Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Mend my Heart ❯ Dark Slumber ( Chapter 1 )
Title: Mend my Heart
Author: shikigami-kun/Arldetta
Disclaimers: I don't own Weiss. I make no money off of this. It has been written for the pure enjoyment of putting our fave bishounen through heck and back to satisfy our twisted needs. ]:P
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Awareness came abruptly when he instinctively jerked awake. For a moment he was horribly disorientated. Slowly, he realized what happened. He was sitting in a hard uncomfortable chair, that he has become used to over the past several months. His head had been propped up by his hand and that elbow was resting on his knee. In his sleep filled moments, his elbow must have slipped and he found himself awake again.
Yawning deeply, he took in his surroundings. Even with his eyes closed, he could tell you every single detail about the room. The room was not made for long term residents, however it seemed that that was exactly what they were. And they weren't the only ones. The entire wing was filled with permanent occupants, very few were ever privileged enough to leave. Not because they didn't want to but because most weren't even aware they were even there.
The soft hiss of air and the constant beeping at least let the rest of the world know the girl was still alive. But that was all. Staring at the young woman lying motionless on the bed, Ran Fujimiya sighed wearily. It had been over six months since the accident and still no signs of improvement. Yet he just couldn't give up the hope that someday somehow his sister would open her eyes once more and take hold of life. Seeing her like this was already far more torturous than he could ever have imagined.
Dear imouto, please come back to me. I don't want to be alone any more. With mom and dad gone and you like this the world has become a different place. Distant and uninviting. Another sigh escaped him. Most of his days had been spent standing vigil over the young girl and not once has there been any indication that their situation would change. Standing up, he stretched his stiff muscles. His awkward position and unforgiving chair left a dull ache throughout his body.
Carefully, he made his way over to the window and stared out. He didn't really need to look at her, he had long since memorized the rhythmic sounds that emitted from the various machinery. If there ever was a change he would easily be able to tell from the noise before seeing it happen. For a long time, he stood there, staring out at the roof of the adjacent wing. Lost and empty.
He didn't know what brought him back to the world once more but he glanced down at his watch. Normal visiting hours were already over but the Nurses didn't bother him too much. He never caused them any trouble so they let him stay longer than he should. He just had to be out before midnight. Not bothering to turn around, he resumed his one sided internal conversation. I was able to recover some things from the house. After the fire was out and they finished their investigation I was permitted to rummage through the remains. I have a couple of boxes of your stuff, I wasn't exactly sure what was more important to you than others but I took anything that looked salvageable.
I found dad's katana, Aya. And I've started taking lessons again. I'm going to find them. Find out who did this to us and make them pay. I know what you'd say. You'd tell me that, vengeance only begets a vicious cycle of further vengeance.[1] But what else am I supposed to do? What purpose does my life have now that everything is gone? If vengeance is all I have left then I will embrace it with every fiber of my being.
Don't be sad imouto. I've changed. I'm no longer the Ran you used to know. I don't know what you would think of the new me. And as much as I want you awake and by my side, I hope you can forgive me the monster that I've become. I've forsaken emotions. They`re just too risky. My heart has grown cold and hollow. I'm hoping that when I've finally found my revenge and you're awake again, that I'll be able to open back up again. If not, I hope I like the beast I've become.
Either way, as long as you return and are able to live a peaceful happy life again I will be content. Heh, I can still hear you in my mind. A wispy vacant echo of your voice. You think that I deserve happiness as well? I don't know. I can't say for certain that every person on this world will find happiness one day. Some are privileged to find it early and keep it their whole lives. And then there are those who will never find it no matter how hard they look and work for it. I have a feeling that I'll be one of the unfortunate ones. But it's ok. I accepted my fate a while ago.
The young man pinched the bridge of his nose. A mild headache coming on from his silent musings. I'm sorry, Aya. I want to stay so I don't miss that faint glimmer of a chance that you might wake up, but I'm very tired. I think I should probably go, but I'll be back first thing in the morning. I promise. Finally, he turned back to her. He walked up to the side of the bed and stared down at that sweet face. Unconsciously he reached down and brushed away some of the dark brown bangs away. At last, he leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Ran grabbed his jacket as he walked out of the room.
His steps sluggish, not really bothering to watch where he was going. He passed the nurses station to find it empty. The two on duty were probably making rounds or on break. Good. He wouldn't have to deal with them at least, not like they really bothered him. But he hated their indifferent looks. About five rooms later, he stopped. He could have sworn he heard a noise in the typically silent ward. Curious, he looked around searching for the source.
He heard it again. A soft grunt as if someone was in pain. Not really thinking, he headed for the open doorway from where the sound came. There were four beds in this room, all occupied. Glancing over them briefly, he noted that they were all of varying age. He wasn't exactly sure which one had made the sound so he stood in the doorway waiting. Heartbeats later he was rewarded with the sound again. His gaze immediately pinpointed the bed in the back corner.
Once again his body was on automatic and he was walking over to the young man in the last bed. As he drew near he was able to get a better look at the patient. The youth appeared to be a bit younger than himself, possibly about his imouto's age and that fact disturbed him. Yet another young life disrupted for some reason or another. Skin smooth and lightly tanned. A shock of deep chocolate bangs shadowed the closed eyes beneath. His heart skipped a beat, it was almost like looking at his imouto. Young and innocent, drifting on the seas of darkness.
However there was a difference (other than gender obviously.) While the sweet girl a few rooms down looked peaceful in her slumber, this young man's face was pinched and had a slight sheen.[2] Another moan made it past barely parted lips. It looked as if he was in the throes of a nightmare. The sight itself enthralled him, but he had to wonder, how do you wake someone from a nightmare when they're comatose? Perhaps, perhaps this young man would wake up. And that thought brought him more hope than he could imagine because it meant his sister could wake as well.
Silently, he urged the youth on, all the while watching and waiting. Whatever the young man was seeing it must have been frightening. His breaths came quicker and his head began to move from side to side. He looked like he was trying to fend someone off, but the struggle was feeble. Still, Ran was captivated. So drawn to the scene before him, he didn't even realize that he was standing at the boy's side, holding one hand in his and stroking the sweat-soaked bangs back with the other. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard someone speaking and it took him several minutes to realize it was himself. "It's alright. You're safe now. Shhh." He babbled on without thinking.
The figure's motions were becoming a little more frantic now, desperate. Pained whimpers constantly escaped the youth. Then at the moment Ran thought he was finally going to break free of the night, of the never-ending darkness, the boy let out a short cry. Eyes that were previously closed popped open for an instant before closing again. Slipping back into a solid slumber, the troubled lines smoothed out and he was lost again to the darkness.
But Ran didn't notice anything else at the moment. He was transfixed on that brief glimmer of sparkling sea-kissed eyes. In that one instant he'd drown in those murky depths. The varying chaos of emotions that rolled in that gaze swept over him taking away his very breath. He didn't know how long he stood there until his trance was shattered by a harsh voice. "What are you doing there?"
One of the nurses must have finally returned and noticed the disturbance. She walked right up to them and immediately started checking his stats. Flustered, Ran hastily laid the hand he was still holding back down on the bed. "I-I… I heard something. No one was out there so I came to check." He stumbled over his words at first but soon recovered as the spell dissipated. And what he said had been the truth to a degree.
The nurse didn't say anything but gave him a cursory glance. She was still looking at the charts. They said nothing else until she finished. The question had been burning in his mind and he just had to know. "Is he… Will he wake up?"
For a moment, the nurse considered her answer then said, "Apparently, not tonight. Although I wouldn't be surprised if he did wake up sometime in the near future." She started jotting a few things down on a chart.
In a voice so small, he was surprised that it even came from his mouth, he asked, "Who is he?"
Glancing up, she smiled now that she knew everything was back to normal. "I think he was an athlete or something." She looked down at her chart again, "Hidaka Ken. For some reason I think there was some suspicion regarding his accident but I'm not entirely sure. I'm not really into sports."
With that she finished and left the room. Quietly, Ran followed behind. Muttering a quick bye, he headed back to his apartment. And for the first time in months, he left the hospital thinking about someone other than his sister.
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1- My hubby and I are Gargoyles fans and this quote has always been one of out favourites!
2- I'm not a nurse or anything and I have no idea if comatose patients dream let alone have nightmares. But forgive me this once as I needed something to draw Ran's attention. Domo!
Thanks for reading! I really appreciate it. Now if you happened to like and want to see more please review!!!!! I love reviews and reviews have always been the bread and butter of muses. And my muses are starving!! I'll try and get the next chap up in a few days or so. Until next time, Danke!!!
~Ari-kun :D