A/N: For some reason, I really liked how this chapter turned out. I'm not sure why, unless it's because I reveal what the main conflict would be in here.
Disclaimer: I am not paid for this piece of work. Keep me away from drawing tyrant, or else you'll all have to make do with stick figures. Haha.
On a side note, how do stick figures do yaoi anyway?
First a rabbit and now a stork. Was this really a hospital or a zoo?
"N-nice to meet you, Miura-sensei," Morinaga said cautiously.
"Oh please, call me Peter," beamed the stork. "Everyone does. You'll be having an hourly session with me starting next week, from ten to eleven. Depending on your progress, we'll adjust your schedule. May I do a preliminary checkup?"
For all the notice Peter gave him, Souichi might as well have been the IV pole. Souichi noted with increasing annoyance that the stork had sat down when neither Morinaga nor Souichi had told him to.
"I…guess?" Morinaga stammered.
"Do you think you can handle sitting up?" Peter inquired.
"Don't know…"
"Okay, I'm going to try and crank you up a little. If you get dizzy you tell me, right?"
Morinaga nodded. Peter reached under the bed to push a button. The bed tilted upward a little-about fifteen degrees, then stopped.
"That okay?" Peter asked, looking down at Morinaga.
"Barely feel it," Morinaga confessed.
"That's going to be enough-you won't feel it now but if I try to go higher than this you will get dizzy. You've been stationary for half a month now. Try to get used to moving though, I expect that by Monday you'll have physical therapy as well. And you must be Tatsumi Souichi-san," said Peter, without the slightest pause. Souichi jumped at the abrupt shift in topic. "You look like you need rest."
"Stop telling me what to do," Souichi said testily.
Peter only laughed, seemingly unoffended. "That's fine then. Morinaga-kun, I'm going to have to touch you a little. Tell me where it hurts, yes?"
The stork had switched topics again. Morinaga and Souichi were more than a bit surprised at the change. Was he ADHD or something?
But now Peter's fingers were on Morinaga's face. "I hope this doesn't make you too uncomfortable, Morinaga-kun," Peter murmured. Peter had long, elegant fingers, like those of a pianist's. He probed the side of Morinaga's cheeks, not lingering on any area in particular. Now and then he asked soft questions: "Do you feel this? Is it the same for both sides? Does this hurt? Does it feel numb?"
Morinaga either said yes or no, depending on his questions. Souichi was relieved to see that Morinaga was at least alert enough to know which parts of him hurt.
Peter, for his part, only nodded and smiled at Morinaga's answers. There was nothing to give away what he thought of Morinaga's condition, and that was scary.
After a few minutes, the stork stopped his physical examination of Morinaga. Now he was asking Morinaga to move his lips this way, then that way, making Morinaga copy his expressions. It was almost funny, because they were making faces (simply put), but Morinaga failed to copy Peter eight times out of ten.
Souichi began to feel worried.
"Well," Peter said cheerfully, "I see why Dr. Uzuki wanted me to see you. So we'll be starting our sessions on Monday as usual-"
"Wait, how is he?" Souichi cut in. "You just did that test. Can't you tell us how he's doing?"
"Oh, I think that you can guess, Tatsumi-san! Morinaga-kun already knows, too. From what I know, neither of you lack the brains to figure it out, eventually. I'm afraid that hospital protocol dictates that I talk to Morinaga-san, though. Your brother," Peter added, shooting Morinaga a glance. "I know it may be hard, but try to put it out of your mind, for now. I'm going to find Morinaga-san right away so he can tell you if he wants to."
"Why can't you tell me?" Souichi said fiercely.
"Because you're not related to him, even if you are his lover," Peter drawled. He gave them one last smile, then ambled out the door.
Souichi was still in shock fifteen minutes later, when Kunihiro and Masaki returned to the room. Morinaga had been too out of it to realize that Peter had said something odd.
Damn it, was he that obvious?
"What happened to you?" Kunihiro asked Souichi.
"Nothing," Souichi said, already deciding that he if he had to freak out, it would have to be in the privacy of his home. "Nothing at all. Except-did you see the stork?"
"Stork?" Kunihiro repeated, puzzled.
What was his name again? Oh yeah…"Peter."
"Oh, yes." Kunihiro sobered. "He said that he'll need more tests to be sure, but it looks like-"
"Should we really be discussing this where Tetsuhiro can hear?" Masaki interrupted.
They all eyed Morinaga apprehensively, but Morinaga shook his head. "I think I want to know," he explained.
The three men shared a long look. Each of them in their own way had been trying to protect Morinaga from this-but was it still fair, given the circumstances?
"All right, Tetsuhiro," said Kunihiro with some reluctance. "Miura-sensei told us that you have some muscle weakness in your jaw, and in the general facial area. Your vocabulary doesn't seem to be affected, and you know the meanings of the things that you say. Miura-sensei says that it's a good sign, because it means that your brain's ability to create speech hasn't been affected. But you would definitely need to exercise your fine motor skills."
"Therapy?" Souichi translated.
Masaki nodded. "Miura-sensei also said that Morinaga ought to start physical therapy soon. He recommended someone-I can't remember who right now. I think you're also scheduled for a lot of tests this week, Tetsuhiro. Try and keep your strength up."
"I will, Masaki-san."
Kunihiro had been watching Masaki and Tetsuhiro interact with ever since the accident.
Souichi had also been watching, too. However, Kunihiro and Souichi interpreted it differently.
Souichi didn't like Masaki because, at one point in time, he hurt Tetsuhiro. Souichi blamed Kunihiro and Masaki for Tetsuhiro getting kicked out of Fukuoka.
Well, Kunihiro mused to himself, I couldn't say he's wrong.
But he hated Masaki more. Souichi believed, and rightly so, that a part of Tetsuhiro still loved Masaki. That love made Tetsuhiro vulnerable, and Souichi wanted to protect Tetsuhiro from it.
Kunihiro also knew what Souichi knew: that there was also a part of Masaki that loved Tetsuhiro. It was a bittersweet kind of love, the kind that might have worked at one time-but not now. Never again. They both had made their peace with it, Tetsuhiro and Masaki, and moved on.
Whatever happened in the future, Tetsuhiro and Masaki's relationship would be special. Sacred, almost. And this was how Kunihiro chose to see it-even if there was always that twinge of jealousy whenever he saw his Masaki with his brother. There was the look that Masaki had once given him-but he'd been too blind, too prejudiced to see it for what it was then.
And Tetsuhiro didn't need to fight, or change himself, for Masaki's affection. That was the real reason why Masaki held a special place in Tetsuhiro's heart. Masaki discovered the secret of Tetsuhiro's homosexuality before anyone else…and accepted him for it. His little brother had always been afraid of rejection.
"I'll be going now," Souichi was saying, taking up his coat.
Tetsuhiro nodded. "You do look kind of bad, Senpai."
"Look who's talking," retorted Souichi. "Tomorrow, then."
Tetsuhiro looked happy to know that Souichi would be coming back tomorrow-that was normal. However, Kunihiro was taken aback when Souichi and Masaki exchanged a slight nod of acknowledgement.
"What did you do?" Kunihiro whispered to Masaki. Souichi was almost…friendly?
Masaki shook his head. "Just told him some things he already knew."
The apartment had been attacked by Kanako.
"Really, Nii-san," she scolded. "It's time you learned how to look after yourself. Did you know how long I've had to clean?"
"Sorry," Souichi said, stumbling to the couch. He was exhausted. But now that his little sister had been set loose on their apartment, he could actually see the floor. Hmm.
"You had nothing in your fridge, and I've had to wash all your clothes!" Kanako sighed. "Can you at least set the table?"
He stood up and grabbed a couple of plates. He always did table setting duty because Morinaga was usually the one cooking. It was practically the only house chore that he knew how to do.
"So did he remember you?" Kanako probed, poking a fried fish out of the pan.
"Yeah." Souichi smiled, remembering Morinaga's expression when he woke up that afternoon. It was rare that Morinaga looked like that-strong, confident, at peace with loving Souichi.
Kanako turned from her cooking to smile at him. "That's great, Nii-san! I'm sure he'll be back in no time."
"I think he needs to go in for therapy, though," he mumbled absently, scooping rice into bowls.
"Will that take long?" Kanako asked him.
"I don't know, Kanako, the stork wouldn't say."
"The stork? Who's the stork?"
"This creepy smiley-faced longshanks," Souichi grumbled.
"Who's the stork?" repeated Kanako patiently, obviously used to her brother's rants about people.
"His speech therapist. He said that Morinaga's muscles have gotten weak from the accident so he needs therapy. He said that Morinaga would need a physical therapist too."
Kanako looked thoughtful. "At least the hard part's over, isn't it?"
Souichi made a noncommittal noise, because that was exactly what he would be thinking, if he didn't feel that there was something else coming.
Souichi begged for an early night, since he could barely keep his eyes open. Kanako had to give in, but did the dishes while Souichi took a shower.
He caught her opening the door to Morinaga's room soon after that.
"What are you doing?" Souichi asked her sharply.
Kanako jumped at her brother's voice. He had never spoken to her like that. Never. And that look in his eyes… "Tet-chan said that I could sleep here."
"Well, sleep in my room instead. I'll sleep on the couch." He opened the door, obviously expecting her to follow. "Come on."
She followed her brother timidly, almost scared. There was something in Souichi that warned her not to bring up the topic again.
Isogai had taken her to this apartment earlier-he had even helped her clean some of it. But Isogai didn't go to either of the bedrooms, so she had been the one to do it.
She'd entered (trespassed) into both her brothers' rooms when they still lived at the old house. She didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it-they were siblings, after all. She supposed it would be different if she'd had sisters instead of brothers.
Souichi's room had looked pretty much the same as the one he had in their old house-her eldest brother could be quite methodical in some ways. And it was neater than the rest of the flat.
Morinaga's room, however, was new. He had a big bed- big enough for two, just like the one in her brother's room. But that was where the similarities ended.
Morinaga had a study in the corner-a computer, complete with a printer and scanner. The room had a shelf full of books with topics that ranged from chemistry to cooking. She'd expected that: but she didn't expect a small wooden rack of wine bottles. There were tags on the bottles: "College graduation", "Hiroto's birthday gift", "Reunion with Masaki-san". Stuff like that.
There was only one bottle she recognized: a green one with a maple leaf on the label. The tag read, "Senpai's gift from Canada ".
She smiled when she saw it, in her face and in her heart. It was just like Morinaga to treasure something her nii-san had given.
She also remembered something that Isogai had said when he first entered the apartment with her: "It doesn't smell like he's been smoking in here."
And that alone spoke volumes about how much Souichi missed Morinaga. Kanako cared for Morinaga-loved him, as an older brother, but Souichi's feelings for Morinaga had always been something else. Something that had changed her brother.
She supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised that Souichi didn't want her to sleep in Morinaga's room. But maybe she should tell Tet-chan in the morning.
Kanako fell asleep with a smile, already anticipating Morinaga's reaction.
The next day, on the afternoon as Kanako was leaving, she presented a gift of her own for Morinaga: a charm pouch for "healing and recovery".
Morinaga seemed happy to receive it. "I'll treasure it always," he promised her. "Thank you, Kanako."
"Get better soon, Tet-chan."
Masaki was right behind Kanako-they'd agreed to ride together to the station, though they were going on separate trains. "I wish I'd thought to give you a gift, too," Masaki said wistfully.
Morinaga shook his head, though that action made him feel dizzy. "I'm glad you're here, Masaki-san."
"All right, that's enough," Souichi interrupted with a scowl. Masaki only smiled.
Morinaga smiled, too.
When Souichi looked back on it, however, he should've known that it wouldn't last.
The trouble began as early as Monday, when Morinaga's physical therapist arrived. She was a small woman by the name of Saitou Kaida. She had short black hair and deep brown eyes.
"We'll take it slowly, Morinaga-kun," she said. She pressed a side button on Morinaga's bed, and he began to rise.
Morinaga closed his eyes, the change in position making him woozy. He slumped to his side.
"OI!" Souichi shouted, startled.
Saitou shot him a look, then hurried forward. She had stopped the bed from rising. "Can you make it?"
Morinaga didn't answer for a few moments. Then he said, "I can."
"Can you hold your head up?"
"Don't think so…too dizzy…"
Saitou was silent for a few seconds, while they waited for Morinaga to calm down. At last she said, "Have you had any CT scans yet, Morinaga-kun?"
"No."
She nodded, as if that was expected. "I'll go and check your schedule. They may have asked me to come to you too early."
She let Morinaga lie flat on the bed again, then turned to the exit. However, she hadn't even gotten through the door when Peter came in, looking as sunny as ever.
"Ah, Saitou-san!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll be working together?"
Saitou smiled. "Good morning, Peter-kun. Have you seen Dr. Uzuki?"
Peter paused. He looked at Morinaga and Souichi, then back to Saitou-san. "He's on his way."
Saitou nodded in appreciation, then left. Peter came closer to Morinaga and Souichi.
"I thought you said ten," Souichi complained. "It's only eight thirty."
"The session before yours was cancelled," Peter explained. "How come your session with Saitou-san is cancelled too?"
"Scheduled CT scan," Morinaga told him.
Peter made a noise of understanding. "Did she try to plop you into a wheelchair?"
"Tried to," Morinaga admitted. "Too dizzy, though."
Peter lost his smile. He sat down in a chair again (without being asked!). He laced his fingers together, apparently thinking hard. His eyes were far away.
Souichi and Morinaga exchanged a bewildered look. Before Souichi could demand an explanation, Peter snapped back.
He reached out and covered Morinaga's uninjured ear with his hand. Very carefully, he moved some bandages from Morinaga's head so that most of his right ear was exposed. Now, Morinaga could only hear with one ear.
"Can you hear me?" Peter murmured.
"Uhm…What?" Morinaga replied.
"Henny Penny, the sky is falling," Peter said.
Morinaga shook his head, to indicate that he didn't understand. Souichi began to feel the first threads of real fear.
Had Morinaga gone deaf in one ear?
They could live with that, Souichi assured himself. Morinaga could hear just fine with his other ear. No one had even noticed, save Peter, and Souichi couldn't really understand how he did.
Peter peeled the bandages back over Morinaga's right ear. He also released the other ear, so that Morinaga could hear again.
Before Peter could explain his actions, Dr. Uzuki and Saitou returned to the room, with two nurses wheeling a bed between them. "Good morning, Morinaga-kun," Dr. Uzuki said. "We'll be having a CT scan first."
The two nurses and Saitou immediately loaded the still-confused Morinaga onto the bed. "Try not to fall asleep, Morinaga-kun," Saitou said. "This will be over quickly."
As they went out of the room, Souichi saw Peter dart towards Dr. Uzuki. The stork only said, "I'll call my father."
The CT scan went off without a hitch. Morinaga also did a hearing test, and a test for his reflexes. All of these were conducted while he was lying down, with Saitou-san nearby. Souichi and Morinaga began to relax somewhat, especially when Kunihiro arrived.
Peter did not return for his session. Instead, there was an old doctor-nearly as tall as Peter-who introduced himself as Dr. Miura. He was also Peter's father, htough they had nothing in common except for that height. He had a calming presence, even though he stayed over for only a few minutes.
"I'm very sorry," Dr. Miura said. "We're running some tests to see why you get dizzy when you get up. Morinaga-san, I know you're confused, but the results would be done by evening. "
"Damn right we're confused," muttered Souichi. Morinaga had fallen asleep with all the excitement of the morning.
Dr. Miura smiled, briefly amused. "There's no point in scaring you without proof. But really, you're lucky to have Peter. Without him it might take longer to figure out what's wrong."
When evening came, Dr. Uzuki gathered Kunihiro and Souichi into the same room where Kunihiro first met the doctor. Kunihiro was the only one invited to come, as he was Morinaga's closest relative, but Kunihiro had wanted Souichi to come along. Kunihiro said that Souichi deserved it.
Souichi should have been happy about that, but right now he couldn't give a flying fuck about it, because he was worried.
Souichi was even more alarmed when they arrived only to find that Peter and Dr. Miura were already in the room. Father and son were talking seriously, but looked up with identical distracted expressions when they came into the room.
Why did they need three doctors?
"Oh…" Peter said, standing up and offering his seat to Dr. Uzuki. The smaller doctor nodded, but it was Dr. Miura who first spoke.
"I don't think I've introduced myself properly this morning," he began. "I actually specialize in ENT. Peter called me this morning about Morinaga-kun's condition. He suspected that Morinaga-kun's ear was damaged in the accident.
"Peter tested if Morinaga-kun still had hearing on his right ear. It was an informal test, but it confirmed what the more sophisticated hearing tests told us: Morinaga-kun has lost hearing in his right ear. I suspect his eardrums were damaged."
"But he can still live normally, right?" Kunihiro cut in.
"In the matter of his ear, yes. But the inner ear is also the center for balance, which is why Morinaga-kun feels dizzy when he tries to sit or stand. His sense of balance is off."
"What does that mean?" Souichi asked. "Will he be able to…sit? Stand?"
"Well, now that we know what's wrong, we know what to do," Dr. Miura said. "Like Dr. Uzuki said, he needs physical therapy, but we'll need to go carefully because of his condition."
There was a brief, but deep silence as Souichi and Kunihiro absorbed his words. "Tell us the truth, doctor," Kunihiro demanded. "Can he fully recover?"
Dr. Miura bowed his head. "More recovery, almost certainly. Full recovery? I don't know. Balance is not something that a person can easily recover."
A/N: * rolls around happily * I think I can safely say that we're at least halfway.
I try to research on my planned plots. I considered and rejected the following:
-amnesiac Morinaga (too predictable, you'll know how it ends ten chapters before)
-blind/ any permanent injury Morinaga (too hard, he'll be dependent on Souichi for life)
- depressed Morinaga (too medical. readers might get bored.)
I like to keep people guessing, and to keep things happening: the previous chapter was more of a breather. It's not a coincidence I called it "corner of calm".
Here's another trivia: I don't really know how this would end. I have ideas, but I'm thinking about two possible ones in particular. Or three. It's actually pretty rare that I'm like this. Usually I start the story knowing how it would end.
And, and, and! I'm really happy that there are people who are curious about Peter. I love him mainly because he acts like he's on constant smile mode, but I can't really predict how he thinks. He only has a small role here, though.
To my lovely reviewers: You just make me want to write better!
kayitt: I love Souichi too! I love to mess him up! XD Thanks for your review!
Lady Tsuru27: Your dedication to review has me awed. I'm glad you liked the last chapter-this is one of the few fan fics that I willingly tagged as a romance. I am not the most romantic soul, and anything too sappy won't feel like Tyrant-for one, Souichi would protest. THAT guy is seriously more anti-romance than I am. I'm more of the kind who would jab jokes at S&M. Haha. Poor Souichi, I'd bet the image will turn up at the oddest moments. thanks for your review!
G.A-Motoharu: Yeah, a lot of people don't like Masaki-it's understandable. I don't like him as a person either, but as a writer, he's interesting. He's trying to be a good person now. NO, there won't be a love triangle with Peter (too typical for a plot), but you can bet that he'll be in both Souichi and Morinaga's minds. Thanks for your review!
Amity33: In the first BB chapter, people told me that I got Souichi OOC. That's why comments like yours make me so happy! I seriously came close to strangling Souichi a few times, though. Even in my mind, he's a certified tsundere. Thanks for your review!
Miny: Now I feel bad, because I think you'll feel worried about Morinaga in this chapter! We'll see how he does in therapy. Thanks for your review!
kiriohisagi: Really? I do? You're one of my reviewers, so you contributed too! Aw, that scene was difficult to write without blushing! I was smiling at my PC (good thing people weren't passing by, or they'd have asked me what I was smiling at...) Thanks for your review!
Bunny-chan2202: No, no, the stork is a nice guy...erm...categorically speaking. I mean he isn't an ax murderer or anything. But yeah, I think Souichi already watches him...which, I think, will only make Peter happier. Ah, well, Senpai never knows when people are just toying with him. Thanks for your review!
Swt Cutie: Wow, that's a huge wish. Unless you want their children to be rabbits, too, I don't see how they can have 50. Haha. Thanks for your review!
M. mon: No, the amnesia thing is just temporary, because writing amnesiac Morinaga is too difficult...I think the plot will be fairly predictable, too. Thanks for your review!
Bloodyrose23: Welcome to BB! There's still more to come, I assure you. thanks for your review!
blumunosido: I wish they'd translate the raws faster. XD But I ca re-read the previous ones when I'm bored. And yes, the stork is in reference to the fact that Peter is too tall. Hm, but him taking Morinaga away doesn't seem like a bad idea, too. I'd search for that pasta for this weekend lunch if I can! I'll try not to burn down the house. Haha. Thanks for your review!
inuyasha.33: Now Morinaga needs support for therapy! Well, I'm not sure how Souichi would support him...probably by * trying * not to injure him more. Thanks for your review!
The review button is dancing butt naked. Help it by clicking and leaving a review.
Ah! this is the longest chapter so far...another reason to review...
