Your Sugar Sits Untouched. 8. Shallot

It had all happened so fast.

Just that morning Kyo and Hitsugi had woken in each other's arms. They murmured sweet things to each other in between short kisses. Kyo loved having Hitsugi's body so close to him and he wanted so much more and Kyo knew he could have it if he asked but he wanted to wait until he had sorted through the feelings he had. Kyo wanted so much more than he could have. He didn't want either Hitsugi or Kaoru… He wanted them both. But he knew it'd never happen.

Sooner than either of the men would have liked they got up and dressed. Hitsugi made Kyo breakfast and they discussed what to do that day. Kyo decided to leave and be by himself for a while to think.

Kyo walked around through the city's streets, passing by the people and shops, trying so hard to make a decision. But his mind was troubled by the thought of losing one of his precious lovers. He had to decide. Kyo wondered if Hitsugi and Kaoru loved him enough to allow him to keep both of them. They did and Kyo knew it. The question he really asked was did he love them enough to not put them both through that kind of unhappiness and discomfort. He knew he wouldn't… But he wanted to.

For a few very long hours he wondered the streets lost in thought.

Then suddenly he understood who he loved more. The realization hit him like a speeding car which, coincidentally, also hit him a few seconds later.

...

Hitsugi was sitting around his house with his favorite guitar playing one of his favorite songs. All too soon he was interrupted by his ringing phone. He answered his phone, hearing sobbing on the other side.

"Hello? Who is this? Why are you crying?" Hitsugi asked the mysterious caller.

"Kyo… Kyo... He was… Hit by a car… He's in the… Hospital…" The man said in between choked sobs. Hitsugi realized who the caller was. Kaoru, of course. Hitsugi's blood froze and he dropped the phone. He sprinted out of the door to his car and sped to a nearby hospital. He had to see Kyo.

When Hitsugi arrived the hospital was just like a normal hospital. It seemed almost too calm in comparison with Hitsugi's frantic state. Hitsugi rushed to the front desk and tried to calm down as he asked the woman where Kyo was. It took several minutes for the woman to direct Hitsugi to the right room in which time the stress and suspense was slowly crushing Hitsugi.

Finally Hitsugi made his way to the room in which Kyo was placed in. He burst into the room and nearly fainted at the sight of Kyo, unconscious with several needles in his arm and most of his body covered bandages, cuts, and bruises. Kyo was completely unrecognizable. Kaoru sat at his side holding his hand. He had calmed somewhat since Hitsugi had been on the phone with him but tears were still flowing steadily from his red, puffy eyes.

Hitsugi stood frozen, staring. He felt numbness overcome his body. The doctor in the room approached Hitsugi and recounted what happened to Kyo, what bones he had broken, how bad his condition was, and so on. The part that struck Hitsugi back into reality was that Kyo would most likely die within the next few days.

Hitsugi couldn't imagine how he'd go on, knowing that Kyo was dead. He now understood why Kaoru was crying so much.

Hitsugi couldn't stand it anymore. He ran out of the hospital and went back home. He went to his room and flopped into his bed, the stress of the day weighing down on him so much that he quickly fell asleep. He wanted to believe that Kyo was okay. He wanted to convince himself that it was all a bad dream, a nightmare, but the look on Kaoru's face and Kyo's mangled but still living body were too real.

…

The next morning Hitsugi woke up to his empty bed. He didn't want to know if Kyo was alive or dead or if he would live or not. Hitsugi just didn't want to know…

So he packed his bags to go stay at his parents' house for a few weeks. Hitsugi loved Kyo… Too much to watch him die, too much to watch him suffer, so Hitsugi left, to escape. He knew he was being selfish, but at that moment, selfishness was the last of his worries.

…

That same morning, Kaoru woke up next to Kyo's still body. The only movement the unconscious singer made was shallow breathing, but that and the steady "beep" of the heart monitor was enough for Kaoru to know that he was still alive.

Kaoru left the room briefly to get something to drink before continuing to sit at Kyo's side for what would surely be several long hours or ever days.

Kaoru returned to nurses rushing into Kyo's room and the heart monitor making a very distinct "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."

TBC

(Author's note: Chapter 9 will be held hostage until DeathIsKAP ungrounds me and admits that she is beauuuuutiful!)