Please, Don't Leave Me, a Tiger and Bunny fic
Title: Please, Don't Leave Me
Fandom: Tiger and Bunny
Rating: T
Genre: Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort
Summary: He was a Hero but he couldn't save the only person he wanted so badly to save.
Notes: Written foriu_fanfiction 's WC # 35 || Prompt: Her words destroyed my planet. || Kotetsu/Tomoe, with hints of Antonio/Kotetsu and Barnaby/Kotetsu. I don't know why I keep writing depressing stuff...and I got this idea because it was my parents' wedding anniversary yesterday orz
Please, Don't Leave Me
By Milky Etoile
It was their anniversary. Their wedding anniversary. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi could never forget the date.
But was there really a use in remembering that occasion when his beloved Tomoe was gone?
Not wanting to think further on the matter, the brunette ended up leaving work early (for once, there were no criminals to be caught that the police couldn't handle), ignoring Barnaby's pointed stare, knowing his partner had probably noticed how...off he seemed the whole day. He was able to keep up a grin but Barnaby could probably tell by now the differences in the older male's expressions.
“Here's your drink, sir,” the bartender said as he sat a glass in front of Kotetsu. “That's on the house today.” The man gave him a sympathetic expression, already aware of what the day signified for the tanned male.
Kotetsu gave a grateful nod to the bartender and drank his whiskey, hoping to drive away the depression that loomed over him.
“I knew you'd be here.”
The Hero didn't even have to turn to confirm that it was his usual drinking buddy, Antonio Lopez, who settled on the seat beside him and ordered his own drink. He spared the taller man a glance before gulping down the rest of his alcohol. “Why are you here?”
Antonio let out a derisive snort. “Isn't it obvious? I'll have to drag your drunken ass back to your home when you become wasted.”
As the only person who actually knew his past, Antonio was probably what he could consider his best buddy (who doubled as a rival). Kotetsu still didn't know whether he should be grateful or annoyed that the other man thought he needed to be taken care of.
But he actually knew what he'd done for this day the past few years, after Tomoe's passing. So, instead of protesting, he remained silent and gestured to the bartender for another glass.
With Antonio around, it didn't take long for an actual conversation to occur between them, specifically, one that involved their adventures back in high school.
“...and she just slapped you even though you didn't mean that.” Antonio laughed at the memory and at Kotetsu's gruntled expression.
“You don't have to laugh so hard,” he grumbled, a slur in his words now evident after more than a few rounds of drinks.
“Sorry, Kotetsu, but even you have to admit it was funny.” When Antonio got his mirth under control, he took out his wallet and handed over some bills to the bartender. “That's for the both of us,” he said before standing up and pulling the now-unsteady Kotetsu from his seat.
“W-what are you--”
“You don't want to end up with a hangover tomorrow,” Antonio interrupted and slung Kotetsu's arm over his shoulder. “We still have work.”
Having no real motivation to argue, Kotetsu just muttered, “Aa,” and let the other man drive him to his flat and get him inside.
“You sure you don't want me to stay over?” Antonio asked after helping the other settle on the couch. “I don't want you to--”
“I'm fine,” Kotetsu waved off his worry. “I can take care of myself, you know.”
The taller man stared at his friend for a moment before sighing. He knew Kotetsu enough that he'd prefer to be left alone now.
“All right,” he conceded. “I'll call you up tomorrow morning to make sure you're up for work though.”
“Yeah, yeah...just go already.”
“I'm going,” Antonio grumbled and walked towards the door. “Don't get any ideas about going out to drink more, you hear?”
“Yes, mother,” Kotetsu replied.
Antonio looked back at that. “Annoying bearded narcissist.”
“Shut up, bachelor beef,” Kotetsu shot back half-heartedly.
The other narrowed his eyes in irritation for a moment. “I'll let that pass for now. Don't drown yourself too much in the past. She wouldn't have wanted you to do that.”
Kotetsu didn't move from his position, even after Antonio left. His mind was already wrapped around his memories.
“I'm afraid her illness is incurable.”
“Can't you do something? Anything?”
“We're trying our best to prolong her life but we can't promise a recovery.”
“There's nothing you can do, Kotetsu.”
He was a Hero but he couldn't save the one person that meant the world to him...
“Kotetsu...don't look so sad.” Her voice was so soothing as she reached over to hold his hand. He immediately clutched hers.
“I-I'm not sad!” he protested indignantly.
“It's obvious that you are.”
Her smile, tinged with worry, melancholy and love, made him back down from what probably would have been another childish spat between them. Instead, he gathered her into his arms and muttered, “I'm sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?” she asked after a moment of basking in the warmth of the contact.
“Because even though I'm a Hero...I can't do anything for you.”
She pushed him away slightly to look into his eyes. “Yes, you can.”
“What?”
“You can live on and keep using your power to save people,” she said as she put a hand on his cheek. “That's what a Hero does, right?”
“Tomoe...” He pulled her into another embrace and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder. “You're the only one I want to save now!”
“Kotetsu...” She gently rubbed his back in comfort, also feeling a similar pain for having to leave the ones she loves-worse, leaving them in sorrow. “You're meant for great things. Please, don't bury yourself in regret for me.”
“I just...I don't want you to leave me, Tomoe!”
Tears fell from her own eyes, mirroring the tears that Kotetsu refused to shed. “I'm sorry...”
He tried, he really tried. But sometimes, he couldn't avoid remembering those things that make him want to just sleep-and never wake up again--
--if he didn't have Kaede, he probably would have been dead by now...and at peace with his Tomoe...
He was startled out of his stupor when he felt gentle hands attempt to wipe away the tears he hadn't realized were falling. He looked up to see his partner, Barnaby, staring at him with veiled concern. Already overwhelmed by the depression he usually waved off, he pulled the blonde beside him and buried his face into the crook of his shoulder.
“Please...stay for a bit,” Kotetsu pleaded in a whisper. “I don't want to-she wouldn't want me to do-I just...” He shut his eyes, letting his tears be absorbed by Barnaby's shirt. “I didn't want her to leave...”
“Kotetsu-san...” Not knowing fully what happened but understanding the feeling, Barnaby pulled the dark-haired man closer and awkwardly patted his back. Kotetsu had seen him at his worse and had supported him then, despite the chaos that occurred. It was only fair that he be the old man's support now.
He was at a loss for what to say, so he merely muttered, “I won't leave you.”
When Kotetsu clutched at him tighter, Barnaby stayed silent, patiently understanding and quietly comforting.
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A/N: I-I wanna cry ;a;
Fandom: Tiger and Bunny
Rating: T
Genre: Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort
Summary: He was a Hero but he couldn't save the only person he wanted so badly to save.
Notes: Written foriu_fanfiction 's WC # 35 || Prompt: Her words destroyed my planet. || Kotetsu/Tomoe, with hints of Antonio/Kotetsu and Barnaby/Kotetsu. I don't know why I keep writing depressing stuff...and I got this idea because it was my parents' wedding anniversary yesterday orz
Please, Don't Leave Me
By Milky Etoile
It was their anniversary. Their wedding anniversary. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi could never forget the date.
But was there really a use in remembering that occasion when his beloved Tomoe was gone?
Not wanting to think further on the matter, the brunette ended up leaving work early (for once, there were no criminals to be caught that the police couldn't handle), ignoring Barnaby's pointed stare, knowing his partner had probably noticed how...off he seemed the whole day. He was able to keep up a grin but Barnaby could probably tell by now the differences in the older male's expressions.
“Here's your drink, sir,” the bartender said as he sat a glass in front of Kotetsu. “That's on the house today.” The man gave him a sympathetic expression, already aware of what the day signified for the tanned male.
Kotetsu gave a grateful nod to the bartender and drank his whiskey, hoping to drive away the depression that loomed over him.
“I knew you'd be here.”
The Hero didn't even have to turn to confirm that it was his usual drinking buddy, Antonio Lopez, who settled on the seat beside him and ordered his own drink. He spared the taller man a glance before gulping down the rest of his alcohol. “Why are you here?”
Antonio let out a derisive snort. “Isn't it obvious? I'll have to drag your drunken ass back to your home when you become wasted.”
As the only person who actually knew his past, Antonio was probably what he could consider his best buddy (who doubled as a rival). Kotetsu still didn't know whether he should be grateful or annoyed that the other man thought he needed to be taken care of.
But he actually knew what he'd done for this day the past few years, after Tomoe's passing. So, instead of protesting, he remained silent and gestured to the bartender for another glass.
With Antonio around, it didn't take long for an actual conversation to occur between them, specifically, one that involved their adventures back in high school.
“...and she just slapped you even though you didn't mean that.” Antonio laughed at the memory and at Kotetsu's gruntled expression.
“You don't have to laugh so hard,” he grumbled, a slur in his words now evident after more than a few rounds of drinks.
“Sorry, Kotetsu, but even you have to admit it was funny.” When Antonio got his mirth under control, he took out his wallet and handed over some bills to the bartender. “That's for the both of us,” he said before standing up and pulling the now-unsteady Kotetsu from his seat.
“W-what are you--”
“You don't want to end up with a hangover tomorrow,” Antonio interrupted and slung Kotetsu's arm over his shoulder. “We still have work.”
Having no real motivation to argue, Kotetsu just muttered, “Aa,” and let the other man drive him to his flat and get him inside.
“You sure you don't want me to stay over?” Antonio asked after helping the other settle on the couch. “I don't want you to--”
“I'm fine,” Kotetsu waved off his worry. “I can take care of myself, you know.”
The taller man stared at his friend for a moment before sighing. He knew Kotetsu enough that he'd prefer to be left alone now.
“All right,” he conceded. “I'll call you up tomorrow morning to make sure you're up for work though.”
“Yeah, yeah...just go already.”
“I'm going,” Antonio grumbled and walked towards the door. “Don't get any ideas about going out to drink more, you hear?”
“Yes, mother,” Kotetsu replied.
Antonio looked back at that. “Annoying bearded narcissist.”
“Shut up, bachelor beef,” Kotetsu shot back half-heartedly.
The other narrowed his eyes in irritation for a moment. “I'll let that pass for now. Don't drown yourself too much in the past. She wouldn't have wanted you to do that.”
Kotetsu didn't move from his position, even after Antonio left. His mind was already wrapped around his memories.
“I'm afraid her illness is incurable.”
“Can't you do something? Anything?”
“We're trying our best to prolong her life but we can't promise a recovery.”
“There's nothing you can do, Kotetsu.”
He was a Hero but he couldn't save the one person that meant the world to him...
“Kotetsu...don't look so sad.” Her voice was so soothing as she reached over to hold his hand. He immediately clutched hers.
“I-I'm not sad!” he protested indignantly.
“It's obvious that you are.”
Her smile, tinged with worry, melancholy and love, made him back down from what probably would have been another childish spat between them. Instead, he gathered her into his arms and muttered, “I'm sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?” she asked after a moment of basking in the warmth of the contact.
“Because even though I'm a Hero...I can't do anything for you.”
She pushed him away slightly to look into his eyes. “Yes, you can.”
“What?”
“You can live on and keep using your power to save people,” she said as she put a hand on his cheek. “That's what a Hero does, right?”
“Tomoe...” He pulled her into another embrace and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder. “You're the only one I want to save now!”
“Kotetsu...” She gently rubbed his back in comfort, also feeling a similar pain for having to leave the ones she loves-worse, leaving them in sorrow. “You're meant for great things. Please, don't bury yourself in regret for me.”
“I just...I don't want you to leave me, Tomoe!”
Tears fell from her own eyes, mirroring the tears that Kotetsu refused to shed. “I'm sorry...”
He tried, he really tried. But sometimes, he couldn't avoid remembering those things that make him want to just sleep-and never wake up again--
--if he didn't have Kaede, he probably would have been dead by now...and at peace with his Tomoe...
He was startled out of his stupor when he felt gentle hands attempt to wipe away the tears he hadn't realized were falling. He looked up to see his partner, Barnaby, staring at him with veiled concern. Already overwhelmed by the depression he usually waved off, he pulled the blonde beside him and buried his face into the crook of his shoulder.
“Please...stay for a bit,” Kotetsu pleaded in a whisper. “I don't want to-she wouldn't want me to do-I just...” He shut his eyes, letting his tears be absorbed by Barnaby's shirt. “I didn't want her to leave...”
“Kotetsu-san...” Not knowing fully what happened but understanding the feeling, Barnaby pulled the dark-haired man closer and awkwardly patted his back. Kotetsu had seen him at his worse and had supported him then, despite the chaos that occurred. It was only fair that he be the old man's support now.
He was at a loss for what to say, so he merely muttered, “I won't leave you.”
When Kotetsu clutched at him tighter, Barnaby stayed silent, patiently understanding and quietly comforting.
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A/N: I-I wanna cry ;a;