Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Apogee ❯ Chapter XXII ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Gravitation is not owned by me, it is owned by Maki Murakami. I own nothing.





Eiri frowned when he opened the door. He had called K to bring a doctor, but he hadn't expected that Tohma would have the nerve to come along. K led the doctor in while Eiri and Tohma were still staring silently at each other and Eiri could hear him waking Shuichi, hear the unusual concern in the brash American's voice as he calmed Shuichi, reassuring him he was still at Eiri's apartment and the doctor was only there to help. Eiri finally stepped aside, turning back to the living room and letting Tohma come in or not as he pleased, deciding that what he had to say to Tohma could wait. He moved into the living room and sat gently next to Shuichi where K had helped him to sit up. He was still wearing that fluffy bathrobe Eiri had brought him there in two nights before, but the doctor didn't seem inclined to comment on it, and Eiri had other concerns. After sleeping through the first night and most of the next day, Shuichi had woken while Eiri was writing in his office and had moved to the couch. Eiri had emerged in the early hours of the morning, and had found his bed empty when he went into the room to get something to sleep in, planning on spending the rest of the night on his couch like he had the night before, leaving the bed to his guest and not bothering to dwell on the why of it.

Finding Shuichi curled up on himself on the couch had shaken him. Whether he'd really been so terrible to Shuichi while they had lived together that he felt the couch was his place, or that their relationship was over and he felt awkward in Eiri's bed made little difference to Eiri in that moment. What got to him was that instead of the untidy sprawl Eiri was used to seeing from Shuichi, he was curled up on his side, his hands held close to his chest, his knees drawn up tight. He looked small lying there, and so terribly fragile Eiri was almost scared to touch him, but his hand seemed to move on its own, without conscious thought from him, and he pulled it back quickly on contact with Shuichi's cheek. He touched the smooth cheek again, then Shuichi's forehead, then shook his shoulder lightly until wide purple eyes opened slowly, blurry with sleep and fever-bright. Eiri made Shuichi wake up enough to swallow the aspirin he brought him and made him drink the entire cup of water, then carried him back to Eiri's bed, lying him on top of the blankets and soothing him when he made an effort to get up, muttering something about Tohma being upset. Eiri had muttered and simply held Shuichi until the fever sapped his strength and he collapsed back against Eiri, who laid him gently back down before stroking the hair from his forehead until he fell back into a restless sleep.

Eiri fell into a fitful doze, his mind alert to the smallest sign of distress from Shuichi, conjuring up visions of what might have been. If only he had checked up on Shuichi earlier, if only he hadn't trusted Tohma to give Shuichi the love he needed and deserved to have, if only he hadn't relied on Shuichi's love not to fade regardless of his treatment of him; if only, if only. Eiri hated thoughts like that but seemed unable to stop them as Shuichi tossed next to him in the grip of fever-dreams and moaning Tohma's name, pleading to be loved, repeating one word over and over: why. When eight am had come around and Shuichi only seemed to be getting worse, he had called K and told him to bring a doctor as soon as he could get one. He had muttered about a hospital before making the call but the immediate and violent, though weak, reaction from Shuichi had been enough to make him change his mind.

Now he sat next to Shuichi on the couch, helping to hold him upright so the doctor could examine him, not missing the way she frowned and looked more concerned with every passing moment. Eiri was painfully aware of every disapproving noise she was making, and apparently so was Tohma, as Eiri couldn't help but see the man flinch as she pulled the robe away from Shuichi's chest to listen to his lungs and his heart. After listening intently to Shuichi's breathing, she put the stethoscope away and began to ask questions that none of them could answer. Things like how much he weighed now and how long it had been since he had eaten anything were things none of them knew. When she calmly declared that she believed he had pneumonia and he needed to be hospitalized so his condition could be monitored, Shuichi finally showed some signs of life, trying to get up off the couch, yelling that he wouldn't go.

K and Eiri tried to restrain him, but even in his weakened condition, he fought like a wild thing, clawing and trying to bite. After watching him scratch Eiri and nearly succeed at biting K, Tohma stepped forward, taking Shuichi's face in his hands and speaking calmly until his voice seemed to penetrate to Shuichi's fever-dazed brain. Tohma calmed him, gently stroking his hair back from his face and helping him to lie back down on the couch. Eiri watched in fascination as Tohma was able to do what he hadn't, and he didn't miss the pained expression on Tohma's face when a slow tear slid down Shuichi's face as he asked a single question before falling back into an uneasy sleep.

"Why do you hate me, Tohma?"

He watched expressions he had never witnessed before slide over Tohma's features, until finally they settled into the familiar tough, Tokyo businessman facade he was so accustomed to. Tohma brushed his hand lightly one last time through Shuichi's hair before standing and turning to the doctor.

"He will not be hospitalized, you have seen his reaction. I believe if NG were to hire a nursing service to care for him at all hours, they should be able to monitor his condition and alert paramedics should such be necessary, yes?"

"Yes, that could be done, but it would be preferable --"

"I did not ask what would be preferable. I will call and make arrangements for someone to start immediately, if Eiri-kun will agree to let Shindou-san stay here for now." Tohma glanced at Eiri, turning back to the doctor when Eiri nodded agreement. "Then that is decided. If you will excuse me?"

"But, Seguchi-san, I am also concerned about his mental state. He needs to be somewhere where he can be seen by a psychologist to assess him."

"NG is paying the bills, sensei. I am sure we can find someone qualified who will be willing to take our generosity to come see Shindou-san in a more calming setting for him, don't you agree?"

The doctor only nodded and watched in defeat as Tohma stepped outside, his cell-phone already in hand and being dialed as he closed the door behind himself. Eiri watched as the doctor began to meticulously write out her instructions for the nursing service, taking care to make her writing legible even as her hands shook with obvious frustration. Taking a sideways look at Shuichi sleeping on the couch, once more curled up on himself and making small noises in his sleep, Eiri blew out a breath and took his cigarettes and lighter out to the balcony before lighting up.


Author's Note: I know this has probably left many of you with a few questions. I know there are also some of you screaming that this is so short. I wanted to apologize. This part was meant to be much longer, but I decided to just post what I had, since I may not be posting anything for a while. Due to circumstances I do not wish to discuss at the moment, I'm afraid that Shuichi's current mental and emotional state is just too close for comfort. I will pick this up again when I can, and I do intend to finish this story. Please forgive me, thank you.