Chapter 10 I Hear You Call Me
Disclaimer: character was never mine.
a/n : um, thank you for reading, and your persistent demand of the continuity of this fic. love you all for that!!! Don't ask me why it seemed like the adults, Touya and Yukito, get advice from the younger ones, Subaru and Sorata. I think that only these two that can speak with them heart-to-heart, and other adults were too busy with their own business that they don't care for our fave pairing.
Warning: Do I really need to warn you this far? Okay, once again, I'm not native so my English were screwed. Some sad scene will follow though not so sad enough that you'll need tissue. And…longer chapter ^^!
o.o
Yukito sighed heavily once the routine meeting over. It has been three days since princess Sakura and Syaoran leave Clow country. Therefore, it also three days since their King got poisoned.
Yukito knew that Touya was not in his best condition but the ebony haired king persisted to attend his duty, which mean the regular meeting with ministers, until his body gave up. Touya was fell unconscious again in the second day after the attack and his condition grew weaker with each passing time.
Without Touya's constant glare for irrational advice, Yukito couldn't do much at helping with country matters. Not that he knew that much in the first place. But the King's absence made it harder to come into conclusion. Each minister had their argument which annoyingly opposites the other.
That country matter aside, Yukito spent his time longer in the shrine to pray for the King's healthy. Together with royal practitioner and other priest, they all do their best to heal the King. Still, their hard works seem didn't work.
Yukito was so worried for Touya rarely opened his eyes recently. When he did, the young king would smiled at him affectingly and told him that he was fine so there's no need for Yukito to be worried for him. That broke Yukito's heart even more.
He was heading toward the alchemist and medicine department where they do research about poison that endanger their king's life. There, he met one of the scientist, Ichiro.
"Good afternoon, Tsukishiro'kun," the eccentric bespectacled man greeted him once he caught sight of the sandy haired man.
"I wish it to be a good afternoon, Ichiro'san," Yukito replied with less enthusiasm in his voice, "How was the research go? Is there something new?"
The man shrugged his shoulder and a forlorn look graced his sharp face. "We run several test to the sample we got from their weapon but we still unable to identify it. It's as if that substance not from somewhere around here."
Just as he has expected it would be. The soldiers appeared from nowhere before suddenly attacked the research team. He highly doubt if the soldiers were some of reinforcement from the ruin itself. He suspected if they were coming from other dimension. Though person who able to open the gate to other dimension was rare, more over to send abundant troop to slaughter the researcher team, it is not that they were nonexist.
If that was the case, he might as well need other help to find the cure from where the poison made. And the only way that was across his mind was no one other than contact the dimensional witch himself. But, isn't it too soon to reach that conclusion? Perhaps with given time the medic and alchemist team would able to find out soon.
"Ichiro'san, please do your best. I beg of you," Yukito lowered his head.
"No need to tell me twice, Tsukishiro'kun," the scientist patted his shoulder, "Leave the research with me and you take your time to take care of him. He needed you right now to support him. You were best friend if I recall…"
Yukito smiled for the encouragement, "Thank you so much, Ichiro'san. Yes, we are best friend."
The high priest smiled before leave the ward to step back toward his shrine to pray for the other's health.
o.o
"Tsukishiro'sama, how is Your Majesty's health?" ask Subaru curiously. It bothered him slightly because his favorite priest looked down recently.
The sandy haired man looked at the novice with emerald eyes lovingly as he shakes his head. Sad smile craved in his lips along with knitted eyebrows.
"He was sleeping the last time I went there."
"I hope he will get well soon. So, are you going to spend the night there?" he asked.
The simple question startled the priest from whatever duty he was in.
"Why are you asking that?"
The novice shrugged his small shoulder. He didn't like how the man he respected ask with unreadable tone. He afraid if unintentionally made the sandy haired man angry.
"You worried so much about His Majesty so I thought that it would be better if you were with him. Besides, His Majesty likes your companion a lot so he will be glad to see you there when he woke up."
"Though I want it, I can't. There are other matters that needed to be resolver either. Moreover with His Majesty's current condition, the daily meeting didn't run well. What will people say if their life affected by this?" Yukito said with much of emotion that he nearly yelled at the little boy.
Subaru didn't think that he will received such answer, not from the usually well composed priest. The high priest always smile all the time that he thought he couldn't get mad at anybody. He thought that Yukito can't get mad at all. That was so un-yukito-ish. Though it was nothing more that rise of his voice, it still scared the novice.
"I'm sorry, I.. I didn't mean to…" Yukito covered his mouth after he realized that the boy stare with worried eyes. "You'd better leave, Subaru'kun."
"People will understand…" the boy persisted, his hands clutched at Yukito's arm.
Yukito looked back as if he didn't get what the boy meant.
"People will understand that their king was in trouble so it was normal to get things out of control. You could focus on healing His Majesty, Tsukishiro'sama. He needs you the most right now. Leave the country matters to Sakurazuka'san, I heard that he managed to control the ministers while you were sick back then."
The tight knot on his stomach loosen up somehow as he listened Subaru's little speech.
"Please, Tsukishiro'sama, heal His Majesty. I'm sure that nobody can healing His Majesty other than you. No, it looked like he was waiting for you to heal him."
"But I've tried everything! I prayed, even use my healing magic but it all failed!!" Yukito scream, out of his mind. He was so stressed that he didn't know what else to do either to heal Touya and deal with Subaru.
"Did you really have tried anything?" Subaru asked desperately, earning a confused look from the taller man, "Have you stay long enough with him? I remember that when I was little, my sister would never leave me alone when I was sick or sad. She hold my hand until I feeling better…" Subaru trailed off as he saw that Yukito's shoulder no longer stiff.
Yukito let the words sunk. He often heard from princess Sakura about the healing power of touches. How can he forget about that? He was so panic with himself that he forget his most important duty.
If Touya was so important for him, how could he leave the ebony haired man through this hard time alone in his chamber?
If the last resort to save Touya was contact the dimensional witch, then so be it. He more than willing to pay the price.
Subaru smiled as he saw Yukito pulled himself together and smiled back at him with his serenity.
"Thank you, Subaru'kun, for remind me those important things."
"You're welcome, Tsukishiro'sama. Let me help you to gather your belongings," the boy beamed at him with radiant green eyes.
o.o
As he has expected, Touya still deep in his sleep when he arrived.
Though sure that he any noise would wake the young king, Yukito makes a careful step toward the sleeping figure on the bed. He sat somewhere near Touya, watched him from aside. The day turned into night but the sleeping king didn't seem bothered a bit by the changes. If anything, soft light only made him more handsome.
"Touya, would you wake up, please?" asked Yukito as he leans closer in a soft whisper.
"It's almost dinner time," he continue, still saying to none particular inside the room. His fingers brushed the others that placed neatly above the blanket.
"You should eat something…"
Since he received no response from the other, Yukito became bolder as he took Touya's hand in him and petted it lovingly. All the while, never lift his gaze from the connected hands.
"You feed me," came the sudden reply that causing Yukito gasped and pulled his hand but Touya somehow managed to hold that hand firmly.
"T-To-ya…" Yukito stuttered as he felt heat raising in his face.
"Will you?" this time Touya smiled lovingly at his no-longer-friend-but-not-lover-yet.
Yukito nodded hesitantly. He helped Touya to half-sit before moved to retrieve a bowl of soup in the nightstand. He blows a spoonful and gives a temperature-test before dove the spoon on Touya's parted lips. All the while, Touya resist the urge to smile for Yukito's action, afraid that once he voiced it out, the feline figure in front of him will refuse to do anything as result.
"Do you need something else? Water maybe?" Yukito ask between the feeding.
"Yes, please," Touya knew better than to take advantage of Yukito's worried but he liked it being pampered by the bespectacled man.
So, Yukito rushed to front room and back with a glass of water then gave it to Touya who just sipped it a bit.
"I'm full," said the king when he noticed that Yukito was about to scoop another spoon of the soup.
"But you haven't finished yet."
"I don't need to eat that much," Touya patted Yukito's hand.
"Wrong! Because you were sick so you need more…"
"Have you eating something yet?" Touya asked him back, knew what kind of answer would be.
"It can wait. Your condition.."
"No, it can't," Touya interrupted. He reached out his hand to caress Yukito's cheek. The skin was soft and warm under his touch.
"I want you to eat properly so that you can always take care of me until I'm healthy again," Touya's heart sunk when Yukito, for the first time, lean into his touch with closed eyes.
"I'm sorry to burden you with so much things. About Sakura, and the council probably make a fuss," the ebony haired man grunted.
"Don't be," Yukito replied with a small smile before turned his face to everything but the man laying on bed. "I… I made Priest Sakurazuka to replace my position in the daily meeting until you can stand with us again."
Touya raised an eye brow as he heard this. It was so unlikely Yukito to leave the duty at hand. Not that he mind it. Quite the opposite, he was so happy that Yuki put him above that all. It must be a hard choice even for him. So, he won't tease the priest now.
"Does it mean you'll be there when I wake up?" Touya grinned wide which causing Yukito blushed and stuttered his name in cute manner.
They talking for another minute until Yukito noticed the tiredness on Touya's face. The priest helped the king to get comfortable on the bed before tucked the blanket neatly.
"Yuki, I'm sorry for hurting you…" Touya stops to gain his breath again before resuming, "..that night. I shouldn't take advantage of you." Then Touya locked his eyes, searching on Yukito's grey ones.
Of all things, Yukito didn't expect Touya to speak about 'that' incident that gave him quite hard time. It didn't bring any good memories and now when he believe that they stepped in another place of their relation… he still unsure about anything in his relation involving the raven haired man. Whatever it was, Yukito hope that it will turned out good.
"I'm sorry for causing you so much…pain… but I never regretted what I've did… I truly like you. In that way I want you…" then Touya smiled sincerely. He can't see the priest clearly now when wave of sleepiness took his consciousness away.
"I love you," whisper Touya before closed his black peas and lost in his slumber. Leaving the young priest on his own misery.
^,^
Yukito walked inside the inner chamber with an agonizing slow pace.
He waited in the front room while the maids took their time to change the bed sheet and cleaning the room. Once they finished, he returned to his place beside the sleeping figure.
Since that night, Touya didn't wake up again. That make it a whole week since the young king get poisoned.
Yukito didn't know what to do to bring the king wake up again. The alchemy department didn't make any progress either. And all of sudden, he lost interest in everything but Touya.
He never guess that he will missing the raven haired boy this much. He wants to talk to him, wants his childhood friend to say another comfortable words to calm him, wants Touya to cup his face with his larger palm.
God, he never thought that he will lose Touya in this painful way. Never thought that he felt this hurt of chance of not being able to defend Touya from the angel of death. Never thought that he wants Touya this badly.
Yukito curled his fingers around Touya's hands. From the small contact he made, he transfer steady flow of energy to maintain the living of the king since Touya can't eat or drink like normal person did. Every five minutes, Yuki will let a few drops of water to Touya's mouth, as well as the juicy food –which hardly can be called food-.
"Touya, do you hear me? Please…wake up… I can't stand it, seeing you like this…" Yukito brushed the back of Touya's palm. His chest felt so tight that he start to hurt from breathing.
"Please… wake up…" again the young priest murmur as he lay down his body next to the sleeping king. The tears that run down on his cheeks glistening under the serene light that penetrate the room. Up there, the sunset watching in silent sadness.
^,^
Yukito stirred from his deep sleep, wake up beside Touya in the dark room. Well, it wasn't that dark because apparently the maids managed to lit the light while he fallen asleep. Outside, the sky was clear, and everything seems too much quieter for an early evening. Yukito thought that it must be late in the evening, perhaps midnight.
In other occasion, Yukito will grateful for the serene that the silence bring. It helps him to calm his nerve after high tension duty. But now, it seems as if the world was mourning for the king's condition. It also remembered him that there's not so much time left for him if he want to keep Touya alive.
Without releasing his hold on Touya's hand, Yukito chanted magic in the empty air to contact someone.
"Good evening, Yuuko'san," Yukito said once an image of the dimensional witch appear in front of him.
"Good evening, Yukito. It seems that you have something to ask me," Yuuko said matter-of-factly. Her eyes half hidden in secretive manner.
"Indeed. I have a wish and I couldn't think of anyone else who can granted it," Yukito admitted while decline his face. Desperation and sadness gracing his feline figure.
"Then, your wish is?"
"Please heal Touya," Yukito said with so much restrain, not that he bothered to ask help from the dimensional witch. It was because somehow he felt hopeless and grieving that Touya was in verge of death. That the soul might leaving the container at any given moment.
"Your wish can be granted for an equal price."
"What will it cost?" Yukito didn't much minded at this point. Since he nor the research team can find the cure, he aware that the cost must be high.
"It cost too high for you alone to pay. But it will suffice if people of Clow willing to share the payment. However, he was important person for your heart. Meanwhile, he was the king of the country," Yuuko stated. "So, for you, it will cost you your time with him and I take the people's grieve and trouble until the king awake."
"My time?" Yukito repeated, uncertain about the meaning behind it. Though he had guessed that it wasn't something good. He glanced toward the sleeping figure next to him.
"The time you can spend together with him will shorten. But it doesn't mean you can't stay together with him."
Yukito closed his eyes before opened it with new resolution, "I'm willing to pay as long as Touya wake up again."
"Then your wish granted. Three days from now, you will get the cure from the traveler. When the time come, contact me again."
"How can I recognize the traveler?"
"You will," Yuuko leered before cut the contact between them.
^,^
Yuuhuu!!! A cliff hanger!! Can you guess the traveler? Oh, maybe not. There are soo many character in TRC available. But, once Touya wake up, he become suuuper sexy, at least for me he did.
Touya: "I'm glad, Yuki. This way, we can always be together forever" –bite Yukito's neck-
Yukito: squirming "T-To-ya"
Next time, LAST chapter of "The Thorn Never Hurt Me": And you reach out to carry me away.
That's it for chapter10. Enjoyed your live as much as you still have soul attached to your body, guys!!!