Jazz lingered in the doorway, arms crossed, lips pressed tight with clear disapproval. Her eyes flicked from Katherine to Leonard sprawled weakly on the couch, his face pale and glistening with fever sweat.
"You’re sure you’ll be fine?" Jazz asked for the third ti, voice low as if she didn’t want Leonard to hear.
Katherine forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Yes. You’ve already stayed too long. I can manage him."
Jazz raised a brow, unconvinced. "You sure?"
Katherine shook her head, more firmly this ti. "It’s alright. He’s not your responsibility. I’ll take care of it."
For a mont, it seed like Jazz would argue again. Her lips parted, then closed, then parted again, but finally she sighed, resigned. "Fine. But if you need anything, you call . Imdiately."
Katherine gave a small, tight nod. "Good night, Jazz."
When the door clicked shut behind her, silence rushed in, a silence so heavy Katherine felt it press against her ribs. Leonard shifted slightly on the couch, his brow furrowed, breath uneven, like each inhale carried the weight of sothing pressing deep in his chest.
Katherine’s throat tightened. She wasn’t sure if it was sympathy, irritation, or sothing she didn’t want to na.
From the corner of her eye, she caught the twins peeking out from their room, only their little faces visible between the crack of the door.
"Mom," Nathan whispered, his voice tiny, "is Uncle Leo okay?"
Beside him, Maya’s wide eyes shimred with worry.
Katherine straightened quickly, her expression softening. She stepped closer and lowered her voice, gentle but firm. "He’s just sick, that’s all. Nothing for you to worry about. Now, both of you back to bed."
"But-" Natalie began, but Katherine cut her off with a smile that tried to reassure.
"He’ll be fine. Mommy’s here. Go sleep. I’ll check on you in a bit."
Reluctantly, the twins pulled the door closed, though Katherine knew they would probably stay awake longer, ears straining for any sound.
Her gaze returned to Leonard. His arm twitched slightly as if he was trying to reach for sothing in his fevered haze. His lips moved, though no sound ca out at first. He looked... fragile. The word startled her. Leonard had always been a man carved out of steel, unshakable, controlled, maddeningly unyielding. But right now, flushed with fever, he looked almost human in a way that unsettled her more than anything else.
Katherine pressed her fingers against her temples. Should she leave him on the couch? It was the easiest option. He was already there, and it wasn’t her problem. But then her eyes fell to the damp collar of his shirt, clinging to his skin, and the way he shifted with clear discomfort.
It would be cruel, she thought. Cruel to leave him like this.
Her lips pressed together. "Damn it," she whispered to herself.
She crouched down beside him, testing her voice cautiously. "Leonard? Can you stand?"
A groan was all she received. His eyelids fluttered but didn’t open fully.
With a sigh, Katherine slipped her arm under his. "Co on. We can’t stay here. Let’s move."
It was awkward, he was heavy, his body hot against her like a furnace. His weight leaned into her shoulder as she guided him slowly through the hallway, each step dragging. Katherine’s breath grew unsteady, her brows knitted in both effort and frustration.
Finally, after what felt like a lifeti, they reached her bedroom. She eased him down onto the mattress, her heart thumping with the irony of it all. Her room, her sanctuary, now occupied by the man she had sworn to keep at arm’s length.
Her lips curved into a bitter smile as she muttered, "Of course. Just my luck."
She stepped back, hands on her hips, surveying him. Leonard was sprawled unevenly, his shirt clinging to him, his skin damp with sweat. He looked uncomfortable, pitiful even, and she hated that the sight tugged at sothing inside her.
Her nose wrinkled. "You can’t stay like that," she murmured.
The thought ford, and instantly, she rejected it. Undressing him? Absolutely not. That was crossing a line.
But she paced, back and forth, her eyes darting from his damp shirt to the dresser where a stack of laundry sat. Every logical thought argued against it, but the sight of his soaked collar made her wince.
"Ah, whatever," she hissed under her breath. "This isn’t about him. It’s about hygiene. Comfort. That’s all."
Her hand fumbled in the drawer until it closed around a shirt, one of Felix’s, left behind months ago. The fabric felt like betrayal in her palm, but she held onto it tightly, steadying her breath.
Approaching the bed, she swallowed hard. "This is ridiculous," she scolded herself softly. "Just helping. Nothing more."
With careful fingers, she undid the first button of his shirt. Her eyes darted anywhere but his chest, her lips pressed tight. When her hand brushed against his skin, hot and feverish, she flinched.
"Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it," she whispered, shutting her eyes briefly before continuing.
Her fingers shook slightly as she worked down each button. When the shirt finally slid open, revealing the hard lines of his chest, she nearly stumbled back. Her heart pounded louder, betraying her resolve.
She slipped Felix’s shirt over him quickly, fumbling slightly but refusing to pause. Once the damp fabric was gone, she tossed it aside, almost angrily.
When it was over, Katherine exhaled, long and shaky, pressing her palms against her knees. "Done. Finished. That’s it."
Leonard shifted, mumbling sothing incoherent, but he seed more at ease now, his breathing a fraction steadier. Katherine grabbed a towel, wiping his forehead with careful strokes. Her movents softened against her will, her chest tightening as she watched his features relax slightly under her touch.
"There," she whispered, setting the towel down.
Turning toward the bathroom, she muttered, "I need to wash up. Get my head straight." The restless beat of her heart felt foreign, dangerous.
But before she could take a step, a hand curled around her wrist.
Katherine froze. Her eyes widened, darting back to Leonard. His half-lidded gaze t hers, unfocused yet piercing enough to root her to the spot. His lips parted, voice rough and raspy, every word scraping against fever.
"Don’t... go... Don’t go to Felix."
The room seed to shatter around her. Katherine’s breath caught, her pulse stumbling. She stared, unblinking, her mind blank for a heartbeat.
Then, as if burned, she yanked her hand free, too harshly. Her jaw clenched, her voice low and trembling. "You don’t know what you’re saying."
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