"WHEN I'M I able to see him?" Gundham pursed his lips, looking at the purple-haired nurse in front of him. "You told me I could see him during visiting hours today. I want to see him."
Sure enough, Gundham had arrived just as Mikan was starting his shift. He was filled with an odd mixture of anticipation and excitement. He just couldn't wait to see Kazuichi again.
Not seeing someone for nearly twelve months could leave a toll on you. Gundham was longing to see the pink-haired male again. It was hard waking up knowing that he wasn't going to see him. But he had hope.
Mikan shrugged off her coat, putting it on the receptionist desk. She twiddled her thumbs before buying her lip. "I...I s-suppose so."
Gundham went to leave, but Mikan grabbed his arm. She looked up at him, eyes swimming with tears.
"I o-overheard some of th-the other employees talking...Kazuichi's n-not going to b-be the same p-person as y-you last saw him...we suspect he h-has amnesia. J-Just be c-careful with what y-you say around him."
The male's face fell. He nodded solemnly before walking off.
Gundham walked over to the room Mikan told him that Kazuichi was staying in. He bit his bottom lip, staring at the door in front of him. Did he really want to enter?
Kazuichi was in there. He was probably in there waiting for him. But what if Kazuichi wasn't the same?...What if Kazuichi couldn't recognize him.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, gently pushing the door open. The sound of the heart monitor filled his ears. He stepped inside the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.
There Kazuichi slept in bed, his back facing Gundham. He was wearing a thin hospital gown, body curled in a fetal position. An IV was inserted into his wrist, and he was hooked up to an oxygen tank. His pink hair has grown longer, revealing the black roots underneath. He was different from when Gundham last saw him, but it was still him.
Tears came to Gundham's eyes. He covered his mouth, not believing what he was seeing. Kazuichi was here. He was alive. The tears spilled from his eyes, and he let out a strangled sob.
Slowly, he made his way to sit in front of Kazuichi. He pulled up a chair and sat by the male's bedside. He was shocked to discover how he looked from the front.
His usual tan skin was long gone, replaced with an ivory hue. He was much skinnier than when Gundham last saw him, bones poking through skin. A large gash was just underneath his hairline. Various bandages were wrapped around his body. The hospital gown the male wore was slipping off his shoulder, revealing red marks and scars dotted along his skin: hickeys and love bites.
Gundham pressed his lips in a firm line, closing his eyes tightly. This wasn't right. What horrors had Kazuichi witnessed? What had happened to him?
But what surprised Gundham the most was what the male was holding. Kazuichi held a firm grip on a long piece of purple fabric. It was stained with blood and dirt, but still, Kazuichi buried his face in it, not daring to let go.
That was Gundham's old scarf. He'd given that to Kazuichi before his disappearance. After all these months, how could he - why did he - he still had it.
He let a smile gloss his lips. He reached out towards his lover, grabbing one of his hands. He intertwined it with his own bandaged one, eyes lighting up as Kazuichi smiled in his sleep at the action.
Using his free hand, Gundham gently caressed Kazuichi's face. The pink-haired male flinched at the touch, causing Gundham to frown. However, Kazuichi soon leaned into his touch, hand moving from the scarf to be placed over Gundham's.
"What have you gone through?" Gundham whispered to the sleeping boy's figure. "You don't deserve this, mortal...you don't."
✧ | ✧ | ✧
"Gundham...are you still awake?"
The black and white-haired male hummed in acknowledgement, sitting up in bed. He looked down at the male who as resting his head on his stomach. "What is it, mortal?"
"I can't sleep," Kazuichi murmured.
The Dark Lord sighed, pulling the mechanic closer to his body. He layed Kazuichi's head against his chest, holding the boy's skull with one hand. He wrapped his free arm around the boy's waist, making sure he was nice and secure.
"Better?" Gundham inquired, running a hand through the male's pink locks.
Kazuichi listened to the sound of Gundham's heartbeat for a bit before nodding. This is how it should be. He felt safe when he was around Gundham. He liked being treated like he was this important. He was Gundham's moon and stars.
"Yeah..." The Ultimate Mechanic muttered, letting his eyes flutter shut. A smile spread across his lips, stretching from ear to ear. "Yeah, this is nice."
They sat there in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other's company. Kazuichi listened for the sound of Gundham's steady heart beat while Gundham rubbed his back soothingly. He didn't deserve to be this happy.
"You're too good to me, ya know?" Kazuichi told him groggily, opening one eye to peer up at Gundham. "I don't deserve this."
Gundham chuckled, sending shivers down Kazuichi's spine. Gosh, how he loved his laugh.
The taller male placed a kiss on the pink-haired male, smiling softly. "You mean the world to me, mortal. Neither heaven nor hell could stand against us."
Kazuichi smiled a bright, lovesick grin, his heart filling with butterflies. He closed his eyes once more, snuggling up to the talk male. But in Kazuichi's eyes, he didn't deserve this praise.
He didn't deserve to be happy.
