#ninpop

To say that seeing him sick breaks her heart is an understatement. Watching Ninjara curled up under a blanket with a compress to his forehead to fight that raging hot fever of his shattered her heart into a billion little pieces. He hasn’t said a word - claims his throat hurts too much for him to speak, and anytime he does get a word out, his voice is all raspy and tired. Groggy with exhaustion and ick in his chest. He insisted he could take care of himself, but Lola adamantly believes no one should ever have to suffer alone, and that especially stands for the love of her life.

That is why she has him resting at her apartment now, with one of her big fleecy comforters cocooning him on the living room couch. 

The coffee table’s decorated in a tissue box, his half-empty (or perhaps half-full) water bottle, and medicine to minimize any excuse for him to be up and about. She has him tucked in up to his neck, and fusses over him like a mother does to a child, but she can’t help it. He might be the one who’s sick, but he’s got her infected; worried sick to her stomach. Especially when she knows he hasn’t tried to down a single meal since the night before, and even then, he’d hardly kept it down. That’s why she’s lingering by the arm of the couch and watching him, nervously fiddling with her fingers. Ninjara, who’d been trying to sleep, pries his eyes open and drifts his gaze to her. He could feel her eyes on him, and knew something’s wrong, fever aside. 

“... Are you okay, Lola?” He asks, and again, there’s that groggy voice. He winces at the pain in his throat, but his love for her is far more important than a little discomfort in his windpipe. 

Lola’s eyes glance back towards the doorway to the kitchen. “... I know you don’t feel well, but have to eat - Just something light. Please?”

He sighs. “I really don’t think I should...”

“... For me?” She pleads, with her voice and with her beady blue eyes. 

God, it’s hard to say no, especially when she gets those puppy eyes out. And besides, at the end of the day, he knows she’s just worried about him and wants him to be healthy. That began with getting some strength back in his body, which includes keeping himself fed well. Part of him’s thankful it’s Lola who offered to watch over him and not, say, Springman, who’d subject him to pizza even at a time like this. 

Ninjara’s hand breaks free from the blanket to slip into Lola Pop’s and intertwine their fingers; something he knows will help calm her down. “... Alright. Let’s eat together.” 

And for the first time all morning, she cracks her signature bright, blinding smile.