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It was near curfew when Cafe finished her late evening run. Today again, she wasn’t able to get to Her, and as always, she disappeared without leaving a trace. Well, no matter, Cafe thought, she’ll try again tomorrow night, and again, and again, even if her body fails her, she’ll have to try. That’s her one and only goal.
She starts walking to the locker room, slowly pacing herself so her body doesn’t get cramps. Those evening walks were always… relaxing. A serene walkway, silence only broken by the soft night breeze. Away from everything that stresses her out, no one to spill an ominous vial in her cup, no one to shout her name before babbling about things that Cafe didn’t and didn’t want to understand anyways ; no one to stare at her with her dim, soulless eyes that were unreadable, always accompanied with this annoying smirk. Yes, that silence was nice. Before she realizes, she was already at the front of the locker room, so lost in thought that her legs just guided her to it. She sighs, and opens the door, proceeding to change herself in her school uniform before getting to the dorms.
But thinking about it, she hasn't seen Tachyon today. Her training program was busier recently in agreement with her trainer, to get back in shape after her hiatus due to her health issues, so she spent less time in the room she usually shares with the scientist.
Usually, Tachyon would’ve been near the training ground, observing runners that she found interesting for her “research and future of Umamusume”, whatever that means - and she was part of those runners, her ‘favorite’ from Tachyon’s words. She really wasn’t that much concerned - after all, Tachyon has the bad habit to skip training in order to focus on her research, even after being back from her hiatus, to the dismay of her own trainer. But thinking about it, it has been nearly three days since she had seen her outside at all.
She paused. She was thinking about it too much. Tachyon was Tachyon: she can disappear for a while because of being too stubborn to know when to stop. She was probably in her lab, writing papers and watching races. None of that really concerns Cafe… So when her train of thought finally stopped, she was back not at her dorm room, but at Tracen. Right in front of that lab. She sighed. She shouldn’t be here really, she has a coffee machine in her dorm room after all, and Yukino was certainly waiting for her. But that lab was also her room, so… it should be okay to take a cup, and check on the stubborn girl before curfew.
No sound was coming from the classroom, except from beeping noises that came from different machines installed by Tachyon on her side of the room. Everything else was silent. She hesitated to knock, but it was also her space, so after a very fast deliberation with herself, she opened the door.
It was dark. Clicking lights only came from machines scattered across Tachyon’s side room, and from the computer screen of the latter Uma. And then, she saw her, her head completely buried under documents, clearly fallen from fatigue, her body mangled uncomfortably between her chair and desk. Cafe rushed to her side without thinking, making sure she was just asleep and not something more… Cafe didn’t want to think about it. She was always doing too much, and it was not the first time that Cafe found her fainted in her lab - and every time, she couldn’t stop being worried.
“Tachyon, please…”, she shakes her a bit by the shoulders. No response. “Tachyon”, she puts the documents away unceremoniously before checking her pulse. All normal. Cafe sighs in relief - she was okay, just asleep. She checks her forehead - burning hot. By all accounts, Tachyon overworked herself until getting feverish and fainted. “Oh my Goddesses, Tachyon, you..” she mutters under her breath, before trying again to wake her up, resulting in failure - she was probably too sick to even be conscious for now. She considered bringing her to the nurse - but it was starting to get late, and the infirmary should be closed at this time. And carrying her to the Ritto dorm would be too much of a hassle for Cafe to deal with… So there’s only one option. Cafe put one arm under her Tachyon’s legs, the other behind her back, before carrying her bridal-style to Cafe’s couch. Tachyon was shuddering inside her lab jacket, covered in traces and marks of usage of products. Cafe frowned, before gently removing the jacket that was probably a bio-hazard in itself and throwing it away on Tachyon’s chair. She then puts her head on one of Cafe pillows, with a black cat crocheted on it by Rice Shower, and drapes her in a light but very needed blanket. Tachyon was still sweating, shaking in her sleep. One of the advantages of Tachyon… suspicious… collection of objects is that she had a closet full of medicines of all sorts - mainly painkillers, but there was all she needed to help her in the state she was in. She took a couple of painkillers, and something to help with her fever. She didn’t even dare to look at the ‘experimental’ part of the closet, knowing that would probably cause more worse than good to her state.
Then she starts to boil some water to make tea with some honey that Tachyon always has under her shared cabinet. Cafe really cannot stand the sweet taste, but she knows that would help Tachyon a bit, at least until she can cook something for her. Finally, she took a towel that looked clean on Tachyon’s lab, and got back to nurse the scientist. She was clearly in pain, but at least Cafe did her best to clean her sweat on her face. The gesture seemed to calm Tachyon down a bit.
“Look at you”, whispered Cafe, not looking for an answer, “always trying to break your limit… and put yourself in such a pitiful state. You never listen…”
She sat next to her, waiting for the tea to infuse. Tachyon looked a bit better, well, as best as a feverish fool could. Cafe still stared at her, not sure how to feel about all of it. If Cafe guts didn’t guide her to their room, Tachyon would have been in a much worse state until she would be found by her, and she didn’t like to think about it.
Cafe never saw herself as the Fool’s caretaker, even if she basically was. Tachyon just happened to find an abandoned room, invited Cafe because they were “two outcasts - and as outcasts we must stick together!” as she said, and since then, she brings problems after problems in Cafe’s life. She wasn’t even sure if they were friends. Rivals? In a way, yes. But friends? Cafe has friends. Yukino, Rice, Pokke and Dantsu… They were all what Cafe could consider friends. But… Tachyon was different. They always stick together, arguing often, always having to watch her back in case Tachyon didn’t try to slide some unknown ‘experiment’ in her coffee. But in a weird, convoluted way, that was… comforting to Cafe. She likes their routines, going to their room after her training, taking her coffee and reading some books while Tachyon would try to convince her to help her with an experience, failing, and going to her own devices, sometimes babbling about some subjects too complex for Cafe to try to understand. But Tachyon didn’t judge her in anyways, never doubting the existence of Cafe’s friend, and between her catastrophic experiences and never-ending monologue, she actually does give some good advice from time to time. And even if Cafe hates to admit it, Tachyon was probably the one that actually understands her the most when it comes to racing. They were different with very different ways to deal with their bodies, but Cafe knew that she always wanted to surpass her limits, to reach new heights, to reach her friend. Tachyon was the same.
The tea was now ready. Cafe attempted to stand up, but was stopped by a slender hand that made her way to her waist. “Cafeeeee…” muttered the foolish scientist, seemingly half-asleep. “Sorry, and.. thank.. you…” Cafe looked at her, and saw a slight smile on her face - different from her usual smirk. It was soft, vulnerable, that part of her that she never showed except to her, in those rare cases where the pain of her leg was too much to bear.
The grasp of Tachyon on her waist was weak, but still with enough force to let her know that she’ll be okay. She always is, with her on her side. Cafe felt a little warmth on her cheeks.
“I made you tea”, Cafe whispered. “With honey, and sugar. Honestly I don’t know how you can like drinking something so sugary, but… It’ll help a bit.” Tachyon nodded.
Cafe took the cup and helped Tachyon drink, gently pushing the liquid into her mouth. Tachyon drank the tea slowly, making her dry throat feel a bit better.
“I have medicine too. Painkillers. I’ll get you a water cup.” said Cafe calmly, after the tea was finished. Tachyon nodded again, silent, still very much in pain.
Cafe got up from Tachyon’s grasp, earning an exaggerated sigh of sorrow - even in this state, she can be quite the theatric, Cafe thought - and filled one of their cups with water, taking the medicine with her.
She sat again at Tachyon’s side. “Open up.” Tachyon obliged, a rare case of her showing obedience. “I’ll put the medicine in your mouth. Drink the cup slowly.” Cafe proceeded, before helping her drink. Tachyon coughed a bit but drank it all, before pushing her head further in the pillow. She was already drifting away in sleep once again.
Cafe hesitated to take her leave. It was past curfew now, and even if she wasn’t one of the most punctual students when it was time to go to the dorm, it’ll be best to get to her room now, take a shower and rest. But she couldn’t leave Tachyon alone on that couch… She started to stand up, thinking about informing Fuji Kiseki, leader of the dorm of Tachyon of the situation, but was quickly stopped by an attempt of a hug from behind. Now that was unexpected.
“Tachyon..?”
“Cafe, please… I’m cold… Stay for a bit…”
Cafe didn’t know what to do. The couch wasn’t very big, but was spacious enough to hold two people next to each other. She started to think about it… No no, it was a bad idea. Sleeping here? Right next to the sick, annoying, maddening and foolish Tachyon? She was astounded at herself to even consider it.
The classroom was a bit cold, but was warm enough for spending the night here. And she would at least be with Tachyon in case of any problem that could happen. She would just need to send a message to Yukino to tell her that she wouldn’t sleep in their dorm room tonight.
But she would just get sick herself if she stays so close to Tachyon. With her frail body, it would be guaranteed. But those thoughts of staying here… Needing to check on Tachyon herself… Maybe that joke of being her personal caretaker wasn’t simply a joke anymore. It rubbed off on her, too much.
And now she was fully embracing it.
“... Okay. Lean a bit to the right.”
Tachyon obliged once again, getting deeper in the couch to let Cafe lay down too.
“My, my, my dear Cafe… You don’t just get enough of me, even when I’m sick…” teases Tachyon weakly, even if the sarcasm lacks energy. Cafe uncharacteristically felt blood rushing to her cheeks. Must’ve been the fever of Tachyon slowly making its way to her. Yes, nothing else.
And here she was, leaning against the mad scientist, fully embracing her in a spoon, slowly watching her chest go up and down as her breath steadies itself. Neither Cafe nor Tachyon were fond of physical intimacy, but for tonight, both were very relaxed against each other, as if… it just made sense, after all.
When Cafe was sick, Tachyon was always here with her “special medicine” to get her better, which Cafe promptly refused each time. But she was always there. So for now, it was her turn to be there for her.
“... don’t let go, Cafe…” Tachyon mutters, half-asleep. Cafe blushes. It’s not a fever this time.
“... I won’t ever let you go, Tachyon. Now rest.”
She paused, making sure that her dear Tachyon fell asleep.
“I need you to be at your best, so I can be at my best. Without you…” Cafe isn’t sure what to say. She contemplates what her life would be without Tachyon, currently cozying in her arms. She thinks back to their races, to their arguments, to their small moments of calm, and the concern that Cafe had when Tachyon was on hiatus - the sad, crushing expression she was hiding because of her leg. Cafe knows now that she would never want to see Tachyon like this again. So she’ll keep being at her side, making their dreams come true.
“... I could never catch up to Her. And I could never catch up to you. So… don’t ever leave my side again, Tachyon.”
She was asleep, but Cafe could feel against her that Tachyon leaned in closer, the closest they’d ever been.