The Beautiful Bond- ICT Friendship OS Series

When KL Fell Ill (HulRat)

"You look like a ghost, Rahuliya", Virat informed him.

"Really? Thanks, Virat", KL replied with heavy sarcasm.

"No, what I mean is- you look pale. And you don't sound good either. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry"

"Not happening. I'll get a thermometer", Virat sprinted off to his own room from KL's.

He came back a few minutes later, and ignoring Rahul's protests, placed it carefully under his tongue.

As Virat expected, KL was running a high fever.

"I knew it. I'll call the doctor. You better get into your bed right away."

"Are you threatening me?", KL raised an eyebrow.

"What if I am?", Virat shot back.

Rahul could not think of a response to that, so he just mumbled a "I'm okay, this is stupid", and climbed under his covers.

The doctor came, prescribed a few medicines, and told KL to get some rest.

"I'll ensure that. Thanks, doctor", Virat was prompt to respond.

"Listen, Rahuliya, I'll stay here with you. Let me get my stuff, don't move, okay?", he turned to KL.

"You don't have to take all that trouble. I'll manage", KL said. Internally, though, he wished that Virat would stay with him. But he would never, ever say that out loud.

"It's no trouble. Don't overwork your pea-sized brain."

KL just sighed in response.

A few minutes later, Virat entered the room with a small bag, and a bowl of soup in his hands. KL was not in his bed- he was standing close to it. 

Virat quickly put the bag down, placed the bowl on the bed-side table, and demanded, "Why are you not in your bed?"

"I'm going to the washroom", KL rolled his eyes at Virat's mother hen mode.

"Oh, right. Need help?"

"No", KL blushed.

When he came back, Virat had dragged a chair near the bed, and was waiting with the bowl in his hands.

"Hurry up. No, scratch that, take your time. But not too long. The soup is getting cold", Virat smiled.

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks", KL tried to take the bowl from Virat's hands.

"No, it's heavy. Can you even hold it?", Virat carefully tried to give it KL. He was right- KL did not have enough energy to handle it.

KL made a frustrated noise, "So, now I can't eat. Great."

"Of course you can eat. Open your mouth", Virat brought a spoon full of soup near his mouth.

Rahul was too tired to argue, so he just opened his mouth and gulped it down. The warm, tasty soup. It felt good. Soon, he finished it.

Virat got up to leave, wanting to give him some space to rest. But KL held his hand and whispered, half-asleep, "Don't go."

"I won't", Virat smiled fondly.

He sat there, running his hand through KL's hair. Virat ensured that he took all his medicines on time, and would run to get whatever KL asked for. He even stayed up half the night, measuring KL's temperature at regular intervals.

KL was being a total kid. He would grumble about being bored. He would refuse to take the "bitter, icky, yucky" medicines. He would not eat. 

But Virat was incessantly patient. He would coax him into taking his medicines and eating. Promise to watch loads of movies with him when he felt better. Assure him that he wasn't going anywhere.

After a couple of days of this, KL was finally okay, and back to his senses. When he woke up, he saw Virat sleeping on the couch, looking uncomfortable and worn out. He tried not to make any noise, but Virat's eyes snapped open as soon as he sat up.

"Hey, how're you now?", Virat asked him.

"Okay, I guess. Don't have fever, just checked."

"Good", Virat sighed with relief, "Need anything?"

"No, Virat. I'm good."

"Alright", Virat turned to settle some of the things in the room. The room looked as if a tornado had hit it.

"I'm sorry the room is so messy. Didn't get time to clean it up", Virat smiled.

"Don't worry about that. I'll clean it up. Thank you so much, Virat bhaiya", Much to KL's embarrassment, he teared up.

"Hey, hey, hey, what happened?", Virat immediately sprang up to KL's side and sat next to him.

KL buried his face into Virat's t-shirt as he mumbled, "I'm sorry. You look so tired. I feel bad."

"Don't. I love you, you know that? We care for people we love. I know you would do the same for me", Virat said soothingly.

KL nodded his head vehemently, "I would, I promise. Thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me, kiddo", Virat hugged him.

"Don't tell anyone about any of this. Ever. Please", KL said hesitatingly. Virat didn't have the heart to even tease him.

"Of course I won't. Cross my heart", Virat said sincerely.

"I love you, too, bhaiya", KL smiled.

KL calling Virat 'bhaiya' twice in one day? Today is definitely my lucky day, Virat thought and chuckled.