Chapter 2

Does Takao make it?[Final Chapter]

When Takao had stopped breathing Kai had let out a horrified scream as the tears fell harder out of his eyes. The paramedics had come and Rei and Hitoshi had to hold Kai back as he tried to return to Ta’s side. Hiromi was bawling into Chief’s shoulder, Max was on the ground in shock with tears pouring from his eyes. Rei and Hitoshi were trying to be strong but they were still crying silently. Eventually Kai went limp, tears still pouring from his eyes, and went completely catatonic.

Rei took Kai with him and made his way to the hospital along with the others. Hitoshi went to get Gramps. Once they were all gathered at the hospital they asked for Takao, the doctor to him to the emergency waiting room where they all waited for news on their dear friend. Eventually a nurse came up and told them he was in ICU.

“At the moment there’s not much of a chance that Takao will survive. We’ll allow you all to see him, but only for a short amount of time.” The nurse explained. Rei, who was sitting by Max, reserved himself to just trying to bring the blond out of his shock, but it seemed that Kai wasn’t the only one in a catatonic state. Hiromi was still crying, but now into her legs. Kenny stood up, it seemed as if he had grown taller in that past few years, and walked over to help Hitoshi bring Kai to Takao’s room.

When they go there Gramps was already there, he seemed very reserved, but you could see the tear tracks on his face. Kenny would have liked to say that Takao looked like he was getting better, but couldn’t because all of the machines made the 16-year-old look even smaller than he was. Every one had come because the next day was Takao’s birthday, the boy’s 17th in-fact. All of the blunett’s friends had come but Kenny, Rei, Max, and Hitoshi had wanted to see the birthday boy earlier, and they had, but in a way that would scar them forever. If Takao survived this they would all most likely be paranoid about the blunett whenever he left the house or their sight.

To Hitoshi the sight of his brother all plugged up to different machines, IV’s poked into the boy everywhere scared him and the tubes in his nose and mouth that fed the teen oxygen. Takao had always been an independent person, never really leaning on anyone, too much. Now the teen’s life was dependent on all of the IVs and machines around him, because without them the boy would surely die. Hitoshi collapsed in a chair near Gramps, leaving Kenny to guide Kai over to the chair on the other side of the bed. All they did was sit there for a while and then Kenny, Hitoshi, and Gramps left, figuring if Kai was gonna talk at all it he might want to do it in private.

Once gone Kai did manage to snap out of his state for a bit, before the emotional pain overwhelmed him again.

“Ta... Ta you can’t die... If you do I’ll be alone.” The dual haired teen whispered. “This was the stupid stuff I was talking about this morning. When you’re mad or upset you don’t pay attention to your surroundings. Call me paranoid but whenever your upset at night I walk you to school the next day.” Tears had started again but to Kai it seemed they hadn’t stopped.

“Ta I wanted to tell you I loved you but never could... I couldn’t lose you, I can’t lose you.” He corrected himself. “You’re all I have. I’m at home with you... Don’t die” He let out a quiet harsh sob before slipping back into his catatonic state. He had tried to be as quiet as possible, but Rei, who was holding Max, had heard all of it while he waited out side.

Once Kai had fallen asleep Rei went into the room and set Max down into Gramps chair. Rei chuckled slightly at a dark piece of humor. The four of them were for once quiet, no scathing remarks, no laughing, no grumbling, no need for advice, no yelling, not even crying was heard, and what did it take? Takao being on the brink of death.

“You know we came here to celebrate 17 years of you being alive not to go to your funeral.” Rei said quietly to the bedridden boy. “I don’t think Kai could take anymore death in his life. He may not say it but he most likely loved his parents and they’re dead. If you died I think he’d likely go insane, commit suicide, or be catatonic the rest of his life.

“Please get better Takao, if not for you or the rest of us, then for Kai. He needs you, you heard him, he loves you.” It was then that Rei noticed something about Takao’s hair. It wasn’t something exactly obvious but it was still there, part of Takao’s, now almost waist length, midnight blue hair had been shaved to put some stitches there. Rei’s eyes widened and grabbed his own bound hair, glad it wasn’t his hair, but still scared for the person who had messed with Takao’s hair.

“Half of us are out, let’s just hope it’s not down and out.” Came a voice from the door. It was Hiromi. Kenny, who was next to her, nodded. Then Tala came in.

“Kai?” He asked. Rei, the only one really understanding the question, answered.

“Catatonic. He came out of it for a bit but fell right back into the state. Max has gone catatonic, as well.” Rei said. The red head sighed, leaned against a wall and ran a hand through his hair.

“He won’t last if Takao dies.” He stated. “Too much death, and he saw it this time.” He shook his head and looked toward the ceiling. “Heh. Happy times gone bad.”

Hiromi gave a weak smile. “I guess so. This was going to be a great big surprise for him and everything. I think it’s postponed.”

“All we can do is hope and pray Takao by passes this critical stage.” Kenny said. A nurse came in and they though it was time to go. “Don’t worry ma’am we’ll move out.” Kenny said before she was able to speak. Rei moved to pick Max up and Kenny went to get Kai with some help from Tala.

“No it’s not that it’s just we heard that there were some in your party in catatonic state, is that right?” She asked with her clip board.

“It’s true ma’am. Nothing has awoken them, but Kai did wake up for a second.” Rei answered.

“Were they witnesses to the hit and run?” Everyone in the room nodded. “We’d like to do a medical examination, if that’s all right? Could you bring the two and follow me, please?” The sets of people left and Hiromi sat next to Ta.

“You know, I was going to sit with you two today originally but Kai asked me not to. Kai wasn’t mad at you today and I don’t think he meant what he said at all. You’ve probably heard this a lot today, but I’ll say it anyway, he loves you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kai cry... Hell I don’t think Tala’s seen that block of ice cry and he’s been bawling ever since you stopped breathing there for a second. Please, Ta, pull through.” A few minutes later Hiromi left, after placing a quick kiss on the teen’s forehead

A few weeks later they were all gathered at the Kinomiya dojo. Everyone that had come just a few weeks prior for a celebration of life was collected in an even larger number for the funeral of Kinomiya Takao. There was a blond crying on the shoulder of a cat-like raven haired teen. An un-blinking dual-haired teen sat in a chair staring at the blunett’s urn. Two other blunetts and a greyed old man were crying but it was the oldest that cried the most. A male brunet sat typing the happenings while another brunet sat next to him bawling her eyes out. A younger red-head was screaming at the picture and urn, saying the deceased teen wasn’t allowed to be dead, and that he was killing everyone he knew. Silently everyone there agreed and cried harder.

Looking back to the unresponsive dual haired teen you could see the tears build up in crimson orbs, before flowing over and spilling down pale white cheeks. There was nothing left in this teen, everything in his world had shattered when the other teen died. The Russian blader was dead and everyone mourned for his death too. Because while he was still breathing nothing held him together, he was broken at the seems. Two beloved people had died a few weeks back and their loved ones would never get them back.

No... That wasn’t right. That was just the nightmare the witnesses of the accident had, had every night since.

What had happened was the next day the hospital had called the dojo saying that Max and Kai were perfectly healthy but since Kai had yet to awaken from his comatose he was to be kept there to be properly taken care of. Max had woken up, cried a little more and fallen asleep, so he’d stayed over night. They had also called to say that Takao had pulled out of critical and would be moved into a regular ward.

The hospital was happy to say that Takao had no brain damage, but he had to have stitches where the car’s fin had hit his head. The, happy to be, 17 year-old had a few cracked ribs, one broken rib, a dislocated shoulder and hip, a broken leg (femur to be exact), and a sprained wrist. It seems head wounds bleed a lot. One thing Takao wasn’t very happy about was his hair, because of the missing chunk, when he got out he was going to have to get a hair cut.

About two weeks later Takao was allowed to go visit Kai, who, from the shock, had yet to awaken from his catatonic state. Nothing happened the first time but the second time sleeping beauty had awoken. After that it was Kai who visited Takao and did everything for him. Kai knew it had been him who had almost killed the ball of blue sunshine an was doing everything he could to make up for it.

It was now exactly a month from the accident and Takao was home, with his hair cut and wheelchair. Kai still hadn’t stopped being a worrywart, in his own way, but he had calmed down a bit when it finally sunk in that Takao wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Takao had his birthday and survival celebration.

After everyone had either gone back to their hotel or room Kai and Takao were left alone. They watched the sunset and Takao was smiling a soft smile.

“Kai?” Taka questioned

“Yeah, Kinomiya?” Kai intoned, looking toward the younger. Takao beamed at him.

“I love you, too.” Ta said his smile truly loving. Kai had a shocked look on his face, and Takao looked back at the sky. “I don’t know why but I heard everyone that night, even you, and every one said the same thing. ‘You loved me and needed me to go on’ kinda cliche but Tala said it in his own way, too.

“I just wanted you to know that. I love you, too.” Takao repeated. He leaned his peach fuzz head on to Kai’s shoulder. Kai kissed the other’s temple.

“I love you more than you know.”

That day that everything started was blue skies and sunny and so was today.

Author's Note

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