Title: Dreaming to Remember Part 7 - I Should
Characters: Yanagi Renji, Yukimura Seiichi, Inui Sadaharu, Niou Masaharu, Sanada Genichirou
Prompt: 81. How?
Word Count: 2,428
Rating: PG-13
Summary:
Overall: Even today, angels and demons are in a quiet war. These boys are entangled in a cycle of reincarnation, and questions from the past are now coming to light. And Yanagi Renji seems to be the center of all this.
Chapter: Yukimura gets a wake up call to give Renji a wake up call.
Author's Notes:
My LDT found
here ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Renji frowned. Why was he still caught in the past? It wasn't right, and he had no idea what he was doing here any longer. It had been years, and it was feeling like it was an eternity.
Koujun had taken a wife. Thankfully, she was completely human and unaware of his other worldly heritage. He had learned to control the demon side of himself a few years back. Renji and Genshin had agreed that the boy - now a man - would be fine on his own.
Why was he still stuck here?
Seiichi...Genichirou...Sadaharu....help me... Renji thought as he fell into another night of dreamless slumber.
Inui Sadaharu sat beside the bed of his best friend yet again. Renji's condition had yet to change. Inui reached over and brushed the growing bangs out of Renji's face. "He'll come, and you'll be free of this prison." Inui promised quietly.
Outside of the hospital, a small group of the Rikkai regulars stood talking about going up to see Renji.
Yukimura left quietly without saying a word. Sanada stared after him, muttering a 'tarundoru' under his breath. Marui had to leave because he had promised to watch his younger brothers.
That left Sanada, Niou, Akaya and Jackal to go visit them. Inui looked up as the four Rikkai students entered the room. Inui stood up, bowing slightly to them. "I'll let you have your time with him." He said, leaving the room, giving Sanada a rather meaningful glance. Sanada just shook his head. He couldn't make Yukimura do something that he doesn't want to do. Inui frowned a little, but nodded. Yukimura had to choose to do this.
Akaya frowned as he saw his sempai lying like he had the last few times he'd visited. This wasn't right. He hadn't hit that ball that hard. So why was Yanagi-sempai still lying there unconscious?
Niou stood over Renji, looking down at him also with a frown on his face. His frown was for another reason entirely. He would have to give Yukimura a metaphorical butt kicking later.
Akaya had finally broken down. The three seniors looked at each other, and nodded in silent agreement.
"Come on, Akaya." Jackal said gently. None of them wanted to see Akaya or Renji like this. Jackal led Akaya out of the room and down to the entrance.
Still in the room, Niou and Sanada stood over their friend and occasional doubles partner with grim expressions.
"Gabriel." Niou said softly. Sanada looked up in surprise. How could Niou know about that. "You know what you must do."
"How do you know..." Sanada trailed off. Niou smiled that goofy smile that said "I know something you don't.'
"I don't normally reveal my presence to anyone. I'm one of you." Niou's eyes turned the color of sharp steel. "You must get Yukimura here. It's the only way he'll be able to leave his dream."
Sanada looked down, glancing at Renji, then at Niou. "I can't force him."
"I didn't say you had to force him." Niou laughed a little. "Ask him tomorrow. He might be willing by then."
Sanada raised an eyebrow. That just didn't bode well.
"Go home, Gabriel. Tomorrow will be another day, and our friend will awaken." Niou promised. Sanada frowned.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Niou." He said, but turned around and walked out.
Niou looked down at closed eyes. "Reijiel, I promise you'll be awake soon. Just hold on. He can't stay away forever." Niou squeezed that not quite lifeless hand. "I'll do what I can. It's not time yet. You have a great battle ahead of you. This is not it."
Inui returned to the room quietly. "Oh, I didn't know you were still here."
"I sent the others away." Niou said. "You don't need to keep such a vigil, Sadriel."
Inui looked at Niou, a bit nonplussed at that. "I know." He said quietly. "In every lifetime, he's been my best friend. I feel like we've abandoned each other enough. I want to be here."
"Suit yourself." Niou said, turning around, starting to leave.
"Niou-kun, wait a moment." Inui suddenly said. Niou looked back at him.
"Who are you?" Inui asked.
Niou just smirked. "Puri." He said, and left. Inui frowned. How did Niou fit into this mess of angels and demons?
Yukimura sat in front of a canvas, feeling both inspired and yet not inspired at the same time. He pulled his brush across the canvas, and it didn't feel right. Nothing had been right since that day.
Why this life? Why now? Was the fated apocalypse at hand? He couldn't prevent it, no matter if he was on earth or in heaven. Not even the angels on earth would be able to prevent it. Yukimura carefully stowed away his paints. He couldn't concentrate on capturing beauty on a canvas when his heart just wasn't in it.
Yukimura laid out on his large Western style bed. There was enough room on the bed for at least three people, maybe four if they were all as skinny as Renji. Yukimura smiled at the thought, but the thought of Renji quickly erased his smile.
They're taking good care of him. He thought to himself. Do I really need to go? He knows how I feel about hospitals. He'll understand. Yukimura thought as he undressed, trading casual clothes for pajamas. There was just something uneasy in his thoughts as he laid down.
Yukimura just laid on the bed, sleepless. He stared at the ceiling, a small pain wrenching at his heart. He finally turned on his side, and closed his eyes into an uneasy slumber.
The room was simply decorated. There was a bench covered in brocade of the deepest crimson. The walls were white with a few paintings hung among them. The door to the room was ornately carved oak.
Yukimura looked around. This was...someplace that seemed familiar, yet it felt like it had been ages since he had been here. Seated on the bench was a person, with long black hair, wearing a white robe. "Mariel." Yukimura said under his breath.
"Nice to know you remember me, Ariel." He smiled at Yukimura.
"Who can forget the messengers?" Yukimura said quietly.
Mariel shrugged. "Some have managed to forget everyone." He said. "Like Gabriel had until recently." Yukimura raised an eyebrow.
"Gabriel is on Earth?" He asked, surprised.
"Along with some other minor angels. In fact, Gabriel has been near you for years." Mariel let out a breath. "I believe you've known him since your human toddler years."
Yukimura's eyes widened. "Sanada?" He asked, surprised. "I thought his devotion was a bit strange."
"We're all devoted to the Child of God." Mariel said. "Even if in our human forms we believe different things. I'm not here to discuss this matter, however."
Yukimura sighed softly. "Renji?" He asked, having a bad feeling. Mariel nodded.
"He won't awaken until you've visited him." Mariel stated.
"Why me?"
"Because it will mean you have conquered your fear. If you show weakness, then the demons will win. In fact, you have at least two among your team."
Yukimura looked surprised. "Akaya for sure." He said. "Who's the other one?"
"One who isn't aware of his breeding. I've taken it upon myself to keep a close eye on him. Akaya has a more problematic breeding. There is hint of angel in his bloodline. The demon is trying to take over again." Yukimura frowned at that information. "Don't worry. There won't be infighting...yet. We need all of our ranks among us. That includes those two that chose to attend a different school than the rest of us."
Yukimura sat down next to Mariel. "You just had to go and make this complicated, didn't you?" He asked, sighing, looking at Mariel closely. He didn't flinch at all. "You look familiar, as in someone in the human world. I just can't place it."
Mariel smiled. "Really?" He asked. "Ariel, you seem to have forgotten a crucial detail about me then. You'll figure it out soon enough. I have other things to do." Mariel turned to leave. "Go visit Reijiel. He'll awaken, and then the war will begin."
"Wait a moment!" Yukimura cried out. Mariel turned his head in curiosity. "Just how is this war going to be fought?" He asked.
"The same way you've been settling fights in this lifetime." Mariel grinned. "You're going to play tennis."
Renji awoke one morning, almost wishing Mariel would come to him with some news of progress in the future. He knew Mariel had several orders of business though.
He sighed softly as he fixed his morning meal. This wasn't his life, this was someone else's life. He had to admit, despite times being hard occasionally and the primitive way of life, he almost enjoyed it.
"Rei'ichi!" Koujun burst into his house, almost bouncing. Despite being a man now, he still maintained an almost childish way about him. "It's coming!"
Renji looked up at him, then realized he was speaking of the baby his wife was due to have any day - which today seemed to be the day. "Has the midwife arrived yet?" He asked calmly.
Koujun nodded. "She sent me away. Told me men had no place in helping with a birth." He muttered. Renji chuckled a little at that.
"Trust me, it's for your own good." He said. Renji was more worried about whether or not any of Koujun's supernatural blood would be present in the child, or if being half human would be enough for the child to be normal and not have to worry about this silly war. Renji looked at him. "Are you afraid of what the child might be?" He asked gravely.
"Huh?" Koujun asked, confused. "Oh, that." He said in realization. "A little." He admitted. "I...I don't want it to be like me."
"We will all see to it that the child isn't." Renji promised. "Genshin is getting old, though. He may not be as able to help as he did with you." Koujun nodded. He owed quite a bit to the two men that had helped him learn how to control the demon within. "I think you will be able to pass that knowledge on to your children. And I hope for your descendents' sake, that no one forgets."
Koujun looked at Rei'ichi in a strange way. "I'll make sure no one forgets."
Five hundred years is a long time in which to forget. Renji thought to himself.
Yukimura Seiichi looked around himself. There were no teammates, no one he knew from Rikkaidai nearby. That made this slightly easier. Taking a deep breath, Yukimura crossed the threshold of the entrance to the hospital in which Renji lay unconscious.
Yukimura tried to look like he wasn't there. He didn't want to be there. He was doing this for a friend...and only God knew what was in store beyond this.
Yukimura quietly peeked into Renji's room. Inui had finally left his side, so Yukimura went in and took the seat next to Renji's bed. "I'm sorry." He muttered quietly. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Mariel." He said, not really knowing what do considering Renji was unable to answer him. "I don't want to be here." Yukimura said quietly.
A hoarse croak answered him. Yukimura looked up at Renji's eye which were blinking open. "Se..." He tried to get out.
"Hold on, Renji." Yukimura said, running out to get a nurse. He returned in a few minutes with the professionals.
Mariel, you .... Yukimura thought to himself. At least the messenger angel hadn't lied to him. Yukimura didn't think it would be that easy for Renji to wake up though.
Once the nurses had left to call in the doctor that was in charge of Renji's care, Yukimura sat back down. "Is it alright now?" He asked quietly. Renji looked at him and tried to struggle to speak again. He couldn't get out much, so he motioned for Yukimura to give him a sheet of paper and a pen.
It will be, Seiichi
Yukimura looked at it, then back at Renji. "When?"
Sooner than you think. Was the response.
Yukimura smiled a little at that. "I hope you're right." Was all he said. Standing up, Yukimura clasped Renji's hand. "I'm sorry, Renji." He said. "If I'd known sooner..." He trailed off.
You were supposed to figure it out on your own. Mariel shouldn't have done anything Yukimura looked at that note and swallowed hard. It just means that the fight will be just a little harder when it comes. Please call the others and tell them I'm alright - and don't forget Sadaharu Renji added. Yukimura nodded.
"I will." He promised quietly. "I....I'll be back tomorrow. I promise." He said, waving to Renji. Perhaps he'll have his voice back.
"So when do you think Yanagi-kun will be well enough to practice again?" Yagyuu asked Yukimura the next day at practice.
"It might be a few weeks." Yukimura said, remembering how he himself had gone through a rehabilitation process after lying in a hospital bed for months on end. Renji had only been there for about a month, but his muscles were not quite up to holding him upright, much less allow him to play tennis. "He has to go through some physical therapy first, then we'll see." He said.
Sanada sidled up to Yukimura and looked at the small group of their team that was gathered. Niou looked at Sanada and Yukimura, then grabbed Yagyuu by the arm. "Come on, they need to talk." He said. Yagyuu nodded and allowed his doubles partner to lead him off to the courts for warm ups.
Yukimura watched them walk off. "You finally went, didn't you?" Sanada asked.
Yukimura nodded. "I had to do it on my own, Genichirou." He said.
"I know." Sanada replied. "I'm glad you did." Yukimura looked at him.
"I didn't want to." He admitted.
Sanada nodded. They had all known that. "We have Renji back. That is what matters." He said.
"Well, mentally, anyway." Yukimura said. "Was something wrong?"
"I've received some emails from Tezuka lately." Sanada said. "Mostly it was about his teammate Inui spending so much time watching over Renji. Though the last one had an interesting idea." Yukimura raised his eyebrow. "He suggested a training camp in the mountains."
Yukimura hummed at that. "When we have Renji back." He said. Yukimura liked the idea. He just knew in his heart that it would be the final stand against the angels and demons of Rikkaidai and Seigaku.