CoMari Au (Omori)

Pt 17

Not long after HERO and BASIL exited the bathroom, KEL comes in.

"SUNNY?"

I don't respond.

I don't want to hurt him.

KEL hugs me. His arms wrap around my cold and fragile body. 

I wake up, several hours later, in my hospital bed. I notice a pain, and look down to my hands.

Blood.

Small scratches cover my hands.

And they're bleeding a surprising amount.

Did I do this?

I notice another feeling occupying my mind, a sharp pain, just as bad, if not worse, than the physical pain of my hands.

It like dehydration or maybe hunger of some kind, but I don't need food nor water.

I want to be held.

To cry like a baby into someone's arms, for their hands to roam my bony body. Maybe the person would put a band-aid on my hands or tell me how much they love me. Or they could hold me tight, whispering undeserved praises into their ear, so close I could feel their hot breath on my cold neck.

It didn't matter what it was, it didn't matter who it was, it mattered when it was, and the when it was was as soon as possible.

I stumbled out of bed, and took an elevator to a certain someone's room. I open the door.

His head snaps around to look at me. It's clear he hasn't slept at all tonight.

I walk closer to him, and he gets out of bed, looking ready to hurt me, if needed. Then he sees the dull look in my eyes, and how shaky my legs are.

His voice is soft and gentle. "SUNNY?"

I don't know how to respond, so instead, I give him the most honest response I can give him. A simple request.

"Hold me."

His eyes are wide. He looks worried for me, which is understandable. He glances at my hands, and takes one, careful not to hurt me. He smiles, sympathetic, and a tear rolls down my cheek. I'm so shaky, ready to collapse into his arms.

So I do. I let myself fall into him, not longer able to or even want to support me own weight for a second longer.

He lets this happen, of course. He hugs me close, and I rest my head on his shoulder. He quickly picks me up, and I let myself be limp in his arms.

As he sits the both of us down on his bed, tears begin to rush down his pale face, touching his soft pink lips, the salty water getting in his mouth.

He kisses my forehead, running his hands through my hair. 

I don't know when I fall asleep, but I do.

I wake up sometime in the early morning. Basil is beside my bed, and as I look to him, the feeling of touch starvation washes over me again, burning and hot.

"Can I kiss you?" his voice is a whisper, a thought not meant to slip out.

I'm glad he asked before I did. I shyly nod, trying not to show how happy and grateful I am for him.

He takes his hand and puts it against my cheek, trailing his fingers against my cool skin before resting his palm just above my neck. His hand is warm against my cold skin.

He brings his face closer to mine, closing his eyes. I want to keep my eyes open and look into the blues of his eyes, but I know that would be awkward, so I close them. 

And then our noses are touching.

And then our lips. 

His soft lips feel so good against my chapped ones, and he's so close to me that he smell of his vanilla chap stick is overwhelming. As he presses himself closer to me, putting his other hand on my cheek, I can taste it as well. It's sweet and mild, just like him.

After several minutes, he finally breaks away, gasping for air, and I do as well, as I realize he quite literally took my breath away. 

And then a tear slips down his cheek. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, wiping it away. 

He starts crying at my touch, and those cries turn into sobs, making me wonder if I did something wrong until he throws his body against me. His hands and arms are around me, and he's sobbing into my chest.

Gently, I reach my hand to his blond hair, running my long and slender fingers through it.

He grips at the back of my hospital gown, forcing me closer to him and him closer to me, but I don't mind.

His soft hair grazes the bandage over my eye, a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but I let it happen.

He grips my clothing harder, and I feel his short nails touch my skin through the thin fabric. If they were any longer it might've hurt.

I continue running my hands through his hair, letting him cry into me. As his tears stop, I place one of my fingers under his chin, guiding his hand up to look at me. He does so, his eyes wide and red.

I give him a soft kiss, one that lasts no more than a second.

"I love you." My voice is barely audible, and more for me than him.

"I don't deserve you." He says.

"Of course you don't deserve me. You deserve better." I say gently.

He attempts to protest my words, but I don't let him, and kiss him, shutting him up. He doesn't pull away or flinch or squirm, but instead presses closer.

Again, our kiss lasts for several minutes.

"I want to go home." BASIL's voice is light and pleading, as if begging me to take him there.

Unfortunately, such a thing is out of my power. But if I could, I would.

"We will. Soon. I promise."

I don't know if what I said was true, but before I can doubt it, BASIL kisses me again.

(955 words)