Chapter Text
Slowly opening his eyes, the familiar—and rather annoying—beeping sounds were the first things Chishiya heard. He took one deep breath and squinted his eyes at the bright lights from the window that was, unfortunately, right next to him. His roommate sure was lucky that he had the privilege to stay on the other side of the room. Chishiya turned his head and looked out the window. The sun was already starting to find its place high in the air. Guess he missed breakfast. He saw already dozens of people outside on the hospital’s yard. Patients, but also visitors. His gaze fixated on a young boy in a hospital gown. He was holding his parents’ hands with his own and smiling bright. He looked rather happy that he survived the incident, if you could call it that. Though Chishiya guessed that most people wouldn’t just call the catastrophe something so humble as an incident. It was a great natural disaster, killing and ruining hundreds of thousands of lives. With only a handful of people spared. And Chishiya had to be one of those.
Not that desperately wanted to die. But he figured it would be easier to be crushed by a big meteorite than continuing is exhausting life style of waking up, going to work, work, go home, study and sleep. He slowly turned his head to the ceiling again, hoping he’d fall back asleep soon. He wasn’t allowed to get up yet, and the nurses were obviously too busy to acknowledge his consciousness. He has been awake from his mini coma for a few days now, and he already was sick and tired of the beeping and buzzing monitors. He just wished he had the strength to stand up and.. walk a bit. Anything else than being a waste of existence by just laying in a hospital bed with the most hideous blue gown he has ever seen. The hospital he worked at had better gowns.
A sudden groan was heard from his ‘acquaintance’ next to him, followed by a cough and heavy breathing to top it all off. Chishiya looked to his side and saw that his roommate has finally woken up. Normally he wasn’t that fond of human interaction, but days have been so boring and lifeless that he was eager to talk about anything else than his physical state and health.
His roommate—Chishiya has come to know that his last name was Niragi—still had his eyes closed. But looking at the fact that he was now breathing more heavily and distressed probably meant that he was awake.
Chishiya couldn’t help but stare. The poor boy looked even more ridiculous than him, with a white hairnet to stop his burned black hair from falling on his wounds and cause a possible infection. He was bare chested, right side of chest covered in slightly faded burns and scars. The right side of his face was covered in whatever bandage the workers decided to plaster on his face. He had some band aids on his arms and overall just looked wrecked. What he eavesdropped from the doctors and nursers was that Niragi suffered drastic second and third-degree burns and, strangely, his heart stopped.
Just like Chishiya’s.
Suddenly Niragi opened his eyes and looked straight at the blond. Chishiya was a little caught off guard by the sudden eye-contact, but kept looking. It wasn’t like his roommate was going to pounce on him in that state.
Niragi breathed in a hoarse breath and closed his eyes in annoyance.
“What do you want..?,” he rudely said, turning his head back to the ceiling. Interesting words for someone who has just woken up from a coma. He sounded like he was in a lot of pain. Probably feeling like he was breathing in fire. Chishiya sighed and looked back too, figuring his roommate wasn’t the chatty type.
Who cares, he needed some verbal communication or he’ll die.
“Seems like you’ve suffered a cardiac arrest too,” He spoke, not knowing what else to say. As already mentioned, Chishiya wasn’t experienced if we’re talking about interacting with people. The only time he did was with his patients. His verbal communication was really something that he needed to improve if he wanted to be a better surgeon.
Niragi let out an estranged hum, making known that he had no idea what the fuck Chishiya was talking about. Chishiya didn’t think this man was stupid enough not to know what a cardiac arrest is. He maybe was just hazed after being in a coma for a few days.
Yeah, that’s probably it.
“Your heart stopped. Do you think this is going to be a big impact in your life?”
Chishiya chewed on his lip, a habit he grew out of years ago. He so desperately wanted to start a conversation to kill the time. Even if it was just for a few minutes. He turned his head to Niragi again, this time with an expecting face. He watched the brunette furrow his eyebrows together before answering with some effort.
“I don’t know..”
For a second Chishiya was scared that that was that, but he quickly continued.
“I haven’t really got the time to think about that, yeah?”
Chishiya rolled his eyes, which made his pounding head hurt more. He didn’t expect his roommate to be sassy like that. Though, looking at the gaping holes in his eyebrow, nose and ears he figured that Niragi sure had a lot of piercings. And though the saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ was clear, Chishiya couldn’t help but think that Niragi looked like a thug.
The total opposite of Chishiya.
The blond sighed and opened his mouth to speak.
“I’ve been awake for a while now. I’ve got some time to think, and I’m still not entirely sure either. But I do know that I’m going to try to be a better person from now on.”
A scoff was heard. Was he mocking Chishiya? Possibly laughing at him? Chishiya didn’t really care, however. He knew what he said, and knew it was the truth. For some reason, ever since he woke up something in his mind clicked. Telling him that although he was a successful surgeon with good money, he has lived a useless and meaningless life. He wasn’t sure yet how to improve it, but he knew he was going to do it.
“So you were a useless bastard too?,” that hoarse voice suddenly said.
Chishiya huffed a surprised laugh.
“Yep.”
~~~
10 days after waking up. Existing still hurt, but not as intense as before. Niragi opened his eyes slowly, immediately annoyed by the stupid bright light of the hospital room. He hated sharp lights in general, but in his current state the light made his burning headache worse. He groaned and grabbed the blanket to cover his own head. He didn’t want to wake up. He didn’t want to bear another day in bed, doing absolutely nothing. The nurses allowed him to go outside for only an hour, which obviously wasn’t enough. He usually spend that time in the hospital’s yard with pretty boy, walking—well, stumbling—around in pure silence. Mainly because talking hurt a lot, and pretty boy was sweet enough to bear that in mind. Other times he just laid in bed with his racing thoughts. He'd love to listen to music with his headphones but the doctor said it was too much of a risk, since the loud sounds of the meteorite crashing down on earth damaged his eardrums. So he settled listening to pretty boy talk about whatever kept him busy. He sure talked a lot, but sometimes it was better than being in complete silence.
Suddenly muffled chuckles were heard. Niragi pulled the blanket off of him and turned his head to look at pretty boy. Apparently he came back from his little walk. He sat crisscross applesauce on his bed, facing Niragi with a grin. The nurses had given him a little more freedom.
“You act like a real child, do you know that?,” he teased with a giggly voice. Niragi scoffed. He didn’t like the fact that pretty boy teased every time he could.
“Anyways, look- I got a friend with me. I kind of talked about her, remember?”
Pretty boy jerked his head to the doorway, encouraging Niragi to look. Once he did, he locked eyes with a smiling girl. She had brown dreadlocks and was dressed in a lovely top and shorts. She looked fairly stunning. Was she pretty boy’s visitor? Niragi doubted it, since he hasn’t brought a visitor in his entire stay at the hospital. Just like Niragi. Though.. what if she was? She could be his girlfriend for all that matter. And for some mysterious reason the word alone made his stomach turn. He didn’t like pretty boy per se, but it would be a bummer to lose this chance.
After Niragi didn’t say anything, the girl’s smile turned in to an awkward grimace. He heard pretty boy sigh quietly before he spoke up.
“Niragi, Kuina. Kuina, Niragi. Have y’all never heard of introducing yourselves to one another?”
Niragi blinked twice, waking up from his thoughts.
“Ah- I’m Niragi,” he muttered before realizing pretty boy has already introduced him to her. He felt himself turn red and turned his head away. Those recognizable chuckles filled the atmosphere.
“Why are you guys so awkward? Do I have to do all the talking?”
Kuina giggled too. She had a very cute laugh. Maybe attractive for Pretty boy. It was whatever though, Niragi didn’t care about Pretty boy’s attraction to people. When nobody replied Niragi heard some shifting coming from Pretty boy’s bed.
“Kuina, Niragi. He’s quiet, grumpy and sometimes I’m quite scared of him. His lungs may have had some fatal damage, but don’t let your eyes deceive you.”
Niragi grumbled some inaudible words before sitting up with some struggle. He looked that pesky blond, who was smirking at Kuina with a playful glint in his eyes.
“Yeah okay. That’s not how I’d like to be introduced, pretty boy.”
His eyes flickered to Niragi as he slowly rose one eyebrow. The tall brunette—what was her name again—widened her eyes and she watched Niragi with a meaningful look.
“Why do you keep calling me that?”
“Honestly? I really just forgot your name.”
“Chishiya. So you settle on “pretty boy’?”
“Can’t deny that you’re pretty.”
Chishiya hummed and nodded while his smirk grew slightly, like he was agreeing. Chishiya’s blond locks moved along with his head movements.
Chishiya, Chishiya, Chishiya. It was a nice name. A name to remember.
Kuina cleared her throat, making Niragi flinch.
“I don’t want to get in the way of your.. moment, so I think I’m gonna’ go home now. Bye, Chishi.”
She waved slightly at him, and smiled at Niragi. Chishiya pouted, and turned his head to her.
“Already?”
“Yeah, they want me to fuck off as soon as possible. You know how busy it is and stuff. I’ll just have to fill some documents and they’ll kick me out.”
Brunette rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hips as she talked, clearly getting more comfortable. Niragi furrowed her eyebrows together as he listened to her words.
“You stayed here?”
Brunette looked up, humming.
“Hm? Yeah. I didn’t suffer too serious damage. Not really any side effects too, except for some annoying cough for a few days. And this ugly ass scar on my waist, look.”
She lifted her blue-striped top a little revealing a stitched up scar, covered by a clear bandage. Niragi thought it looked quite cool, having a eventually faded scar located on your waist. Brunette, however, shuddered.
“It feels so weird, bro. Luckly it doesn’t hurt anymore. Did you know that I vomited blood right after I woke up? I almost choked in it. Imagine choking in your own blood, that sounds like a nasty way to g-”
“Kuina.”
Chishiya looked at her with knowing eyes, placing his index finger on the side of his head like he was talking to a loud toddler. Kuina laughed sheepishly and waved slightly at both Niragi and Chishiya, before muttering a quiet ‘bye’ and leaving. She closed the heavy door behind her and suddenly they were alone again. Niragi and Chishiya. Chishiya and Niragi. the names didn’t really fit together.
~~~
He looked about 10 times better without that stupid hair net. His hair was burned by the edges, but was a pretty black color and overall looked really good on him. Niragi claimed that his hair used to be way longer, but Chishiya thought it looked nice both ways. Long or short. Healed or burnt.
He just needed to get rid of that stupid gown.
“How long do you think you’re going to need to stay here?”
Niragi looked up from the door and locked eyes with Chishiya, his lips slightly parted. He leaned on the bed-post of his hospital bed ad sighed deeply. He was probably absolutely done with being in this depressed dungeon to what other refered as a hospital.
“I think about a week? Most of the times I zone out when that doctor talks about whatever has gone wrong with my body this time, or whatever they’re gonna’ do with me that time.”
“Doctor Ikari.”
“Yeah, him. Whatever.”
He sighed once again and suddenly let out one of his usual heavy coughing fits. He grabbed his chest and gripped the sheets tightly as he let out a wheezed cough. He looked like it hurt a lot. He quickly reached for one of the tissues on his bed stand and spat in it before coughing again. Chishiya shivered slightly of worry, because he knew that Niragi was spitting out blood.
Chishiya watched as he saw his eyelashes get wet from tears in his eyes as he patiently waited for the fit to be over.
When it finally was, Niragi breathed heavily in the tissue while shaking slightly, eyes still closed.
“Niragi?”
He didn’t respond. Probably couldn’t respond when his lungs must’ve feel like they were on fire.
Carefully Chishiya slipped out of his bed, standing on the cold floor barefoot. He opened the little curtain allowing their privacy and without asking if he could he walked up to Niragi and sat on the end of his bed. He hasn’t been on his bed before, but it wasn’t like it wasn’t allowed. So why wouldn’t he?
Niragi opened his eyes and hazily searched for Chishiya's, looking like he was about to start crying from pain. He lowered his hand with the tissue a little, leaving a little trail of spit mixed with blood. It wasn’t a beautiful view, but it wasn’t more than Chishiya could handle. He has been covered in different kinds of bodily fluids so many times that a little blood was like dirty water to him.
When Niragi's eyes focussed on Chishiya's, they weirdly stared at each other without saying a word. The only source of sound was the wheezed breathing of Niragi. It felt like hours as Chishiya took in every detail of Niragi's eyes. The dark and almond shape and those pretty long lashes. It was like a.. magnetic force made their eyes stay focussed on each other. It didn't feel uncomfortable per se, rather comforting actually. Which was quite weird to Chishiya.
Suddenly Niragi inhaled deeply (with obvious struggle).
“Maybe more than a week.”
They both chuckled at the rather depressed joke.