This I Promise You
Sequel to: "My Heart Beats Like A Drum"
Building A Family series
Written by: Chochowilliams
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: Could it be that Shuichi really is just paranoid or is there something about the new neighbor?
Warning: M/M, Sexual Situations, Romance, Drama, Angst, Fantasy, Infidelity, OOC-ness, Language, M-Preg, Masturbation, Anal, Oral, Minor Character Death, OCs, 1st person POV (Chapter 1), Japan Natives: surname first
Pairings: Shuichi/Eiri, Hiro/Ayaka, Hiro/Suguru, OMC/OFC
Insert: recap from Chapter 4
A/N: Enjoy!
oOo
Last Time
"Kitazawa-san," Motoko-san said after reading over the note. "It seems you're wanted in the office," she informed him. "Grab your things."
Confused and curious, Riku shut his textbook and shoved it into his book bag. Pushing his chair back, he stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder. His classmates were watching him in open curiosity as he made his way up the aisle to the front of the classroom. A light murmuring pulsated around him as he took the hall pass and made his way out of the classroom and through the deserted halls to the main office.
"Riku."
His head snapped around at the familiar voice. "Uncle Tohma," he cried out in surprise. "Wha-what's going on? What're you…?"
Standing up from the bench he'd been sitting on, Tohma walked towards his young nephew. "It's Shuichi."
Dread and rising panic filled the teen, both of which he tried to push aside. "Mama? But-what?"
"Riku…I'm afraid there's been an accident."
Riku felt as if he'd been socked in the stomach.
oOo
Chapter 5: Reunion
Keio University Hospital
Eiri glanced up quickly when he heard someone enter the waiting room. Immediately, he recognized Shuichi's physician. Lifting a sleeping Riku out of his lap, he stood up and gently laid the boy across the seats. "Dr. Ohtani," he greeted, stepping forward as the others gathered around him.
The middle-aged gentlemen nodded at him. "Uesugi-san, I'm sorry we have to meet again under these circumstances."
Eiri inclined his head in agreement.
Mrs. Shindou, clutching her husband's arms tightly, stepped forward. She was pale and trembling. "Doctor, how's my son?"
Dr. Ohtani glanced at the gathered group who were eagerly awaiting something-anything about their loved one. "I'm afraid that Shuichi is in a coma."
Gasps and stunned silence met this stunning revelation. Suddenly feeling faint, Eiri grew pale. The room narrowed down to nothing.
Across the room, Shuichi's mother cried out. More gasps and whispers echoed as Mrs. Shindou's eyes rolled back and her feet collapsed under her. Mr. Shindou cried in alarm and rushed to her side. He laid her out on the floor. Dr. Ohtani rushed forward and called over his shoulder for assistance. The doctor checked Mrs. Shindou's pulse and then shined a penlight into her eyes to check her pupil's. An orderly flew into the room pushing a gurney.
"She'll be alright. She just fainted," Dr. Ohtani said. He stood back up. He helped the orderly lift the woman place her on the wheeled bed. "We'll wheel her into the recovery room and give her a full physical just to be sure."
"Thank you," Mr. Shindou bowed as he followed the white clad orderly out of the waiting room.
Everybody watched the couple with pity and sadness; they knew exactly how Shindou-san felt, but had a feeling it was only going to get worse.
Dr. Ohtani sighed . "Unfortunately, that was the good news."
Eiri snapped his head around towards the older man.
"Aside from being in a coma, Shuichi also has suffered a mild concussion."
Eiri had to admit he was not the least bit surprised. Shuichi hit his head hard when he fell.
"It could have been worse," Dr. Ohtani confessed. "From what I've been told, it seems when he fell, Shindou-san landed on Rinjin-san, which actually cushioned his fall somewhat, which is why he is still alive, but he also used Rinjin-san as a trampoline of sorts. Shindou-san bounced off him and hit the floor, hitting his head, which is what caused the concussion."
Eiri forced back the images that pushed their way into the forefront of his mind. The last thing he wanted was to remember those agonizing seconds when he thought his whole world had collapsed.
"We did a CAT scan," Dr. Ohtani was saying, "and no blood clots or any other sort of anomaly showed up. There should not be any lingering affects from the concussion, but we won't be absolutely sure until he wakes up."
Please let my baka be all right, Eiri prayed for the hundredth time that night.
"Do you know when that might be?" Officer Maki asked from behind the doctor.
Dr. Ohtani shook his head. "Unfortunately, little is known about comas. Some people wake up after a few days and others-never wake up."
An uncomfortable silence settled over the group.
Eiri swallowed over a sudden lump in his throat and squeezed his eyes shut against sudden tears. Shuichi was strong and stubborn. He would wake up. One of the things he hated above all else was disappointing Eiri. He also hated it when Eiri was mad at him. Shuichi would wake up, if for nothing else other than to apologize. Then there was Riku. Eiri glanced over his should at their son who was still sleeping peacefully stretched out on the chairs.
"Shindou-san broke both of his legs and arms, as well as several ribs, but they should heal without incident."
Eiri could picture Shuichi wrapped around Rinjin's waist when the railing broke. Unfortunately, the singer's limbs had been trapped behind Yasashii's back as they plummeted two-stories to the floor.
Sighs of relief echoed through the room.
"But…"
Everyone tensed.
"We took some x-rays and it appears as if there's a build up of fluid along his spinal cord."
Eiri paled.
"What does that mean?" someone asked.
Dr. Ohtani shook his head sadly. "At this point we really can't say. We'll have to wait for Shindou-san to wake up to fully ascertain the extent the damage the fall may have caused, but at this point, it looks as if he might suffer from what is known as 'spinal shock'. Now what that means is that the spinal cord stops doing its job for a period of time after an injury."
"…You…" Eiri felt sick. "You mean, Shu…"
"Like I said, we cannot determine the full extent of the damage he may or may not have suffered until he awakens from his coma and only then will we be able to tell if this spinal shock resulted in a complete or an incomplete injury."
"What's the difference?" someone asked. Eiri guessed to was most likely Tohma, but was not sure.
"Well, incomplete is what we are striving for. This means that the feelings and movement may come back."
There were sighs and whispers of relief.
"But if it should be complete…" Dr Ohtani left the rest unsaid.
Shocked cries and gasps followed this admission.
Eiri felt faint. This could not be happening! His baka might not be able to walk? That seemed too cruel a fate for the hyperactive singer. Shuichi thrived on being free to ran, jump and prance around on stage. He was always running around the house, sliding across the floor as if it was an ice rink, jumping on him, dragging him out for walks and dates. Shuichi always acted as if he had ants in his pants. He could not sit still if his life depended on it. Truth be told, Eiri loved that about him. With the lower half of his body useless, it was better if Shuichi had been killed in that fall. But now…
"If it is complete, there might be the possibility of surgery, depending on the extent of the injury, but…," the doctor continued, his voice trailing off.
Eiri glanced up sharply.
"But what?" Tohma asked.
"It may do more harm than good. Right now, there is a chance that with rehab, Shuichi will be able to walk again. He may not recover fully and he may have to use a cane, but he'll be able to walk."
"And this surgery?" Hiro asked.
"May permanently paralyze him."
"What're his chances?" Tohma asked calmly.
"About fifty-fifty I'm afraid."
Eiri did not want to think about any of this right now. "I want to see him."
"Of course," Dr. Ohtani nodded.
"We'll wait here for you," Mika told her brother.
Grateful, Eiri started to follow the doctor out into the hall.
"Dad," came a soft voice from behind him.
Eiri stopped and glanced over his shoulder. Riku, his hair standing on end, was watching him with an indecipherable expression on his face. Eiri smiled gently. "Stay here with Aunt Mika."
"But-"
"Let him go too, Eiri."
Eiri glanced at his big sister. "Mika."
"Shindou's his-mother after all."
She always had trouble with the fact that Riku, ever since he first met Shuichi when he was five, referred to Shuichi as "mom". It took Shuichi a little while to get used to it as well. Eiri remembered Shuichi thinking that maybe Riku for some reason had trouble distinguishing the fact that he was a guy.
Eiri glanced from his sister to his son and sighed. "Alright. C'mon."
Riku brightened up immediately. He picked his way through the crowd of people in the waiting room towards Eiri.
"Uesugi-san," called a voice behind the writer.
Eiri turned and watched as the tall, toothpick-like police officers strolled over to him.
"When you get the chance, I would like for you to come down to the station and give your statement," Officer Nada said. He pulled out a card and handed it to the writer. He also gave one to the doctor. "And when Shindou-san does wake up, we'd like it if you would call us."
"Of course," Dr. Ohtani said with a nod.
"One more thing, Doctor," officer Maki said.
"Yes?"
"Was there any evidence of a sexual assault?"
Eiri's heart just about stopped. Please, not again, he pleaded.
"Dad," came Riku's trembling voice from besides him. "What does that mean?"
"There was evidence of recent sexual activity," Dr. Ohtani admitted.
Eiri felt the color drain from his face. Dear God, did that mean…?
"But, fortunately, there was no evidence of an assault."
Eiri breathed another sigh of relief.
"Dad," Riku called, yanking on the sleeve of his jacket.
"But if Shindou-san was unconscious…?" Officer Maki pressed.
Eiri glared evilly at him as the officer voiced the very thought he had been thinking. What was it with these people? Could they not let sleeping dogs lie?
"Dad."
Dr. Ohtani shook his head. "Unconscious or not, it wouldn't matter. The only evidence we have of any sexual activity took place several hours before his apparent abduction."
The officers nodded and thanked them both for their cooperation before they left.
"Shall we?" Dr. Ohtani asked Eiri. He pushed the button on the wall and the doors swung open.
Eiri followed the doctor down the corridor to the ICU ward.
"Dad," Riku pressed. "What did that mean back there?"
Eiri's eye twitched, but he said nothing. He really did not want to think about what could have happened. All that mattered was that that bastard had not laid a hand on his Shuichi.
"Dad." Riku reached out and grabbed his father's arm when Eiri remained silent. "Dad!"
"Rape," Eiri snapped. He spun around and glared at his son. "They wanted to know if that asshole had raped your mother."
Riku's olive complexion went white.
Eiri sighed, mentally kicking himself upside the head. "C'mon," he said, draping an arm around his son's shoulders. God was this boy getting tall. He gently steered him down the hall after the doctor. "Your mother is fine," he whispered. "Shuichi kicked that guy's ass before he could do anything. Your mama's strong."
Riku nodded and brushed at a stray tear. "I know."
"Good. Then don't worry, okay? He'll pull through this."
Again, Riku nodded.
They turned a corner and immediately two large black men standing outside of one of the rooms at the far end of the hall came into view. Eiri knew instantly which room Shuichi was in because he recognized the two men immediately. He could not remember what their names were, something like Blade and Marcus or something. They usually worked for Tohma as bodyguards for Nittle Grasper if he wasn't mistaken. It seems Tohma reassigned them to guard Shuichi. They were wearing black jeans and tight black muscle shirts. Black holsters and black handguns blended invisibly with their clothes. These guys took their job seriously. They left their posts for no reason other than to protect their charge. As Eiri, Riku and the doctor approached, the men sized them up with long penetrating stares.
"Dr. Ohtani," the one closest to them greeted with a nod.
"Gentlemen," Dr. Ohtani nodded in English. Stepping aside, he indicated the writer. "This is Eiri Uesugi, Shuichi's husband and their son Riku. Uesugi-san, this is Blade," the one closest to them, "and Marcus," the one farthest from them. Bows were exchanged.
Looks like he got the names right.
Blade stepped aside to allow them into the room. Dr. Ohtani flicked the light switch on as he crossed the threshold and strode to Shuichi's side. Eiri stood right inside the doorway staring at his husband, or what he believed was his husband as Riku tore into the room and raced to his mother's side. His legs refused to take him farther into the room. They flat out ignored the signals his brain was sending them. The door closed behind him, bumping into his back, forcing him to either walk into the room or annoy the guards. Swallowing, he walked with trepidation towards his comatose husband.
Dr. Ohtani stood at the foot of the bed, waiting patiently.
"Is Mama really going to be okay?" Riku asked Dr. Ohtani as he glanced up from the man who looked so small and helpless laying there in the hospital bed. Shuichi had bandages wrapped around his head and was practically in a body cast. The sight brought tears to Riku's eyes. He swallowed around a lump in his throat.
Dr. Ohtani nodded. "Yes, Riku. He'll be fine."
Eiri stood besides Riku and gazed forlornly down at his husband. He felt so helpless. Shuichi was pale and what was not was wrapped in bandages was covered in bruises and cuts. Reaching out, he brushed a strand of Shuichi's black locks behind his ear. He hated seeing his lover like this. Shuichi was not supposed to be silent and still. It was as if they had been trapped in some sort of alternate universe. A lump formed in his throat. He took in a deep, shaky breath, letting it out slowly.
"Uesugi-san," Dr. Ohtani said in a soft, gentle voice, stepping towards him. "There's something else I would like to talk to you about."
With difficulty, Eiri forced his gaze from his husband to the doctor, his face carefully blank.
Dr. Ohtani's gaze flitted to Riku who was watching him expectantly. "Why don't we go into the ha-?"
Eiri shook his head. "No, it's fine."
Dr. Ohtani nodded. "I didn't want to bring it up in front of the others because I was not sure…" He let his voice fade. Sighing, he gazed down at his sleeping patient. "You noticed how his jeans were soaked in blood, right?"
A resurgence of panic engulfed Eiri. "What's wrong with him? Why was he bleeding? Is it-?"
"I'm sorry Uesugi-san, but Shuichi had a miscarriage."
Eiri blinked stupidly at the doctor. Miscarriage? What was that supposed to mean? A miscarriage implied a baby, which meant a pregnancy and the last time Eiri checked, Shuichi was a guy and was not properly equipped.
"You mean Mama was pregnant?" Riku tried to clarify.
Dr. Ohtani nodded. "Yes, he was." He shifted his gaze back to Eiri. "I am terribly sorry."
"…Dr. Ohtani, I don't know if you realized this, but Shuichi is a guy. Men cannot and do not have babies. There's no way. No how…There-there's no-room…"
"Actually, that's not entirely true. It's a misconception."
Eiri continued to shake his head. "You must've gotten his test results mixed up with someone else's."
"…Oh, my," the doctor muttered in shock. "He never told you."
"Told me what?"
"Uesugi-san," Dr. Ohtani said, "Shindou-san is a Bearer."
"A-what?" Eiri looked stupidly at the other man.
"A Bearer. It's a term Shindou-san coined actually. It's sort of like a hermaphrodite," Dr. Ohtani explained.
Eiri merely blinked at the doctor.
"What does that mean?" Riku asked.
"It means your mother was born with fully functioning male as well as female parts. So, in essence, he has the ability to get pregnant."
Eiri ground his fingers into his temples as he felt the beginning of a migraine. "So, what you're telling me is that Shuichi, my Shuichi, is a-a hermaphrodite."
"Yes and no. You see, 'hermaphrodite' is the closest term there is to describe what Shindou-san is." Dr. Ohtani studied the writer closely. "You really had no idea. Shindou-san never told you."
Eiri stared blankly at the graying man before him. He just could not wrap his mind around any of this. "Shu was a…?"
"Yes."
"And he was…?"
"Yes, he was."
Lightheaded, Eiri stumbled backwards and collapsed into a chair. He dropped his head into his hands. This was all too much for him to take in. This has to be some sort of sick joke. First, Shuichi was in a coma, then he was paralyzed and now he'd had a miscarriage? None of this was making any sense.
Riku glanced from his father to the doctor and back again. He was totally lost. What was going on?
"…How…? How is that-even possible?"
"I am not sure," Dr. Ohtani confessed. "I've been Shindou-san's doctor since he was a child and from what his mother told me, it appears to be some sort of-genetic mutation that shows up in the oldest male of the Todono line every other generation or so, or if the son is the only child, he will have the mutation. Physically, they appear to be average males-at least externally, but internally…"
A hereditary mutation? Eiri was beginning to feel as if he had somehow stumbled into the Twilight Zone.
Dr. Ohtani laid a comforting hand on the Eiri's shoulder. "I really am sorry, Uesugi-san." Squeezing his shoulder, the doctor turned and left the ICU room, leaving a man to mourn.
oOo
The Next Morning - Keio University Hospital
The front lobby at the hospital had been commandeered. Representatives from every newspaper, magazine, television and radio station were present. There were cameras, photographers and sketch artists. The front desk usually worked by either volunteers or a receptionist was littered with microphones and tape recorders. Standing behind the desk was a blond haired, green-eyed man in his signature bowl hat and a fake smile plastered on his face. Despite the fact that he had been up for over twenty-four hours talking with doctors, police and making various arrangements, his suit was crisp, clean and unwrinkled.
Tohma watched the media swarm the lobby like ants to syrup. The air was a buzz as they spoke to each other and their station managers on their cellphones.
Sighing, Tohma cleared his throat. Immediately, silence fell upon the "press room". Those who were standing and gathered in groups trouped to their seats, readying their pens and notebooks. "Thank you for coming on such short notice," Tohma said softly, taking in the dozens of men and woman. Half of them were conservatively dressed in suits while the rest had on informal wear of jeans and T-shirts.
Bad Luck had been at the top of the charts since their debut on NG Productions about ten years ago. Through their vicissitudes, good times and bad, no matter what was going on in their personal lives, the guys never once disappointed their fans. Now, here he was, announcing that the country's number one band was going to be given an indefinite leave of absence. He has known Shuichi for a long time now and knew he would feel extremely guilty for letting down his fans like this, but the millions of fans would want their favorite singer to heal and get better more than anything and that was what Tohma was going to make sure Shuichi did.
There was one question on everybody's mind today. Shindou Shuichi has not been seen in several days and because of a leak somewhere, the public already knew that there had been a halt in Bad Luck's activities, but nobody knew why, so rumors started floating around. Some people were saying Shuichi had been fired from the band. Others said there had been some internal dispute between the band and Tohma. There was even a rumor about the band breaking up. He heard one that said Shuichi left the band to go solo. People were wondering if whatever was going on with Bad Luck had to do with the public knowledge that Shuichi was flat out against the latest project they were working on. But the one that hit a little too close to home was the one that said Shuichi had been killed in a home invasion.
Unfortunately, an ambulance-chasing photographer caught sight of four covered bodies being transported out of an apartment building rumored to be the residence of Shindou Shuichi and Uesugi Eiri. When the photographer saw the famous writer hopping into one of the ambulances, he derived a conclusion. One of those bodies had indeed been that of Shuichi. Tohma told the EMTs to cover him because he did not want the press to swarm all over this before they were ready; unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
"Today I am not just speaking to you as the president of NG, but as the brother-in-law of Shindou-san and Eiri-san." Let them try to find the hidden meaning behind that cryptic statement, he thought. "I would like to introduce you to Dr. Ohtani Tsuzuki, head physician here at Keio University Hospital."
The middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed politely to Tohma as the man stepped aside. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am Dr. Ohtani and Shindou-san's doctor. Yesterday at twelve-oh-five in the afternoon, Shindou-san was brought into the ER with a mild concussion, two broken arms, broken legs and some spinal damage." He paused to take a breath and let the public take in the news. "At three-thirty that same afternoon, he slipped into a coma. Questions?"
"Doctor," shouted the press, their hands waving in the air. " Doctor!"
Dr. Ohtani pointed to a man in the back.
"Doctor, can you tell us what happened to Shindou-san?"
A plainclothes detective stepped forward. "If I may, doctor?"
The doctor stepped aside.
The detective was a short, skinny man in his mid-forties who did not like the type of music Bad Luck made. He was more of a classical music kind of man, but despite his adverse attitude towards "pop" music, he would do his job and help these people get some kind of closure so they could move on with their lives. "Unfortunately, we cannot discuss the details of an ongoing case, but what I can tell you is that Shindou-san was attacked in his home yesterday morning as he was leaving for work. Both of his bodyguards, unfortunately, were killed in the attack."
As he stepped back, another question was hurtled to the men. "What will happen to Bad Luck?"
Tohma stepped to the microphone. "For now, I have given the guys an extended leave of absence and my full support. My staff and I will do everything in our power to help the guys in this critical time. And when the time comes that they want to return to the studio, we will welcome them eagerly."
"What about their eagerly awaited greatest hits album that is scheduled to be released in two weeks?"
"I have talked it over with the guys and we've decided to release it as planned."
"Do you think that's wise?" came another question. "People may think that you're trying to ride the coattails of this tragic event. Anything to sell albums."
Tohma grew angry at that comment. His smile was still plastered on his face, but there was a sudden under current that told the reporter to fuck off. "It's no secret that Shindou-san was against this album, but he would not want all his hard work to go down the drain either. Everybody has worked too hard to just shelve it. We are releasing the album as scheduled because that is what Shindou-san would want."
"Doctor, about Shindou-san's injuries! Are they serious?" came another question.
Dr. Ohtani stepped forward. "They are not life threatening. Unfortunately, the one we are keeping a close eye on is his spinal injury…"
oOo
As the press conference continued downstairs, a sullen man sat glued to his husband's side in ICU. Eiri refused to leave when visiting hours ended and the hospital staff did not have the heart to kick him out. Though he forced a sullen Riku to go home with Tohma and Mika yesterday and then promised him, he could come visit Shuichi after school was finished today. Riku had not been too happy about that. He wanted to skip school all together.
Eiri clutched his husband's wedding ring in one hand while his other one held onto the small finger's sticking out of the cast. Resting his forehead on their linked fingers, the writer took deep breaths to calm himself down as his chest and throat constricted around threatening sobs. In through the nose and out through the mouth. Seeing his husband lying in the bed, not sure if he would even wake up, filled him with such regret.
Eiri growled and mentally kicked himself.
Stop thinking like that, he scolded himself. Shuichi will pull through and be back to his normal hyperactive self in no time.
He gripped his husband's hand tighter while the other brushed away a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.
A sudden commotion outside the hospital room had Eiri sitting up. Moments later, the door opened and in walked Tohma and Dr. Ohtani.
"Hello, Uesugi-san," the doctor greeted. "How's our patient today?"
"The same," Eiri said.
He watched as Dr. Ohtani crossed to Shuichi's bedside with a manila folder tucked under his arm. The doctor checked the instruments that were hooked to Shuichi, who seemed dwarfed in the huge white bed, before taking out a small penlight from his breast pocket and began checking Shuichi's throat, nostrils, pupils and ears.
"The press conference went really well," Tohma informed him.
"Hm."
"You'd better be forewarned, Eiri. Now that the public knows about Shuichi, you're going to be besieged with get well cards and gifts from fans."
Eiri snorted. That was all he needed, to be surrounded by teddy bears. At least at home, the extra bedroom was where all the gifts were kept that Shuichi managed to accumulate-most of the gifts anyway; all the bras and underwear Eiri burned.
"Well," Dr. Ohtani said as he stood up. He put his penlight in his coat pocket and tossed out the tongue depressor. "Everything seems fine."
Eiri nodded, his hand still linked to his husband's. He laid his head against his husband's shoulders, silently demanding that he wake up.
The president of NG Productions glanced down at his long time friend and felt a well of sadness for his friend and brother-in-law. His always-present smile slipped off and was replaced by a true look of sadness. Sighing, he laid a hand on the doctor's arm and tilted his head towards the door.
Silently, the two men left the hospital room, letting a man grieve for what might have been.
oOo
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I yawned. My jaw popped and my eyes watered.
I was lying on the floor staring blankly at the ceiling, or what I assumed was the ceiling. There was nothing for as far as the eye could see. Frowning, I propped myself up with my elbows and glanced around in confusion. Where am I? What was going on? There was absolutely nothing to see. It was an endless sea of nothingness. The vast whiteness seemed to go on forever.
I sat up and tried to get to my feet, but fast realized they were not moving. I stared at them with a frown. Watching them intently, I flexed my feet, then my toes, but nothing happened. My legs remained as still as a corpse with rigor mortis. I quickly grew frustrated. Holding my breath, I willed my legs to move, even if it was just a twitch. I exhaled noisily when once again nothing happened
"Dammit."
Once more, I tried to bend my legs so I could stand up, but it was useless. I could not move them. Silent laughter bubbled up inside of me. I could not move my legs. My laughter turned to sobs of frustration. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision. I slammed fisted hands into my thighs and wept harder, my silent sobs turning into heart wrenching wails when I felt absolutely nothing.
No! This was not happening!
With a muffled scream, I slammed my fists into the floor. I suddenly froze and blinked back my tears as I heard the loud splash and felt something cold, wet and slimy encase my fist. Lifting my hand, I stared at the dark red coating dripping onto the cold, white floor.
"What in the…?"
Curious and confused, I glanced down at the red puddle that circled me, trapping me like a lone island in the middle of the sea. My pulse quickened. I had a bad feeling. Where was all this blood coming from? I glanced down at myself and gasped. My heart skipped a beat. For the first time, I realized my pants were saturated in the thick, syrupy liquid. It was as if someone had washed them in a basin of blood and put them back on me still dripping wet. With my heart beating a rapid tempo in my chest, a horrific thought flooded over me. Was this blood coming from-me? I sobbed and fresh tears traced already worn groves down my cheeks.
This was not happening! Dear Kami-sama, this was not happening!
Trembling, bloody hands flew to my belly.
Please let this be just another nightmare!
Suddenly, a loud hiss reverberated through the white chamber. Startled, I glanced around. Right there, behind me, what had sounded like escaping air was a section of the white nothingness vanishing into a door-sized section of absolute blackness. There was no way in hell I was going to go through that doorway, even if it was to get out of here and back home to Eiri.
In stereo, a double dose of what again sounded like escaping air echoed through the space. A quick look told me the doorway to nowhere was gone. There was not even a seam to indicate one had ever been there. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed another chunk of space had vanished. This time, there was what appeared to be a small, private room of some sort.
Confused and a little curious, I studied the room. In the center of the bedroom was a single hospital bed with white crisp sheets and a wool blanket folded at the foot. At the bedside was a machine that beeped steadily as well as, what I am guessing was, an IV drip hanging from a metal pole. Wires from the beeping machine and a thin tube from the drip were running to and disappeared within the folds of the bed, which, as I look closer, appears to have a form huddled underneath the sheets. A window on the far left hand side wall was covered by white blinds. Opposite were two chairs the same muddy brown as the wool blanket, which was the only color in the lifeless room.
Into the picture stepped a man I knew all too well. I gasped at the rumbled form of my husband. His blond hair was sticking on end and he was in desperate need of a cut. His handsome face was hidden behind a grizzly mass of coarse beard hair. Dark circles made him look like he had two black eyes. His face was gaunt and his clothes were loose and baggy as if he had not been eating.
"Eiri," I sobbed. My vision blurred behind a veil of tears. Eiri was not taking care of himself! "Eiri," I whined again. Nothing was more important than the health and well-being of my soul mate, nothing.
Frantic to get to the man I loved more than anything I flopped onto my stomach. Grunting and gritting my teeth against the effort, I used my arms to drag myself towards my husband. A red trail followed in my wake. I huffed and puffed, the effort of dragging my half-lifeless body across the floor strained the muscles in my arms. In a short matter of time, they began to shake uncontrollably.
Through tear-blurred vision, my sobs barely heard over the fierce beating of my heart, I watched my husband dragged one of the chairs by the door towards the bed. The blond writer reached out, clasped a small hand between his own, and placed a kiss on the knuckles.
I had to get to my husband. "Eiri," I sob hysterically. "Eiri!"
Tears gushed freely down my face. I forgot about my paralyzed legs dragging lifelessly behind me and my blood soaked pants and what that implied. I ignored my cramping arm muscles, everything. The only thing on my mind now was getting to Eiri.
The door was now only inches away. A sudden surge of adrenaline pushed me forward. I settled myself onto the floor and reached out with one hand while the other one clawed at the floor, propelling me onward.
"Eiri," I cried. "Eiri!"
As I crawled towards my husband, I unconsciously crossed the threshold. The room began to brighten and dissolve into a blinding white light.
"Eiri!"
oOo
Two months later - January
Eiri settled himself into the uncomfortable chair and reaching out to brush aside a stray strand of hair from his beloved's face, smiled softly down at him. "Hey, baby," he whispered. "Riku says 'hi'. He said he'd stop by after school. Of course he tried to get out of going to school all together once again." He snorted. "He really is your son." He sniffed. "Oh! You got tons of get well cards in the mail again today and another couple hundred stuffed animals and flowers. We're going to have to either get a bigger place or rent a second apartment just for all these damn things you seem to collect."
Behind him, the door creaked open.
Eiri turned and watched as a small, blond haired figure stepped into the room.
"Or you could donate the stuff to an orphanage," Tohma suggested.
The writer thought about that. It was not such a bad idea. Mizuki was always trying to get him to do something to help overcome the womanizing, playboy image he had not been able to shake, even though he had been a committed and loving partner for at least ten years. Besides, donating the thousands of toys and other gifts Shuichi had received over the years by his fans would free a lot of space in the apartment, space they could be using in the near future. Shuichi might not like that he was going to get rid of his things without his permission, but that was an issue they could discuss later.
"Do it," croaked the broken whisper.
Eiri froze. His eyes grew wide. Afraid it was just his imagination, he turned slowly around. He was vaguely aware of his brother-in-law dashing out the door, his footsteps vanishing down the hall. Eiri's mind blanked as he stared at the man on the bed.
Violet eyes blinked up at him. Cracked, dry lips moved into a smile. "Ei-ri."
"S-Shu-Shuichi?" Eiri was floored. Was this a dream or reality? For the past two months, he has had a reoccurring dream where he walks into the hospital room to find his husband awake, greeting him with a smile only. "Is it-Are you-?" He reached out with a trembling hand and traced the thin face.
The muscles in his face protested as Shuichi smiled. "Eiri," he whispered with more confidence as his vocal cords got used to working again. He licked his lips and took in his husband's haggard appearance, his smile slipping. "You-look like-shit," he whispered brokenly.
The blond writer threw himself at the smaller man, being careful of the wires. "Thank God," he cried into Shuichi's hair. He held his husband in a viselike grip. If this truly was a dream, he never wanted to wake up. Pulling back, he clamped his hands on either side of his husband's head and stared deeply into his eyes. "God, Shuichi…" He did not realize he was crying until Shuichi scooped up a tear and licked the drop of water off his finger. Eiri kissed Shuichi long and hard, still crying, and then engulfed him in a bone-crunching hug.
Shuichi smiled as he wrapped his arms around his husband. Eiri was making it difficult to breathe and was crushing him to death, but took it all in stride. As he felt his usually reserved husband's body shake with sobs, Shuichi cried with him-unable to stop himself-and stroked his blond hair, comforting him. "I think-you missed me."
"Baka," Eiri cried, hugging him tighter.
Shuichi unconsciously tried to move, to get more comfortable and pull his husband down next to him, but realized all too quickly that no matter what he did, nothing worked. His eyes popped open. Pulling back from his husband, he stared at his legs. "E-Eiri."
Eiri cupped Shuichi's face, staring tenderly at him. "What love?"
"My legs-why won't they…?"
Eiri grew still. "…Shuichi-"
The door to the private hospital room sprang open.
In stepped a winded Dr. Ohtani whose face was red and drenched in sweat. "Shindou-san," the man breathed, trying to catch his breath. "It's good to see you finally awake."
Behind him was Tohma, who seemed as cool as always.
Shuichi smiled at both men. Just as the door was closing, he caught sight of two black men-standing sentry outside of the door. Shuichi remembered from the last time Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper toured together, but what were they doing here? What happened to Jacob and Ko-?
The man not worthy of an answer, Shuichi raced out of the room and down the hall towards the staircase. His gaze swept over the railing that separated the occupants from a two-story plummet and caught sight of the two prone figures lying sprawled out in the middle of the living room.
When Shuichi saw their still, unmoving bodies, he had known, though part of Shuichi had hoped that they had just been knocked unconscious. He felt a strong surge of guilt for the deaths of his guards. They may have been tricked by Yasashii Rinjin, but they were dead because they were supposed to protecting him.
"Jacob and Koji...Did-?"
Tohma nodded. "NG took care of all funeral expenses and arrangements. We even set up scholarships for their children."
Shuichi nodded sadly. It was the least they could do, but still…
"Stop it," Eiri snapped. "Don't you even start blaming yourself."
Shuichi blinked and turned towards his husband in shock. Was he that easy to read?
"They were tricked by that bastard and died in the line of duty. They knew the risks and the consequences when they became bodyguards."
Shuichi nodded. Eiri was right, but he still could not help but feel a little guilty because he was still alive.
"Survivor's guilt," Dr. Ohtani said aloud.
The others stared at him, waiting for him to explain.
"It happens all the time. You have a bunch of people living through the same experience. Some die and some make it out alive. We will have one of our counselors come in and talk to you, Shindou-san. Alright?"
Shuichi was not too sure about a shrink, but he nodded.
"I'll go call the others," Tohma said. "They've all been very worried." He tipped his head and left the room.
Eiri stood up and walked around the bed to stand on the other side, giving the doctor room to examine Shuichi. He laced their hands together. He vowed to never let Shuichi go.
Shuichi gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled up at him.
Eiri bent over and brushed their lips together. He smiled, thinking how cute Shuichi was when he blushed.
"Do you remember what happened?" the doctor asked.
A picture of a pitch-black room flashed through Shuichi's mind. He recalled that falsely sweet voice calling out, "Shu-han." There was a carpeted hallway and a scuffle. He remembered Eiri bursting through the front door of the apartment to save him. He had decked that bastard Rinjin, then…The last thing he could remember was feeling a sense of weightlessness and a pair of horrified golden eyes vanishing room view, then nothing. He took a shaking breath. "I fell." Shuichi shook his head. "What happened to…?"
"Rinjin-san?"
Shuichi nodded.
"Rinjin-san did not make it."
"Bastard broke his neck," Eiri supplied.
Shuichi's eyes widened in shock. Another surge of guilt flooded through him. All he had been trying to do was stop him. He had not meant to kill the man. What had he done? "I-I didn't mean to," he cried. "I just-I tried to stop! I didn't-Eiri!"
Eiri sighed and rolled his eyes. It was as if they had gone back in time. Shuichi had not pulled this in years. Maybe that concussion had done something to his head. "Baka," he snapped, tired of it already. "Stop with the fucking ego trip! Stop fucking thinking everything is your fault! It was not your fault the railing snapped. The police checked it out and discovered the support was loose. The damn thing would have fallen over had you sneezed on it!"
Shuichi blinked tear filled eyes. "Really?" he asked softly.
"Yes, really," Eiri assured him just as softly. "Baka," he added for good measure.
"So you don't-?"
Eiri growled and lashed out.
"Ow!" Shuichi's hands flew to the back of his head. "What the hell was that for?"
"Oh my," Dr, Ohtani muttered.
"If you even utter those words, I swear I really will hate your guts," he hissed.
A bright smile lit Shuichi's face. Eiri could not help but smile back. His energy and optimism were contagious.
Dr. Ohtani smiled softly. It was obvious that the two of them really did love each other. It was as plain as the nose on his face. His smile fell as he realized he would have to be the barer of bad news and erase that smile off his patient's face. "Shindou-san," he sighed.
Shuichi tore his gaze away from his husband with much difficulty.
"There are a few things we need to discuss. First things first." The doctor paused to take a breath. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but you've been in a coma for two months."
That surprised Shuichi. Two months? That was hard to believe. Shuichi shook his head.
Dr. Ohtani exchanged a look with Eiri over the singer's head. "There's no easy way for me to say this but, I'm sure you are already well aware that your legs…"
Shuichi dropped his gaze to his legs stuck under the sheet. He tried once again to make them move, even a little bit, but like before, they remained stubbornly still. It was like the link between them and his brain had been severed or compromised in some way. Fresh tears filled his eyes. Did this mean he could never walk again? That he would be stuck in a wheelchair? He almost laughed aloud as he realized he had been looking forward to some much-needed R&R, but this was not how he pictured getting his time off.
"I'm paralyzed," Shuichi muttered. A heavy weight settled on his shoulders. His throat tightened and his tears trailed down his face.
There, I said it, he thought sadly. I cannot walk.
He chuckled softly. "I'm paralyzed."
Eiri glanced at his husband with a frown. He laid his free hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. He startled when Shuichi shook his hands away.
"Don't touch me," the singer hissed, sobbing. "Just don't-touch me!"
"Shuichi, what-?"
"Stop," Shuichi screamed, batting the writer's hands away.
Dr. Ohtani had seen this coming. It always happens. "Shindou-san, it's not as bad as-"
Shuichi shook his head. "Just-How can you…?" He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. He was half a man. Broken. Forever would he be dependent on someone else. He would need help to go to the bathroom, to get in and out of bed, to just get up the steps to their bedroom. Eiri told him, it seems like several hundred times, that he hated how clingy Shuichi was. So, how different was it now? Eiri would have to take care of him like the invalid that he was. How could Eiri want a man that would not be able to even take a piss by himself? How could he say, "I love you" to a paralyzed man? Was it just pity or out of a sense of obligation? He did not know how he would be able to accept it if that was the case. He was just a useless, half-dead man that did not deserve the love and support of those around him.
Eiri studied his husband in growing disgust. Shuichi's emotions played across his face like a movie screen. "You stupid asinine…" Eiri snapped angrily. He slapped his husband upside the head once again. He could not believe the thing that went through Shuichi's mind.
Shuichi's head snapped forward and he hissed in pain. He covered the bump on the back of his head. Tears continued to pour down his face. "How," he cried softly. "How could-?"
"Shut up you stupid idiot," Eiri yelled.
"But-"
"No! I do not want to hear any more of your ego trips, hear me? I nearly lost you, you damn brat!" Eiri pulled Shuichi to him, hugging him close. "Idiot," he whispered. "Do you have any idea what you've put me through these past two months?"
Shuichi buried his face in the crook of his husband's neck and bawled, his body shaking with his sobs. He wrapped his arms around the man's waist.
"I don't care if you can't walk, Shu-chan," Eiri continued. "I'll be your legs! I'll carry you everywhere! Besides," he added, "it just means you won't be running all over the house and jumping me the second I come into the door."
That got Shuichi laughing.
"And we'll have to come up with some more creative ways to have sex," Eiri whispered huskily.
A rosy blush tinted Shuichi's face. He peeked at the doctor before burying his face in Eiri's chest, embarrassed he would say such a thing in public.
"Besides," the writer continued, "Dr. Ohtani said there's a possibility that you might be able to walk again."
Shuichi pulled away from Eiri with a gasp. He stared at him in shock, and then turned towards his doctor with wide hopeful eyes. "Really? Is that true?"
Dr. Ohtani nodded. "Yes, it is. We could do two things. One, there is surgery that would repair the damage sustained during your fall. This could help you to walk again, but there is also a chance that the surgery may cause you permanent paralysis. Two, you could skip the surgery and go straight to rehab. Either way, if you learn how to walk again, you will most likely have to use a cane for the rest of your life."
Shuichi felt as if all his energy had been sucked out of him. He slid out of his husband's arms and collapsed onto the bed.
He was not sure what was better. He had a better chance at walking again if he went in for the surgery, but if the surgery failed, he would not get a second shot. On the other hand, there was always a chance that he would walk if he went straight to rehab. He leaned his head back against his pillows and stared at the ceiling, fighting the need to cry.
"Don't worry about it now. Sleep on it. Alright?"
Shuichi nodded.
"In the mean time, there are a few other things we need to discuss." Dr. Ohtani paused and took a deep breath. "In the fall, you received a mild concussion. Are you experiencing any headaches, lightheadedness, memory problems-anything at all?"
Shuichi shook his head to each of them.
"Good," Dr. Ohtani nodded. "You also broke arms and legs. They have healed completely. Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort?"
Shuichi again shook his head. His arms felt fine, but as for his legs-How was he supposed to know?
"Good. Good." Once again, the doctor exchanged a knowing look with Eiri. He glanced down at the singer. "Shindou-san, in the fall…"
Shuichi blindly reached out for his husband's hand. When Eiri linked their fingers together, the singer's vision blurred with fresh tears and his throat tightened as he fought back his sobs. His other hand flew to his flat stomach. The image of his bloodied pants popped into his mind. "My baby…"
Dr. Ohtani shook his head. "I'm sorry, Shindou-san."
A loud sob burst from the singer's lips. He let go of Eiri's hand and buried his face in his hands. He had hoped all that blood had been from some internal injury, not from the life he and his husband had created together.
Eiri studied his husband sadly. He rubbed his back in slow lazy circles. "It's alright, Shu-chan. We'll try again. That's all."
Again? Try again? As in get a replacement? No, that was not right. Children were not things. "No," whispered through his tears, shaking his head.
Eiri's hand stilled. "What?"
Shuichi lifted his head. "No." He turned a red face shinny with shed tears towards his husband. "I-I can't! Please! I don't want-I don't think…"
"Shh," Eiri hushed the depressed man, enveloping him in his arms. "It's alright, Shu. I sorta got used to the idea of having a baby with you, but if it's not something you want to do…"
"What?" Shuichi sniffed and stared at Eiri through his tears in shock. "You mean…You're not angry that I never told you…?" He stared at his husband astonished. "A-and you…You want…"
Eiri smiled at the man. Cupping Shuichi's cheek, he wrapped his other arm around his waist and nodded. "When I first heard you'd had a miscarriage, I thought it was all a mistake that they'd looked at the wrong x-rays, or something. Then Dr. Ohtani told me about you being a Bearer. I couldn't-I thought he was joking. I mean, only plants and animals can be hermaphrodites. I've never heard of a human-I mean there are transvestites, but that's completely different-It took me awhile to wrap my mind around the fact that not only was the doctor not joking, but the fact that you'd lied to me for ten years."
Tears tickled down Shuichi's face. "I'm sorry! I-"
"I'm still a little mad that you've been lying to me but I've had time to think about it and I would love to have a baby with you."
With a sob, Shuichi cried into his husband's button down dress shirt.
"Who else knows?" Eiri asked quietly as he rubbed his hand in lazy circles around his husband's back.
Shuichi lifted his head and wiped at his tear-drenched face. "Uhm, my parents, Grandma and Grandpa Shindou, Grandma and Grandpa Todono, Maiko and Dr. Ohtani."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I was afraid, I guess," Shuichi muttered, wrapping his arms around Eiri's waist and leaning against his chest. How were you supposed to tell the man you want to spend the rest of your life with that you are, essentially, a freak of nature? "I was scared that you'd think I was some sort of-freak and that you'd leave me." He stared earnestly into his husband's face. "When I thought you'd leave me, I just-I just couldn't face you! I couldn't tell you!"
"Oh, Shu." Eiri hugged Shuichi tightly. "I won't leave you because of that! I love you for you! I fell in love with you, not your gender, not because of who you are or aren't-You."
With tears trialing down his face, Shuichi squeezed Eiri, thankful his fears had been dumbfounded.
Dr. Ohtani cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed to be witnessing such a private moment. "Uhm, Shindou-san, Uesugi-san, I have other patients that I must see to, but if either of you have any questions, or anything, press the call button next to the bed and the nurses will be happy to help you. In the morning, we'll do a full physical exam, alright?"
Shuichi nodded and wiped his wet face.
"Oh and the police are going to want to speak with you about what happened."
The color drained from Shuichi's face as the events of that day circled in his head. He trembled as he stared at the doctor. All he wanted was to forget.
"Now get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
"Thank you, Doctor," Eiri said, bowing.
Dr. Ohtani bowed back, said goodbye and left the two lovers alone.
Eiri pulled away from Shuichi and reached into his pocket. "I think this belongs to you," he told his husband holding his hand.
Shuichi blinked and sitting back, held out hand. A smile brightened through the tears. "My wedding ring." He started to slip it back on, but Eiri snatched it out of his fingers. "Huh? Eiri, wha-?"
Holding the small hand within his, Eiri gently slid the gold band onto his husband's ring finger, right where it belonged. He lifted Shuichi's hand and placed an open mouth kiss on the deep, rich rose Sri Lanka Spinal. "I love you Shindou Shuichi," he confessed, holding his hands lightly within his own, his thumb rubbing over the wedding ring.
Shuichi blushed deeply. "I love you, too, Uesugi Eiri."
Eiri pulled his husband against him, snuggling against him. It felt so good to be holding his little baka again.
Shuichi giggled and pulled away. "No booty until you freshen up." He ran a hand over the foreign hair growth. "Especially not until you shave this Ewoke from your face." He jabbed a finger into the writer's stomach. "And eat something. You look like you're wasting away."
Eiri snorted. "Anything else, Master?"
"Nothing for now," Shuichi laughed.
Eiri nudged him over and lay down besides him. He wrapped him close. "Shu…I'm sorry," he whispered against Shuichi's hair after several minutes of silence.
"Huh?" Shuichi tried to pry himself away to get a better look at Eiri's face, but the man's grip on him was unmovable.
"I was an idiot for not listening to you about Rinjin."
Shuichi smiled. Usually, he argued with Eiri whenever he apologized because in his mind, Eiri could do no wrong. He, Shuichi, was the idiot who screwed everything up. But he has learned to savor those moments when Eiri decided to step off his high horse and apologize like the rest of the common folk. He always ended up accepting it anyway. So, why bother?
Suddenly a huge yawn seized him.
Eiri chuckled. Shuichi was more predictable than the weather. Not surprising, all his crying and the roller coaster ride his emotions have gone on seemed to have taken their toll on the singer. Sliding off the bed, Eiri placed a chaste kiss on Shuichi's head. "Get some sleep. I'll be back later with Riku, freshly shaven and after having eaten," he added when Shuichi opened his mouth.
Shuichi pushed himself down on the bed and snuggled under the blankets. Eiri leaned over and brushed their lips together. "I love you, Eiri."
"I know."
With a smile on his face, Shuichi closed his eyes and fell into a restful slumber.
oOo
One month later - February
I wake disoriented from a deep, dreamless slumber to find myself surrounded by an eternal night. It is a thick impenetrable darkness, a pea soup of black nothingness so dense I could see nothing, not the vague shape of objects surrounding me, or my hand in front of my face. I can hear nothing but the pounding of my own heart and the sound of my own ragged breathing. There was no breeze rustling through the trees, no birds chirping, and no crying squirrels. I could not hear the constant noise of the city. There was nothing.
Out of the darkness came a vague shape. Then it popped suddenly in front of me, hovering in my face. It was as if I lost a moment of time. I try to scream but nothing comes out. Shock envelopes me.
My attention is caught by the pale white skeletal hand. I try to crawl away from it but my legs refuse to budge. It's as if they are encased in cement blocks. Gritting my teeth, I continue to jerk my lead weight limbs, but it is futile.
I feel something against my cheek. It is a soft, gentle, warm and loving touch. It gives me comfort and makes me feel good, but suddenly, like a switch being flicked, it becomes harsh, rough, cold and threatening. Where the hand is becomes cold and icy that quickly spreads, chasing away my warmth. My teeth start to chatter and I shake, my whole body tightening in reaction.
Try as I might, not only can I not get my legs to move, but now nothing is responding.
I squeeze my eyes shut. Tears slipped out from under my lids and make trails down my cheeks. I am so cold it surprises me that my tears do not turn to ice crystals.
Another hand on my thigh. I gasp audibly, but still I cannot make any vocal sounds.
Suddenly the cold vanishes, as does the hand on my face and thigh. Warmth spreads quickly back into my body. Then movement returns to the upper half of my body. Though, my legs still felt like they were trapped in stone.
A choked cry escapes my lips, as the ground underneath me becomes the same consistency as quicksand. I start to sink into the gross mass. It feels like a sponge that has become too waterlogged to hold any more liquid. I try struggling against the suction, but it only succeeds in making me sink faster.
Vaguely, I am aware that the cool liquid engulfing me is thicker than water and has a strange smell to it, almost metallic-y, but then all thought vanished as everything around me disappeared. I was suddenly freefalling from a lofty height. The only thing I see is a pair of horror filled golden hazel eyes as the sound of rushing air filled my ears.
oOo
The sound of screaming from room 513 startled the two bodyguards. They stormed into the room with weapons drawn.
It brought a deeply engrossed writer out of the world he was creating where the male lead had fallen into a deep state of despair after his lover had fallen into a coma after the dilapidated building they were inspecting collapsed around them. Eiri caught his laptop as it slid off his lap when he flew to his feet. Setting his computer onto the chair besides him, he rushed to his husband's side. Enveloping his screaming and thrashing lover in his arms, he glanced at the two men Tohma hired to protect them and nodded. They holstered their guns and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
All of them were used to Shuichi's nightmares by now, but the men still jumped the gun. "It's better to be safe than sorry," they claimed. Already, Eiri liked these guys better than Koji and Jacob. No offense, but Shuichi's other bodyguards had been nothing more than fancy accessories. They were there to look threatening, nothing more.
"Shuichi," Eiri called softly. He winced as the singer's screams deafened him. "Shu-chan. Baby." He cursed and doubled over in pain when Shuichi's foot connected with his side. That was it. Growling, Eiri shook his husband. "Snap the hell out of it before I give you something to really scream about!" When in doubt, give him either an order or a threat. It was the only way to snap Shuichi out of it. Silence immediately descended upon the hospital room and Shuichi stilled in the writer's arms. Eiri stepped back, rubbing his bruised side and watched as violet eyes fluttered open.
Shuichi stared about him in confusion and growing fright. He started to hyperventilate, but when he finally caught sight of Eiri standing besides the bed, relief flooded across his face. "Eiri," he smiled. He reached out for his husband but the blond man only stared at him with a strange look on his face as he held a hand over his side. Concern and worry filled Shuichi. "Eiri," he called. He sat up and studied his husband closely. "Eiri, what's wrong?"
Eiri could do nothing but point.
Shuichi looked where Eiri was pointing, suspicious, and then back at his husband. "Eiri-" He cut himself off. His eyes widened. He glanced back down at his legs. While his left one still lay straight and still, his right leg lay bent, the bottom of his foot lying against his left thigh. He could feel the roughness of the bottom of his foot as it lay against his leg. "Eiri." He lifted a shocked face to his husband, an identical expression on his face. "Eiri, m-my…"
Eiri got hold of himself. Flinging back the sheet, he stared down at the leg. "Try moving it again," he ordered.
Shuichi looked at his leg, doubtful, and bit his lip. More than anything, he would like to be able to walk out of this hospital and get back to his old, normal life, but it has been a month since he awoke from his coma and he has not even felt so much as an itch in the lower half of his body.
Gulping, Shuichi nodded and looked down at his leg. He laughed in delight as he watched his foot flex. He glanced at his husband with a huge smile on his face. "It moved!"
Despite himself, Eiri felt tears welling up in his eyes as he watched Shuichi's leg move one centimeter at a time until his foot was pressed up against the opposite knee. He could not believe it!
"Eiri," Shuichi cried.
Eiri looked at his husband. Tears flowed down Shuichi's face. A smile graced Eiri's lips as Shuichi flung himself at him with a squeal. Eiri wrapped his arm around his husband, holding him tightly as the smaller man cried onto his shoulder. A tear slipped down the writer's face unseen.
Both turned as the door creaked open. In stepped Riku.
"Riku," Shuichi exclaimed through his tears
Riku, in his black school uniform and with his thirty-pound backpack slung over his shoulder, looked from Shuichi to Eiri. "What?"
oOo
Nakano Residence
The Nakano residence was quiet as both mother and son slept.
Hiro took a long drag of his cigarette as he noted the time. Blowing out a thin line of smoke into the late evening air, he glanced over his shoulder at the phone sitting on the end table in the living room through the closed patio door. He crushed out the cigarette butt in the ashtray. He had been trying to cut back, for the sake of the baby, but when he burst into Rinjin's apartment and saw his best friend lying in a boneless heap…He knew Ayaka disapproved of his smoking habit, but she also understood.
Sighing, Hiro leaned his head back against the side of the apartment building, one leg dangling off the side of the concrete railing he was sitting on and the other bent before him.
"Shuichi…"
He wished-
The shrill ringing of the phone had Hiro tumbling off the side of the balcony with a curse. At the same time, Kazahaya announced he was up with that loud siren wail of his. He cursed again, tripping over his coffee cup that had been sitting at his feet that he had forgotten about. The black liquid spilled in an ever-widening arc, but Hiro ignored the mess. He tossed open the patio doors and raced into the apartment. Hiro picked up the phone mid-ring. "Suguru?" he breathed quietly into the phone. He glanced over his shoulders towards where the shrill crying that echoed through the apartment.
On other end of the line, Tatsuha pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in confusion. "Hiro? It's Tatsuha."
Tatsuha? Shit, Hiro thought, cringing. "Yeah, Tatsuha. What's up?"
There was a long pause. "Is that Kaza-kun?"
"Unfortunately," Hiro sighed running his fingers through his hair.
"Oo! Did I wake him?"
"Actually, yeah, you did, but don't worry about it." The apartment suddenly quieted and Hiro sighed in relief. The red-haired guitarist flopped onto the couch. "Never have kids, Tatsuha," he warned the man. "I thought I was used to this having been friends with Shu for so long, but…"
Tatsuha chuckled. "Is Ayaka-san there?"
"Yeah." Hiro leaned forward. "The only time she gets to sleep is when Kazahaya is asleep."
"That sucks. I don't envy you."
Hiro snorted. "Thanks. So, what's up Tatsuha?"
"Aniki called me. Apparently, Shu was able to move his leg."
"What!?" Hiro flew up, wide eyed.
"Yep."
Lightheaded, Hiro fell back onto the couch. "Wow," he whispered. "When did this happen? I thought you said Shu couldn't feel or move anything below his waist?"
"I know! It's weird. Before today, he couldn't."
Hiro did not know what to think about that. Shuichi was something else.
"It seems he has a little feeling in his left thigh and almost all feeling back in his right," Tatsuha continued.
"That's…incredible." To say the least, he added silently. Just yesterday, Shuichi had been this wheelchair bound invalid and now…Wow, was about all he could think of to say to that. Not to be pessimistic, but… "Are they sure it was not a muscle spasm, or something?"
"Jeeze, Hiro, negative much?"
Hiro sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I know. It's just…"
"…Say, Hiro?" Tatsuha asked tentatively in the silence that fell.
"Yeah?"
"About Suguru-"
In the background, Hiro could hear a door open, then a high-pitched voice cry out, "Tat-su-ha!"
"In here, Ryu," Tatsuha shouted. "I gotta go. Aniki wanted me to pass along the good news," he rushed out. "Bye!"
Before Hiro could say anything, he found himself listening to the dial tone. Blinking, he held the phone away from his ear and stared at it. He shook his head and hung up.
"About Suguru-"
Hiro heaved a huge sigh of relief as he leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling blankly. That had been a close one.
"Are you going to see him?" asked the soft voice.
Startled, Hiro sat up, blinking at his wife of five years. Ayaka stood in the doorway swaying, a chubby Kazahaya in her arms sucking away at a binki. Her long brown hair was mussed. She had dark circles around exhausted eyes. "Go, Hiro, if for nothing more than to introduce him to his nephew."
Hiro gazed into his son's big brown eyes. Standing up, he crossed the room and gazed down at the life he and this woman created. A soft smile graced his face as he stared at his son. "Alright," he agreed. "It's time I stop running."
oOo
A week later - Keio University Hospital
Shuichi ached all over. He had never been so exhausted and in such pain before in his life. For the past hour, he has been in the rehabilitation ward doing various exercises, including "walking" on that damned catwalk-ramp-thingy, whatever it was called, or trying to anyway.
For as much improvement as his right leg seemed to have made suddenly, his left one had made none at all. The feeling may have started to return, but trying to move it was like trying to move dead weight, which was why it was covered in brush burns from having dragged it along the walking ramp. His right leg, on the other hand, moved as if he was trapped underwater with a weight strapped around his ankle. At least it moved, though, which was an improvement from a week ago.
Now though, Eiri was wheeling him back to his room with Marcus at his back. Blade, on the other hand, had taken a reluctant Riku home. The boy had finals coming up on Monday. Eiri'd had to threaten their son with the, "if you don't study and fail the exam, I'll bet you 'til your ass is red and raw and then ground you until your twenty-one," line. Of course, Eiri would never lay a hand on Riku. Shuichi would kick his ass from here to Kokomo.
When the elevator pinged and the doors slid open, Eiri rolled his husband inside. Marcus stepped on next and stood right inside the elevator doors where he pushed the button for their floor.
Shuichi yawned, his eyes watering and his jaw popping. Shaking his head, he reached up with his left hand and held Eiri's hand. He looked up and smiled at his husband.
The writer leaned down and kissed him chastely.
"I love you," Shuichi whispered.
Eiri chuckled. "I know," he answered with a knowing smile.
"Can we," Shuichi asked around a yawn, "go outside? Please, Eiri? It's so-" He paused to yawn yet again. "-boring here. Please? I want to go outside," he whined.
The elevator jolted to a stop at their floor. Seconds later, a ping sounded and the doors slid open. After checking the corridor, Marcus led the way back to the room.
"Later," Eiri answered.
Shuichi pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, looking even younger than he already did. "No! Now! C'mon, Eiri! I hate being cooped up in this damn place! I wanna go! I wanna leave!"
Eiri rolled his eyes as he stopped in front of the hospital room.
Marcus entered the room and did a quick but thorough search. "Clear," he announced in English. He stepped outside to let the Uesugi's enter the room and closed the door behind them.
"Eiri," Shuichi continued to whine around a yawn as he rubbed his tried, achy eyes.
Eiri sighed heavily. "You can hardly keep your eyes open," he stated firmly as he wheeled the wheelchair towards the bed. He placed the brakes on and ignoring his husband's continued protestations and whines, slipped one arm under Shuichi's knees and wrapped the other around his back. Bending his knees, he lifted his lover from the chair and carried him to the bed.
"Eiri," Shuichi snapped angrily. "Are you listening to me?"
"No."
Despite the fact that he could not stop yawning and could not keep his eyes open, Shuichi continued to beg his husband to take him outside.
Tired of hearing Shuichi's whines, Eiri sighed in defeat. "For Christ's sake! All right already. I'll take you out, but only if you take a nap."
Shuichi's complaints and bellyaching suddenly switched off. His mouth snapped shut and a bright smile lit his face. "Really? You'll take me outside?" His eyes shinned, grinning madly. He bounced on the bed in delight.
Eiri could not help himself. He had no idea how, but Shuichi's happiness was very contagious. Whenever he was happy, so was everyone around him. That was probably what made Bad Luck so popular. He studied his overly tired husband, a slight smile on his face.
"Yes! Eiri, I love-"
"You have to take a nap first," Eiri reminded with a harsh tone.
The smile slipped off Shuichi's face and the light vanished from his face. It was like taking off a mask, it was that smooth.
Eiri cursed himself and his damned husband. He swore the damned brat did that deliberately sometimes, just so he could get his way. "I'll make a deal with you," he sighed. He sat down on the bed besides his husband.
Shuichi looked up hopefully.
"Take a nap-"
The pout returned.
"-and I'll see about getting you back home."
Shuichi's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?"
"Really," Eiri smirked back.
"Really, really?"
"Shu-chan," Eiri snapped.
Giddy at the prospect of getting out of what he considered a sterile hellhole and ignoring the aches and pains from his body, Shuichi flung himself at his husband and kissed him hard. He was feeling wide-awake now.
Eiri brought his hand up to the back of Shuichi's head and threading his fingers through Shuichi's long black locks, he yanked Shuichi's head back, ripping a startled gasp from Shuichi, and brought their lips together roughly. While he plundered his husband's mouth, Eiri's other hand slipped beneath the waistband of Shuichi's pajama bottoms.
Shuichi jolted at first when he felt his husband's fingers probing his ass hole. He gasped, tensing for a second before relaxing and submitting to the will of the man he loved more than anything else. Shuichi moaned into Eiri's mouth and trailed his hands to the buttons on the man's shirt, undoing them as shivers raced along his spine. "Eiri," he gasped against the writer's lips.
It had been such a long time since they had been together. Both men grew hard instantly.
Eiri left a trail of kisses along Shuichi's jaw, neck and lower to his collarbone, eliciting mewls and sighs. He slipped a hand under Shuichi's shirt and tweaked the nipple to life. Shuichi gasped and arched into Eiri's touch.
This-this was it. This was what he had missed.
Shuichi pulled away from Eiri as he flung open the man's shirt and ran his hands up his chest to his broad shoulders, up his thick neck then back down to the buckle of his pants. Shuichi heard Eiri's sharp indrawn breath as he grabbed him through his pants. He unzipped Eiri's pants and stroked the hard length he found inside, extracting a sharp cry from the man it belonged to.
"Damn brat," Eiri growled.
Eiri clutched Shuichi's small wrists within his larger one and holding them above Shuichi's head, pushed open Shuichi legs with his free hand as he pressed Shuichi onto the bed. He knelt between Shuichi's parted legs.
With a hot blush coloring his cheeks and his eyes shinning in anticipation and lust, Shuichi watched his husband as he lowered himself onto him.
Eiri leaned down to kiss him, when the door creaked open.
"Excuse me, Sir," came the deep baritone voice in English.
The lovers flew apart.
His face flushed with embarrassment, Shuichi disappeared under the covers with a squeak as Eiri cursed soundly.
"What?" Eiri snapped back in English as he fixed himself.
"I'm sorry, Sir, but there is someone here to see Mr. Shindou," Marcus apologized, still in English.
"Who?" Eiri demanded. Whoever it was, was going to be shot and killed. God dammit!
Hearing the exchange, Shuichi carefully lowered the corner of the blanket and peered out. "Eiri, what is it?" he asked timidly.
"Visitor."
"Who?" Shuichi asked curiously.
"It's a Mr. Nakano, Sir," Marcus said.
Eiri's brow shot up. Well, well, he thought.
While Shuichi had no idea what was being said, the name of his best friend got his attention. "Nakano?"
"Hai," Marcus nodded. It was one of the only phrases he knew in Japanese.
"Hello, Shuichi," came a familiar voice from behind the guard.
Shuichi looked up as the bodyguard-he could not remember his name because Western names were so difficult to say and remember-turned around, a hand went automatically to his gun. "Hiro," he breathed, seeing his red-haired friend.
Marcus threw a questioning glance at Eiri.
Eiri sighed. Against his better judgment, he nodded.
The bodyguard stepped aside to allow the man to enter the room, pushing a baby stroller before him.
Hiro glanced briefly at Eiri and flinched at the murderous expression that crossed his face. "Hey, Shuichi," he greeted cautiously, trying unsuccessfully to ignore the writer.
"Hiro," Shuichi whispered.
Eiri shut the door with a resounding slam and had the pleasure of seeing the red-haired guitarist jump in fright. Not bothering to hide his contempt of the younger man, the writer strolled around the bed and lounged at Shuichi's side, draping an arm around his shoulders. "To what do we owe the honor of this unexpected visit?"
…To Be Continued…
A/N 1: Todono is Shuichi's mother's maiden name in this series
A/N 2: I have to point out that "hermaphrodite" Shuichi in the Building A Family series (who I refer to as a "Bearer") is nothing like the real life Hermaphrodite and is also nothing like the Hermaphrodite in the Stormy Streets series (who I refer to as "Neutrals"), where they are a true third gender. In this series, Shuichi isn't actually a hermaphrodite as his ability to have children comes from his demon heritage (another trait of this heritage are his psychic dreams). This fact is not really discussed in the story, though having a demon ancestor is mentioned briefly in the sequel.
Preview: "To Be Home Sweet Home"
