Uso dayo!

Everything was hot and cold at the same time. The room was dark, but somehow it still managed to spin and Kokichi groaned and tossed in bed. His stomach twisted and his pajamas were sticky, his hair sticking to his sweaty forehead. Tears streaked flushed, feverish cheeks as he turned again, desperate to find a comfortable position. His wrist itched, but he couldn't scratch it. He got in trouble the last time he tried.

The door clicked open, letting in a stream of light from the hall.

"Kokichi?" came the soft, shy voice. Kokichi immediately stilled as his heart stuttered in his chest.

It was Nee-nee.

She wheeled a small cart into the room, clicking on a soft lamp on the nightstand to illuminate the room. Kokichi whined pathetically as she peered down at him with an unknowable something in her eyes. He wasn't sure why, but something was different about his Nee-nee whenever Kokichi was sick. Or rather, whenever she was taking care of him.

Something like a cat peering down at a helpless mouse.

She smiled sweetly, brushing Kokichi's damp bangs from his face. "Oh me, oh my, has that pesky fever still not broken?"

"It's sticky, Nee-nee," he croaked, tears pricking his eyes. "Make it stop..."

He couldn't tell if her smile changed or if it was the fever playing tricks on him.

"Don't worry, dearest," she tutted, turning to fiddle with whatever was on her little cart. "I'm sure some fluids will help."

Kokichi's stomach rolled at the sight of the IV bag. No, no, he didn't like the fluids! Anything but that, he'd even take Teru-nii's soup at this point. He didn't like how the cloudy contents of that bag made him feel.

She seemed unfazed however, hanging the bag up on the stand affixed to her baby brother's bed as he cowered under the covers.

"Kokichi, I need to attach—" She tried to peek under the blankets to get to the IV port taped to Kokichi's wrist, but he snatched it away, hugging it to his chest.

"Don' wanna, Nee-nee! Feels icky!"

Her momentarily surprised expression melded into another smile. A different one. Kokichi shivered.

That was the bad smile.

"Silly boy," she cooed with a saccharine sigh. "The fluids are what will help you not feel icky anymore!"

For the first time in his life, Kokichi doubted his Nee-nee.

She must have known, because her smile finally fell, leaving an eerily blank stare in its wake.

"Kokichi, you know that you're sick, right?"

Kokichi whimpered.

"You need someone to take care of you. To tend to your fever."

Her tone was so distant. Was she talking to him, or at him?

"You can't do anything like this. You're so small, so ill, completely helpless..."

She took a shuddering, breathy sigh.

"Who better than the Ultimate Nurse to care for you? " she drawled, her gaze sliding off to the side in a daze. "Your Nee-nee, right? Do you not trust me, Kokichi?"

Kokichi's chest tightened. His head hurt. He was dizzy. He wanted it to stop.

Nee-nee knew best, right?

"I-I trust you, Nee-nee," Kokichi stammered. "I just...!"

He eyed the bag warily.

"I'm scared..."

Her smile returned, and she held out her hand for his. "I know, Koko. Let Nee-nee make the scary sickies go away..."

Kokichi stared at her hand, then looked up at her again. A sweet, reassuring smile graced her features, but that... thing in her eyes remained. Kokichi didn't know what it was. It made his skin crawl, but...

Nee-nee knew best.

He gingerly turned over his arm, and she deftly took it in her chilly hands, turning it over to attach the IV to the port. Kokichi buried his face in his pillow, preparing for the burning sensation that would inevitably creep up his arm and through the rest of his body as the fluids entered his veins.