Kuroo stared at where his fingernails should have been, glaring at the pink spots. Bokuto tapped his wrist. "Don't think too hard about it."

"They still hurt."

"I'm sure they do. You want me to warm them up?"

"Kinda." Bokuto held out a hand and put it over Kuroo's fingertips. Kuroo leaned into the table and sighed. "That Akaashi guy noticed them."

"He's just a pretty face, man. He gets nervous and stares." Bokuto smiled, looking up from his bowl of soup. "No one minds seeing your scars."

"I do! They look awful and they hurt all the time."

"Then wear your damned gloves," Bokuto mumbled.

Daichi walked in and set down a small package. "Bokuto you have a package."

Bokuto tore the paper off of the package and raised his brows. "Oh?"

"It's from Akaashi."

Bokuto opened the little box and smiled. "Cute."

Kuroo leaned over and looked at the bundle of wildflowers and the few pretty rocks inside. "He said it was an apology. Or rather tried to say it before Suga had to speak for him."

"Why doesn't he talk by the way? Does he just not like it?"

"I mean kinda. He's just very calm on the outside all the time." Daichi sat down and peered at the rocks. "He's not a people person if you can tell."

"Tell him that I appreciate this and I accept his apology and that he can talk to me whenever he needs. Even if he doesn't talk." Bokuto closed the box and kept eating, Kuroo's head still on the table. He looked upset, staring at his scars. "Kuroo stop, I'm gonna cut your fingers off if you don't stop sulking."

Kuroo sighed.

Bokuto set down his spoon and laid his head on the table, looking at Kuroo. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

"I dunno. I wish Kenma was here. He always makes me feel better."

"I know but he'll be back in a few weeks." Bokuto grabbed Kuroo's hand and looked at the pink. "Maybe if you sleep?"

"Maybe." Kuroo sat up and walked off.

Bokuto sat up and looked over the rocks he'd been so kindly gifted. His favorite was a purple amethyst that was ragged in just the right ways. He found some wire and wrapped it around the gem before putting some twine as its necklace part, putting it around his neck with his other necklace made of wood beads. He had others he liked to wear but this one stayed on no matter what.

"Pretty..."

****

Akaashi hurried to Daichi, grabbing his sleeve. "Did he like it?!"

"He loved it and accepted your apology. Also he said you can talk to him anytime he needs."

Akaashi smiled. "Oh good..."

Suga looked up from his bed, groggy. "What's goin on?"

"Bokuto liked Akaashi's gift and it made him happy."

Sugawara nodded and reached up, his arm up for his lover. "Come lay down."

Daichi laid down and Akaashi crawled back into his little space by the foot of the bed where Suga had made him a nest of blankets. He laid on his stomach and spread his wings, getting comfortable. There was a knock on the door downstairs and Daichi got up, making Akaashi immediately interested so he followed him out of the room and down the stairs.

Daichi glanced behind him and chuckled. "Wanna answer the door?"

"I just want to watch."

Daichi opened the door and stepped aside, his wings rigid. "You reek of alcohol."

Oikawa gave him a thumbs up and attached to Akaashi. "Come snuggle with me on the couch."

Akaashi happily joined him despite his breath and woke up the next day with Oikawa still secured around his waist, snoring. "Mm..."

Daichi looked over. "Morning. Your wings okay, he's been holding onto them for a while."

Akaashi moved and nodded. The wings on his back were sore a bit but Oikawa always held his wings when he was close by.

"I'm just letting you know, I'm having Bokuto and his friends over later. You can hide or whatever you need but you do need to be nice."

Akaashi detached from Oikawa and stretched out his wings. He went upstairs where Sugawara was groggily combing his hair. "Are you okay?"

"Mhmm... just feeling kinda sick."

Akaashi panicked internally, thinking it may have been him who had gotten Sugawara sick.

"Daichi's aunt was over the other day and she had a cough so I'm sure it was her." Suga set down his comb. "Bokuto's coming by to come look at me to make sure I'm good."

"Why?"

"He deals with a ton of sick people. I told you he has a special spot for sick people."

"A doctor?"

"Studying to be one." Sugawara laid back down and coughed, burrowing in the blankets around him to soak up their warmth. "Can you lay with me? Daichi's making me something to eat."

"Of course." Akaashi laid down and Sugawara curled up behind him.

"I'm freezing..."

Akaashi turned and held onto him tightly. Suga always got cold despite having a fever when he was sick. Akaashi tucked in his wings and let Suga touch them, worried for him.

Daichi walked in half an hour later with a bowl of steaming hot soup. Akashi sat Suga up slowly and held him up.

Daichi rubbed his hair and worriedly watched him as he tried to eat. "Baby, take it slow. You don't look too good."

"When will he be here?"

"Any minute," Daichi whispered. He grabbed another sweater from the end of their bed and put it on Sugawara. "Is that any better?"

Suga nodded shakily. His eyes opened slightly. "Someone's here."

Daichi heard a knock on the door and hurried out of the room to go get Bokuto. Akaashi felt of Sugawara's scaled cheeks and realized how cold they were. "Oh my..."

"I know, I know. It'll be better soon."

"... yeah even his scales have filled. I think he might have caught something from my aunt."

Bokuto walked through the door and Akaashi avoided eye contact, holding Suga upright still. "Hi Bokuto..."

"Hey, hey, hey. You not feeling good?"

"No. Sorry for suddenly asking you to come over."

"No, no it's okay. You got a sore throat or anything like that?"

"Kinda?"

Bokuto leaned down and felt where his lymph nodes would be on his neck. They felt swollen under his touch. "You feel super warm there bud."

Akaashi stared at Bokuto's necklace, curious. Was that the amethyst he'd sent him?

"Your lymph nodes do feel a bit swollen. I have some tea stuff with me for super sore throats and strep that has peppermint in it. Do you like peppermint?"

"Mhmm." Suga shivered. "Should I just bundle up? Winter's here so I should start sleeping more anyways."

"I think so, yeah. And lay by the fire. You didn't do that last year and you got super sick."

"Yeah..." Sugawara coughed and cringed. Bokuto smiled sadly and pat his shoulder.

"You'll be okay. Just lay back down here with Kashi and try to relax. This tea will likely warm you up." Bokuto grabbed a few blankets and put them over Sugawara. "You make sure he doesn't get up, got it?"

Akaashi nodded and held Sugawara closer. Bokuto ruffled his hair and walked out with Daichi. About fifteen minutes later Bokuto came back with a mug of tea that Sugawara sat up with. Akaashi backed away from him and let Daichi handle him. Bokuto chuckled. "You good?"

Akaashi nodded. He rubbed his eyes, tired. He just wanted to eat something and sleep. His lips and fingertips were numb. Bokuto tapped his arm.

"You look hungry." Bokuto reached into his bag and pulled out a baggie filled with chocolate. "Here, have some. It'll help your blood sugar a ton."

Akaashi looked to Daichi who just nodded. He took a piece and Bokuto smiled. He hated that he had to accept this.

"Don't worry man, take this as a thanks for your gift."

Sugawara started to cough, shivering harder. Daichi wrapped him in his wings and held him close. Bokuto rushed away from Akaashi and stood fully. "Akaashi come help me with a fire."

Akaashi followed him downstairs and grabbed some firewood and a fire starter, sitting by the fireplace. Bokuto got blankets and pillows set up and carried Sugawara down to the palette of blankets. Suga relaxed and grew drowsy, curled up with Daichi's hand on his back.

"He's gonna be okay. Just keep him warm and fed and keep giving him that tea when he's getting tired." Bokuto fixed the fire and sighed. "Something's going around right now so just be careful. You too Akaashi. If you got that sick from the rain you're gonna need to be careful."

Akaashi nodded, awkwardly quiet. Bokuto double checked Sugawara and got back up, heading to the door.

"Any of you come to me as soon as possible if something happens or if he gets worse."

"Of course. Thank you so much."

Bokuto opened the door and Akaashi watched him, just curious. Bokuto was weird. "Wanna come take a walk with me? It's not good to stay near people who are sick when you've got low immunity."

Akaashi nodded. He followed Bokuto out of the house, forgetting completely about his wings being out in the open. He shivered, his wings fluttering.

"It's supposed to snow tomorrow."

"Mhmm."

Bokuto extended a wing as someone tried to walk a little too close to Akaashi. He wrapped his wing around him and walked slowly. "How have you been feeling? Has your blood sugar been going all over the place?"

"No."

"Weird."

Akaashi nodded and kept walking. Bokuto's feathers we're so soft around him he could just lay down on them and sleep. He was so sweet...