|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:37 pm
 
"You could've followed a naked mime back here and I wouldn't care." Akihiko spoke with a half smirk.
Strangely, Katsumi laughed at that. "I think it would be funnier if he followed a walking piece of cherry pie..."
Akihiko laughed in turn. "Okay yeah, that might be funnier... maybe a naked mime eating a piece of cherry pie with flailing little arms and legs?"
Dark eyes blinked but the bat smiled, thinking that just as amusing. "Ne, Asato-kun... why a paper trail?"
"And how did you see me get out of the limo if you just woke up?" Narcissus added, deciding to forget mentioning anything further about the guest.
From the way the older man acted, this guest might be a secret.
"I think Yuuji-kun was worried someone might go after Ruki or myself next. Personally I think the worry is misplaced right now... it'd be suicide to come after us after what happened to you."
Sighing, Azriel wrapped an arm around Hiroki gently, trying to help warm the man up just a bit more, while also being mindful of his chest. "I don't want to think about what happened to him..." the bat closed his eyes. "I saw it on television... damn photographic memory..."
"You have that too?" Akihiko asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "At any rate... I'm sure everyone will be beyond happy to know you're awake, Asato. Yuuji-kun had us scared to death about your condition!"
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 7:04 pm
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
He smiled a little as they joked. He could still hear her voice even if he never saw her face. How she held his hand and they had been running. "I...I carried papers every day to Aki's office...and it was as if nothing had changed." The eyes in his head tried to see what the eyes of that distance far away place saw...felt..."Except I kept dropping them." They had been like breadcrumbs, his way home and the skin that covered him before had returned to life.
"I saw you on the TV in Aki's office." responded Hiroki with a slow suck of air. He nodded as he listened to the two brothers talk. Photographic memories. Great...nothing would get past them.
"Yuuji is a worry wart. I couldn't leave you all here alone...could I?"
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 8:37 pm
Blue eyes focused in on Hiroki and Akihiko smiled sadly. "It was just a dream, Asato. Your speech today... it was very moving, you know. You cared about him more than anyone really... so it's no wonder your near-death experience would involve his sly a** somehow."
Kneeling down next to the bed, Narcissus got to Hiroki's eye level and stared at the man seriously. "No... you couldn't leave us here alone. Always a secretary, ne? Always looking after everyone else... baka..." Akihiko reached out and put a gentle hand on the older man's shoulder.
His blue eyes noticed how Azriel tensed just a bit and, in truth, the young tiger thought his little brother would hiss at him any moment now. But the hand remained, even if the bat bristled.
"Things have changed though. You've awfully big shoes to fill, Asato. But you won't fill them alone. Much as you may hate it... you've me on your side now."
Dark eyes glared at his half-brother, but Katsumi didn't say a word for a time. No... Akihiko had known Hiroki longer... but Azriel knew the man far more intimately.
Hiroki belonged to Katsu... and the bat would let this man think what he would.
"Katsumi... what happened to your head?"
The vocalist blinked, raising black nails to the pristine white bandage beneath his hair. "Ah... ano..."
Akihiko sighed, reaching his hand over and ruffling the man's hair instead. "Long as you're okay."
"I'm fine... I had surgery and I'm fine now." dark eyes focused back in on Hiroki. "Kaito-kun said you were worried about me. Gomen ne, Asato-kun... I got caught up working on songs and... well sleeping a lot. You know how lazy I am."
Narcissus laughed softly, "Another thing we have in common. I slept the ENTIRE day yesterday, you know." Yes, Akihiko was trying to keep Hiroki's spirits up and give the man something to focus on. "Ruki was so pissed at me this morning because I hadn't showered!"
"Do you do that too? The sleeping after shows thing, I mean." Katsu asked, genuinely curious.
Akihiko nodded, "Hai. No one disturbs me the entire day after a tour or series of shows because I just sleep the whole day."
"Mmmm... I did that after my tour too... I just kinda passed out after each show and woke up the next afternoon in a new city." Azriel laughed softly, his fingers curling on Hiroki's shoulder, mindful of his chest injury. "I think it confused my bus driver, hahaha."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 9:37 pm
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:-  Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
Hiroki nodded but there were too many things that didn't seem like a dream. However, he couldn't explain it so easily right now. And maybe some of what Aki said to him shouldn't be spoken of in front of Katsumi. Hiroki smiled when that hand was placed on his shoulder although even he could feel the bristle of the little bat. His arm squeeze just a slight bit tighter around his kitten, but he was still feeling weak so it was nothing like his usual strength at all.
"Very big shoes. I get the right shoe...you can have the left one...at work" he said weakly and turned his head just a little to the side to nuzzle Katsumi. The only shoes he wanted Katsumi to fill were the slippers in the house...in their bed. "Way too much in common...both of you are bratty, get injuries in similar places, sleep in all day..." he tilted his head back and looked at Akihiko, "I wonder if you like the same foods...no wait....Katsumi likes sweets more than you."
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 9:44 pm
Akihiko smirked knowingly. "And I bet we both have jealous streaks a mile wide..."
When Katsu avoided the older man's gaze, it was easy to tell he was right.
"But yes. At work. Gods forbid I have to do business anywhere else. And you're right. I really don't like sweets at all. I'd say Katsumi has more in common with Ruki on that point."
Azriel sighed softly, turning his head so that his face was covered by his unruly tuft of hair and his face was buried by the side of Hiroki's chest. He closed his eyes and just lay there, listening to Akihiko and his pet talk on and on.
One of Narcissus' eyebrows rose as he watched his little brother. "He's asleep, isn't he?" the musician laughed softly. "Yare yare, Asato... you've your hands full there. I bet he's worse than me! Hope you've got what it takes to be his Ruki."
Of course Akihiko had no idea that this same idea had been put forth in the older man's 'dream' by his grandfather.
Sighing, the young tiger moved to sit down in a nearby chair. "Feel free to fall back asleep, Asato. No doubt the nurses have noticed you're conscious by now... I'm thinking that's a very good sign. OH! And you'll be happy to know Goshiro-san is fine. He was grazed by the same bullet that hit you. Ruki's father was also shot and he should be alright too. You had us all worried though, you know." blue eyes softened as he watched Katsumi asleep against Hiroki. "Guess that's what Ruki means when he says I look innocent asleep." the young tiger laughed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 7:22 am
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
Oh that part seemed to be very true. Katsumi probably was a more jealous young man that Akihiko from Hiroki's point of view. "Lucky-san is sort of a sweets person." But then with Akihiko's question, Hiroki's eyebrow also raised as he tried to turn his head just enough to look.
"He is....I can't believe he fell asleep." said Hiroki thoughtfully feeling the relaxed warm weight against him. He also realized that Kaito had slipped out of the room. Probably to let the others know he was awake. "I hope I do too." Wondering if there weren't more similarities between Aki and Akihiko that he had thought. Or at least maybe thinking patterns.
Hiroki listened to the update on everyone and most of it was a little blurry. He didn't remember how he fell or Goshiro's injury nor did he ever see Ishi-san get shot. But it was good to know that the others would live. But he smiled a little at the last comment. "Yes...I think so." He had seen both men sleeping an there was this innocent look about them, however, Hiroki knew that was just a trap!
Looking up at the ceiling, he took in a deep breath from the oxygen at his mouth. He knew he'd fall asleep soon enough but he glanced over at Akihiko remembering, "Aki said to tell you he is very proud of you, Akihiko."
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:03 am
"He was probably very worried, Asato." Akihiko spoke with his own tired smile. "I'd probably have done the same but it's just been one thing after another today and I think I'm still running on a bit of adrenaline. If he's in the way though... maybe we should wake him up?"
The young tiger's blue eyes were fixed on the pair, and while he knew that Katsu wasn't hindering anything that beeped or monitored, he might still make it a bit uncomfortable for the older man in the bed.
Yet that blue gaze softened a bit and there was a sadness there as he looked to Hiroki. "It was just a dream, Asato-kun. And yes... I know he was. He told me in his letter. What was it he told you in yours? I never got the chance to ask."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 9:52 am
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
"No...he's ok. He's not too heavy." Hiroki really didn't want Katsumi going anywhere. He was used to the younger man snuggling in. It wasn't as comfortable right now but the weight wasn't on his full chest where his injuries really hurt. "Maybe wake him when the nurses get here."
"Maybe he said something that you always probably suspected. He said I was the son he always wanted...and never had." answered Hiroki feeling a momentary regret that he couldn't have been that son in the way Aki needed, by blood. But in every other way, Hiroki had been that man.
Akihiko didn't believe him that it was real. Maybe he should accept that but...he wanted Akihiko to know that for him it had been real. "I don't know how to make you believe that it was Aki. Mm....but he did say one thing that I don't want to know about until after I'm home. He said to ask you about Takagi-kun. And I would have to make a choice in the future about him."
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 1:31 pm
Akihiko laughed softly, "Well you were, Asato. You were hard working and paid attention and loyal. Far better than my father apparently was. You didn't invite scandal and you were always so good at your job. Hell you could tolerate me too." the musician smiled, leaning back in the chair and getting comfortable.
After all, the young tiger had no plans to leave any time soon.
But what the elephant of Ohayou said next nearly floored him.
Narcissus crossed his arms over his chest and thought about Hiroki's statement for a long moment.
"Here isn't the place to talk about Takagi-kun like that... nor his future." blue eyes focused on the sleeping man at Asato's side. "I'll just say, for now, that he's in trouble... or will be." sighing, Akihiko closed his eyes. "So ojisan came to greet you on death's doorstep? I bet a part of you was overjoyed and wanted to follow him, ne?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 2:04 pm
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
"I must have a lot of fortitude to tolerate you and care about him." Hiroki's eyes drifted towards the tuckered out kitten in his arms. Adorable really. He just wanted to take the young man home and curl up together. "Seems like I'm hung up on tigers." How right Aki had been.
Hiroki didn't say anything about Yuuji. He knew it had to do with Izo and most things with Izo meant trouble.
"I wanted to follow him and thought I was still working for him when I saw him. I was overjoyed and thought we could still retire together." His eyes drifted back up to the ceiling again and he shifted just a little but that movement was painful so he winced slightly. "But...he pretty much dashed those hopes to the ground and reminded me of this world from a single TV on the wall. Said I had too many to help with their dreams...and I need to follow my own path rather than following him. He even knew about...Katsumi."
Hiroki's eyes softened as he though of the distance future, "When the times right, he'll meet me again." He became rather quiet but in some way he felt...lucky. He did get to see Aki...even though they had buried his body away. His spirit was still out there even if beyond his reach. Maybe that was the best form of closure he could be offered on this world.
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 2:34 pm
Something about what Hiroki said hurt just a little deep down. The elephant had closure now, didn't he?
Did Akihiko?
No...
And he highly doubted he ever really would.
There was no closure for him in regards to Yuriko... in regards to his parents... so why would there be closure about Aki?
"You really did love him, ne?" Narcissus asked softly before sighing. "He's right though... you do need to follow your own path. It's why I don't disapprove of your relationship with Katsumi. If you're happy. I'm happy. Though... that world you found yourself in... could you have been happy there or would you have regrets?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 2:49 pm
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
"I did...I still do. Although not in the same way as I used to. But that's ok. I've found someone special." Hiroki closed his eyes feeling that warm kitten right next to him. Katsumi would always be there...wouldn't he?
"I'm happier in parts of my life I could never have touched before. But...well, yes...I would have had regrets leaving here so soon. Even if at the time I would have gladly thought I could have stayed. I don't think he was at peace reflecting on this world in death. Maybe he will find peace as we move forward making good decisions and growing the business and families of our own."
"Although, maybe he was at peace..." Hiroki paused again and looked at Akihiko and rolled his eyes. "He said everything he could to make sure I came back here. Sly old tiger. Probably pulled the wool over my eyes yet again." He smiled a bit brighter. His heart did seem lighter.
"He gave me a very warm hug and sent me on my way. But...the cheery pie man that brought me back here wasn't comical at all..although very happy. She probably would have laughed had she heard you and Katsumi call her that. And she was walking...running as a matter of fact. I think that made me the happiest of all." Hiroki didn't have to mention his sister's name because he knew that Akihiko would understand. "I guess after here...things really do go on."
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 3:46 pm
"You being here probably puts his mind at ease." Akihiko replied, tilting his head to the side slightly as he watched Hiroki.
There was obvious love in the older man's eyes when he looked at Katsumi. It made the young tiger, inwardly, happy. Hiroki deserved happiness... and here was the little brother he had forgotten about so many years ago.
The musician sighed softly. "I wonder if a small hand will take mine when I die. When I was in the hospital for my head the first time... there was nothing. Just a darkness that I seemed to float within. No voices or kind words... Seems you have a greater purpose, Asato. You had to come back for a reason that we may not yet know. You're lucky. Seeing those who cared for you that had gone on before."
For a moment, Akihiko seemed very tired. Dwelling on the subject of his grandfather wasn't helping... and slowly the adrenaline of the day was beginning to wear away.
"Perhaps I should return to Ruki and leave you two alone. I'm sure Katsumi would rather have you all to himself anyway."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 5:03 pm
What wouldn't I do for King and Country...
Yes Sir!------------------------------------------------}:- Asato Hiroki
Chairman's Secretary - Ohayou Productions
The world has....changed
"Maybe so...he's really a dark feisty ball of energy that needs someone to hold him tight." His eyes did hold love for Katsumi even if how it all came to be was still a strange and dark experience. However, the world moved on and he was happy. He could see a future here...if they could grow together. "I'm still afraid I'm too old for him."
But then he glanced over at Akihiko and smiled, "I think when the time is right she'll be there waiting for you, Akihiko. When you need her, she'll be there."
"Ah...he can deal with it. I'm glad you're here. I would have been nervous had you not shown up. Besides, you already said you weren't going anywhere. So...I'm going to hold you to it. Although, when you do go back, would you return with my guest? I wanted to introduce him to someone special." He turned his head slow and gazed at the fuzzy head. He couldn't turn as much as he wanted but it felt good to know that Katsumi was there.
But soon the door opened and the nurses came in with a doctor to check him out. They were a little surprised to see Katsumi curled up like that against their patient. "He was tired and well I was cold." said Hiroki as he glanced at Akihiko. Maybe he did need to wake up the kitten.
"Since you're awake we can change some of these monitors and remove that mask. It's good to see you awake. We were worried about you." said the doctor as he walked to Hiroki's side.
-:{------------------------------------------------No Sir!
...Where you Lead - that is the Path I Follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 5:12 pm
"Too old? Hardly. You're not old, Asato. Get that thought out of your head right now." Akihiko wagged a finger at the older man. "Age doesn't matter. What matters is how happy you both are."
Hearing what Hiroki thought thought though... it brought a slight smile to the musician's lips. To think that one day he might see his sister again... But to do so would mean leaving Izzy behind...
"I'm not exactly ready for that just yet. I wouldn't want to leave Ruki all alone. But..." then the young tiger laughed. "Hai hai, I won't go anywhere then." Akihiko couldn't help smiling now. "So your guest is for him then? Maybe once you're out of the ICU, I'll go fetch him. Guess the longer I stay away from Yuuji, the longer I can put off getting yelled at. I..."
It was at this time that the nurses and doctor came in. Narcissus stood up, walking over to Hiroki's side and carefully picking Azriel up. Oddly enough, Katsu didn't even wake up! He just curled into Akihiko and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck. This surprised the young tiger, but then he laughed and winked at Hiroki.
Thankfully there was a small bench-like sofa against one wall and he quickly laid the bat down there, grabbing a spare blanket and covering him up.
"Does he need to stay out of the bed?" Narcissus asked the doctor before politely bowing to the man and introducing himself... he also thanked the doctor for saving Hiroki's life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
