[Two-Years Ago Stories] Stella By Moor
Title: Stella By Moor
Characters: Eto Hiro, Goto Fuji, Katayama Jeni (mentions of Kitagawa Takayuki)
Prompt: 083: Build
Word Count: 1,828
Rating: G
Summary: Eto Hiro hates hospitals;Katayama Jeni has spent her life in them. Goto Fuji tries to hide his true feelings.
Author's Note: Unbeta'ed. Takes place a year and roughly two months before the series. Yes, I'm slowly putting all the characters together. The title comes from a song on the Cowboy Bebop's Blue soundtrack. Somehow I could picture it playing in the background of this scene.
Fuse Hospital was Eto Hiroshi's least favorite place in the world.
The modern hospital's lights were far too bright, the walls were ugly, and it smelt like sickness and death. Still, as his parents loved reminding him, it was his inheritance. So, in his junior year of high school, on the last Sunday in May, he paid the hospital a visit.
Hands deep inside the front pockets of his jeans, he strolled through the halls of Fuse Hospital absentmindedly. At no point would he allow himself to think about where he was or who he was surrounded by.
Hospitals gave him the creeps.
Somehow he soon found himself in the Children's Ward. Now, the Children's Ward gave Hiro the biggest creeps. It was full of dying or sick kids, nearly all of them younger than him. Turning on his heels, Hiro hoped to make a bee-line for the exit, when he was stopped by the sound of arguing.
“But, she likes it!” A boy's voice protested. “You can't do this to her. Come on!” A loud thud caused Hiro to turn around.
A boy of about thirteen was arguing with the nurses. He was carrying a large backpack on his back that obviously wasn't filled with books. The bag looked like it was holding something oddly shaped.
The boy, who was dressed in dirty clothing, slammed his fist down onto the counter of the nurses station.
For her part, the head nurse didn't even blink. “Goto-san,” she began in a very calm and polite voice. “I believe I've said no to your request. I'm sorry, but you cannot show Katayama-san your fireworks. Not only is it dangerous, but she's also resting.”
The nurse folded her arms over her chest. “Besides, aren't you in enough trouble after the last little stunt you two tried to pull?”
Goto-san, whoever he was, opened his mouth before closing it again. He puffed out his cheeks, and kicked the air. “I. . . it's important. We'll do it on the roof!”
“Goto-san!”
Hiro took that moment to loudly clear his throat, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. The head nurse didn't look impressed; the other nurses at the station suddenly looked as if they had seen a movie star. Goto-san just looked annoyed.
“I'd hate to be a bother, but there are patients trying to rest here. It would be more polite if you either took this conversation somewhere else or stop talking all together.”
The head nurse ducked her gaze from Hiro's. “I'm sorry. Goto-san, please go home for today.”
A look of nervousness passed over Goto-san's face. “But, I haven't seen Jeni.”
“Fuji-kun, she's asleep. She's very tired today. She won't know you're here.”
Fuji shook his head. “No, she'll know. She always knows. If I don't see her and something happens. . .”
“Let him see her for five minutes.” Hiro cut-in. “I'll even stand by the door, to make sure he doesn't go over his time.”
As if suddenly remembering that Hiro was there, Fuji looked over and grinned widely. “Thank you very much.” he offered Hiro a respectful bow. “Thank you.”
Waving a dismissive hand, Hiro shrugged it off as nothing. “Whatever. You lead the way.”
*
Fuji shoved his backpack into Hiro's unsuspecting hands, causing the older boy to nearly fall backwards. How many fireworks did he have in his bag?
“She's been really bad lately, so I've promised to wear a mask and all the other safety junk.” Fuji rolled his eyes upward, before taking out a mask from his back pocket. “And a Yoo never goes back on his word.”
Hiro watched Fuji get ready to enter the hospital room. There was so much to do, just to visit one person for five minutes. It wasn't like this Katayama Jeni-san would even know her friend had visited her, either.
Suddenly, something dawned on Hiro. “Wait I thought your name was Goto. Whose Yoo?”
Looking like a cat that had just swallowed the family bird, Fuji shrugged. “Eh? What? Don't say useless stuff.” He grabbed his bag from Hiro. “I'll be back.”
Hiro watched Fuji enter the room, and heard the boy say; “Pardon my intrusion.”
Making himself comfortable, Hiro leaned against the wall and waited.
One minute . . .
Two minutes . . .
Three minutes . . .
Four minutes . . .
Five minutes . . .
What's keeping him?
Six minutes . . .
Seven minutes . . .
I do have things to do.
Eight minutes . . .
“Hey, kid!” Not bothering with a mask or gown, Hiro entered the room. “Sorry, but your time . . .”
The sight in front of Hiro was one he was not likely to forget anytime soon. The person in the bed looked nearly like a skeleton, only with a messy bit of dark hair sprouting out of its head. The girl, Hiro remembered it was a girl, had her eyes closed and one of her hands was holding the boy's. Fuji was standing beside the girl watching her sleep.
As Hiro stepped closer to the bed, he noticed that tears were falling from the girl's closed eyes; she was silently crying in her sleep.
Fuji's gaze moved from his and the girl's hand to Hiro's eyes. “I was her first friend. For most of her life, I was her only friend. I was the only person that cared. So, I have to look after her.”
Hiro slowly nodded. “She's crying.” It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Fuji looked from Hiro to Jeni's peaceful face and back again. “She does that a lot. It . . . I visit her everyday, because she cries in her sleep. She's been sick all her life; her problems have lasted too long. She's alone. So, she cries. And, I visit her everyday.” Fuji shook his head sadly. “This doesn't help either of us.”
Swallowing hard, Hiro stated calmly, “She's going to die.”
Fuji nodded again. “We all are. She'll just get to the next world first . . . maybe.” he glanced back to the sleeping Jeni. “I'm trying to save her.”
Automatically, Hiro nodded understandingly.
“She needs a donor.” Hiro raised an eyebrow, so Fuji went on. “Bone marrow.”
There was an awkward feeling creeping up inside Hiro. He stuffed his hands back into his jean pockets and kicked the air in front of him. “So, she's been like this for a long time?” Fuji muttered what must have been a 'yes'. “And, since you're with her a lot . . . you must not have much of a social life.” Fuji made a face, but didn't deny the statement. “Her family?”
Fuji laughed softly under his breathe. “It's personal.” he paused for a moment, as a thoughtful look crossed over his dirt covered face. “But, you know . . . it's amazing the way people form family units. It's amazing the way people come together. What's that Western saying. . . ? 'It takes a village'.”
The two boys were quiet for a long while after that. Fuji went on holding a sleeping Jeni's hand; Hiro focused his gaze on Jeni's thin face.
A single stream of tears was falling from her closed eyes. Hiro found himself wondering what color Jeni's eyes were, and what she looked like when she was well. He wondered . . . had she ever been truly well?
Would she ever be truly well?
What does someone, who must know they haven't long to live, dream about?
In her sleep, Jeni let out a small mewing sound.
Fuji offered Hiro an apologetic look. “Sorry. She must be dreaming.” With a maturity of someone much older than his thirteen years, Fuji leaned close to Jeni's ear and whispered something that Hiro couldn't make out.
The young man caressed Jeni's forehead with his thumb for a moment, before turning back to Hiro. “She's just dreaming. Scary monsters. She says it's the dreams that get to her.”
Hiro nodded knowingly. “Her mind's tired and her thoughts are beginning to not . . . it's getting hard to think straight, which makes her dreams freaky.”
Giving Hiro a long look, Fuji shrugged. “Maybe.” He slipped his hand out of Jeni's. Laying her bony hand over Jeni's chest, the faintest of smiles played over his face.
Looking back to Hiro, Fuji's face suddenly looked dark. “Is it wrong that I sometimes wish she'd just die?” Hiro's gaze became unreadable. “She gets sick, she gets better, she gets something else and becomes ill again. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if she just stopped fighting? So . . . sometimes, just sometimes, I wish she'd die.”
Sighing deeply, and wondering how he got himself into such a heavy situation, Hiro breathed out a: “No. She probably wishes the same thing a lot. How long has she been ill, anyway?”
“Six years, for her current illness. She was eight when it was discovered that she had this illness. Jeni was alright for a while, but a couple of years ago . . .”
Hiro held up a hand, still trying to not become emotionally involved. “I understand.”
Another long silence.
“Hey . . . what did you say your friend needed?”
“Transplant. A bone marrow transplant.” Fuji swallowed hard. “Soon or she'll . . . you know.” he gestured like someone was 'passing on'.
Hiro nodded his head. “I see.” he glanced back at the door. “We should go.” Hiro was suddenly aware of the fact that neither he or Fuji were wearing masks. “We don't want to get her sick.” He pulled his tee-shirt's neck over his mouth and nose.
Fuji gave Jeni one last look, whispered something to her in what Hiro thought sounded like Korean, before he quietly put his own mask back on.
Together, the two teens walked out of the hospital room and back to the nurses' station.
*
Lowering his tee-shirt, Hiro gave the nurses a sharp look. “I gave him a few extra moments. He needed them.” Turning to Fuji, Hiro offered the younger boy a hand. “I hope your friend gets better.”
Fuji took the offered hand and shook it. “Thank you . . . for everything.” The young teen put his backpack back on his back. “I'll be going for today.”
Hiro watched Fuji go, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips. As soon as Fuji was out of sight, Hiro asked for the phone at the nurses' station.
“King? It's Hiro. I'd like to get everyone together for a special party tonight. I want to talk to them about bone marrow transplants.” A long pause followed. “Seriously.”
The names of the boy and his ill friend were already fading from his mind, but the idea of saving the girl was front and center. If he could save her . . . maybe it would truly be the end to her life of suffering.
Maybe, just maybe, it would make up for the fact that Hiro had no interest in the hospital or saving lives.
With a smirk, he hung up the phone. “Hiroshi . . . Prince of Saint August, maybe tonight you'll finally live up to your name.”
Characters: Eto Hiro, Goto Fuji, Katayama Jeni (mentions of Kitagawa Takayuki)
Prompt: 083: Build
Word Count: 1,828
Rating: G
Summary: Eto Hiro hates hospitals;Katayama Jeni has spent her life in them. Goto Fuji tries to hide his true feelings.
Author's Note: Unbeta'ed. Takes place a year and roughly two months before the series. Yes, I'm slowly putting all the characters together. The title comes from a song on the Cowboy Bebop's Blue soundtrack. Somehow I could picture it playing in the background of this scene.
Fuse Hospital was Eto Hiroshi's least favorite place in the world.
The modern hospital's lights were far too bright, the walls were ugly, and it smelt like sickness and death. Still, as his parents loved reminding him, it was his inheritance. So, in his junior year of high school, on the last Sunday in May, he paid the hospital a visit.
Hands deep inside the front pockets of his jeans, he strolled through the halls of Fuse Hospital absentmindedly. At no point would he allow himself to think about where he was or who he was surrounded by.
Hospitals gave him the creeps.
Somehow he soon found himself in the Children's Ward. Now, the Children's Ward gave Hiro the biggest creeps. It was full of dying or sick kids, nearly all of them younger than him. Turning on his heels, Hiro hoped to make a bee-line for the exit, when he was stopped by the sound of arguing.
“But, she likes it!” A boy's voice protested. “You can't do this to her. Come on!” A loud thud caused Hiro to turn around.
A boy of about thirteen was arguing with the nurses. He was carrying a large backpack on his back that obviously wasn't filled with books. The bag looked like it was holding something oddly shaped.
The boy, who was dressed in dirty clothing, slammed his fist down onto the counter of the nurses station.
For her part, the head nurse didn't even blink. “Goto-san,” she began in a very calm and polite voice. “I believe I've said no to your request. I'm sorry, but you cannot show Katayama-san your fireworks. Not only is it dangerous, but she's also resting.”
The nurse folded her arms over her chest. “Besides, aren't you in enough trouble after the last little stunt you two tried to pull?”
Goto-san, whoever he was, opened his mouth before closing it again. He puffed out his cheeks, and kicked the air. “I. . . it's important. We'll do it on the roof!”
“Goto-san!”
Hiro took that moment to loudly clear his throat, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. The head nurse didn't look impressed; the other nurses at the station suddenly looked as if they had seen a movie star. Goto-san just looked annoyed.
“I'd hate to be a bother, but there are patients trying to rest here. It would be more polite if you either took this conversation somewhere else or stop talking all together.”
The head nurse ducked her gaze from Hiro's. “I'm sorry. Goto-san, please go home for today.”
A look of nervousness passed over Goto-san's face. “But, I haven't seen Jeni.”
“Fuji-kun, she's asleep. She's very tired today. She won't know you're here.”
Fuji shook his head. “No, she'll know. She always knows. If I don't see her and something happens. . .”
“Let him see her for five minutes.” Hiro cut-in. “I'll even stand by the door, to make sure he doesn't go over his time.”
As if suddenly remembering that Hiro was there, Fuji looked over and grinned widely. “Thank you very much.” he offered Hiro a respectful bow. “Thank you.”
Waving a dismissive hand, Hiro shrugged it off as nothing. “Whatever. You lead the way.”
*
Fuji shoved his backpack into Hiro's unsuspecting hands, causing the older boy to nearly fall backwards. How many fireworks did he have in his bag?
“She's been really bad lately, so I've promised to wear a mask and all the other safety junk.” Fuji rolled his eyes upward, before taking out a mask from his back pocket. “And a Yoo never goes back on his word.”
Hiro watched Fuji get ready to enter the hospital room. There was so much to do, just to visit one person for five minutes. It wasn't like this Katayama Jeni-san would even know her friend had visited her, either.
Suddenly, something dawned on Hiro. “Wait I thought your name was Goto. Whose Yoo?”
Looking like a cat that had just swallowed the family bird, Fuji shrugged. “Eh? What? Don't say useless stuff.” He grabbed his bag from Hiro. “I'll be back.”
Hiro watched Fuji enter the room, and heard the boy say; “Pardon my intrusion.”
Making himself comfortable, Hiro leaned against the wall and waited.
One minute . . .
Two minutes . . .
Three minutes . . .
Four minutes . . .
Five minutes . . .
What's keeping him?
Six minutes . . .
Seven minutes . . .
I do have things to do.
Eight minutes . . .
“Hey, kid!” Not bothering with a mask or gown, Hiro entered the room. “Sorry, but your time . . .”
The sight in front of Hiro was one he was not likely to forget anytime soon. The person in the bed looked nearly like a skeleton, only with a messy bit of dark hair sprouting out of its head. The girl, Hiro remembered it was a girl, had her eyes closed and one of her hands was holding the boy's. Fuji was standing beside the girl watching her sleep.
As Hiro stepped closer to the bed, he noticed that tears were falling from the girl's closed eyes; she was silently crying in her sleep.
Fuji's gaze moved from his and the girl's hand to Hiro's eyes. “I was her first friend. For most of her life, I was her only friend. I was the only person that cared. So, I have to look after her.”
Hiro slowly nodded. “She's crying.” It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Fuji looked from Hiro to Jeni's peaceful face and back again. “She does that a lot. It . . . I visit her everyday, because she cries in her sleep. She's been sick all her life; her problems have lasted too long. She's alone. So, she cries. And, I visit her everyday.” Fuji shook his head sadly. “This doesn't help either of us.”
Swallowing hard, Hiro stated calmly, “She's going to die.”
Fuji nodded again. “We all are. She'll just get to the next world first . . . maybe.” he glanced back to the sleeping Jeni. “I'm trying to save her.”
Automatically, Hiro nodded understandingly.
“She needs a donor.” Hiro raised an eyebrow, so Fuji went on. “Bone marrow.”
There was an awkward feeling creeping up inside Hiro. He stuffed his hands back into his jean pockets and kicked the air in front of him. “So, she's been like this for a long time?” Fuji muttered what must have been a 'yes'. “And, since you're with her a lot . . . you must not have much of a social life.” Fuji made a face, but didn't deny the statement. “Her family?”
Fuji laughed softly under his breathe. “It's personal.” he paused for a moment, as a thoughtful look crossed over his dirt covered face. “But, you know . . . it's amazing the way people form family units. It's amazing the way people come together. What's that Western saying. . . ? 'It takes a village'.”
The two boys were quiet for a long while after that. Fuji went on holding a sleeping Jeni's hand; Hiro focused his gaze on Jeni's thin face.
A single stream of tears was falling from her closed eyes. Hiro found himself wondering what color Jeni's eyes were, and what she looked like when she was well. He wondered . . . had she ever been truly well?
Would she ever be truly well?
What does someone, who must know they haven't long to live, dream about?
In her sleep, Jeni let out a small mewing sound.
Fuji offered Hiro an apologetic look. “Sorry. She must be dreaming.” With a maturity of someone much older than his thirteen years, Fuji leaned close to Jeni's ear and whispered something that Hiro couldn't make out.
The young man caressed Jeni's forehead with his thumb for a moment, before turning back to Hiro. “She's just dreaming. Scary monsters. She says it's the dreams that get to her.”
Hiro nodded knowingly. “Her mind's tired and her thoughts are beginning to not . . . it's getting hard to think straight, which makes her dreams freaky.”
Giving Hiro a long look, Fuji shrugged. “Maybe.” He slipped his hand out of Jeni's. Laying her bony hand over Jeni's chest, the faintest of smiles played over his face.
Looking back to Hiro, Fuji's face suddenly looked dark. “Is it wrong that I sometimes wish she'd just die?” Hiro's gaze became unreadable. “She gets sick, she gets better, she gets something else and becomes ill again. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if she just stopped fighting? So . . . sometimes, just sometimes, I wish she'd die.”
Sighing deeply, and wondering how he got himself into such a heavy situation, Hiro breathed out a: “No. She probably wishes the same thing a lot. How long has she been ill, anyway?”
“Six years, for her current illness. She was eight when it was discovered that she had this illness. Jeni was alright for a while, but a couple of years ago . . .”
Hiro held up a hand, still trying to not become emotionally involved. “I understand.”
Another long silence.
“Hey . . . what did you say your friend needed?”
“Transplant. A bone marrow transplant.” Fuji swallowed hard. “Soon or she'll . . . you know.” he gestured like someone was 'passing on'.
Hiro nodded his head. “I see.” he glanced back at the door. “We should go.” Hiro was suddenly aware of the fact that neither he or Fuji were wearing masks. “We don't want to get her sick.” He pulled his tee-shirt's neck over his mouth and nose.
Fuji gave Jeni one last look, whispered something to her in what Hiro thought sounded like Korean, before he quietly put his own mask back on.
Together, the two teens walked out of the hospital room and back to the nurses' station.
*
Lowering his tee-shirt, Hiro gave the nurses a sharp look. “I gave him a few extra moments. He needed them.” Turning to Fuji, Hiro offered the younger boy a hand. “I hope your friend gets better.”
Fuji took the offered hand and shook it. “Thank you . . . for everything.” The young teen put his backpack back on his back. “I'll be going for today.”
Hiro watched Fuji go, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips. As soon as Fuji was out of sight, Hiro asked for the phone at the nurses' station.
“King? It's Hiro. I'd like to get everyone together for a special party tonight. I want to talk to them about bone marrow transplants.” A long pause followed. “Seriously.”
The names of the boy and his ill friend were already fading from his mind, but the idea of saving the girl was front and center. If he could save her . . . maybe it would truly be the end to her life of suffering.
Maybe, just maybe, it would make up for the fact that Hiro had no interest in the hospital or saving lives.
With a smirk, he hung up the phone. “Hiroshi . . . Prince of Saint August, maybe tonight you'll finally live up to your name.”