A/N: I know it's been forever, but I never planned to let it go unfinished. I promise.

This must be what having your body beat up to a pulp felt like, if you were having some painkillers pumped into your body as well.

Tsugaru felt an intense ache all over his body; it was a pain, but not as bad as it would be without the assumed drugs going into his I.V. He was barely registering where he was when he heard a familiar voice. With a raspy voice, he spoke up, whispering his big brothers name.

And then there was an attempt to make an excuse, to be big and tough, as usual.

He tilted his head to the side, and couldn't help but to smile.

"What the hell are you smiling about? I, literally, had to peel you out of a car!" Shizuo grumbled and huffed his breath.

"I am smiling.. because you are who I see when I woke up."

He had to be careful on what he said, with these painkillers in his system, they may make him say things he does not yet want to reveal.

"S-Shut up, Tsugaru." He looked at the ground, trying his best to be composed. "I'm.. I'm sorry for all of this. If I had made it there in time, none of this would have happened to you."

Shizuo's tone softened, but he still did not remove his gaze from the ground. It was one thing that he had been late. It was another that the reason for Tsugaru's accident had been him- indirectly.

Tsugaru's face became visibly distraught and he tried to speak, but failed a couple times. His throat was very dry and scratchy. Eventually, he managed to speak.

"Shizu-nii, you can be so dense. It was not your fault." In fact, Tsugaru had an idea of who's fault it really was, but kept it to himself. If Shizuo knew, he would go on a rampage so large, the city may not survive it.

Tsugaru sighed, slowly reaching his hand up and outside the bed, towards Shizuo, wanting badly to hold his hand and reassure him.

Not wanting to upset his brother, Shizuo held out his own hand towards the others, and then put his right hand on the other side, warming both sides of Tsugaru's hand. Each time he glanced up, even a little, he could see the various injuries his dear brother had endured. Each scrape, cut, bruise, broken bone.. If he could take the pain away and make it his own, he would.

".. You will heal quick, right? I mean, you do have the Heiwajima blood in you."

Tsugaru chuckled, or at least tried to, squeezing his brother's hand as well. "Not as quickly as you, I'm afraid. But yes, quicker than anyone without this strength."

Shizuo's shoulders, which seemed very tight, seemed to fall a bit in a relief. Tsugaru was going to be okay.

'I won't let something like this happen to him ever again. I love him too much-'

"Anyway, get some rest. I'm not going anywhere."

There was a hint of something, perhaps a blush, crawl across Shizuo's face. Along with the typical stubborn look.

"Yes, alright. I will.. once you let go of my hand."

He let go quickly after that, sticking his hands right back in his pockets.

"That was just because you hand was so cold!"

Tsugaru rolled his eyes, but the smile wasn't leaving his face. "Right, right."

He settled in the bed, uncomfortable as it was, but slept very well knowing Shizuo was near.

Shizuo, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Part of him was still worried over Tsugaru's health, the other was frazzled over the feelings that constantly threatened to boil over.

Sure, he loved his brother. But these stupid feelings were more than love for a family member. The first thing he wanted to do when he saw his brother's sleepy gaze, smiling at him like that..

His red face reddened even more.

These were thoughts one should not have for their family.

Did that make him even more of a monster than he already was?

Struggling with inner thoughts, he reluctantly stepped forward, closer and closer to Tsugaru's sleeping form. Once again, he wiped hair from his face, traced his fingers down the side of his face and jawline.

"If I am a monster for this, then I'll be the worst one."

He leaned in, eyes closed, first placing a soft, reluctant kiss on those soft lips. It was a shocker when those lips pressed back against his own. Shizuo's eyes opened to see a pair of bright blue ones looking back at his own.

"Don't you dare stop."

So, he didn't. Their lips connected once more, again and again, expressing years of longing, hunger, for each other. Tsugaru would gasp every now and then, causing Shizuo to slow down a bit, aware of the injuries.

"Ahem."

Did Tsugaru just say that? Or-

"Stop making out, for Gods sake."

'Well, shit.'

Shizuo knew that voice, and if he was not trying to hold his tempers for Tsugaru's sake, he would have thrown a chair at the bastard.

He stood up and turned around to see Delic, holding a dozen, expensive-ass, roses.

"Don't give me that look, Shizuo. I keep telling you, Tsu-chan is mine."

Tsugaru let out an audible sigh, while the two eldest brothers gave each other glares that could kill.

"This is going to be a long day."

A/N: Delic, Delic.. Tsk.