(I wrote this for Hikari Takaishi's illness romance contest. It contains shounen ai, boy loving boy romance, so if you don't like that, please don't continue. I'm not going to do a summary, as that would spoil the story, but please enjoy. R/R)
Comatose
"See ya later, Miyako! 'Bye Iori" It was Thursday afternoon, and Takeru Takaishi waved goodbye to his friends. He headed over to his apartment building. It was a sunny day outside, and as a result, he decided to take the outside stairs to get home. He started climbing cheerfully, and soon reached the back door of the apartment he and his mother shared.
"Hi, Mom!" Mrs. Takaishi looked up when she heard her son's voice.
"Oh, hello, Takeru. Got any homework?" Takeru shook his head. "Then listen up. I've decided I need some R and R, so I'm going to take a vacation this weekend. I'll be gone all weekend, so I've arranged for you to stay with the Motomiyas. All right?" Takeru shrugged.
"Sure. Can I go on the 'net?" Mrs. Takaishi nodded. Takeru walked into his room, opened the blinds, and slung his backpack on the bed, before turning on his computer. He waited patiently for it to boot up. When it finally did, he double-clicked on the icon for the Internet, and logged onto his favorite chat room. He was surprised to find out that he was not the first one on. In fact, a few of his friends were already chatting away happily.
goggle_guy: Hey, TZ! What took ya so long?
CameraKat: Yeah!
BballStar: Sorry. I just got home. And it's TK!!!
goggle_guy: Whateva!
ChibiPink: Takeru! Long time, no see!
BballStar: Wha...?
ChibiPink: Don't you recognize me??? :o(
BballStar: ...ummmmmm...
ChibiPink: C'mon! Is it really that hard?
BballStar: ...
ChibiPink: Maybe I need a new screen name...
BballStar: Mimi, don't change it! I was just kidding!
ChibiPink: Phew! I was beginning to think you didn't know me or something! :oP
goggle_guy: That reminds me...you're coming home with me tomorrow.
ChibiPink: I am???
goggle_guy: Nooooo. I mean TA.
CameraKat: It's TK!
goggle_guy: ::shrugs::
"Takeru! Come here for a minute!" Takeru jumped, snapped back into reality by his mother's call.
BballStar: g2g. My mom's calling. And yeah, I know I'm going to your place tomorrow. See ya there!
BballStar has left the chat.
Takeru dashed into the living room, barely missing the wall beside the door.
"Yeah, Mom?"
"I forgot to remind you. You'd better pack now. You can leave your things here, and get them on the way home, but make sure they're ready to go." Takeru nodded affably, and went to pack his things for the weekend.
* * * * *
The next day, Takeru headed to Spanish, his last class for the day.
"Hola, clase!" His Spanish teacher greeted them cheerfully. She was almost too cheerful, or so Takeru thought. She began the lesson, and Takeru doggedly jotted down notes. Halfway through the class, Daisuke tapped him on the shoulder.
"So, do we have to stop and pick up your stuff on the way home, or have you got it already?" he whispered. Takeru leaned back precariously, trying to avoid being caught by the teacher.
"It's at home, so-" Just then, the teacher came by.
"Takeru, tiene una hija?" she queried. Takeru glanced down his notes before answering.
"No," he replied, shaking his head.
"Daisuke, tu tiene una hija?" she asked once more. Daisuke tried to look at his notes, before realizing that he had none. Hija, he thought, I think it means sister...
"Sí, yo tengo una hija," he answered, congratulating himself on his quick answer.
"Oh? Cuantos años hay? Ella es bebe?" Daisuke was puzzled at this.
"No, ella tiene dieciseis años." The teacher raised her eyebrows.
"Mr. Motomiya, had you been paying attention, like Takeru here, you would know that hija means daughter, not sister." Someone snickered, and Daisuke blushed. The bell rang just then, saving him from further reprimand.
Takeru and Daisuke slammed their locker doors, and headed out of the school.
* * * * *
Takeru took out his keys, and unlocked the front door, letting Daisuke and himself into his apartment. He went to his room, grabbed a duffel bag, and rejoined his friend, who was looking all around.
"Nice place you got here," he commented. Takeru merely shrugged, and headed out the door, Daisuke on his heels
* * * * *
Later that night, the two boys had finished dinner, and were heading out to their old elementary school, feeling rather nostalgic. As they reached the sidewalk, Daisuke suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, want to get some ice cream?" he suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea!" Takeru agreed. They walked the block up to the nearby ice cream shop.
"One chocolate, and one..." Daisuke began to order, but paused, unsure of what to order for his friend.
"Strawberry," Takeru whispered, nudging the other boy.
"Okay, then, one chocolate and one strawberry," Daisuke finished. The teenager behind the counter nodded.
"One chocolate, and one strawberry coming right up," she drawled. She handed them two cones, and held her hand out for money. Takeru fished in his pocket, and drew out enough small change to pay for both. When they got outside, they continued towards the school.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," Daisuke murmured.
"Well, I did anyway," Takeru replied. They were now nearer to the school, crossing the quickly emptying street, and entering a more secluded area.
There were no street lights here, and the only light came from the moon and stars, high in the night sky. A faint breeze blew, causing the evening to turn crisp and cool, but still unusually warm for March. The pale moonlight illuminated Takeru's face, giving it the translucent glow of an angel's. Without thinking, Daisuke wrapped his muscular arms around Takeru's waist and brushed his lips against those of his friend.
Startled, Takeru shied away. He turned to look at Daisuke.
"Takeru, I-I'm sorry," the older boy whispered. Takeru whirled around, and began to run.
Takeru's feet pounded the pavement. Daisuke had taken him by surprise, interrupting his flow of thoughts, which, coincidentally, had been focusing on Daisuke. He doubled his stride, seeming to almost leap over the stones of the sidewalk.
"Takeru, wait!" Daisuke was close behind. Daisuke had always liked soccer, Takeru had always liked basketball, and it showed. The brunette was already close behind his friend. Takeru put on an extra burst of speed, drawn from some hidden reservoir deep within him. He flew across the road, his pulse throbbing loudly in his ears. Daisuke began to cross also.
From eighty feet away, a small car came hurtling down the road. Daisuke saw it, and tried to run out of the way. The car kept on coming. Daisuke was halfway across the road, his goggles had slipped down around his neck, and he worried that he might not make it. The car was almost to the point at which he was crossing. Daisuke's legs froze suddenly; he was paralyzed with fear. The car hit him with a terrific force, and the boy's body was tossed into the air like a child's rag doll, landing a few feet away.
Takeru was frozen also. Everything seemed to be a dream, suddenly. Somewhere, far away from him, the driver of the car had leaped out, and called 911. Somewhere, far away from him, an ambulance was coming around the corner. Somewhere, far away from him, one of his best friends, and his secret crush was lying motionless on the ground. He rushed towards Daisuke's body, putting one hand tentatively towards his friend's arm. It was deathly cold. Choking a sob, he cradled Daisuke's head in his arms.
"Daisuke, wake up! Please, wake up!", he cried. Daisuke did not move. "Noooooooooooooooo!"
Somewhere, far away from these two, the ambulance screeched to a halt, the siren blaring and flashing a bright red light that seemed to cover everything, before Takeru himself slipped into unconsciousness, and the blessed, numb relief that came with it.
* * * * *
Two years later...
Daisuke's room at Serenity Day Hospital was cool and stark white, a white that was almost intimidating because of its shade. There was not much by the way of furniture in the room; most of the space was taken up by the rather hard looking bed, and the medical equipment, some hooked up to Daisuke, and some standing separately. There was a small table, a spinning stool, and a few lumpy chairs which no one could seem to get comfortable in.
Takeru was sitting in one of the chairs, watching Daisuke as he often did after school these days. When his friend had been hit by the car, he had not died, but was plunged into a deep coma. Takeru still blamed himself. No one else knew what had happened just before the accident that night, and they all assured the blonde boy that it was not his fault. Takeru believed otherwise. If he hadn't run away, across the street that night, he reasoned, then Daisuke would never have been hit. Tears misted his normally sky blue eyes, turning them a cloudy blue-gray.
Daisuke stirred, as if awaking from a deep sleep. His head whirled around, making him feel slightly dizzy. His body felt stiff, as if it had been unused for a very long time. The sensation of the sharp pricks of needles stuck at various places in his arms finally reached his groggy head. He groaned.
Takeru perked up suddenly. Had he heard Daisuke moving? He quickly got up, and strode to the side of Daisuke's bed.
Daisuke groaned again, stretched slightly, and willed his eyes to open. The harsh yellow light of the hospital room flooded into his eyes. He blinked several times, before his eyes focused in on the anxious form of Takeru. Daisuke didn't know where he was at first. Then, it all came back to him. He remembered what seemed like the night before. He remembered kissing Takeru, and then chasing him, and being hit by the car. He sat up suddenly, almost pulling a muscle in his back.
"Oh, God! Takeru!" he cried, looking wildly around before realizing that the blonde was right in front of him.
"Dai'? What? What is it?" Daisuke clutched at Takeru's arms, trying not to fall over.
"Where am I? What happened?" Takeru sighed at that.
"You're in the hospital. Do you remember the car crash? You got hit pretty badly, and you went into a coma." Daisuke's eyes widened.
"How long have I been here?" he asked haltingly.
"You've been here...for two years," his friend murmured.
"Two years? Takeru, I'm sorry for what happened last night-I mean before." He changed the subject suddenly, catching the younger boy off guard.
"It's not your fault," Takeru said quietly. "When you kissed me, I panicked. I couldn't believe that you liked, I mean, loved me too. That's why I ran. I should be the sorry one. Not you."
Daisuke leaned over then, and kissed him once more. This time, Takeru did not resist. Rather, when the Motomiyas and Mrs. Takaishi rushed into the room, upon their arrival, they found the two boys locked in each other's embrace, kissing passionately.
Fin
(Well, hope you liked it. And I hope it's not too late for the contest. Please remember to review- I want to know what to improve on for the future. Thanks!)