Title: Ne Pas Oublier
Author/Artist: Cheza-chan
Pairing/Characters: Antonio Lopez / Keith Goodman
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, and I definitely don't own the sponsors that they wear.

The patient's eyelids fluttered before sliding open to reveal sky blue eyes. Hair of spun gold fanned out behind him on the pillow, he stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to process whose ceiling it was, or even where he was. His awakening triggered something, though, and the bright lights of the sterile ceiling were blocked out by shadowy silhouettes of random individuals.

"Keith! Thank God..."

"You're awake! We were so worried..."

"Not more than Bison..."

"Mr. Keith...!" There was a soft voice to shush the one that sobbed.

The blond patient grimaced as he dragged himself into a sitting position, but his reflexes were fast enough, and he jerked away from the hand reaching out to him.

"Kei—"

"I don't know any Keith! I don't... I don't know..." '...who I am.'

"Sky High!" a falsetto voice admonished. "That's not funn—"

"Stop." The bed's occupant turned towards the new voice. An older man stepped forward, tipping back his hat to be seen. He smiled at the blond. "I apologize on everyone's behalf for disturbing you. Let's go..." He gestured with his hands and everyone began reluctantly shuffling around, making their way to the door. The brunet glanced across to the room to the one other person that had yet to move.

The patient followed the amber-eyed gaze to the man that stood closest to his bed; the man that had reached for him. He waited until the room was completely emptied before relaxing against the pillows at his back. 'Keith...'

X

"Mr. Goodman, as I'm sure you're aware of now, has lost his memories. He was suffering from a concussion after being rushed here. We've been thorough with our examinations and I will let you know now that there are no lasting signs of physical damage. Other than the unfortunate one that you've just witnessed, he has no other side effects." The doctor exhaled deeply, shoving his hands into the pockets of his white coat. "There's no telling when his memories will return, especially in a case such as this. He can't even remember who he is... There's also the possibility that his memories might never return."

Kotetsu Kaburagi chewed his bottom lip nervously, chancing a glance at his childhood friend. They were all concerned about their friend and fellow Hero, but no one more than Antonio. Antonio, who'd finally managed to woo the elusive Sky High after several months; they'd been in the process of planning for their one year anniversary. Antonio, who now looked broken beyond repair.

The doctor glanced at everyone in the group; few met his eye. "We'll keep him until he's fit to be discharged. I'll talk with the CEO of Poseidon Line and give him this same explanation I've just given you. Helping him remember will be a difficult task, but I leave it in your hands. Just remember: don't overload his senses." With a small smile, the doctor wished them luck and took his leave.

Kotetsu circled the group to stand at Antonio's side. He reached up and squeezed the taller man's shoulder. Antonio screwed his eyes shut, remembering the moment everything went to hell all too vividly.

-x-x-

Thanks to his launcher, and a bit of luck, Antonio managed to land on the right ledge of the toppling building, putting his all into keeping the falling top half of the structure upright; there were still people trapped inside. After a few long minutes and no sign of reinforcements, he finally heard the familiar roar of a jetpack. Rock Bison couldn't allow himself to relax, even after the strain on his arms lessened. He opened a private line to Sky High, who now hovered above him. "You're late."

"You got here too fast," Sky High retorted.

Antonio chuckled softly, "You've been hanging around Kotetsu too much."

"Guilty, but that's only because I need someone to get the juicy bits of your past from."

Antonio could see Keith's wide grin, despite the armor they both wore; it was an expression he'd long since memorized. Before he could speak again, his monitor alerted him to new movement.

The current King of Heroes landed gently beside him. "Hurry up, old man!" Barnaby shouted down at his so-called partner. Antonio rolled his eyes, glad that he was hidden in his suit.

Wild Tiger gracelessly scrambled up the side of the building. "Don't rush me. Not everyone can hop around like a bunny!"

Antonio heard Keith chuckle. The duo quickly disappeared into the building.

"Sky High," Agnes's voice crackled over the communication line. "I believe Rock Bison can hold that up by himself for a few more moments. I need someone to take care of the rogue villain leaping across rooftops."

"All right," Keith responded obediently. "See you tonight," he whispered to Antonio through the private line before closing it off.

Rock Bison steeled himself against the weight of the building once his fellow Hero had released it. No one knew that the man Keith chased was a NEXT; no one knew he was a summoner and had a small arsenal at his disposal. No one was prepared for the midair explosion that shattered windows and sent Sky High careening back down to Earth—hard.

-x-x-

Antonio squeezed Kotetsu's hand before gently removing it from his shoulder. "Ant—"

"Don't, Kotetsu. You saw it... He was terrified when I reached out to him. I can't..." Exhaling deeply, Antonio forced a grin meant for everyone that stared pityingly at him. "Give him my condolences. I'll see him after he's released, back at the Justice Tower."

Nathan's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but he dared not reach out to the man; if Antonio turned down his childhood friend's comfort, there was nothing he could do. The broad back actually looked small as Antonio walked away.

With each day he spent in the private Hero hospital wing, the amnesiac patient was given small increments of information on the world he lived in. Keith Goodman a.k.a Sky High; former King of Heroes, but a First League Hero. He could speak English and some Japanese. His first day of recovery was spent learning about NEXTs and Heroes. Kotetsu was also his first visitor—would probably be his most constant, if not only visitor.

"How... do I activate my powers?" Keith asked softly, staring blankly at his hands.

"Mmm!" Kotetsu pursed his lips. "It's like flipping a switch. I would do it, but I have to wait an hour before I can use it again, and we never know what can happen in sixty minutes."

Keith returned his grin with a small smile. He exhaled deeply, focusing on bringing forth the power buried within himself. A bright blue light surrounded him and he startled himself to the point where he levitated above his bed, the sheets hanging down below. Panicking, with a little bit of flailing involved, he willed it to stop and fell back into the bed with a grunt and a creak of the springs. "That was..."

Kotetsu chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It'll probably be a bit unsettling for you, since it's all new... again." Keith smiled apologetically. Kotetsu waved his hands frantically. "It's nothing you should apologize for. We just want you to be as comfortable as possible, if possible."

Keith smiled, and Kotetsu couldn't help but compare it to the wide grins the energetic man used to show before. 'A shell...' He shook the thought from his head, grinning to keep the mood light.

X X X

Everyone visited over the course of two weeks; everyone except Antonio. Kotetsu was the last visitor before Keith was finally given the okay that he could be discharged. The blond patient was, of course, no fool, and realized one face had been missing from the several that had first greeted him.

"How many First League Heroes are there?" Keith questioned absently, his fingers fisted in the sheets as he stared across the room to the windows.

Kotetsu counted softly to himself, reciting everyone's name. "Including you... Eight."

"I'm out of commission... I've only had six visitors."

Kotetsu looked perplexed, but then his eyes widened. "Bison…! He's been busy. Agnes keeps him in check because she wants his ratings to go up for the show."

Keith didn't know what his former self would say, but he muttered softly, "...you're lying."

Kotetsu's expression fell and he stared at his hands clutched together in his lap. "He doesn't want to visit you, but I think you should find out why from him personally."

"We're lovers," Keith whispered.

Kotetsu's head snapped up. "How—"

"Nathan," the blond responded with a quick glance and a fleeting smile thrown in the brunet's direction. He returned to staring at the window. "I understand why he wouldn't want to see me. I'm not the man he fell in love with..."

Kotetsu wanted to cry, for both their sake. He said nothing and they merely sat in a companionably silence until Barnaby came and retrieved him.

Keith accepted his personal belongings, awkwardly pulling on the jacket. A cell phone was held out to him and he took it gingerly, unsure of what to do with the device. The nurse smiled and showed him how this particular model worked. During the ride to the Poseidon Line building, Keith idly fiddled with the phone, trying to figure out everything about it. He stumbled across the image gallery and almost dropped the device, his hands trembling. Tears formed in his eyes. He used his thumb to scroll through the images and the tears slowly began to fall.

Multiple shots alternating between himself and Antonio, and sometimes even both of them were stored in the phone's gallery. He stopped at a particular capture, his free hand rising to cover his mouth. The Keith he'd once been had obviously taken the picture, as his arm was extended out of the shot. With a blinding smile, the blond looked to be perched on a grinning Antonio's back, his free arm around the brunet's shoulder for support.

Keith scrolled to the next image and promptly dropped the phone into the leather seat beside him. Still in the same piggybacking position, Keith had leaned down to kiss the man beneath him, either consciously or unconsciously capturing the moment.

X X X

Keith barely remembered his talk with the CEO of Poseidon Line—something about making an appearance with explanation—because all thoughts flew from his mind after stumbling into Antonio at the Justice Tower. The two put a few feet's distance between themselves, unable to stop staring, but not saying anything either.

Antonio obviously received the answer he needed. With an empty smile, he took his leave.

"I'm sorry!" Keith blurted out after him.

Antonio lifted a hand, waving over his shoulder. "Not your fault," he tossed back.

Keith stared until he disappeared into the elevator, never once turning around, and the metal doors separated them.

X X X

The CEO of Poseidon Line had no reason to hide Sky High's tragedy—"Maybe it'll boost his popularity," he laughed—and casually called a public meeting to announce why the First League Hero would no longer be found zipping through the sky, neither day nor night. The news was broadcasted through Sternbild and any other countries tuned in to that particular frequency.

Keith watched the entire thing again in the safety of his penthouse suite, wondering who all those people on the platform were. He recognized none of them. Keith shut off the television and turned to stare at the Golden Retriever curled against his side, fast asleep. The dog was loyal to his master, no matter what frame of mind he was in. Keith had no idea how they'd been in the past, but John refused to leave his side, even when he had to use the bathroom. It was a chore locking the large animal out, but he wanted some form of privacy.

Keith's smile faded as he noticed his phone on the coffee table. The images in it continued to haunt him every time he picked it up. Keith sighed and flopped in the opposite direction of John, taking a few minutes to make himself comfortable enough to sleep.

The doors to the private gym slid open, and Keith's 'flight' instincts kicked in the minute he spotted Antonio. Unfortunately, everyone else noticed his presence and be was cornered; dragged away from the door and pinned by Ivan, Karina and Nathan.

"Have you—"

Keith quickly shook his head before the young girl could finish her question. "They demanded I come in and work out before I get flabby sitting around."

Nathan whined in his throat. "No, we don't want you to get flabby."

Keith jumped in surprise at the wandering hand, a bright red blush spreading across his face as he inched away. Ivan had yet to verbally speak, but he was the closest—other than Nathan's hand—and Keith could see clearly that the boy was worried about him. He lifted his head and was met with a steely gray stare. He kept staring, hoping something inside him would be jarred by the brunet's pinched expression. Nothing.

Again, as though realizing he was still forgotten, Antonio walked away, heading down to the other level.

Keith was pulled back by the trio still clamoring for his attention.

His week-long regimen of exercise came to an end, and it was decided Keith needed to get back into his suit. The suit developer was willing to start with him from scratch. At the end of the day, Keith was grateful that the walls had been padded as a much-needed safety precaution.

John's happy barks softened to sympathetic whimpers after his owner walked into the suite. Keith smiled at the Golden Retriever, sinking into a crouch to pull the animal into a hug. "Thank you. I am in a bit of pain after flying headfirst into walls, but let's get us something to eat, hmm?"

John barked in agreement, licking up the side of the blond's face. Keith laughed, feeling more at ease around the canine than his fellow humans and NEXTs. That's not true, his mind reminded him. "Kotetsu," the man sighed softly.

Kotetsu didn't go out of his way to worry about him, and didn't ignore him. We're both ignoring each other, his traitorous mind reminded him, in regards to Rock Bison. John reminded him what his earlier mission was, eagerly tugging his master toward his bowl. Keith laughed and obeyed. As for himself, Keith stood in the extravagant kitchen, wondering what he could and couldn't cook.

X

After setting off the fire alarm several times, and then having Fire Emblem and Wild Tiger show up at his apartment as on-call Heroes, Keith decided he needed to order out. Kotetsu offered to stay and keep him company, but Nathan whined there were reports that needed to be filed. Keith laughed as a tug-of-war ensued in the elevator.

Nathan frozen, his eyes wide behind his cowl. "Oh," he whispered, mesmerized by the familiar sound.

Kotetsu grinned, finally releasing the frame of the elevator. "I'll come back if you want. I don't know what your favorite food is, but I know a good sushi restaurant."

"Sushi." Keith tested the word, rolling it around the inside of his head. "I'd like to try it."

"Great!" The doors started to close, but Kotetsu shoved both arms into the space, forcing them back open. "Do you want it to be just us, or everyone?"

Keith thought of Antonio after hearing 'everyone', and from the way Kotetsu practically shrank away into the elevator, it was obvious his expression said what his voice couldn't. "Maybe next time?" the brunet stated, offering him the easy way out.

Keith nodded, unable to find his voice. The elevator doors closed and he had only John to keep him company. He reached down—the Retriever licked reassuringly at his fingers—before turning away, heading back into the suite with John at his side.

Keith was no better at piloting his suit now than he was four days ago. After almost dislocating his shoulder, he was placed back onto a light exercise regimen until they could figure out how to resurrect Sky High again.

X X X

"Why aren't you fighting to get him back?"

Antonio glanced at the man seated beside him on the bench in the Tower's locker room. "Because we're not supposed to force his memory. It should return on its own."

"It's been almost three months," Kotetsu sighed, leaning forward to brace his elbows on his thighs. "And he's really not showing signs of improvement. If anything... I swear he's getting worse."

"Because of a big, bad, surly Bull." Nathan sauntered across the floor, a towel wrapped around his frame from chest down to his thighs.

Antonio glared, but had no rebuttal. "What can I do?" he sighed.

"Start over," Nathan hummed, waving a hand. "Introduce yourself to him as a friend that just wants to help him."

"He avoids me just as much as I avoid him," Antonio pointed out to the duo.

"Because he doesn't want to hurt you," a new voice stated. Barnaby stood at the entrance of the locker room, fully dressed. His glare was directed at Kotetsu, still dressed in the bodysuit. He shifted his gaze to stare at Antonio. "He's not who you want him to be, so to spare you the pain of looking at him and remembering that, he keeps his distance."

"Since when did you become an expert on relationships?" Kotetsu scoffed, standing and reaching for the zipper keeping him trapped in the skintight suit.

Kotetsu's raised arms blocked the young man from his sight, but Antonio saw the look of pained desperation—a very fleeting look—that crossed onto Barnaby's face. He smiled wryly, realizing Barnaby's words came from a personal suffering. "Fine," he scoffed. "If someone can get a hold of him for me, I'll make amends."

X X X

Keith remained frozen in place in the middle of the main room of the apartment Poseidon Line provided him with. Antonio was on one knee just inside the threshold of the front door, his arms full of an excited John. The Golden Retriever refused to stop lavishing him with kisses, his tail beating wildly.

Antonio, laughing, placed a hand to John's muzzle, lowering the dog's head so he could stare at its owner. "Hi."

Keith snapped back to reality, almost forcefully, and smiled shyly. "Hi."

"Sorry..." The brunet trailed off, leaving the apology open for interpretation.

Keith shook his head, tucking his arms behind his back, his smile growing wider and a bit more confident. "Let's just say... we're both at fault."

Antonio's eyes widened, a surprised laugh tumbling from his lips. "It sounds like you're back to normal already."

Keith blushed, looking away. "That's… good."

Antonio straightened up, John leaping up with him, paws resting atop his shoulders. "If you want, we can work out the daily routines you used to follow."

"I would like that very much."

Antonio quickly looked away from Keith's blinding grin. "Nathan told me of your kitchen mishap. I can help you… remember what you do know how to cook."

"Yes," Keith hurriedly agreed, closing the distance between them. "I hope I don't sound lazy… but I've been pushing myself far too hard at the gym to work off all the fast food I've been eating."

"I can't tell," Antonio murmured, giving the younger man a onceover.

The tips of Keith's ears turned red and he quickly disappeared into the kitchen. John was torn between following or staying, but Keith had been his family the longest. The Retriever calmly trotted after the blond, stopping at the entrance of the kitchen to cock his head at Antonio. Rock Bison chuckled and followed.

X

Keith forgot why he was supposed to be avoiding Antonio the moment they both started moving around the kitchen.

Antonio kept a safe distance, only moving closer when the other went still, a faraway look appearing on his face. He took Keith's hands in his own, guiding them in a way he hoped was familiar. The smile he received in return was just one of pure thanks, no feelings attached. It stung a little, but he was happy that Keith had survived.

After setting out John's food, Antonio took a moment to wash his hands, ready to take his leave. He grabbed a nearby towel, drying his hands as he turned around, and found Keith carrying dishes to the table.

Keith was setting down a second plate when he caught Antonio's eye. He smiled, but it dimmed, and his fingers curled around the plate before it could sit on the place mat. "I… made too much," he offered in explanation. "Or rather, I made the right amount, since I obviously cook for two. I'm sorry." Keith clutched the plate against his chest. "I'm being terribly cruel right now. Sorry…"

"You're not, being cruel, that is." Antonio moved, prying the dishware from the blond's arms. He rinsed it, dried it, and set it back down onto the table. He smirked. "Are you asking me to stay for dinner, Mr. Goodman?"

"Yes," Keith whispered, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth; the gesture did nothing to hide his smile. "I would love it if you joined me for dinner."

Antonio grinned. "Since you asked so nicely… I'll stay."

"Great!" John barked in agreement. With renewed vigor, Keith resumed setting the table.

X

Keith wrung his hands together as he saw Antonio out. He wanted to apologize again, but he was sure the other was tired of hearing it by now. "Can we… train together? I'm not getting any better and Ms. Jouvert said we trained together."

Antonio grinned. "You trained me, if I remember correctly."

Keith looked surprised. "Really?"

The brunet laughed, "Yeah. It's not surprising at all. My sponsors needed me to be better. Agnes ordered you, King of Heroes back then, to teach me some tricks of the trade. I started earning more points…" Antonio trailed off; the end of their training session was also when he'd asked Keith out for the first time.

Keith's smile withered after realizing he'd stirred up a painful memory. "I'll ask someone else," he whispered, all but shoving Antonio into the elevator. A firm hand gripped his and he froze, eyes glued to the floor. "I don't want to go back to avoiding you," he started without hesitation. "Tonight… felt right, but I don't want to lead you on. I may look like him, but I'm not the Keith Goodman you fell in love with. I… don't even know who Keith Goodman is."

"I'll wait." Antonio's voice was rough. "I'll wait, no matter how long it takes for you to remember."

Keith's head snapped up, his eyes wide. Antonio wanted to kiss him, but he'd just sworn they would stay associates. Keith smiled with the slightest hint of a tremble in his lips. "Thank you."

Words of gratitude sounded better than words of apology. Antonio smiled, releasing Keith's arm so he could step backwards into the waiting elevator car. "See ya around." The doors slid shut.

Keith felt John nudge his leg and he knelt to wrap his arms tightly around the Retriever. He whimpered into the tawny fur, wondering if this is what a crush felt like.