A/N: Part 3/4. Warning: dramatic change in tone from the previous chapters. Prepare yourselves. "^_^
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything except the idea.
Part 3~ The Thorns of Death
Eric rushed into the hospital wing of the Shinigami Dispatch Society, nearly knocking over at least five Reapers on his way to the front desk. He slammed his hands down on the linoleum countertop and the secretary on duty gazed up at him mildly.
"Where is he?" Eric asked sharply, out of breath from his run through the building.
"Where is who, Sir?" the secretary responded dully, giving Eric an irritated look. The Shinigami made a fist and slammed it on the counter again.
"Where's my Alan?" he yelled, and a flicker of recognition passed over the secretary's face.
"Alan Humphries?" she questioned. Eric nodded ferociously. "He just came in about a half hour ago. He's down in room 303. But I don't think you should-"
Eric had already taken off down the hallway at top speed and missed the secretary's last words. He didn't care, though- all he cared about was getting to Alan's side as soon as possible.
As soon as Eric had heard the news that Alan had collapsed while out on a mission and been rushed to the hospital wing, he had immediately dropped his paperwork and hurried there as fast as he could. Grell had run into his office, frantically waving his chainsaw around as he told Eric that he and Alan had been out collecting souls when Alan had suddenly started gasping for breath and clutching at his heart. This had gone on nonstop for a few minutes before Grell decided enough was enough and carried Alan to the hospital wing, where he was promptly whisked away to be examined.
Grell had told Eric in a horrified voice that he believed Alan might have somehow contracted the fabled Shinigami disease of legend, the disease that was so rare it wasn't even in the medical textbooks because so few had caught it- the "Thorns of Death." It was a terrifying illness in which the souls of the dead that the Shinigami reaped started fighting back. Thorns began growing inside the Shinigami's body, starting from the wrists and making their way up towards the heart. The victim would have "heart attacks" until there was one final, fatal strike as the thorns reached the heart. What was even worse was that the disease was so rare that no doctor had been able to develop a cure for it due to a severe lack of research subjects.
However, contracting the Thorns of Death was almost as hard as curing it. The souls of the dead could only fight back if the Shinigami felt remorse for reaping them. Since Shinigamis were supposed to "work coldly and without a smile," it was easy for them to separate themselves from the emotions contained in the Cinematic Records. Unfortunately, sensitive, emotional Alan was the prime candidate for these feeling of regret, and in effect, the Thorns of Death. Eric sincerely hoped Grell had just been making crazy speculations…
Eric finally arrived at room 303 and burst through the door, to find Alan lying deathly still on a bed off to the far wall. He was covered with a white blanket from the neck down, and to Eric's great relief, his chest was rising and falling- albeit rapidly- under the covers. There were no doctors in sight.
"Alan?" Eric questioned tentatively as he walked up to the bed. He bit back a moan of horror when he saw Alan's emaciated face. It was even paler than usual, and there was a thin crease between his eyebrows, as if he were frowning in his sleep. Eric noticed that his glasses were on a table next to the bed. He reached over and gently placed them on Alan's face, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his eyes. Alan groaned at the touch, sounding as if he was in a great deal of pain. Eric quickly pulled his hand back as Alan slowly opened his bright, emerald eyes.
"Mr. Eric…?" he breathed, wincing at some internal pain. Eric tried his best to put on a tight, reassuring smile.
"Hey," he replied. Alan gazed at him with glassy eyes for a moment, and then he slowly looked around the room, frowning when he saw that everything was white from the ceiling down to the floor. This definitely wasn't where he had just been on a mission with Grell… Eventually, his gaze settled back on Eric.
"What… what happened?" he wondered aloud, and Eric shook his head.
"That's what I wanna know," the older Shinigami responded, trying to keep the urgency out of his voice. He wanted to hear Alan's side of the story as soon as possible- there was only so much credit he could give to Grell, even though he was pretty sure the red-loving Shinigami wouldn't make up a crazy story in such a serious situation as this.
"I…I don't really remember much," Alan said quietly. He winced as he raised himself up onto his elbows, and Eric instinctively held out his arms to catch him, even though the only thing Alan would fall back on should he be too weak to hold himself up was the relatively soft hospital bed. "I was on a mission with Mr. Sutcliffe and we were running across the roofs in pursuit of a person on the 'To Die' list, when suddenly I felt this horrible pain in my chest… It felt like my heart was going to burst and I suddenly couldn't breathe… I remember falling down and Mr. Sutcliffe running over to help me, but after that it's all a blank."
"Alan…," Eric sighed, immensely concerned for the younger Shinigami's well-being. Being Alan's mentor had brought him much closer to the brunette than he'd originally thought it would. In fact… Eric was starting to wonder if the sharp pang in heart he had from seeing Alan laid out helplessly on the bed was something more than just a friend should feel. He bit his lip and gazed at Alan's thin face; his eyes were closed again and his mouth was open slightly as he sucked in shallow, rapid breaths.
There was no way Eric could possibly… could possibly love Alan… was there? He'd certainly never been interested in men- much less fellow Shinigamis- as long as he could remember. But ever since that night at the bar six years ago, the butterflies in his chest had never quite disappeared whenever he looked at Alan's serene, innocent face. Could he maybe- just maybe- have fallen for Alan without even realizing it? Eric brushed away a piece of hair that had once again fallen in front of Alan's face and let out a soft sigh of realization.
Yes, he had fallen for Alan; he couldn't deny it any longer. They'd been best friends since they'd met, but over the years that friendship had developed into something more without Eric even realizing it was happening. He put his head in his hands and scrunched his eyes up tight, wondering how he was going to explain this new insight. He knew that Alan thought of him as a close friend, that much was certain. But did he feel anything else? Eric had no way of knowing- he'd never been one of those people who could tell what others are feeling just by looking at them. For all he knew, Alan could secretly love him as much as he loved Alan, but was too afraid to say anything. However, Eric didn't think that was very likely.
"Alan…," he trailed off, glancing at the brunette, who had lain back onto the bed. Alan opened his eyes and turned his head slightly so he could face the familiar voice.
"Hmm?" he questioned, and Eric looked at the ground, pressing a fist to his forehead. How could he have been so stupid? Why did it take a near-death experience for him to realize his true feelings about his best friend? God, he was such an idiot…
Suddenly, there was a knock on the doorframe. Eric whirled around to find a Shinigami clad in a white doctor's robe and holding a clipboard in one hand standing in the doorway. The doctor gave Eric a questioning glance and then gestured for him to come over. Quietly, so as not to disturb Alan, Eric walked over and out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.
"I don't recall authorizing any visitors to be in Mr. Humphries' room," the doctor said crisply, and Eric grimaced.
"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was just so worried when I heard that Alan collapsed, I had to see him. I'm Eric Slingby, his… his best friend."
"Oh, you're Mr. Eric," the doctor said, a spark of recognition in his eyes. "Alan has been calling for you in his sleep ever since he got here."
"He has?" Eric glanced through the tiny window in the door at the figure in the bed, a small smile on his face. The doctor nodded and then glanced down at the clipboard in his hand, a deep frown distorting his previously calm features.
"What's wrong?" Eric immediately became concerned. The doctor glanced up at him, and the abysmal horror in his eyes frightened Eric almost more than he could handle. "Doctor, what's wrong with Alan?"
"He…," the doctor trailed off and looked at his clipboard again, biting his lip. Eric knew that doctors were supposed to be used to giving bad news, so he wondered with undisguised horror what could be so bad that this one was at a loss for words. Eventually, the doctor heaved a deep sigh and gave Eric a sympathetic look. "Your friend… he has the Thorns of Death."
Eric immediately felt the room start to sway. The doctor grabbed his arms to steady him, but Eric shrugged him off and slammed a fist into the wall, letting out a growl of despair.
It couldn't be true. There was no way that sweet, innocent Alan could have such a horrible disease. Grell had only been speculating when he'd mentioned the sickness earlier; he couldn't have actually thought Alan had caught it… Or maybe he was being serious, and Eric just couldn't fathom the horrendous implications of what having the Thorns of Death meant. He whipped around and grabbed the doctor by the shoulders, putting his face so close that their foreheads were nearly touching.
"There has to be a way to fix it," he said fiercely, shaking the terrified Shinigami. "How do you fix it? You're a doctor- you have toknow a way!"
"I-I'm sorry!" the doctor cried, trying his best to get out of Eric's tense grip. "The Thorns of Death is an incurable disease! Everyone knows that!"
"There has to be a way!" Eric was nearly screaming by this point. His eye once again caught Alan through the little window in the door. The brunette's face was angled towards the doorway with his bright eyes open. He was wearing a slight frown; obviously, he could hear Eric's raised voice.
"There has to be away…," Eric repeated, softer this time, releasing the doctor and putting a hand over his face.
"I'm sorry, Eric," the doctor said solemnly.
"Can't you… take the thorns out or something?"
"It is possible to surgically remove them…" Eric opened his mouth to demand that they be taken out immediately, but the doctor held up a hand, silencing him. "But it wouldn't make a difference; the thorns would just return with doubled intensity. The surgery would actually shorten Alan's lifespan, not lengthen it."
"Damn it!" Eric cursed, punching the wall again. His shoulders shook as he tried desperately to hold back the tears that were clouding his vision. He had to remain strong for Alan- he was the one who would have to suffer through this, and Eric couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. It just wasn't fair…
"Just when I realize my feelings…," he muttered weakly, pressing his forehead against the wall.
"Excuse me?" the doctor said, and Eric closed his eyes for a moment. Slowly, he turned to face the doctor again.
"Nothing. Listen, can I… can I be the one to tell him?"
"Are you sure?" The doctor didn't seem convinced that Eric could handle delivering such devastating news. Eric nodded resolutely.
"Yes, I can tell him," he said determinedly. The doctor gazed at him for a minute, searching his face for any inkling of doubt. He could find none, so he heaved a heavy sigh.
"Alright, you can tell him," he relented. "Just please break it to him gently- he doesn't seem very strong-willed… Well, that's probably why he caught the Thorns in the first place, actually… I'm sorry; I'm just talking to myself. Call me if you need any help- I'll be right down the hall."
He placed a hand on Eric's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Eric nodded in grim acknowledgement and the doctor walked off down the hallway. Eric took a deep breath and then opened the door, stepping back inside Alan's room.
"Mr. Eric, is something wrong?" Alan asked tentatively as Eric walked up to the bed wearing the most distressed expression Alan had ever seen. Eric merely stared at him for a few seconds, and then he let out a tremendous sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed. Alan sat up as quickly as he could to make room, scootching his legs up towards his chest.
"Alan, the doctor found out what's wrong with you…," Eric began, but he couldn't seem to finish the thought. He left it hanging densely in the air between them. Alan reached out and placed a comforting hand on Eric's shoulder. The elder Shinigami flinched and then placed his hand on top of Alan's.
"Please tell me, Mr. Eric," the brunette said, gazing at his friend worriedly. "Whatever it is, I can handle it."
"Alan…" Eric looked at Alan's bright, emerald eyes, which were willing to accept whatever Eric said with grim assent. Eric's face scrunched up in an expression of pain and he faced the ground. "Oh, God, Alan…"
"Mr. Eric!" Alan exclaimed, frightened as Eric's shoulders began to shake with silent sobs. He scooted closer to the older Shinigami and wrapped his arms around his middle, wincing as the faint pain from his attack still lingered in his chest. Eric instantly froze. Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder at Alan, who buried his face in his back. Alan was now the one who was shaking, afraid of what Eric was going to tell him but more afraid of the effect it was having on said Shinigami. Eric carefully turned his body to face the brunette, trying not to dislodge the other's arms from where they were clamped around his waist, and gave him a tight hug.
"Alan, I'm sorry," Eric whispered his voice shaking as he resisted the tears. "You have… you have the Thorns of Death, Alan. I'm so sorry…"
Alan let out a high, choked-off sound- a cross between a gasp and an exclamation of surprise- and gazed up at Eric fearfully, searching the other's face for any sign that he was telling a horrible joke. However, there was only bleak sadness lurking in Eric's distressed visage. Alan's eyes started to fill up with tears as what his friend had said began to sink in.
He had the Thorns of Death. The one incurable disease in all of Shinigami eternity, and he had managed to catch it. He knew what that meant- thorns were already growing his wrists, and it was only a matter of time before they reached his heart. Then… it would all be over. He'd have to suffer these attacks constantly from now on, and they'd only get worse and worse as his life ticked away.
However, he wasn't as worried about the Thorns' effect on himself so much as its effect on his friend. Eric was clinging to him with a ferocity that Alan had never seen the elder Shinigami possess before, his face buried in Alan's shoulder. Alan was shocked to feel something wet seeping through his shirt- Eric's tears. The ever-strong, reluctant to show emotion Eric was crying…for him.
"Mr. Eric, please…," Alan began, but couldn't seem to find the words to express what he was feeling. In fact, he wasn't quite sure what he was feeling at the moment- a great affection for Eric, but what exactly did that mean? They were just friends, right? Nothing more… So why did Alan feel like his heart was already breaking just from hearing Eric's soft weeping?
"Eric…"
The older Shinigami instantly froze- had Alan just used his name without putting "Mr." in front of it? He picked up his head, furiously wiping away the tears he had sworn not to shed and looked at Alan questioningly. The brunette had, unbelievably, a small, unsure smile on his face.
"Please don't cry for me, Eric," he said softly, and Eric's heart wrenched at the poorly-disguised sadness in his tone. "I'll be okay- I'll find a way to get through this."
"There's no cure," Eric said dully, and Alan bit his lip, looking down at the covers.
"I know, but… We'll still find a way to get through this." The corner of Eric's mouth turned up in a slight smile.
"You just said 'we,'" he pointed out. Alan gazed up at him again, his face completely serious.
"I know," he replied. "Because we're going to deal with this together. You… you're not going to leave me to do this alone, are you?"
"No, no, Alan, of course not! Don't look so upset!" Eric said frantically, alarmed by the brunette's suddenly terrified expression. He placed a hand on Alan's cheek and Alan immediately placed his own hand on top of Eric's. "I'm not going to leave your side once."
"Thank you," Alan said, and the tears he'd been trying to hold back finally came streaking down his cheeks. Eric wiped them away with his thumb and realized that he might not get an opportunity like this again. It was now or never; he'd just have to give it a chance and hope for the best.
"Alan, I…" He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Alan's pale forehead. "I love you."
Alan instantly blushed furiously, completely stunned.
"E-Eric…," he said, and Eric sat back to gauge his reaction, worried about how the brunette was going to respond. Alan sighed and threw his arms around Eric's middle again, burying his face in his chest.
"I think I love you, too," he murmured. Eric was still for a moment. Then the magnitude of what Alan had just said hit him and he let out a cry of pure happiness, squeezing the brunette back with all his might.
"Don't worry, Alan," he said, kissing the top of his head. "I'll find a way to cure you, no matter what it takes."
"But Eric-" Alan started to say. Eric cut him off with a hug so tight it literally took his breath away for a few seconds.
"I'll find a way to cure you," Eric repeated, unwavering determination in his voice. "I promise I will. Whatever it takes, I promise…"
A/N: Only one more part to go! Please tell me what you think so far!
