4 Leaf Clover - ᴹˣᴹˣᴹˣᴹ

19.

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Clover was struggling, he was attempting to get himself from under this man. The man's arm was heavy, he had no control since he was intoxicated so when he mis-stepped, he brought Clover with him. Yuki watched as Clover struggled, he needed to step in immediately. He wandered back to his car, peeking back at the uncontrollable group.

Yuki gathered up a pair of handcuffs from his car, and his detective badge, not that a gang of drunks would be sober enough to request for it. He walked back over, his courage sitting tight in his chest, where it usually lived when he worked. His job was unstable, more dangerous than Elio's or Finley's as he was entrusted with the more gruesome stuff.

"Clover," He called out, making the group go quiet at the foreign intrusion.

Clover's head was swaying, he could barely raise his head as it felt so heavy. His eyes were glazed over with a permanent sheer, almost like tears had solidified over his iris. Everything in his vision was a blur, colours blended as he glanced around. He was in an endless shake - his whole body felt boiling, even though last night was the most frigid night of his life. He heard the voice call out to him, but it sounded far away.

"Who are you?" The voice of a drunk man accused, "You here to fight us?"

"No, I'm just here for Clover," Yuki nodded his head to the man under his arm.

"Oh, you mean angel," The man drunkenly laughed, "You can't have him,"

"Why not?" Yuki asked, his temper running thin and his patience even thinner.

"Because he pays for our food," The group laughed heartily as Clover's legs gave out.

Yuki bounded into action and picked him up from the pavement. He disregarded the outcries of the drunks, and effectively positioned Clover in his car. Something about the rowdy bunch didn't settle right with Yuki so he walked back and examined them. The man who had Clover under his arm was dirty, so dirty it was difficult to see his characteristics at night.

"You the leader of this group?" Yuki asked, it sounded cringe to ask but it's not unpredictable to uncover a lot of these groups do actually have a leader.

The man laughed, a front tooth missing, "I am,"

Yuki pulled out the badge, flashed it in his face and wasted no time in conveying him he was under arrest. Yuki had no idea what for, perhaps a simple public intoxication, public nuisance, public endangerment. All of these things were appropriate so he called the nearby station. He let the other members go, he did not doubt in his mind, that the leader would 'ratt' them out for ditching him.

After the call, he hurried back to his car. He clambered in, turned on the heating and folded the blanket out over Clover. Yuki was worried for the boy's health - Clover was pale, deathly pale and sheathed in a thin sheet of sweat. He watched the boy shiver involuntarily and his lips quivered as his teeth chattered. Yuki knew the signs, whatever had happened last night, Clover had suffered and somehow given himself a fever.

He wasted no time speeding back home, a whole day spent in his car looking for Clover so the roads were silent once again. He tried to keep an eye on Clover who was slipping in and out of consciousness, even when he started mumbling. He just drove and drove, the anxiousness in his body making him dread Clover getting further unwell. He also dreaded the look on Finley and Elio's faces when he would inevitably carry Clover inside.

Regardless of the potential shouting, screaming and hostility, he carried Clover inside the house. He was astounded to find Clover weighed as much as a little dog. He felt so light in Yuki's arms, it was almost frightening. He walked through the hushed house, suspecting Finley and Elio had gone to bed and he didn't stop till he reached Clover's bedroom. He positioned the boy on the bed and panicked before calculating what to do.