Disclaimer: LCdO is not mine, unfortunately.
This is AU. In this universe, Hino and Tsukimori have never met each other.
"Hino-chan, that one looks cute."
"Oh, that poor guy - wait, you don't recognize him?"
Her friend shook her head. Hino blinked in shock.
"That's Tsukimori Len - the world famous violinist. Ring a bell?"
"Wow. I wonder what happened to him. He looks terrible."
"He was hit by a truck." Hino recalled overhearing a conversation between two doctors.
"He'll never play the violin again, will he?"
"He might never walk again."
"It's painful to have one door close and not to have another one open for you."
She watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest. A small smile tugged on her lips - he really was beautiful with long, silken azure hair, creamy skin and perfectly shaped features. His eyelashes rested peacefully on his cheeks. The light which streamed in from the window fell on him, making him all the more irresistible. She giggled, feeling much like a schoolgirl and bent over him. A sigh escaped her lips and the man began to stir slowly.
His eyes fluttered open and Hino felt her heart stop momentarily. His eyes were simply gorgeous. They were a strange shade of gold flecked with black streaks.
The man frowned in confusion as Hino continued to stare.
"Ah, um..." Hino began, blushing slightly. I'm a nurse. He's a patient. I can't feel this way about him. "...don't try to talk - you have a tube down your throat, Tsukimori-san."
Tsukimori appeared to understand. His eyebrows burrowed further, this time in worry not confusion. He lifted his hands slowly and tried to move them. Hino wrapped her fingers around his wrists swiftly, shaking her head.
"You aren't strong enough yet. Don't try to move." She commanded.
His eyes bore into hers, pleading desperately for something that Hino couldn't understand.
"Do you want to know what happened?" She asked gently, seating herself at the foot of his bed. She took the slightly shifting of his head as a 'yes'. "You were hit by a truck. We found your violin, don't worry."
His eyes widened at the word 'violin'. He looked up at her, fear and worry clear in his eyes.
"It's still whole, if that's what concerns you." Hino tried. The creases of worry in Tsukimori's face deepened.
"Will you ever play again?" A slow nod. "I...well...no..." The last word came out as a choked whisper. Hino felt her heart constrict in pity as a lone tear glided down the man's pale cheek.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled. He slumped in a defeated manner against the pillows and let sleep embrace him.
"Hello." Hino greeted cheerfully as she entered Tsukimori's room - the man looked much better now, in her opinion. His skin was now not quite as pale as it had been when she first saw him and he seemed less agitated. He had been extubated about half an hour ago. "You look better."
Tsukimori opened his mouth to reply, but all his sore muscles could manage was a croaky moan. The red-haired nurse chuckled and filled a glass of water and handed it to the violinist. Tsukimori grasped the glass with his right hand as his left was in a cast and found that his grip was weak and shaky. Hino took the glass from him and brought it to his lips, pouring tiny amounts of water into the broken man's mouth. She supported his head with care, her fingers entangled in his smooth hair.
"There." Hino placed the glass on the table beside the bed.
"Thank...you..."
"Oh, no problem." Hino grinned cheerily. "Anyway, I'm really sorry about what the doctors have probably told you. I'd be devastated if I couldn't be a nurse anymore-"
"I don't believe that's any of your business."
Hino felt like someone had just delivered a stinging slap to her cheek. She hadn't expected him to be so rude - all she had done was express her concern. She glanced at him. He was fiddling about with his fingers.
"You're right. It isn't any of my business."
The next time Hino saw him was four days later. She had gotten over his sharp comment. She walked into his room with her trademark smile plastered on her face. Tsukimori seemed a lot better now - from what she had heard, he still hadn't regained full use of his arms or legs yet and from the looks of it, Tsukimori had found out about that piece of information as well. His eyes were fixed onto his sheets.
"Hino-san, is there something you want?" Tsukimori asked as Hino fluffed his pillows.
"No, I'm just here to change your sheets." She helped the taller man into a chair and began her duty, humming as she did so. "I heard-"
"Save your condolences for another time."
"Look, I know it hurts, but there's no need to be so upset over it. You aren't the only person whose lost something dear to him."
Tsukimori stared at her.
"Four years ago," Hino began. "I broke my left arm. It was a really bad break - the doctors said there was a 10% chance I'd ever be able to play the violin again."
"You play the violin?"
Hino nodded.
"Like I said. But I didn't give up - I still play the violin. And you can too - if you tried, you could beat the odds. You have a 12% chance of regaining full use of your limbs. Those statistics are a lot better than mine were."
"I..."
"Don't bother. It's all in the past." Hino smiled.
"His right arm is faring well."
"And his legs?"
"He should recover 60% use of them with physiotherapy."
Hino pressed her ear closer to the door - they were talking about him. It was that she intended to poke her nose into his matters. He struck her as a lonely person. In the six days he had been hospitalized, he hadn't had a single visitor and there was only one letter on his bedside table. He received no flowers, no sweets, no get-well-soon cards...it was like nobody cared about him.
If she was in his position, she knew she would be devastated. She strained her ears to pick up the conversation between the two doctors.
"And his left arm?"
"I hate to say it, but he might never be able to use it again."
Hino's knees hit the cold, marble floor.
The next time Hino saw the cerulean-haired violinist was the day before he had to start therapy. He had been moved to a larger room. The walls were a soft blue in color and the view was breathtaking. All that could be seen was a vast stretch of green for miles, dotted with tiny white and pink spots. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, adorned with puffy, white clouds.
"Hello." Hino smiled.
"Hino-san, don't you have work?" Tsukimori snapped.
"My shift's over." Hino replied, not picking up the fact that he wanted to be alone. "You start physiotherapy tomorrow, right? That's great."
"I suppose so." Tsukimori muttered stiffly.
She stayed by his side for the next hour or so, telling him a joke or two just so she could see him smile. It was almost impossible to tell, but she was sure he appreciated her for doing this. He never thanked her for it, but the fact that his attitude towards her had softened considerably and that he no longer ignored her words completely told her that he wasn't an ungrateful brute.
"Hayashi-san," Tsukimori started as his therapist guided his wheelchair towards a large, empty room.
"Tsukimori-san, I assure you, I will do everything in my power to help you regain use of your left arm." The physiotherapist promised. She pushed the wooden double-doors open and lead Tsukimori inside.
The room was gigantic. The polished wooden floor gleamed proudly in the sunlight that fell through the window. Silver bars ran around the length of the room. The curtains were a plain white, as were the walls but the room had a comforting feel to it. A breathless and flushed Hino appeared just then, panting heavily.
"Hino-san, isn't today your day off?" Hayashi asked.
"Yes - I had to drop off a file. And then I remembered that Tsukimori-san begins physio today, so I thought..."
"The more the merrier." Hayashi smiled warmly. Tsukimori felt like banging his head against the walls. The last thing he needed was another person to witness his downfall.
"Back to Tsukimori-san," Hayashi continued. "let's begin with your legs as they are the least damaged. We'll try standing and if you're up to it, a few steps, alright?"
The blue-haired man nodded before slowly pushing himself off the wheelchair.
"It's alright. If you fall, I'll catch you." Hino whispered.
Tsukimori attempted to balance himself on his shaky feet and felt his knees hit the wooden floor with a thud. Hino wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"It's no use-" He began.
"You shouldn't give up." Hino stated firmly and carefully helped him into the uncomfortable wheelchair. "Not yet."
Right. Left. Right. Left.
He had done it. About time too, he was getting tired of maneuvering a wheelchair around. He took a few more shaky steps and gradually he found himself walking steadily, without having to grip the bars. Initially Hino would drape an arm around his waist or guide him carefully. Now he was able to walk. It felt...good.
"I can walk..." he murmured, elated. "Thank you."
Hino held back a gasp.
In the two weeks she had known Tsukimori Len, that was the first time he had smiled.
And it blew her mind away.
His left arm would be back to normal in a few months, granted he attended his physiotherapy session regularly. His right arm had healed as well.
"Why were you so intent on me healing, Hino-san?"
"Because...well, if I were in your shoes, I know I'd want someone to be with me. Anyway, you should rest your body well and don't overexert yourself, okay? Or else you'll undo all our hard work." the crimson-haired nurse chuckled.
Four months later...
Hino clapped as loudly as she could until she was sure her palms would fall off. The concert was amazing - it was impossible to tell the violinist hadn't been able to lift his arms four months ago. She recognized the piece that had been played - Gavotte. It was a cheery, lively little piece and Hino couldn't help but smile at the peaceful expression on Tsukimori's face as he played it.
She pushed her way through the suffocating crowd and found her way to the dressing rooms - she would never have been able to afford such an expensive ticket under normal circumstances. Tsukimori had given it to her, as a 'thank you' gift.
She approached a white door that had 'Tsukimori Len' printed on it and was about it knock it when she heard voice from inside the room.
"Hey, Tsukimori, wanna come with me to Mizuiro's? I hear they have really hot chicks there."
"I'd rather not." Hino smiled softly at the violinist's cold tone.
"Aw man, why not?"
"I've got someone else."
"Really!? And it slipped your mind to tell me about this little piece of info. She must be one hot babe."
"She is extremely beautiful. Like nothing I've ever seen before."
The conversation ended and Hino heard footsteps. She backed away from the door instantly as it was being pushed open and waited for Tsukimori to come out.
"Thank you. For what you said." Hino blushed shyly.
"I meant every word of it." Tsukimori replied. "Thank you. For everything."
"There's nothing that's broken that can't be fixed."
Strange idea xD. It's probably crap and really OOC, but the important thing is, I had fun writing it :).