Heartaches

Chapter 13

By Kellyq

Crow walked into the hospital room with a glass of water when he noticed Kiryu was twitching and shaking. Crow dropped the glass, ran over to Kiryu's side, and pressed the 'nurse' button above the bed. It didn't take long before a woman in her mid-40s came in. She had black curly hair and dark, wrinkled old skin; her eyes held love and kindness. This kind lady went by the name ofMartha.

"Don't just stand there, Crow!" she ordered, rushing over to the bed. "He needs to be turned over on his side!"

"R-right!" the red-haired teen did what he was told. "What's wrong with him?" Crow asked, watching Martha angle Kiryu's head down.

"He's having a seizure! You know what that is, right?" Martha asked, wiping the saliva off of Kiryu's mouth.

"Uh ... yeah ... sort of," Crow answered, scratching the back of his head nervously. "But he's never had seizures before! What could've caused it?"

A light moan got Martha and Crow to stare down at Kiryu as he opened his unfocused eyes. "I ... I hate this," he murmured, his voice filled with emotional pain, before closing his eyes. "Why can't Yusei love me for who I am?"

Crow's concern for Kiryu was palpable in his eyes. "You know that Yusei cares about you!" he reassured, his voice filled with genuine worry, emphasizing the depth of their friendship.

Kiryu scoffed or tried to. His unfocused golden eyes stared at Crow as he glared. "I don't understand why you keep sticking up for him! We're friends, aren't we? Friends are supposed to care about each other - defend each other - and be there for each other, right?" His words were filled with frustration and hurt, highlighting the complex dynamics of their friendship, which was further complicated by their shared feelings for Yusei.

Crow felt like he was slugged in the gut. By this point, Martha had left to get the lidocaine. "Of course, we're friends, Kiryu."

Just before he could remark, Martha returned with a syringe and needle. Kiryu eyed it for a moment before he started reaching for the IV taped to his arm.

Crow grabbed Kiryu's arm back. "You shouldn't do that!"

Kiryu let out a grunt of anger as Martha attached the needle and syringe to the IV. Afterward, she rubbed Kiryu's arm, smiled, and walked out.

"You can let go of my hand," Kiryu said after a few moments of silence. "And leave me alone. I don't need you to watch me like a hawk."

Crow lowered his head, and his expression darkened. He tightened his grip on Kiryu's hand. "I know you don't care about me, butIcare about you because you're my best friend!" His internal conflict between his feelings for Kiryu and the perceived lack of reciprocation added depth to his character as he struggled to balance his emotions with his loyalty to his friend.

By this point, Crow's hand was shaking. Kiryu wanted to glare at his friend, but he didn't with the vibes he got from Crow. Kiryu sighed out of frustration, knowing that getting rid of his friend wouldn't be easy.

"Fine, do whatever you want," Kiryu said, his voice betraying his vulnerability and the emotional toll of his situation.

Crow lifted his head and smiled, but it was sad. He wanted to say more, but Crow noticed Kiryu had fallen asleep.

Rally woke up feeling a slight chill run through his body. He bundled up more, but after lying there, he got up and went to Jack's room. He knocked softly on the door. After standing there for a moment, Yusei opened it.

"Rally? What's wrong?" Yusei murmured, trying to keep his voice down.

"Is ... is it okay if I ... uh... sleep with you and Jack? I've been cold every night."

Jack was up by this point and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. He sat up and called for Mina. The young housekeeper was out of her room across the hall in two minutes.

"Mina, go check the thermostat and send Rally back to bed. It's 2 a.m.!"

Rally cringed. Mina walked to the end of the hallway to examine the built-in heater/Air conditioner. The gauge displayed 71 degrees.

"Sorry...I'll go back to bed."

"The temperature is only 71," Mina informed. By this point, Rally had already gone back to the couch. "What did Rally want?"

"He wanted to sleep with us to stay warm," Yusei explained.

"He can sleep in my bed, and I'll take the couch," Mina offered.

"No!" Jack and Yusei said the same thing.

"You don't need to do that," Yusei said, Yusei rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for a petty argument. "I'll handle this. Go back to bed."

Mina bowed, returned to her room, and closed the door. Yuseiing room and saw Rally lying there with a troubled expression entered the liv.

"Maybe I should be a man and deal with it," Rally muttered.

"Don't worry about -"

"Yusei,"came Jack's voice from the open door to his bedroom."Don't worry about Rally, and get your ass in here!"

"I'll be right back." Yusei turned and walked down the hallway, his protective instincts kicking in. After a brief conversation with Jack, he returned. "You can sleep with us," he said, his voice firm and reassuring, showcasing his commitment to his friends.

Rally's face lit up as he exited the couch and hugged Yusei. "Thanks! I'd rather sleep with you guys than out here."

Yusei smiled. "You know nothing is going to happen. Trudge won't let anything suspicious get past him."

Rally raised a brow. "He's a cop? Who would've thought? I should've figured that out, and I never liked how he stared at you."

Yusei rolled his eyes when he said that. He took Rally's hand and led him back to the room. Yusei closed the door as Rally crawled onto the bed.

"Thanks, Jack!" he then laid down. "I promise not to squirm too much." Rally snuggled into sheets and sifted close to Yusei's side of the bed. When Jack moved the sheets, he laid down as well. "Night," Rally murmured before falling into a peaceful slumber.

To Be Continued ...