For 378 - character: Inui Yu
44. Aftermath
Yu had expected to wake up alone.
His father is a policeman and works odd, impossible hours. But he had been there when he'd gone to sleep.
Shou is there when he wakes up. He's reading, seemingly able to ignore the many tubes and beeping sounds.
Awareness takes time. Finally he croaks out for water.
Shou responds immediately, holding the glass. He sips at it and coughs. Shou immediately replaces the mask. "Welcome back."
Yu blinks slowly. "Where?"
Shou smiles. It's thin, unpracticed. "With your dad. They're too energetic for the wires so they went to get something to eat. I offered to wait so you didn't wake up alone. Mostly alone." He waves Yu's v-pet.
Yu warms to his toes… until the heart monitor starts beeping. He's been alone, so so alone.
And now he can breathe - and he's not.
Shou gets up in alarm and Yu wiggles his fingers as he forces everything to calm down, his heart not to race. Too much excitement this early.
"Maybe don't do that," Shou suggests and he croaks a laugh.
Later, Yu realizes. Later, he can do that.