Disclaimer: Two of these characters belong to CLAMP. Everyone else is mine. X: New Beginnings by marymqc Author's note: My first X/CLAMP fic, so please be gentle. ^_^ I'm sure there are many inaccuracies, especially since I know nothing about medical...stuff. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Takeshi’s step was hurried yet cautious, his feet quickly picking over the rubble. Piles of broken glass and concrete impeded his journey, endeavoring to prevent him from progressing any farther. He could hear the others behind him picking their way through the debris, but his mind was focused on the difficult task before him. The destruction was tremendous. Complete sections of the tall building were reduced to heaps of stone and glass. Walls still standing gave the building a skeletal appearance, straining to hold the damaged floors above them. Takeshi could hear the man behind him, Hiroshi, whistle softly incredulously as he surveyed the ruined building. In his chest, Takeshi’s heart hammered furiously. Since it was the weekend, he prayed to a higher power that no one had been in the building at the time of its collapse. But that seemed unlikely. There could have been any number of people catching up on work, or even a small crew of employees could have been scheduled to manage whatever business the building housed. Takeshi knew very little about the building. Even though Takeshi passed the tall structure every day while riding the train, he never really paid any heed to it. Now he never would see it complete again. Takeshi’s crew wasn’t the only rescue team on the scene, but they were one of the firsts to arrive. They, along with the other quickly arriving groups, scoured the rubble for signs of any survivors. So far, Takeshi had yet to see anybody, dead or alive, for which he was extremely grateful. "Hey, look, over there!" Takeshi turned sharply to Hiroshi, who was pointing off to Takeshi’s left. Takeshi followed his gaze. "Oh, dear God," he whispered. Leaning against the rubble was a young boy, no older than sixteen or seventeen. His face was frozen, his gaze staring unwavering off into space. Not a spot on him was clean of blood and dirt. He didn’t move, forcing Takeshi to consider the horrible possibility that he was dead. Takeshi shook himself from his daze and immediately made him way towards the boy. Hiroshi and Mari had already started moving towards him, but Takeshi was able to catch up and even surpass them, if only by a few steps. The boy’s eyes didn’t flicker as Takeshi approached. Takeshi knelt in front of the kid, sitting the box of medical equipment beside him. "Hey, kid. Kid, are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "What’s wrong with you? Where are you hurt?" The boy made no response. Takeshi, gulping nervously, placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him a little. At his touch, the boy immediately jerked and swung his gaze to meet Takeshi. Takeshi gasped as he saw the emotion that flashed wildly. But almost immediately, a wall was erected before he could even determine what emotions he had seen in the boy’s eyes. Takeshi felt Hiroshi and Mari move beside him, quickly taking over. With careful, quick movements and flurried words and phrases, they assessed the boy’s condition. Takeshi merely stared, finding himself unable to do more than give the other two whatever aid or instrument they needed. Takeshi cursed whatever fate that would have allowed such a young person to experience the mass destruction. He watched the boy’s face for any sign of what the kid was going through, but the kid seemed to be hiding behind a unyielding mask of impassive emotions. Takeshi’s eyes wandered over his body, taking in the injuries, when his gaze was caught by a small movement of the boy’s hand. He seemed to be gesturing to a spot, his index finger pointing weakly. Based on the boy’s indifferent face, Takeshi wasn’t even sure if the motion was intentional or not. The movement went by Hiroshi and Mari unnoticed, but Takeshi turned to see what the boy may be pointing at. At first, he only saw more rubble. But as his gaze lingered, a splash of red amongst the gray stone caught his eye about 15 feet away. His breath catching in his throat, Takeshi stood up unsteadily. He glanced back at the boy, who was now watching him. Then Takeshi turned back to the blood, and as his eyes focused more closely, he saw that a fresh crimson was mixing in with dry, rusty-red blood. He ran, or at least attempted to run, the short distance to the pile of debris. He immediately crouched down to inspect the broken pieces of stone and wood. There, laying on top of one of the pieces of debris, was a hand, covered in blood. Takeshi quickly began lifting the wreckage away. With each piece that he removed, he slowly began to uncover a body. First he saw a twisted arm, then a slim neck, and then the bloodied chest before he finally reached the piece that covered his head. He only hoped that somehow the rubbish had formed a small cave around the victim’s head that would have protected the face from serious damage. Any other parts of the body could have been seriously injured and deformed, but a destroyed face always seemed especially horrible to Takeshi. It would take away the identity of the victim, effectively destroying whatever peaceful illusion an unharmed face would give. With a quick, determined shove, he soon had the piece of debris cleared from the victim’s head. Breathing heavily, Takeshi looked down at the face, thinking he was mentally ready for whatever gruesome sight would greet him. But he couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped him. Takeshi was not prepared to see the face that was turned towards him. He could have handled a face that was caved in, slashed open, or even ripped away, but this face was...this face was practically unmarked. There were a few scratches, and a heavy gash across the forehead, but even that couldn’t detract from the face. The face, with its delicate structure and long, dark eyelashes contrasting sharply with the pale skin, left Takeshi completely spellbound. A drop of water splashed onto a piece of concrete in front of him, startling Takeshi. He placed his hand underneath his own eye and discovered to his surprise that he was silently crying. His fingers were trembling as he wiped a large tear from the corner of his eye. He couldn’t explain the horrible emotion that washed over him. It wasn’t as though he’d never seen death before. In his line of work, he was forced to get accustomed to death very quickly. But for some reason, seeing this young man lying tragically amidst the broken remains of the building was too much for Takeshi to bear. Takeshi thought sorrowfully, desperately attempting to recover. It wouldn’t be good for the other two to see him like this. With a deep mournful sigh, he began to uncover the rest of the broken, bloody body. As he took the stones off of the young man, he braced himself so that he wouldn’t break down again. The injuries looked horrible. Takeshi’s eyes roamed over the blood-splattered body, noting each gash and break. The victim’s once white clothes were now tattered and stained red from his various wounds. There were two deep cuts carved into the victim’s chest and abdomen; one angry, red gash ran from nearly his shoulder to the opposite side right above the hip, and the other equally severe cut ran straight across the middle. His right shoulder was crushed, and blood from the wound ran in rivulets down the victim’s laceration-covered arm. Takeshi guessed that a few ribs were broken from the looks of his chest, and multiple bruises and cuts dotted his body. Soon Takeshi reached the last piece of rubble, which concealed most of the young man’s left leg. This debris was particularly heavy, and he brace himself with his shoulder to haul it off. As the piece shifted off the victim’s leg, Takeshi glanced over at the now uncovered body. Just in time to see the young man’s hand twitch. Takeshi gasped and jumped to his feet, mentally cursing himself. How could he not have checked for a pulse? He had just assumed the young man was dead. How could he have possibly survived the pile of debris that had fallen on him? Takeshi berated himself; he still could have taken a second to feel for a pulse or breath. He quickly tried to make up for his mistake by immediately feeling the man’s neck. It took him a moment, but there, underneath his fingertips, he could feel the heart weakly struggling to pump blood through his veins. The feeble heartbeat was almost nonexistent. "Is he alive or dead?" Takeshi turned around, his eyes wide in wonder. "He’s alive!" he answered Hiroshi’s call. The other two medics were busy strapping the boy into the stretcher, but they both glanced up at Takeshi. Hiroshi whistled lowly. "Well, we could only get one stretcher in here. We’ll have to come back for him," he told Takeshi. Distraught, Takeshi froze. After a long moment, he nodded slowly before turning an anxious gaze towards the young man. He felt his eyes glisten at the thought that this man may not make it out alive, especially since they would not be able to get him out right away. A low murmuring drifted to his ears, and he looked towards the sound. It was the young boy on the stretcher, attempted to speak. "Shhhhh..." Mari tried to hush him. "Save your energy." The boy refused to listen. He struggled against his bonds, trying to face the young man Takeshi was kneeling beside. Takeshi strained to make out the boy’s words. "Su...ba...ru? P-Please..." the boy cried weakly. "Su-baru!" Takeshi turned to young man on the ground. Subaru? Takeshi assumed it was his name. Behind him, he heard the two medics with their patient carefully make their way out of the building, the young boy continuing to mutter softly. Takeshi reached for the medical supplies and began trying to stabilize his own patient, working on the worst of the injuries that he was capable of repairing. Suddenly, the supporting walls surrounding them began to creak and groan. Takeshi glanced worriedly around him. About thirty feet away, a pile of rubble suddenly tumbled to the floor. An alarmed curse flew from his lips as the realization of their precarious situation hit him. The building could fall at any moment. Takeshi’s thoughts flew through his head. If they stayed here, they risked the chance of being crushed. But if he moved the patient, he could injury the young man ever further. Leaving the patient here was out of the question. When the walls creaked again, Takeshi quickly made up his mind. He studied the patient, quickly checking for any signs of back injury. Then, with a quick prayer, he bent down and lifted the patient into his arms. The young man the boy had called "Subaru" was amazingly light. Takeshi’s eyebrows furrowed together unconsciously, but Subaru had worse problems than an underweight body. Takeshi held the limp body in his arms, his head resting against the paramedic’s shoulder. Gingerly, Takeshi began making his way out of the groaning building, with clouds of dust raining on top of them. Suddenly, he felt the light body in his arms slightly stir. Takeshi glanced down. Subaru had turned his head towards a sight, his eyes obscured from Takeshi’s view. He made no other move, and Takeshi was unsure whether he was awake or not. Curiously, he followed his gaze. Bile rose in Takeshi’s throat, which he quickly suppressed. Blood was splashed everywhere, dried, rusty rivers running along the sides of concrete and wood. In the midst of the blood was a man - or at least, what was left of him. There barely seemed to be enough parts in tact - and certainly none were attached to each other - to even call the victim a man anymore. Instead, "he" was reduced to scattered pieces of flesh and bone. The young man in his arms tensed, visibly upset over the sight. Disturbed by Subaru’s reaction, Takeshi immediately turned his body away so that the scene would be blocked from his view. Subaru’s mouth opened and closed, and after a moment, a croak sounded from his throat. "Sei...Sei..." His shaky voice rose slightly. "Shhhh, don’t speak," Takeshi soothed him, trying to calm him down. Subaru made no sign that he had heard him. His voice struggled with the words, "Sei...S-Saku...Sakura..." "Shhhhh..." Takeshi repeated softly. Whether he listened this time or was merely worn out, Subaru fell silent. His head rolled back on top of Takeshi’s shoulder, his eyes closed. Takeshi watched him closely as he saw a solitary tear slip from his eyelid, quietly trailing down his pale cheek. Finally, the pair reached daylight. Takeshi immediately spotted his two partners and carried Subaru towards them. Hiroshi and Mari blinked at the sight of him before quickly helping him with his patient. As the three busied themselves, treating his wounds, Hiroshi looked up at Takeshi with a wry grin. "What a way to end your first week on the job, huh?" - Rescue searches continued throughout the day, but only a few dead bodies were found. Most were brutally damaged beyond recognition, but the few that remained somewhat intact appeared to be rather young, ranging from their teens to their twenties. People shook their heads sadly at the tragedy, some even weeping softly. Takeshi slowly trudged through the wreckage, his shoulders slumped. Once the shock had worn off, all that remained was a sort of depressed exhaustion. From the looks of the other paramedics and firemen and miscellaneous rescue workers, everyone was feeling as weary and run-down as he was. Takeshi sighed. Even though his shift would soon be over, that didn’t necessarily mean he could leave. Mari approached him, tiredness lining her features. "The search is going to continue all night tonight," she informed him. "But we’ll be able to leave soon." She gazed solemnly at the ruins of the building. "There’s not much we can do. There will be others here in case they’re needed." Takeshi nodded absently, inwardly relieved at the news. Mari patted his back a couple of times and walked away, rubbing at one of her eyes. Takeshi stared at the ruined building, trying to figure out what exactly had happened to it. As he went through the day’s events, he recalled no mention of how the building collapsed. Or what the victims had been doing there in the first place. Eventually, his crew was relieved, and Takeshi was free to go. He was extremely tired, both physically and mentally. Yet as he entered the train station, he found himself boarding the train that took him to the hospital instead of the one that would carry him home. - Once he arrived at the hospital, he immediately wondered what he was doing there. He was sure that going through this extra measure for a patient wasn’t very professional, but he needed to see how Subaru was doing. If he even was doing. Both he and the boy were alive when they were transported to the hospital, but that was the last Takeshi knew. Takeshi approached the administration desk, immediately feeling awkward and out of place. He could feel a slight burning in his cheeks, which he tried to cover by placing a large, friendly smile on his face. Fortunately, he knew Yukio, the lady who was working the desk, and she pointed out Subaru’s room for him. Takeshi drew in a deep breath. At least the young man was still alive, but that didn’t mean very much. Taking a deep breath, he walked to Subaru’s room and quietly entered, not wanting to disturb him. The body lying on the bed seemed so small, completely wrapped up in the sterile white sheets. Chewing his lip worriedly, Takeshi slowly approached the bed to get a closer look. Even though Subaru was asleep, his face tense with pain. Blood seeped through many of the bandages covering his body, and numerous machines and medical equipment were wired to his body. His skin was a ghastly pale color, sharply accentuated by his dark hair and eyelashes. A unfamiliar feeling twisted the inside of Takeshi’s stomach as he watched the patient sleeping. A raspy wheeze was expelled with each shallow rise and fall of Subaru’s chest, causing Takeshi to wince worriedly. A sound behind him caused Takeshi to whirl around. Standing at the doorway was the teenager from the building. Takeshi’s eyes widened. "Hey, you shouldn’t be walking around," he told him. "You’re in no condition..." The boy ignored him, brushing past to look at the man sleeping on the bed. From his viewpoint, Takeshi was unable to see the boy’s expression. Takeshi studied his injuries. A bandage was wrapped around the boy’s forehead, and both lower arms were also covered. Additionally, Takeshi noticed that he had walked into the room with a slight limp, and he saw more bandages peeking out from under the hospital gown. The boy stood silently beside the bed for a few moments before whirling around to Takeshi, finally acknowledging his presence. "Who are you?" he asked angrily, suspicion blatant in his large, violet eyes. Takeshi took a step back unconsciously, blinking. "Um, I’m the paramedic that, uh, brought him in." Recognition flashed on the boy’s face. The angry lines slowly dissipated from his expression, yet the suspicion remained in his eyes. "What are you doing here?" Takeshi shifted under the boy’s unwavering stare as he stammered to explain himself. "I, uh...you see, I mean...I wanted to see...you know, if..." Suddenly he stopped, deciding to switch the attention over to the boy. "What are *you* doing here?" The boy blinked once then slowly swung his head to look at the wheezing young man on the hospital bed. A long moment of silenced passed, and Takeshi thought he wasn’t going answer. Then, he heard a low whisper from the boy. "...He’s the only one I have left." Takeshi froze, immediately regretting his earlier impression of the boy. It dawned on him that the boy should have been surrounded by worried parents, yet here he was, out of bed and alone. A sad frown settled on his face as he watched the boy slowly reached out a hand and laid it on top of Subaru’s own limp hand. He then took Subaru’s hand into his own, grasping it firmly. Takeshi turned away, feeling that he was intruding. He decided that now would be a perfect opportunity for him to ask about the patient’s condition. - The clock ticked loudly in the quiet hall outside of Subaru’s room. Takeshi leaned his head against his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. He sat in an uncomfortable chair, an oppressive weariness settling over him. He told himself to go home, but for some reason, he couldn’t force himself to leave. Subaru’s wounds were less severe than they appeared, but they were still very serious. This first night could determine whether he lives or dies. Most distressing was the fact that he wasn’t fighting. His survival could very well depend on how much he wanted to live, and Subaru didn’t seem to care at all. Takeshi sighed and rubbed his face. Once again, he asked himself why he cared so much about this particular patient. For some reason, he was entranced with Subaru’s unnatural beauty, which contained an underlying tragic quality. The suspense was slowly eating at him until he couldn’t deal with it anymore. With a sudden movement, he pushed himself from the chair. He hadn’t gone into the room earlier because the boy was still in there when Takeshi had returned, but now Takeshi didn’t care whether he would be intruding or not. He just couldn’t remain out in the hallway another minute. The boy didn’t look up as Takeshi entered. Without a word, Takeshi walked to the opposite side of the bed, and together, the two silently watched the sleeping patient. After a few still minutes passed, the boy spoke up. "Is he going to live?" Takeshi jumped silently at the sudden noise. Quickly recovering, he answered the boy. "It all depends on the patient’s will to live." The boy nodded slowly, a sad, resigned expression settling on his face. He squeezed Subaru’s hand and said no more. Takeshi looked at the boy. "I’ll stay here all night, so if anything goes wrong, I’ll be here," he tried to reassure him. The boy nodded again, his gaze locked on the pale face below them. Takeshi cleared his throat and continued. "So, what’s your name?" The boy glanced at him before quickly turning back to Subaru. "Kamui." Takeshi repeated the name to himself. "I’m Takeshi," he told Kamui, who only nodded. Takeshi decided to continue. "Is he your brother?" Kamui shook his head, but did not reveal any more information. Giving up with a shrug, a deep yawn escaped Takeshi, one that caused his eyes to water with sleepiness. Suddenly extremely tired, he pulled a chair up alongside the bed and dropped himself into it. "Do you want a chair?" he asked Kamui, unable to repress another yawn. The teenager shook his head, and Takeshi shrugged. He leaned back into the chair, resting his gaze on the still form in the bed. Almost immediately, his eyelids grew heavy, and very shortly his eyes slipped shut. - Some time later - Takeshi wasn’t sure of how much - something woke him from his sleep. Confused, Takeshi looked around, trying to recall where he was and what he was doing there, and wondering why he was awake. But as his gaze shifted to the bed before him, he immediately remembered. Takeshi blinked in the soft darkness of the room, his eyes focusing on the form laying on the bed. Subaru was still there, so he must still be alive. Takeshi murmured a quick prayer of thanks. Then, Takeshi discovered what had awaken him when a soft murmuring drifted to his ears. His eyes focused on the boy, Kamui, who was leaning over the prone figure. Takeshi’s eyes narrowed with curiosity, listening to the boy’s words. Apparently, Kamui was oblivious to Takeshi’s awareness. "Please, Subaru..." the young teenager was whispering. "Please, don’t go. You can’t leave me alone like this...I know - I know that I’m always asking too much of you, but you’re always there, always making sacrifices and everything for me...But I can’t..." Kamui’s voice caught in his throat, and he struggled to continue. "I can’t...survive without you. P-Please, Subaru, just...just do this one last thing for me. Don’t die...don’t leave me like everybody else." Takeshi immediately felt guilty for eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help it. It was too late anyway; Kamui had stopped talking. Takeshi unconsciously wiped at his eye, surprised at the wetness he felt. With a shameful oath, Takeshi shifted in his seat and tried to fall back asleep. - A cramp in his neck formed and worsened steadily until it was finally too painful for Takeshi to sleep through. With an irritated yawn, Takeshi sat up and rubbed at his sore neck. He was still sleepy, but there was no way he would be able to sleep in that position any longer. The room was still dark, but there was enough light for him to see the bed. Subaru was still there. Takeshi noted that he had shifted slightly, for one arm was flung over his eyes. The other arm, more seriously injured, rested uncomfortable beside him. Takeshi’s eyes traveled to Kamui, who was now kneeling on the floor. He must have fallen asleep at some point. His head rested on top of Subaru’s chest, one bandaged arm curled around it and the other wrapped cautiously around Subaru’s middle. Takeshi slowly got up from his chair and approached the boy quietly. Kamui really should be taken back to his room. Takeshi was surprised he hadn’t been discovered already. Just as he was about to touch the teenager’s shoulder, Kamui jerked. Takeshi jumped back as he whirled to look at him warily. "What?" Takeshi fumbled. "Uh...Don’t you want to go back to your own room?" Kamui only looked at him. Takeshi pressed on nervously. "Hey, I know you want to stay here, but you are a patient, too. You can’t just wander around, you have to stay in bed. Else you might not...you might not get better as fast." Kamui gave him a steady look, clearly telling Takeshi what he thought of that reasoning. He sighed, and tried to come up with a different tactic. "Look, you won’t be allowed to stay here. If they find you here, they’ll make you go back to your own room. And I’ll get in trouble, too, and we both might not be allowed back here." Well, that might be stretching it a bit. Kamui’s eyes rolled up in annoyance as he turned back to Subaru’s sleeping form. "A nurse already saw me in here," he said. "And she didn’t make you go to your room?" Takeshi asked incredulously. "She did," he flatly replied. "But I came back." Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "You came back, even though you were told not to?" "Why not? I can be here if I want to," Kamui remarked wryly, "considering I did just save manki-" Abruptly, he cut himself off. Takeshi looked at him curiously, but the teenager didn’t continue. Takeshi waited a moment, then continued his argument. He tried to make his voice as threatening as possible, but failed miserably. "Look, don’t make me..." Just then, he was interrupted by a loud, shrill beep. Kamui and Takeshi whirled towards the sound in alarm. Takeshi immediately cursed under his breath and ran to the door, Kamui following at his heels. "What’s wrong?" Kamui cried. "What’s going on? What’s wrong with Subaru?" Takeshi ignored him, too intent on the situation. He ran out into the hallway, grabbing the closest hospital personnel he saw. "Help! That man’s coding!" The orderly nodded. Soon, a group of doctors and nurses raced towards the room. Takeshi and Kamui were forced to the side, their drained faces revealing their terror as the watched. After a moment, Kamui acted first, stepping towards bed surrounded by the medical crew. Takeshi followed silently, his heart hammering. The mantra repeated itself in his head as he drew closer. Kamui grabbed Subaru’s hand tightly, refusing to let go. A couple of nurses tried to shoo him away, but he refused. One look from his powerful gaze stopped anyone who approached him in their tracks. Besides, they were forced to focus on the crisis before them. Commands and stats were shouted across the room as the group worked over Subaru’s still form. Takeshi held his breath unconsciously, but he couldn’t hold the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. Tension filled the air with urgent electricity as the sounds of the room filled his ears with a loud roar. Kamui’s voice rose above the din. "No, Subaru! You can’t do this! You just *can’t*!" Takeshi watched worriedly as Kamui continued to plead with the dying patient. "I’m sorry! Subaru! Don’t leave! *SUBARU!*" His voice screamed Subaru’s name. Takeshi closed his eyes, wishing he could tune everything out. This just couldn’t be happening. The young patient had to pull through this. Everything was supposed to go okay. Just then, a steady beeping filled the room. Takeshi choked in surprise, his eyes flying open. A heartbeat. Subaru’s heartbeat. A gush of air escaped Takeshi’s lungs in deep relief. Beside the bed, Kamui tilted his head down against Subaru’s side, a small, relieved smile shining through a sudden onslaught of tears. Gradually, the doctors and nurses left the room, after making sure the patient was stable. Takeshi rushed up to the side of the bed after everyone had left, opposite from Kamui. The teenager’s head was still lying on top Subaru but had migrated to the center of his chest, his ear pressed over his heart. An arm was hugged protectively around Subaru as tears streamed silently down Kamui’s cheeks. Takeshi stood there awkwardly, once again feeling as if he were intruding. But he refused to leave. This immense relief over Subaru belonged to him as much as anyone else. Takeshi sighed inwardly at himself, feeling extremely foolish but determined to stay. Takeshi had to restrain his hand from touching the patient below him. As much as he wanted to feel the smooth skin, protocol forced him to do no more than look at him. Still unconscious, Subaru’s pale face stared impassively at the ceiling above him. The dark eyelashes rested peacefully against his cheeks and his thin lips were parted slightly, relaxed. His features were slightly distorted by the tube running to his nose and the small bandage covering his left cheek. His bangs were pushed back by the dressing wrapped around his forehead, the short, dark locks falling limply against the white gauze. After a very short struggle, Takeshi relented to the temptation to stroke the soft bangs. Hoping that Kamui was preoccupied with his own thoughts, he reached out a slightly shaking hand to the patient’s forehead. He ran his fingers along the silky tufts of hair, brushing them away and then back onto the bandage. The cool strands felt as soft as they had looked, which Takeshi noted with delight. Suddenly, he felt eyes on him, and looking over, saw that Kamui was watching him. Startled, Takeshi hurriedly tried to cover his actions, quickly placing a palm over Subaru’s forehead as if he were merely feeling his temperature. Takeshi knew the boy wouldn’t buy it, and his checks burned with embarrassment. He drew his hand away, tucking it shamefully into his pocket. His tears gone, Kamui slowly lifted his head to look at him more closely. Takeshi was amazed at the transformation. He shifted under the younger teenager’s intense stare, feeling his cheeks blaze even more hotly. This kid was almost ten years younger than him, yet Takeshi felt overpowered by him. He gulped as Kamui’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you here?" he asked harshly. Takeshi cringed. Suddenly, he realized he had absolutely no idea as to why he felt the need to keep watch over this patient, why he was so obsessed with staying. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t treated beautiful patients before, although admittedly, they were few in number, seeing as this was only his first week on the job. Nevertheless, he knew it wasn’t just Subaru’s looks. But Takeshi struggled with finding another reason why he felt so captivated by a patient who hadn’t even opened his eyes yet. Obviously, personality was ruled out. Kamui cleared his throat loudly, causing Takeshi to blink. By now, too much time had passed for any excuse to sound legit. But that didn’t stop Takeshi from trying. "Uh, well...it’s hard to explain. See, Subaru was the first critical patient I’ve ever treated, and since I, well - pretty much rescued him by myself, I sorta just want to make sure he’s okay." Takeshi shrugged, adding, "you know?" Mentally, he let out a sigh of relief. That actually sounded somewhat believable. Kamui looked at him. "You’re going through all of this for one patient just because of that?" Takeshi swallowed. Okay, maybe not so believable. "Well...yeah." Kamui shot him one last unreadable look before turning back to Subaru, as if it was his way of accepting Takeshi’s excuse. Triumph filled Takeshi, followed closely by embarrassment. He wasn’t a big guy, but he could overtake that scrawny teenager any day. Yet here he was, needing Kamui’s permission to stay. Takeshi couldn’t help but feel foolish. Just then, a large, bulky nurse stomped into the room. Although Takeshi didn’t know her by name, he was familiar with her enough for a smile to come to his face. "Young man, what do you think you’re doing out of bed?" Her shrill voice caused both Takeshi and Kamui to cringe, and even Subaru twitched a little. Instead of backing off like anyone with a bit of sense would do, Kamui fought back defensively. "What is so special about the damn hospital bed? Am I supposed to be miraculously healed if I stay there long enough?" Takeshi gaped at Kamui’s audacity. The nurse exploded. "Watch your mouth! You need to learn some manners, boy! I will not have you talking like that to me, you hear? Now, get! To your room, NOW!" The words that the nurse spoke weren’t especially frightening, but her tone was enough to make even Kamui gulp. Takeshi reveled in the fear that actually shone in Kamui’s face. He knew he’d never see that expression again. Kamui ducked his head shamefully. "Sorry, ma’am." The nurse crossed her arms in satisfaction. "That’s better. Now hurry on back to your room before you wear yourself out, you hear?" She smiled at him, a friendly, motherly expression replacing the stern look from before. Takeshi watched Kamui leave the room, the nurse escorting him. Once they were gone, Takeshi immediately felt uncomfortable being alone with Subaru. He felt awkward with Kamui or anyone else around, but he wondered what he would do now that he had some privacy. What if Subaru wakes up? What happens then? Rubbing his neck, Takeshi glanced at the clock. Five a.m. Early in the morning, early enough that he could go back to sleep. Takeshi yawned, wanting to crawl into a warm bed and sleep until noon. Instead, he found some folding chairs and lined them up beside Subaru’s bed. After taking a brief bathroom break, Takeshi stretched out along the seats of the chairs. Using his arm as a pillow, he soon drifted off to sleep. - Sun streamed through the hospital window, shining cheerfully, giving the room a healthy glow. At precisely 8:03, the bright, lively rays hit Takeshi directly in the eyes. Grumbling irritably, he turned away from the sun, only to hit his head against metal. He rolled back, and the sun once again unmercifully struck his eyes. To top that off, the metal seats of the chairs he was sleeping on had gotten even harder over the hours. Finally giving up on the fight to sleep, Takeshi cracked his eyes open. ...To find another set of dark eyes meeting his own. Takeshi jerked up, the sudden movement causing his hand to slip off the smooth metal of the chair, which in turn caused him to lose his balance and roll over. With a loud crash, Takeshi fell into an ungraceful heap on the floor. His face burning, he remained on the ground, paralyzed with mortification. There was no way he could try to cover his embarrassment smoothly. Reluctantly, he picked himself up from the floor, hoping his cheeks weren’t too red. "Um, good morning," he greeted the patient nervously as he stood. Subaru looked at him silently for a moment, and Takeshi, taken aback, realized that one of his eyes was missing. "Good morning," Subaru finally returned, speaking slowly. "You’re in a hospital," Takeshi informed him lamely. He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from hitting himself. Subaru nodded. A tongue licked over his dry lips, trying to wet them, and he had to clear his throat before speaking again. "Are there any others?" Takeshi lowered his head sorrowfully, wishing he didn’t have to tell Subaru. He shook his head slowly. "Only one." Subaru was silent for a moment, letting the information sink in. His expression was sad, but not surprised. "Who?" "Kamui." Subaru nodded as if he expected this. "Where is he?" Takeshi gestured towards his room, even though it was several walls away. "He’s in his own room right now." A brief look of worry crossed Subaru’s face. "What’s wrong with him?" Takeshi gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Oh, he only had a few slight injuries. He’ll be fine." Subaru relaxed visibly, and the room lapsed into silence. Takeshi sat down awkwardly, the silence making him uncomfortable. He felt he needed to explain his presence, but he couldn’t. Subaru, however, seemed to accept him and the quiet. Takeshi coughed. "Your heart stopped last night." He figured Subaru should be told. His eyes blinked once, the only sign of any reaction. After a pause, he asked in a whisper, "Why didn’t I die?" "Well, fortunately, the doctors and nurses were able to resuscitate you," replied Takeshi. For some strange reason, from the look on his face, this didn’t seem to be the answer Subaru wanted. "You were pretty lucky," Takeshi added. Subaru snorted softly, the sound so low that Takeshi wasn’t even sure he heard it. "What’s wrong?" he asked. "It was all supposed to end." In spite of the questioning look Takeshi gave him, Subaru refused to explain. Takeshi could guess though. After a few more moments of silence, Subaru spoke again. "Who are you?" Takeshi sighed inwardly, knowing that this question was bound to be asked eventually. "My name’s Takeshi..." That was the easy part. "And I...um-" He stopped himself when he noticed Subaru’s eyes look past him. Turning around, Takeshi saw a pair of violet eyes that he had quickly become familiar with peering into the room. Seeing that the room was safe, Kamui proceeded in, obviously trying not to draw attention to himself. As he got closer to the bed, he froze. "Subaru!" Subaru smiled softly at him as the young boy ran the remaining steps to his bed. "How are you, Kamui?" Kamui shrugged noncommittally. "I’m fine, but..." He shrugged again. "I...I’m just glad you’re awake." He said the last part in a rush, as if that wasn’t what he was about to say. Takeshi figured he was a main reason for Kamui’s hesitation, and the out-of-place feeling he had doubled. "Well, I better go," began Takeshi. "I’ll leave you two alone to talk." Subaru nodded slightly with a polite smile. "So uh...take care." With that, Takeshi gave a short wave and left, knowing that they wouldn’t even watch him leave. *******To Be Continued******** I was hesitant about posting this, because whenever I begin writing a long story, I usually get discouraged and stop before I finish it. But I really wanted to write a CLAMP fic with Subaru, and this was the result. So please tell me what you think. I'd love to hear anything! PLEASE?