Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 77: Birds

Ren had never liked hospitals.

He had been there often, far too often for his own good. The stench of cleaning alcohol left a burning sensation within his nose, and the constant ringing of various machines irritated Ren's ears.

Ren took a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling only to visualize his thoughts. Deep thoughts, ones have been on his mind for some time now.

This was the path Suzume chose...

No, this was the path Renji Tachibana chose...

Ren closed his eyes before taking another breath, but unlike before this one was heavier than the last. Ren knew full well something like this was inevitable, but it was still something he wanted to prevent from happening at all cost.

With a subtle shift of his neck, Ren gazed downwards only to eye Suzume before him. Holding dull eyes as if staring at a broken jewel.

Suzume was fast asleep in her bed, taking weak breaths showing no signs of waking up anytime soon.

Of course Ren expected this due to how severe her injuries were, but still Ren would occasionally basque Suzume in his flames hoping she'd wake up sooner. It was a pitiful act, but one Ren didn't mind doing...

All he wanted was to see Suzume open her eyes once more.

"You idiot..." Ren's body shuddered as his words began to grovel. It was difficult, not only to see Suzume in such a sorry state but to let alone speak. To Ren Suzume's injuries served as a reminder, not only to the gap in strength between them and pro heroes, but that he failed in the one thing he swore that he'd do.

To protect her above anything else.

Not only did Ren fail her as a lover, but Ren failed as a hero too.

The happiness that Ren gifted Suzume, only lasted for a moment. Only to be overshadowed by the constant darkness within her life. A darkness Suzume was forced to face because of Ren's carelessness.

Ren's attention rested upon Suzume's swollen face. The bruises and swelling was so bad you'd think someone bashed Suzume's head with bricks. Just looking at made Ren's chest swell making him feel as if he were drowning.

"If only I had been there..." Ren then lowered his head "Even if I was...I wouldn't have been much help." Ren momentarily thought about Sayuri and how Suzume reacted to her. It was hard for Ren to imagine Suzume doing anything to Sayuri especially after how she responded to being hit.

But somehow Suzume managed to keep her promise.

Somehow Suzume was able to protect and save Ren.

That thought no matter how bitter it felt managed to make Ren smile. Even if that smile was drenched in tears.

"Suzume..." Ren gently grasped Suzume's hand with both his. "..." There were a million things Ren wanted to tell Suzume in that moment, but he found himself unable to say anything.

No...

He didn't deserve to say a thing. Ren was in no place to judge her, knowing full well that he would have done the same if their roles had been flipped. Like Suzume Ren would have fought to his hearts content, even if it killed him. Not just for Suzume, but for anyone that Ren considered part of his family, and like Ren Suzume seemed to have a similar mindset.

Suzume fought, knowing that victory was scarce, and knowing that she could be injured or even killed. Despite that it didn't stop Suzume from completing her goal, and fulfilling the promise she made to him.

Ren raised Suzume's hand pressing it close to his mouth kissing it. Before once again allowing his flames to consume her.

Still, despite all his desires to stop Suzume from fighting Ren understood it would be pointless. Suzume was far too stubborn to be stopped from doing what she wanted. So the least he could do, is support her in those decisions no matter how much it hurt.

In the path of life that they've chosen Ren knew that it was very plausible either one of them could be hurt or even killed. It was something that he had to accept, no matter how screwed up it may be.

But that was something Ren wasn't sure he'd be able to accept...

Ren lowered his head, reflecting back on the word the Maiden of Darkness told him before.

"The path your parents set you on is the path of love."

"You are the Wolf with Devil's blood."

"You cannot let your blood mix with the blood of the Dragon."

To Ren the Maiden of Darkness still was a mystery. Even though Nadine implied whatever the Maiden was could be a soul, Ren was still not entirely sure who the Maiden even was. Let alone if the words that she said were correct.

"You cannot let your blood mix with the blood of the Dragon..."

"If you wish to end the cycle, to prevent yourself and her from suffering the same fate as your parents..."

It was those words that scared Ren the most.

Ren's face softened, and a cautious look then swallowed Ren's eyes.

To end up like his parents...

To end up like Irene, Ren's mind briefly flashed visualizing Irene's final encounter with Michael mere moments before her untimely death. That wasn't a future Ren wanted, not for himself or for Suzume either.

But it was a future Ren wasn't to sure how to prevent.

Ren's solution for most of his problems was to get stronger, but this so called "Path of Love" was something even his Mother wasn't able to avoid even though Irene had the title of the strongest.

Although there was one solution...

Ren raised his head again, taking one good look at Suzume before clearing his mind.

"Can I do it?"

"Will I do it?"

A stream of thoughts entered Ren's mind, but with each thought came a flash. Even though each flash differed from the last, they all produced similar visions. All of Suzume smiling at him. It didn't matter if the smile was awkward, or full of love, each smile was filled with happiness that Suzume couldn't replicate anywhere else.

"If I don't then..." Ren lowered his head, and his chest tightened "Something like this, no something worst than this could happen again..." Ren's lip began to quiver, and his thoughts slowly jumbled.

"Renji, lets ditch?"

"Renji do you like it here? At Vermillion City?"

"Renji let me save you the same way you saved me."

Suzume's voice wailed in his head, bashing Ren's repeatedly as if it were a bat. Ren's eyes stiffened quickly filling themselves with water "I have to, If I don't then Suzume will end up getting herself killed for me..."

"I-"

"Ah-ha...haah"

Before Ren could even finish his tears stopped. Ren's entire face froze after hearing the sound of a tiresome groan. Even though the breaths were heavier than usual, Ren recognized it almost immediately.

"Ren...ji" Suzume's voice sounded as if it were in pain.

"Suzume" Ren quickly tightened his hand around hers completely abandoning his previous thoughts. The only thing on his mind was how happy he was to see her awake.

"...mhmm" Suzume let out another groan while opening her eyes a bit more. Even though they were healed a bit more than before the swelling was still apparent. It would take a multitude of days before Suzume would be fully healed.

Regardless Suzume turned her head, and smiled even if it did pain her to do so.

"You are okay...that is good, that is very good..." Suzume mumbled. Suzume took another breath sounding a bit more pained than before, but still speaking nonetheless.

"Suzume you need to..." Ren stopped himself, there was no need to remind her about the pain. So with a sympathetic smile Ren nodded "I am, thanks to you." Ren's grip over Suzume's hand grew more gentle.

Hearing Ren say that left a pained smile on Suzume's lips. It was clear Suzume was still in a daze, probably still suffering the affects of her medication. Suzume's movements were awkward, and sluggish and she'd let out a troublesome groan every few seconds.

"Easy there...you probably won't be able to move much for a few days." Ren admitted once again releasing more flames to soothe Suzume's pain. Suzume moaned somewhat, sounding as if she stepped into a warm bath.

"...A few days?" Suzume turned her head to face Ren, gazing at his blurry face. "I must look pretty messed up huh?"

"...You look amazing as usual." It was a lie, and obvious lie but Ren couldn't bring himself to anything else. Even in her dazed state Suzume noticed this and sighed "I'm sorry...making you worry about me like this...I" Suzume then coughed. It sounded painful and vicious as if someone were tearing out a lung.

Ren quickly jumped "Suzume, don't push yourself."

"You aren't a very good liar Renji." Suzume teased, before gently wiping the blood from her lip. "I guess my mom really did do a number on me." With each passing second Suzume's awareness seemed to grow more clear.

"Haaah..." Suzume let out a soft laugh "But you should have saw it, I got her really good..." Suzume immediately fell into a coughing fit again. Before Ren gently laid Suzume back down.

"I bet..." It was hard to imagine Suzume like this. Suzume had always come across as so strong, even in her moments of weakness. Ren's eyes narrowed and he felt his chest burn in rage and sadness. Deep down Ren wanted to bring hell upon Sayuri, make her feel as much pain as Suzume did her entire life. But that would be impossible, Ren was no where strong enough nor cruel enough to do something like that.

Suzume lightly twitched while still being clasped by Ren's hand "...Are you mad at me?"

Ren raised a brow, even though he did have conflicting feelings on this entire situation never once did he feel angry with Suzume. In fact it was quite the opposite, he was proud of her...after all Suzume was able to do something that he wasn't.

Ren shook his head, although it was a gesture Suzume couldn't quite see "No not at all."

Suzume pondered for a moment, before slowly looking away "But I wont be that useful to you now..."

"Useful?" Ren looked away for a moment just to collect his thoughts. With a quick glance Ren noticed how bothered Suzume was by this. To be hurt the way she was, and to no longer be able to perform the task she set herself on.

"...Suzume" Ren cooled his voice, he couldn't believe that Suzume was still viewing herself in such a way. "You aren't a tool, you don't suddenly lose value just because you are hurt (Broken)." Ren grit his teeth to quell his sudden anger, before speaking to Suzume in his usual soft tone "Suzume, you are my girlfriend and one of my closest friends..."

"I could never toss you away like some tool!" Ren slowly lowered his head before kissing her forehead "I love you, now and always."

Suzume's froze after hearing those words. They were the words she wanted to hear for so long, and always expect them to be from Sayuri. But little did Suzume know, they would come from the boy she once looked down upon.

"Haaah..." Suzume let out other pained gasp, causing her to clench her stomach and fall hunched over. Similar to before Ren grabbed a hold of her, grasping Suzume in his warmth. "Suzume are you..." Ren stopped himself again, noticing that the sound Suzume made was far different than the last.

Yes like before Suzume was in pain, but this pain oddly enough felt good. It didn't feel like Suzume was being run with swords several times over, instead it was warm relieving taking the shape of rivers that flowed from Suzume's eyes.

"Thank you...thank you..." With a light nod Ren raised his hand placing it on Suzume's head before gently directing her towards his chest. Allowing Ren to feel the same pain as Suzume, like her Ren felt relieved knowing that this moment would be the turning point in their lives.

For better or for worse.

But despite the warm emotions Ren felt in this moment, little did he know a storm was approaching one that would drastically alter his life...and the rest of the world as he knew it.

Chapter End.