Love Hina – Blind Love
Fanfic
"I'm sorry, it was an accident, please forgive me!" He stands there hoping to defuse the situation before it can get out of hand. His aunt will settle things once she sees it's him. He waits, as he hears the sound of footsteps approaching. Still holding his hands out, he believes it to be his aunt coming, and he relaxes. He steps back, but trips over his dropped cane.
"How dare you come to an all-girls dorm and peek at us, you pervert!" a young woman screams at him. "I shall bring justice upon you for attempting to defile our purity, you perverted, lecherous, deceitful, vile, male. Shinmei-ryu no Zanganken! God's Cry Attack of The Stone Cleaving Sword!" another young woman cries. A powerful blow to his jaw sends pain flaring though his skull, and he screams until he slams into a wall of some sort, and temporarily has the breath knocked out of him. Then, a blast of, something, hits him. He slices through the trees, their branches tearing at his flesh, until he crashes into a large rock or boulder. His left arm snaps as his out-stretched hand connects badly with the stone. He is unaware of the third attack on his person, being blissfully unconscious.
Chapter Two –
Friday mid-morning, Hinata
With each pronouncement from the doctor, the girls cringe. Hikari has determined that Keitaro' jaw is probably cracked and is definitely dislocated, he has a broken left arm, a dislocated left shoulder, and he has multiple bruised ribs. He also most likely has a concussion from the attacks and landings, but Hikari won't be sure until he wakes. That in addition to the cuts and bruises that covers his body.
Haruka arrives at a run, followed by Motoko. "Keitaro! Oh Kami-sama, Hikari! What happened to him?"
Hikari turns to her "He is badly hurt, but none of his wounds are life-threatening. Once I am done treating the worst of his injuries, he can be taken inside where I can finish treating him." She sighs as she continues, her own hatred barely contained, "From what I have gathered, Keitaro was savagely attacked by Naru and Motoko when he came upon the girls in the hot springs."
"ATTACKED? What the hell?" Turning to face them, Haruka unloads on them. "An attack is one thing. God damn it, this looks like you tried to murder him!" Haruka's words are the harshest the girls have ever heard from her. Motoko and Naru, however, fear that the worst is yet to come.
Fists clenched at her sides, Haruka continues. "Explain to me RIGHT NOW why you attacked anyone, let alone Keitaro, so viciously? You've never more than scared off intruders before with a slap or threatened them with a sword thrashing. What did he do to any of you to warrant nearly being killed? And convince me why I shouldn't just kick you both out of here right now!"
Hikari puts her hand out to restrain the distraught woman. "Haruka, calm yourself. Before we can go into that, I shall need your assistance. I gave Keitaro a sedative, and now I need to reset his wrist and shoulder before I can check his jaw. I recommend that the girls all go inside, as this will not be pleasant to watch."
Naru steps forward, struggling to hold back her fear "I, I want to help. I, I mean we, Motoko and I, did this to him, we have to do something to help him!"
Looking at Motoko, she sees the sword maiden is frozen in place. She is whispering "blood, blood, blood."
Hikari looks at Haruka, who, after looking at the two girls, visibly controls herself and nods. "Motoko is going into shock; I'll take her inside while Naru helps you." Getting to her feet, she guides the sword maiden into the inn, followed by the other residents.
Naru looks at Hikari, who is using scissors to cut the shreds of Keitaro's shirt from his body. She shudders at the sight of his wounds and bruises, caused by the attack she and Motoko inflicted on him. She barely hears Hikari whisper "Why didn't you protect yourself, Keitaro? You're normally never hurt this bad." And the back of her mind ponders this strange comment.
Out loud to Naru she says, "Now, this is not going to be pretty. I need to reset and bind his shoulder before I can do his wrist. Place your knees on each side of his head, careful to avoid touching his jaw, and hold his chest still…..That's it. Just a sec.." the sickening sound of tendons popping into place assaults Naru's ears, but she fights the urge to run. Hikari binds his shoulder and upper arm. Keitaro moans in pain, despite the sedative she gave him. Naru stares at the blood on her hands, blood from the cuts covering Keitaro's chest.
"OK, I need to set the bones in his arm. This isn't going to be easy, and even less pretty, since there are two bones to deal with. Are you sure you're ready for this? ….Naru, do you hear me?" Not saying anything, Naru nods her head quickly. "Hold his elbow, here, just like this. Do not let it move, understand? Now, I need to reset his bones." Naru holds his arm as Hikari directs.
The feeling in her hand of bone sliding on bone pounds against Naru's senses, but she is unable to take her eyes off the worse sight; Keitaro's bent arm being manipulated by Hikari, his flesh being eased around the bones until she sets them back in place. Again, Keitaro moans, his face contorting in a grimace. "He'll definitely have trauma in the muscles, and there'll be significant swelling. I can put a light brace on him today, until he gets better." Hikari applies the brace, and binds his lower arm to his stomach so it won't accidentally be moved.
"Last thing, then we can take him inside. How are you holding up, Naru?" A shake of her head tells the doctor Naru is hanging in there, barely. "Come here. When I tell you to, hold on to his head, just above but not on the ears, in exactly the position I give it to you. Hold it tight, and as still as you can. Fortunately, his jaw is not broken, only dislocated. However, I will need to re-adjust his jaw to get the tendons and ligaments re-aligned and reseat the joints. The sound will be nauseating to say the least."
Naru, sweat pouring down her back, moves to the place Hikari vacates. "Now, Naru, hold his head and keep it still." Naru, fighting back the trembling of her arms, does as she is instructed. "Are you ready?" Hikari looks at Naru until she looks back, and they make eye contact. At that exact moment, while Naru is not looking at his face, Hikari moves Keitaro's jaw straight again with a 'cracking' sound Naru will never forget.
Suddenly, Keitaro's eyes snap open, and he start moaning and writhing in pain. Released from her shock, Naru instinctively reaches for his shoulders "Oh, Keitaro-san, please, don't move. Hikari, why is he waking up, why?" she begs, cringing that anyone has to feel this kind of pain. Splatters of blood fall on her as Keitaro screams and struggles, spitting blood from his injured mouth. He reaches up with his right hand and grabs Naru by the arm, squeezing it so hard that he nearly leaves finger-shaped bruises on her. Through his pain, he recognizes her voice, "N-Narusegawa-wa-aaaahhh, please, h-help me!"
"Damn! I forgot how fast Keitaro metabolizes medicines!" Another phrase from Hikari that sets itself into the back of Naru's mind. Grabbing the vial from her bag again, she looks from it to Keitaro for just an instant before emptying it into his mouth. Within seconds, Keitaro's shuddering ceases, and he lapses into unconsciousness again. Naru, numbed from what she has witnessed, can only stare at the bruised and swollen face of the injured man beside her.
"Thank goodness. OK, that's all we can do for him here. Naru? It's OK, we've done what we can for him here, now we need to get him inside where I can finish treating his rib injuries. Haruka," she calls through the door "we're ready to bring Keitaro inside." Hikari stands and waits by the door.
Naru remains, kneeling beside Keitaro, her arms wrapped around her body. She slowly rocks back and forth, trying to maintain control a little longer. All she can hear in her mind is this man, this blind man, Keitaro, writhing in pain; all she can hear is his grunts and moans of agony. Looking at herself, she sees his blood on her hands.
Haruka comes out, and as she approaches Hikari, she notices the look on Naru's face. With genuine concern, she asks, "What about Naru? Should I have the others help her in?"
Hikari, a much kinder look in her face now, glances at Naru for a moment "No. She will need to remain out here for a few minutes, if I am not mistaken." They carefully lift Keitaro and carry him inside.
Mutsumi, Su and Shinobu, now in robes, have followed Haruka, and stand at the door watching Naru.
Dropping to her hands, Naru crawls to the edge of the porch, her vomiting starting before she can make it. She retches for several minutes; emptying her stomach onto the flowerbed below her while Mutsumi drapes a robe over her towel-covered body.
A few minutes earlier, inside Hinata-sou
As the residents enter the common room, Su rushes over to the couch to check on Shinobu, who is awake but still feeling faint. Kitsune, seeing Haruka struggling with Motoko, helps her.
Motoko is still whispering "blood, blood, blood." like a mantra. They sit her down at the table, and try to get her to drink a cup of tea. Suddenly she shudders, and her eyes appear to re-focus.
Putting her hand to her mouth, she stands and rushes to the bathroom, where the sound of her vomiting can be heard.
Kitsune looks at Haruka, who nods and, smiling slightly, says "I can see that Motoko didn't realize what she and Naru's attacks had done. Go help her; I think she's already learned her lesson far better than any words of mine could do." Looking at the front doors, she thinks (And Naru is going to learn that lesson the hard way.)
Shinobu, looking bashful, sits up on the couch. "I-is that man going to be OK?"
Haruka walks over to the young girl "Hikari thinks so, Shinobu. That man is my nephew, Keitaro, Keitaro Urashima." Shinobu's hands go to her mouth as she whispers "Y-your nephew? And they, they…"
Patting her on the shoulder, Haruka calms the young cook "Don't worry, Shinobu, I'm sure he'll be fine."
Kitsune, supporting Motoko, returns to the common room. Motoko looks at Haruka, and drops to her knees. Bowing her forehead to the ground, she says "Forgive me. I struck out against your nephew with a ferocity even I cannot explain. I attacked someone unable to defend themselves. I submit to any punishment you deem necessary."
Haruka kneels and puts a hand on Motoko's head. "It's alright, Motoko. It's not entirely your fault. There is something about Keitaro that brings out the best, and worst, in females. Unfortunately, it's far more often the worst."
Looking up, Motoko says "I do not understand?"
A light laugh escapes Haruka's lips, despite the circumstances "I don't either. Just take my word for it." Holding out her hand, she assists the sword maiden to her feet. Tipping her head in the direction of the bathrooms, she says, "Besides, your reaction shows you didn't mean to really hurt him."
The sudden scream of pain from outside causes everyone to jump to their feet, if not already standing. As they move towards the door, Haruka calls them back, "If Hikari needs us, she'll call for us. Until then, none of you need to see what she is doing. Believe me, I know."
