Chapter Twelve
Tensional Battlefield
For this chapter, there is a MAJOR shoutout to my medical experts because this is where we get technical in this chapter about Shuichi's condition. So a bow of applause to AngelofLight and Noramary McCabe. Also, I have to thank chaosharbringer because she gave me some good ideas for Hiro in this chapter.
I will also answer all reviews in PM form now, since there are several of you who have umm . . . started reading this. I can't believe I'm almost at 80 reviews! Thanks a lot, everyone! I appreciate it very much! I'll try to answer all your reviews but I'm about to go away and am taking care of stuff before I do.
As a note: This chapter's title is EXACTLY what it means. This is probably the most fun I've had with all of this, except with the car and when Eiri told off Tatsuha. Another thing to consider is that Marian plays some part in it, but not a major part. If I put her in and make a main part for her, please don't get upset. Probably after this chapter she will not be reappearing for some time. Several people did not want her to just drop out of the fic, however, I won't make her a major character because I have no heart to.
Also, we have a guest appearance from our favorite Gravitation jackass, Taki Aizawa! I seem to have several helpers with this story now since people have expressed an interest in the plotbunny madness.
If there are any Fujisaki fans in the audience, I'm very sorry for how he is treated. It was just so much fun to do, and something I think he would have done.
Summary so far: Tatsuha and Ryuichi had kidnapped Shuichi Shindou and had wrecked Eiri's Mercedes. While it wrecked, the car exploded, with the rock star blown out of the car through the back windshield. Shuichi had been rushed to the hospital and the others have learned that Shuichi cannot breathe on his own.
Our novelist, Eiri Yuki, has taken a blow from this incident, and had a confrontation with Tatsuha and Ryuichi, resulting in Tatsuha's broken nose. Meanwhile, Tohma had the power to decide whether Shuichi lived or died as Eiri had another episode and was forced to be sedated. The tension has thickened as Tohma said they could operate on Shuichi, after Hiro had fought with the President of N-G. But this does not comfort anyone in the waiting room.
As Ryuichi and Tatsuha go back into the room, they overhear fighting going on. Just what is going on in the room? And will everyone be able to stay calm or become unglued?
I do not own Gravitation, but I seem to own Eiri's soul a little more each day because I hear I write him so well. He probably would hate me if he ever met me.
Oh well. Now back to the story!
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A little while later, Tatsuha and Ryuichi had gotten out of the doctor's office, with Tatsuha's nose patched up and reset. It turned out that Eiri had broken his nose after all and that Ryuichi was right. He was in a bit of pain as they reset his nose, but after the doctor gave him a shot of morphine and reset it, his nose stopped bleeding as much as Tatsuha could finally have his head down to see in front of him.
It did not stop the pain in his nose now and again, however. Nor did it stop the fact that he felt very unbalanced and had to have Ryuichi's support in walking back down to where the others were. His hands were on Tatsuha's shoulders, and he had to admit, it felt good to actually have something in his life. A tiny pang of guilt had sunk in about his brother, but he felt too good to care.
The morphine was taking another effect on Tatsuha. He felt as if he had drunk four shots of White Russians and his legs just turned into jelly on him. He stumbled forward and he felt arms wrap around his waist. Strong arms.
Stable arms.
The steady anchor that held him upright had pulled him back against him and had let his head rest on Tatsuha's shoulder. "So . . . about your . . . 'forbidden manlove', as Eiri so put it . . ."
Ryuichi's voice against his ear sent a shiver down his spine. Tatsuha wanted to be able to stand on his own, but it just was not possible. And it was not as if it did not feel good . . .
But what . . . what . . . Ryu? His befuddled mind had made out partly what Ryuichi was doing. He let out a little noise as something kissed the side of his neck. "What are you going to do about that, Tatsu?" The hands that were around his waist let go as Tatsuha was completely leaning into Ryuichi's chest. Instead he felt him lift him into his arms and carry him down to their destination. "You should think about it some more. You'd feel nicer more often, I think." A twinkle escaped his eye.
Tatsuha found himself melting at the warmth he felt emanating from the other man's body. The drug had worked its way into his bloodstream and he yawned slightly. The stress of everything that had happened that day was starting to wear the younger Uesugi down. He wrapped his arms around Ryuichi's waist as he walked. The motion of it was putting him to sleep quickly.
"Ryu . . . Ryuichi . . ." Tatsuha's voice was soft as he nuzzled his head into his chest some more. "I don't know what I want right now, Ryuichi. I'm just—"
He felt the motion stopping and saw those eyes look at him, gazing down adoringly at him. "It's alright, Tatsu. Just enjoy the moment of comfort. After all, you saw Shuichi in me, didn't you? Or were you just looking for me all along?"
Was I? Tatsuha's thinking dropped to near zero as Ryuichi stopped right before they got back into the waiting room. The black haired man did not realize they had stopped until Ryuichi smirked.
"Well, I think you were. And honestly, I don't think I'd mind too much."
"Ryuichi . . . I need . . . some time to . . . think about it," Tatsuha murmured. "My . . . brain's not . . . awake enough . . . Ry . . uic –"
Ryuichi's sudden kiss stopped the other from speaking. Those lips that pressed against his own spoke of their own power, and of their own passion. It was different then when he kissed Shuichi. He could not claim Shuichi for his own.
But Ryuichi could, and would, pursue Tatsuha until he was his. Until he was melted by Ryuichi's simplistic stare, or by something else the other man did. He felt his tongue probing into Tatsuha's mouth, but he already could not protest.
Even if he told Ryuichi he needed time . . . Ryuichi already could read the thoughts on his face and what his body did. Tatsuha honestly thought that he would be the one to claim Ryuichi, and to be the stronger one of the two.
But when it came down to it, Ryuichi had claimed him for his own.
In one soft kiss, Tatsuha Uesugi knew what he wanted. And what he wanted had been right in front of him all along. He sighed in content as his lips pulled away from his. His eyes could not stay open much longer. Sleep was catching up with Tatsuha. "Ry . . . Ryu . . ." he whispered, his hand reaching to touch the other's face.
"Don't talk, Tatsu. You're tired. Just sleep for now. I'll be there with you, until we know Shuichi's alright," he told him as Tatsuha's arm fell back down, over his body and dangled near the floor. "It's alright, Tatsuha."
Yes . . . yes, Ryuichi. It will be alright. I feel it. As sleep overtook his body, Tatsuha smiled for the first time that day and had nuzzled his head back into Ryuichi's chest.
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Taki Aizawa had been wandering around the emergency room floor, trying to see where his friend, Maa, was. He had to bring his friend into the hospital because of a fight that had ensued at a local tavern and he had fallen face-first onto a metal stool. This had resulted in several broken teeth and a nose injury, along with some stitches at the bottom of his chin.
Since he was waiting for Maa to come out of being stitched up by the doctors, he had proceeded to try to go back down to the waiting room area to wait for him. However, the former star of ASK had wandered into the surgical area, and had been able to look through a window to see what was going on. What drew him to this particular window were the nurses that were yelling in the background. One was scribbling down something for the moment while he watched someone else talking.
"What're we working with?" a male doctor asked. He was in light green scrubs that surgeons wore and had glasses on his face. Taki thought that was odd that he would not have contacts in his eyes, but had listened to the conversation. After all, nothing interesting is going on anyway . . .
But it would in a moment as the nurse started replying and was cut off. It belonged to the blond haired nurse that had been helping Eiri and Tohma in the waiting room. "Blood pressure 64/40 . . . it's not good."
"Then we have to hurry," he heard the doctor say. "He might not make it if we wait around much longer."
"Oxygen levels are almost—"
His eyes turned to the figure that was lying so pitifully in the bed. Shuichi Shindou! He cried silently. The rumors on the television were true after all!
I didn't think that Ryuichi Sakuma or that stupid novelist's brother would be the ones to harm him, though. Didn't Sakuma have some sort of relationship with the kid? Taki hands were pressed to the window and so was his nose as he peered in closer. I wonder ---
"He's flatlining!" the blonde nurse screamed. "We have to hurry!"
Taki saw the team of doctors running around, trying to get medical tools. The doctor had looked at all of them and had thumped on the patient's chest twice, one after the other in an attempt to save him. If Taki would have stayed to look, they would have seen that Shuichi Shindou had regained rhythm in his heart.
But after seeing that, Taki fled. He could not watch anymore. The competition was up. It always had been since Tohma Seguchi had fired him and disbanded ASK. But he still would have liked to reform his band one day to compete with Bad Luck.
Now it's over, Taki thought as he ran. It's all over. I don't know how his fans will take it, or Mr. Seguchi, or even that novelist murder. How will they take it . . .
How will they take it when they find out Shuichi Shindou is dead?
Taki had continued to run out of the area he was in and had bumped into the familiar nurse who ran the medical unit, Arlena. He had seen her huff and shake her head, as if to say "How rude", but instead he heard her yell, "Don't run in the hospital, sir!"
Don't run be damned.
He just wanted to go back into the waiting room and get Maa out of there. He did not want to stay any longer then he had to, for seeing the sight of Shuichi Shindou's dead body had scared him. And it was this that made him scream in shock.
"Shindou's dead!"
He did not realize that eight pairs of eyes were looking at him, the confusion swirling in each pair. Taki also noticed a familiar glare coming from his former boss and sighed.
This is going to be a long night, after all.
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It was Tohma who had heard the voice first and had glared at the sound. I never thought I would see or hear from Mr. Aizawa again. What is he doing here? And what is he yelling about Shindou-san for?
Tohma's head turned briefly to watch the rest of the people in the waiting room, which was mostly the Shindou party. Hiro and Fujisaki turned their heads at the sound, blinking in disbelief, it seemed. K was trying to reach for his jacket but noticed that his gun was not there. Tohma smirked as he remembered that K had to fight with security to just get in, but relinquish his magnum.
His wife's hand on his arm alerted him to her presence and he saw her gasp as she heard the words from Aiwaza's mouth. "Mika . . . I wouldn't believe anything that man says. Don't work yourself up over it."
"Yes, but . . . what if it's true?" she asked.
Marian had just looked rather shocked at the whole thing as Tohma gave her a sympathic glance. Normally he did not get on well with the woman of many trades, but in this sense, this was an experience they all shared. And so, Tohma felt an obligation to comfort the women in the room. He had to set the example, after all.
Even if he did not like them, as they so thought.
But it was not that Tohma did not like them. It was that he wanted to hide his feelings from them. Except, of course, about his precious Eiri Yuki, which he expressed in elaborate detail.
Tohma also heard sniffling as Ryuichi had started crying, carrying a drugged Tatsuha in his arms. The man was known for crying crodicile tears, and he did not want Ryuichi to panic and think something that they did not know was true. The blond haired man sighed in relief as Tatsuha woke up, but he noticed that his eyes were glassy. They probably gave him morphine, he thought, trying to block out Aizawa's screaming. Tatsuha never could handle morphine or any sort of painkiller well. At least he won't cause any trouble.
But then again, something else always seems to come up. I can never get my business clean of trash, can I?
As Tohma glanced back around, he came in eye contact with Taki Aizawa, who seemed to be in a mix of skipping down the hallway and running. Something was in his eyes that Tohma could not make out and this disturbed him. Shouldn't someone be a bit frightened after seeing someone die? Even if they felt . . . resentment toward them?
"Mr. Aizawa," he heard his cousin whisper. "What's he doing here?"
"Don't ask me," Hiro had remarked beside him. "He's nothing but trouble."
Nakano is right about that. I haven't had anything good with Aizawa since he first played in ASK. But that was short-lived after he went after Eiri and Shindou-san. So . . . what exactly is he doing here?
Never mind that, Tohma scolded himself. I rather have him out of the way. With him screaming about Shindou-san being dead, that certainly will not help matters. "Mr. Aizawa," Tohma addressed him, "you can stop screaming like an idiot now. I don't think anyone appreciates it, especially since a professional has not yet told us the very thing you are proclaiming is true."
"Tohma, what is he doing here?" Ryuichi sniffled, trying to stop himself from crying. He had pulled Kumagoro out of nowhere and had held it as well as Tatsuha's sleeping from as he moved over to where the rest of them were. He had placed Tatsuha in an empty chair and allowed him to sleep some more as he hugged Kumagoro tightly to him. "How would he know about Shuichi?"
"Yes, do tell us, Aizawa," Hiro pressed devilishly. "Just what do you think you're doing here? You have no right to be here, either."
Tohma laughed softly as he saw Aizawa's look of fear as he glanced at Hiro. It seems that Nakano also has a knack to put fear into people. I wonder . . . had he done something like this to Eiri before? No matter. What is done is done. Aizawa must be dealt with now, if to just stop Ryuichi from crying.
"Maa . . . Maa was hurt in some fight, and I had to drag him here—"
"I didn't expect you to answer," Hiro shot at him. "I said you had no right to be here. Do I have to escort you out, Aizawa, or do you know how to get to the door on your own?"
Mika had taken a breath and stood up but Tohma saw K push her back down in her seat from the corner of his eye. Tohma nodded to K, allowing his action to take place. No words were exchanged as K had thrown Mika out of the way and had stood up. He heard her cry of protest, but did nothing to comfort her. That would come after they had thrown the former ASK singer out of the waiting room.
"I want to know how he knows if Mr. Shindou is down for the count," Marian said in English, trying to control her temper. He noticed that her voice was beginning to shake.
The only people that could understand her were Tohma, Mika and K, so when she spoke, she did not make sense to everyone else. He saw her hands shaking visibly and Tohma sighed. I had forgotten. This needs to be remedied immediately. In Miss. Tamika's present state, she could very well expire. Even if she . . . gives off a strong presence . . . diabetic shock would not be a good way for her to---
"Japanese, girl," K said. "Remember, not everyone can speak English."
"...I keep forgetting. But why is that asshole here?" she snarled back, in Japanese this time. Her voice shook again as she took a breath and started rummaging through her purse.
"I was looking for Maa and I lucked out on that little tidbit," Aizawa answered, smirking. His tone became condescending. "What's it matter? If you don't believe me---"
Idiot. "And just how did you come across this tidbit? Where did you overhear this? When did you think that you were qualified to go telling us, let alone screaming it where everyone can hear you like the moron you are?"
"They have an observation room that you can look into—"
"When I want a lesson, Mr. Aizawa, I will ask," Tohma snarled, adjusting his hat. "So you thought by looking into a room that you knew everything? How foolish. And how naïve. They're doctors, not some amateurs in training."
Ryuichi still was crying as he whimpered. "Oh god . . . Shuichi's dead? Shuichi?"
Tohma blinked as he saw Taki Aizawa walking over to Ryuichi and laughing at him. "You know, I never did like Shindou too much, but I have to say, I never thought you'd do him in, Sakuma. Doesn't it hurt that because of you, the person you liked is dead?"
"That's enough!" Mika screamed at him.
Tohma rose from his seat and wiped the dirt off his pants as he saw Taki caressing Ryuichi's face. "Who knows . . . maybe it was the guy next to you that did him in. I heard some interesting rumors about him . . . but I never thought you to be the type that swung that way—"
"Pardon me, but isn't that a bit much to say about someone who actually has talent in the music industry?" Tohma snarled as he pulled Taki off Ryuichi and had pushed him out of the way. "At least neither one of them has to threaten their rivals with hurting those they care about the most to be better in the music industry."
"I don't think he cares about anybody but himself," Hiro agreed, rising slowly. "I'd be surprised if he cared about a cockroach or a fly, much less about Shuichi. It sickens me that he can even attempt to say such things about him."
"Who said Mr. Shindou has talent?" Fujisaki asked, scoffing at the very idea. "If you mean missing every deadline we come up with and disappearing on a whim . . . "
Damn it, Suguru! Shindou works differently then you. I put you in Bad Luck to find your own style. Yes, I wanted you to surpass me, but I always wanted you to have friends in the band. That's what makes it a success. Working together, not fighting amongst yourselves. It was this that made Tohma suddenly realize why Shuichi was so desperate for Hiro to come back the first time he had quit Bad Luck. They keep each other in check. Without the other, there would be no band.
Without Noriko and Ryuichi, there would have been no Nittle Grasper.
For once . . . I think I was wrong in trying to send Shuichi away.
Hiro had smacked Fujisaki upside the head and muttered, "That's beside the point."
"Mr. Fujisaki, if you please," Mr. Sakano spoke firmly. "Shindou at least has a couple of albums, and you all have worked very hard to get this far. Please don't say things like that right now."
"Damn it, why do you all gang up on me?" Fujisaki whined pitifully.
"Because you make it so easy," Hiro laughed, trying to lighten the tension in the room.
"But I saw it!" Taki yelled. "The nurses and doctor were running around like idiots!"
Oh great, not this again. It thought we already established that no one gives a shit about what Aizawa thinks. How the hell did I put up with him in the first place . . . oh, yeah. Earplugs. Suddenly Tohma sighed. He was rather annoyed now.
"That doesn't mean he's dead, you idiot," Hiro retorted. "They usually do that when someone flatlines and they can bring them back. Don't you watch any medical shows?"
"Please," Taki scoffed, chuckling. "Shindou was so mangled there was no way he could make it through. There was blood all over the place. He probably bled to death."
"Did you actually hear someone call the time of death for Shuichi Shindou, or did your black heart just hope so you could jump on Mr. Seguchi's ass to be brought back to N-G?" Hiro snorted. "How pathetic."
"This is pitiful," Mika confessed to the reporter in the room next to her. "We have ourselves a bunch of idiots." Then she glared at Aiwaza. "Unless you heard it for yourself, shut up. You might scare the rest of the patients out," she said, seeing two people coming through the door. "We already scared the first bunch . . . but then again, with what happened, anyone would have been scared. I hope there weren't another other reporters."
"You're telling me," Marian said. "The last thing I need is the media to start more scandals."
Fujisaki muttered, "Thank goodness no one else is out here."
The couple who had walked in had became rather frightened at overhearing the conversation taking place and rushed up to the desk, trying to stay in the room as little as possible.
"The faggot singer is dead!" Taki bellowed at Hiro. "I told you your friend would just become a distant memory!" Then he looked to Ryuichi, who had seemed to stop sniffling. "I didn't think that Ryuichi Sakuma and his lover's brother would be the ones to do him in though."
The room became deathly silent as they heard Aizawa's biting words. They were cold, and yet, had spoken the truth. But Ryuichi stood up and got in his face, trying to stop more tears that made their way to his expressive eyes. "It was an accident. Anyone could have made it."
"Anyone who lets your drive, maybe, you queer," Taki snarled. "Let---"
Tohma had had enough. He stormed back over to Taki and had his hand in a fist. Swiftly he had punched Taki in the stomach and then elbowed him on the head, smiling as he did so. Even if he was smiling, his eyes were not. It meant that he was angry.
Marian and Mika clapped in appreciation. "Finally, about damn time he shut up," they both muttered.
"Look," Marian had said, pointing to Hiro. "Hiroshi looks like he's going to join Mr. Seguchi. Which one you think can get more punches in?"
"I opt for my husband," Mika said, laughing heartedly. "He seems a little more anxious then Nr. Nakano at the moment."
My dear, you are too right, Tohma thought as he smirked, hearing their exchange on their fight. But he was rather grateful that Hiro was helping beat up Taki as Hiro had delivered a blow to his groin, making the man whimper in pain. That might shut him up. Well done, Mr. Nakano.
"You should learn to watch your mouth, Aiwaza," Hiro hissed as he punched him again.
Fujisaki had stood up and had brandished his famous scowl at the scene. ". . . and this isn't going so well. Shouldn't we all calm down until we hear from a medical expert on the matter?"
Ignoring Fujisaki's whining, Tohma had glanced at K, who was watching Hiro enjoying himself at using Taki Aiwaza for a punching bag. "K, I think it's time that we cleaned up the garbage around here, don't you agree?"
". . . sadly, the keyboardist has a point. And here I thought he was going to hit him," Marian muttered, disappointed by the short lived fight. "It takes away the excitement that we've been so craving." She smiled at Mika and leaned back against the chair, smirking a minute later.
"That would be too weird. I've had enough of that for one day," Mika replied, shaking her head. "Of the weirdness, I mean. But you don't look so well, Marian."
"I'll be fine," she replied.
Again Tohma caught the fact that her voice was trembling. He glanced back at the two women and sighed. I was hoping to end this quickly. I really don't want any other problems. If she does pass out, I can't use her to stop the media from flooding into the hospital.
Then again . . .
"But are you sure you don't want a punching bag, Mr. Seguchi?" K asked, smiling evilly. "I mean, you do need to vent out your frustrations. As tense as you are right now . . . "
"I'd be more then willing to share him with you, Mr. Seguchi," Hiro added brightly.
"But if you keep playing with him, then you'll catch something from Mr. Aizawa. After all, stupidity seems to follow that man around." He snorted in response as he punched Taki's face once more, seeing a satisfied bruise mark on his left cheek.
"Scared you'll catch it too?" K joked as he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Then I'll have to shower soon enough too. Come on, you reject."
"But Mr. Seguchi, I really did seeeeeee!" He whined softly as K held him up by the collar and had started to proceed to walk out of the room with him, dragging him more or less.
"Tohma dear, you're taking away our prime form of entertainment," Mika pouted. "This is better then those soap operas on television."
"Trust me, you won't want to see the finished product, Ms. Seguchi," Hiro replied, glaring at K and Taki as they had went out of the room.
"I honestly did not think you the type to watch mushy romance soaps, Ms. Seguchi," Mr. Sakano spoke softly, wringing his hands at the scene in front of him.
"Sakano?"
"Yes, Ms. Seguchi?" Mr. Sakano chirped.
Mika's glare was enough to silence him from saying anything else.
"I'm sorry dear," Tohma replied with a smile, "but I'm saving you from his stupidity. I wouldn't want my loving wife to catch it, would I?"
Mika stood up again. "K, stop, please."
The man turned around, stopping in mid-step.
"Mika, what are you doing? We're trying to calm this incident---" Tohma stopped as Mika had came over to him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"It'll be quick, I promise, love," she whispered in his ear. "There's an issue with K I must address." She had walked over to where K was standing and she had slapped Aizawa hard. "At least you gave me some form of entertainment, but in
the meantime . . . " Mika smiled at K. "I'll deal with you later. You don't ever push a lady . . . you should know that. But do remove him. My husband'll turn senile in his age, if Eiri and Tatsuha don't do it first."
"I'm hurt, Mika!" Tohma gasped, playing along with his wife's game, holding a hand over his heart. "You're implying that I'm an old man. A shame on you!"
She smiled sweetly. "No, just you worry too much, Mother Tohma."
"At least get him out of here first," Fujisaki bitched.
As K had dragged a screaming Aizawa away, she had walked back over to her husband and had kissed his cheek. "There there. Now, we should really find out what's going on..."
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Oh god . . . what if he was right . . . what if Shu really is dead . . . what if . . . Tatsu and I killed him? Ryuichi had taken a hard blow to Taki's words and had been reduced to a near breakdown as he cried, trying to block out the world. He had hugged the pink bear very tightly now, watching K drag off Taki, who still seemed to be screaming.
Shuichi . . . I'm sorry, Shuichi. I didn't consider your feelings, either. I only thought about Tatsu's. But . . . if I could take it back, do it another way . . .
I'd tell Tatsuha how I felt before we even thought about taking you from the interview.
"I don't think he's dead," Mr. Sakano had said again. "If he was, that cute nurse would have come back out to say something."
"Yeah but anything could happen," Ryuichi sniffled, looking at Mr. Sakano. "Shu really has bad luck sometimes."
"Why do you think we named the band Bad Luck?" Hiro asked, walking over to Ryuichi and patted his back. He had reached for a side table next to Ryuichi and had handed him some tissues. "Use these. Just hope he's not dead, or—"
The man had taken them and began to blow his nose as he sat Kumagoro down on Tatsuha's sleeping lap. He smiled now as he saw Tatsuha's eyes open and look at him. But they still were hazy and he groaned, as if trying to wake up from the drug induced sleep. "Tatsuha," Ryuichi said softly. "You awake?"
The other man leaning his head toward Ryuichi's voice and closing his eyes as he held Kumagoro told him no. But Ryuichi had caressed his face, to comfort himself for a moment before moving Tatsuha back into a comfortable position.
-----
Marian had stood up and stared at them all. "If you all would calm the hell down, we could find out. The tension in this room is enough to strangle someone."
"You weren't even supposed to get this far! Why didn't Tohma get rid of you when he had the chance?" Fujisaki muttered. "Despite that, you're still a reporter!"
State the obvious, cousin, Tohma thought softly. You're just as much of a pain in the ass today. One would think you actually care about Shindou-san. But still--- He noticed that she stood up and had shook still, her hand still fumbling for something in her purse. He could not let her see he cared about her as a friend.
After all the years that Eiri saw her in New York, he had always treated her with scorn. She was not supposed to know about Eiri's past, and yet . . . Tohma never understood why Eiri told her out of all the people that had found out about it. Maybe she did stumble upon it . . . but . . .
"I may be, but I'm not immoral, you jackass," she muttered, turning to Fujisaki and glaring at him as she pulled her cellphone out of her purse. She sighed as she looked at it and Tohma smirked.
"Your use of words is remarkable Marian," Tohma quipped. "Despite the fact that we have never agreed, you do have a point."
"Yeah well, what must I say? Half of you are cigarette fiends," she pointed out, indicating Hiro and Tohma on occasion, when he was stressed. "Why don't you go get a fix? Might calm your heads."
"Or might give you a chance to call your editor or "get the scoop", as so they say," Fujisaki hissed at her. "Why is it that reporters have to be so nosy in the first place?"
You're treading too far, Suguru. When you tread in dangerous water, one may drown. But I know she won't go reporting to her editor. She hates her editor and her boss as much as Nakano and I like each other.
Marian pretended to ignore the comment as she walked past Fujisaki and had turned around. In one swift motion she had grabbed her cellphone and had punched Fujisaki in the face, with the phone in her hand. "God, I hate when people think I'm like Lois Lane," she muttered as she stormed out of the waiting room and looked at the phone, her hand back in her purse. "Shit, my phone's busted!"
Thank god, Tohma thought as he clapped softly. I thought I was going to hit the little shit myself. It's a cold day in hell. We actually agreed that Suguru is a pain in the ass.
"ASSAULT!" he heard Fujisaki scream as he fell to the ground, cradling his now busted lip. "You stupid bitch!"
"Hey, Marian!" K shouted, watching her walk off. "Thanks!"
"Damn, she beat me to it," Hiro said, watching Fujisaki rising without the help of his hands. "Looks like she punched him hard though."
"I think she beat all of us to it," K agreed.
"BEAT YOU ALL TO IT!" Fujisaki raged. "What the hell kind of people am I with in the first place! You know that she's going outside to call her editor and to tell about Mr. Shindou, or about Mr. Yuki. And before you know it, the press will be storming in here!"
"Suguru," Tohma warned him. "She isn't going to call her editor. She doesn't like him very much. Miss. Tamika—"
"This is insane," they heard the voice of the nurse come to them. " . . . and to think you are all professionals. You should do as the woman says and just get
some air."
"What is the progress of Mr. Shindou? How is the surgery progressing?" Tohma had asked the very question that everyone around him was thinking when they saw Arlena walking back into the waiting room.
The air tensed even more as they waited for her to answer. He thought he saw Arlena's eyes glance to each person, feeling apprehensive herself before answering Tohma's question.
"Well . . . there were complications," she began before she was interrupted by Tohma once more.
"Complications?"
"His spleen ruptured. That's where most of the access blood in the body is stored. Because of this, his chest cavity started to fill with blood, which started to fill his punctured lung. They were able to remove it in time and clear his lungs, but not before he flatlined. He's in stable condition and doing well now though."
Thank goodness. I won't have to hear Eiri scream anymore. We can just take him to Shindou-san and then they can both start to heal from the ordeal.
"They also had to realign his broken arm and put a pin in it for it to heal properly. Considering the extent of his injuries, it's a wonder he survived at all. He's certainly a fighter."
"That's Shu for you, fighting till the end," Hiro said, smiling now that he was going to be alright.
"Thank goodness," Ryuichi's voice said as he sniffled once more, crying in joy this time. Tohma groaned.
"Miss, you can't use the cellphone in the hospital," Arlena had called out towards the door.
Tohma's head whipped around to see a pale Marian heading back into the door. He saw a goofy smile plastered on her face as she shook her head. "I can't anyway. It kinda got broken when I was punching the kid."
"Excuse me?" Arlena asked, glancing at Fujisaki, who was rubbing his split lip.
"Well at least you can't go leaking out anything," Fujisaki muttered.
"Yeah, but I was checking text messages from my boyfriend since the cell kept going off in my pocket. I wonder how I'm going to explain this," Marian muttered.
". . . you got worked up over text messages, Fujisaki?" K had looked at him and laughed heartily, now able to at the fact that Shuichi was alright. "And here you thought---"
"Well reporters do that!" Fujisaki bellowed.
"She's a family friend, Suguru," Mika calmly stated. "She wouldn't do something like that to Eiri--"
"What is it with Eiri Yuki that you all got a bug up your ass about?" Fujisaki screamed.
Tohma's eyes bored into Fujisaki as he took a deep breath. "Suguru. Stop," he warned him. "Now's not the time—"
"You all have to be so damn sensitive!" Fujisaki continued. "Especially you, Tohma. Who cares! Isn't it his fault in a way that this even happened? If they didn't get the wrong idea about the relationship . . . You think this would happened?"
Hiro had walked back up to Fujisaki and whapped him harder upside his head.
"How dare you even think of saying such a thing here, Suguru," Tohma hissed.
He was satisfied as he saw Fujisaki's eyes blink in fear. "Did you even hear about Shindou, with your frantic yelling, Mr. Fujisaki? The nurse said he was alright. I was hoping that you would calm down about it, and instead you just yell about Eiri like you have some goddamn right to."
He was satisfied as he saw Fujisaki's eyes blink in fear. He had crossed over the line. Tohma would rightfully put him back in his place. "Did you even hear about Shindou, with your frantic yelling, Mr. Fujisaki? The nurse said he was alright. I was hoping that you would calm down about it, and instead you just yell about Eiri like you have some goddamn right to."
"I was hoping he'd stop yelling to," Marian confessed, rubbing her head.
"God damn it, lady, get out of my ass, will you?" He saw Fujisaki storm over to her and had proceeded to try to hit her. However, K had been able to get there in time and restrain Fujisaki from making a punch at her.
"Why would you think of hitting a lady, Suguru?" Tohma went on. "It's not as if she was doing anything to you that you didn't deserve."
"If this keeps going on, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Arlena had interjected. "You all are tense. I think perhaps you should leave, if to just save yourselves the trouble of being thrown out of this place." She had shook her head again as she turned away. "I do hope this disturbance will be sorted out by then." With that she had walked off and down the hallway.
Mika had stood back up and walked over to Tohma. " . . . do you think we should go get some air, and some food? I think we're going to drive the nurses crazy. Besides, they wouldn't want us to not take care of ourselves. Eiri and Shuichi, I mean."
"As much as I would love to act on that idea, Mika, I'm going to stay here." He glanced at his wife. "After all, someone needs to tend to Shindou-san's medical forms now that Eiri is incapable, remember? Although," the President said as an afterthought, "if you are going to get something, then I guess you can get me some coffee, Mika."
Mika nodded. "Alright. That's feasible."
"It might help the tension though," K agreed. "Though, I wonder who actually has the money on them. They took my wallet, damn bastards . . . "
Ryuichi had held up something. It glittered in the light and had caught Tohma's attention. Eiri's credit card. Let me guess . . . Tatsuha had decided to raid his beer supply again and forgot to give it back.
It was Mika who had spoke what Tohma was thinking.
"...You stole it again, Tatsuha?" Mika muttered at her brother's sleeping form. "He's really going to kill you when this is over...not as badly as he would have if he died, but . . . still." Then she turned to Ryuichi. "Give me the card. I'll take the blame."
"As much as I think I should take—"
"Give me the damn card, or I'll shove it surgetically up your ass, Ryuichi," Mika hissed. "You already caused enough trouble. You don't need to ruin my brother's credit, as well."
He meekly handed the card over as Tohma chuckled. "You don't need to be so harsh, Mika."
"I'm just tense," Mika muttered as she pushed some of her brown hair out of her eyes.
"Sakano, I suggest you take Mr. Nakano and Mr. Fujisaki with you to not cause anymore...incidents. We don't need another episode of what's happened," Tohma said, glaring at Fujisaki. "You disappointed me, cousin. I hope we do talk later so you can tell me of your 'theory' about Eiri Yuki in detail."
"I do hope you're going your own seperate way, Ms. Lane," Fujisaki remarked.
"Would suit you, but no. I don't rat out others on a whim, or for money. If I did, I don't think I'd have friends now would I?"
"She's talking to someone who doesn't have any friends because his work takes over his life," K whispered.
"Agreed," Hiro said.
"I suggest you get going, Mr. Sakano. My patience has worn rather . . . thin within the last few minutes. Suguru, I do hope I can catch up to you later." Tohma smiled vindictively as he chuckled.
Fujisaki shivered as he brushed past everyone, angrily going out the door.
Sakano and K walked out after him, muttering about how they were going to have to gag the media if there were reporters in the hospital.
"Hey, Ryuichi," Mika asked. "When they reset Tatsuha's nose . . . did they give him morphine?"
This brought Ryuichi out of his silent moment as he nodded to Mika. "I don't think he'll be up anytime soon, though. It seems to have made him high."
"If we're going to get everyone something to eat, I guess we should get something for Tatsuha when he wakes up. I don't think they'll let Mr. Yuki or Shuichi have anything. Shuichi would be too worked up to keep anything down."
Mika nodded. "I think we should let Ryuichi and Tatsuha go on back—"
"No," Tohma said.
I'm not letting them get out of this so easily. Eiri wouldn't either. He'd make Tatsuha pay for the punishment he so deserves. I want them to really learn their lesson, if we are going to drop the charges on them. I still can't believe Eiri said that, though.
Perhaps . . .
"No? They would only cause trouble, Tohma!" Mika argued.
"They need to learn their lesson about this. If I'm going to honor Eiri's wish on dropping charges for vehicular homicide, or an attempt to, then they will stay in this hospital and wait like the rest of us are. Eiri would have a fit if they were not here to try to undo the wrongs that they have caused this night." Tohma had glanced at Ryuichi and nodded. "You two did agree to that, did you not?"
"Well . . . yes," Ryuichi had spoke up.
"Then you will honor it." Tohma glanced over to Hiro, Marian and Mika. "Mika, I know you want to stay here with your brothers, but you do forget that the baby is at home with the babysitter. She must be worried by now."
A gasp escaped Mika's mouth. "Oh! I forgot about that! I never called her to tell her how long we would be!" She had scrambled madly in her purse for the phone.
"Mika, it's alright. You can take the car, since I'm staying here. I think that Mr. Nakano will too, since he has not departed with the others. I don't know about Miss. Tamika—" His voice stopped as he heard something thud to the floor. He saw that it was Marian's phone. A moment later, her body was starting to fall forward.
Hiro had caught her, but Tohma saw that her eyes were closed. She had passed out cold. He had seen something else in her hand, held loosely. Her purse did fall to the ground, and landed on the bottom, amazingly enough. "It seems that we did not get Mr. Aizawa out fast enough."
"What, is she a drug user?" Hiro asked, glaring at the object in her hand. It happened to a syringe full of tiny liquid.
"No, diabetic," Mika said softly. "I certainly hope she doesn't go into diabetic shock. That would be really bad." She had moved over to where Hiro had Marian in his arms and nodded to him. "Pick her up gently and let's go back over to where those nurses are. She should be fine after she gets her medicine."
The two of them walked with her form over to the station. This left only Tohma and Ryuichi there, with a sleeping Tatsuha in the chair.
"You know, Ryuichi," Tohma started, "I hoped that something like this would never have happened."
"I know, Tohma," Ryuichi whispered as he looked at him. "I'm really sorry." He had hugged himself in the chair, unable to hug Kumagoro as Tatsuha was sleeping with it. "At least Shuichi's alright. I'll be able to sing with him again, when he recovers."
But how long will that be? Tohma asked himself. It will take at least a few weeks for Shuichi to even be alright physically. Emotionally, we still do not know how he fares. None of us are able to find out that answer. We'll have to find out in the morning . . . when Eiri awakens off that sedative that was given to him.
Eiri . . . for once . . . I can't help you.
For once . . . you have to find the answers for yourself. But I'm sure you'll do just fine without me.
As Tohma saw Ryuichi nodding off in the chair next to him, Tohma knew that Eiri would find out the rest of the problems that would be wrong with Shuichi. He also had a feeling that he never should have meddled in the relationship in the first place, but had pushed that thought aside as his eyes closed and sleep took over his stress filled mind.