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The sound of quick feet making their way down the old creaky ladder fill the living room, quickly followed by the sound of a pair of smaller, mouse-like feet, before landing on Ash´s shoulder.
“Alola, professor!” Ash beamed at him, shining brightly like the sun as Kukui set down two plates of loco moko. He smiled back just as brightly. “Alola, Ash! Sleep well?” he asked as he sat opposite of the boy, who was already shoveling food down his throat. He nodded and replied with a “Mhm!” followed by a high pitch “Pika!”.
Kukui chuckled at the pair’s enthusiasm, before digging into his own food. It was good, if he does say so himself.
After Ash finished eating, he thanked Kukui for the food and went to brush his teeth and get dressed. Kukui smiled fondly to himself. “Never a dull day with him around,” he thought to himself as he grabbed both of their plates and set them in the sink, giving them a quick rinse.
As Kukui was about to head into his and Burnet’s bedroom to fetch his things, Ash nearly ran into him, zooming out of the bathroom and out the door faster than a thunderbolt. He called out an “Oops, sorry professor! See you at school!”,before vanishing into the horizon with his pokemon. Truly, never a dull day.
As Kukui started to make his way towards the pokemon school, he was hit with a strange scent, something sharp, putrid. Like burnt rubber. He saw a crowd of people gathered around…something.
He approached the masses, and felt all air escape his lungs in one, quick exhale while he stared at the bruised and battered body which looked all too familiar, sprawled on the pavement with tire marks on his face and chest.
Kukui’s legs moved on their own as he ran over, pushing through the people, and gathered the boy into his arms. Kukui remained completely motionless with the hope that it was all just a sick twisted joke Ash was pulling, some kind of revenge for stealing a bite of his malasada a few days back. Hoping that if he stayed still long enough, Ash would pop back up again with his tongue out and that signature grin, saying “Got you!”
So he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
But he never did. He felt the body in his embrace get colder and colder, and so did the air around them, growing ever so still.
Kukui felt his breath speed up, becoming frantic, before a scream tore from the very depths of his soul. Raw, and full of agony unlike any other. He held the corpse of Ash tighter against his as if to protect him from the world, to guard the boy-his boy from the cold emanating from within his small body. Kukui's scream rang out, before turning into sobs, which wrecked his frame.
“Oh, Tapu, please no…” his voice broke, gently shaking the boy, as if to coax him awake. The same way he always does. “Don’t do this to me, Ash, please…” his tears fell onto the young boy’s face, but he wiped them away ever so gently. “Please…” he pleaded again.
Murmurs and screams all surrounded him like an echo, but he paid them no mind, instead focusing on the limp boy in his arms. It wasn’t until he felt Ash get taken from him when he realized they were amidst complete chaos. Ambulances, cop cars, crying children, and so much fucking blood.
A rush of terrified fury filled him as Ash was taken away and moved onto a stretcher. He quickly stood up to follow, but his knees gave out. Stumbling back onto his feet like a baby Deerling, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Before he could even turn around to see who it was, he was pulled into an embrace. He was met by yellow cloth, and the grounding scent of old wood, and coconut oil.
“What happened, Keiki?” the man Kukui now recognized to be Hala asked him in a hushed voice. Kukui couldn’t help but sob into the older man's chest, gasping for air and clinging on as tightly as possible. The blaring siren of the ambulance slowly faded into the distance as they drove Ash away.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪𖤐
Time passed way too slowly. Hala sat in the cheap plastic chair next to him, holding his hand as they both stared at the wall of the waiting room. Well actually, Kukui had no idea what the hell he was staring at. He was just trying not to break down.
“Keiki?” Hala asked him softly. Kukui quickly glanced at him, before looking away again. “Hm?” he responded, but it was a little strained. Hala didn’t speak for a little while after that, instead choosing to hold Kukui’s hand tighter.
“Try to take deep breaths.” Hala murmured quietly in a way only the two of them could hear. Kukui wanted to punch the man. How on earth could he take deep breaths at a time like this? One of his students, one of his kids, was undergoing emergency surgery after being hit by a god damn pickup truck. All because some young, fresh out of highschool scum bag decided to take dad’s car for a “joy ride”. No, he wasn't going to take deep breaths, he was going to crash the fuck out.
But then it hit him. What’s he gonna say to Burnet? What will he say to Delia, or his students? Will he have to make an announcement to all of Alola explaining that their champion was dead? His breaths grew quicker, and his chest felt tighter.
As if sensing his internal turmoil, Hala squeezed a bit tighter. “Kukui,” he said, a bit firmer this time, “Breathe.” Kukui took in a sharp shaky breath, and exhaled softly. Ash’s Pikachu cooed in his lap, worried for the man, and its trainer.
Kukui smiled at it, though it was a bit forced. “It’ll be okay, buddy. Ash will be okay.” Kukui wasn’t entirely convinced of that last part, but he said it regardless.
“Professor Kukui?” A woman asked. Kukui immediately stood up, almost giving himself whiplash. “Yes? Is-Is-” He choked on his words, and swallowed hard. Get yourself together, Kukui. “Is he alright?” The question came out slightly more frantic than it was supposed to. Even Pikachu tensed.
But, the woman smiled. “He is, yes,” Oh, thank the Tapus “Luckily his wounds weren’t too severe.” She smiled. Kukui almost started weeping on the spot, but he swallowed it down. Hala patted his back. “May I go see him? Please?” Hala visibly winced at how desperate Kukui sounded. Even the lady gave a sympathetic smile. “You may. He was asking for you. He’s in room 356.”
Kukui took off running, almost slipping as he made a sharp turn to the left. He muttered the number of every single door to himself, running around like a madman. Once he finally found the room Ash was in, he swung it open with such intensity you’d believe it had personally offended him.
And there he was. He was pale, covered in bandages from head to toe, even some on his face and-was he shaking? He gave a weak smile to the professor, and it almost did the man in. “A-Alola, professor…”
Kukui couldn’t hold it in anymore. He burst into tears and embraced the boy so gently like he was the most precious thing in the whole universe, because in that moment, he was. Pikachu nestled itself in between two, nuzzling its head to Ash’s stomach.
Kukui rested his cheek atop Ash’s head and let his tears fall while petting the boy’s back. Kukui felt Ash tremble in his arms, and he just held him even tighter. “Y-You made me worried sick, Ash…” the older man cried. Ash warped his bandaged arms around Kukui. “I’m sorry-” he started, but Kukui interrupted. “No. None of that. This wasn’t your fault, okay? None of this was.”
Ash stared up at him with wet eyes, about to speak, but was once again interrupted. This time by Kahuna Hala making his presence known with a cough. He smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re awake, Champion.” Ash nodded back to him. He walked over, and gave the boy a pat on the shoulder. “You should rest up. Oh, and Kukui? This applies to you as well.” Kukui chuckled, wiping his eyes. Kukui noticed the subtle way Hala’s shoulders relaxed, knowing Ash was safe.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪𖤐
At some point in the evening, Hala had left (probably to take a stroll to the laguna), and it was just the two of them in comfortable silence. Ash had already settled down comfortably, and looked at Kukui with half-lidded eyes. “Hey, professor?”
Kukui snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head to him. “Yes, Ash? Is something wrong? I can fetch the doctor-” Ash dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “No, no it’s fine…” Ash pet Pikachu who was peacefully sleeping on his chest. “I just wanted to ask if I still have to do the homework from today?” It was this moment Kukui realized he never phoned Samson about the incident. He hoped Hala took care of it for him. He probably did, probably.
Focusing back on the matter at hand, Kukui gave Ash a fond smile. “Maybe I'll let you off the hook, just this once.” Ash returned the smile, though his more sleepy. “Awesome, thanks dad.”
Wait, what?
Kukui stared at Ash with his mouth agape, registering the words. Surely he didn’t hear him correctly. “What was that, Ash?” he asked, but the boy was already asleep.
Kukui’s soft smile grew back onto his face, and he ruffled Ash’s hair.
“You’re welcome, Keiki.”