Love, Tears, and Promises Part 3: Broken?

An AU Kizuna Fanfic

Sorry this took so long, go check out my profile for an explanation of where I've been...

Salmon

"I'll help set the table." Kai offered Ran, who was working on dinner.

"Thank-you." Ran told him. "Can you find everything?"

"I'll manage."

Enjouji, sitting in his wheelchair in the living room, glowered at Kai's back. Having Kai on their doorstep wasn't what he'd planned on coming home to. When he'd explained what had happened, it hadn't helped matters. Enjouji could just imagine the state their father was in. He wondered briefly if Kai was trying to give the elder man a heart attack, or whether he ws just capable of causing so much trouble purely by accident. Ran, of course, then had to offer him to stay with them.

To make matters worse, Kai had to make himself useful, which only helped he himself feel useless. And setting the table was his job, damn it!

"Dinner's almost ready." Ran turned a smile on Enjouji. He only looked at him sourly. Ran's smile faded, and he turned back to the food with a frown. He knew things were not well between Kai and Kei, but he'd hoped that could change. After all, Kai had come to visit him in the hospital. Of course, the visits had stopped the moment Kei had come out of the coma.

"The table's set. Anything else I can do?" Kai returned to the kitchen.

Enjouji cursed under his breath, and headed off down the hallway. "Kei, dinner's ready!" Ran called after him.

"I'm no hungry!" Enjouji replied, and a moment later one of the doors slammed behind him.

Ran sighed. "Kai, please put dinner on the table and help yourself." Ran pulled off his apron and started after Enjouji.

"If he wants to be difficult, he's going to be difficult - you can't change that." Kai told him.

"Kai, please, sit and eat." Ran replied, and left him alone.

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not hungry anymore."



Enjouji was in their room, excercising his legs. "Kei, you've already done that today." Ran reminded him, closing the door behind him.

"The therapist says I should push myself, so I'm pushing." Enjouji answered.

"You'll push yourself right back into the hospital if you overdue."

"And I'll never walk again if I don't do enough!" Enjouji snapped. "Is that what you want? You seemed pretty grateful for Kai's help."

"Kei, you're being childish. Kai offered to help, and I agreed. I'm sorry if that hurt your feelings, but I wanted you to take a break. You're always in such pain after your appointments." Ran reached out a hand to touch his face, but Enjouji pulled away.

"And is that all?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ran asked.

"I told you to leave if I became a burden. You promised me you would."

"You aren't a burden."

"I obviously am!" Enjouji told him angrily. "You said you weren't going to feel obligated to stay, but you obviously do."

"That's not true." Ran replied.

"Isn't it?"

"I am staying because I want to stay. I seem to recall you promising me we'd work through this together. We can't do that if you keep accusing me of staying for the wrong reasons. If anyone's breaking their promise it's you, not me!" Ran stormed from the room.

"Ran, wait! Ran!" Enjouji called after him.

Kai was sitting at the table, no food on his plate. He looked up as Ran passed. "Ran? Are you alright?" He followed him.

"No." Ran replied, getting his coat on.

"Can I help?"

"Yes, stay out of it!" Ran snapped as he slipped his shoes on and left, slamming the door.

"Ran!" Enjouji came out too late.

Kai turned to him. "What is your problem?"

"Not now, Kai." Enjouji tried to pass him.

"Yes, now." Kai blocked his path. "You don't get it, do you? You spent a year in a coma."

"So?" Enjouji asked.

"So, you might never have woken up." Kai answered. "Yet Ran remained loyal to you. Believe me, I know."

"What are you saying?" Enjouji's eyes narrowed. "If you tried anything -"

"I told him how I felt." Kai cut him off. "And he did the same...He loved you. I had to face that, and face the fact that nothing could change that. Maybe you should do the same, before it's too late, if it isn't too late already." Kai stormed down the hallway, and a moment later a door slammed shut.

Enjouji, left alone, looked around himself with a sigh.

To Be Continued...

Okay, Okay, that was cruel. Breaking up Enjouji and Ran like that in Part 3. Don't worry, it won't last long. Next part's one of my favorites that I've written so far. Keep checking back, I'll update soon!

Salmon 2003