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[pheromonecoffee]

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[inretribution]

[He's not sure what he was going to say, but if there was an argument, it dies before it leaves his mouth. Ken lifts his head to look at Minato's back, his eyes widening just a fraction as he processes that answer.]

... Me?

[pheromonecoffee]

I heard you. In September. Sometimes you'd talk to yourself.

[And those questions. Those hypotheticals, the rhetoricals, the open ended vague statements Ken made.

He'd heard them all.

He hadn't done shit about it.]

[inretribution]

[Ah.]

[He drops his head again and responds quietly.]

I-I don't think anyone would have... even Kirijo-senpai didn't notice until that night, right?

[pheromonecoffee]

What kind of a leader doesn't help his team?

[Minato's being selfish, he knows this. He's making this about him.

But he knows Ken's scared. And being alone isn't going to help that. It's just going to cut away his support. It's just going to make him more scared.]

[inretribution]

That wasn't your fault! [It wasn't. It wasn't Minato's fault at all, or anybody's. Shinjiro's death was Takaya's doing. Shinjiro agreeing to come out that day was his own decision. But Ken had been the one planning that day, the one who called him out -- it wasn't Minato's fault. Minato had nothing to do with it.]

It wasn't your fault. I was the one who made that decision.

[pheromonecoffee]

[Minato turns back, finally, to look at Ken. He's wearing a smile, as warm and comforting as he can make it. But it doesn't reach his eyes.]

You were alone that whole time.

[inretribution]

... It wasn't the sort of thing to share with anyone.

[He doesn't try to think about what would've happened if anyone called him out on it before. If anybody had noticed, or asked. He shakes his head.]

We made you shoulder everything on your own, too.

[pheromonecoffee]

[He shakes his head.] No you didn't.

[He will walk back to Ken, leaning down to look him in the eyes.]

I'm sorry.

[inretribution]

[He doesn't look away this time, but as he looks back at Minato his face scrunches up and his eyes are wet by the time he shakes his head.]

You don't have to apologize for anything.

[pheromonecoffee]

You don't have to go away. It's okay to be scared.

[Minato really, really hopes he's not making things worse.]

[inretribution]

I'm just going to be more of a burden...

[pheromonecoffee]

Even if you are, you still don't have to run away.

[inretribution]

[Even if he doesn't have to, running is all he knows.]

I'm sorry...

[pheromonecoffee]

You don't have to apologize to me.

[inretribution]

[He shakes his head.] You'll at least move me to another room so they won't come looking for me in here, right?

[pheromonecoffee]

I'll take care of things. [He sounds very sincere about it.]

[inretribution]

If I say anything weird while I'm sick, you'll forget. Do you promise? [Minato has probably heard him talking in his sleep already.]

[pheromonecoffee]

I haven't heard you sleep talk so far so don't worry about it. [Lying liar who lies.]

[inretribution]

[Relief settles in Ken's eyes and he nods, pushing himself further onto the bed and kicking off his shoes. He looks tired, but he's looked tired every day this last week.]

Thank you, Minato-san.

[pheromonecoffee]

[He pauses, smiles sadly, and grabs a cloth to wet and put on Ken's forehead while he rests.]

I'll look out for you.

[inretribution]

[He lies down on his side, burying his face in the pillow.] You should look out for yourself.

[pheromonecoffee]

[No don't do that let him try to cool your face jesus.]

Turn over. I'm not the one sick.

[inretribution]

Wet towels are cold, Minato-san. [Observation of the century. But it's really cold. It makes him shiver. But he will turn his head.]

[pheromonecoffee]

[He made sure it wasn't icy, at least. He rests his hand on Ken's forehead before the towel.]

That's the point. You're burning up.

[inretribution]

I've had fevers like this plenty of times. [You know. Those nights Ken was Sick and couldn't go to Tartarus but you only found out through, like, Fuuka.]