Author's Notes

We're taking a break from the hospital again to deal with a bunch of idiots who don't know which buttons not to push. In other, we return once more to the rest of the gang…sort of.

You always find people who aren't sympathetic or kind in some circumstances. And people who are rather disbelieving. But remember Rome wasn't built in a day; Kouji may be nicer now (generally), but he was quite a jerk at the beginning of the season, and Takuya was still an irrational gogglehead that always got himself into trouble. So they naturally made not-so-good reputations of themselves in earlier years, and some of those did tag along with them to junior high school. I actually got lucky in that sense; I started afresh in sixth grade (the type of school that had primary, middle and senior (high)).

Chapters remaining after this: 4

Enjoy, and tell me what you think.

Sakura, Mono no Aware

He's always been in and out of hospitals. But that doesn't make it any easier, or more tolerable. Especially since he's going to be there for a while yet with hopes for recovery slimming – but at least there are friends and family to help him through...

Kouichi K & Kouji M

Rating: T

Genre/s: Drama/Hurt/Comfort

Chapter 25 – Thou Spring Cometh

'You look better,' Takuya commented, once the younger twin slipped into his seat for homeroom. 'Though you're later than usual.'

'Slept in,' the raven mumbled. 'But Kouichi's doing better.'

'Really? As in-'

'As in he's coming out of the coma. His hand twitched yesterday, and he's starting to react to outside stimuli…sort of.'

'Sort of?' the brunette's eyes furrowed a bit. 'Is that a good thing or a bad thing?'

'I don't know, to be honest,' Kouji sighed, leaning his head on his pile of books. 'He kinda only seemed to hear my voice. And 'kaa-san's when she came.'

'I don't think that's a bad thing,' the brunette surmised. 'You two are way closer than some doctor. Even if that doctor is a good friend of your mother.'

'Actually, the neurologist, Doctor Hara, is the one who assesses him.'

He recognised that name, the one who had almost cut the life support.

'He was just doing his job Takuya,' Kouji said, tilting his head slightly and noting the look.

'It doesn't make it any easier to accept,' the other replied, lowering his own head. 'I am never being a doctor. I don't think I could face up to making or doing that sort of thing.'

'You should stick to being a teacher. Police have to as well, just in different context.'

'That's true.' He cracked a tired sort of grin. 'A bunch of little brats calling me Sensei. That doesn't sound too bad. Kouichi said he'll send his daughter along.'

'Huh?' Kouji sat up and gaped. Literally. 'His daughter?'

'Relax, hypothetical' The brunette shook his head. 'Weird dream on the weekend.'

'You two?'

'Huh?'

'…it's just that, I was dreaming too. That he-'

'-died. The room was empty, like a prison or-'

'-coffin. Yeah, then he just pops up out of nowhere…'

'I didn't see his face though.'

'Me neither. He sounded fine though.'

'And then I woke up-'

'-and his hand twitched.'

Takuya paused. 'I think I lost the conversation somewhere. I'm not cut out for twin talk.'

Kouji sighed to himself, before realising their homeroom teacher was waiting patiently to start the attendance. 'Lunch,' he said, before turning his attention partially to where it was due.

It was rather unfortunate that the world wasn't filled with patient and sympathetic people, Takuya grumbled, staring at the paper placed in front of him. This would never had happened otherwise.

He stole a glance at the raven haired male sitting two seats away, then the larger, bulkier blonde three spaces in front. In a way, he was glad the guy was at the front; he could glare holes into his back that way. Another pair, one short cropped black, the other somewhat brown and long, but both rather large as well, sat behind them.

How had they all wound up in an afterschool detention? Well, it had started with the pair continuing their conversation from homeroom, when the triplet of ninth-graders had saunted up.

'So he really is getting better then.' The brunette threw himself onto the grass in relief. 'Thank God.'

Kouji joined him. 'You should have seen me then. The Doctor thought for a moment I was high on something.'

Stifled laughter. 'What? Like snorting a line of coke? You?'

Blue eyes rolled gently. 'Well, -'

He never got to finish his sentence as another voice interrupted, this one a cocky sound of amused. 'All depressed over your so-called brother,' the dirty blonde scoffed.

Kouji sat up and scowled darkly, but said nothing. Takuya wasn't quite so reserved.

'Just shut it Kaneda,' he spat. 'I feel sorry for the guy who think he's getting any love from you.'

'Want to repeat that Kanbara?' the male next to Kaneda shot back, cracking his fingernails. 'Shall we send you to your non-existent friend? Come on, need to resort of playing fantasy 'cause you barely have any friends of your own.'

That last statement was addressed to Kouij, not Takuya.

'Better a few friends like these than the world,' Kouji said with restrained calm. 'And my brother is no fantasy.' After going ten years not knowing…

'He will be soon enough,' Kaneda scoffed. 'Seriously, I've heard the rumours flying about. Lying in a hospital bed for six months. That's pretty pathetic for a twelve year old.'

'Shut up. You know nothing about Kouichi.'

The third met the fiery brown eyes. 'I do know he's a weakling if he's still sleeping. Anyone else would have either woken up or died.'

'Shut UP!'

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on which perspective you were looking from, a teacher had noticed the commotion and broken them up.

He furiously scribbled the last few lines, before tossing his pencil down. 'Done.'

He heard an identical assertion behind him, and scowled.

'Dismissed,' the teacher said, without looking up from his essay corrections.

Both brunettes turned on their heels and marched out, deftly ignoring each other…till they got to the fork in the corridor.

'He's not weak,' Takuya said suddenly, catching the other's collar and not caring he had just finished his punishment, nor that he was physically outmatched (though that was excluding the Digital World factor). 'He's smart. He's resting now so he can survive the operation that could save his life forever. Otherwise he would have probably died before he was fifteen. You don't understand him. He knows death better than anyone I've ever met; he'd willingly throw himself into that path if it meant something good could come out of it. But he would never, never, give up, no matter what odds were against him.'

With that little speech, he stalked off to his locker, ignoring the ninth grader that, apparently still disagreed, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

He hadn't been the one looking for a fight. He was just stating his opinion. Obviously at the wrong time.

Izumi was on the phone by the time the pair made it to her house, more than an hour after expected. She glared at them, but as she was in the middle of a conversation, that left Junpei to fill the scolding role.

'Where were you guys?'

'Detention,' Kouji sighed, collapsing on the couch and flexing his sore palm. 'Lines. Dunno how Takuya managed to finish before me.'

'Barely,' he reminded. 'You were finished within a couple of minutes.'

'Whatever for?'

'Getting into a fight.'

Tomoki looked at the pair, who looked none worse for wear.

'Teacher stopped us,' Kouji muttered to the inquisitive glance. 'But one of us would have turned them into mincemeat if we had the chance. They have no right to call him weak-'

The two brunettes looked to Takuya for an explanation, which he obliged them with. But first…

'Kouichi's coming out of his coma.'

'Really!'

Izumi walked in to the living room at that point, and had heard and joined in on the din.

After that was a flurry of conversation with Takuya in the middle. Kouji withdrew himself, and the other's let, for the time being, as the three were brought back up to speed.

'Jerk,' Izumi scowled, once Takuya got to the three ninth-graders and their detention-earning act. 'Oota-kun did the same thing as you, only he managed to get away without punishment.'

'Oh?' Takuya blinked, realising he didn't feel anything…anomaly towards the other, after all this time had passed. 'How did he manage to do that? I want lessons.'

The blonde giggled a little. 'Well, he beat the other guys up, then Kichida-chan pulled him away by the ear before he got caught or did permanent damage. Then, when they complained to a teacher, she didn't believe them because he hasn't done anything except not really pay attention in class since July. So they got suspension for getting into a fight, apparently with "each other", and he got off.'

'Was that her on the phone now?' Kouji asked, sneaking back into the conversation.

'She's still on,' the half-Italian said. 'Just on hold, because she was getting another call.'

The younger twin nodded absentmindedly, before getting up and heading for it.

'You know,' Izumi rolled her green eyes lightly. 'You could have asked.'

That was something he would have done half a year ago though.

'You know,' Tomoki said suddenly. 'Doesn't it feel like Kouichi-nii's been here in spirit with us? Sort of, I mean, once we all sort of got over the fact that…well…I'm not explaining this well at all, am I?'

'Not at all,' Junpei shook his head. 'But-'

'It makes sense anyway,' Takuya finished. 'I guess that's why we're a family in ourselves.'