Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen Breath ❯ Fever ( Chapter 4 )

(A warning, which I will type in uppercase letters so you cannot say you weren't forewarned, or missed it.

WARNING. THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC YAOI. YAOI IS MALE/MALE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS. LONG AND SHORT, THERE WILL BE GAY GUYS KISSING IN THIS STORY. AND MAYBE MORE, DEPENDING ON THE WAY THE STORY GOES. AKA, THERE MAY BE SEX IN THIS STORY, GUY/GUY.

IF YOU DO NOT ENJOY READING YAOI STORIES, OR IT IS AGAINST YOUR RELIGION, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. REMEMBER: YAOI IS MALE/MALE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS.

Also, if there is a signal that says:

)) TRUNKS ((

that means that it has changed to Trunks's POV. Understood? When it does:

)) JUUNANA ((

it has changed back to our main man. Okie dokie. Any confusion over that, just tell me in your review and I'll try to explain it. Thanks.

Good bye, and please enjoy. Thank you.)

Stolen Breath

Chapter Four: Fever

The doctors are all idiots who have no clue what they're doing. I realize this within five minutes of their inane babble as they all cluster around me. They're giving me a headache, but I endure it for a few more minutes before I recognize that they're not doing anything but talking. Unable to help it, I snap.

"What the hell is wrong with my eyes?" The doctors all go mute, and for a second I'm almost content with the silence as it fills the room.

"We, uh, believe that the injuries to your head may have caused the blindness-"

"-may have caused?" I smoothly cut in, my voice cold enough to silence him. "That's seems obvious enough. What I want to know is.is it permanent?" Silence, but the type of silence this time that causes me to shift in my seat uncomfortably. "Well, is it?"

"We don't know," admits one of the doctors at last, and I snap once more.

"What the kind of damn doctors are you?!" I can hear several doctors take a step back at my shriek. "Get out until you figure out what the hell is wrong!" I can tell they're not moving. "Get the hell out of the room." At last I hear their shoes slapping the tiled floor, moving away from my bed and towards the door. The sound of the door opening, the doctors filing out, the door closing, and then everything's hush once more. I allow myself to collapse back, burying myself in the softness that is my bed. Maybe if I close my eyes and fall asleep, this will all be another nightmare..

"Jay?" For a moment I want to ignore the hesitant sound of my name, but it's Him.

"Yes, Trunks?" Damn, I sound so weary when I say His name. He must think me so weak..

"The doctors will figure out what's wrong with your eyes."

I snort. "I'm of the opinion that those doctors can't figure out anything, much less my vision problem.."

)) TRUNKS ((

I can't help but chuckle a little at the other teen's words. "They may seem idiotic, but I bet a couple of them are quite smart." "Right." Jay's tone of voice informs me that he doesn't believe me, but instead is only trying to humor me. There was a long pause, and then he asks, sounding dog-tired and almost despairing, "What's going to happen to me if it's permanent?"

"I'm sure there has to be physical therapy and that sort of thing for people who've lost their sight," I was quick to assure him. "You can go through that."

Jay chuckles in response, but it was a sardonic sort of chuckle. "And how am I supposed to afford that? In case you can't tell, I don't even have any money for food." Recalling his gauntness, I have no choice but to believe him.

"I'm sure the hospital can work something out for you," I inform him in a firm tone. "Your parents must have insurance-" The same chuckle silences me.

"What parents?"

)) JUUNANA ((

There is silence on Trunks' side of the curtain, and immediately I am awash with the concern that I could have done something to offend Him. "Trunks?"

"You don't have parents?" His tone is almost distant, and my stomach clenches.

"No," is my simple reply. Then, when He doesn't respond, I hastily try for a joke. "I told you, I'm thirty-five but I look eighteen. I don't need parents."

Still there is silence, and I find myself biting my lower lip. "I'm sorry.. I'll be quiet now."

"Jay.." He says, but I'm already turning on my side and pulling the blanket over my head in an attempt to block Him out. If I offend Him, then I don't deserve to talk to Him. It is as simple as that.

)) TRUNKS ((

I call his name a second time, and receive silence for my efforts. I'm baffled. Why did he apologize? He hasn't done anything to me.. One second he's being bitter, and then next he's apologizing and being silent. Mood swings? I suppose I can understand why. After all, being blind cannot be a pleasant experience..

"Jay." I try a final time, and still he remains silent. Fine, he has probably fallen back to sleep anyway. Shifting in my bed, I close my eyes to try and get some shut-eye of my own. Unfortunately, sleep eludes me, and I find myself staring into the darkness of my closed eyelids. Is this what Jay sees? No, for I can still see a faint brightness from the light above me. Against my will, I shudder. What would I do if I found myself blind? I couldn't even imagine..

"Trunks!" My eyes shoot open and I sit up to find my mother has burst into the room, all teary-eyed. My father is close behind, a scowl on his face, as always. "Are you all right?!"

"Of course he is, woman," my father snorts. "He's a Saiya-jinn."

"You hush, Vegeta! I want to hear it from HIS mouth, not yours!" My mother's voice is loud and snappish in the room, and I can feel a headache coming on. Listening to my parents' squabble always gives me one.

"Mom, I'm fine. It's just a concussion. I told Goten, Gohan, and Marron that.."

"I know, they told me, but you don't look fine. You look dreadful," Bulma states before bursting into tears. "I would've come sooner, but I had a meeting that I couldn't reschedule." Behind her, my father rolls his eyes and shoots me a knowing and almost understanding smirk. Why does my mother always have to get hysterical when my father and I are hurt?

"Mom," I say, my tone as gentle as I can manage. "Really, I'm fine. I'll only be in here for a day or two. Stop crying." My mother weeps for a few more minutes before managing to pull herself together.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispers, brushing the tears from her cheeks. She makes no comment to the hand Vegeta lays on her shoulder, his dark eyes gazing into mine.

"You'll be alright, boy?"

"Of course, Father. I'll be fine. You two don't even have to stay. I'm more worried about Jay than anyone else." Both of my parents look blank.

"Jay?"

"My roommate," I explain, jerking a thumb towards the curtain. "He lost his eyesight today, and he's really sick, and he has no insurance or anything."

Bulma tsked in sympathy, shaking her head. "The poor dear. I'm sure the doctors know how to handle that sort of situation." I realize my face betrays my disbelief only after she adds, "They must know, Trunks. In fact, I'll ask the front desk for you if you're so worried."

"That'd be great," I find myself saying in such a tone of relief that my father raises an eyebrow. In reply, I simply shrug.

"Come on, woman, you heard him. He's old enough to handle a hospital stay on his own," the Prince of the Saiya-jinn snorts, squeezing his wife's shoulder in a gentle manner that belies his harsh words. "Let's leave him alone."

"Okay," Bulma agrees, in a reluctant tone, her eyes gazing into mine. "You'll call home if you need anything, right?"

"Right." Before my mother can say another word, Vegeta drags her from the room.

Sighing, I rub my forehead. Parents.

)) JUUNANA ((

I lay still, half-asleep as I listen to Trunks' sigh. Vegeta sounds as if he hasn't changed a bit.

"They're your parents?" I call softly to Him.

"Yes." For a moment, He sounds reluctant to admit it.

"Your mother seems to care for you." Had my mother ever cared for us, for me and Juhachi? I suppose I'll never know.

"Yes, she just cares too much, sometimes."

"No one can ever care too much," I am quick to protest. He is silent for a moment.

"I guess you're right. It just seems like that sometimes."

I am silent, for the room's suddenly gotten very, very hot. "Did you turn off the air conditioner or something?" I'm only aware of the testy tone once I've voiced the question.

"No." He sounds puzzled. "Why?"

"It's hot." Feeling myself begin to perspire, I restlessly kick off my blanket, blaming it for the warmth. Still, it seems to almost get warmer. "It's really, really hot.."

"The room feels fine to me." Still that puzzled tone to His voice.

"It's.scorching." Beads of sweat trickle down my face now. I hear the rustling of the curtain, and now He is now on my side of the room.

)) TRUNKS ((

"Shit, you look like hell." The words fly from my mouth before I can think on them. I immediately want to take back the words, even if they're true.

His pale face is flushed and damp, and he trembles like mad. His blanket is halfway off his bed, not covering his frame one bit, and I cannot help but see that all he's wearing is a hospital gown. For no reason, my own face warms as blood rushes to my cheeks, and for a moment I'm grateful Jay can't see me.

"It's hot," he murmurs once more, and then falls silent as I press the back of my hand to his cheek, for his forehead is covered with bandages. He's burning.

"You've got a fever." A small half-smile forms on his lips, and his words have an almost dreamy quality to them.

"Got a fever of 103.. The clipboard said so." I bite my lower lip in anxiety.

"I should call one of the doctors." Jay snorts and stays still under my hand.

)) JUUNANA ((

"I don't want any doctor. They don't know anything.." He's touching me. His flesh feels so nice and cool against my warm cheek, and when He moves to take His hand away, I blindly grope for His appendage. "Don't.you're so cool. Keep your hand there, please." In the farthest reaches of my mind I realize I probably shouldn't say that, but it's far too late to take the words back.

"I really should get a nurse to take your temperature." His hand returns to my cheek, and I fight back a relieved sigh.

"In a.minute." My hospital gown is starting to choke me, and my hands move to tug at the collar.

"What're you doing?" His hand leaves my cheek, but then both of His hands are grasping mine, their coolness making me tremble.

"Hard.to breathe."

"Roll over." I blink into the darkness, not comprehending the words. "There are buttons on the back of your gown. I can unbutton them for you." Sweat trickling down my visage and stinging my lips, I obey, painstakingly rolling onto my stomach and burying my face into the pillow, aching for even the touch of His hand. Then I feel His hands on my gown, and my breath catches in my throat.

)) TRUNKS ((

I fumble with the buttons, my hands trembling on their own accord. What am I doing? I should just call for a nurse and have her handle this. Nevertheless, I watch my hands unbutton the first button, and then the second, the fabric moving apart to reveal fair flesh. Did Jay ever go out into the sun?

"Can you breathe better?" I ask, my eyes flickering over to his IV line. It doesn't look as if he's messed up the IV.

"Yes.thank you." He still sounds short of breath, but not as wheezing as before.

"I'll roll you back over," I offer.

)) JUUNANA ((

"Yes please." Anything for His touch, His cool, comforting touch. I feel His strong hands gently grasp my shoulders and flip me once more, so that I'm on my back, staring sightlessly towards the ceiling. "Thanks." It's still very hot, but at least now I can breathe. "Could.could I have some water?"

"Sure, one second." A moment later, His hand is propping my head up and the cool rim of a water glass is pressed against my lips, the ice-cold water splashing lightly against my chapped lips. I enjoy the feel of the cold water as it runs down my parched throat, soothing the dryness. Once I've drunk my full, I wave a hand to inform Him.

"Thanks."

"It's no problem at all. Do you want me to call the nurse now?"

)) TRUNKS ((

I smile as Jay makes a face, his sightless eyes rolling in disdain.

"If you must," he finally drawls, no longer trembling. His face isn't as flushed as before, though his cheeks still reveal a faint redness that tells me he's still running a fever. Still smiling, I press the button by his bed to call for a nurse. Hopefully she will come soon...

(To be continued..)