Lumine X Kody

Prologue - When it all started

It's already been three years since I moved in. I like it here, everyone is so cheerful and they all accept me for who I am. I mess up occasionally but everyone ends up laughing about it and then they tell me it's okay. It's... nice, having this kind feeling around. The feeling of being loved like family.
Knowing there's someone who cares. Knowing someone considers you a brother, even though you're not blood related at all.

It was quite a chilly autumn morning. Leaves, painted red and orange, were falling from the smallest branches of the tallest trees. The ground was filled with an immense variety of warm colors.
I stood by the window, watching the sky outside get darker and fill with more clouds.
I was sipping a glass of orange juice, it helped me wake up and gain the energy I need to get through the day. I heard groaning from down the hall. "Oh, hey Kody!" I said, giving him a tiny wave with my free hand. All he replied with was "Hey" while sitting down on the couch.
He looked like he could fall asleep at any moment. "So... you ready to go?" I asked as I slightly tilted my head at him, checking his expression. He was expressionless as always, probably because it was morning, obviously. "Yeah, Whatever.." he replied.
His voice became deeper and softer in the last three years. I was happy, watching him grow and become a man.
"You're still in your pajamas Kody... and you haven't eaten yet. You should take care of yourself more... That's not something I can do for you..." I didn't like telling Kody what to do. At least he knew that I didn't mean any harm by it.
He knew I cared about his health. Plus, I think he was kind of grateful. He usually doesn't have the will to do things unless told.
"Fine, Mom" he replied with an almost annoyed tone. But he was obviously joking about the 'mom' part. After that he walked away, getting dressed and eating breakfast. Then he hurriedly got his stuff. Once he was ready, I placed the already empty cup of juice neatly in the dishwasher and went to school with Kody.

We stepped into the chilly, morning air. It had started getting really cold in the last few days. However, you can only blame the weather. I just tried to get as close to Kody as I could. I didn't want him to freeze because he was very sensitive to the weather and could easily catch a cold in the winter. In the summer, he would melt if he wore anything other than a tank top. I liked that about him, I found it funny.
We decided it was better to walk to school despite how far away it was. It was worth seeing the beautiful path that cut through the forest. The path was especially beautiful in autumn and winter. Those were the seasons when everything seemed different and yet, stayed the same. "Are you cold? You should have brought a jacket just in case..." I asked with a worried expression decorating my face. He shrugged and mumbled "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Plus, it's not that cold today."
His words made me worry more, but I decided to shake the feeling off and we kept walking until we reached the school gates. Usually, when we arrive he would find an excuse to be alone but he didn't do that today. I wonder why?
I simply accompanied him to his locker, then watched as he grabbed his stuff and entered his classroom. It was boring, being unable to attend classes, but at least I got some alone time. In that time I would usually sit on a bench and wait for class to end or sneak into the library and read a book. I would wait for something interesting to happen, even though nothing ever really did. That is if you don't count the one time that a group of delinquents came to our school, trying to set it on fire. They were caught by a teacher who was passing by. No one knows about the incident other than me and Kody, of whom I told the story.
I wasn't allowed to tell anyone other than him seeing as the teachers didn't want to cause any drama.
That's often how our days passed. The weather grew colder and colder, thus increasing Kody's chances of getting sick. He never did though fortunately, it was probably due to him getting vaccinated and the three layers of clothing he had to wear.
I wasn't sure everything was okay with him. however, he wasn't talking to me as much as he used to and once I finally gained enough courage to face him. On Saturday morning, I knocked on his door and heard a muffled reply. "Who is it?" I immediately knew something was wrong so I opened the door and stood in shock.

There was Kody on his bed with his head in his hands. I could hear faint but heavy breathing. He was only wearing a pair of jeans. I was used to seeing him shirtless but that's because we share a room.
"Kody it's freezing! What's wrong?" I ask as I sit beside him. I pull my sleeve back to touch his forehead with my wrist. To my slight surprise, he was burning up!
"Oh my god! Kody you idiot! Why didn't you say anything? This is bad... How long have you been like this?" I ask knowing my expression is angry but mostly worried.
Honestly, I felt betrayed because he wouldn't tell me, his best friend. "... A week?" he replies hesitantly, falling back onto his pillows, exhausted. "... Okay. We'll talk about this when you feel better. For now, you need to rest." I say as I tuck him into his blankets. I could feel his warmth, which was rare for the wrong reason.
I got up to get a thermometer and some medicine. As I was leaving I heard a soft voice behind me. "Lumine... thank you" I turned and smiled at Kody then rushed out of the room.
I tried to get everything without being seen since I knew Aiden was here and Kody isn't going to want him to get involved. I brought everything back to the room and started to take care of him thinking that it was nice to not be playfully mocked all the time. Instead, getting a gentle glance and soft murmurs. I knew this peace would only last until he got better so I decided to enjoy it while it lasted.

Kody felt better after resting for a while and taking some medicine, but he was still too weak to walk on his own. "Uhm... Lumine... can you help me get to the bathroom?" he asked a little awkwardly at first. I smiled and nodded in response.
I helped him get up and held him close. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder letting me support him.
Luckily everyone was working so I could bring Kody to the bathroom without anyone seeing us.
After he finished, I brought him back to our room and immediately put him on the bed, causing him to sigh in relief. It was admittedly a little awkward but I didn't focus on that. Instead, I found something else to focus on, such as the slight bruise on Kody's arm. How did I miss that? "Kody... did they beat you up again?" I ask pointing at his arm. "No. I fell out of my chair... and I hit my arm on the desk as I was getting up," he replied in a monotone voice.
It wasn't quite as weak as before which made me feel a little better.
"Don't lie to me... I know that's not what happened," I say, even though I don't know if it's true or
not. Kody chuckles lightly as he looked away. "Actually I'm telling the truth... This times it's my fault. Sorry," I raise an eyebrow at him, the corner of my mouth quirking up a little. We both laugh, imaging the scene, seeing a clumsy Kody falling out of his chair and hitting his arm.

The rest of the day was spent taking care of him and chatting with each other, strengthening our bond. I was very happy, being at his side when he felt weak and vulnerable. It made me proud to be a good friend to him and being able to help.
That day something in me changed. It was a weird, strange and uncontrollable feeling.
I wasn't sure if I caught a fever too or if it was something... else. I feel like I usually do. It was kind of a burden on me. However, it was something I knew I didn't want anyone to notice.
I had to hide it and so I did. Acting normal, trying not to seem suspicious, especially when I was near Kody. Why was I feeling like this? I don't know. I just couldn't get the image of me and Kody in the bathroom out of my head...