Chapter Text
“Though I can't understand your breath, It's alright, I'll hold you.”-Breath, Lee Hi
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Taki woke up with a towel pressed to his forehead and the air con on the lowest temperature. He tried to move around to find the remote to reduce the temperature, only for him to be whacked in the shoulder.
A scratchy groan left his throat as he looked at who did that.
Euijoo was standing above him with a glass of water as he helped Taki sit and drink some of it, almost reducing the pain as he swallowed it.
“You lil brat almost scared us out, you can't do that to us again, okay, just wait here, me and Nico will bring you some food that is not a random protein bar.”
Taki opened his mouth only for a sore throat reliving candy to be slipped in his mouth.
He knew he had to come to terms with whatever happens after this, or he would be lectured to hell and back, not nice when he is sick.
Yeah, he needs to first come to terms with the fact that now he is sick.
Euijoo left the room again after burying him in another two thick blankets and a promise of looking after Nicho so he does not burn the kitchen.
It makes Taki wanna laugh cause if anything, Euijoo is the one who can't even hold a knife properly at first, he’s better now.
With that, he left the room and Taki alone.
Nico entered the room with a tray of food, with Euijoo trailing behind him with a glass of water and a bowl filled with fruits.
Taki was asleep again. He looked calm and peaceful, that the pair felt bad for waking him up, but he needed food to get better.
Nico slowly threaded his hands through his hair. “Baby, wake up. You need to eat.”
Taki only groaned in response at first and then “five more minutes, Rua, blanket’s warm.”
Nicholas’s heart sank deep in his stomach, he felt the love in Taki’s voice as he uttered the words. How much pain would his baby brother be in?
Taki stirred around and then sat up, rubbing his eyes. As soon as he saw Nicholas, he smiled a little and then turned to Euijoo.
“So Euijoo hyung, did your lovely husband burn anything down, or will I be getting food?” Nicholas let out a choked out laugh that he covered up with a cough, and Euijoo just shook his head.
Both of them were amused and saddened by the fact that Taki still joked when he was in pain.
They quietly moved sound setting the food and helping Taki eat. More like Nicho hovering around, feeding him like a little kid, despite all the protests and whines.
And when he was done, they gave him meds with a lot of bribes of candy and hot chocolate later in the evening, and even a small candy as a chaser.
Yet, Taki still made faces after he swallowed.
The house settled into a quiet silence after that. Nicholas left the room to do the dishes, and Euijoo was putting away the meds and some other stuff. They both came back with pillows and blankets and threw them on the other side of Taki’s bed.
They climbed on either side of him and wrapped themselves around him, just like the time Harua was out for a week do to a business trip, and he felt lonely.
That loneliness lasted only a week. He knew Harua would be back home soon and in his arms, holding him tight, but now…
Nicholas, as if sensing his thoughts, wrapped his arms tighter around him, making Taki bury his face in his older brother's neck.
“I was scared… when I got the call. He was supposed to come home for dinner early that night, you know. I even made his favorite ramen.”
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Taki was there in the kitchen chopping some chashu, while the eggs boiled nearby. In another pot, the broth was simmering. Taki was getting ready to plate everything now.
He took out their matching set of bowls that one of his coworkers got them as a gift. He poured the hot, steaming broth and then the noodles. He layered them before arranging the chashu and the now peeled and cut eggs.
He cut some spring onions and placed some in the center, and lastly, toasted sesame seeds.
Taki’s phone rang from the counter. He quickly wiped his hands and took the phone. He knew it was Harua, he told him he wanted to pick some wine for them to have later at night, so he was probably at the store right now, stress calling him on what type he should bring home.
“Hey Haru-chan, if this is about the wine flavor again, just like last time.”
The reply on the other end was different, everything, the tone, voice, and wording.
“I am sorry but this is Takayama Riki, right? You were listed as Shigeta Harua’s emergency contact. Mr.Harua got into an accident and is admitted in the GC hospital. We request that you come as soon as possible and inform other relatives, Mr.Harua.”
The call cut off, and so did Taki.
Nothing made sense to him. Harua was supposed to come home, kiss him, eat dinner with him, and then cuddle and watch a movie.
Tears welled in his eyes as he realised, as the intensity of the situation hit him, and he left, as quickly as he could, cause he was needed, Harua needed him.
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Euijoo was patting his back while Nico held him and placed kisses on his forehead, temple, cheek, anywhere.
“And when I went there, the doctors told me there is no way he will survive, he would be there for maybe one more hour, and that's all.”
Taki's hiccuped voice breaking badly now.
“I saw him hyung, for the last time. He was in so much pain, yet he kissed me, hugged me. You know what he asked me, hyung? He asked me to sing his favorite lullaby as he closed his eyes. His last words were ‘I love you’”
All three of them were crying now, cause it was not just Taki who lost his lover, Nicholas lost his little brother and Euijoo lost his childhood friend, and now after hearing this part that only Taki knew, broke them as well.
“Did you know how much it hurt hyung? watching him lie there in my lap, and his body slowly lose its warmth, no longer breathing, and now I am alone.”
Taki sobbed even harder as he spoke further, all the memories hurting him.
Nicholas and Euijoo held him that night, tightly, grieving along with him, for the love they all could have had in their lives in the form of the little bunny Harua.