Title: Tomorrow
Words: 1825
Genre: Tragedy/Romance
Type: Two-shot
Summary: "Tomorrow?" The vague question etched its way into his mind as her tone, so, so cold, and so, so skeptical, didn't remind him the slightest bit of the girl she was. Amuto
A/N: My thanks go out to Mrs. Flamer, who is not only a friend, but also an amazing person in general. Thank you for giving me this idea and beta-ing it even though you've been so busy.
Had life ever been even the slightest bit fair to anyone? No. Because everyone hopes and hopes and prays to whatever deity there is that nothing happens to them. And in the end, they turn up in the hospital; battered and bruised and blood spilling all over the sheets and bandages and oh God no, the tears that fill everyone's face when they receive the news…
Family and friends blame the doctors, blame the accident, they blame themselves. They try to get away from the pain, the pain that won't leave them no matter how hard they try to forget. Like a curse it looms over their heads, fills their mind and souls with a poison that slowly kills. Figuratively. But not always.
More and more people end up dead and people won't believe that there's all a logic behind it. They are helpless, empty. And all they can do is stand by and curse and insult and cry out to no one and everyone.
Is it the same for this story? Maybe, maybe not.
Her name is Hinamori Amu, kind and cute if you look close enough, but at the same time plain. Just another girl that fades away in the crowd. She has friends, she has a family, she has a lover, she knows love and heartbreaks and sadness and pity. But she is simple, simple and naïve and always hoping that everything will be alright again.
She is pure, and she doesn't deserve what happened.
A car accident, they happen all the time. And there she was, on her way to school, in the early, early morning in her boyfriend's car. He was irked, there were meters of traffic and - wait, a chance to get there quicker? He took the chance, his car groaning as it shot forwards, and… White.
His memories stopped after that, he only knew that when he woke up he was in the hospital and his girlfriend, his lovely, lovely girlfriend, was in the operation room.
"Where is she?" he shot out, as he straightened up. The nurses next to him looked surprised at the outburst, but at the same time not, as they gave him their blinding 'stay calm' smile.
"I'll ask the doctor," the first one told him, as she made her way through the hallways. He couldn't see where she headed to, maybe all along she knew and she simply didn't want to tell him. Nurses are just like that, he thought, playing with emotions and unleashing hurtful feelings.
It took her long, far too long in his opinion, before she strutted back, clumsily knocking over the medicine on the table. The second nurse, who was far younger, was stuttering and blushing as the older one demanded her to pick it up.
"Nurse." She directed her attention back at him, staring at his face as if there was something wrong with it. With a faint sigh she started her reply.
"I'm sorry, she is currently in surgery , her legs were crushed beyond repair and-" he stopped hearing her ranting after that. With his eyes glassed over, he fell back on the bed.
How was he supposed to deal with this?
Fists clenching he asked her if they could contact his sister for him. Both of the nurses disappeared soon after, not coming back until the blonde arrived at the hospital, panting and sweating and worry plastered on her face.
"Ikuto?" he heard her say, he only looked up, acknowledging her presence with a faint nod. His sister bellowed deeply as she grabbed onto her handbag. He could see that she knew the news, and for him it was good enough that she did.
Neither of them talked, Utau simply stayed at his side, often caressing his hand, trying to comfort both of them.
"Tsukiyomi-san?" A doctor knocked on the door and came in as Ikuto let out a grunt, in his hand was a bundle of papers. Of course, doctors always hid behind fake concern and the excuse of having more work.
"Yes?" Ikuto questioned, eyebrow twitching up. The girl not too far from him got a stare from the doctor, who wondered her connection to the blue-headed male.
"I'm the sister, Ho- Tsukiyomi Utau," the blonde answered, her voice powerful and loud, a façade for the feelings tumbling inside her mind.
The doctor nodded and pushed at the bridge of his glasses, a fruitless effort as they fell back to their original place. The annoyed look on his face disappeared as quickly as it got there as he remembered the reason for being in the room.
Coughing faintly, he began his explanation, "Hinamori-san is currently under sedation from her operation. She will probably awake in a couple hours but I would suggest that at all times there is a nurse with you to restrain her when needed." The doctor glanced over to the two siblings, who both held similar expressions.
"Is she… Did she lose her legs?" Ikuto stumbled out, as he placed his hand on the mattress for support. His face looked pale and his hair stuck to his face, he looked nothing more than a sick, scrawny boy.
"Yes, she did. I'm sorry," the doctor answered truthfully, aware of the glare he got from the sister. He gripped the doorknob tightly and pushed against the door, stepping out of the room and into the long and narrow hallway.
"Now, if you excuse me, I have other patients to attend to."
With a sigh Utau dropped her bag to the floor, her keys rung a faint sound as the leather touched the marble. But she didn't notice. And she certainly didn't care.
"Amu is… Will you continue supporting her?" The fiery look in her violet eyes resembled the way she'd protected Kuukai the first time Ikuto met him as 'the boyfriend.' He knew that she was suspecting him to run away from his responsibilities. But he wouldn't.
"No," he said, his voice soft and low and slightly husky from the screaming he had done right after the accident. Utau shook her head and pulled the chair over to the bed, settling herself on it.
"Don't do it out of pity." The blonde twirled a piece of hair around her perfectly manicured finger, her look seemed bland, but her emotions weren't.
"I… I can't answer that," Ikuto replied, as he licked his chapped lips in an attempt to make it easier to talk. His sister noticed his actions and stood up again.
"I'm getting you some water, think about it." And gone she was. He sighed and wondered how deep he had fallen. He loved Amu, he really did. But could he actually handle a handicapped girlfriend? It would completely change their lives. He would have to do everything for her, and not to mention the stares he would get if he would stroll her wheelchair to a park…
Would she even be the same? Neither the doctor nor the nurse mentioned brain damage. But after all, she hadn't awakened, and they operated her right away when they reached the hospital. Maybe she'd lost her memory, or her ability to speak, who knows?
What would he do if it was like that? Could he really take care of her? It could ruin his life, it would be expensive and time-consuming. Could he - a guy used to running at his own pace - really change his manners to do everything for her?
He bellowed deeply as the choices twirled around in his head, dizzying him. The knock on the door as it was harshly pushed against the wall brought him out of the thoughts, instead fixating on the person who entered.
"Here," she said as she put the water on the table, again sitting on the chair. She didn't ask him about his choice, in the end she knew he would make the right one. He loved her more than he would ever admit, even more than she could ever love Kuukai.
"It was my fault, so I'm taking care of her," Ikuto started, as he looked her way, his blue eyes hard yet determined, "not out of pity, she's Amu, with or without…" He stopped the phrase, not wanting to realize yet that the girl he had met when he was still in high school was going to live her life missing some limbs.
Utau nodded, slowly sinking in the information. She hadn't thought yet how it would all be. Amu was going to live her whole life in a wheelchair, and it would surely disrupt Ikuto's life. Not to mention the guilt he was feeling…
"We're going to help you. It's going to be okay," she whispered reluctantly, not able to decipher the look he had.
The boy nodded as he sank against the pillow. It wasn't exactly the best thing to do, as he hadn't even noticed his own injuries.
"Damn," he muttered darkly, as he finally saw the gash in his neck that was carefully sewn shut. It didn't hurt at first, but after his sudden movement it sure caused him some pain. The blonde let out a chuckle, even though she herself was failing to see the reason why.
Her brother was in the hospital. Her best friend was in the hospital. Her boyfriend was miles away doing a hiking trip with his brothers, and there was no way to contact him until he got back to the hotel in the evening.
She was almost alone.
Of course she had Ikuto, but he was just about a vegetable, only answering when needed and mostly staring in front of him, thinking about the situation.
"Ikuto…" she whispered gently, as she grabbed his hand, squeezing harshly until she was sure he would feel the pain. With a reassuring smile she stared as he shook out of his thoughts.
"It'll be alright, I promise," she sung sweetly, as she closed her eyes to hide the worried look in her eyes. He only nodded. And nodded and nodded, until he felt a sharp pain in his neck once again.
The younger girl bit her lip as she laid down her head on the bed. He sighed and regained his composure, slowly stroking her hair.
"I'm sorry, Utau. I'll be strong from now on," he muttered faintly, before he closed his eyes and relaxed his body to try sleeping.
The wide smile on her face at his words almost made her forget her concern. Almost.
