Rainbow Veins (By Bokkuroo on Ao3)

Chapter 14

And when the other one responded with a flustered, but genuine "I love you too, Koutarou", all he could do was to pull him closer into another passionate kiss.

They slowly fell asleep then, talking and dreaming about the future they would have together, with their limbs and fingers carefully entangled and their foreheads pressed together tightly, holding at each other in their sleep.

The next morning, Koutarou stirred awake with a chill running down his spine.

He tugged his blanket higher and snuggled more closely to the boy next to him, blindly searching out for his hand and lacing their fingers together with a smile.

However, the coldness of his skin made him frown.

"Keiji..." he breathed out and bumped their noses together.

"Are you cold?"

He waited for a reply, but as there was none he opened his eyes.

"Hey, Keiji... wake up, sleepy head. It's morning already" he thumbed his cheek gently and only now noticed how his skin was even paler than usually.

"Keiji...?"

And it was in the exact moment he turned around to check the curve on the monitor next to Keiji's bed, as it suddenly turned even and the emergency alarm was set off.

From that moment on, everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

He could hear himself calling out Keiji's name and grabbing his hands, but someone dragged him off the bed and backed him to the wall.

He only stood there and watched, as doctors stormed into the room. Watched as nurses tried to hold back Keiji's mother, who was trying to get near her son as they continued to reanimate him.

Watched as they muttered something about a collapsed lung and the doctors trying to give him artificial respiration.

Watched as they finally gave up after an hour.

Koutarou sat on the floor, his back against the wall opposite of the bed. His arms were twined around his legs tightly and his head rested on his knees.

He didn't know how much time had already passed, but the last words of the doctor were still ringing in his ears.

"Time of death, 6:45 AM."

There were footsteps approaching him and a moment later, he could feel a hand gripping on his shoulder. Then, someone crouched down next to him.

"What's this?" Tetsurou asked and pointed at the book in Koutarou's hands.

"The Book Thief" he answered and stroked the worn out cover gently with his fingers.

"I didn't know you were into books."

"It was Keiji's favorite" he told him, still not tearing his gaze away from the epigraph on the marble in front of him.

"I've finished reading it yesterday."

For the third time he wanted to add, but didn't.

"I see."

It was silent for a moment, before his best friend continued.

"Have you cried already?"

Koutarou placed the book on the heap of soil in front of him and finally got up, Tetsurou following his matter.

The hand on his shoulder appeared again and this time squeezed it tightly in a supportive way.

He turned to his best friend and smiled sadly."I don't think he would've wanted me to."

At this, Tetsurou pulled him into a hug and Koutarou hesitated for a moment before hugging him back tightly.

"He would've wanted me to continue on, Tetsu..."

"I know" the other whispered before slowly pulling away, a faint smile gracing his lips.

"Hey, are you ready for your first day back in practice?"

Koutarou rubbed the corner of his eyes with his sleeve and finally put on his infamous bright smile.

"You can bet."

"Let's go, then."

Tetsurou squeezed his shoulder one last time before letting go and going ahead across the graveyard.

Koutarou didn't turn back when he finally followed him.