Omgosh it's been a while, I know, and for that I sincerely apologise. But! Here is the fourth chapter (finally hehe oops?) of Understanding Me, Loving Yuu. I absolutely love Planets by Short Stack (it may possibly make a reappearance hehe), and I almost cried when my friend told me they'd broken up. I was so looking forward to seeing them live... anyway, enjoy!
-Kavbj
Understanding Me, Loving Yuu
Planets by Short Stack
Breaking Yuu out of the Infirmary had been a very stupid and reckless idea when he was in the condition he was in. I blinked myself into awareness, groggily looking down at the boy sleeping beside me. It was cramped in the single bed but it kept Yuu warm and he couldn't thrash too much and hurt himself when he had a fevered nightmare. No, instead it was me his kicks connected with instead of the wall. Lovely, isn't it?
I rubbed at my bleary eye and stroked a hand through Yuu's hair, soothing him as he keened from low in his throat and tossed his head to the side. He was sweating, his bangs and shirt sticking to him. I sighed and pushed his hair back from his face. Another nightmare.
The candle I'd lit was nearing its end and I glanced between it and Yuu, judging if now would be a good time to get a new candle. I pulled my arm free with a groan, shaking it out as it tingled from blood loss. Forcing myself to my feet, I searched Yuu's room for another candle.
I was just lighting it when Yuu cried out. I dived across the room and flung myself onto the bed, hands urgent as they gently smothered his cry and tried to wake him. If anyone found out we were in here, we were dead meat.
Not that they don't already know he's missing, I reasoned. I hissed when Yuu bit down on my hand. That's what you get for being distracted, Lavi, I grumbled mentally, rubbing gingerly at my wound.
"Yuu," I tried softly, gently shaking his shoulder. "Yuu," I tried again, louder and with more force. "Yuu, come on, wake up. Wake up, Yuu."
He blinked twice, and then stared at me. He didn't recognise me and slowly his eyes fell shut again as he fell asleep once more. I sighed and lay down beside him, pulling him to my chest again. Slowly, I let my tired eyes slip shut.
I woke another three times that night. The second time I realised Yuu was seriously heating up, so I'd snuck out to the bathroom to wet a facecloth and collect some water. Sitting next to Yuu for an hour, allowing him to squeeze the life out of my fingers, I finally got his fever to break. He slept rather peacefully after that.
With the light streaming in from the open window, Yuu's room was suddenly very, very bright. I sat at Yuu's desk, watching him and waiting for him to wake. He did so slowly, and then sat up to face me. He regarded me silently, then looked away and combed his fingers through his hair. He seemed a little surprised to find it untangled, but then he looked at me and smirked, remembering how much I played with his hair.
"You feeling better?" I asked quietly. He looked better. I couldn't take seeing him so ill anymore, and I couldn't take another night like the one we'd just had. "You had so many nightmares again." He looked away then lowered his gaze. I pressed on. "Was it the same one?"
He stood suddenly and began getting dressed for the day, avoiding my question and avoiding looking at me. Sighing, I tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling. I was used to that response seeing as it was his usual response. To this day, I still didn't even know what the nightmare was about. I had figured out, however, that it was the one he'd had in the Infirmary those two, three years ago.
The creaking of his door grabbed my attention and I turned to see him standing in the doorway, one hand on the edge of the door. There were scratches on his arms. I must have missed that happening last night, though I was surprised to see they hadn't yet healed. I cocked my head to the right and watched him tiredly. He stared back over his shoulder, waiting to see if I would follow. Groaning, I pushed against my knees, stood and followed him from his room.
I'd follow him. I'd always follow him. Wherever, whenever, I'd be there and I'd follow. I lowered my gaze to the stone floor as we walked in silence to the mess hall. I was dimly surprised to note that he wasn't going to train but his usual graceful gait was sloppy and he'd left his hair out; he was still exhausted and ill, and even Yuu wasn't stupid enough to train when in this condition. Actually, scrap that. He wouldn't do that when he knew I was following, because I'd only force him to stop.
Pushing my thoughts away, I plastered a grin on my face and bounded up beside him, throwing an arm over his shoulders with a loud, merry cry of, "Yuu-chan!"
He nearly buckled under the extra weight and his wide eyes conveyed his surprise. He grasped at my shirt as he stumbled, but he regained himself and glared at me. "Don't call me that!"
"But why, Yuu-chan?" I whined, flowing into the age-old routine. "Yuu has such a pretty name so I shall always call Yuu, Yuu."
"Use my name as a pun one more time and I'll slay you with Mugen," he hissed.
I tutted and waved my finger at him, having swung myself around so that I was walking backwards but was in front of him. "Think again, Yuu-chan. Where is Mugen?"
Confusion showed on his face and worry made my heart beat fast when I realised that he hadn't even remembered to bring his Innocence. At first I thought that perhaps he'd chosen to leave it behind because he wasn't going to train, but that wasn't the case. What if we had been on a mission? What if he'd been on a solo mission? A sick Yuu was a scarily disorientated Yuu.
His hand fluttered against his hip bone and he frowned. "Oh," he muttered quietly and I smiled supportively at him.
"Cheer up, Yuu-chan!" I twirled around to face the right way as I threw my hands in the air. Yuu scoffed behind me and I could already picture him crossing his arms. Only fools fall in love, I thought mindlessly, and so did that make Lavi even more foolish?
I'm reaching out,
I'm reaching out,
I'm reaching out to get to you.