Walk With Me

Chapter 13

A/N: Uh-oh, unlucky number 13. Here's where things get.. complicated. hehehe. Also sepsis is a very real disease, and it happens very suddenly, so if y'all are curious feel free to look it up.

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Kyoya's P.O.V.

"So you guys are going to pretend to be interns so you can watch over me?" Tamaki said softly, a shit-eating grin adorning his lips as he hobbled down the hallway. "That's almost evil.... The twins thought of it, didn't they?"

"We all came to a similar conclusion," Kyoya admitted, pushing his glasses up to hide a satisfied smile of his own. He wanted to reach out a hand to Tamaki to steady him, hold onto him once more, but the blonde was stubbornly leaning out of his reach. He was truly the most amazing person Kyoya had ever met. He was an anomaly. Every time he should fall down, every time he should stay down, Tamaki got back up. And Kyoya loved him for it.

Kyoya loved him.

Kyoya Ootori loved Tamaki Suoh.

The more Kyoya thought about it, the more it made sense. It was a fact of life. The Earth revolved around the Sun. The human heart beat over 100,000 times a day. Two plus two equaled four. Kyoya loved Tamaki.

Kyoya paused in his walking. He could not believe that it took him this long to realize something that had been an absolute truth since the beginning.

Tamaki stepped forward, but looked back at him. He was silhouetted by the glow of the hospital lights, and yet he was haunting. He looked almost deathly. The skin on his arms were patchy and discolored, rippling with shivers every so often. His hair was dull, matted down with sweat. He did not resemble the Tamaki he had said farewell to this morning, before he had left to get the party supplies. He hardly even looked like the Tamaki he had seen a few hours ago, sat on his hospital bed crowned with a bright pink bow. This Tamaki looked like he was on the verge of collapsing.

"Why'd... you stop?" He murmured, eye cloudy and unfocused. Kyoya frowned, adjusting his shirt collar.

"You look different," Kyoya replied. "Here, let me take your temperature."

Tamaki frowned, shaking his head slowly. "What are you talking about? I'm fine.... Let's get back to the room."

"Tamaki -"

"Kyoya, please, ... just, let's go," Tamaki looked winded, but his smile did not falter. He was sweating too.

This was bad.

They finally reached Tamaki's hospital room, where Hikaru was waiting with a similar pass dangling from his neck.

"Hiya Tono!" Hikaru smiled, tears shining unshed in his eyes. "Long time no see." He lurched forward, wrapping Tamaki in a hug.

"Gah!" Tamaki gasped, breath squeezed out of his lungs. It was alarming, how long it took him to catch it back.

"Hikaru, help him to his bed. Something's wrong," Kyoya ordered, unwinding the blood pressure cuff from the wall and grabbing a stethoscope from under his brother's cabinet. Hikaru pulled Tamaki gently to the bed, the blonde wordlessly following.

This was bad.

"Tamaki can you look at me? Directly in the eye?" Kyoya asked, pointing at his face.

"Of course I can," Tamaki said, frowning. "I..."

"Breathe in and out like I am," Kyoya demanded, slowing his breathing down until it was a steady rhythm. When Tamaki managed to keep the same pace, Kyoya placed his fingers on Tamaki's wrist, which was burning up. Nevertheless, Kyoya found his patient's pulse, feeling the fluttering beats ebb and flow.