Chapter # 5: Promise

Tohma walked me all the way home. My only injury was on my fist, where I had scraped it when I hit the ground. Tohma's knees were bleeding pretty bad from when he'd purposely skidded on the to sit by me. He hadn't even winced in front of me. My mom had washed my hand off n re-wrapped it for me. Then she took Tohma into the bathroom. She left him in there momentarily. Then he called out that he was ready. I went and stood in the doorway, quietly. He didn't notice me.

"AHHHHH!" he screamed, his eyes shut tightly as he felt just the waters touch on his knees.

"I know, I know it hurts Tohma…You shouldn't have skidded…"

"But-AHHHHH! Shuichi he-AHHHHHHHH! He needed me!"

"And now it looks like you are really going to need him…Because that was only the water…You need sterilizer on this for it to heal…"

"I…I can handle it…I'm used to pain…" He said, half to himself.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Do it."

She slid the cloth across part of one of his knees. He screamed so loud I thought he was dying for a moment. I ran in, carefully slipping into a position beside him, I embraced him tightly.

"If you need something to cling to, I'm here for you Tohma…"

He gripped at my back, which was my strongest part of my entire body. He gripped my back, embracing me in return and screaming into my chest about the pain. I could hear him crying too.

"You're almost done Tohma…You're almost done."

My mom finally finished and wrapped up his knees in bandages.

"You're done Tohma," I cooed,

"You're all done now."

Suguru, Hiro and Tohma were spending the night. I have a spare bed in my room. That's where Hiro always sleeps. He was cuddling Suguru while we all watched a movie. I have a fair sized t.v in my bedroom, and a lock on my door. I always lock in when ever I'm having friends over. So then, my mom can't come in and say embarrassing things to us and tell annoying, old stories. And so, Maiko doesn't burst into my room. Well, right now Maiko was sitting beside me, leaning onto me, sleeping. I scooped her up into my arms and carried her back to her room, lying her down. I came back to my room and locked the door behind me. I flicked off the light and lied down in my bed. The movie ended and Hiro flicked off the t.v, cuddling Suguru closer to him. I lie alone.

Tohma was on the couch downstairs, he flicked off the t.v.

(Switching to Tohma's POV)

I sighed, leaning into the couch.

"Shuichi…I wish I was up there with you…"

I heard footsteps upstairs and heard a small tapping on a door.

"Shu-chan? Can I come in please? I had a bad dream…"

"Maiko?" I questioned myself quietly.

Shuichi gave off a muffled reply and Maiko sniffed loudly.

"But…But…"

Shuichi repeated his mumbled answer, sounding annoyed. I went up the stairs slowly.

"Maiko?" I questioned her.

She faced me,

"Tohma? Why are you upstairs with your bad knees?"

"My knees are just fine. Now, what's all this about a bad dream?"

"I had a bad dream that my daddy…He left me all alone at the park and only took home Shu-chan and mommy home with him…"

"That sounds like quite the nightmare, is this dream happening because of what happened tonight?"

Maiko nodded.

I smiled,

"Don't worry Maiko. You're daddy may have left, but he didn't take you mother, or your brother…You all still have each other, ok?"

"Ok."

With that, she went back to her bedroom door,

"Can you come tuck me onii-san, please?" She was looking at me.

"O-Onii-san?" I questioned.

"Yes, Onii-san, Tohma…That's you, well, I want you to marry my brother one day, then I can call you onii-san!" She said smiling.

I followed her into her room and she climbed into bed. I tucked her into bed,

"How badly do you want me to be your onii-san?"

"Very badly…When Shu-chan gets old enough to be married…Will you propose to him?"

"…" I didn't reply at first because I could feel his eyes on me.

(Switching back to Shu's POV)

I stared at him, curious as to what he would tell her.

"Maybe, I might."

"You have to promise me you will!" Maiko announced, holding up her pinky.

"Pinky promise! Please Onii-san!"

Tohma sighed and placed a kiss on her forehead. When he sat up, I saw their pinky's linked.

"Promise," he whispered.