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!

Lucy: Judai just went tearing into the cafeteria after the fried shrimp.

Me: And Johan went after him! How will all of this turn out in the long run? Begin reading and ye shall find out all that you are searching for!

Chapter Nine: A Way Out

Shou pushed his food around on his plate with the tip of his fork. He hadn't been very hungry since Judai had fallen into his coma. He still ate enough to keep himself alive and functioning properly, but everyone around him noticed his suddenly lack of interest in his lunches, breakfasts, dinners, and even his snacks.

No one said anything to him about it though. They knew that Shou was very sensitive and timid, but, being Zane Marufuji (A.K.A. Kaiser)'s brother, he was bound to have one hell of a temper if someone mentioned something that he didn't like. And no one wanted to be there when Shou finally snapped.

"Shou?" Asuka placed her gloved hand on his wrist. The bluenette shot her a weak, grey stare. "You feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, Asuka-san," Shou admitted. He lowered his gaze back to his fried shrimp. He pushed it around on his plate a bit quicker. It hadn't been touched since it had been put on his plate. "I am just really worried about Aniki. And eating fried shrimp just makes it worse. It is his favorite food, after all."

Asuka gave him a slow nod. "I understand," she murmured.

Shou tried to flash a smile. Deep down, he couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed. He knew that no one could imagine what he was currently going through. He was certain that none of them knew how upset he was over what had happened to Judai. He knew that none of them could do anything to cheer him up, so he kept hiding behind his fake smile.

"SHRIMP! WHERE FOR ART THOU, SHRIMP! COME TO ME, BUDDIES!"

Shou and everyone else in the cafeteria glanced up almost instantly to see a very hungry-looking brunette bursting through the doors. He was glancing around, sniffing the air to locate the precious fried shrimp that had allowed him to find the cafeteria without crashing into anyone and hurting himself anymore than usual.

The miniature bluenette could feel tears of relief flooding his eyes. He only had eyes for the brunette standing in the doorway, glancing around for the food that he loved more than life itself. Shou jumped up from his table, almost knocking the table over in the process. He reached his small arms to the brunette.

"ANIKI-!" he hollered.

Judai glanced over at the sound of his name being called by a famliar young voice. "Shou!" he called. He glanced around, right past his friend at least three times. "Shou, where are ya, buddy?"

A shocked look flashed across Shou's face. "Where... am I?" he quoted softly. He felt a cold feeling wash over him. Judai was looking around everywhere, right over him, but he couldn't locate him?

"Judai!" Johan came rushing into the cafeteria and grabbed Judai's arm. "Judai, don't run off! You're blind, it's dangerous!" The bluenette saw the smile that he had fallen in love with flash across Judai's face.

"Relax, Johan," Judai reassured. He placed his finger on the tip of his nose. "My nose knows the smell of fried shrimp anywhere. I can always find that without getting hurt. I've done it blindfolded before. This is really no different."

Johan gulped and looked at the ground. "Y-yeah," he whispered. If he wasn't so certain of said fact, he would have never believed that the boy he secretly loved was blind. Judai didn't look blind at all. He looked happy, normal even. No one would ever be able to tell that the brunette were void of his eyesight.

Shou walked up to Johan with a confused look. "Johan-san... You're back?" he murmured.

Johan turned and nodded slowly. "Yeah... I-I guess I am. It's good to see you, too, Shou," the bluenette said. He saw Judai sniff his way to the table, right next to Asuka and Manjoume, who bombarded him with questions. Judai seemed to ignore the questions and started digging into Shou's plate of fried shrimp.

Shou turned and watched Judai for a moment. He smiled softly to himself and laughed quietly. He had been so worried. Shou sudden turned slightly angry. His hand snapped forward and grabbed Johan's shirt, yanking him down to his eyelevel.

"Listen Andersen," Shou spat in a small voice, so Judai couldn't hear. "This was your fault! So, if you ever, and I mean ever, break Judai's heart like that again, well..." A dark chuckle escaped the young Marifuji's throat. "I don't think I really need to explain what is going to happen to you, now do I?"

The miniature bluenette let go of Johan and turned towards Judai. Johan gulped silently. He knew that Shou meant it. There was no doubt in his mind that Shou would seek out his end if Johan ever hurt Judai, which the bluenette vowed never to do ever again!

By the time Johan made it to the table where the brunette was, Judai had already devoured seven plates of fried shrimp, most of them belonging to his friends at the table. Manjoume was the only one who hadn't willingly given up their plate to Judai. He just kept snapping his fingers in front of the brunette's eyes, but Judai never blinked, nor looked up at him.

"Dang!" Manjoume drew his hand back slowly. "He's really blind, ain't he, Andersen?"

Johan frowned and nodded slowly. "He is. He's been blind since he came out of his coma a little while ago. I-I don't know how it happened. He just suddenly lost his sight," the bluenette explained.

"A result of his coma?" Asuka asked. She tested Judai's blind status as well by waving her hand in front of his face. Like what had happened with Manjoume, Judai couldn't see her fingers, didn't blink, and didn't look towards her. The blonde girl sighed and looked towards the bluenette, instantly feeling bad for the brunette. "Any ideas on how to cure it?"

"None," Johan shook his head slowly. "Ayukawa-sensei doesn't even know what's wrong with him."

"He's blind, obviously!" Kenzan yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. "What exactly do you purpose we do about it-don? We can't just leave Aniki like this forever!"

Judai was finally sucked into the conversation. He lowered his plate (technically Manjoume's plate) and turned his head in the direction of the group's voices.

"Guys, it's fine," he reassured.

The gang fell silent and just stared at poor Judai. They could see that being blind was really bothering him, but he was trying not to let any of them see him suffering. They all knew that Judai wasn't the type of show people things that would make them worried about him. He smiled, trying to make the best out of being blind.

"I'm blind, and I can't duel anymore like this, but I'm sure that it'll be fine. I know it won't be forever. I am sure that Johan can find a way to cure this, and if not, then hey, I'll just be blind. Not too bad," Judai smiled.

Johan gave the brunette a sympathetic look. "Judai..." he whispered.

Judai pushed his plate away and grinned. "Well, I'm full! Thanks for giving up your food for me you guys. I think I'll head back to the infirmary and see if Ayukawa-sensei has come up with anything," he said.

Judai turned and put his feet on the ground. He used his arms to push himself into a standing position. He wobbled once, wavered, and then managed to stand perfectly straight. Judai flashed him friends a smile, and then took a single step forward.

Brown eyes widened in horror as a cold and dark feeling seemed to shot through him, like electricity. It was a nasty, painful feeling that just seemed to consume every square inch of his body. Judai felt like he was falling, but he couldn't be certain. He felt his knees hit the ground hard, and he felt his teeth rattle with the force that he hit.

"Judai!" Johan's voice rang from the darkness, and he instantly felt Johan's arms wrapped around his shoulders. Judai clung to the bluenette as if he were a lifeline. "Judai, what's wrong?" Judai could hear the pure concern in the bluenette's voice, but he suspected as much.

"I-I can't..." Judai murmured softly. "M-my legs won't work, Johan!"

"What?" Johan's voice sounded almost like a whisper. Judai heard concerned shouts from his friends echo through his ears, but that was about all that he could focus on.

Judai tried to move his fingers, but he found it difficult. He tried to focus, and after a lot of effort, he managed to bend his index finger slightly. He tried the same with his legs, but even with all of his effort, he could only move his toes and ankles just a litle bit. Judai glanced down and shifted his head to where he thought Johan was.

"That's not just it. I also can't move my fingers as easily as I could before," he whispered. Judai clung to Johan and weakly clenched his fist around the bluenette's jacket. "Johan, what's happening?"

"I don't know," Johan murmured. He clenched the brunette tightly and told Manjoume and Asuka to go get Ayukawa-sensei. The two didn't need any more of a motive. They rushed from the cafeteria. Johan glanced down and noticed that Judai looked scared. Johan bit his lower lip as a sudden cold realization flashed over him.

Judai's losing the ability to use his body. First his sight, now his legs are giving out. If this keeps up...

Horror flashed across the bluenette's face. He felt a frozen feeling, like two claws, gripping at his heart, clenching it tightly between its two razor sharp talons and squeezing it hard.

No...

An image of Judai laying on a bed flashed through his mind. It would have been a pleasant image, if not for the fact that Judai wasn't breathing in the image Johan imagined. Judai was pale, paler than a living person could be. In Johan's imagination, Judai was dead.

No-!

Me: Oh my God! Judai's losing the ability to move his body, or even use it!

Lucy: In short... Judai could die at this rate!

Me: What is going to happen to him! Review, review, review and we shall update!