The Hero and the Damsel

Streaming Tears

            Toshinori remained there, rubbing my back in such a soft and delicate manner I wasn't even sure his hand was touching me. I...I'm not sure how long I cried; I was only brought out of my desperate tears when I felt strong arms wrap around me giving a gentle lift to pick me up slightly from the hospital bed. I clutched at his back and hid my face against his chest. He was still trembling. His toned, muscled form...trembling. "Toshi...?"

He didn't speak for a long while, merely held me. When he did speak, his voice was hushed and soft. "Ayano...i-if I had just g-gotten there sooner..."

No! No no no! He was blaming himself?! No! I was not going to let him blame himself for my lung cancer! I went back for a child, knowing full well the risks on my life! He would not! I won't let him!

I placed my hands gingerly on his biceps. I could feel the tenseness of those bulking muscles under my fingertips. I lightly pushed him away from me causing him to glance down at me with sadness and confusion. I glared up into those sorrowful blue orbs. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this Toshi!" I could feel the tears threatening to spill out again, as well as the pain in my chest from shouting. I clasped a hand to my chest as I persisted on reprimanding my boyfriend. "I won't have it!"

There was a moment of hesitation as Toshinori looked at me. We stayed locked into each other's gazes for a moment before he closed his eyes and nodded. He released me from the hug and sat back down in that small seat. "Sorry...I'm probably just frustrated." He lifted his hands as he glared down at them. "All this power and yet..."

"Don't Toshi...Babe, it...it'll be fine. It's only Stage I, if they treat it quickly, I'll be back at your house soon." I gave a bit of an awkward smile as I placed my small hand into his.

"It's been nearly six months since you started living with me. I-It's your h-house t-too now...s-since we're d-dating..." Toshinori's face was bright red as he avoided looking at me. Idiot. He was always so cute when he got flustered like this.

I sighed as I left my hand in his and leaned back down against the back of the hospital bed. "I-I mean...I was trying to look for a house, but...I kept getting a bit distracted."

He continued to blush as the tips of his ears reddened and he looked down. "Even...like this you still j-joke and t-tease?"

I moved my hand up to his chin, trying to force him to look up at me. He obliged, so I didn't really have to put much force behind it. "Babe...I'm scared out of my mind right now, and the only constant I have and the only thing keeping me from not screaming and crying and throwing stuff around is you."

He placed his hand over the one I had resting on his cheek as he held it. "Ayano...H-Have no f-fear – "

"For you are here, yeah yeah." My hand quickly recoiled to cover my mouth as I started coughing and wheezed out in between coughs. "I'm your girlfriend, I don't need your t-tagline." I kept wheezing and coughing. Surely this would be attractive. However, there was something wrong, as I coughed, I felt something on my hand. I gave a glance down and nearly screamed as I covered my mouth quickly and looked up at Toshinori with terror.

He looked from my fear-filled eyes, getting up as if ready to fight and fend anything off from hurting me, but when he saw the placement of my hand his eyes saddened as he sat down next to me and tilted his head down. "Y-You did that t-this morning too."

I reached for a tissue, Toshinori lending me a bit of a hand as he placed the tissues closer to me and wiped my mouth. Blood. There was...blood. I bit my lip, attempting to calm my nerves before speaking with a rasp. "T-This morning?"