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Another insignificant day seemed to be coming in Charles Eyler’s way. He woke up, got to school and… huh? “Eyler? Are you even listening!?” Oh, it’s just Anri.
“H-huh? No sorry I didn’t quite catch what you said…could you repeat it please?” He tried forming a smile on his lips but it came off really awkward. Anri sighed and made eye contact with Charles, but he looked away, shaking a bit.
Anri took another deep sigh and started speaking again.
“So……”
They were walking down the hallway to their next class.
“Um, sorry to interrupt but do you even remember what we have next class?” Charles interrupted Anri’s rant, she was just ranting about her friends. Charles didn’t really find any interest in that matter so he would not pay attention to her, just agreed with everything she said.
“Oh, yes, it’s PE if I remember correctly.”
“Ah, that’s Vincent’s weak subject” Charles thought. He remembered in middle school—Vincent had passed out several times, he had the worst stamina in the class. He remembers overhearing from classmates back then, that he has a ‘weak heart’.
Charles looked back at Vincent who was with a different group of classmates, talking and smiling to them. Charles could tell those smiles and words he spoke were empty and didn’t mean anything, regardless, he found himself feeling…jealous.
He looked back at Anri and then, ahead of him, the doors leading to the school’s back yard which led to three divided fields, one for soccer, one for basketball and a running track. Though they rarely used the soccer and basketball fields, you had to be in the school’s respective clubs to spend more time there which-- of course, was optional.
Not that Charles wasn’t athletic, he can endure running long distances and has no problem with PE at school. But it just wasn’t his favourite subject.
...
Anri and Charles separated to change into their PE clothes in their respective changing rooms and met up again at the running track.
Charles looks at Anri who glares back at him, giving him a soft smile. But, behind Anri…huh?
“Vincent?” Charles calls Vincent by his first name since they got closer, so does Vincent.
“You’re going to participate? I thought you always sat out in PE.” Charles asked, more worried for Vincent’s health than anything.
“Oh!” Vincent smiles and walks over to Charles and Anri.
“I asked the teacher to let me participate since my health has been getting better recently, I thought of giving it a try.” He spoke, sounding confident.
“Is that so? But still, be—” Charles’s speaking got interrupted by the sound of an ear-stinging whistle by the Coach.
The whole class lined up at the starting point of the running track.
“OKAY EVERYONE. YOU ALL WILL JOG 10 LAPS OF THE WHOLE TRACK, REST AND THEN WE’LL DO AEROBIC EXCERCISES! GO!!!!!” Yelled the coach, and blew his deafening whistle again.
Everyone started jogging, some went faster than others, Charles and Anri would usually run together at an average speed. This time, Vincent tried to keep up with them too, he seemed to be getting through the first lap with confidence.
Through the second lap-- Anri picked up the speed, probably to finish faster, though she remained at a fixed distance, not too far away. On the other hand, Vincent seemed to have started struggling.
“Are you okay?” Charles asked him.
“Huff…I-I’m fine!..” Vincent replied with a very visible drain in his voice. He was panting a lot.
“U-um...d-don’t hesitate to go take a break if you need it! Don’t push yourself…please!” Charles tried his best to reassure him, but Vincent seemed determined.
By the end of the third lap, Vincent started feeling terribly fatigued. His vision was getting blurry, all of his limbs feeling numb and only feeling the heart in his chest beating fast.
“C-Charles….” Vincent cried out. That was the last thing he said before his vision went completely black and he passed out.
“VINCENT!!” Charles yelled.
Anri ran back towards them to see the situation. Other students circled around them too, then the Coach came.
“Oh my god, is he okay? He seems to be breathing thankfully.” Said Anri, putting her palm on his chest. Then she grabbed his arm and pressed on a certain spot on his wrist with her thumb, to check his heartbeat. “His heartbeat is really fast, he got overwhelmed…” she declared.
“EVERYONE BACK AWAY, GIVE HIM SPACE!” Yelled the coach and everyone backed off except from Charles who held Vincent in his arms, sitting with his knees on the bitumen, that might leave a small bruise but Charles didn’t even care about that right now.
“YOU! EYLER! ARE YOU WILLING TO CARRY MR. FENNELL TO THE INFARMARY?” asked the coach.
“Yes sir!!!” replied Charles. And without thinking he put Vincent on his back, put his hands around his neck and grabbed his legs.
“H-huhhh..aauughhh…never again, never ever again….” Vincent buried his head in Charles’s hair mumbling.
“V-Vince? Are you okay?” Charles stuttered. Starting to faintly blush by Vincent who kept nuzzling in his hair while softly mumbling. Everyone else returned to their original task except from Anri who stood from a distance, she crossed her hands and smirked at the sight of them.
“Oh my god….. I’m dying, I’m dead,…. holy shit.…” Vincent continued to mumble, shaking and getting a tighter grip on Charles-- who finally found the strength to get to his feet and actually carry Vincent.
Anri started to walk towards the two of them, her arms still crossed, with that smirk.
“Wow, look at you go.” She commented teasingly and raised her eyebrows.
“Stop.” Charles said looking away flustered.
“Such a hero! This must be… a dream come true!” She continued to tease him, despite him having an embarrassed smile and getting redder each word Anri spoke.
“Stop talking—" Charles objected, but was cut short by Anri again.
“Peak fanfic material.” Anri said with no shame behind her eyes. She even winked at him.
“YOU—“ Charles tried to say something but was cut short again by someone’s certain mumbling.
“I am in insufferable paiiinnn…….auughh….” Vincent said with a hoarse voice.
“Right, I’m sorry Vince.” Charles looked at his back at a dying Vincent, for reassurance.
He took off for the infirmary. Vincent was light, so Charles had almost no trouble carrying him.
When they reached the infirmary, Charles carefully helped Vincent get off of him. Vincent put his hand around Charles’s shoulder to help himself stand since he was still pretty dozed off.
“Nurse!” Called Charles. Later came a nurse and helped Vincent lay on one of the beds. Charles explained the events that took place at the PE and about Vincent’s health condition. The nurse thanked him for everything and told him that he can now go back to his class.
Before he left the infirmary, he took a last glance at Vincent, who lie there. Vincent noticed him, smiled and waved, then he said weakly “Thank you”. Charles didn’t hear it but he saw Vincent’s mouth move and made it out. He smiled back and closed the door to the infirmary.
The moment he heard the ‘click’ from the door closing—he started blushing heavily and laughing, putting his hands on his cheeks and mouth to keep himself from smiling while pacing fast through the hallway and back to the running track. He then realized he had just put his dirty hands on his face and ran back to the restrooms to wash his hands and face immediately.
…
He didn’t see Vincent again that day, he was not back from the infirmary by the next class. After school he went to check up on him, but the nurse explained to Charles that she let Vincent go back home because he was feeling nauseous. Charles thanked her for treating him and returned home.
…
At home, he decided to text Vincent to check up on him, so he grabbed his phone from his bag, opened the message app and started typing…
C: “Hey, just wanted to check up on you.”
C: “The nurse told me that you felt nauseous and she let you go, are you feeling any better now?”
V: “Thank you for helping and taking care of me. I truly appreciate your efforts.”
V: “And yes I am feeling much better right now, thank you for asking. It was a foolish move of mine to try and take part in activities such as running so this distance despite knowing my physical strength and stamina is not to take for granted. I just felt capable after learning that I might be getting better.
V: “I deeply apologize for causing you so much trouble, but really, thank for being there.”
Charles is staring at his phone’s screen which he has inches away from his eyes while he’s laying on his bed, curled up. “Thank you for being there”, he keeps rereading, blushing.
C: “Oh don’t worry, it’s okay! I’m just glad that you’re okay and safe, please take more care of yourself though.”
V: “Ah, thank you. I appreciate your kind words and actions for me, truly.”
V: “Goodnight, Charles.”
C: “Goodnight Vincent!”
Charles buried his head in his pillow, kicking his feet.
“He said goodnight to me, he almost never says that to me before” he kept giggling.
...
He eventually fell asleep.
This time nothing significant enough happened again in the following days.
He’s back to his routine: Wake up, go to school and go back to sleep.
At least his and Vincent’s bond got even tighter. Vincent also started getting along with Anri too. Since Anri is Charles’s friend he tries to be more real to her too. All ended well, there was nothing to be sad about.