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Here's the next part. I feel like being nice tonight and sending out two parts. I'll dedicate this part to Cassima for being so wonderful and supportive ^_^
See first chapter for disclaimer, warnings & such
Chapter Three: More Than Words…
Touya opened his eyes reluctantly at the sound of his alarm the next morning. He switched it off quickly and pulled the covers over his head as he drifted back into an uneasy sleep. Thoughts of yesterday swirled around within his consciousness along with a growing concern that something wasn't right. He pulled his covers closer to him and found himself shivering despite the warm flush of his cheek pressed against his pillow. A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes and wavered between a sharper pain and a feeling of detachment from the world around him. He found it difficult to open his eyes a second time at the sound of someone knocking at his door.
He peered up at the intruder warily not sure who or what to expect. He had the distinct feeling that he was supposed to wake up in order to do something, but he couldn't quite recall what it was. None of those worries seemed to compare to the weariness tugging at his consciousness and the warm prospect of staying in bed.
Sakura knocked on Touya's door once more, but still received no answer. She hesitantly cracked the door open and poked her head in to see if Touya was awake yet. He didn't have much time before they would have to leave for school and if he didn't hurry he would be late.
"Oniichan?" Sakura asked tentatively wide green eyes searching the room. She frowned at the site of Touya still in bed. "You'll be late if you don't hurry." She couldn't begin to count the number of times she had waited for an opportunity like this. Touya was the one getting up late and not her and now she had the chance to pester him about it just as he always did to her, but there was something about the look on his face as he lifted his head to stare up at her that made her hold her tongue. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her father had mentioned that he was upset about something last night, but even that warning hadn't prepared her for the lost expression on his face or his blue eyes wide with uncertainty. She took a few steps forward and bent closer to him to assess the situation. She frowned at the sound of his breathing - harsh and labored as if he was having difficulty getting enough air. She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead only to find it warm to the touch.
"I'll go get Otousan." Sakura assured Touya as she turned away from him and headed back down the stairs.
Touya drifted somewhere between reality and a kind of half-dream where scenes of the last few days played out in the background just beyond his reach. He heard his sister's words, but he couldn't seem to attach a meaning to the syllables. Such things would take more effort and concentration than he could currently muster. At the moment he was finding it difficult just to breath in and out and keep himself from fading away into unconsciousness.
He caught a faint whiff of breakfast from downstairs and turned over to bury his head further in the pillow at the mere suggestion of food. His stomach flip flopped and he was thankful that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. He clutched the folds of his blanket until the sensation passed.
He couldn't decide if he was warm or cold, but he seemed to feel better as long as he laid perfectly still. He stared straight ahead at the ceiling and swallowed with difficulty - his scratchy throat making it painful. Everything ached in one way or another.
Touya turned his head at the sound of footsteps near his door. He winced as the movement aggravated his headache and he heard a slight ringing in his ears. He glanced at his father through bleary eyes as the older man bent closer to him his face etched with concern.
Fujitaka brushed his hand across Touya's burning forehead and shook his head in concern. "You're not going to school today, Touya-kun. Just lie back and get some rest."
He frowned as Touya closed his eyes and mumbled something incoherent in return before drifting off into a restless sleep.
Fujitaka pulled Touya's blanket closer to his son's shoulders and straightened his pillow behind his head.
An hour later, Fujitaka came back upstairs to check on him before heading off to work. He piled another layer of covers over Touya's still shivering form and brushed his dark bangs away from his pale face. Touya's cheeks glowed faintly crimson in the dim light of the room and his half parted lips whispered half formed syllables as he struggled within the confines of some fever-induced nightmare.
Fujitaka shook him slightly until blue eyes dimmed by sleep and exhaustion stared back at him in confusion. "Touya-kun?"
Touya struggled to lift his head and pull himself into a sitting position, but Fujitaka pushed him back onto the bed and shook his head. "It's okay, Touya. You don't need to get up. Just go back to sleep. I have to go to work now, but call me right away if you need anything, okay?"
Touya nodded weakly in response barely able to keep his eyes open for the space of a few minutes. "Okay, 'tousan." He answered hoarsely.
Fujitaka's expression softened and he smiled at his son squeezing his hand briefly before turning to leave. "Goodbye."
----------
Sakura fastened her rollerblades to her feet and strapped on her knee and elbow pads while sitting on the steps just outside of her school. She wanted to get home as soon as possible so she could look after her brother and make sure everything was alright.
She smiled and waved at Yukito just a few feet away. He was walking slowly with his head slightly bent, but when he turned around to see Sakura he seemed to brighten up and smiled cheerfully at her in response. She wondered briefly why she hadn't seen him this morning on her way to school, but shrugged it off as she sped up to reach him.
"Hi Sakura-chan!" Yukito answered as she caught up to him and started skating at his side.
"Hi Yukito-san! Do you want to come home with me? Onnichan's sick and I'm sure he'd be really happy to see you."
Yukito's smile faded for just a moment and his eyes seemed to lose some of their sparkle during that instant, but his cheerfulness returned just as quickly. "I don't think so, Sakura-chan." Yukito answered trying his best to sound convincing without giving away that he thought Touya wouldn't want to see him because of what had happened yesterday.
"Please, Yukito-san! He's got a fever and everything and I just know he would get better if you were there." Sakura balled her fists in front of her in determination and started up at Yukito with bright eyes.
Yukito shrugged slightly and smiled once again. "Alright. If you insist." He said trying to keep the hesitation out of his voice.
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Once inside the Kinomoto house, Sakura and Yukito crept up the stairs to check on Touya. Yukito walked a few steps behind Sakura hoping to keep his distance if Touya seemed upset with him.
Sakura knocked softly on Touya's bedroom door. She waited for some sort of response from inside, but shrugged and pushed it open when she received none. Yukito frowned at the sight of Touya lying in bed. He was very pale and his rose-stained cheeks stood out in sharp contrast to the pasty white tone of the rest of his face. His breathing came in short gasps interspersed with longer attempts to take a deep breath. He was clearly struggling with it and seemed uncomfortable even lying down as he was. Yukito stepped forward and peered down at his ill friend concern and worry replacing any apprehension he had felt as he first came up the stairs.
"Why don't you go get To-ya something to drink, Sakura-chan and maybe bring a bowl of water with some ice and a wash cloth."
Sakura nodded and rushed out the door as Yukito grabbed the chair from Touya's desk and pulled it close to the bedside. He brought one hand up to brush across Touya's forehead, but pulled it away quickly as his friend's eyelashes fluttered slightly and then opened half-way to peer up at his visitor.
"T-to-ya." Yukito stuttered nervously. He hadn't expected the other young man to wake up and now he felt like he had no right to be here offering comfort to the friend he had treated so cruelly just yesterday. Despite his inner turmoil, Yukito tried to act as nonchalant as possible. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
Touya shifted slightly in the bed and tilted his head to get a better view of the figure bending over him. Dizziness made his vision blurry and the image swam before him briefly before he closed his eyes again. Yukito's name lingered on the edge of his thoughts but he couldn't force the words out of his lips before he drifted back asleep.
Yukito slumped his shoulders as he watched Touya fall asleep once again. He felt disappointed and he couldn't exactly explain why. He shrugged off the feeling as Sakura came back into the room offering a tray of water and ice.
"Here you go, Yukito-san. Did Oniichan wake up?" Sakura handed over the tray and walked over to stand on the other side of Touya's bed. She smoothed the covers out around her bother's shoulders with both hands and tucked them closer to his body in an effort to keep him warm. She felt like she should do something to make him feel better, but she wasn't sure she was really helping. She still wondered about what had happened last night and something about the expression on Yukito's face when she had mentioned Touya made her wonder if maybe he had something it. Even so, she couldn't think of anything that Yukito could do to make her brother this upset.
She pushed away her doubts as she watched Yukito rearrange the pillows against Touya's headboard and pull him up into a sitting position. Yukito was careful to be gentle and not wake Touya up as he did so. Touya murmured something in his sleep and Yukito brought one hand up to brush the bangs away from his face as his head fell back onto the soft pillows. Yukito let his hand move down across Touya's warm cheek and linger just under his chin for a few moments in a gesture that spoke so much more than any words ever could. Sakura watched in awe at the caring tenderness Yukito displayed towards her brother and couldn't help but smile at the love they clearly had for one another. She wondered if either of them had told the other yet and sincerely hoped that they had. She was sure that they would both be happier once the truth came out.
Yukito started and pulled his hand away quickly as he realized that Sakura was still standing nearby and he looked over at her his eyes filled with a combination of guilt and sorrow. He blushed at the smile she gave him and bent his head as he rested his hands in his lap once more.
"It's okay, Yukito-san. I understand." She said simply and headed towards the room. "Let me know if you need anything."
Yukito nodded as she shut the door. He shook his head and stared down at his hands. She didn't understand. Not really. He barely understood it himself.
TBC
Notes: Okay, now I know what the next chapter will be about, but I haven't finished it yet and I have lots of stuff to do tomorrow so you probably won't see it before tomorrow evening. Sorry! Thank you so much to everyone who has commented. I hope you're enjoying this so far. Everything will work out in the end - I promise!
-------------------
Here's the next part. I feel like being nice tonight and sending out two parts. I'll dedicate this part to Cassima for being so wonderful and supportive ^_^
See first chapter for disclaimer, warnings & such
Chapter Three: More Than Words…
Touya opened his eyes reluctantly at the sound of his alarm the next morning. He switched it off quickly and pulled the covers over his head as he drifted back into an uneasy sleep. Thoughts of yesterday swirled around within his consciousness along with a growing concern that something wasn't right. He pulled his covers closer to him and found himself shivering despite the warm flush of his cheek pressed against his pillow. A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes and wavered between a sharper pain and a feeling of detachment from the world around him. He found it difficult to open his eyes a second time at the sound of someone knocking at his door.
He peered up at the intruder warily not sure who or what to expect. He had the distinct feeling that he was supposed to wake up in order to do something, but he couldn't quite recall what it was. None of those worries seemed to compare to the weariness tugging at his consciousness and the warm prospect of staying in bed.
Sakura knocked on Touya's door once more, but still received no answer. She hesitantly cracked the door open and poked her head in to see if Touya was awake yet. He didn't have much time before they would have to leave for school and if he didn't hurry he would be late.
"Oniichan?" Sakura asked tentatively wide green eyes searching the room. She frowned at the site of Touya still in bed. "You'll be late if you don't hurry." She couldn't begin to count the number of times she had waited for an opportunity like this. Touya was the one getting up late and not her and now she had the chance to pester him about it just as he always did to her, but there was something about the look on his face as he lifted his head to stare up at her that made her hold her tongue. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Her father had mentioned that he was upset about something last night, but even that warning hadn't prepared her for the lost expression on his face or his blue eyes wide with uncertainty. She took a few steps forward and bent closer to him to assess the situation. She frowned at the sound of his breathing - harsh and labored as if he was having difficulty getting enough air. She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead only to find it warm to the touch.
"I'll go get Otousan." Sakura assured Touya as she turned away from him and headed back down the stairs.
Touya drifted somewhere between reality and a kind of half-dream where scenes of the last few days played out in the background just beyond his reach. He heard his sister's words, but he couldn't seem to attach a meaning to the syllables. Such things would take more effort and concentration than he could currently muster. At the moment he was finding it difficult just to breath in and out and keep himself from fading away into unconsciousness.
He caught a faint whiff of breakfast from downstairs and turned over to bury his head further in the pillow at the mere suggestion of food. His stomach flip flopped and he was thankful that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. He clutched the folds of his blanket until the sensation passed.
He couldn't decide if he was warm or cold, but he seemed to feel better as long as he laid perfectly still. He stared straight ahead at the ceiling and swallowed with difficulty - his scratchy throat making it painful. Everything ached in one way or another.
Touya turned his head at the sound of footsteps near his door. He winced as the movement aggravated his headache and he heard a slight ringing in his ears. He glanced at his father through bleary eyes as the older man bent closer to him his face etched with concern.
Fujitaka brushed his hand across Touya's burning forehead and shook his head in concern. "You're not going to school today, Touya-kun. Just lie back and get some rest."
He frowned as Touya closed his eyes and mumbled something incoherent in return before drifting off into a restless sleep.
Fujitaka pulled Touya's blanket closer to his son's shoulders and straightened his pillow behind his head.
An hour later, Fujitaka came back upstairs to check on him before heading off to work. He piled another layer of covers over Touya's still shivering form and brushed his dark bangs away from his pale face. Touya's cheeks glowed faintly crimson in the dim light of the room and his half parted lips whispered half formed syllables as he struggled within the confines of some fever-induced nightmare.
Fujitaka shook him slightly until blue eyes dimmed by sleep and exhaustion stared back at him in confusion. "Touya-kun?"
Touya struggled to lift his head and pull himself into a sitting position, but Fujitaka pushed him back onto the bed and shook his head. "It's okay, Touya. You don't need to get up. Just go back to sleep. I have to go to work now, but call me right away if you need anything, okay?"
Touya nodded weakly in response barely able to keep his eyes open for the space of a few minutes. "Okay, 'tousan." He answered hoarsely.
Fujitaka's expression softened and he smiled at his son squeezing his hand briefly before turning to leave. "Goodbye."
----------
Sakura fastened her rollerblades to her feet and strapped on her knee and elbow pads while sitting on the steps just outside of her school. She wanted to get home as soon as possible so she could look after her brother and make sure everything was alright.
She smiled and waved at Yukito just a few feet away. He was walking slowly with his head slightly bent, but when he turned around to see Sakura he seemed to brighten up and smiled cheerfully at her in response. She wondered briefly why she hadn't seen him this morning on her way to school, but shrugged it off as she sped up to reach him.
"Hi Sakura-chan!" Yukito answered as she caught up to him and started skating at his side.
"Hi Yukito-san! Do you want to come home with me? Onnichan's sick and I'm sure he'd be really happy to see you."
Yukito's smile faded for just a moment and his eyes seemed to lose some of their sparkle during that instant, but his cheerfulness returned just as quickly. "I don't think so, Sakura-chan." Yukito answered trying his best to sound convincing without giving away that he thought Touya wouldn't want to see him because of what had happened yesterday.
"Please, Yukito-san! He's got a fever and everything and I just know he would get better if you were there." Sakura balled her fists in front of her in determination and started up at Yukito with bright eyes.
Yukito shrugged slightly and smiled once again. "Alright. If you insist." He said trying to keep the hesitation out of his voice.
----------
Once inside the Kinomoto house, Sakura and Yukito crept up the stairs to check on Touya. Yukito walked a few steps behind Sakura hoping to keep his distance if Touya seemed upset with him.
Sakura knocked softly on Touya's bedroom door. She waited for some sort of response from inside, but shrugged and pushed it open when she received none. Yukito frowned at the sight of Touya lying in bed. He was very pale and his rose-stained cheeks stood out in sharp contrast to the pasty white tone of the rest of his face. His breathing came in short gasps interspersed with longer attempts to take a deep breath. He was clearly struggling with it and seemed uncomfortable even lying down as he was. Yukito stepped forward and peered down at his ill friend concern and worry replacing any apprehension he had felt as he first came up the stairs.
"Why don't you go get To-ya something to drink, Sakura-chan and maybe bring a bowl of water with some ice and a wash cloth."
Sakura nodded and rushed out the door as Yukito grabbed the chair from Touya's desk and pulled it close to the bedside. He brought one hand up to brush across Touya's forehead, but pulled it away quickly as his friend's eyelashes fluttered slightly and then opened half-way to peer up at his visitor.
"T-to-ya." Yukito stuttered nervously. He hadn't expected the other young man to wake up and now he felt like he had no right to be here offering comfort to the friend he had treated so cruelly just yesterday. Despite his inner turmoil, Yukito tried to act as nonchalant as possible. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
Touya shifted slightly in the bed and tilted his head to get a better view of the figure bending over him. Dizziness made his vision blurry and the image swam before him briefly before he closed his eyes again. Yukito's name lingered on the edge of his thoughts but he couldn't force the words out of his lips before he drifted back asleep.
Yukito slumped his shoulders as he watched Touya fall asleep once again. He felt disappointed and he couldn't exactly explain why. He shrugged off the feeling as Sakura came back into the room offering a tray of water and ice.
"Here you go, Yukito-san. Did Oniichan wake up?" Sakura handed over the tray and walked over to stand on the other side of Touya's bed. She smoothed the covers out around her bother's shoulders with both hands and tucked them closer to his body in an effort to keep him warm. She felt like she should do something to make him feel better, but she wasn't sure she was really helping. She still wondered about what had happened last night and something about the expression on Yukito's face when she had mentioned Touya made her wonder if maybe he had something it. Even so, she couldn't think of anything that Yukito could do to make her brother this upset.
She pushed away her doubts as she watched Yukito rearrange the pillows against Touya's headboard and pull him up into a sitting position. Yukito was careful to be gentle and not wake Touya up as he did so. Touya murmured something in his sleep and Yukito brought one hand up to brush the bangs away from his face as his head fell back onto the soft pillows. Yukito let his hand move down across Touya's warm cheek and linger just under his chin for a few moments in a gesture that spoke so much more than any words ever could. Sakura watched in awe at the caring tenderness Yukito displayed towards her brother and couldn't help but smile at the love they clearly had for one another. She wondered if either of them had told the other yet and sincerely hoped that they had. She was sure that they would both be happier once the truth came out.
Yukito started and pulled his hand away quickly as he realized that Sakura was still standing nearby and he looked over at her his eyes filled with a combination of guilt and sorrow. He blushed at the smile she gave him and bent his head as he rested his hands in his lap once more.
"It's okay, Yukito-san. I understand." She said simply and headed towards the room. "Let me know if you need anything."
Yukito nodded as she shut the door. He shook his head and stared down at his hands. She didn't understand. Not really. He barely understood it himself.
TBC
Notes: Okay, now I know what the next chapter will be about, but I haven't finished it yet and I have lots of stuff to do tomorrow so you probably won't see it before tomorrow evening. Sorry! Thank you so much to everyone who has commented. I hope you're enjoying this so far. Everything will work out in the end - I promise!
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