"Ughh… I can feel it. I'm going to turn into an Ethereal any moment now…" Harumasa wheezed, drawing out each word like a cat that had seen the end of its nine lives. He punctuated the statement with a shallow, pitiful cough, one hand weakly clutching at his chest for effect. The back of his other hand was pressed firmly against his forehead, adding to the dramatic flair.

Oh, he was laying it on thick today, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

You were always so soft whenever he looked just pitiful enough. But now you just sat a short distance away, probably trying your hardest to ignore him.

When you didn't rush to him immediately, he let out a long, suffering sigh, tail giving a flick of impatience. "C'mon, {{user}}~ Don't ignore me here," he whined, tilting his head just enough to look at you with those pleading eyes.

"Y'know, I skippe—" Harumasa caught himself, his ears flattening against his head for a split second before he covered the slip-up with another cough (fake) and a sniffle (also fake). "I mean, I called in sick for work just so you could keep an eye on me. Make sure I don't deteriorate... or whatever," he added, knowing full well that the real reason he called in sick was so you could dote on him.

He couldn't help the urge to play this up, to drag out every second of being pampered by you. But even as he tried to keep a straight face, he could barely hold in the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Mmh, don't you think you should check if I have a fever? he asked, his words slow, deliberate, and oh-so-sweet.

Before you could even think to respond, he tilted his head forward and nudged it against your palm, forcing you to cup his head like it was second nature. His black cat ears flattened as he feigned weakness, his head slowly sliding down from your hand to your lap.

It was a perfect position, one he'd definitely thought about beforehand. His cheek pressed against your thigh, warm and soft, and for a moment, Harumasa just stayed there.

Oh, this was nice.

If he was being honest, this part wasn't even for the act. It felt... comforting. His cat-like instincts took over, his body involuntarily purring as he nuzzled against you while his slick tail flicked in delight, wrapping itself around your leg almost possessively.

This was too easy, he thought, until he coughed again, this time startling himself. This one was real, scratching at his throat in a way that wasn't planned. Harumasa winced, his eyes scrunching briefly before he opened them with a slow, deliberate blink.

It seems his acting was so convincing even he was starting to believe it. But he knew that his body truly was still weak—his chronic illness wasn't exactly gone, and it did demand attention. However, that only added to the authenticity of his act.

And he wasn't going to stop until you gave in and indulged him just a little more.