Mega: Heyo, minna! What's up?
Note: Italics equal mouthing in both this and the story
Tenma: How can you be so happy?
Mega: I accidentally took a nap, so I'm behind schedule. I have spent the last thirty minutes trying to get my printer to print a double-sided brochure, and, at last, victory is mine!
Tenma: You're weird…
Mega: Hush, now, child. Author-san is busy. The reviews, Shindou.
Shindou: *staggers in with reviews* Here you are, Mega-san!
Mega: Thank you. Moving on…
SkywindAri: Short and sweet. I like it. Here's your next chapter. Enjoy!
2gatita8: Finally is right… -_-` I'm glad you like my writing style, and I'm honored to be your favorite author. Excuse me; I must go record the date that I made someone truly happy. I'm also glad that you're not going to die this time. For that, I'm very grateful. What would I do without one of my most devoted readers?
OTP's are all you need: Wait a minute… I'm Wheezy? Illuminati confirmed! Just kidding. :P All my stories are amazing? Really?! YAY! Here's an update, so rejoice!
KyouTakuTen: Well, the answer to your first question is simple. The brain is very complex and controls everything. Thus, a hit to the head can result in many different outcomes, so I made Tenma become mute. I'm glad you like it and were surprised. Enjoy this chapter, please!
Mega: Nice reviews!
Tenma: Why do you hate me?
Mega: I don't, really. You're just a fun character to torture with your super happy attitude.
Tenma: Why me?
Mega: Who knows? Now, onto the story!
~Chapter Two: Awakening~
~Shindou's PoV~
Seeing Tenma so weak had scared me; No, scratch that. It terrified me.
He was always so happy. Lying on a bed, motionless, in a cold, bleak room did not suit him. It did not suit him at all.
The doctors had rushed him to the ER the moment we arrived, so I hadn't seen him for hours. The doctors had said that it was serious, and that he was lucky to still be alive after such an injury.
My heart ached hearing such things about what the younger midfielder had endured. I guess that I should be grateful that just for the fact that he's alive, but I couldn't help feeling anger towards not only Hikaru, but myself, as well.
Being angry at Hikaru was logical, but I couldn't bring myself to fully blame him for the incident, for I had a part in it, too.
Maybe if I had been faster, I could have done something to prevent this from happening.
I knew that it was pointless and silly to think such things, but what else could I do? I was stuck waiting for Tenma to wake up. If that actually happened, that is. I really hoped that he would wake up. I don't think that I could handle seeing him fall into a coma or to never awaken again.
Deciding that mopping around Tenma's hospital room was pointless, I quietly slipped into that hallway and started towards Yuuichi-san's room.
I wasn't particularly close with Yuuichi-san, but I had met him, and that was more than I could say for most of the people in the hospital.
I reached Yuuichi-san's room relatively quickly and knocked on the door briefly. When I received a brief "Come in", I entered silently.
I locked eyes with Yuuichi almost instantly, but I was slightly shocked. I had expected Tsurugi to be here glaring daggers into me for coming, yet he was nowhere in sight.
Yuuichi smiled, understanding my confusion. "He's not in here. He's with that boy, Kirino Ranmaru."
I nodded in thanks, but was panicking internally. Kirino was in the hospital? What had happened?
"Thank you, Yuuichi-san," my words were rushed as I headed towards the door.
"Anytime, Shindou," he replied, understanding my anxiety.
'He really does understand a lot,' I noted as I rushed out of the room and down the hall before realizing that I didn't know Kirino's room number.
"He's in room 303," Yuuichi-san called from his room, which I was only two doors away from.
"Thanks again, Yuuichi-san," I yelled back as I started running towards the said room.
I reached it a few minutes later. What I saw when I got there, though, was shocking.
Through the partially opened door, I could see that Tsurugi and Kirino were sitting next to each other, kissing passionately.
Flushing red, I pulled myself away from the door before either of them could see. I was too late, though, because, judging by Kirino's confused call of my name, he knew that I was there.
"Shindou?"
Cursing myself, I slowly walked into the room. "Yes, Kirino?"
"What are you doing here?" He asked, intrigued by my arrival.
Before I answered him, I quickly glanced over him. He was pale and was connected to a multitude of different machines. I winced slightly in sympathy for him. Whatever he was here for wasn't good. That much, I knew.
"I'm here with Tenma," I told him, careful to keep my words precise. "Why are you here, Kirino?"
Before he could answer me, Tsurugi slid his arm around the defender's shoulders and glanced over at me lazily. "He has heat stroke."
Kirino's blush of embarrassment was enough to confirm Tsurugi's statement. He shifted in discomfort, clearly unused to the public display of affection from Tsurugi.
"Are you alright?" I asked, allowing worry to coat my voice.
"I am. I should be released in two or three days," he shrugged, and then paused, contemplating something. "What happened to Tenma?"
"He has a concussion, a really bad one." I said, flopping down onto one of the chairs at the foot of Kirino's bed.
Tsurugi paused, worry for his best friend showing freely. "Will he be alright?"
I shook my head dismissively, "they don't know. They think he should be, but the hit was pretty bad, so they can't say for certain."
"Oh…" Kirino's deflated murmur echoed throughout the bleak room.
We sat in silence for a moment. Kirino leaded back against him pillow, trying to absorb all the information. Tsurugi, on the other hand, just sat there stoically, emotions hidden yet again by his mask. The silence was unbearable.
It was broken, though, by a doctor that arrived minutes later, needing to check on my best friend. I took that as my signal to leave.
~Trauma~
I soon found myself back in front of Tenma's door. I opened the door cautiously, not wanting to disturb anyone in the room. I entered in the same manner, but I was relieved to find that Tenma was the sole inhabitant of the room besides me.
I quietly pulled a chair up next to his bedside. He still looked the same, sickeningly pale and weak.
I looked at the medical instruments attached to him. I was a musician, yet I couldn't figure out these instruments. I guess that I'm not a natural born doctor, am I?
I looked towards the window, unable to gaze at my motionless friend. Why was it always him? What had he done to deserve this?
I glanced back at him, my gaze resting on him pale face. He was the one that had brought Raimon's spirit back and was an avid fighter of the Fifth Sector. He was everything I wasn't, happy, motivational, a leader, brave, kind, and just about every other good trait. He was the ideal leader, just like Endou-san. What could he have done to deserve injuries like this?
I yawned tiredly. Then it dawned on me. I hadn't gotten any sleep. I was exhausted.
What did I do? Well, I did the natural thing. My head fell forward slightly and my eyes slid shut. I had fallen asleep.
~Tenma's POV~
When I woke up, I was confused. Where was I?
I opened my eyes partially to seeing my new location, and thankfully, my vision had straightened out.
I was in a white room, devoid of everything but the necessities, such as a bed and chairs. It didn't take long for me to figure out that I was in a hospital room. Lovely.
My gazed slid to my bedside. A boy with curly, somewhat long brown hair was sitting beside me. 'Why is Shindou here?'I thought curiously. Why would he be here with meof all people?
I reached over to grab the hem of his shirt, greatly pleased with the knowledge that my body would listen to me again. I pulled gently, but my crush refused to awaken from his slumber.
I frowned and pulled again, much harder, this time.
Shindou jolted and opened his eyes blearily. He was tired, so he had probably been here for a while. 'I'm the one who caused all this, aren't I?'I thought grimly.
My captain, now fully awake, looked over at me in relief and curiosity. "You're awake."
I nodded at his blunt statement. It was clearly not meant to be taken as a question.
He smiled and voiced an actual question this time. "How do you feel?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but found that no sound would come out of my opened mouth.
"Tenma? What's wrong?" He asked; panic being to color his voice.
I tried again to answer him, but the result was the same. In an act of desperation, I lifted my hands to my throat, trying to communicate my problem to him.
"Can you not breathe?" He inquired worriedly.
When I shook my head "no", a look of relief settled across his features briefly before returning to their former state. "What's wrong, then?"
I slowly began to mouth my answer to him, my mouth forming the unspoken words carefully.
'I can't talk.'
~Shindou's PoV~
He was terrified, and I was too.
He couldn't speak. He was mute.
What was the justice in that? He hadn't done anything. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He was a victim of circumstances like so many other people, and that was what made it so terrible.
He was just like every other normal person in the hospital. He hadn't saved someone or been injured in a game against the Fifth Sector. He was just involved in an accident on the soccer field. That was it.
He deserved better. I knew that he did.
He should be a hero or a leader or, well, SOMETHING!
He wasn't ordinary. No, he was too good to be ordinary. He was one of the best people I had met. He was as close to perfect as you could get, at least by my standards.
I was snapped out of my musings when Tenma pulled on my shirt hem again. He looked pleadingly at me.
'You won't leave me, will you? Please don't leave!' He mouthed, unshed tears glistening in his gorgeous silver eyes.
"I won't leave you," I said as I took his hand in mine. He blushed slightly, but I ignored it. "I'll stay right here with you, but I need to get the doctors."
He nodded, blinking back his tears. I smiled before rushing out to get the doctors.
When the doctors arrived, it was like a stampede. I had to flatten myself against a wall to avoid getting caught up in it.
After the doctors had entered, I slipped in, unnoticed by everyone but Tenma.
He was panic-stricken with all the doctors crowding around him, but he calmed instantly at the sight of me. I was glad.
The doctors finished their tasks and left the room in the same fashion that they had entered. It was only then that I could make my way over to him again.
"Are you okay?" I murmured softly to him.
He nodded tiredly in reply. I laughed quietly at his state, to which he turned to me with a glare that would rival Tsurugi's. I only laughed more at this.
He frowned and pouted cutely. He was too adorable, sometimes. I rubbed his head softly.
'Thank you,' he sighed, exhaustion evident on his face.
"Anytime," I whispered before leaning rather close to his face.
He flushed cutely. 'What are you doing, Shindou-san?'
"Takuto is fine, Tenma. I'm not doing anything. Just relax," I hummed as I moved my hand up towards his hair and began stroking the silky locks.
His face turned an even darker shade of red, if that was even possible. I smiled before capturing his soft lips in a gentle kiss.
He tried to resist at first, unused to the contact, before he melted into it. I broke the sweet kiss and looked at his exhausted form.
"You should get some sleep," I whispered lovingly as he settled into his bed.
'M'kay. Good night, Takuto,' he mouthed tiredly before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Maybe things would get better after all.
~Chapter fin.~
Mega: That's it, folks. I hope you enjoyed it.
Tenma: Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review. Sayonara, everyone!
Mega: See ya next time, minna!
