Title: Love is Blind

Genre: romance, hurt/comfort

Rating: T for language, mild violence, and suggested themes

Pairings: JohanXJudai (hinted other pairings)

Summary: When Johan goes back to North Academy, he confesses to Judai just before he leaves. He then gets word at North Academy that Judai has fallen into a coma. Johan rushes to Duel Academy in hopes that Judai will awaken. Judai does, but when he awakens from his coma, he's blind! Is his blindness permanent or temporary? Can Johan cure it? And is it just blindness, or is Judai's life in jeopardy?

Me: The next chapter is up and running!

Lucy: Johan remembers when he confessed to Judai! And then we get to see what has become of the brunette at Duel Academy!

Me: So please enjoy this chapter, guys!

Chapter Two: Clinging to the Past

He remembered when it had happened. It was a short while after Judai had saved him and the others. Judai had rescued him from Yubel's control, and Johan had returned to Duel Academy to find that Judai was gone.

Shortly after, Judai returned. Johan had never been so relieved in his life. He had hugged the brunette so tightly he thought he was going to end up popping the poor boy. But none of it seemed to matter.

Judai was safe...

It seems so long ago now...

Johan laughed and walked beside Judai. It was late at night, and they were both supposed to be sleeping. Johan's boat back to Europe arrived early, and Judai had classes in the morning that he had to attend.

Even so, neither of them wanted to spend their last night together sleeping.

But it was only a few weeks ago...

Johan glanced down and saw the brunette still laughing. They had just come from Jim's room after watching a movie, "Malibu Shark Attack". They all thought it was going to be scary, but the three of them spent most of their time laughing and pissing themselves because it was so fake and hilarious. They were all sore from laughing so hard by the time the credits started rolling.

"Did you see how fake those things were?" Judai asked, wiping tears from his eyes. Johan laughed.

"Yeah. And that gore? God! I thought 1950s horror movies were bad!" Judai burst out into another fit of laughter. Johan doubled over and the two of them just stood there, laughing as if there was no tomorrow.

When they finally stopped, Johan turned his attention towards the starry skies that rested over their heads.

The moon was hidden behind a slight amount of clouds, but the stars shone bright. It was a chilly night, but it was refreshing in a way. It made Johan feel like he was home in Europe once again. He was use to chilly night, but as he could see from Judai's constant shivering and his series of teeth-chattering, he wasn't.

"Cold, Judai?" Johan laughed.

Judai cast him a glare. "Shut it, Johan!"

Johan just laughed. Judai started shrieking at him and flailing his fists, shouting that it wasn't funny and to take him seriously when he was trying to be menacing. This made Johan laugh harder. He found it hilarious that Judai was trying to seem angry. It was... cute.

Cute...

Have I always found him cute?

Yes...

When Johan finally stopped laughing, Judai had his arms folded across his chest and was pouting. The bluenette decided not to push Judai's buttons anymore and just stared up at the stars.

He felt Judai huddle close to him, still shivering from the cold. Johan closed his eyes and thought. He couldn't do it now. It was going to ruin everything if he said it!

But this might... be the last time he ever saw Judai.

And he wasn't about to let his feelings be for naught. He wouldn't leave without telling Judai. He would regret it for the rest of his life if he never told Judai how he felt about him.

Johan wrapped his arm around Judai and brought him close. Judai jerked from his state of coldness and noticed a sudden warmth spread through his body. He glanced up and saw Johan still looking to the stairs. Judai felt a faint blush creeping across his cheeks. The moonlight and starlight made Johan look amazing, almost like a god.

"Johan..." Judai whispered.

"Judai," Johan spoke gently, his voice almost a breath. Judai could feel a warmth spread through him in the chilly night air. Johan turned and placed his hands on Judai's shoulders. Judai slowly locked eyes with the bluenette. He knew his face must have been a deep shade of scarlet, but the night hid it.

"Judai, you know... There's something I never told you," Johan breathed. He saw the hurt that flashed through Judai's eyes. He knew that it would be the case. He and Judai had promised to tell each other everything. When they became friends, they promised no secrets, no hidden facts. They were to know everything about each other. "Judai..."

Judai gulped when he felt two of Johan's fingers go under his chin and lift it up so that Judai was locking eyes with him. Judai shivered, and he knew that Johan could feel him shivering. But no matter how surprised he was, no matter how nervous, he couldn't bring himself to look away from Johan's eyes.

"Judai, I have always wanted to tell you this. Ever since I realized how I felt, I wanted so much to say this. But I was too much of a chicken to actually do anything against it, and now... Now it's too late..." Johan whispered.

"J-Johan..." Judai whispered. He swallowed a lump in his throat. "W-what-"

"I love you, Judai."

I love you.

Three words that can save the most noble souls, and can also break the strongest spirits.

Judai's brown eyes widened considerably. He saw Johan staring down at him, and he was aware of the hand on his shoulder, as well as the fingers under his chin. He felt a sudden cold wave rush through him. Johan was staring at him with such a serious look that Judai could feel his legs turning to Jell-O with each second.

"J-Johan..." Judai whispered.

Johan stopped and turned his gaze away. He closed his eyes and removed his hands from Judai's body. He hesitated before taking a swift step backwards. He could see Judai trembling, and Johan thought for a moment that he was going to be rejected. He closed his eyes. He couldn't handle seeing Judai like this.

"Forgive me," Johan whispered. He took another step backwards. He could feel sorrow welling up in his chest. He saw Judai still standing in the same position, his eyes still wide.

"FORGIVE ME!"

With that, Johan turned and tore off in the direction of the Obelisk dorms. He didn't hear Judai turning and shouting his name. He just focused on getting to the dorms before someone saw that he was going to cry.

What Johan didn't see was Judai shuddering and crumpling to his knees. He didn't see Judai cry out for him, nor did he see Judai curl up on the ground and lay still, where he was to be found insanely ill the next morning, hours after Johan left for North Academy.

God dammit! I-I should have listened to what Judai would have said!

T-this... This is all my fault!

Judai's in a coma because of me! All because of me!

Johan clenched his fist at the memory. The shocked look in Judai's eyes. There was love behind it. Judai must have felt the same way for him, but Johan hadn't given him a chance to answer, and the shock and stress of Johan leaving like that must have...

Johan closed his eyes and grit his teeth. No, he thought. The image of Judai laying in a bed, trapped deep in a coma, all because of what had happened, flashed through his mind. Johan could feel tears filling the corners of his eyes, so he bit down on his lower lip, tasting the metallic blood that he must have drawn.

NO!

Johan slammed his fist into the window of the boat that he was taking. He heard the glass shatter, and he was aware that he must have cut his hand terribly. He couldn't feel the blood that came from the small wounds he made, though he was amazed it wasn't much worse than that. Johan glanced down at his hand and frowned.

Judai, he thought. Be strong. I'm coming.

At Duel Academy, it was just beginning to be early evening. The sun had just barely started setting, and the clouds were a mixture of orange and bright pink. The warm wind was gently rustling the trees, sending soft dead leaves crumpling to the ground, where they would be picked up by rakes the next day. It was truly a lovely sight to behold.

Deep within the infirmiry, the lights were almost completely off. Most of the people in Duel Academy were eating dinner about now, and only one of the beds in the room was occupied.

Shou Marufuji, younger brother to Zane Marufuji, also called Kaiser, sat as close to the bed as he could, keeping a silent vigil over the young man lying still and silent.

Shou's glasses were fogged up from his unshed tears, and his Obelisk Blue uniform was thrown over the back of the chair. He had his arms folded across his chest, his knee bent over his other leg, bouncing up and down slowly. He had stayed in this position for what felt like hours, and though he was sore, he refused to move.

I left your side once, Aniki, Shou thought, biting his lower lip. I'm not ever going to do it again.

Shou had refused to leave Judai's side since the moment they found him in the forests of Duel Academy, a short while after Johan and the rest of the transfer students had left for their true homes. Shou had gone searching for Judai, since the loving brunette hadn't come to see Johan or any of his other friends off.

Shou had found Judai sprawled on the ground, teeth chattering, skin a pale blue. Shou rushed immediately to him to discover that Judai was burning with fever, and that he wouldn't awaken. He had rushed his aniki to the infirmary, where Ayukawa had labeled that Judai might have hypothermia. Shou swore that he would stay beside Judai and monitor him.

A short while after that, Judai had a seizure.

The mini bluenette remembered that day all too well. He had never been so horrified. Judai had fallen off the bed after trying to stand, and he was soon flopping around as if he were being electrocuted. This went on for only a short time, but then, he fell deathly still and no matter what Shou shouted or did, Judai's eyelids would not flutter open.

Ayukawa had come rushing to the brunette's aid, and returned him to his bed. She did tests on him for such a long time. She even asked Shou to squeeze Judai's hand and see if he responded. Shou did. He held Judai's hand and squeezed it, but the brunette didn't have any reaction to his friend's touch. Shou attempted it again, but still, Judai would not respond. It was around that time that Ayukawa labeled Judai as unresponsive to stimulus.

She pronounced him to be in a Level 1 coma.

Damn you, Johan! Shou thought angrily. He had known that Johan was with Judai right before this had happened. He knew that Judai secretly liked Johan very much, Judai had told Shou this. Shou had told Judai to just be honest with his feelings, and he would be accepted. Shou now thought that Judai's condition was all Johan's fault.

Johan Andersen, I fucking swear to you, Shou thought with a silent snarl. If my Aniki doesn't wake up ever again because of you, I will kill you. I don't care about the jail time. I. Will. Kill. You.

Shou took one glance down at the brunette.

Judai looked so... abnormal.

He didn't look different at all, but the way he was laying, so still and motionless, was strange. Shou had slept in the same dorm as Judai for a semester or two, and each time he did, Judai was always moving around in his sleep, making some sort of noise. The way he was laying now, without making a single sound, was just wrong. Someone so full of life didn't look right when they were in a coma.

Judai looked as if he were sleeping. He was silent, eyes closed gently, and it looked as if you could shake him and he would awaken. Shou had attempted so a few times, expecting Judai to open his eyes, laugh and ask: "What are you moping for? I'm fine."

But it never happened.

Judai's eyes hadn't opened in so long, Shou thought he would spend the rest of eternity like this.

Dammit Johan! I'll kill you for breaking Judai's heart like this! the mini bluenette thought bitterly. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, feeling that he needed to sleep for a moment. But... Johan might be the only one who can awaken Aniki. I'll have to have faith in him... for now, the mini bluenette thought as he let his mind wander into a calming sleep.

Me: Oh no! Shou's kinda pissed at Johan, but that will end!

Lucy: But what will happen when Johan finally gets there to save Judai? Will he be successful? Or will Judai stay trapped inside his coma for the rest of his life?

Me: Please review if you all want to find out what will happen!