[One-shot] Tick-tock, tick-tock
Title: Tick-tock, tick-tock
Author: crazy_otaku911
Groups/Pairings: Kisumai - Ki/F (+Ishigaki and bits of Taiga-tachi)
Rating: PG
Summary: Striketeam!AU. Fujigaya's recovery is tricky and Kitayama doesn't want to just stand by and watch.
Disclaimer: This work is purely fiction.
Warnings: Slight brokenness on Fujigaya's part.
A/N: A continuation of this, which you probably want to read first. For omoikkiri because this was the first thing she said when beta-ing the first one. |D [Written while listening to Kisumai's Kiss for U. Again, lyrically has nothing to do with the piece. 8D;;] This was hard. ;; I couldn't figure out how to reconcile two different parts of Kitayama, or... Fujigaya's trauma. Bleck. [Another tidbit of Yokoo from this verse by omoikkiri right here.]
Kitayama watched through the window, inside at the two nurses trying their best to soothe the man in the hospital room. Cries echoed through the hallways, almost pitiful with distress. “How bad is it?”
Ishigaki pursed his lips, shaking his head. “It’s pretty bad. Once he regained full consciousness, he started showing signs of extreme paranoia. He’s afraid of the dark, so we have to keep the room lit. He freaks out every time we bring a needle near him. Since some of the drugs are subcutaneous only, we try to put him under with a mask.” Ishigaki sighed, watching as the nurses tried to get Fujigaya to lie back down on the bed, he’d just been dreaming, it would all be fine.
“He’s fine with it one moment, but then he panics and starts trying to escape,” Ishikgaki continued, running a hand through his hair in concerned frustration. “He managed to slice Kyoumoto-kun open and he doesn’t know the rest of them as well, so they can set him off too. He won’t talk about what happened… it’s like handling a ticking bomb. He doesn’t eat, he doesn’t sleep. Half the time he wakes up not knowing where he is and that terrifies him. His body is too weak, it’s going to give out if we can’t get him to calm down and I can’t keep him under constantly.”
Kitayama just nodded, eyes trained on Fujigaya as the other curled himself defensively, eyes wide as he looked from Anderson to Takada. While he’d never admit it, seeing Fujigaya crumble right in front of his eyes unnerved him. Fujigaya was an elite commando. He had risked his life on unthinkable missions and done what many considered the impossible, returning without any lasting harm. But sixteen days in the clutches of the enemy had reduced him to a mere shell of his former spirit.
“Let me talk to him.” Kitayama’s hand was already on the door handle, pulling it open and stepping inside. “Alone.”
Takada and Anderson froze, glancing over their shoulders at Kitayama and then at Ishigaki. Behind them, Fujigaya curled himself into a tighter ball, apprehension rolling off of him in a way that was almost tangible.
“Close the curtains.” Motioning at the two nurses, Ishigaki insured that they would have some privacy before ushering Takada and Anderson out.
Silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, Kitayama just standing there, holding Fujigaya’s gaze before his eyes softened. “Fujigaya, we can’t help you if you won’t let us,” he sighed, sinking down onto the bed, watching as Fujigaya slowly straightened himself.
“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt Taiga,” Fujigaya murmured, plucking at the hospital scrubs they had him wearing. “I just… it was cold… I couldn’t get out.”
“You were dreaming,” Kitayama reminded him, slowly kicking his boots off and moving onto the bed more.
Covering his eyes with shaking palms, Fujigaya shook his head. “I know. I know… I just. It’s still there. I can still smell it all. I… I don’t want to go back.”
“Taisuke.” It came out as a near hiss as Kitayama reached over, taking Fujigaya’s hand. It was all it took to get Fujigaya scrambling closer, needing to feel something solid and familiar. “You’ll never go back there,” Kitayama whispered, fierce but gentle as he wrapped his arms around the other’s shoulders. Fujigaya felt bone-thin; fragile, as if he’d break at any moment, but Kitayama held him close.
Fujigaya continued to unravel, finally coming apart. He didn’t cry, but he clung to Kitayama, face buried in his shoulder. “It’s like I couldn’t get out. I was dying, and I couldn’t get out, Hiro, and don’t… I don’t want to die.”
It was tragic, holding Fujigaya and realizing how much they’d broken him. Kitayama gently stroked fingers through Fujigaya’s hair, shifting so he could pull him closer. “They’re gone, Taisuke… I’ll keep you safe.” He had failed him once, and he’d never let it happen again. Gently pressing a kiss to the top of Fujigaya’s head, Kitayama closed his eyes, promising again: “I’ll always keep you safe.”
They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, Kitayama stroking through Fujigaya’s hair, pulling him back to reality every time he tensed up again, reminding Fujigaya that he wasn’t alone, that he was there.
“Don’t… go anywhere,” Fujigaya murmured, eventually letting Kitayama cover him with one of the hospital blankets, catching Kitayama’s hand with one of his own. “Please?”
Kitayama’s smile was strange, filled with odd emotions that Fujigaya couldn’t quite understand anymore, but he nodded, gently squeezing back as he stretched out next to Fujigaya. Fujigaya’s eyes were already closed, but he shifted, resting his head on Kitayama’s shoulder, mumbling something that sounded like ‘Thanks’ before he slowly, finally fell asleep.
Kitayama cocked his head to the side, still smiling, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What did they do to you…” he murmured when he realized the other was asleep, sadness winding through his words. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to Fujigaya’s forehead, fingertips gently caressing his cheek. “Come back, Taisuke… They’re all waiting for you.”
I’m waiting for you.
~
Ishigaki found them hours later, curled up on the bed, deep in slumber. Fujigaya looked fragile, but more relaxed than he had since reawakening, Kitayama’s arm drawn protectively around his shoulders.
It was a start.
Author: crazy_otaku911
Groups/Pairings: Kisumai - Ki/F (+Ishigaki and bits of Taiga-tachi)
Rating: PG
Summary: Striketeam!AU. Fujigaya's recovery is tricky and Kitayama doesn't want to just stand by and watch.
Disclaimer: This work is purely fiction.
Warnings: Slight brokenness on Fujigaya's part.
A/N: A continuation of this, which you probably want to read first. For omoikkiri because this was the first thing she said when beta-ing the first one. |D [Written while listening to Kisumai's Kiss for U. Again, lyrically has nothing to do with the piece. 8D;;] This was hard. ;; I couldn't figure out how to reconcile two different parts of Kitayama, or... Fujigaya's trauma. Bleck. [Another tidbit of Yokoo from this verse by omoikkiri right here.]
Kitayama watched through the window, inside at the two nurses trying their best to soothe the man in the hospital room. Cries echoed through the hallways, almost pitiful with distress. “How bad is it?”
Ishigaki pursed his lips, shaking his head. “It’s pretty bad. Once he regained full consciousness, he started showing signs of extreme paranoia. He’s afraid of the dark, so we have to keep the room lit. He freaks out every time we bring a needle near him. Since some of the drugs are subcutaneous only, we try to put him under with a mask.” Ishigaki sighed, watching as the nurses tried to get Fujigaya to lie back down on the bed, he’d just been dreaming, it would all be fine.
“He’s fine with it one moment, but then he panics and starts trying to escape,” Ishikgaki continued, running a hand through his hair in concerned frustration. “He managed to slice Kyoumoto-kun open and he doesn’t know the rest of them as well, so they can set him off too. He won’t talk about what happened… it’s like handling a ticking bomb. He doesn’t eat, he doesn’t sleep. Half the time he wakes up not knowing where he is and that terrifies him. His body is too weak, it’s going to give out if we can’t get him to calm down and I can’t keep him under constantly.”
Kitayama just nodded, eyes trained on Fujigaya as the other curled himself defensively, eyes wide as he looked from Anderson to Takada. While he’d never admit it, seeing Fujigaya crumble right in front of his eyes unnerved him. Fujigaya was an elite commando. He had risked his life on unthinkable missions and done what many considered the impossible, returning without any lasting harm. But sixteen days in the clutches of the enemy had reduced him to a mere shell of his former spirit.
“Let me talk to him.” Kitayama’s hand was already on the door handle, pulling it open and stepping inside. “Alone.”
Takada and Anderson froze, glancing over their shoulders at Kitayama and then at Ishigaki. Behind them, Fujigaya curled himself into a tighter ball, apprehension rolling off of him in a way that was almost tangible.
“Close the curtains.” Motioning at the two nurses, Ishigaki insured that they would have some privacy before ushering Takada and Anderson out.
Silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, Kitayama just standing there, holding Fujigaya’s gaze before his eyes softened. “Fujigaya, we can’t help you if you won’t let us,” he sighed, sinking down onto the bed, watching as Fujigaya slowly straightened himself.
“I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt Taiga,” Fujigaya murmured, plucking at the hospital scrubs they had him wearing. “I just… it was cold… I couldn’t get out.”
“You were dreaming,” Kitayama reminded him, slowly kicking his boots off and moving onto the bed more.
Covering his eyes with shaking palms, Fujigaya shook his head. “I know. I know… I just. It’s still there. I can still smell it all. I… I don’t want to go back.”
“Taisuke.” It came out as a near hiss as Kitayama reached over, taking Fujigaya’s hand. It was all it took to get Fujigaya scrambling closer, needing to feel something solid and familiar. “You’ll never go back there,” Kitayama whispered, fierce but gentle as he wrapped his arms around the other’s shoulders. Fujigaya felt bone-thin; fragile, as if he’d break at any moment, but Kitayama held him close.
Fujigaya continued to unravel, finally coming apart. He didn’t cry, but he clung to Kitayama, face buried in his shoulder. “It’s like I couldn’t get out. I was dying, and I couldn’t get out, Hiro, and don’t… I don’t want to die.”
It was tragic, holding Fujigaya and realizing how much they’d broken him. Kitayama gently stroked fingers through Fujigaya’s hair, shifting so he could pull him closer. “They’re gone, Taisuke… I’ll keep you safe.” He had failed him once, and he’d never let it happen again. Gently pressing a kiss to the top of Fujigaya’s head, Kitayama closed his eyes, promising again: “I’ll always keep you safe.”
They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, Kitayama stroking through Fujigaya’s hair, pulling him back to reality every time he tensed up again, reminding Fujigaya that he wasn’t alone, that he was there.
“Don’t… go anywhere,” Fujigaya murmured, eventually letting Kitayama cover him with one of the hospital blankets, catching Kitayama’s hand with one of his own. “Please?”
Kitayama’s smile was strange, filled with odd emotions that Fujigaya couldn’t quite understand anymore, but he nodded, gently squeezing back as he stretched out next to Fujigaya. Fujigaya’s eyes were already closed, but he shifted, resting his head on Kitayama’s shoulder, mumbling something that sounded like ‘Thanks’ before he slowly, finally fell asleep.
Kitayama cocked his head to the side, still smiling, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What did they do to you…” he murmured when he realized the other was asleep, sadness winding through his words. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to Fujigaya’s forehead, fingertips gently caressing his cheek. “Come back, Taisuke… They’re all waiting for you.”
I’m waiting for you.
~
Ishigaki found them hours later, curled up on the bed, deep in slumber. Fujigaya looked fragile, but more relaxed than he had since reawakening, Kitayama’s arm drawn protectively around his shoulders.
It was a start.