A/N: Well, only one more chapter after this! I can't believe it's taken me almost 2 and a half years to finish this...I'm ashamed but oh well. I've pre-written the next chapter so that will be uploaded next weekend and then I just have to focus on please don't stand so close to me I'm having trouble breathing.

After that, I have a new fanfic planned and some one-shots planned so whoo.

Also my laptop is fixed now so it should be easier to write and upload (Writing on a phone is actual torture)

:))))

Natsuya stuck to his word, bringing Haru, Asahi and Makoto to the hospital with him the next day, all three showing their concern in their own unique ways. Asahi had been nervously chattering constantly on the walk to the hospital whilst Haru had remained deathly silent, his expression so blank and emotionless that even Makoto couldn't read it and Makoto had gone quieter than usual and was looking fairly pale. Natsuya had become concerned for all three of them however, he supposed that it would be quite a shock to discover that their teammate had almost killed themselves. Natsuya himself still couldn't believe it. The utter shock and fear that overtook him when he found his younger brother bleeding out, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to forget the terrifying sight. The image of paramedics carrying Ikuya away on a stretcher was burned onto the backs of his eyelids, he saw it whenever he closed his eyes and so had barely slept since the incident happened. Anytime he did manage to fall asleep, he was awoken later by the gruesome images of what could have happened had he not found Ikuya in time. A shiver racked through his spine at the thought, gaining the attention of the other three boys with him

"Natsuya-senpai are you alright?" Makoto's voice was quiet as he spoke but it was still filled with the same ever-present concern.

Natsuya simply nodded as he continued walking, deciding not to explain his thoughts in case it affected any of them in the same way.

They reached the hospital and were directed to Ikuya's room once more although at this point Natsuya already had the directions there memorised. as they headed up to the room, Makoto asked the question that seemed to have been bugging all three of them

"Natsuya-senpai...he...he will be okay won't he..?"

Natsuya gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he nodded.

"He's going to be fine, he...he just needs time..." Natsuya said before knocking on the door, receiving a quiet "Yeah" in response.

The three younger boys each took a deep breath before following Natsuya into the room.

Upon entering the room, they saw Ikuya sat up in the bed in the centre of the room, various wires and tubes coming out of his arms and attaching to machines next to the bed. His arms were covered from his wrist past his elbow in white bandages and a book now lay on his lap discarded.

"Hi..." Ikuya said somewhat awkwardly before practically being tackled by Asahi into a careful hug so that they didn't hurt his still broken aching ribs, soon followed by Makoto and eventually Haru after he was pulled in by the others.

The three of them released him and Asahi immediately pointed an accusatory finger at him saying

"Next time you do something that stupid, I'm gonna tickle you until you never think about doing it again!"

As if to prove his point, Asahi poked a finger into Ikuya's lower stomach, making the smaller boy squeal and state a loose threat not to tickle him.

"Honestly though are you alright?" Makoto asked, still looking a bit pale but better now that he had seen that Ikuya was in fact alive.

"I...I've been better...honestly...but I'm alive, I guess that's something," Ikuya smiled somewhat longingly.

"It's a good job you are," Haru spoke up quietly for the first time "Asahi almost cried when you weren't there yesterday,"

Asahi sent a glare towards the raven-haired boy before shouting

"I did not!"

Throughout the exchange, Ikuya had a small smile upon his face. He made brief eye contact with Natsuya who mouthed the words

"You're doing great, I'm proud of you,"

Ikuya mouthed back the word "Thanks" as the other three boys turned their attention back to Ikuya.

"Have they said when they're going to send you home yet?" Makoto asked gently

Ikuya's smile grew and he glanced over at Natsuya once more before nodding.

"They said I can go home later tonight, I just need my parents to sign some things and talk with the doctor,"

Natsuya 's eyes started watering slightly and he furiously wiped his eyes with his sleeve, determined not to cry whilst Haru, Makoto and Asahi were there. Upon seeing this, Ikuya giggled slightly, a sound that Natsuya had heard way too little recently.

"I promise, I'm going to get better...I promise," Ikuya gave a sad smile before he was pulled into another group hug, this time joined by Natsuya.

"Well, you're free to go, your parents have already been told but your stitches should dissolve on their own so you don't have to do anything with them and you'll be attending 3 sessions with Dr Shinozaki per week for the first few weeks however after that it may decrease depending on how you're feeling and how she feels you've progressed," The doctor explained before adding "I wish you good luck, you deserve to be happy and it saddens me to have someone so young here for this reason, but with time, you'll get better, I believe it,"

Ikuya gave a small smile as the doctor set to work removing the wires and tubes from his arms.

Once everything was disconnected, he moved to stand up, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him immediately due to moving too fast.

Natsuya was immediately next to him, steadying him as his vision steadied itself. Once he assured Natsuya he was okay, he let go of him as the rather large group made their way towards the front entrance.

Natsuya offered to walk home with Haru, Makoto and Asahi as his parents drove Ikuya home, not wanting Ikuya to strain himself too much.

They arrived home fairly quickly, immediately getting Ikuya to sit down as his parents fussed over him, boiling the kettle to make him a cup of tea. Natsuya returned home soon after and immediately plopped himself down next to his brother, checking he was okay before pulling him into a hug.

Everything felt strange to Ikuya, it felt as if a switch had been flicked which had changed everything however, he supposed it was fairly normal considering what had happened. The strange feeling persisted right up until he began getting ready for bed, looking forward to sleeping in his own bed in his own room for the first time in a couple of days. He felt exhausted however, as he lay in his bed, he couldn't seem to get to sleep, instead lying awake staring at the ceiling. There was an empty feeling in his chest which he couldn't seem to understand and it had begun taking over all his thoughts until he heard a knock on his bedroom door.

He shuffled over to the door, still wrapped in a blanket and opened the door, seeing his brother stood outside his room. Natsuya said nothing, instead just wrapped him into another hug, breathing out shakily before saying.

"I thought you weren't actually here..."

He gave no further explanation however, he did lift his head up to ask

"Can I stay with you tonight?" to which Ikuya nodded enthusiastically. Maybe Natsuya being with him would help the empty hole he felt.

The two of them entered the room properly, Natsuya closing the door gently behind them as they settled themselves in bed, wrapping the covers around themselves as they snuggled together for comfort.

Natsuya lay next to his brother, trying to keep his emotions in check. He was so sure that he was going to wake up and Ikuya wouldn't be here, wouldn't be alive, that dream had felt so real and Natsuya had been terrified to even knock on Ikuya's door, unsure what he would do if no one answered.
The rush of relief that had washed over him when he had seen Ikuya open the door was huge. The younger looked adorable wrapped in a large blanket and Natsuya felt his heart rate soar as he realised, Ikuya was alive. He was alive and he was home and he was going to be okay. He was going to be okay. He is going to be okay.
Natsuya repeated this to himself as he closed his eyes, praying that it was true, praying that nothing bad would ever happen to Ikuya.

Ikuya opened his eyes slightly, seeing Natsuya laying awake and gently placing a hand on his face.
"Natsuya, what's wrong?" He asked gently, shocking the Brunette who quickly shook his head before answering in a quiet voice.
"It's nothing, I'm fine, you should go to sleep,"
Ikuya sat up slightly with a bit of difficulty, looking directly at Natsuya as he spoke.
"I was told I need to be honest about what's bothering me...I think you do to...if you don't...I don't want to think about what it could lead to...please tell me...I don't tell anyone else if you don't want me to..."
Natsuya gave a sad smile at the care his brother was showing
"It's nothing, just a bad dream, I guess it's still affecting me a little,"
Upon seeing Ikuya's small glare sent his way, Natsuya continued
"I...had a bad dream..where I...didn't find you in time...and you..." The brunette took a deep breath, finding himself unable to continue however, Ikuya seemed to understand
"It's okay, I'm here, none of that is real. I promise. And it's never going to have the chance to become real, I won't leave you Natsuya," Ikuya smiled sadly. He disliked seeing his brother upset however, this was all he could do to help at the moment. If it was possible, he'd climb into Natsuya's head and beat and negative thoughts out of his head but unfortunately, he couldn't. No one could remove the negative thoughts, instead, they'd just have to keep reassuring him that they're not real.
"Try and get some sleep, I can tell you what not slept properly for the past few days," Ikuya said gently, stroking through his brother's hair like Natsuya usually did to him.
"Thank you Ikuya, you're the best brother I could ever have," Natsuya mumbled
"Not true," Ikuya objected "You could have yourself as a brother,"
Natsuya's eyes stared into Ikuya's before he laughed out a quiet
"Shush, and you go to sleep too, you must be exhausted,"
Ikuya giggled slightly as the two of them finally settled down enough to sleep, lulled into unconscious by each other's rhythmic breathing

Maybe things were going to be alright