You Can
Disclaimar: I don't own Shugo Chara! at all.
URYA! I don't know why! I just had an urge to write this story! Please forgive me! I'm just brainstorming all my other one's. It's just, urges. You know? I'll try making this one a short fic. But I hope you enjoy it.
Hobey-ho. And so I go my flying sapphire cheeky monkeys!
Kuukai walked through the hallways of the hospital, searching for his friend that he was told, was in. Which room? Kuukai thought as he passed through several. Kuukai looked down at the note the receptionist had given him. Err.....I can't read her hand writing. Kuukai thought. He scratched the back of his head. He couldn't make out the numbers. It all looked like swiggly lines.
Bounce.
Kuukai turned his head. He could've sworn he heard a bounce from a basketball. He came to a room from where he had heard it.
201 C.
Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.
Kuukai peeked through the door, opening it silently. What patient played basketball inside a hospital? Inside, he saw a girl who looked fourteen, bouncing an orange basktball on the shiny ground of her room. Her long, violet hair resting in a sloppy bun. Her ivory skin looked soft enough to touch. Her pink lips curved into a light and delicate smile. She looked small, but she dribbled that basketball like an expert. Her slim fingertips capturing the ball's figure as it bounced to her, her wrist moving at the beat of the basketball being pushed down.
There was just two thing wrong with the picture. The little girl who was bouncing the ball was in a wheelchair.
And that was Fujisaki Nadeshiko. The friend Kuukai was looking for.
"That's some good dribbling." Kuukai said, stepping into the room. The little girl gasped as she lost control of the ball.
"Oh no..." she whispered. Kuukai picked up the ball and genlty gave it to her. "Thanks Kuukai." Nadeshiko said. Kuukai chuckled as he sat on her bed.
"I came right after I got the message from my brothers." Kuukai said. "I didn't think that you would be this bad to be in a wheelchair. Didn't you look both ways before crossing the street?" Kuukai asked. Nadeshiko gave a glum look at her friend.
"It was dark. I didn't see." Nadeshiko said, tossing the ball in her hands. Eighteen year old Kuukai laughed. It soon died down as he saw Nadeshiko turn to look at the sun setting through her window. Nadeshiko wheeled herself next to the window cill and rested her chin upon her hand. "It's beautiful." Nadeshiko commented. Kuukai looked out the window with her. The sun was mixing in with the bright colors of orange and pink. With a touch of red and purple. The sun was finally getting to it's most colorful point.
"Yeah, it's an amazing sunset." Kuukai answered.
"Sunset? I meant the basketball court down that grassy field from the hospital." Nadeshiko said, pointing to where she was talking about.
"Eh?" Kuukai said, looking down from her window. "Oh." She was right. There was a basketball court down there. It looked kind of old and beat up, but any basketball court was beautiful to Nadeshiko. Kuukai knew that much. That was her best sport. And she damn good at it.
Or was.
Nadeshiko looked and envied the people playing inside the court's rusted gate. The old concrete that somewhat helped produce the sound from the basketball. The faded lines that ran around the court. She wanted to be the one of the boys jumping, dribbling, running, and catching inside those gates. But knowing her legs condition, that was broken.
"It's not fair." Nadeshiko whispered. Kuukai looked down on her. Knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I can't play like this..."
He knew it. She was thinking about basketball again. He knew how much she loved it. It was her joy. Her upmost joy in the world. And now it was gone. The instant the bus hit her, her joy was destroyed. Just like that. Which was sad. He's always watched her from afar. Cheering for her from the sidelines. He knew how much basketball existence was a big importance in Nadeshiko's life. Nadeshiko even had a chance to try out for a real basketball team. Her dreams were to play for the NBA. Kuukai knew that Nadeshiko had dreams of going to America, playing basketball for the love of it. And here the seventeen year old girl was. In a hospital because of one accident.
In a wheelchair.
Dreams destroyed.
"You know..." Nadeshiko started to say. Kuukai looked at his smileless friend. "When the doctors told me, I was unable to walk again, I wanted to laugh. It was like they were shouting at me, like all my years of dreaming for playing basketball had gone to waste." Nadeshiko stated. She didn't smile. Kuukai looked down at the floor. He was trying to think of a reply to this. But what could Kuukai do to comfort his friend who spent seventeen years playing basketball, just finding out it all went to waste? "I...didn't want to believe them."
"Nadeshiko..." Kuukai said. "You were always good at basketball." he said. And still can be.
"Don't." Nadeshiko said quickly. She covered her ears with her arms. Her fingertips lacing together in the back of her head. "I don't want to hear people trying to comfort me. It's over." Nadeshiko said harshly. Kuukai didn't need to see her face as she said that. He already knew what was shown on it. Her lips were pursed together, quivering from remembering all the times a basketball was in her hand. Her eyes, closed tightly together to keep from crying infront of him. She was hurt, broken. Who wouldn't be? In her situation. "I..." Nadeshiko started to say.
But... Kuukai thought. She could still play. She's practiced basketball forever. Even practicing when she would bleed... It can't end like this. Not like this...
"I...I've already accepted it." Nadeshiko whispered painfully. "I-I mean, how can I? Look at my legs..."
"Nadeshiko." Kuukai said. He looked at her. She was trembling in her wheel chair. He could tell she was looking at her legs. Cursing at them for being the way they were now. Numb and no energy at all.
"I--I can't even feel life in them anymore..." Nadeshiko silently cried. Kuukai wondered how long she had been holding back her tears since the accident as she looked at the people playing in the court. "I....can't play anymore." she whispered.
It can't end like this for her. Kuukai thought. How could it? It just wasn't fair. "But, you love basketball." Kuukai said. He noticed Nadeshiko wince at that. Kuukai walked over to the window cill to sit on it.
"I can't anymore." Nadeshiko said, hiding her face from Kuukai. Not that there was any reason too. He already knew she was crying. And that hurted him.
A lot.
He's never seen her like this. Giving up so easily. That wasn't her. This couldn't have been Nadeshiko. She looked to weak, and pathetic. The Nadeshiko he knew was strong, independant, straight forward, bold, always giving basketball more than her best. Where did that Nadeshiko go? Who was this person? A person who was crying because everything was over was here. This couldn't have been Nadeshiko. Even in the darkest of times, the Nadeshiko Kuukai had known wouldn't be crying. She would just start over again.
"This isn't you." Kuukai said. "You've never given up before. Why are you starting now?" Kuukai asked. Kuukai was hearing sniffles come from Nadeshiko. "Nade, you can't just give up. Basketball's your dream, your life."
"I can't anymore." Nadeshiko said, still not looking at him. Kuukai tried his best to reason with her. There was no way one car accident could do this to her.
"You can." Kuukai replied. "Don't let this one accident pull you down now! You can still play basketball!" Kuukai said.
"I can't!" Nadeshiko cried. Kuukai finched at her biting tone.
"Why are you giving up so easily!?" Kuukai fired back. "This isn't the Nadeshiko I know!" Nadeshiko finally turned her head to Kuukai. Kuukai felt himself stiffen from her dead gaze. It wasn't threatning him to shut up or anything. It was just, dead. Unalive. No special spark in them, no light. Emptyness, hollow. Almost cold. Nadeshiko moved her lips to speak.
"The Nadeshiko you used to know..." she whispered. "Died along with her dreams." She clentched onto her arm rest from her wheelchair. "I can't play anymore... Even though I really want too..."
"Then play." Kuukai stated. Nadeshiko shook her head sadly as she covered her face in her hands.
"I can't." she mummered. "My legs won't move. No matter what I do. I can't Kuukai. I can't! I just can't!" she cried. "No matter how I plead for them to move, or how I try! It's just not gonna work!" Kuukai saw tears crawling from her palms. He looked away. This wasn't right. Nadeshiko was never this weak, never this fragile, never this delicate. What happened to her? "I'm broken...." she whispered, rubbing at her eyes.
"You can't be broken." Kuukai said in a soft tone. Nadeshiko sniffed, pulling her head away from her hands. She looked up at Kuukai.
"I am." she croaked. "The doctors even said I won't be able to walk, ever!"
"The doctors are wrong!" Kuukai said. "Tch..." Kuukai looked out the window. The kids seemed to be leaving. "Look here." he said, turning his attention to Nadeshiko. "At this time, meet me at the court." he said. "Even if you're in a wheelchair." he said.
"I'm not going." Nadeshiko replied as Kuukai walked towards her door.
"I'll be waiting." he answered, leaving.
It was the next day, and Nadeshiko was looking out her window again. Her chin resting on her hand. Her eyes looked down at the court. There he was. Sitting on a bench with a basketball next to his foot.
"Why do you even bother?" Nadeshiko said to herself. "I'm not going." Nadeshiko looked back down at her legs again. They seemed so still. With a sigh, she tried moving them again. For the millionth time that day. Move! Nadeshiko pleaded. Nothing happened. C'mon! Nadeshiko pleaded again, trying to search for any kind of life in them. Nothing. Nadeshiko gave out a defeated sigh. "It's hopless. No matter how much I try." She looked out her window again. Kuukai was still waiting. "Give up, Kuukai. I'm not going." she whispered as she watched the sun setting.
Why was he even bothering? There was no way Nadeshiko was going to be able to play basketball again. She couldn't. She wouldn't be able to feel like flying again. She couldn't jump, or run, not even walk. How could she play basketball? Even if Kuukai did believe in her, it was a waste. Just like her seventeen years of trying. It was all for nothing. With that, Nadeshiko wheeled herself next to her bed and used her arms to climb in.
"Good-night." she said, closing her eyes.
Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.
Nadeshiko's eyes shot open. She groaned. Why was she hearing that now? Nadeshiko slowly got up and carefully placed herself in the wheelchair. She wheeled herself to the window. And saw Kuukai putting shots inside the basket. She could feel her hearst sink. If it wasn't for her legs, she would be able to play with him. Shoot, she's be able to help him play even better. But she couldn't. Nadeshiko only rolled her eyes as she continued to watch him. Noticing his good points, and his many flaws.
What's he doing? Dribbling like that? Nadeshiko asked herself. Kuukai was dribbling using his palm! His fingertips not even touching the basketballs bumpy figure. "Dummy." she mummered as she secretly rolled out of the hopital. From out of her room, to the elevator, to outside. When she appraoched the court, she yelled, "Dummy!" Kuukai stopped dribbling as he smiled.
"Finally." he said. "Wanna play?" he asked. Nadeshiko shook her head, roughly.
"No." Kuukai ran up to Nadeshiko before she had a chance to turn around.
"Don't think so." he said, pushing her to the court.
"What're you doing?" Nadeshiko asked. Kuukai placed her in the middle of the old court and sat down next to her. "Take me back to the hospital!"
"You came here for a reason." he said, tossing the ball up in the air and catching it.
"Yeah, well, you were dribbling the ball wrong." Nadeshiko commented.
"So, you still wanted to play, after all." Kuukai said.
"No." Nadeshiko said defensivly. "Besides, I can't. Not when my legs are like this. Even if I really wanted to play..."
"Then play." Kuukai said as he placed the ball in her lap. Nadeshiko looked at the basketball as if she was trying a foreign kind of food. Kuukai picked her up from her wheelchair. He couldn't stand her there, just sitting and staring.
"Why? Put me down!" Nadeshiko cried. Kuukai's hand were wrapped around Nadeshiko's waist as he hoisted her up in the air.
"Shoot the ball." Kuukai commanded. "I'm not letting you go until you do it." With a grunt, Nadeshiko gazed up at the red basket. Old, rusted, no thread in it. This court had definatly seen it's years. But, it was still beautiful. Sucking in her breath, Nadeshiko shot the ball. Not even aiming. It was an instinct. Just an instinct. And she knew that she wasn't going to make it.
Swoosh!
It went in. Kuukai lightly let Nadeshiko's feet touch the concrete, but his arms were still around her waist, holding her for support. Nadeshiko felt a little tinge in her legs. How long had it been since she's touched real floor. How long had it been since she's entered a basketball court like this? Touching concrete, old, cracked concrete?
"How'd it feel?" Kuukai asked her, hoping to get a positive answer.
"Rubbish." Nadeshiko lied. Hiding her little excitement from feeling at least a little something from her legs. Her hopes were slowly rising.
"Liar." Kuukai retorted. "I can read you as clear as a book's pages." he said. Nadeshiko's eyes were kept on basketball. Little tinges, that's what she was feeling. In her legs. Nadeshiko felt herself smile. Maybe she could after all.
"We're sorry." the doctor told Nadeshiko. Nadeshiko's eyes looked up at him from the wheelchair. The violet eyed doctor looked sincere. And Nadeshiko saw pity in his eyes. Not something she was usually happy seeing.
"Sorry?" Nadeshiko asked. What was he being sorry for? "Sorry for what, Tsukiyomi-sama?"
"You're legs...unfortunatly, you won't be able to walk." he said in an uncomfortable manner. Nadeshiko smiled.
"Okay, well...for how long?" she asked hopefully. "I'm turning eighteen this fall. Hopefully, I'll be able to play basketball again. You know, if I get to enter school on time for tryouts, maybe I can get another chance at trying for a real team! There was this one lady who saw my talent and reccomended a place for me. I'm so excited! I can't wait to get out of this wheelchair and play basketball again!" Nadeshiko cheered with a smile. "How long wil I have to be in this wheelchair, Tsukiyomi-sama?" she questioned the doctor. The doctor tore his eyes away from her as he told her the news.
"I'm sorry, Fujisaki. But, there will be no more basketball for you. You won't be able to play basketball anymore."
"Pardon?" Nadeshiko asked, confused.
"You'll be in that wheelchair, forever." he mummered, walking away, not wanting to see Nadeshiko's face expression. Nadeshiko literally felt her heart stop as cold chills shot up her spine. What was her doctor saying? And in such a sorrowful tone. He wasn't saying that she was unable to walk for the rest of her life, right? That was ridiculous. That would mean not being able to play basketball again. Nadeshiko, not playing basketball? That was impossible. Nadeshiko felt the nurse pushing her to her room. Right before the nurse left, Nadeshiko turned her head to ask her something.
"Nurse? How long will it be 'till I'm able to walk again?" The blonde haired nurse gave Nadeshiko a grave look. Her green eyes showing the same pity the doctor gave her.
"I'm sorry." she whispered as she quickly walked out of the room.
Sorry. They both said sorry. For what? Nadeshiko looked down at her legs as she tried moving them. Nothing.
"No way..." Nadeshiko said. "I can't be in here.....in this thing...forever." Nadeshiko said to herself. She felt her heart sinking. "I've practiced basketball my entire life..." Nadeshiko mummered to herself. "So....." A tear slipped down her cheek as Nadeshiko felt pangs in her heart. "So, why is it like this?"
Nadeshiko didn't want it to end like this.
"We're sorry."
Sorry? For what?
Nadeshiko's smiled faltered as she remembered that day not too long ago. Kuukai noticed this.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Take me back to the hospital." Nadeshiko commanded, leaning into Kuukai's chest. Kuukai sighed as he carried her back to her wheelchair.
"No." Kuukai said as he handed her the basketball. "I'm not letting you go just yet. Dribble the ball." Kuukai demanded. Nadeshiko let the ball rest in her lap.
"I can't." she answered flatly. Kuukai knelt down infront of her.
"You can." he whispered. Nadeshiko remembered the scene of her crying in her hospital bed.
"I can't." she repeated, shaking her head. She didn't want to think about it. She covered her face again. Her fingers were trembling again. Nadeshiko repeated herself over and over. "I can't. I can't. I can't."
"You can." Kuukai said, taking one hand away from her face and holding it. It left him to see Nadeshiko's tear stained face.
"Why are you trying so hard!?" Nadeshiko cried, trying to push him away. "Just give up Kuukai! I already did!"
"I can't." Kuukai said.
"Why not?" she sobbed. Kuukai gave a light laugh.
"Because, it's not fair, right?" he asked. Nadeshiko slowly nodded her head.
"It isn't. But what can I do?" she cried. "I'm just gonna be stuck in this wheelchair forever! The doctors said so!" Kuukai grabbed Nadeshiko by the shoulders and took her out of it. Embracing her on the ground. There, Nadeshiko clutched onto his yellow sweater and let her teardrops fall. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Why won't you give up.....?"
"I'm a friend, aren't I?" Kuukai said. "Besides, I've watched you. Ever since we were little. I've watched you." Kuukai made Nadeshiko look into his honest emerald eyes. "It can't end like this. You've worked to hard. I know. I've seen. And I can't watch you end it like this." he said. Nadeshiko chewed on her lower lip as Kuukai said this. With a little chuckle, Kuukai continued. "Do you want it to end like this?" he asked, putting his chin ontop of her head. Nadeshiko sniffed as she succumed in his warmth. Slowly, Nadeshiko felt herself shake her head. "There's my girl!" Kuukai cheered quietly, ruffling her head with on hand.
"Dummy." she muttered. Kuukai chuckled as his grip on her tightened.
We're gonna be practicing everyday... He thought. Nadeshiko had worked to hard too quit right now. Even if it seemed hopeless now, Kuukai wouldn't give up. Not if it was Nadeshiko.
"Don't worry." Kuukai reassured, his chin falling in her left shoulder. "It can't end like this."
"Dummy." she mummered in his sweater. "You're an idiot..." she said while wiping her eyes with her sleeve roughly. Kuukai grabbed her arm to stop her wiping.
"Yeah, I am. But, we'll get through this together." Kuukai said. Like we always do. Together. "It won't end like this... I promise."
"I'll keep you at that promise." Nadeshiko whispered.
There's my urge. Should I continue? You tell me. Hobey-ho my flying sapphire cheeky monkeys! And so I go...
(A/N: Now it's three stories....TT-TT)