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Haru knew he shouldn’t’ve been there. He’d had a bad feeling all day, from the moment he woke up to the moment he knew why he felt bad.
It had been a case involving tentative cooperation with the 1st Investigative Division as Haru and Daisuke were the ones to discover the first leads, and only several steps along did it only just reach the level of first. Haru and Daisuke, as well as a couple of members of 1st, were assigned, or in Haru and Daisuke’s case, allowed to investigate in the field for the most recent step.
They had followed those leads all the way to a warehouse by the docks where some shipment was supposed to arrive that might lead them to new clues. It was supposed to be normal. It was supposed to be fine. It was supposed to be ordinary. It was supposed to be routine.
It wasn’t.
But it started pretty ordinary.
Haru pulled his white sedan up into the nearby parking lot and checked his pockets as a habit, Daisuke beside him, silently studying the building through his HEUSC lenses.
The timing was a little off from normal shipping hours, so the place was pretty deserted. Haru had expected to at least see a few workers preparing to receive the cargo.
“See anything?”
“Nothing.”
Haru frowned, looking between Daisuke and the warehouse. His bad feeling just got worse.
He saw another patrol car pulling in and got out to greet whoever 1st division had sent. Daisuke kept an eye on the warehouse from the car, having no interest in meeting their government assigned babysitters.
Not that Haru blamed either 1st Division and their bosses, considering the incredible collateral Daisuke tended to rack up. This time though Daisuke seemed equipped only as usual, HEUSC lenses and piercing, normal bespoke suit, normal stupid attitude.
He’d hardly admit it aloud, but they actually had grown on each other over the past few cases. They had begun to begrudgingly work together as a team and had made some actual progress in their partnership.
Haru still couldn’t help feeling bitter over the sudden, traumatic split from his last partner…
Hoshino Ryou.
Who stepped out of the patrol-car with another 1st Division agent, cool and impassive as always.
“H-Hoshino…”
“Good evening.” Ryou cast him a frosty glance and locked the car.
“Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Katou. I’m Suzuki Ai, of the 1st Investigation Division. I look forward to working with you.”
The other agent introduced herself politely, though Haru sensed the same disdain the rest of them had. She was younger than Ryou, dressed in the same mute suit and slacks as they rest of them. Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail. She was composed from her neat hairstyle and simple but sharp tie knot to her guarded expression. Haru hadn’t known her when he was there, she must have joined right after he left. So Ryou has a trainee, now… Haru was slightly ashamed to be glad that Araki wasn’t among their 1st division escorts. He, and some of the other 1st Division officers, had particularly sore attitudes towards Modern Crimes, and Haru especially. At least Suzuki had the maturity to act like an adult around them.
“Nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you too,” and they both bowed civilly. Haru glared through the window at Daisuke to signal him to play nice for two seconds, as much as they both hated this.
As much as he didn’t really blame 1st Division, he also didn’t really blame Daisuke for resenting the escorts. As if they couldn’t even handle a simple interception.
Sure, they didn’t exactly know what they were looking for, but they’d know it when they found it, right?
Daisuke got out of the car and even removed his glasses to greet them with just, “Kambe Daisuke. Detective Inspector.”
After quickly reviewing the plan, as though Haru and Daisuke had the memory spans of goldfish, they walked toward the warehouse.
The sun was setting and it was getting dark, but the lights still hadn’t turned on. Haru stuffed his hands into his pockets and hunched further over.
This was so humiliating. It was the only way Haru and Daisuke were permitted to perform this step, but two 1st Division agents was belittling. Haru and Daisuke were unnecessary… it was like being hand-held on their first case, despite both of them having solved numerous cases together without 1st’s help.
They split up to cover all the entrances, Daisuke and Suzuki took the right, Haru and Ryou to the left. One babysitter per naughty child…
Haru kept glancing at Ryou the entire time, as he and Suzuki reviewed procedure, as they made their way around the warehouse corners, losing sight of Daisuke and Suzuki.
Ryou still had his earpiece and of course they all had phones. But honestly, Haru liked to know where Daisuke was at all times. Keep him from doing something stupid and overkill.
Meanwhile, Daisuke was thinking the exact same thing. He wasn’t inclined to show affection, but Katou Haru was honestly one of the most enjoyable people he’d ever met, even if Daisuke’s enjoyment came specifically from tormenting him just to rile him up. At this point, Daisuke...was glad he’d been partnered with Haru. As someone who had everything, of course he was protective of his possessions, even if he didn’t exactly “own” Haru. Obviously, that’s all it was. That’s why he was nervous being separated from Haru. Given Haru’s inclinations to sacrifice himself for the sake of literally anyone else, including Daisuke whom he professed to hate. That hadn’t escaped Daisuke’s notice. If only Haru would put that much effort into caring for himself as he did others, then Daisuke wouldn’t have to worry about his foolish government assigned partner, and maybe even friendly acquaintance, getting hurt on the job for some stupid, foolish, hot-headed reason.
Yeah. That was it. It was just...protectiveness over his primary source of entertainment.
Especially when his entertainment is more interested in someone else.
Haru clearly is still hung up on Hoshino Ryou in 1st. He won’t talk about it, but he’ll perk up whenever he sees him in the hallway, the only one he talks to of 1st.
Daisuke’s research told him that they were partners in 1st...but they were also friendly outside of work too.
Daisuke didn’t see what was so special about this Hoshino prick, especially as he saw how he shut Haru down so coldly and spoke cruel words with such bite, like he knew exactly what would cut deepest. Daisuke knew how to do that too, but only when he had a reason, had something to gain from it. Or, in revenge, and even knowing and confirming with Haru on his history, Daisuke did not understand what Hoshino Ryou could gain from attacking his own ex-partner and sempai. The longer Daisuke spent with Haru, the less he understood Hoshino’s animosity.
The rest of first division was likewise hostile, but none of them mattered, except maybe Araki for being the worst by far and especially specifically towards Haru. Daisuke had a special opinion reserved for him, but was significantly less conflicted over that decision.
But Hoshino Ryou…
Daisuke didn’t like him. He wasn’t easy to read like Haru, an open book. Hoshino was craftier. More like the people Daisuke usually found himself surrounded with in the cutthroat world of the rich and powerful. He couldn’t see what Haru saw in this bitter, closed-off tight-ass with a forked tongue.
Of course, he was far too much of a well-mannered gentleman to say any of that out loud.
Ryou touched his earpiece to listen to Suzuki report on their side, and Haru saw the gun holstered to the harness across his chest. Just the glimpse before Ryou lowered his arm was enough to make his heart rate rise, he could feel it. As quickly as he looked away and balled his fists in his pockets it wasn’t enough to shake the ghost of the memories…
Ryou had seen Haru’s expression when he noticed Ryou’s gun, and even though he fixed his jacket, it was too late. Watching Haru slink around with his tail between his legs made Ryou want to scream. He wanted to grab him by the collar and tell him- He didn’t even know what he would say. If he tried to say anything he’d probably just break down. And he didn’t want to put Haru through that either, as helpless as he felt, he knew Haru felt worse.
Obviously Haru had never meant to hurt anyone, and he still felt horrible about what happened, and it had been pretty scary for everyone involved, but Haru...Haru was hurt worst, and… He had never recovered, and Ryou… Ryou had thought he was stronger than that. Ryou had thought the world of Haru. As his sempai, as his partner, and as his friend. Moping and wallowing in his misery was so unlike him. The Haru after the incident was nothing like the Haru before.
Clearly Ryou himself wasn’t enough to bring Haru back...and it hurt him too to know that he couldn’t do anything for his sempai who had done so much for him.
Ryou couldn’t help the pang of jealously when he’d heard Haru had a new partner, and that lunatic who drove straight through the classic car festival, thrown the prince, the very one that 1st had held the festival on time for, directly onto the curb and force-bought his classic car, and then used that practically stolen car to chase down the vehicle 1st division was after, while using his supercomputer AI to crash the traffic lights in the entire local area thus directly obstructing justice by blocking the 1st division and city patrol cars, and concluding the entire even by pushing the van with the bomb in it off of Kachidoki bridge which he had again hacked to open for the first time in over half a century.
Further details he had heard from within the station included the massive breach of privacy involved in force-paying double reimbursements directly to anyone caught in the commotion, that he had nearly pushed the van with its driver still inside, and that it was Haru who had climbed from the sportscar to the van, while driving up a bridge on a near 70 degree incline, to help the driver get out, nearly falling into Sumida River with the van himself instead.
As if that wasn’t enough reason to immediately distrust, and in Ryou’s personal case, hate Kambe Daisuke, Ryou was tired just hearing that Kambe Daisuke had bought-out The Tower so that he could launch a sleeping-gas rocket at it from him personal helicopter, nearly killing Haru AGAIN with one of the detaching sections.
Ryou was wondering if Kambe was unforgivable. If perhaps this devil wearing Prada could just have launched himself directly to the top of Ryou’s Arch-Enemy list. He followed Modern Crimes’ cases, beleaguered and uptight, feeling like he was checking to make sure two new foster dogs hadn’t finally gotten into a brawl while he was away. He knew it was pointless to worry but that was just the kind of person he was. He jumped whenever his phone rang unexpectedly, irrationally fearing that he was being called in to clean up after Daisuke’s mess and that Haru would be part of the collateral, broken in a way all the money in Daisuke’s world couldn’t fix.
But after weeks of their scrappy partnership, Ryou could see how Haru was changing. How he moved with more purpose, and how some of the light had returned to his dull gold eyes. The light and energy he’d so loved when they had been in 1st together.
He could hardly tell Kambe he was grateful, however begrudgingly.
But the decision to volunteer for this minor mission was his own.
Maybe if they were all finally on the same team…
Ryou and Haru circled to the other side, all the way so they could confirm with Daisuke and Suzuki with a wave around the corner.
Then the two pairs headed to the closest separate doors.
Ryou stepped forward to check the door as the higher-ranking officer, a circumstance that just didn’t feel right.
With his back to the wall, Haru stood lookout, hands still in his pockets, glancing warily back and forth.
Ryou knocked on the door, three sharp raps with his knuckles, calling for the people they had expected to be there.
“Good evening! This is Detective Hoshino of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police. We’re here for a shipment inspection.”
Silence.
Haru was on-edge. Much as he tried to hide it, to Ryou it was obvious. And it was contagious. Ryou knew better than to doubt Haru’s instincts, and he was feeling uneasy too.
The silent, dark warehouse looming forebodingly above them, seemingly abandoned.
It wasn’t supposed to be that big a deal.
Ryou and Ai were just there because it was Haru and Daisuke.
No one answered, and the door was locked. No problem, they had a search warrant for the cargo and for this specific warehouse.
Ryou tried the keys from the ring borrowed from a dock manager. He tried every single one and felt ridiculous with all the jangling and seeing Haru tense with every key, but the last one finally clicked.
Ryou swung the door open, hiding his hesitation under his unaffected air.
It was big and open on the inside, and dark. Their footsteps echoed as they entered, and the sound of the door closing made them both winces as it bounced off all the walls.
They had opened a door near the warehouse floor, and it was littered with cargo boxes of varying sizes, some open and empty, some with cargo covered with tarps.
Ryou walked through the crates, lifting tarps and inspecting contents with a pocket flashlight.
Haru followed behind, watching the skeletal rafters above.
They're all sure they could remember how they got into the situation, but none of that was important while it was happening. They couldn't afford to focus on anything else.
What was supposed to be routine had turned into a full-on shoot-out in the warehouse, gunshots deafening like thunder in the warehouse.
Haru saw an opening to grab the discarded handgun on the floor in the middle of the aisle. He knew he could hit the gunman across the room, perhaps even provide cover fire for Daisuke-
But he didn't even get that far. Once he picked up the gun, his mind blanked.
So he stands there and just freezes, hands shaking, holding the gun out in front of himself.
Daisuke sees Haru standing there in plain sight, a perfect target, but he doesn't have time to use any of his gadgets, and they wouldn't reach him in time anyway. He sees another shooter take aim just out of Haru's line of sight. The only fear he'd ever felt in his adult life, that his partner was about to die right in front of him, and not even his voice would reach, and he had never felt so helpless-
Haru’s mind was blank. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t see, and the walls of the warehouse rapidly closed in on him. The moment of the incident played over in his head and he no longer even saw the warehouse.
His hands shook and gun was so heavy. He could barely even touch the trigger.
He couldn’t see the shooter turn toward him, and put him in their sights in return.
The voice that broke through his stupor was familiar, even if he couldn’t make out the words.
Something slammed into him, hard, and knocked the little air left in his lungs right out of him.
The weight crushed him into the floor and he hit the back of his head when he landed on the concrete, the gun clattering away across the floor again.
Several more shots rang out, deafening echos making his head swim more.
He looked down.
“Sempai, wait-!”
Ryou was just a second too slow to grab Haru’s hood to stop him from running out into the aisle to grab the gun.
He watched from behind the crate as Haru slid to scoop it up and take position.
And he saw the second Haru changed, when he held the gun in his hand and took aim.
And froze.
And he saw the gunman turn to target Haru.
And he knew Haru couldn’t pull the trigger.
And he knew he only had one option.
“Look out-!”
He threw himself in front of Haru, tackling him out of the aisle as the shots were fired.
Ryou twisted as they were taught in the academy so he hit the ground first, rolling to soften the blow as they were drilled in judo break-falls, and stopping with Haru beneath him, covering and shielding him with his body just as they were trained.
Perfect execution if he said so himself. Haru always was better at judo than he was, but he always helped Ryou practice anytime he asked.
He looked up to make sure they were at least under cover.
They had ended up between some large crates, and while gunshots still echoed, they were safe for the moment.
“Sempai, are you ok-”
“-Hoshino-”
Ryou tried to sit up, but pain ripped through his stomach and he paused, wincing.
“Hoshino-?!”
“Sempai, are you hurt?” He managed in a pretty level tone, opting instead to roll off of Haru so he could get a look at him. No blood. He looked fine.
Ryou laid on his back on the floor for a moment and sighed in relief.
“Hoshino, what the hell-”
Ryou sat up, already not wanting to hear Haru’s lecture.
“No, sempai, what the hell did you think you were doing?!” He forced himself to his feet on adrenaline and Haru rose with him. They squared off against each other.
Ai reported through their earpieces that she had incapacitated the remaining enemies and that Daisuke was on his way.
As she finished the report, Daisuke rounded the corner of the crate at a run.
“Haru-! Inspector Katou-…!”
Daisuke immediately calmed down when he saw Haru and Ryou both standing. Ryou glared at both him and Haru as he radioed Suzuki.
“Suzuki-san, please call for emergency services including an ambulance asap, there are seriously wounded persons. Please begin to administer first aid on the worst off ones first. We’ll head your way.”
“Inspector Katou, are you injured?”
“He’s fine. I see you still haven’t broken your habit of leaping before you think, sempai.”
Daisuke walked over, but he headed to Ryou instead of Haru.
“Inspector Hoshino-” Ryou glared and stepped forward with the intent to walk right by him.
“What? Do you have something to say to...m-me...Inspector...Ka...m….”
He couldn’t keep it together any longer.
Fuck…
Just a few more seconds and he could have slipped off on his own...
The warehouse spun and on his next step he stumbled to the side into Haru.
Haru caught him and held him up, confused.
“Hoshino-?”
“Inspector Hoshino-”
“Shut….”
“Hoshino?!”
Hoshino rested his forehead on Haru’s shoulder. “Sorry, sempai, I just need...a minute…”
His legs gave out and he slumped into Haru’s chest.
“Hoshino?!”
“Inspector-!”
Haru had to adjust his hold on Ryou to prevent him from falling over entirely. Daisuke put a hand on Ryou’s back to try to steady him.
“Hoshino- What’s-?!” He froze. Daisuke felt it at the same time.
They each pulled away a hand slowly
Their palms were damp and red.
They shared an alarmed look.
“Hoshino?! Ryou?!”
They lowered him slowly to the floor and laid him gently on his back.
“Ryou, Ryou, can you hear me? Ryou, keep your eyes open, listen to me.”
Daisuke spoke lowly and seriously to his HEUSC piercing while continuing to scan Ryou with his lenses.
“Officer needs help immediately, I repeat officer needs help immediately, 26 year old male, bleeding heavily, multiple gunshot wounds, immediate emergency services requested, HEUSC clear traffic routes and allow patrol-cars and emergency vehicles quick direct route access to this address…”
Haru pried Ryou’s arms from over his stomach to assess the injury. Ryou struggled, but let him, covering his face and moaning into his hands.
“Don’t move,”
“I know,”
opened Ryou’s jacket and swallowed, hesitating. His hands shook over the bright red blossoms blooming across Ryou’s formerly white shirt.
Daisuke glanced at Haru and started stripping off his own suit jacket and tie while conversing on the radio. He must have had HEUSC hack the 1st division channels as he seemed to be speaking with Suzuki as well.
“Se...mpai...”
Haru jolted and snapped back, quickly undoing the buttons on his shirt. He was relieved to find Ryou wearing light-body armor, just like Haru nagged him.
“Ryou, can you hear me? Open your eyes, please.”
Haru fought his nausea and stripped off his own jacket and dug out his multi-blade.
“Daisuke, the first aid kit’s in the trunk.” Haru got his keys at the same time and held them out to Daisuke without taking his eyes of off Ryou.
Daisuke took them wordlessly. He immediately stood and ran off to the car, leaving his jacket and tie next to Ryou.
Haru quickly sliced Daisuke’s jacket into strips. He folded them into pads and pressed them over the bleeding holes in Ryou’s unguarded midriff. Ryou groaned in anguish as Haru applied pressure with his body weight.
“Sorry, Ryou, just hold on…” Haru could feel the uneven rise and fall of Ryou’s chest and his breathing became more ragged. “Ryou, I need you to open your eyes and look at me, okay?” Haru was making a heroic effort to keep the panic from his voice, but they both heard it wavering.
“Sempai…” Ryou forced his eyes open
“Ryou! Good job, good, keep looking at me.” Haru laid another pad of brand-name suit jacket on another picture and Ryou gasped in pain.
“Sorry, sorry, you can lecture me later, alright?” Ryou rolled his eyes and smiled grimly , breaking out into a sweat.
“Oh, I will.”
“Ryou, I need you to hold these for a little bit, okay? And this is gonna hurt for a second, but only for a second.” Haru placed Ryou’s hands over the make-shift pads. Satisfied Ryou would at least be able to keep them in place, he slid a hand under Ryou’s back between his open dress-shirt and his undershirt, probing for exit wounds.
“Ryou, does your spine hurt? Do you feel any spinal injuries? I need to know so I can sit you up.”
Through gasps of pain, Ryou still managed to be sassy.
“I know, sempai, you don’t have to- uhhn -- treat me like a rookie-”
“Then answer the damn question, Ryou! Will you please just work with me on this?!”
Ryou was surprised by his outburst, but he wasn’t in much shape to object, especially as Haru pressed harder when he yelled.
“No, head fine, sp-spine f-fine…” He slowly shook his head, shakily wiggled his fingers, and pointed and flexed his feet to prove it.
“Ok, good, thank you, good, okay, I need to sit you up a little to slow the bleeding until the ambulance gets here, and it’s gonna hurt, again.”
“Haaahaahaa, everything hurts, sempai,” Ryou giggled deliriously, complexion paling. “This is so uncool. I was trying so hard not to show you,” he slurred.
Daisuke ran back over and knelt beside Ryou with the first-aid kit, snapping it open and rifling through it, digging out a roll of gauze. He had the shock blanket over his shoulder, good idea.
“Daisuke, help me-” Daisuke nodded and moved closer as Haru shuffled so his back was to the nearest crate. “Gonna elevate his torso to slow the bleeding-” Daisuke helped Haru lift Ryou just enough to lean him against Haru against the crate. Ryou bit his lip until it bled to stop from crying out.
Once they were settled, Haru held out his hand for the gauze and Daisuke placed it right in his palm.
Together they wrapped Ryou’s waist, securing fresh medical pads over the jacket scraps, Haru making sure they covered the matching holes in his back.
Ryou laid limp against Haru, head resting on his shoulder. His breathing was growing more labored. Haru felt sick, like he was wearing more of Ryou’s blood than was left in his body. Daisuke was putting pressure on one wound while his other hand moved through the air, probably swiping through HEUSC screens. Haru has his arms wrapped tightly around Ryou’s middle, pressing him tightly to his chest.
“You’re okay...right, sempai?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, you did it. I’m safe. You saved me, you stupid, stubborn, idiot kouhai, why the hell would you do that…”
“I told you...you...can’t be here…”
This time Haru bit his own lip.
“I know, you were right. I don’t-”
“No,” Ryou said forcefully, cutting him off. “Sempai, I don’t wa..want you here.”
His head lolled as his consciousness faltered. Haru pressed his cheek against Ryou’s clammy forehead. Daisuke stopped using HEUSC and covered them both with the shock blanket.
“You can’t fall sleep yet, Ryou, you’re not done telling me off. I fucked up, I know, I’m sorry-”
“N-No, s...sempai...if you’re here, you’re not s-safe....and I c-can’t...protect you…”
Haru wouldn’t meet Daisuke’s eyes.
“Stupid...that’s your sempai’s job, you precocious brat…”
“Haha...maybe I’m the sempai now…”
“Nu-uh, no way, Ryou. I’m gonna stay ahead of you our whole lives, got it? I have to go first, remember? It’s seniority. Whether it’s in line at the cafe...or the end of the watch…”
“Even this time...?” His usually bright mauve eyes were clouded over and unfocused, watering from pain and shock.
“Especially this time. You’re not going anywhere. You don’t have permission to leave, yet.”
“I h-hate d-....disobeying orders, b-bu...t…” His voice shook, and Haru felt his tears drip onto his collarbone.
“Would you just listen to your sempai? I said you’re not leaving and that’s final. You just gotta hold on a little longer, Ryou.”
Haru and Daisuke heard the sirens approaching.
“Sempai...it h-hurts…” His faint whimper was barely a whisper.
“I know, but you gotta stay with me, okay?”
“-H….H-Haru….h-help..me….”
“I’m trying, I’m trying,” Haru’s voice broke and he was shaking more than Ryou at this point.
“P…..pl-l...lease…I’m….s-scared...”
“The ambulance is here Ryou, I know, I know it hurts, just one more minute, you can do it…”
Haru kept talking to Ryou and listening to his haggard breathing until the paramedics laid him on a stretcher and carried him off.
Haru watched as the ambulance pulled off, sirens blaring.
He stood with his arms and hands empty, his own white shirt and lap soaked with Ryou’s blood. The smell was sickening. It burned his nose, it was all he could smell, all he could see.
Haru was examined first, looking so ghastly, and Daisuke. They were both fine, apart from a couple of scrapes and bruises.
The criminals were rounded up, wrapped neatly by Suzuki.
She joined them in the parking lot by the vehicles.
When she saw the massive red stain on Haru’s shirt and his and Daisuke’s gaunt expressions, her worries were validated.
Suzuki sat next to them on the back bumper of the open trunk of the ambulance, Haru in the middle. Haru and Daisuke each held a paper cup with hot tea.
She accepted a blanket, holding a compress to a scrape on her arm.
They sat there, tea untouched, while other ambulances drove off and other officers secured the area.
They had all given their statements and many reports would be filed.
There wasn’t much left to say or do.
“Thank you,” Suzuki started, “for helping him.”
Haru crushed the paper cup between his hands. The tea dripped into the pavement.
After a long and heavy silence, they were all encouraged to go to the hospital for a more thorough check-up and dismissed. Suzuki didn't have the car keys, so she climbed into the back to the ambulance for a ride.
Daisuke stood in front of Haru. Haru still wouldn't meet his eyes.
When Haru finally stood as the ambulance was packing up, Daisuke blocked his way back to the car.
They both new Haru was in no shape to drive. And also that that wouldn't stop Haru.
"Go with Inspector Suzuki. I'll follow in the car."
Daisuke held out his hand for the keys and Haru scowled.
He was too exhausted to fight.
He dug then out of his pocket and placed them resignedly in Daisuke's hand. Daisuke stood and waited until Haru was seated in the ambulance where he was given wet towels to wipe off better with.
Daisuke grabbed Haru's change of clothes out of the trunk and tossed them to him. Somehow he still had the reflexes to catch them.
The ambulance doors shut and Daisuke watched it pull away.
He went back into the warehouse to get Haru's jacket and what was left in the med-kit.
Haru was checked over again at the hospital and again declared fine, physically. Not mentally. He changed in the bathroom near the ambulance entrance after attracting several alarmed looks and way more attention than he could stand at the moment.
Ryou was already in surgery by the time he arrived. That was the first thing he'd asked when he'd seen someone who looked like they might know.
Haru got another blanket and another cup of tea he was too nauseous to drink, and sat outside of the operating room til late into the night.
Daisuke found him passed out on the bench in the hall.
Ryou knew nothing but pain, and his brain had no thoughts but agony.
He felt like his guts had been scrambled and breathing hurt.
He much preferred to be asleep because it meant he didn't have to feel.
For a bit he was asleep more than he was awake.
He kept willing himself back to sleep deeper and darker into nothingness until he remembered he couldn't. He couldn't sleep yet.
Something was worth the pain.
He'd suffer as long as he had to for it.
He opened his eyes and saw only white. Blindingly bright.
The beeping of a heart rate monitor buzzed in his ears.
A hospital.
He...was alive.
Everything hurt and he felt heavy, but something, multiple somethings were stuck to his arms.
With herculean effort, sending spasms of agony through his shredded abdominals, he raised his head to look.
Haru.
Haru was sitting beside the hospital bed, passed out on it, one hand on Ryou's thigh and the other clasping his hand.
A dark shadow lurked in the corner.
If he though at first he was in an excruciating heaven, now he feared some reaper coming to drag him away when he'd at last thought himself safe.
His bleary eyes focused slowly, and he concentrated on the shape.
It was Kambe Daisuke, seated in the corner in his brand-name suit, legs crossed, one hand in his pocket.
His eyes were closed.
He was asleep.
Satisfied he wasn't that haunted just yet, Ryou let the weight of his head hit the pillow again and relaxed back into sleep.
Ryou's eyes fluttered open. It had been hours, he could tell. It was the middle of the night. The curtain on the window was drawn but outside was black.
If Ryou's entire body wasn't one big ache, he's worry again that he'd died.
But no. It was the hospital. He'd never aient so much time in a hospital before. He'd been lucky. Until now.
He raised his head again, wondering if the presence at his side was the same...
It was.
Haru was still sitting at his side, in a slightly different position, but still holding his hand.
Pfff.
He'd always been such a romantic.
He checked the corner again.
He was far more surprised to see Kambe Daisuke was still there, also in a slightly different position, leaning against the wall, but asleep.
Ryou only now felt bad for imagining him a démon the last time he woke up. He didn't entirely blame himself though.
His vision clouded again.
He cautiously raised his free hand to his face, mindful of the IV and oxygen meter, to rub them clear.
His hand came away wet, and he blinked rapidly.
Huh?
Beside him, Haru stirred.
Ryou's heartrate monitor was showing his vitals, and excitedly sped up the beeping as he woke.
How had Haru and Kambe withstood the incessant beeping. He'd been awake one minute and it was already giving him a headache.
Haru moaned quietly and nuzzled his face into the rough, thin sheets.
How... How was a 30 year old scruffy, unbathed man so CUTE.
Ryou's heart rate monitor was telling the whole hospital that he was in love but he had no way to stop it.
Haru raised his head groggily, bedhead even messier and fluffier than usual. Haru squeezed Ryou's hand and rubbed his thumb across the back gently before his eyes followed his arm up to his face.
Ryou absolutely relished the moment when the fatigue and dying hope in Haru's face turned to astonishment, and then relief and joy.
"Sempai," Ryou rasped, voice unused for days.
"Hoshino," Haru's voice cracked.
Kambe stirred in the corner.
"I'm back."
"Welcome back."
They were both crying now.
Ryou was trying to wipe his eyes with his free hand without jerking the IV, when a tissue box appeared next to him.
He looked up to see Kambe holding it out, looking down at him with an unreadable expression.
After a confused pause, Ryou took a tissue and hid his eyes and flushed face behind it.
"Thank you, Kambe," he mumbled, muffled.
"Don't mention it, Hoshino," came the low reply.