Author's Note:
Apologies for the sporadic updates lately. Life's just been a bit of a bitch.
Chapter 37: The Moon, the Land, and a Saccharine Date
"Doctor Whiter. Doctor Whiter, can you hear me?"
Riku pulled himself away from the window to face one of the many young wards working under him. In his hand was a bulky vanilla colored folder, and in his eyes plenty of cause for concern.
In his many years working this job he has combatted a variety of diseases and performed what many would call miracles.
Thanks in no part to his blessings, the powers that be that make up his body, and exude life with every breath.
So he knows that when his assistants show doubt, then the patient he is being presented with will truly test his worth.
He took the file and thanked him with a smile devoid of any words, and a bow of his head.
The assistant then left to prepare his supplies ahead of him. He then turned back to the window and crept one glance back to make sure no one was watching, before pretending to raise his hand to turn the pages.
Instead, he used his powers to flip the folder open, it's girth too cumbersome to take the time trying to keep it organized by normal means.
The patient's profile was tidy:
"First Name: Alice Last Name: Caroll
Age: 18
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 135 lbs."
"...Malnourished." He assumed, which a quick glance to the next page confirmed.
But it was more complicated than that. The symptoms listed belonged to multiple different diseases, existing in a scenario that could only be possible if he was looking at an obituary.
Impossible is not a viewpoint he subscribes to. Such was his life.
Taking this document into consideration though, it was clear he needed to act with caution. And the first step towards that was to intercept his assistant before they entered the room.
Fourth floor, emergency ward…
At this height he was free from the trees that surrounded the hospital. When late night work keeps him here, he could look out to the sky and see the moon, his beloved, from any distance.
Tonight, the clouds were thick and cold. He would have to settle for its pale glow peeking through. At least for now.
He barred his assistant from entering the room with the rolling cart full of supplies, telling him gently, "It would be better if I went in alone."
The assistant gulped and was obviously considered for his well-being, but never wanted to be insubordinate.
Riku felt he should have a better image than that around here, but that was not the case.
With a sigh deep-rooted in thoughts regarding his children's view of him, he took one hand on the cart and another on the folder to take one last peek inside.
The bulk of the papers detailed the many…MANY hospitals this young woman had been to. From all across America to around the world, the best of the best could only say this:
"Incurable"
"Incurable"
"Incurable"
Repeat. Punctuate. Ad nauseum.
Judging by this verdict, it felt odd that this patient hadn't been put into his care sooner. But it was a thought quickly removed from his mind as he realized he couldn't keep the patient waiting any longer.
He tucked the folder away onto the bottom tray and slowly opened the door.
In this dimly lit room, the bed was centered and surrounded by high-tech medical equipment, the patient's silhouette poking through the sliding curtain.
Riku pressed a button on the wall to pull the curtain back and rolled the cart into the room, "Hello there, Alice."
He wanted his first impression to be the same as the rest…hopeful. Because that is what he could give without question.
But even he felt like he could falter when he saw this girl bathed in nocturnal light.
She laid like a princess straight from a fairy tale, her drapes of long blonde hair fading into gray near the top of her head. Her eyes glistened faintly like worn down emeralds. Her skin was pale, ghostly almost.
She was hauntingly tender, but without noting the color of her skin you would be hard pressed to assume she was ill.
Perhaps the worst of her ailments lay under her bed sheet and sky blue hospital gown.
It was not his place to pry. Not yet.
He pulled up a chair and sat beside her, hands held between his legs.
"I am Riku Whiter. And I will be your doctor for the foreseeable future. Now, can you tell me where the pain hurts the most?"
The young woman turned to face the window, her movement stiff.
Riku patiently sat there and didn't change expression, nor let out a sigh to not-so-subtly force an answer.
Instead, he closed his eyes and asked, "Alright…what would you like to talk about instead?"
She didn't move.
"...Doctor, do you believe in fairy tales?" Her voice was coarse, rough, but held a ton of politeness and maturity.
Riku's brow raised and he remarked, "I believe there's plenty of beauty and whimsy that remains just beyond our reach. And perhaps, the only way to ever see that for ourselves…is to attempt to envision the abstract in our dreams, and put it to pen and paper."
"So yes, I do believe in them. Because dreams are what makes us unique."
The young woman turned her head slowly until gracing him with her smile, standing in juxtaposition to the harsh truth she laid at his feet, "You won't be able to cure me, Doctor. You may as well not even try."
Her question was bait to see if he was either an idealist, or a realist.
She believed he was the former. In truth he was the latter.
But what defined realism for him was skewed against that of most humans.
He simply saw this girl and her "incurable" state as simply another problem that he WOULD solve.
And when he looked her dead in the eyes, he made sure she knew this, "That is for me to decide."
Her smile flattened, and with a delicate, vulnerable look now found in her eyes, Riku asked her again, "Now, can you tell me where the pain hurts the most?"
"Heh heh heh!" Alice chuckled, again believing she could disarm Riku's resolve by hitting him with an act of juxtaposition, "Everywhere, doctor."
"I see…" He replied in a serene tone, before getting up and taking his stethoscope off the table, "Then by the time I'm done, it shall be 'Nowhere'."
He then approached her with the tool around his neck, "Now, I'm going to run a few tests and send them to the lab. And then we shall continue this tomorrow."
He raised the metal end of the stethoscope, and with some reluctance on her part she pulled down the top of her sheet and let him check her heartbeat.
And there he found that her heartbeat was scratchy, like TV static.
"Doctor, how long do you think it'll take you?" She whispered.
"..." This unfamiliar sound was concerning, but it was not enough to dissuade his vow as a medical professional, "Tomorrow. A week. A month. However long it takes."
She remained silent throughout the rest of his tests, and after sending the results off to the lab he bid farewell to the young woman and clocked out for the evening.
This would surely prove to be a challenging affair, but for this one night, he allowed himself to be selfish and turned his focus towards his loving wife waiting for him back home.
One quick, if not lonely drive out of the city later, and he was there.
And so was she, waiting for him on the doorstep adorned in a lovely violet wine dress with a low-cut on the right leg, her hair left hung a little below her shoulders.
He made his way over and gave her a kiss on the lips, telling her softly, "You look as lovely as always."
Her blushing face completed her beauty, her cheeks as soft and warm as a blanket, "I just finished making dinner for the kids. Lunalei said she's working on school stuff, and Zelene and Xander are going to do a movie marathon."
Riku looked inside the house briefly and contemplated enforcing the rules a little more, but Lunis laid her hand on his shoulder and reeled him back like he was a small fish before saying, "They'll be fine. They're old enough to take care of the house."
It was a difficult pill to swallow this…inevitable passing of time.
That there was once a period where he'd still have to rely on his brother to watch over the kids while they went on their monthly date…It made him feel old.
But one touch from his wife upon his nose, her smile as playful and inviting as all these days that made up the years, it made him feel young again.
He politely gestured towards the car and smiled back, "Shall we?"
"Of course!" She said with serenity.
He opened the door for her, the seat already adjusted for her limber legs. They then drove back to the city to head to the docks.
"So, how was work today?" She queried.
"Well, Rachael made a full recovery from her tuberculosis today. And that young boy I was telling you about? Harold, I believe his name was? He's finally able to walk again."
Riku warmed her up with his successes, before taking it down a notch with his concerns, "But my newest patient? A young woman by the name of Alice Caroll? She may prove to be my toughest case yet."
"An illness labeled 'Incurable' by many doctors around the world. A heartbeat that scratches at the chest…malnutrition, thinned blood…I've never encountered anything like her."
Lunis told him, "But you'll figure it out."
A blunt statement of confidence from her was all he needed to smile and feel better prepared for the future.
"And I always have you to fill in any gaps in knowledge." He said with his own confidence.
"That's why we're a couple AND a team!" Lunis put her hand out and once Riku stopped at the oncoming light, he lightly patted her hand and thanked her for the moral support.
Once they made their way to the docks, the car was loaded onto a ferry that would take them to the west side of the state, where they would spend the night in a hotel and then go explore the coast the next day.
But for as long as they were on the ferry, they would enjoy a nice dinner and the simplicity of the cold sea air enveloping their vessel.
It was an experience very few couples were emboldened enough to try, and any other people coming aboard seemed to only be doing this out of necessity or to expedite a trip to the other side of the water.
The cuisine wasn't anything special. You'd find this menu at most restaurants, and the prices are a little higher here.
You didn't come here for the food. You came for the unique atmosphere while eating it.
The two of them ordered the largest steak they had and a salad for each, and then made their way onto the deck. Lunis had snuck a vintage wine bottle into her purse, and they took turns drinking from it.
Their unique biologies let them indulge in the exotic flavors without fear of getting tipsy or crazy. Though Lunis did express curiosity at wondering what that would look like.
Riku believed he would wind up acting more like his brother if left unchecked by inhibitions.
This began a back and forth conversation speculating over which of their friends would act the worst if they could get drunk.
Lunis had some very strong logic backing her side, believing that if Auris wasn't bound by her curse, she would become the worst due to always seeming like she tried hard to hold onto her mature image.
Riku believed it would be Alura who would get it the worst, as she's already functionally a very energetic person, all she'd need is one restraint loosened and she'd become a menace to any party.
However, Lunis had evidence against that in the form of Samantha's witness testimony, citing multiple occasions of Alura trying to enjoy a drink either by herself or with Maria, and crashing before finishing a single glass.
The two shared a laugh at that, though Lunis added a bit of sympathy towards Alura for not being able to enjoy herself with her friend as much as she'd like.
There was no debate on who was the best drunk among their group. It was Maria.
"Haaa…" After that fun little conversation, Riku reflected on his reflection in the wine bottle, and saw himself twenty years younger, still holding on to the features that made him a mirror of his brother.
He then put the bottle down and looked at his wife, finishing off the last of the steak as the briny winds swept her hair back.
She paused and pressed her hair back against her head, stroking it as she looked up at the moon slowly trying to poke through the clouds.
She then laid her hands down and observed. He saw her eyes getting a little damp, like recalling a somber memory.
It was never in her best interests to divulge her entire past. He knew there was pain, and living in this moment was her victory over it.
He pushed the dish back and scooted over, and her head naturally fell onto his shoulder. The two of them observed the moon together, but its beauty simply did not compare to hers.
Her hair was like thin strings of silky silver, her skin was comparable to the softness of clouds, but as smooth as gloss.
She could cite any book she has read. She loved exploring new ideas and things.
But she could still accept the mundanity of a normal life. That was her best quality.
To have the power and wisdom of the greatest of gods, but none of the ego.
It was enough to harbor feelings of doubt within Riku, that he was worthy of her love, when he remained so flawed…
Yet her warmth continued to nestle into his shoulder, as genuine as the smile of relaxation she wore.
She turned to look at him, and he heard a crackling sound from her neck.
"You don't deserve this." She spoke in a demonic, masculine tone.
He shivered and then with a blink, saw her beauty for what it was, now facing him with confusion. A cold sweat trickled down his face.
"Riku?" She murmured, lifting her head to eye level and brushing the side of his face.
He took her hand part way and smiled wistfully, "I must be a little tired."
She smiled and nodded, "We'll be at our hotel before long."
She then put her hand on his back and pulled them closer to point at the sky, "Way out there, you can see Sagittarius!"
They finished off their wine and returned their plates to the kitchen. Then, for the rest of their time, Lunis wanted to play on one of the arcade machines.
Sadly, it didn't operate very well these days. Even though he could fix it, she chose to let it be, lamenting the passing of this relic of fun times past.
The ferry finally arrived and they drove off into the evergreen filled highway to their destination. A bit of rain was sprinkled down their path.
Along the way, Lunis took a moment to call the kids and see how they were doing.
"Hey, how's the marathon going?" She asked Zelene.
"Xander's already fallen asleep. H-He gorged on too much leftover caramel corn."
"You know the drill then!" Lunis said.
"Wait until he sleep talks, and then take him to his room. I-I know mom…"
Lunis had to sigh at herself for slipping into nagging mode briefly, "You're right. My bad. Well, have a good night, sunset."
She then held the phone out for Riku to say, "And tell Lunalei we said good night too."
"S-Sure, if I can reach her…" Zelene then hung up, the somber note that ended on causing both parents to sigh.
"We should try and enforce more family nights." Riku commented.
Lunis nodded, "Perhaps. But I wouldn't want to feel like we are forcing them to enjoy each other's company."
Riku mused over that for a bit before determining, "Our oldest girl is almost an adult. We really can't treat her like we used to…"
"Yeah…" Lunis murmured with a tone of fond recollection, "But…! We should still find some way to nudge them in the right direction."
Riku agreed on principle, but his doubt came crawling back. Especially in regards to Lunalei.
A few miles later, they arrived at their hotel at the closest city, still an hour or so drive away from their final destination.
It was easy to sign in and take their luggage to their room on the second floor, with a bed fit for two, a single TV, and a decent sized shower for them to share.
Lunis threw the luggage onto the bed and then pulled out her alarm clock to sit on the table next to her side of the bed.
Riku walked over to the patio door and looked outside to see the faint lights of Seattle just over the water, and the moon had finally fully come out in the sky above.
Lunis started humming aloud as she pulled out a few books and a movie to have in the background while they read together.
"Alright Riku, which novel adaptation do you want to read during the movie? Bram Yule's? Quintin Fox's? Or the Japanese Light Novel version?"
"..." Riku turned and walked back into the room, seeing her acting so spirited and naturally in vacation mode.
"I'll admit, my Japanese has gotten a bit rusty lately. Why don't you read the Light Novel, and maybe I can refresh my memory."
Her smile grew extra wide, like she was hoping that he would pick that option over the others. And the ease she packed the other two back into the suitcase proved that more.
She rested atop the bed and stretched her legs all the way out, and Riku was ready to join her when he froze at the edge and trembled.
He closed his eyes and told himself, "Why must I turn this joy into a question towards my worth? Can't I let us have this with no stipulations attached?"
"Riku?" Lunis spoke softly to awaken him.
She worried for him without question, "You have that 'staring into your soul' look again."
Riku shook his head and sat on the bed next to her, gracing her comforting look with a smile and a pat on her hand, "Let us enjoy this night."
Lunis smiled wider and put her hand on top of his, "Riku…"
"..." Riku closed his eyes again and murmured, "I thought I was done with these feelings, but lately especially I am…reminded of my shortcomings as a person."
"Lunalei…" Lunis determined in a mere moment.
Riku nodded, "She is our first child…and my first mistake. I thought that loving a child would be as simple as holding onto them with all your feelings put into it. But when I did that for the first time she…broke into tears."
And thinking about that made him prone to crying too, "And ever since I've been spending our time trying to accept everything about her. But perhaps all I've done is avoided confronting the truth…that I irreparably hurt her with my love."
"I've tried to get closer to her lately, but she chooses to live her life her way…perhaps I have lost my chance to have a good relationship with her. We may as well be strangers who happen to walk the same street…"
Lunis lifted his hand up towards his face so that he would look her in the eyes, "Didn't I tell you that we're a team? You're not the only one at fault."
"I fed her the wrong foods. Heck, I didn't even know how to properly breastfeed her at first! We were not ready to be parents!" Lunis then had a pleasant laugh at their mistakes, because in her honest words, "But that doesn't make her a mistake, or you a failure."
"It just means we had to adapt, and try our best. We did better with Zelene, and then with Stella, and now with Xander," Lunis then closed her eyes and admitted, "...And even then, I still failed Stella."
"Lunis…" Only then did Riku realize how selfish his guilt was when comparing it to hers.
A tear forced itself through Lunis' eyes but she sniffled it away and looked at him, "Lunalei loves us enough to consider our home a place of comfort for her. There is ALWAYS a chance for you to make things right with her."
"But I always hesitate to make the right decision." Riku murmured somberly.
"You're a thinker. And the kind who wants to make people happy. So this flaw isn't one at all, because you're always trying to improve. But I think…what you still haven't learned is that you have to be a little bold at times, and act without fear."
Lunis held onto his shoulders and smiled, "You're not who you were in the past. You're not shackled to guilt, or fighting a war on your own. You TRUST me to help you, or we wouldn't even be having this conversation, would we?"
Riku closed his eyes and diverted the topic somewhat, "...Lunis, do you really have no complaints with your life as it is now?"
"H-Huh?" She was taken aback.
"Having this sort of conversation…when we're meant to be on this date to honor our love. It's deplorable on my part. And yet you brave it with a smile."
Lunis turned her head back and pondered his question for a moment, before returning with her tender smile, "Well…I wish you smiled a bit more. I wish we had a more functional dishwasher. I wish I could have the courage to confront the mistakes I made with Stella. I wish there were more, unexplored stars in the sky for us to look at."
"I wish our life together could last as long as I want…" Lunis let another tear through, but it was one of joy, "But I wouldn't sacrifice any bit of this happiness for a wish."
"The life I led before meeting you was a bloody and directionless nightmare. Now…I can finally give something back, instead of taking it away."
She then closed her eyes and rested her head, "Did you know Riku means 'land' in Japanese?"
"No matter where the moon goes, it is always watching over the land. No matter where the land goes, it knows the moon will be there."
When she opened her eyes, they were white and hollow, her face wooden and a creepy smile crossing her face, "You'll never escape your GuiLt."
Riku shivered and one blink later, he was staring at a corpse wearing a green elf's cap with two swords through his back.
He blinked again, and Lunis looked right at him with a worried expression.
He pulled her in closer to immediately embrace and confirm the happy life he knew he had, his heart racing frantically against his chest.
"Thank you Lunis…for everything. And…I am sorry for ever calling our love into question."
Lunis trembled in confusion at his shift in behavior, but then embraced him wholesale as he told her, "I'll tell you as many times as it takes. We're a team. And we'll get through this together."
She then let him go and told him with a smile, "Now, do you want to enjoy our date? Or is there anything else you want to talk about?"
Riku rubbed his eyes to filter out that strange, nightmarish feeling he had on his mind, and then focused on her, and only her.
His guiding light, brighter than the moon she commanded…
"No. Let's enjoy our night together, honey."
And so they did. Because that was what they had earned for their struggles. And to prepare themselves for many more to come…
Next Time: Thunder Falls, and Blood Rains