Major Tags: None Other Tags: None Word Count: 484 words
***
There was a boy in his mother’s room.
Midousuji paused in the doorway uncertainly, peering at his mother’s bed. She was still there. But there was a boy in the bed that had been empty for as long as Midousuji could remember.
“Come here, darling,” she said softly, her voice heavy with fatigue but still so sweet. “Don’t worry about Manami-kun, he’s a nice boy.”
“Hi,” the boy said listlessly from his bed. There were books heaped on his bedside table and a stuffed toy. No get-well-soon cards, Midousuji noticed. Whatever sent him here, it wasn’t the sort of illness or accident that people recovered from.
“Hi,” he said, gaze returning to his mother. He was here for her, after all. He padded over to her bedside and took her cool hand in his, drinking in the sight of her wan face. Again, softly, this time just for his mother, he said, “Hi.”
“My sweet boy,” she said, her words more an exhalation of breath than sound. “How was school today?”
“It was fine.” Midousuji unfolded his math test and showed her the bright golden star sticker at the top. “I got full marks on a math test.”
She smiled, the weak curve of her mouth barely visible, but it was enough to make Midousuji smile back.
“So proud of you. My brave – boy.” It took more effort for her to speak these days. The gaps between her words grew longer, forcing Midousuji to lean in further to be able to hear her.
He treasured each word from her, replaying their conversations in his mind on the long ride home. He wouldn’t let himself forget a single syllable, he vowed, and didn’t let himself think why it was so urgent to remember everything she said.
The conversation was slow and quiet from necessity. When his mother closed her eyes and slipped into sleep, Midousuji kept holding her hand. Her fingers were cool within his, long and limp. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the blanket, wishing he could just sleep here instead of cycling back to his aunt’s place.
“Hey.” The boy’s voice stirred Midousuji from his slumber. “The night nurse is going to come soon and make you leave if she sees you here.”
“…Yes.” He had to go. He let go of his mother’s hand unhappily, then stood up.
“If you want, you can hide under my blanket while she’s here.” The boy said and Midousuji looked at him properly for the first time. Pale, dark-haired with big blue eyes the color of Midousuji’s favorite crayon; he didn’t seem dangerous but why was he offering?
He could hear the night nurse’s heels clicking. No time to think. Quickly, he climbed up into the boy’s bed and hid under the blanket, tucking himself as close to the boy as he could.
FILL: TEAM PRINCE OF TENNIS, T
Other Tags: None
Word Count: 484 words
***
There was a boy in his mother’s room.
Midousuji paused in the doorway uncertainly, peering at his mother’s bed. She was still there. But there was a boy in the bed that had been empty for as long as Midousuji could remember.
“Come here, darling,” she said softly, her voice heavy with fatigue but still so sweet. “Don’t worry about Manami-kun, he’s a nice boy.”
“Hi,” the boy said listlessly from his bed. There were books heaped on his bedside table and a stuffed toy. No get-well-soon cards, Midousuji noticed. Whatever sent him here, it wasn’t the sort of illness or accident that people recovered from.
“Hi,” he said, gaze returning to his mother. He was here for her, after all. He padded over to her bedside and took her cool hand in his, drinking in the sight of her wan face. Again, softly, this time just for his mother, he said, “Hi.”
“My sweet boy,” she said, her words more an exhalation of breath than sound. “How was school today?”
“It was fine.” Midousuji unfolded his math test and showed her the bright golden star sticker at the top. “I got full marks on a math test.”
She smiled, the weak curve of her mouth barely visible, but it was enough to make Midousuji smile back.
“So proud of you. My brave – boy.” It took more effort for her to speak these days. The gaps between her words grew longer, forcing Midousuji to lean in further to be able to hear her.
He treasured each word from her, replaying their conversations in his mind on the long ride home. He wouldn’t let himself forget a single syllable, he vowed, and didn’t let himself think why it was so urgent to remember everything she said.
The conversation was slow and quiet from necessity. When his mother closed her eyes and slipped into sleep, Midousuji kept holding her hand. Her fingers were cool within his, long and limp. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the blanket, wishing he could just sleep here instead of cycling back to his aunt’s place.
“Hey.” The boy’s voice stirred Midousuji from his slumber. “The night nurse is going to come soon and make you leave if she sees you here.”
“…Yes.” He had to go. He let go of his mother’s hand unhappily, then stood up.
“If you want, you can hide under my blanket while she’s here.” The boy said and Midousuji looked at him properly for the first time. Pale, dark-haired with big blue eyes the color of Midousuji’s favorite crayon; he didn’t seem dangerous but why was he offering?
He could hear the night nurse’s heels clicking. No time to think. Quickly, he climbed up into the boy’s bed and hid under the blanket, tucking himself as close to the boy as he could.
It almost felt like cuddling his mother used to.