[Fic] - The Hard Way - chapter 10 (Final)
Title: The Hard Way
Author: shiroakuma
Pairings: HayaRyu, RyuRen, YamatoRen
Genre: angst, romance
Rating: pg-13
Disclaimer: Do not own anyone or any of their lovely body parts…
Note: My first Fanfic and my grammar is not all that bright
Summary: With no Yankumi to bring them back together, Hayato and Ryu must go through the hard way to renew and refine their friendship. But clashing with Gokusen 3 boys, Ren and Yamato, they will find an unexpected perspective on their relationship along with new obstacles.
Chapter 10
“Senpai, I’ll... please come to the hospital now. It was so bad. I don’t know. I can’t handle it and stay strong. Please come. I... I don’t think he’ll make it.”
“Ren...”
“Alright, we’ll be there right away, Yamato. Keep your head together until then.” said Hayato as he tried to look like he was in control. He stroked the confused and sad boy’s cheek that was standing next to him to reassure him; he was there and ready to become his pillar if needed.
The said boy, Ryu was on the verge of tears but remained strong in appearance nevertheless. “We’ll go as fast as we can ok? Now here, put your shirt on and here is your phone. Ryu. Ryu!”
“Yeah? Oh thanks” he muttered. Hayato got dressed and helped Ryu with his own. Then he noticed how cold it was with the rush of adrenalin and the produced body heat lost, he remembered that it was still winter. Speeding up, he pulled down the wrinkled shirt over Ryu’s head, dressed him in his jacket and put his own over the shaky figure’s shoulders.
They were inside the hospital in a blink of an eye. Walking fast and determined Ryu made his way to the emergency room. There the two boys met with the sight of a devastated Yamato. He had a few bruises and an expression of defeat on his face.
“Ogata.” called Ryu surprised to actually have voiced it without stuttering. The younger one jumped slightly and got up; His shoulders slumped and hands buried in his pockets.
He avoided their gaze but Hayato could see how angry Yamato was most likely at himself and a little at the one actually responsible. The disappointment was evident as well as the sadness and the dark haired boy knew it was a familiar feeling; perhaps it was the same one he felt when he had found Ryu beaten and helpless, if not worse.
Grabbing his arm Hayato asked what had happened but no answer came. Instead Yamato led them to the door with two big wings and stared inside towards the unconscious boy through the glass. Ryu gasped and had to bite down his lower lip to not to whimper. His fingers touched the coldness of the glass as a void formed in his heart.
Just what was he doing up until now?
There was silence around him, as if everyone had held their breaths so they wouldn’t disturb the delicate moment. Ryu’s fingers formed a fist and his forehead lay on the glass alongside his hand, the lust was long gone and all there left was the emptiness which was constantly growing.
He let his breath out and the steam accumulated on the glass obscuring his sight. So he closed his eyes, wishing the nightmare to end and the pain to go away. It hadn’t hurt when he was beaten up, it hadn’t hurt when he was rendered immobile and it hadn’t hurt this much when he had to watch Ren being hit. There was a simple reason for that; he knew Ren could take it, that Ren could counter with his own fists and smile wickedly even after losing a fight, standing proudly just to show off.
So why? Why was he lying there, in that small white room connected to machines with cables and needles attached to his pale skin? No smile, no smart or arrogant comment on how awesome he was in the fight and no cheeky comments... he seemed to be lacking his spirit; being tucked under the sheets, giving the impression of being only a little better than the dead but not as quite sleeping.
“It was Kudo.” whispered Yamato “He had cornered us. Us and the guys. We were alright at the beginning though; he didn't have as much men assisting him. Kudo must have thought they were more than enough to take us down. He was wrong; we gained the upper hand with Re...Ren on our side. He hadn’t seen him fight this furiously before so it was fine. We had surprised him. But then I was grabbed by his henchmen, arms locked behind me I was struggling against his punches. I figured it would be one hell of a beating for me. Ren saw this and came to help me. He threw off one of the guys but before we could handle them, he was... he was thrown backwards. He hit some garbage metal pipes in the warehouse. He recovered quickly but one of its legs was displaced and it all came crumbling down... right on top of him. With that Kudo and his men ran away. We managed to get him out of the mess but he was bleeding and...-” The boy stopped, his voice hoarse and tired, he took a second before continuing only to be stopped by Ryu.
“Enough” Ryu had said silently, punching the glass slowly then “Enough” he yelped in desperation. Yamato understood and stepped back with an unreadable expression but his cousin was bolder as he took a hold of the trembling boy’s arms. Ryu hadn’t realised the touch but when he noticed who was holding him, he jerked forwards, away from Hayato, violently. Hayato...
The dark haired boy was as shocked, as the light brunette tried to run away but failed and the doors cracked open. He stumbled into the room, facing Ren. A sudden fear and guilt washed over him. Nauseous, Ryu held back his tears and got out of the room in an instant. Hayato made an attempt to grab him but the result was the same with a panicked “Stay away from me!” from Ryu.
Hayato halted in mid way and questioned Ryu with wide eyes locked on the latter but Ryu fidgeted, stubborn in following his previous steps and ran off his head hanging low.
Not Hayato, not him, not now. Of all people Ryu could not bear the thought of being by his side. The guilt built up within his chest has erupted with a single touch and Ryu could not take it. His erratic heart beating mixed with the footsteps following him. He ignored it. He ignored Hayato’s very being.
Don’t think demanded his inner self but he didn't obey as his thoughts swayed to the one right behind him. What was he doing just now? Why was he with Hayato? How could he have done this to Ren? He was the worst.
No, he was aware that he never deserved Ren but now he had proved it. Weren’t they together a few nights ago? How could he?
Weakling cursed the inner self and Ryu agreed. He was weak under Hayato’s touch and Ren’s care. He wanted both greedily and Ren had paid the price for him for Ryu had failed to be there for him in a time of need. Because he was busy making out with him.
The brunette held back a sob and pushed open the bathroom door, locking himself into a stall. He banged his head on to the back of the door letting tears run down freely. He remembered clearly; Ren running to him worried, and defending him with the entire might one could muster. The younger boy had shared his pain both physical and emotional, keeping him safe and protecting him. On the other hand Ryu had not. He wasn’t even there when he was being needed most.
Had he waited for Ryu to appear in the heat of the fight? Ryu wondered. Had he expected to see a saviour in his fall?
The troubled boy sighed and slid down his back never leaving the door as if to keep someone from entering. Hugging his knees he cried long and hard.
It was all too complicated in his mind, yet crystal clear in his heart; it was beating for Hayato. And the more he confirmed this, the harder it got for him to breath.
------------------------------------------
What Ryu hadn’t notice was that the figure following him had not dared to enter the bathroom. The harsh words, the scared withdrawals and the loud slamming of the doors between them had caused Hayato to stay still in front of the last door that was keeping them apart.
He put his forehead on the stall door almost tasting the tears falling from Ryu’s eyes. As the cries from within escalated he debated with himself weather to join him or not. He concluded that it would be fatal to bother Ryu and he decided to linger by the bathroom door, outside.
Ryu must have blamed him. Hayato covered his face with his hands letting out a frustrated groan. He should not have forced Ryu into that. Now his friend was guilt ridden and in pain; it was up to him to calm the depressed boy.
Hayato clenched his jaw thinking but he couldn’t focus on anything let alone finding a solution. Then someone approached him; a doctor in his white uniform. The dark haired boy inspected the person who was shorter but apparently older than himself. He had brown, short and wavy hair with similarly coloured eyes. The man gave an odd look at Hayato and as he was about to past him to get into the bathroom, Hayato stopped him.
The doctor stared at the hand on his chest with a raised eyebrow not sure what to make of it. He cleared his throat loudly. Hayato ignored it bluntly pushing him backwards.
“May I pass?”
“No”
The doctor glared where he stood and tried again. “And, why is that?”
“Not your business, old man” The doctor’s eye twitched. “There are other toilets around. Use one of them will ya?”
The doctor frowned and thought that the kid sounded an awful lot familiar but he ignored his instinct instead said “what if it is my business?” in a challenging mood.
Momentarily Hayato was taken back. Did a doctor just defy his strength as a leader? Didn’t he get any vibe from the evil glare Hayato had sent his way? He narrowed his eyes without losing his posture.
This is going to be fun, mused the doctor as he slipped back into his high school posture where he had fought shoulder to shoulder with his friends, as their leader and under the watchful gaze of a certain young teacher.
“Go away” the young leader said ready to attack the older leader.
“This is not the place to argue, kid.” The doctor knew he would regret it if he actually did something to the high school boy who happened to be both taller and heavier but he reminded him of his old days too much.
“Listen, short stuff” Hayato growled in a deep, low tone “It is best if you just walked away. This is not a good time.”
The doctor moved one step closer, sending the same glare at the boy and then it clicked. He was a frigging doctor. He wasn’t going to fight with a younger boy. He stopped and observed as one respectable doctor. The dark haired boy was in distress. He was in a hospital of course something unpleasant must have happened to him. The doctor sighed and tried to think of a logical reason for why on earth he wasn’t allowed in a toilet!
“What has happened?” he decided to ask. No need to beat around the bushes.
“Not your business” Hayato repeated. Doctor crossed his arms above his chest holding the chart in his hand a bit too tight. He would have to try that way. Smiling, he almost had to drag the words out of his mouth;
“Come now. You can tell me, I am a doctor. I can keep a secret or two.”
“Stop smiling and I’ll tell you.” Hayato offered. He had a limit too when it came to creepy smiles from the white shirts.
“Fine. Spill it.” The doctor said in an indifferent way. Hayato paused before speaking up but he knew the doctor could be of help. He did wanted to get information on Ren for Ryu’s sake. If it was a good one, Ryu would cheer up a bit after all; otherwise he would just be beating the hell out of the doctor so to speak. So he told him about the situation Ren was in and when he reached as to why the doctor was not allowed in to the toilet, the door was opened and a pale, skinny young boy had emerged from inside. That boy’s appearance spoke million words which Hayato was clearly not going to go through them.
So the doctor did what he knew best and acted as if the world was spinning just fine.
Continue;
http://shiroakuma.livejournal.com/5626.html