Hello! Let's get straight to the chapter, shall we? Thanks for your reviews :D
The first part is in Ritsu's POV, sort of. Well, it's third-person POV, but it is his experience of the crash.
Enjoy~!
-Chapter 2-
Headlights.
Was all he saw. Two beams of light, getting larger as they came closer until they swallowed his vision.
Pain.
Was all he felt. Sudden sharp pain jolted through his body. So much pain, he couldn't feel it anymore.
Screams.
Was all he heard. The shrieks and cries of people made his ears ring. Sirens soon filled the still air.
Blood.
Was all he smelled. Before his vision blurred into nothing, he watched the blood pool from his body.
Rain.
Was all he tasted. Water droplets rolled down his cheek into his mouth. 'Sweet like blood,' he thought before everything blacked out.
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Takano watched as an ambulance screamed its way through the streets. Blue and red flashes broke the evening air before it came to a stop at the street corner. Takano still sat on the ground, hearing nothing but incoherent yells and sirens. The SUV had been brought to a standstill on the sidewalk, almost crashed into a wall. The driver had not come out yet.
Takano couldn't help but look at the bloody mass a few feet in front of him. Crimson surrounded the small body of his husband, or at least was his husband. Blood covered his clothes, hair, and face. He laid on his side, his back to Takano and right arm crushed beneath his crumpled body. Two people in paramedic uniform ran to his body with a bed, blocking Takano's view.
Another person was suddenly in front of Takano, asking questions. His brain finally cleared when he realized the person was talking to him.
"Sir, are you okay? What happened? Do you know that man?"
"…He's my…husband," Takano whispered. The man caught what he said, not reacting to the fact just stated.
"What happened?"
"He…pushed me out of the way…of the car. He saved me…but," Takano's eyes suddenly went wide and he grew even paler. Shaken out of his original shock, Takano yelled, "Ritsu! Where is he?! Is he okay?!"
"Sir, you need to calm down!" The man held Takano back as he tried to run to Ritsu's body. The two men by his body had carefully put him on the bed, and were strapping him in gently but quickly. Every minute was crucial.
"Let go of me! I need to get to him!" Takano growled as he again tried to get to his lover. The man held him back though and replied, "If you want him to live, you need to calm down! You're wasting time that could be used to save him. I need his name, age, and blood type," The man was serious as he spoke. Takano was surprised how calm the paramedic was, and was surprised at himself at how calm he seemed too. 'Shock,' Takano thought smartly.
Takano stopped struggling and mumbled, "His name is…Onodera Ritsu. He's thirty-four and his blood type is A."
"Thank you. Get in the ambulance if you want," The driver said and jumped in front of the wheel. He radioed in the emergency to the hospital as Takano climbed in the back with the paramedics and Ritsu. (A/N: Yes, I know he probably couldn't get in the ambulance, but it makes it quicker to get him to the hospital with Ritsu. Don't judge.)
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Yells and commands surrounded the ambulance as Onodera's body was wheeled out and doctors and nurses took over. They pushed him forward, working on him already as he was brought to the E.R. A nurse directed Takano to the waiting room and said with brisk and empty words, "He'll need surgery. It'll be a while," She rushed back to the emergency room.
Takano collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands. Everytime he closed his eyes, the scene beforehand replayed over and over. He reverted to staring at the floor, trying to ignore the loud voices in the next room.
'It's my fault. If I had just looked before I walked, this wouldn't have happened. Ritsu…." Takano agonized. He felt something wet fall down his cheek and land on his leg. Before he knew it, tears poured from his eyes and he let out a quiet sob. He clasped a hand over his mouth as he tried to maintain his usual calm demeanor. It was useless when it came to Ritsu, especially an injured Ritsu.
Sobs uncontrollably shook his body and Takano let them. The only other person in the room was a sleeping old woman, and Takano doubted his quiet sobs would wake her. He rubbed his tears away, only for them to be replaced instantly. He finally controlled his sobs and took deep breaths to steady himself. He wiped his eyes, leaning back in his chair. Taking a shuddering breath, Takano stared at the ceiling. He was soon asleep.
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Masamune awoke to the sound of a voice. He looked at the clock and realized he had been asleep for almost eight hours. The voice called again, "Onodera Ritsu? Is anyone here for Onodera Ritsu?"
Takano mechanically rose and rushed over to the man. He replied, "Yes, I am. How is he? Is he okay?"
"Onodera-san is stable, for now. He had a very long and complicated surgery and his body is very weak. His heart stopped a couple times in the surgery, but luckily we brought him back each time. The next 24 hours are crucial, because he will need at least another surgery, and these 24 hours determine if his body is ready to handle that much stress. Onodera-san's condition is very critical right now."
Takano could feel his heart drop as he listened. He swallowed the thick lump in his throat and croaked, "Do you know if he'll…live?"
The doctor sighed and shook his head, "I don't know. Unfortunately, Onodera-san is in a coma. We don't know if he'll wake up in a few hours, in a few days, or even a few years. But I consider your," The doctor flipped through his chart and continued, "husband very lucky actually."
"L-Lucky? Why?"
"I have seen similar cases and the victim either died as soon as they were hit, or when they reached the hospital. Survival rates for this kind of accident are only fifteen to twenty percent, but Onodera-san's survival rate is thirty-five to forty percent. He did suffer substantial injuries and internal bleeding, but better than some I have experienced."
Takano slowly nodded his head and said, "What about his family?"
"We have contacted his family already. Both his parents seem to be away on a trip, but will return as soon as possible. His mother was quite hysterical because she apparently heard the entire accident over the phone. His sister, Onodera Riko, informed us she is already on a plane to Japan."
'Of course she is,' Takano couldn't help but think. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Doctor….?"
"Dr. Fukushima," He gave Masamune a nod of his head and said, "You're Takano Masamune, correct?"
"Yes. Can I see Onodera?"
"You can, but please be careful. I'll take you to his room," Takano blindly followed him as he walked down the hall. He made a few turns until they were in front of an open door in the I.C.U.* Takano walked in as Dr. Fukushima closed the door behind him.
A bed lay in the middle of the room with a white curtain. The curtain was drawn back, but was pulled out enough to cover the view of Onodera's face. Takano approached the bed, holding in a breath as he looked down at his broken lover. He couldn't help but gasp a little as he saw Onodera's face.
His whole face was swollen, a breathing tube shoved down his throat. Deep, long scratches ran along Onodera's left cheek, going down to his jaw. A neck brace was around his throat, holding his head steady. Onodera's skin was gray and drawn, giving him the appearance of being dead already. The rest of his body was broken and beaten. His right arm and leg was broken, set in a cast and propped up. Bruises and cuts flourished on his gray skin. Takano looked at his left hand, only to choke back a sob. His silver wedding ring was stained with blood.
Takano grabbed the chair by the bed, pulling it closer to his side. He sunk into it and placed his hand over Onodera's left one. Takano laced Onodera's cold fingers with his own and leaned forward. He placed his warm lips against Onodera's forehead, brushing his auburn locks to the side. He leaned back and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Ritsu."
Masamune moved his thumb in a circle over the back of Onodera's hand, hopefully soothing him in his dreams. The consistent beeps and clicks of the machines around the bed lulled Takano into a doze. The rhythm of the beeps followed him into a dreamless sleep.
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A couple hours later, Masamune was aroused from his slumber. A rapid beeping woke him and he looked up at Onodera's heart monitor. He felt his own heart stop as he watched the line become hasty spikes. Then Onodera flatlined.
Uh oh. Please don't kill me! I need drama to write drama, right?
*The I.C.U is Intensive Care Unit. Before you say, "Wait, isn't that for babies?" That is the N.I.C.U, the I.C.U is for everybody else in critical condition.
PLEASE give me your feedback on this chapter. I am trying to improve my emotional/sad writing skills, and this was kind of a practice for me on tragedy and pain. I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but then again, I'm never satisfied with my writing. So please tell me what you thought! I wanna make people cry! (NOT A SADIST! XD)
In case you're wondering why I decided to write a sad story, I watched Clannad and Clannad After Story. SADDEST ANIME EVER! D': It was so tear-jerking and depressing, it made me bawl! But it was also hilarious, so it was a 'dramedy'. (Comedy and Drama)
Yes, I will include Riko in a chapter later.
See you next chapter! :)