me."
"No."
"Sky."
"Hm?"
"I will bite you."
Sky raised an eyebrow.
"You've already done that."
"And I'll do it again."
Sky smiled.
"Threat noted."
Nani pulled harder.
Sky didn't move an inch.
"You're impossible."
"You're tiny."
"I'm not tiny!"
Sky stood.
Nani immediately realized his mistake.
The height difference was ridiculous.
Sky looked down at him.
"Still want the hoodie?"
Nani glared.
"...Yes."
Sky leaned down.
"Ask nicely."
Nani stared at him in disbelief.
"Absolutely not."
"Then no hoodie."
Nani's eyes narrowed.
"You've become arrogant."
"I've always been arrogant."
"Fair."
---
Five minutes later, Nani returned with a pair of scissors.
Sky looked up.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
He pointed the scissors at the hoodie.
Sky immediately stood.
"Put those down."
Nani grinned.
"You give me the hoodie."
"No."
"I'll cut it."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Sky stared at him.
Nani stared back.
Finally Sky sighed and pulled the hoodie over his head.
"Happy?"
Nani grabbed it immediately.
"Very."
He put it on.
Sky watched.
Then said,
"...Actually, I liked it better on me."
Nani gasped.
"YOU-"
Sky smiled.
"Got you."
Nani threw a cushion at his face.
Sky caught it.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds, the living room became a battlefield.
Dew walked in.
Stopped.
Looked at the cushions everywhere.
Looked at Sky.
Looked at Nani.
"...What happened?"
Nani pointed at Sky.
"He stole my hoodie."
Dew looked at Sky.
"You stole his hoodie?"
Sky nodded.
"It was comfortable."
Dew stared.
Then slowly smiled.
"The mob boss is fighting over clothes."
Sky gave him a warning look.
Dew immediately raised both hands.
"I said nothing."
Tee appeared behind him.
"What are they doing?"
Dew whispered,
"Domestic warfare."
---
Eventually, Nani collapsed onto the sofa.
Sky sat beside him.
Nani was still wearing his hoodie.
Sky reached over and tugged the hood over Nani's head.
"There."
Nani looked at him.
"What?"
"You look cold."
"I'm not."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Sky shrugged.
"Because I wanted to."
Nani smiled.
Then quietly leaned against his shoulder.
Sky looked down.
"Still angry?"
"No."
"Good."
A pause.
Nani mumbled,
"You can borrow it again."
Sky smiled.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"But only if you ask."
Sky nodded solemnly.
"Deal."
Dew watched from across the room.
Tee whispered,
"That's it?"
Dew nodded.
"Apparently."
"The terrifying mob boss learned how to ask permission for a hoodie."
Dew sighed.
"Love really is a strange disease."
Sky looked over.
"I heard that."
Dew immediately grabbed Tee.
"RUN."
Nani burst out laughing.
Sky shook his head.
But he was smiling too.