Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Christmas Eve: The Past Returns ❯ Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Firestar 
Anime/Manga: Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.30.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 447 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.30.2001 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 447 | Status: Completed
Christmas Eve: The Past Returns
Firestar
Part 2
Disclaimer: The Ronin Warriors don't belong to me, but this story does.
************
Christmas Morning 1:30 a.m.
Rowen stared up at the anti-septic white walls, but he didn't see them. Instead, he saw the
blood spattered room with Ryo lying like a broken doll in the middle. Tears welled up in Rowen's
blue eyes and ran unheeded down his cheeks.
Sage looked at Rowen sympathetically from across the waiting room. It hurt all the Ronins to see
Ryo in such bad shape, but he knew it hurt Rowen even more.
The doctor had come out earlier and told them all the extent of Ryo's injuries before they took
him up to surgery. Ryo had multiple fractures in his arm and his right leg, as well as several
deep cuts on his chest and back. What had threatened his life, however, had been the slits along
the veins in his wrists. If they had gotten to Ryo just 10 minutes later, he'd be dead from loss
of blood.
The doctor had hesitated then, reluctant to relate the next bit of bad news. When he went on, the
Ronins had all sunk down into chairs, stunned. "Who..who would do such a terrible thing?" Cye's
horrified question came out in little more than a whisper. Kento had lain a hand on his shoulder,
trying to comfort him.
Sage remained impassive, the calm rock the others could lean on.
Rowen, though, was anything but calm. His rage was easily apparent and he put his fist through
the hospital wall.
"Rowen, calm down. Your not helping Ryo by hurting your hand." Sage tried to talk Rowen out of
his rage, but it wasn't really needed. After that one moment of explosive anger, Rowen collapsed
into a chair, his face vacant. But his eyes were full of pain.
He turned to his friends bitterly, "Merry Christmas guys."
December 29
Ryo felt consiousness pulling at him, but he didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to face the
pain he knew was waiting for him, or the shame. The shame that he had brought on himself by
letting himself be used. Finally, he could no longer resist the call of awareness.
Rowen had been sitting by Ryo's bedside for days, leaving only to use the bathroom or to grab
something from the vending machine in the hall. The others had offered to watch Ryo for a while,
but he was determined to be there when Ryo woke up.
His eyelids felt like sandpaper and he was about to lay his head down next to Ryo for just a
moment of rest, when he saw a hint of movement.
"Ryo? C'mon Ryo, wake up." Rowen's gentle pleading got a response and Ryo's eyes fluttered open.
"Rowen?" Ryo's voice was very faint.
"Yeah, I'm right here." Rowen's voice was full of weariness, but also of joy. Now that Ryo was
awake, everything was going to get better.
"How ya feeling, Ryo? Do you need anything?" Ryo almost smiled at Rowen's eagerness to help, but
when he thought about what his friend would think of him if he found out what happened, all traces
of the smile vanished.
"I feel fine, Ro. No problem." Rowen's smile broadened. "I'm glad."
December 31
Ryo stirred restlessly in the hospital bed. He was going home today. He supposed he should be
glad, so that's what he showed his friends. But he wasn't. He wasn't glad about anything. Ever
since he had woken up he'd been trapped in a swirling pit of self-loathing, guilt, and shame. Fear
was there as well. Fear that his friends would find out what had happened and discover his secret.
He couldn't bear to see their disgust, and Rowen would hate him. Ryo knew he would.
"Hey Ryo!" Cye came bursting into the room, followed by the rest of the Ronins. "Ready to go?"
"Can't wait." Ryo's response lacked enthusiasm, but no one seemed to notice. Except Rowen.
Rowen walked to Ryo's side and helped him to get out of the bed and get dressed. When they were
done, Ryo collapsed into the wheelchair Kento had brought in, exhausted by even that bit of physical
effort.
"All right, man, here we go." Kento pushed the wheelchair out the door and the Ronins headed home.
Sage drove the van up to the house and parked it out front. Kento helped Ryo out of the car and
carried him into the house. Inside, the entire living room had been redone. It had been stripped
of its old carpet and paint and given new. All the furniture was different, too. The Ronins had
done their best to remove all reminders of what had happened from the house, to make it less painful
for Ryo.
The doctor had told them that Ryo should recover quickly physically, but he couldn't guarantee his
mental state. But Ryo seemed just fine. He was cheerful and joked about his injuries. The guys
just figured the doctor was worrying too much.
Once the Ronins entered the house, Kento sat Ryo down on the new couch. Ryo looked around for a
moment, studying the new interior. "I like what you've done with the place." Kento, Cye, Rowen,
and Sage all smiled. That was the old Ryo they knew.
Watching his friends smile, Ryo shuddered inside. No matter how many coats of paint and how much
new carpet they put in, he could still see the blood. It covered everything, and leering right
in the middle of it all was that man. That horrible face from his past. It haunted him now worse
than ever. Even before it had come for him in person, it had filled his nightmares. When he
woke up screaming, the guys always thought he was dreaming of Talpa and the battles he fought.
Sometimes he was, but more often it was of his past and what that terrible man had done to him.
Kento cracked a joke then, making all the others laugh, and Ryo joined in belatedly. He couldn't
let the others know what was bothering him. What had happened was too shameful for them to know
about. That man had done...things to him. Worse than cuts or a beating. He'd been...violated,
and what was worse, it wasn't the first time, and as long as he was still out there, Ryo was afraid
it wouldn't be the last.
5:30 p.m. New Year's Eve
Rowen lay on his stomach in his bed, trying to read a book. Ryo was asleep in the bed next to him.
It was really Sage's bed, but everyone had agreed that Ryo should room with someone instead of being
on his own. Sage had volunteered to move into Ryo's old room and let Ryo stay with Rowen.
Finally, Rowen gave up on the book. He just couldn't get into it. Instead, he watched Ryo. Ryo
wasn't sleeping very peacefully. He was tossing and turning as much as his injured body would
allow and sweat had broken out on his brow.
thought Rowen, but he didn't get the chance. Ryo shot up in bed, his
breathing ragged and coming in short gasps. Tears streamed down his face. Through it all, though,
Ryo didn't cry out. In fact, he didn't make a sound. Then his shoulders started to shake and Rowen
walked over to Ryo slowly, so as not to startle him.
"Ryo, are you alright?" Rowen asked quietly, but it made Ryo jump just the same.
"Y-yeah, sure, j-just a dream is all. I didn't mean to bother you," Ryo managed to get out, but
Rowen wasn't going to let it go that easily.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"NO!" It came out far more forcefully than Ryo had intended. "I'm sorry Ro, I...just want to
forget about it. That's all."
"Ryo, sometimes the best way to put something behind you is to talk about it first. To get everything
out in the light." Rowen was doing the best to help his friend. If only Ryo would open up to him.
He would love to hold Ryo in his arms. To comfort him, of course, but Rowen also couldn't help
hoping for something more.
Ryo shook his head violently. "Not this. I can never talk about this."
"But Ryo-", but Rowen didn't get a chance to push any further, because Cye called from downstairs.
"Hey guys, dinner's ready, and then we've gotta get ready for the party!"
The Ronins were throwing Ryo a small welcome home celebration, joining it with their normal New Year's
Eve festivities. They'd all decided not to leave home this year, but that didn't mean they couln't
have fun.
Ryo called back down to Cye, thankful for the interruption. "We'll be down in a minute."
Then he turned to Rowen, "you want to help me out of bed here?"
Rowen sighed in defeat, "sure."
Firestar
Part 2
Disclaimer: The Ronin Warriors don't belong to me, but this story does.
************
Christmas Morning 1:30 a.m.
Rowen stared up at the anti-septic white walls, but he didn't see them. Instead, he saw the
blood spattered room with Ryo lying like a broken doll in the middle. Tears welled up in Rowen's
blue eyes and ran unheeded down his cheeks.
Sage looked at Rowen sympathetically from across the waiting room. It hurt all the Ronins to see
Ryo in such bad shape, but he knew it hurt Rowen even more.
The doctor had come out earlier and told them all the extent of Ryo's injuries before they took
him up to surgery. Ryo had multiple fractures in his arm and his right leg, as well as several
deep cuts on his chest and back. What had threatened his life, however, had been the slits along
the veins in his wrists. If they had gotten to Ryo just 10 minutes later, he'd be dead from loss
of blood.
The doctor had hesitated then, reluctant to relate the next bit of bad news. When he went on, the
Ronins had all sunk down into chairs, stunned. "Who..who would do such a terrible thing?" Cye's
horrified question came out in little more than a whisper. Kento had lain a hand on his shoulder,
trying to comfort him.
Sage remained impassive, the calm rock the others could lean on.
Rowen, though, was anything but calm. His rage was easily apparent and he put his fist through
the hospital wall.
"Rowen, calm down. Your not helping Ryo by hurting your hand." Sage tried to talk Rowen out of
his rage, but it wasn't really needed. After that one moment of explosive anger, Rowen collapsed
into a chair, his face vacant. But his eyes were full of pain.
He turned to his friends bitterly, "Merry Christmas guys."
December 29
Ryo felt consiousness pulling at him, but he didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to face the
pain he knew was waiting for him, or the shame. The shame that he had brought on himself by
letting himself be used. Finally, he could no longer resist the call of awareness.
Rowen had been sitting by Ryo's bedside for days, leaving only to use the bathroom or to grab
something from the vending machine in the hall. The others had offered to watch Ryo for a while,
but he was determined to be there when Ryo woke up.
His eyelids felt like sandpaper and he was about to lay his head down next to Ryo for just a
moment of rest, when he saw a hint of movement.
"Ryo? C'mon Ryo, wake up." Rowen's gentle pleading got a response and Ryo's eyes fluttered open.
"Rowen?" Ryo's voice was very faint.
"Yeah, I'm right here." Rowen's voice was full of weariness, but also of joy. Now that Ryo was
awake, everything was going to get better.
"How ya feeling, Ryo? Do you need anything?" Ryo almost smiled at Rowen's eagerness to help, but
when he thought about what his friend would think of him if he found out what happened, all traces
of the smile vanished.
"I feel fine, Ro. No problem." Rowen's smile broadened. "I'm glad."
December 31
Ryo stirred restlessly in the hospital bed. He was going home today. He supposed he should be
glad, so that's what he showed his friends. But he wasn't. He wasn't glad about anything. Ever
since he had woken up he'd been trapped in a swirling pit of self-loathing, guilt, and shame. Fear
was there as well. Fear that his friends would find out what had happened and discover his secret.
He couldn't bear to see their disgust, and Rowen would hate him. Ryo knew he would.
"Hey Ryo!" Cye came bursting into the room, followed by the rest of the Ronins. "Ready to go?"
"Can't wait." Ryo's response lacked enthusiasm, but no one seemed to notice. Except Rowen.
Rowen walked to Ryo's side and helped him to get out of the bed and get dressed. When they were
done, Ryo collapsed into the wheelchair Kento had brought in, exhausted by even that bit of physical
effort.
"All right, man, here we go." Kento pushed the wheelchair out the door and the Ronins headed home.
Sage drove the van up to the house and parked it out front. Kento helped Ryo out of the car and
carried him into the house. Inside, the entire living room had been redone. It had been stripped
of its old carpet and paint and given new. All the furniture was different, too. The Ronins had
done their best to remove all reminders of what had happened from the house, to make it less painful
for Ryo.
The doctor had told them that Ryo should recover quickly physically, but he couldn't guarantee his
mental state. But Ryo seemed just fine. He was cheerful and joked about his injuries. The guys
just figured the doctor was worrying too much.
Once the Ronins entered the house, Kento sat Ryo down on the new couch. Ryo looked around for a
moment, studying the new interior. "I like what you've done with the place." Kento, Cye, Rowen,
and Sage all smiled. That was the old Ryo they knew.
Watching his friends smile, Ryo shuddered inside. No matter how many coats of paint and how much
new carpet they put in, he could still see the blood. It covered everything, and leering right
in the middle of it all was that man. That horrible face from his past. It haunted him now worse
than ever. Even before it had come for him in person, it had filled his nightmares. When he
woke up screaming, the guys always thought he was dreaming of Talpa and the battles he fought.
Sometimes he was, but more often it was of his past and what that terrible man had done to him.
Kento cracked a joke then, making all the others laugh, and Ryo joined in belatedly. He couldn't
let the others know what was bothering him. What had happened was too shameful for them to know
about. That man had done...things to him. Worse than cuts or a beating. He'd been...violated,
and what was worse, it wasn't the first time, and as long as he was still out there, Ryo was afraid
it wouldn't be the last.
5:30 p.m. New Year's Eve
Rowen lay on his stomach in his bed, trying to read a book. Ryo was asleep in the bed next to him.
It was really Sage's bed, but everyone had agreed that Ryo should room with someone instead of being
on his own. Sage had volunteered to move into Ryo's old room and let Ryo stay with Rowen.
Finally, Rowen gave up on the book. He just couldn't get into it. Instead, he watched Ryo. Ryo
wasn't sleeping very peacefully. He was tossing and turning as much as his injured body would
allow and sweat had broken out on his brow.
thought Rowen, but he didn't get the chance. Ryo shot up in bed, his
breathing ragged and coming in short gasps. Tears streamed down his face. Through it all, though,
Ryo didn't cry out. In fact, he didn't make a sound. Then his shoulders started to shake and Rowen
walked over to Ryo slowly, so as not to startle him.
"Ryo, are you alright?" Rowen asked quietly, but it made Ryo jump just the same.
"Y-yeah, sure, j-just a dream is all. I didn't mean to bother you," Ryo managed to get out, but
Rowen wasn't going to let it go that easily.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"NO!" It came out far more forcefully than Ryo had intended. "I'm sorry Ro, I...just want to
forget about it. That's all."
"Ryo, sometimes the best way to put something behind you is to talk about it first. To get everything
out in the light." Rowen was doing the best to help his friend. If only Ryo would open up to him.
He would love to hold Ryo in his arms. To comfort him, of course, but Rowen also couldn't help
hoping for something more.
Ryo shook his head violently. "Not this. I can never talk about this."
"But Ryo-", but Rowen didn't get a chance to push any further, because Cye called from downstairs.
"Hey guys, dinner's ready, and then we've gotta get ready for the party!"
The Ronins were throwing Ryo a small welcome home celebration, joining it with their normal New Year's
Eve festivities. They'd all decided not to leave home this year, but that didn't mean they couln't
have fun.
Ryo called back down to Cye, thankful for the interruption. "We'll be down in a minute."
Then he turned to Rowen, "you want to help me out of bed here?"
Rowen sighed in defeat, "sure."