The Crimson Lotus

He had to admit that it wasn’t truly the light’s fault that he couldn’t see his book. Yes, the light was shining in his face, creating a glare on the pages, but the true distraction was in his thoughts. Maddie had been asleep since they’d gotten back the night before, and she’d stayed in pretty much the same position since he’d gotten up and gone to get the band, in the faint hope that hearing them would wake her up.

But she’d slept on, and throughout the day, it had become less of a nap and more of a sleep that had begun to worry her mother as well as the man sitting beside her bed with a book, waiting for her to wake up. And the band had stuck around, talking amongst themselves, planning other things to do with Maddie, and enjoying what was surprising hospitality from her mother.

And Ruki had stayed with her, alone, hoping that his presence beside her would help wake her up, and he’d even brought a book to keep himself occupied. But now, he couldn’t really concentrate on the text, and his eyes were scanning over words that weren’t truly relevant to the frenzied words in his head.

So he closed the book, and he turned to set it on the nightstand, and he sighed. Maddie was still pleasantly asleep, and her arm was hanging limply off the bed, and he turned to rest it back on the mattress, his hand closing resignedly around hers. Her hand was fairly limp within his, but her fingers twitched as her mind assumed it was him, and she shifted ever so slightly, giving him a second of hope that she was going to wake up, and then she settled back into sleep once more.

He heard the door to her bedroom creak open, and he turned slightly to see Aoi walking in, one hand in his pocket and the other on the doorknob. “Still not awake?” he asked, and the singer shook his head dismally. Aoi watched the sleeping girl for a moment, and then he walked over to Ruki, resting a hand on his shoulder before letting that hand slide into his pocket as well. “She may not be able to have a night like last night again. You know that, right?”

Ruki gave a half-smile to the guitarist, trying not to make it obvious that he was forcing it, and then he returned his attention to Maddie. “Hai,” he said. The understanding sounded like a death sentence to whatever plans the band had made, and he sighed again, this time more wearily, more aware of exactly how sick Maddie was. “I know.” He smiled a little when she did, hoping that maybe she’d become more aware of her surroundings, but frowned as he realized it was only in response to something in her dreams.

“She’ll be okay for now, though, ne? Like, she isn’t sore from being out or walking around or anything?”

The singer shook his head, and he chewed on his lip, quiet for a moment before he said, “Iie. And even if she was, you wouldn’t hear her complain.”

“But…she’ll be okay, right?”

Ruki glanced up at his friend, and he tried a worn smile. “For now? Hai, she’ll be all right for now. I just don’t know if the same will be able to be said in two weeks.” He let his attention fall back on Maddie, and he allowed himself a small smile as her fingers gave his a small squeeze, and he bit his lip as she shifted a little on the bed. “But she’s happy, and that is what matters to me.”

Aoi gave his friend a small, sad smile, and he leaned against the nightstand, both men watching the sleeping girl they’d come for. “I thought I’d noticed something going on,” he said, and Ruki looked up at him, eyebrow raised. “It’s okay to love her, Taka-kun. You’ll just have to be ready for whatever, you know?”

Ruki nodded. “Hai. I know.” He bit his lip for a moment, watching Maddie as she continued to rest, and he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. His thumb stroked over the back of her hand, moving in small circles, and for a few minutes, it was quiet, and then Ruki sighed, his quiet, “I just wish that she wasn’t sick,” breaking the quiet.

“When she’s around you, though?” The singer looked up at him, and he offered his warmest smile. “It’s like she’s not.”

Ruki smiled up at him, a weary attempt, and Aoi patted his shoulder, touching his hand to Maddie’s arm for a moment before leaving Ruki alone with her, going back to the band, going back to whatever he’d been doing before.

And Ruki watched her sleep, and he just hoped she’d wake up soon.