Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A ship in the fog ❯ The third night ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4 - The third night

 

 

After Haru's gruesome discovery that, not only was he on a ship that belonged to his own family, which he had intended to flee from, but Akito was also on board, he was kind of depressed. Let's face it; he had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

 

Understanding that the two toned boy needed some time alone to take in the situation, Momiji and Kyo went to bed. Changing into his white and yellow bunny pajamas, the blondinet was a tad worried. He had noticed that his companion had lost some of his usual fire when they left the haul. He knew that Haru's mention of Yuki hadn't gone unnoticed by the redhead, and he was afraid that Kyo would simply give up.

 

“That girly boy's just got to have them all!” The redhead was mumbling angrily to himself a couple of cabins down from Momiji's. “First Tohru, then Haru… Well, he can keep him, the Hell if I care. I won't waste my energy anymore.” That being said, Kyo blew out his candle and closed his eyes. Even though he had made his decision, images of the stowaway flashed through his head. Kyo blushed from head to toe in the dark. No, no, no. No. That was bad. He needed to focus on something else. Focus. Focus on the damn sea… the waves… the white foam on the waves… Haru's soft white hairs… Water running down Haru's chin… Haru's hot chest leaning on him while he drank… Damnit. Kyo slapped himself hard on the head.

 

Wait. His ruby eyes shot open. Now that he was thinking about it, Haru had drunk some of the water that they had brought him that night and the night before, but he hadn't touched the food. How much time can one live without proper food? And his black clothes must be dirty. --Not that Kyo cared anymore, but he'd go back to the haul the next night and bring Haru some clean clothes. They'd be a little tight for him because he seemed to be a little taller than the redhead, but beggars can't be choosers, ne? And he'd make sure that the two toned boy ate something. Closing his eyes and shifting onto his other side, Kyo finally fell asleep.

 

The next night, when Momiji and Kyo went to the haul for the third time, they found Haru lying on his back with his eyes shut, breathing spasmodically. He was sweating abundantly and his face had an unhealthy waxen color.

 

“Maybe he just looks a lot worse than he really is?” Kyo hated how unconvincing his voice sounded.

 

Momiji pushed away the soft white bangs and used his handkerchief to wipe Haru's forehead. His big brown eyes were watery and he was biting his lips.

 

“Look,” said Kyo, “we can get rid of his dirty clothes and dress him in the clean ones first. Maybe he'll wake up and drink a little. We can decide afterwards if we need to bring him to Hatori or not.”

 

Momiji nodded and started to remove the blankets. When he began to undo Haru's black shirt, Kyo looked away. His face turned different shades of red while he remembered his dreams from the night before.

 

“Uh, uh. Kyo?” Momiji's shaky voice made Kyo turn back. “What's this?” He was pointing at a black dot on Haru's chest.

 

“It's… it's…” Kyo leaned forward to take a better look. “Help me sit him up.” They struggled to keep him up while removing his shirt completely. Looking at Haru's bare back, Kyo became angry again.

 

A little higher than the one on the front was another dot. “Stupid!” he hissed at the unconscious boy. “Why didn't you tell us that that bitch actually shot you?!”

 

Even to his unaware eyes, the wound looked quite bad. And infected. The skin all around it was red and puffy and a stinking liquid was dripping from it. God, Haru, what were you thinking! Still held up, the two toned boy let out a weak moan and rested his head against Kyo's shoulder. Leaning sadly his cheek on the other's soft white hairs, the redhead stroked the nape of his neck gently.

 

“Momiji, go back to your cabin.” Kyo said suddenly. “I'll bring Haru to Hatori, and we don't need both of us to be involved.”

 

“But…”

 

Lifting the unconscious boy in his arms, Kyo headed for the ladder. Halting, he added without turning his head back, “he'll need someone when I'm locked up. And I would rather that be you… than that damn Yuki.”

 

Still crying, Momiji agreed and, holding up the lantern, he lighted Kyo's path up to the cabin floor. Once inside his bedroom, he dropped to the floor and looked at the sky through the porthole. He prayed for Haru to come back to the living… and for Kyo… Well maybe Hatori would keep the secret on how the injured boy was brought to his attention?

 

That was exactly what the redhead was hoping for when he banged his right foot into Hatori's door. He heard the sound of footsteps and the handle creaking. -So much for the discretion- he thought sadly at the sight of Shigure through the half-opened door. With an unusual stern look, the captain opened the door wide and motioned Kyo in. Sure enough, Akito and Hatori were sitting at a small table. The doctor looked tense.

 

“What is it, Kyo?” asked Hatori while opening the communication door between his bedroom and the next cabin, which was used as a sick bay. The redhead followed the doctor and avoided looking at the master. He carefully set Haru down on the table and pushed white bangs from closed eyes almost tenderly.

 

“He's been shot,” he answered, red eyes still fixed on the immobile white face. “And I'm pretty sure the wound is infected.”

 

“So Rin got you, Hatsuharu, did she?” Akito stated with a sickly happy voice. “A nice gun, I must say,” he added to Hatori and Shigure, like the redhead was invisible. “I gave it to her for her nineteenth birthday. She must have wanted him to suffer; otherwise she would have aimed for the head. My sister is quite a good shot.”

 

Hatori had already looked at the wounds and was cleaning his hands. “I'll need some help with him.” Shigure turned different shades of green and gave some lame excuse before exiting the room.

 

“Shigure!” Akito stopped him curtly. “Once Hatori is finished with that filth, I want him locked up in the haul. He can't get away with hiding a stowaway on board my ship.”

 

“Well, of course,” the captain answered cautiously to the ship's master, “but maybe Kyo just discovered the boy, and he came to us at once,” he added, giving a meaningful glance at the redhead, leaving him a way out. But Kyo knew better. The head was wicked and un-sane and somehow he always discovered the truth.

 

“I found him three nights ago,” the redhead mumbled.

 

“That settles up things, Shigure. I also want him chained. Oh, and if he fails to help Hatori properly, or if Haru dies, he'll die too. I'll need a head to bring back to my sister for the loss of her fiancé, won't I?” He exited the room with a nasty chuckle.

 

“Kyo?”

 

“What?”

 

“Clean your hands,” Hatori ordered with a professional voice. “Then you will hand me the instruments when I ask you. If Haru wakes up, hold him down. In his condition, I can't use a lot of anesthetic. If you feel sick, use the sink or the bucket near you.” Kyo nodded reluctantly and headed for the sink to clean his hands. His usually tanned face was almost as white as Haru's.

 

“Good. First I'll need to remove the fabric pieces that the bullet inserted in the wounds. Hand me the surgical knife.” Hatori waited as Kyo rushed to the sink, did what he had to, and cleaned his hands again.

 

“Hatori?”

 

“Mmm?”

 

“…”

 

“Honestly Kyo -hand me a gauze compress- I don't know if Haru will make it. I'll do my best though. He's been lucky; he has a broken rib, but no organ seems to have been touched. The infection is what I'm worried about. If that was what you wanted to ask.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

That was the moment Haru chose to open his gray eyes wide. His face screwed up with pain and he started to squirm. The redhead pushed his shoulders back against the table and, in a panic, did the only thing that came to his mind to make the injured boy stay still long enough for Hatori to inject him with some anesthetic. He pressed his lips against Haru's roughly. To his surprise, the two toned boy closed his eyes and kissed him back. Raising his arm, he pressed it gently to the nape of Kyo's neck, fingers grabbing the fiery locks. Kyo felt Haru's tongue ask for entrance and he obliged, parting his lips slightly. He was beginning to relax and enjoy the moment when, unfortunately, the morphine took over and Haru stopped moving altogether. Remembering the doctor's presence, the redhead's cheeks turned a bright red.

 

A few hours later, Hatori finished bandaging Haru's chest. “If he survives the next 24 hours, I think he will make it,” the doctor said, picking the boy up and laying him on the nearby bed. “I'll try to keep you informed.”

 

“Thanks.” Kyo was exhausted. The sun was about to rise and he hadn't slept at all. And he was about to be caged. He hadn't thought about it while he was assisting Hatori, but looking up, he saw Kureno waiting patiently for him. He gave a last look at the now sleeping Haru and left the room without speaking.

 

 

 

To be continued…

 

 

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