Oschner Medical Center

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I figured that much... I'm not hurting like I was but I feel awful, Yukito, okay?"

Yukito just shrugged and left the room. When he came back, he told her simply, "Sounds like you're gonna feel bloated for awhile, Erin."

Erin's face contorted in disgust. "Ugh... 'bloated', such a freaking ugly word... Now I have this idea that I look like a whale too, instead of just feeling like one. Thanks." She glanced away, pouting.

"You don't look bloated, and you don't resemble a whale, I promise you," Yukito told her, only earning him a roll of her eyes. "Whales don't make hospital gowns look the way you do."

He made Erin snicker. "Yeah, until I sit up and it's open in the back..."

Yukito was quiet for the moment, then started carefully, "Erin...did you try to wake me up?"

"Only once..." she mumbled, looking back up at him. "It didn't hurt all that bad earlier so I was just gonna tell you I was getting up 'cause I didn't feel good, but I didn't wanna try to wake you up too much, because it felt stupid to wake you up just because my stomach hurt. Like, what if I woke you up and all and all it was was like, me having to go to the bathroom or something stupid like that? It woulda been awkward and stupid to wake you up for that... Yukito, really, I feel like crap, can't you get a nurse actually in here this time? It's their job to make me feel better and right now they suck at it."

He stood still for a moment, staring down at her. "Erin, they've done all they can for now. Soon they'd load you up with a bunch of meds and it's gonna suck, but they can't take that away. I've already asked a million times while you were in surgery."

"Why can't they do that now?" Erin protested.

" What bothers me is that I'm not able to do anything for you. Not really. I didn't wake up when I couldn've helped you earlier. I woke up and you were on the bathroom floor."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was supposed to do!" She was pouting at him again, hurt by his words. Like he expected her to know just what she was supposed to do, that she was supposed to try and wake him up until he did and tell him her appendix was inflamed.

"You scared the hell out of me," Yukito told her bluntly. Erin's brow furrowed again, clearly hurt and guilty feeling. "I didn't do it on purpose!" She felt like she was going to start crying again. "I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry! And I feel really bad and no one's helping me and now you're mad at me!" She did start crying, even though it reminded her of how sore and sensitive she still felt. "Owww...!" Her hands went to her torso. "Stupid crying. I don't wanna be here anymore! I don't want you to leave me when they make me stay at night. I don't wanna feel like this anymore!" Her voice had risen with her frustration, just as her parents returned. They'd been out of the room longer than a "few minutes", discussing what would happen next with Erin. Now her mother was standing next to her, taking her hand and giving her long words of consolation. Immediately she gushed out to her parents how she felt so bad, and her dad left to find a nurse.

"Erin, baby, when you can come home," her mom started, leaning in close over her and speaking softly, as if a loud noise might hurt her, "We think you should come back home with us, so you'll have someone with you while you recover."

Immediately, Erin turned to look at Yukito. "No, I wanna stay with Yukito! I wanna get out of here and go back to Yukito!" She looked at him pleadingly for support. "He can take care of me... really!" Yeah, I admit it, I need someone to 'take care' of me... I know, leave it alone!

Mandi looked taken aback, looking completely lost between Erin and Yukito. "Doesn't he work during the day, Erin?" A sigh, then another try: "What if something worse happens? Someone should be home for you. Just for a little while... we miss you, baby..."

Erin looked more pressingly at Yukito. "Nooo... I want to stay with Yukito... I'll be fine, really!" She grimaced again, the soreness twinging again.

Her dad returned then, a green-scrub-clad nurse behind him. Once more she explained how she was feeling, and the nurse obliged, adjusting the pillow and the blankets- they were still stiff and scratchy- before giving her a dose of something or another-- she didn't care enough to pay attention when he told her. He did tell her parents and Yukito to let someone know if Erin began to feel worse or showed any of a list of symptoms before he headed out. If it did work fine, it would probably be what her doctor would give her to take after she was out of the recovery room, too. "I'm still staying with Yukito when I leave, " she reiterated with determination, impatient for the medicine to kick in already. "How long's this supposed to take?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was supposed to do!" She was frowning deeply, a pout to her lips as if she was mentally fending off the pain. Either of his words or the aftermath of her surgery, he couldn't tell. He was awful at reading people, even Erin, who was an open book as far as expressions went, sometimes went over his head. And she said she felt bad about her disorder thing.

"You scared the hell out of me," Yukito told her bluntly, ignoring her face. It wasn't anything to him but a stated fact, something he'd been repeating in his mind all night and morning but hadn't said aloud. He'd been scared, the entire time. Erin looked wounded

"I didn't do it on purpose! I didn't know what to do! I'm sorry! And I feel really bad and no one's helping me and now you're mad at me!" She began to cry, then her hands flew to her torso. "Owww...! Stupid crying. I don't wanna be here anymore! I don't want you to leave me when they make me stay at night. I don't wanna feel like this anymore!"

"Erin-!" he started, ending the sentence abruptly at the sound of her parents entering again, going back to doting on her. Yukito felt personally offended when Jacob went to find a nurse. It won't do any good...I could have done that, but there's nothing they can do. I feel so useless. I should have just left once her parents got here. All I'm doing is making her upset and hurting her more. I'm such a freaking idiot.

"Erin, baby, when you can come home," Yukito's head snapped up at the sound of that, his tongue failing him. "We think you should come back home with us, so you'll have someone with you while you recover."

"No, I wanna stay with Yukito! I wanna get out of here and go back to Yukito!" She looked at him pleadingly for support, surprising him. Why did she keep expecting him to do things right when he kept messing it all up? "He can take care of me... really!" Can I?

Mandi looked taken aback, looking completely lost between Erin and Yukito. "Doesn't he work during the day, Erin?" A sigh, then another try: "What if something worse happens? Someone should be home for you. Just for a little while... we miss you, baby..."

Erin looked more pressingly at Yukito, he stared back at her, silently asking if she was sure about this It was true - her parents would probably take care of her with much more 'efficiency' then he ever could. But she should know by now that he wanted her with him. No matter what. "It's up to you, Erin," he said quietly, "But you know what I'd choose."

"Nooo... I want to stay with Yukito... I'll be fine, really!" Even as she said it she grimaced, not able to mask the discomfort and the pain.

He added to her mother, to reassure her. Or at least try. He knew he sucked at it. "I can ask to cut back on hours at work for a little while, it's only a few hours a day right now." It was a lie, but they'd discuss that alone later, "And the big deal is that she shouldn't be moving around a lot. She has her phone and she can call me if she needs something since Red isn't far from home..." he turned tosend Erin a look. "You will call me."

Her dad returned then, a green-scrub-clad nurse behind him. Once more Erin explained how she was feeling, and the nurse obliged, adjusting pillows and turning to inject a painkiller into the IV. Yukito stiffened and turned away, moving from the bed slightly in silence. The nurse warned them with the same list of symptoms he'd already started to memorize before she vanished. Stubbornly, he sulked because he hadn't gone to get the nurse himself, even though she had only been able to subdue the pain and say the same crap again and again. He hated hospitals. It was making him irritable and stupid.

"I'm still staying with Yukito when I leave, " Erin declared vehemently, "How long's this supposed to take?"

"Not long," Yukito mumbled, sitting down in the chair next to her bed. He was starting to feel seriously worn-out now, and he was fighting against the fatigue adamantly. Inwardly, he wished again that her parents would leave so they could finish their conversation alone. He got the feeling that wasn't going to happen, submitted himself to it, and found himself adding, "I don't blame you, Erin. And I'm not mad."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Erin, baby, when you can come home," started her mother, "We think you should come back home with us, so you'll have someone with you while you recover."

"No, I wanna stay with Yukito!" Erin retorted immediately, suddenly realizing that her mother's suggestion was predictable from the moment Erin couldn't get off the bathroom floor for the pain. Of course she'd want her home. She thought she was broken, and wanted to take her back until she was mended. But she didn't want to be taken away from him! "I wanna get out of here and go back to Yukito!" She looked at him for support, for his reassurance. He was silent. "He can take care of me... really!" she persisted, looking back to her mother.

Mandi looked taken aback, glancing from her daughter to her daughter's boyfriend and back again. "Doesn't he work during the day, Erin?" A sigh, then another try: "What if something worse happens? Someone should be home for you. Just for a little while... we miss you, baby..."

Erin looked more pressingly at Yukito, wanting him to voice his shared opinion, to explain better than her simple demands that she had to stay with him. She couldn't leave him now. Instead, he said, "It's up to you, Erin, but you know what I'd choose."

"It wouldn't be for good unless you want it to be," Mandi continued, tone quiet, reserved, and pleading. She cupped one hand on Erin's face. "We're always here for you, you know that."

She knew it also meant they'd want to keep her. She wouldn't get to see him when she woke up... or share meals with him... or goof around with him and make stupid little inside jokes no one else understood... "Nooo... I want to stay with Yukito... I'll be fine, really!" Her face betrayed thetwisting and pulling she felt inside, though.

"I can ask to cut back on hours at work for a little while, it's only a few hours a day right now." Erin turned to give Yukito a very quizzical glance. A few hours? They must have very different definitions of the word... it almost felt like forever waiting for him. Yukito pressed on. "And the big deal is that she shouldn't be moving around a lot." Erin groaned and rolled her eyes at the realization. "She has her phone and she can call me if she needs something since Red isn't far from home..." Erin rolled her eyes again, already tired of being babied like this, knowing she'd be stuck lying in bed or limping weakly around the house, not even able to freaking lift a gallon of milk without him... He must have sensed her opposition. "You will call me."

"Fine, yeah, I will! Gee..." She dropped father into the starchy pillow, clearly disgruntled.

Finally her dad returned, bearing gifts of a nurse who actually did his job. The medicine was going into her now, but she didn't feel anything. She hoped it wouldn't knock her out, like the stuff they gave her before surgery, but it could at least work like a friggen tylanol. She looked back up to her parents. "I'm still staying with Yukito when I leave."

"We can talk about this later..." her dad started. By talk about it later, he meant "See how right we are later"... whatever. "You're overstressed now... try to get some rest, all right?"

She wrinkled her nose. "How long's this supposed to take?"

"Not long," Yukito mumbled before anyone else could answer. He clearly knew what she meant. He sat down as near her as he could, in the ugly hospital furniture. She was thankful she didn't have to share a room with some random sick weirdo who ended up there, too. She started feeling the soreness ebbing a bit, enough that her brows weren't knit from the twinges anymore, though it also was making her lightheaded. "It's about time," she muttered. Both her parents were silent, standing like sentinels beside her.

"I don't blame you, Erin. And I'm not mad," Yukito told her plainly.

She looked over at him, relieved and thankful for the honest words. "That's good... I thought earlier you might be... I didn't mean to freak you out like that..." Erin's glance shifted back to her parents and she asked, "Can y'all bring me my music? It's gonna get way too quiet here..." Another look at Yukito, and she finished her thought. "'Cause aren't they gonna make you leave?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Erin looked up at him as her mother closed in for the inevitable offer to have her stay with them until she healed up. In truth, he hated the very idea of it. Erin had moved in with him, and it was their responsibility together to figure something out, not her parents. But in the back of his mind he knew they would have to be paying for everything. They hadn't discussed it outright, but it was there. Plus, her mother made a point, that he wouldn't be there for a lot of the day, and anything could happen. He turned to Erin. "It's up to you, Erin, but you know what I'd choose."

"It wouldn't be for good unless you want it to be," Mandi continued, tone quiet, reserved, and pleading. Yukito wondered if she had taken his comment wrong - he was telling Erin he wanted her to stay, not to agree to her parents. She cupped one hand on Erin's face. "We're always here for you, you know that."

"Nooo... I want to stay with Yukito... I'll be fine, really!" He hoped she would. He hoped whatever the doctor gave them, and whatever he could handle, would be enough. Yukito nodded a little, assured that the decision was made now.

"I can ask to cut back on hours at work for a little while, it's only a few hours a day right now." Yukito almost smiled at the disbelieving look Erin sent him. She knew it was a lie. But he continued anyways, "And the big deal is that she shouldn't be moving around a lot. She has her phone and she can call me if she needs something since Red isn't far from home..." The groans of protest from Erin earned her a reprimanding look from Yukito, seeking her reassurance to both him and to her mother. "You will call me."

"Fine, yeah, I will! Gee..." She dropped father into the starchy pillow, clearly disgruntled. Yukito found himself quieting as her father entered again, with a nurse who offered only a dose of medication as difference from what everyone else had been doing all morning long. Erin looked back up to her parents. "I'm still staying with Yukito when I leave."

"We can talk about this later..." her dad started. "You're overstressed now... try to get some rest, all right?"

Standing next to Jacob, Yukito informed him, "It wasn't a request, or a topic for debate. She wants to be home for the recovery, and I agree with her."

Erin wrinkled her nose at the prospect of the medication. "How long's this supposed to take?"

"Not long," Yukito mumbled before anyone else could answer, seating himself near her. He could feel her parents hovering, the unspoken words grating on his nerves as sharply as nails on the chalkboard of his mind. A few minutes passed and the muscles in her face visibly started to relax. "It's about time," she muttered.

Seemingly out of the blue, he told her, "I don't blame you, Erin. And I'm not mad."

As though she hadn't expected his words - which she probably hadn't - she looked over at him, "That's good... I thought earlier you might be... I didn't mean to freak you out like that..." Erin's glance shifted back to her parents and she asked, "Can y'all bring me my music? It's gonna get way too quiet here..." Another look at Yukito, and she finished her thought. "'Cause aren't they gonna make you leave?"

"They can try," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "Doesn't mean I'm going to." Yukito tried to offer her a little smile, "And I don't think you called the powers-that-be to give you appendicitis or anything. It would have freaked me out if it had been nothing at all." And compared to a lot of things that could have happened, it does seemed like nothing, at moments.

"I don't think I could sit at home without you anyways. That place gets a little creepy when you're not there to change the music on me." A playful smirk started to play at his lips, the first of the day. He wanted to brighten the mood for her, the way she was so good at brightening his mood.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"We can talk about this later..." her dad started. "You're overstressed now... try to get some rest, all right?"

"Whatever," Erin muttered, though her word was drowned out by Yukito's voice. S"It wasn't a request, or a topic for debate. She wants to be home for the recovery, and I agree with her." Home... yes, please...

"Her home is also with us, and that isn't going to change," Jacob was quick to respond. He let the words rest, speaking for themselves, and would have remained so even if Erin hadn't started talking again, impatient. "How long's this supposed to take?" I don't feel better yet!

"Not long," Yukito mumbled before anyone else could answer, seating himself near her. The silence that followed would have been unnerving if the medicine hadn't started working already. "It's about time," she muttered.

"I don't blame you, Erin. And I'm not mad," Yukito told her, making Erin turn to look at him with a mixture of relief and surprise.

"That's good... I thought earlier you might be... I didn't mean to freak you out like that..." She looked back over at her parents. "Can y'all bring me my music? It's gonna get way too quiet here..." Erin missed their response, as she turned back to Yukito to finish her thought: "'Cause aren't they gonna make you leave?"

"They can try," Yukito replied without pause. She smiled. "Doesn't mean I'm going to."

"That's why I love you," Erin voiced breezily. Yukito gave her the smallest of smiles. "And I don't think you called the powers-that-be to give you appendicitis or anything. It would have freaked me out if it had been nothing at all."

"I woulda felt stupid," she muttered genuinely. "Glad you're not leavin', though." Her smile returned as she looked back to him. So dizzy...

"I don't think I could sit at home without you anyways. That place gets a little creepy when you're not there to change the music on me." Erin laughed a little at that, feeling the tugging it caused and trying to remind herself not to laugh too much so soon.

"Erin," her dad called, and she glanced back up at him. The simple movement washed a fresh wave of vertigo over her, and she was thankful now that she was still laying down. "I'm going to be back at work tomorrow, but if you need anything you call and I can leave right away. Okay?"

"Okay... can I have music now?"

"Sure, baby," her mom answered before leaning over to give her cheek a kiss. She looked back up at her husband and gave a nod towards the door. "We'll pick something up for her until Yukito gets the chance to bring whatever she wants...." she whispered faintly to him. Jacob gave a curt nod before repeating his wife's gesture, a kiss on Erin's cheek. "We love you. We'll be back soon... get some rest now."

"Mmhmm." Her parents made their exit, and Erin looked back over at Yukito with a small smile. "I'm so dizzy right now... If I stood up, I think I'd fall," she added with a giggle. "I hope they don't expect me to eat that hospital cafeteria crap... It's cold in here; are you cold?" She looked at the IV poking into her skin, then at the ugly sides of the bed that separated her from Yukito. "I hate this bed... I can't wait to get out of it and sleep in our bed again." Another quiet giggle, then she added, "I think they gave me truth serum... don't ask me anything you don't wanna know; there's lots of stuff in my head and I wanna keep it inside.... I wish these stupid bars weren't here and this bed wasn't so crappy... I don't wanna sleep without you right here." She gestured vaguely toward the pillow under her head. "I think I'm sleepy again... didn't I just wake up?" Erin lifted her cell phone that she still had in her hand from when he gave it to her. "Did I really ask for this? That was stupid... what would I do with it, call you right here?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Can y'all bring me my music? It's gonna get way too quiet here..." Erin missed her parents' response, as she turned back to Yukito to finish her thought: "'Cause aren't they gonna make you leave?"

"They can try," his response was honest enough to make her smile. "Doesn't mean I'm going to."

"That's why I love you," Erin voiced breezily. A smile of his own was managed at that. It was flippantly spoken but it meant a lot to him to know why she kept letting him back in without holding back.

"And I don't think you called the powers-that-be to give you appendicitis or anything. It would have freaked me out if it had been nothing at all."

"I woulda felt stupid," she muttered. "Glad you're not leavin', though." Her smile returned as she looked back to him.

A shrug was his response to that, "I don't think I could sit at home without you anyways. That place gets a little creepy when you're not there to change the music on me." Erin laughed a little, the first he'd heard that day. A lot of little things were beginning to mean more to him now, as though each time they achieved a little more normal it was cause to celebrate.

"Erin," her dad called, making both of them look up despite the fact that he had only called Erin's name. There was a small part of Yukito preparing him for an argument about where Erin would go, but Jacob's next words eased that suspicion. "I'm going to be back at work tomorrow, but if you need anything you call and I can leave right away. Okay?"

"Okay... can I have music now?" Yukito looked amused at the childlike request, but her parents just took it in stride.

"Sure, baby," her mom answered before leaning over to give her cheek a kiss. She looked back up at her husband and gave a nod towards the door. "We'll pick something up for her until Yukito gets the chance to bring whatever she wants...." she whispered faintly to him. Jacob gave a curt nod before repeating his wife's gesture, a kiss on Erin's cheek. That now-familiar wave of misplacement kept washing over Yukito, and he sat silently. "We love you. We'll be back soon... get some rest now."

"Mmhmm." Her parents made their exit, and Erin looked back over at Yukito with a small smile.

With a long stretch of his arms that resembled a cat and a groan as he felt the muscle tug painfully, Yukito fell back into the chair with a sigh, "Why do I feel like we just won a small battle there?" He tilted his head at her. "How are you feeling? The meds kick in yet?"

"I'm so dizzy right now... If I stood up, I think I'd fall," she added with a giggle. "I hope they don't expect me to eat that hospital cafeteria crap... It's cold in here; are you cold?"

"Anytime you're not warming up the bed I'm cold," he pointed out, "Plus hospitals are always cold. They'll claim it's for sanitary reasons or something. We could probably ask for more blankets for you, though."

"I hate this bed... I can't wait to get out of it and sleep in our bed again." Another quiet giggle, then she added, "I think they gave me truth serum... don't ask me anything you don't wanna know; there's lots of stuff in my head and I wanna keep it inside...." He arched an eyebrow at that. "I wish these stupid bars weren't here and this bed wasn't so crappy... I don't wanna sleep without you right here." She gestured vaguely toward the pillow under her head. He felt the urge to crawl over the bar and clamber in beside her. But her side had him paranoid, even if she had something to numb the pain.

Still staring a little reproachfully and a little curiously at the bar separating them, Yukito asked her, "What do you mean 'stuff in your head you wanna keep inside? I thought I was the only one having a hard time telling you everything..." He smiled a little at that, trying to let her know he was teasing.

"I think I'm sleepy again... didn't I just wake up?" Erin lifted her cell phone that she still had in her hand from when he gave it to her. "Did I really ask for this? That was stupid... what would I do with it, call you right here?"

Yukito shrugged, "I have to go to the bathroom sometime," was his only answer to her last question. "And yeah, you asked for your cellphone and for me. At least I know what you hold high priority." He stood up and kissed her lips gently before chuckling and figuring out a way to sit on the end of the bed beside her. A smirk grew on his lips as he remembered the last thing she had mentioned before zonking out after surgery. "I think you're funny on drugs, by the way. Very adorable."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I wish these stupid bars weren't here and this bed wasn't so crappy... I don't wanna sleep without you right here."

Still apparently stuck on what she'd said earlier, Yukito asked, "What do you mean 'stuff in your head you wanna keep inside? I thought I was the only one having a hard time telling you everything..."

Erin looked over at him, seeing his smile, and feeling the heat in her face. "Like how our kids would be so freaking beautiful if they look like you-- No!" she squealed, grinning through her embarrassment. "Not fair, you can't ask that! I'm in--, um, uninhibited!" She giggled, tugging on the blankets. "And these aren't long enough to hide under! Stop being mean to me!"

Her giggles faded, and she looked over at him. "I think I'm sleepy again... didn't I just wake up?" Erin lifted her cell phone that she still had in her hand from when he gave it to her. "Did I really ask for this? That was stupid... what would I do with it, call you right here?"

Yukito shrugged, "I have to go to the bathroom sometime," making her giggle again. "And yeah, you asked for your cellphone and for me. At least I know what you hold high priority."

"Well you can take it back... I'm not doing anything with it..." He kissed her, to her surprise, and managed to sit on the bed. Erin shifted her feet over to the side, hoping to give him a little more room. "I think you're funny on drugs, by the way. Very adorable."

"Whatever," she drawled out, rolling her eyes at him before closing them. "You have weird definitions of stuff like that..." She didn't continue the thought, though, more content to drift into sleep again.

Okay, Erin's sleeping again... teh ends. (: [/u]

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"What do you mean 'stuff in your head you wanna keep inside? I thought I was the only one having a hard time telling you everything..." He smiled, teasing her. Especially since she'd said the painkillers worked as a truth serum. If that was true, she'd have to answer him, and honestly.

Erin looked over at him, seeing his smile, and beginning to blush. "Like how our kids would be so freaking beautiful if they look like you-- No!" she squealed, grinning through her embarrassment.Yukito smirked as she tried to bury herself in the blankets, and he laughed openly as she failed. "Not fair, you can't ask that! I'm in--, um, uninhibited! And these aren't long enough to hide under! Stop being mean to me!"

Still laughing, he shook his head. "Fine, but you ruin all my fun. Fun-sucker," he told her, using one of her own favorite phrases.

Her giggles faded, and she looked over at him. "I think I'm sleepy again... didn't I just wake up?" Erin lifted her cell phone that she still had in her hand from when he gave it to her. "Did I really ask for this? That was stupid... what would I do with it, call you right here?"

Yukito shrugged, "I have to go to the bathroom sometime," She giggled at that. "And yeah, you asked for your cellphone and for me. At least I know what you hold high priority."

"Well you can take it back... I'm not doing anything with it..." He kissed her and made himself a spot on the end of the bed as a response, gently taking the phone and slipping it back into his pocket. Erin shifted her feet over to the side, giving him a little more room. His hand felt the strange fabric of the blankets, and his fingers curled around them, willing it to change to something that didn't seem quite sosickly to him. "I think you're funny on drugs, by the way. Very adorable."

"Whatever," she drawled out, rolling her eyes at him before closing them. "You have weird definitions of stuff like that..." He just smiled as she drifted off into sleep again. Something about the painkillers made it a lot easier for her to fall asleep, for which he was thankful for. At least he knew she was worn-out enough to keep her - for the moment - bedridden, despite her own natural energy and need to move around constantly. Yukito sat on the end of her bed for a long time, watching her sleep. He smiled down at her, feeling a little swell of hope again at her words.

"Our kids, huh?" He bent down and brushed his lips across her cheek, his own eyelids getting heavier by the second. He took a quick moment to get more blankets from a passing nurse and laid them across her. Afterhesitating for a few minutes, unsure whether to move to find a more comfortable chair or just forget about it, Yukito laid down next to Erin on the bed. He let his legs dangle off the end of the bed, his cheek near her hand. He ignored the smell of the blankets, and the cleaners, and ignored the ugly walls and cruel lights. Eventually, he fell asleep, still feeling Erin's warmth on the bed next to him, as uncomfortable as the position was.

Yukito is done hereeee...

[More than Music]

OOC: Continuing the stuff from Cassie's Dad's.
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

The first thing he noticed was how bright it was.

He winced, pulling one arm over his face. Not in a 'no, okaasan, five more minutes' sort of way, but a 'how could it be morning already?' sort of way. It wasn't supposed to be bright outside. It was nighttime. The last thing he remembered was the fire, and falling asleep...

CASSIE.

He sat up, looking around. He was alone, in a hospital room. There was pain in his back. From... the beam, right. It had hit him in the back, and hurt a lot, but... He looked at his arm. There were cords there. He had medicine for the pain. That was why it didn't hurt so much anymore.

Wait, he was in the hospital.

Putting his face in his hands, he realized he was an adult now. And he had to find some way to pay for this.

Cassie... she was probably here too. Was she okay? Had she gotten hurt?

No, her otosan was probably taking care of her. Their argument sunk in and Kagayaki realized there was probably a bunch of people taking care of Cassie. Right. He would have to check on her, definitely, but not yet.

The first thing he had to do was call Yukito.

He looked around for a phone. Phone. Phone. Cassie would be okay, he just had to make sure someone knew where he was. So they wouldn't worry. And, this time, he wouldn't wait a long time to tell his best friend he'd been hurt. He coughed. His eyes weren't quite working right, but he felt really tired, so that was probably it.

Phone. Phone. Phone.

He reached over towards it, and the pain came back.

'Ohhh, back says to stop moving so much. Just... just get the phone...'

Victory came slowly, but he had it. He hesitated. Why was it, whenever he needed numbers, they all ran out of his head? It was like animals running from a hunter.

'I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to call Yukito...'

Taking in a deep breath, he forced himself to remember the first number. Then the second. He finally had it. Dialing, he put the phone to his ear and hoped he had it right.

He swallowed. "...Yukito?" He sighed. "You working now, yah?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He'd gone to get a snack out of a nearby vending machine, staring dully at it while the bag of Fritos made its slow way to the front of the line, dropping with a soft thud on the floor of the machine. As he went in to grab him, a sudden, musical sound made him jump. His phone was ringing. He pulled it out and did a double take, putting it to his ear with a confused furrow on his brow. “Hai?”

There was silence, then, "...Yukito?"

“Aidousan?” Yukito looked up and down the hallway, wondering where everybody was. There was a sigh on the line, then Aidousan said, "You working now, yah?"

“Um, no, actually...” He grabbed his Fritos and headed down the hall, passing several people who whisked by without giving him a second glance. The lights in here were as terrible as he remembered, but there was something comforting about how he knew which direction to head, knowing where in this place the exits and destinations were. “Why are you calling me? Is something wrong?” His voice clearly showed his confusion, “I'm just down the hallway...coming your way now...” He then added gruffly, “Of course you had to wake up as soon as I leave the room...”

He entered the doorway, stopping there until Aidousan saw him, then hanging up the phone and giving Aidousan an informative update. “Erin's not here, she's still at school. I left her a message saying what happened, but since they said you should be fine, I don't want her come rushing over here like the crazy being she is.... Cassie is fine, just down the hall. Getting treatment for inhaling too much smoke, but she should be fine.” He paused, staring at Aidousan for a moment , then gently asking, “Do you remember what happened?”

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

Everything was so confusing, but he had to keep his thoughts straight. But he managed to call Yukito, something he should've done right away the last time he was hurt.

“Hai?”

He took a deep breath. "...Yukito?"

“Aidousan?”

The breath came out as a sigh. "You working now, yah?"

“Um, no, actually... Why are you calling me? Is something wrong?” he asked, sounding very confused. Kagayaki opened his mouth to say something, but Yukito did it first. “I'm just down the hallway...coming your way now..."

His eyes widened. "Eh?"

"Of course you had to wake up as soon as I leave the room...”

"I--" Yukito hung up and Kagayaki looked up to see him in the doorway. "Oh."

So, he already knew. Would he ever be fast enough? His friend probably felt very upset with him. Kagayaki wondered how long he'd been asleep... and how bad he'd been hurt. The fact that he, and he alone, would have to pay for this was still ringing in the back of his mind like one of those headaches he used to get. But he hadn't had one of those for a long time.

“Erin's not here, she's still at school. I left her a message saying what happened, but since they said you should be fine, I don't want her come rushing over here like the crazy being she is.... Cassie is fine, just down the hall. Getting treatment for inhaling too much smoke, but she should be fine.” Yukito's eyes were soft, not angry, and neither was his voice. Kagayaki smiled a little.

"Arigato."

“Do you remember what happened?”

He sighed, nodding. "Yah. Cassie and fire. Cassie tosan house. Got hurt... in back." He turned his head a little bit, but knew he couldn't see it. "I be... okay? Go home soon, yes?" Then he jumped, grabbing his blankets, sending a jolt of pain through his back. "Momo! Momokun is home, by self!" Kagayaki bit his lip. "All alone. Need call... call Lily... take care inu-chan."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

“Erin's not here, she's still at school. I left her a message saying what happened, but since they said you should be fine, I don't want her come rushing over here like the crazy being she is.... Cassie is fine, just down the hall. Getting treatment for inhaling too much smoke, but she should be fine.” He reeled off all the things he knew Aidousan would want to know first, earning a smile from his friend at the report. Yukito leaned against the door frame, hands in his pockets, and returned with a little smile.

"Arigato."

“Do you remember what happened?” he queried, earning a sigh from Aidousan. Yukito wasn't surprised, but when beams fell and hit people they tended to get a little disoriented.

"Yah. Cassie and fire. Cassie tosanhouse. Got hurt... in back." He turned his head a little bit, as if looking for the injury. Or perhaps checking that he was still able to turn his head like that. "I be... okay? Go home soon, yes?" Yukito nodded. There was a high chance he could go home tomorrow, if not that day, which relieved Yukito. The hospital was chilly, and he shivered a bit, then gave a jerk as Aidousan suddenly started to freak. "Momo! Momokun is home, by self!" Kagayaki bit his lip. "All alone. Need call... call Lily... take care inu-chan."

Of course...his dog... Yukito stepped into the room and up to the bed. “Do you want to ask Lily to, or do you want me to check in on him?” He hadn't been to Aidousan's house since they first got back to Japan, so he had only met Momo once, maybe twice. Previously, he'd been told the dog would be very quiet and obedient, but it hadn't been so calm when he had walked into the door. Yukito wasn't sure he should have volunteered..

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

“Do you remember what happened?”

He nodded, thinking hard. "Yah. Cassie and fire. Cassie tosanhouse. Got hurt... in back." He tried to look at it, to see if it was bad as he thought it was or if he'd just been in shock when he fainted. He couldn't tell, of course, through the hospital gown and the layers of bandage he felt there, but it felt a bit better already, so he was hopeful. "I be... okay? Go home soon, yes?" Yukito nodded. That made him feel better. Yeah, he'd go home, to Momo-- He jumped a bit. "Momo! Momokun is home, by self!" Kagayaki bit his lip, worried about how the poor thing was doing there, without anyone to look after him or for him to look after. "All alone. Need call... call Lily... take care inu-chan."

Yukito looked at him a little weird, then came over to his bed. Kagayaki gripped his blankets. "Please... Yuyukun..."

“Do you want to ask Lily to, or do you want me to check in on him?”

He relaxed a little, sighing to let out the breath he'd been holding in. "Yeah," he said, leaning back. "You go. Please. Lily may might working now. I think." He crinkled his eyebrows, trying to remember. "Think..." He looked up at Yukito, smiling just a little. "Thank you... being here." Kagayaki withdrew some, wanting to hold his friend's hand but knowing that had long since been off-limits. "Cold," he laughed tiredly, rubbing his arms. "Yeah..."

'You'll never forget me, will you? You're always there for me, no matter what I do. I need a friend like that. You, and Erin. Maybe Cassie again, someday. But you'll always understand me.'

Taking in a deep breath, he tried to let it out normally but he just ended up coughing. He'd failed Cassie, passing out like that when she needed him. But... he'd tried to help. He hadn't seen that beam coming, or he would've dodged it. He would've fought it for her, but he couldn't.

But, wasn't that how it always was with Cassie?

"Wanna see Cassie..." He looked up at Yukito, pouting. "Think I can?"

'I should call Amane, but she's probably in school too... I don't want to upset anybody. I'm fine. Really. I'll call her later, promise.'

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Momo! Momokun is home, by self!" Aidousan bit his lip, "All alone. Need call... call Lily... take care inu-chan." Of course, if he couldn't worry and pester about anyone else, he would want to worry about his dog. Another good reason he preferred felines. But this was Aidousan's pet, his companion, so... "Please... Yuyukun..."

“Do you want to ask Lily to, or do you want me to check in on him?” he offered, already knowing he was going to regret it. He didn't get along well with dogs. He was okay, he wouldn't usually freak out or anything. But he didn't get along well with dogs. But Aidousan immediately began to relax, letting out a breath.

"Yeah, you go. Please. Lily may might working now. I think." He crinkled his eyebrows, trying to remember. "Think..." Aidousan looked up at Yukito, his eyes sad but grateful. A little smile tilted the corners of his lips upward. "Thank you... being here." In response, Yukito gave a nod, blinking and looking down to inspect his shoes.

"Cold," he laughed tiredly, rubbing his arms. "Yeah..."

“They always keep these places freezing-*** cold,” came his curt reply, glancing around and finding no spare blankets nearby. “I can ask the nurse to bring you something.” Aidousan let out a cough, then, giving Yukito that pleading look again.

"Wanna see Cassie..." He looked up at Yukito, pouting. "Think I can?"

It was time for Yukito to shake his head again, “No, I don't think you should quite yet. Wait a little while.” A long pause, then Yukito had to ask, “Why were you at Cassie's, Aidousan?”

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

“Do you want to ask Lily to, or do you want me to check in on him?”

It was such a relief for Yukitokun to offer that! "Yeah, you go," Kagayaki said, sighing. "Please. Lily may might working now. I think." Furrowing his eyebrows, he thought, but wasn't sure. "Think..." Deciding it was better not to think too hard, he just looked up at Yukito with a little smile. "Thank you... being here." Yukitokun just nodded, looking down at his shoes.

'I know... it's still so hard for us, isn't it? We'll get better. You'll see.'

"Cold," Kagayaki muttered, to change the subject, rubbing his arms. "Yeah..."

“They always keep these places freezing-*** cold,” Yukito said, making Kagayaki smile a bit more. Yukitokun was always so honest, wasn't he? Yeah. “I can ask the nurse to bring you something.”

Kagayaki shook his head. "Don't worry about it." Then he found himself coughing, and he was sure that Yukito was glaring at him for it. He wondered how Cassie was doing... he didn't know what had happened after he'd passed out. His stomach hurt a little, knowing he'd been a burden on her. He'd gotten so good at taking care of himself lately too... "Wanna see Cassie..." He looked into Yukito's face for some sort of confirmation, pouting. "Think I can?"

Nope. Yukito shook his head, making Kagayaki frown and slouch a little. “No, I don't think you should quite yet. Wait a little while.”

Sighing, Kagayaki nodded. "Yeah, maybe better..."

'She probably doesn't want to see me anyway, right? I just worry too much... she's fine. She has her new friends. I just want to make sure... make sure she knows I'm sorry for what I did. That's all.'

“Why were you at Cassie's, Aidousan?”

Kagayaki looked up slowly, his eyes a little wide as he clasped his hands in his lap. "I... eto..." He shrugged. "I don' know..."

'Yes you do, silly! Say it. You were trying to make things right and you couldn't. Tell Yukitokun the truth.'

Taking in a deep breath, he looked back up at Yukito. "That's not true. I... I was trying to make things right, Yuyukun. I want things to be good, with me and Cassie. But I... I am so bad with words... I said the wrong things and hurt her worse. Every time I say sorry, I make her angry..." He shrugged. "That's why Cassie and I just couldn't be together. But I know I can make it right... somehow. I love Amane, Yukitokun. I thought, now that my heart was Amane's, that what happened with Cassie didn't hurt... but it does." He shifted.

"I want be... better. I want be... growed-up. Know what do. Like you."