Chapter Three: Invalid at Home
They brought Ayame home from the hospital two days later.
The days in between the accident and Aya's delivery to Shigure's house were hectic. Furniture had to be moved, to make rooms more wheel-chair accessible. Yuki's room had to be almost entirely rearranged for the placement of a futon, and a larger bedside table so Aya could have his things within easy reach. Closet space had to be found, for Ayame's clothing, as well as storage space for his medicines, his medical supplies, and various other necessities.
Tohru was a life-saver. As soon as she was notified of the arrangements, she cleaned her things out of the upstairs bathroom for Ayame to use in peace. And she knew where everything could be stored most efficiently. She found extra pillows, fluffed and aired the futon for Yuki, arranged extra sheets and towels. In between, she kept questioning Shigure and Hatori about Ayame's preferences for food, for drinks, for meal times, for colors of sheets...everything to make him comfortable. When she wasn't helping, she was cooking, or planning menus to incorporate Ayame's favorite foods and teas, and taking Hatori's recommendations for things he should eat to regain his strength.
Shigure spent several hours each day at the hospital, then helped the others. In between, he was on the phone. Yuki overheard him reporting Aya's condition to Mine on one day, and the other day he overheard snippets of conversation that sounded like Shigure was making arrangements with his editor, or with someone else.
Hatori helped with the rearranging of the house, giving suggestions on how to make things easier for Ayame, and for the rest of them. He also gave Yuki a crash course in first aid, health checks, administering of medication, and the general care Ayame would need, from help getting to the bathroom, to help bathing, to help with his food. By the end of it, Yuki wasn't sure which was worse, the embarrassment he felt, the pity he felt for his brother, in such an awkward and humiliating position, or his own feelings of guilt, that he had been the cause of it.
Kyo was remarkably quiet when they told him about their decision to house Ayame while he recovered. He stayed out of the way during the furniture moving, mostly on the roof. But the morning Ayame was scheduled to be brought home, Yuki found a long wide board resting along the wall of the stairs, the edges thickly duct-taped to muffle them. He was examining it when Kyo cleared his throat behind him.
"It's a ramp, for the stairs. That wheel-chair's gonna be pretty damn awkward and all, and this'll make it a little easier. Just be careful not to jostle him too much on the way up, damn rat." Kyo looked flushed, and highly embarrassed.
"I won't. After all, I'm not quite as weak as you." It was a relief to spar with Kyo, after the silence that had hung between them for the past two days. "I don't suppose you remembered to make one for the outside as well."
"Shut up. Hatsuharu took care of that one already. He's better with tools than I am." Kyo glared at him, then huffed out a half-hearted snarl. "Really, I'd love to wipe that pretty boy smirk off your face, but we've both got better things to do. But..." He glared. "As soon as that snake's recovered, I am gonna kick your ass! So you'd better do a good job and build those muscles, you damn rat!" He whirled and darted down the hall to vanish outside.
"You wish." Yuki snorted, but he felt a little better. And even though he'd rather die than admit it, he was slightly touched by the effort Kyo had put in for his brother.
Finally, the morning came when Shigure and Hatori took the car to the hospital. Yuki waited by the front door, his heart pounding with nerves. He hadn't gone to see his brother in the hospital, hadn't seen him at all since the accident, and he was terrified of what he would see. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to do anything more than sit on the stairs and listen as Tohru puttered about in the kitchen, fixing lunch for all of them.
The quiet thud of a car door brought him out of his drifting thoughts. He ran to the door, the stopped in the opening, staring.
Shigure had finished setting up a wheel-chair next to the passenger door, and was on the other side, helping Hatori ease Ayame out of the car. The whole situation looked awkward, but it wasn't what caught his attention.
Ayame looked small and strange, engulfed in the too-large robe that he wore to accommodate his casts. Yuki had never seen him wearing anything that wasn't tailored to fit, and the robe looked wrong on that slender frame. But even worse was the sight of the casts on both legs, the arm that was nestled in a sling with another cast peeping around the edges of the cloth. The bandaging around the head, over the silver hair, and the purple-black bruise that colored one side of his brother's face. And worst of all, his eyes, no longer that bright and wild gold, but dull and clouded with pain and drugs.
Yuki swallowed hard as he watched Hatori lift Ayame, then gently lower him into the waiting chair. Ayame seemed almost lifeless, his head leaning against Hatori's arm, then the improvised high back of the chair. He winced a little as Hatori settled him, and again as Shigure clambered out, then knelt to lift his feet unto the foot-rests on the bottom of the chair, but that was the only sign of life he showed.
An ache in his hands startled Yuki out of his horrified daze. He hadn't realized he was clenching his fists hard enough to hurt, but he had been. He relaxed, took a deep breath, then stepped out onto the porch and down the improvised ramp to the yard.
Shigure looked up and smiled. "Ah Yuki. Come and help me with Aya's things, would you?"
Ayame tensed in his chair.
Yuki swallowed. "Yeah. Sure. Unless...do you need help with the chair?" He looked at Hatori.
Hatori shook his head. "I think I can handle it."
"Okay." Yuki turned and held out his hands to accept a large coat bag, stuffed full, from Shigure. He didn't miss the way his brother relaxed as Hatori wheeled him toward the house and inside.
"Don't worry. It's not that we don't think you're capable." He turned to find Shigure watching him. "And it isn't that Aya doesn't want you to help, either."
Yuki sighed. "It's just...it seems wrong, to see him like that. And the way he reacted..."
Shigure echoed his sigh. "I'll grant you, seeing Aya all bruised up is rather unsettling. And it does embarrass him. But really, I think the reason he didn't react well to your offer of help is just..." Shigure sighed again. "The doctor's put Aya on some pretty strong pain medications, and Hatori put him on even more. After all, if he transforms in that condition, it would probably be fatal." Yuki felt himself go cold inside. Shigure kept speaking. "The problem is, with Aya as drugged as he is, he can't really help move himself. You're not weak, but it is awkward, and honestly, you just don't have the height and balance to be able to move Aya easily. I think Aya was afraid you'd hurt yourself trying. And I'm certain Hatori was afraid you'd both wind up on the floor."
Yuki nodded. That did make sense. For all his relative tiny size in snake form, his brother was several inches taller than he was, and broader in the shoulder. "I guess...I was just afraid he might not want to be around me, after what happened." That had been one of the reasons he hadn't gone to the hospital.
Shigure cracked a small smile. "His first question when he woke up was to ask how you were. I won't say he's comfortable with the situation, but it's not because he's upset with you." Shigure pulled a second load from the car, then kicked the door shut. "Come on. Let's go get Aya settled in." Yuki nodded and followed Shigure inside.
Hatori had already gone upstairs when they entered. Shigure took a moment to test the ramp, then walked carefully up it. Yuki followed, testing his footing and balance. He didn't usually have any trouble, but it was a steeper angle than he was used to.
They arrived at the door of his bedroom to find Hatori settling Ayame into the bed. At a glance from the doctor, Shigure reached over to the stack of spare pillows Tohru had set up and handed one over. Hatori placed it behind Ayame's head, then leaned the snake back until his head and shoulders were firmly supported. A faint frown line crossed Ayame's brow and his breathing hitched a little. Hatori sighed. "Easy. I'll get you another dose of medicine after we get you settled, if you need it."
"No. I was just...a trifle dizzy. That's all." Ayame's voice was low, the words slightly slurred. "It's...all right."
"Very well." Hatori glanced at the legs, both in casts. "Shigure, two more pillows please." Shigure handed them over, and Hatori slid them under Ayame's fractured legs. "There. That should feel more comfortable."
"Yes..." The end of the word trailed off as Ayame's flickered open, then closed again. After a moment, his breathing evened out.
Hatori sighed. "It's best to let him rest, at least for a couple of hours. But he should eat and have some liquids in his system when he wakes." He bent and pulled the blanket up over the slender form.
"Of course." Shigure nodded. "I think Tohru made a soup for today. It should keep fairly well." He glanced at the bags he'd set down. "I guess we should put Aya's things away. Then we can leave him to it." Hatori nodded, and bent to pick up the small toiletries bag that Shigure had placed on the desk.
Putting up things was simpler than Yuki had expected. Clothes in the closet (there were less of them than he expected, and all were the loose robes like the one Ayame was already wearing). A stack of books, and a sketch pad on the bedside table. Odd, he hadn't ever realized his brother liked to read, or draw, though he supposed drawing might be part of a clothing designer's job. A cup of water went on a coaster, and Hatori took Ayame's toiletries to the bathroom and arranged Ayame's medicines neatly on the back side of the table. A box containing fresh bandages and other supplies was placed out of sight below. The wheelchair was backed into a corner, ready for it's next use. And then they were done.
Hatori checked Ayame and relaxed. "There's no fever so far."
Shigure nodded. "Guess we should head downstairs and get some lunch then. I'm sure Tohru's pretty anxious to find out how he is." He tilted his head to watch Yuki. "Are you coming?"
Yuki shook his head and settled into his desk chair. "No. I think I'll stay here, in case he wakes up and needs something. After all, I did say I'd help look after him."
Shigure nodded, his expression softening. "Of course. I'll have Tohru or Kyo bring up a tray." Then he and Hatori ducked out the door and shut it behind them.
Yuki sat and stared at his older brother. Ayame seemed so different. He wasn't sure if it was because of the bandages, the stillness of his brother's frame, or simply the fact that he'd never seen Ayame sleep before. He wasn't an early morning person as a rule, and even when Ayame stayed over, the older Sohma was usually awake long before he was. In sleep, without the almost manic smile that usually played around his mouth and his flashing eyes, he seemed almost a different person altogether.
He glanced at the books Hatori had stacked on the table. He half expected them to be Shigure's novels and nothing else, but there was an astonishing variety. Three books on various clothing designs (why was his brother studying European medieval costumes?), two of Shigure's latest novels, and one older one that looked like a well-read favorite, if the worn corner was anything to go by, a couple of classics, and even a book on poetry, and another that he didn't recognize.
He'd never guessed his brother had such a wide range of interests. He wondered what else he'd never guessed about Ayame.
He looked at the medicines Hatori had laid out. Two or three different kinds of pain pills, with neatly typed instructions on what exactly they were used for. One muscle relaxant. One for nausea, which Hatori had explained was a by-product of the concussion. One for headaches. An anti-biotic, because Ayame would be vulnerable to infections and illness and fevers while he recovered. A mild sleeping pill, to help him pass the nights if the pain medications weren't sufficient.
The thud of the door coming open startled him out of his thoughts. He bristled as Kyo came through his door with a tray. "Stupid cat, don't you even know how to knock?"
"Of course I do, damn rat. But Hatori told me not to wake him up. And if you think I'm gonna disobey Hatori when he's got that look on his face, you're even dumber than Momiji. Seriously, if I'd knocked, I'd have made even more noise."
"If you're worried about noise, perhaps you should shut your mouth." Yuki glared, embarrassed that Kyo had thought of something he hadn't.
Kyo's teeth gritted, then he shrugged. "Whatever." He set the tray down. "Eat your damn lunch before it get's cold." His dark eyes cut to the sleeping figure on the bed, then he stalked out of the room without another word.
Yuki ate his lunch. He hated doing what Kyo said, but the other boy had a point about not wasting lunch by letting it get cold. Tohru's home cooked meals were too good for that. A few bites told him that she'd put forth her best effort on this one. He ate as quickly as he dared, then took the tray into the hallway and left it outside his door. Then he returned to his brother's side.
Ayame hadn't moved much. He wondered if it was because his brother normally slept still, or if he couldn't move much because of his wounds. It struck him that with all the times his brother had stayed over, he'd never found that out. Another consequence of having locked his brother out of his rooms every time the man came over. He wondered if he could ask Shigure about that.
He stared at his brother's face for a few more minutes, then sighed and went to his desk. There wasn't much he could do while Ayame slept, but he could at least work on his schoolwork. He settled himself into the chair, then began looking through his English and Japanese notes. They had a test in school soon, and he wanted to do well. He found his place in the assigned reading, and got to work.
He'd been working for an hour and moved on to his history assignment when a noise broke his concentration. He turned.
On the bed, Ayame had shifted restlessly. The arm not strapped to his brother's side twitched, the long fingers flexing in the sheets. Then Ayame blinked once, then twice, and then the golden eyes stayed open, a puzzled look in them. Then Ayame turned his head, a slow motion, cautious movement, and saw him. "Yuki?"
"Yeah." Yuki set aside his pen and paper. "How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?"
"Something to drink would be nice." The words were slow, slurred, disturbing in how different they were from his brother's usual quick-paced and vibrant chatter.
"Okay." Yuki moved around to the bedside table, remembering what Hatori had warned him about moving too quickly. "Hatori left some water for you. Do you want to sit up? He said you could."
"That...would be nice I suppose." Ayame blinked. He'd barely been awake five minutes, but he already looked tired. Then again, he was on heavy pain-killers.
Yuki balanced himself with utmost care on the side of the bed, then slid his arms under his brother's back and head. "Let me know if I go too fast, okay? Hatori said it might be difficult." He felt awkward.
"All right." Ayame closed his eyes. Yuki almost panicked, thinking Ayame had passed out, then remembered that Hatori had warned him of motion sickness and vertigo. Apparently Ayame knew about it too.
He lifted his brother carefully. Ayame winced, but didn't ask him to stop. He got his brother sitting partway up, positioned the pillows behind him, then eased him back against them. Then he got the glass of water Hatori had left and held it out. "Here."
Ayame's eyes blinked open again, and then his brother took the glass from him. "Thank you." He took several sips, then leaned his head back.
Yuki hovered uncertainly. "Umm...can I get you anything to eat? It's almost dinner time, and Miss Honda made soup. It's very good soup, and it should go down easy. And Hatori's here, if you need something."
Ayame blinked again, in that tired listless manner, then he seemed to visibly rouse himself. "Well, I...am a bit uncomfortable. And some food would be nice." he glanced at the chair. "Although, I'd much prefer not to have to face the stairs again any time soon."
"That's fine. I'll go get Hatori and bring some food up for you too." Yuki turned to the door. "I'll be right back."
"Yuki..." Ayame paused, then sighed. "Thank you."
Yuki nodded, then headed downstairs. Tohru was in the kitchen, but she looked up when he entered. "Yuki-kun! I thought you were staying with Ayame."
"I am. But he's awake, and I promised I'd bring him up some soup, and maybe some tea if you can spare any."
"Of course!" Tohru smiled. "I'll have it ready for you right away!" She turned and pulled out a tray that looked like the one Kyo had brought up earlier. Yuki left her to it and went across the hall.
Hatori and Shigure were sitting at the low table, Hatori smoking, Shigure reading. Both looked up when he entered, and Shigure's face brightened with a smile. "Yuki! How's Aya?"
"Better, I guess. He just woke up. He asked me for some food. And I think he wanted to see Hatori. He said he felt a little uncomfortable."
Hatori nodded. "It's not surprising. It's about time for his next dose of pain-killers." He stubbed out the cigarette and rose to his feet. "I'll go check on Aya, while you bring up some food for him."
Yuki nodded and went back to the kitchen. Tohru had arranged a bowl of soup and a smaller bowl of rice on the tray. She turned as he entered. "Yuki...do you think Ayame..do you think he'd prefer tea or water?"
"Probably tea, though I think his water pitcher could use a refill."
"Right." Tohru turned back to the sink and filled the kettle, then filled a tall glass of water and set it on the tray. "Here. You can take this up to him, and I'll bring his tea as soon as it's ready."
"Thank you." Yuki took the tray and headed back up the stairs, balancing carefully against the slope of the ramp. It was harder than it looked, and he was glad he had an excellent sense of balance and footing.
He entered his room to find Hatori sitting on the bed, carefully checking Ayame's bandages and casts. The doctor sat back as he entered. "Everything seems to be fine. You said you're not experiencing any itching or irritation?"
"No. Not right now." Aya sighed. "But they do ache."
"I understand. I'll lay out a dose of your medicine. Take it after you've eaten so it doesn't upset your stomach." Hatori rose and began busying himself with the pill bottles on the improvised night-stand.
Yuki took that as his cue to move forward. At Hatori's nod, he placed the tray over his brother's lap. "Here. Miss Honda said she'd bring up some tea as soon as it's made."
"Thank you." Ayame picked up the spoon carefully. He hadn't broken his dominant arm, but his hand was shaking slightly.
Yuki frowned. "Do you need help?" He hadn't thought of that. "I can...or Hatori..."
"No. It's fine. I'm sure I can manage." Ayame spooned a bit of the soup into his mouth, then blinked appreciatively. "Tohru...she really does make excellent meals, doesn't she?"
"Yeah. She does." Yuki shifted in his seat. It felt awkward, watching his brother eat. He almost wished he hadn't eaten the tray Kyo had brought up earlier. Then he could have eaten with his brother instead. He settled for going back to his desk chair, fiddling with his homework while Ayame spooned the food slowly into his mouth, and Hatori finished setting out the pills his brother needed to take.
Hatori had just capped the last bottle when a knock sounded, and Tohru pushed open the door. "Ayame-san...I brought you some tea."
Ayame blinked, then smiled, though it was a very tired smile. "Thank you. Haa-san's making me take all that medicine, and it really does go down much better with tea." He set his spoon down on the tray and took the cup from her. "It smells excellent."
Tohru blushed. "I asked Hatori and Shigure-san what kind you liked...oh." She stared at him. "And I tried to make something you might like for dinner, but I wasn't sure when you'd wake up, and Hatori said I should make something light for you to eat, so I thought soup would be good...I hope it's not too bland or anything..."
"No. It's fine. Delicious actually." Ayame sipped at his tea. "This is well done. And, if I might say so, I'm something of an expert on the matter." He smiled again.
"That is true." Hatori grinned. "You'll have to make Miss Honda tea when you're well, as a thank you."
Tohru flushed again. "No, no...it's really not necessary. I mean...I...it's not really any trouble, and I...I just wanted to do something, and I knew you liked tea, so..."
"One cup. I don't mind making it once." Ayame set his cup down. "I...Hatori..." He looked suddenly exhausted.
"Indeed. Miss Honda, I don't mean to be abrupt, but I think Ayame's had all he wants of dinner." The silver-haired man nodded. "And in any case, it's time for him to take his medication."
"Of course. I'll just take his tray right down." Tohru jumped up and tidied the tray, then lifted it carefully from Aya's lap. "I hope you feel better soon." She gave Ayame a quick glance, then darted out the door.
Hatori handed Ayame the pills. "Here. Wash these down with the tea. Then you should probably go back to sleep. The more you rest, the faster your body will heal."
Ayame sighed. "I suppose." He took the pills two by two from Hatori's hand, washing them down with tea. After the last one was gone, he finished the drink, then leaned back. His face was pale, and he looked half asleep already.
Yuki helped Hatori situate his brother lying down, then settled back into his desk chair. Hatori made some adjustments to the blankets, and a pillow that had gotten partially dislodged under Ayame's right knee. Finally, Ayame agreed he was comfortable. Yuki could hear the way his brother's words were slurring even where he sat. Hatori made a final adjustment to the sheet, then straightened. "All right then. I'll leave you to rest." He turned. "You're sure you'll be all right watching him?"
"Yeah. I'm sure." Yuki glanced at his homework. That would probably take him another few hours, and his clock confirmed that it would be about the time he normally went to bed. "I'll be fine. I've still got my homework to finish, so I won't be bored."
"All right. Shigure and I will be right downstairs if you need us." Hatori took one last glance at Ayame. Ayame's eyes were closed, his breathing already settled into a shallow, steady rhythm. The doctor watched a moment, then left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Yuki watched his brother for a moment, then turned back to his studying. It was oddly peaceful, the soft background noise of Ayame's breathing. He glanced once more at his brother, then turned his attention to the history assignment, one ear alert for any changes.
Author's Note: Poor Yuki...he's got a lot of adjusting to do. Poor Aya! Next Up...the challenges of taking care of Ayame. Plus...all is not well with everyone...