Koujo Lin: The Account

Chapter 8: Bait and Switch

Monitors beeped loudly from somewhere close by, yet beyond Koujo Lin's reach. The Onmyouji was running frantically in the general direction of the noise, but he realized that he wasn't going to get there in time. Nazuke was dying- he felt it in the deepest pits of his heart that his brother's body was failing- the damage inflicted on him by the shiki was simply too much for his system to handle. Lin had to get to him before he died; there were still things that he needed to say to him, pieces of advice that Lin had meant to bestow on Nazuke, but had never gotten around to.

If only he'd been home more- maybe Nazuke would have known how much Lin cared about him. But once a year was the best that Lin had been able to do. He knew that during their time apart he and Nazuke had drifted apart slowly, but surely not enough where Nazuke would ever question whether or not Lin loved him?

Even so, Lin had to get to him. Continuing to run frantically, Lin ran until a room came into view. The area was familiar, and Lin recognized it as a hospital; the sterile scent and white walls giving it away. This was where he needed to be, there was no question about it. Nazuke was here, slowly dying.

The realization made Lin run even faster, desperation powering his movement. He followed his gut, trusting it to lead him in the right direction. Before long, he was approaching the only door at the end of a long hallway. He reached the door and turned the knob slowly, not hesitating in his step as he entered the room.

The first thing Lin laid his eyes on was a bed in the center of the room. Lying on the bed was none other than Nazuke. Heavy breathing could be heard alongside the sound of the beeping machines that had continuously been tormenting Lin.

Approaching the bed slowly, Lin mentally prepared himself for the worst. He was about to lose his little brother, and he had absolutely no control over the situation. Regrets filled his mind, though he paid them no heed.

Instead he stood beside the bed and stared at Nazuke's sleeping but still pain filled face. He took his brother's hand and moved his gaze to Naz's wrist, where a tattoo of a dragon took up much of his exposed skin.

However, after a moment of staring at the tattoo, it began to disappear from Lin's field of vision. Horror filled Lin's mind as he turned his gaze back to Nazuke's face, afraid that the rest of his brother was fading away as well.

Only it was no longer Nazuke laying in the bed the Onmyouji slowly realized. Instead, the person most distant from Lin's mind and heart laid in the bed. It was his father, Dajun.

As soon as the realization hit Lin, Dajun's slate gray eyes opened, and his hand clamped around Lin's wrist. Lin cringed and tried to step away, but became frozen in place when the monitor beside Dajun began beeping furiously, and Dajun's eyes rolled back into his head. The grip on Lin's wrist slackened.

Shocked and confused, Lin felt himself plummeting towards the floor, his legs suddenly devoid of strength.

Just before he hit the swirling darkness surrounding him, a voice jolted him out of his dark reverie.

"Lin, wake up,"

Koujo Lin shot up forcefully from the bed he was lying on, very nearly headbutting the woman whose head was hovering in front of him. Slowly opening his eyes, Lin was met with a concerned pink gaze.

Madoka stepped back to give him room to breathe when she realized that he was awake. Lin sat on the bed breathing hard before running a hand through his thick fringe. Madoka waited patiently for him to address her, although it soon became apparent that he wasn't willing to bring up whatever had caused his outburst.